(2nd Edit)
𝐉𝐚𝐬𝐦𝐢𝐧𝐞
After Valentino, Damen and their father left, Sadie, Riley and I stayed at the infirmary. I was still on the floor with Sadie and my crying hadn't ceased either. The fear wasn't gone and neither was the anger I felt towards Valentino. How could he do this to a girl? He choked me and then dropped me on the floor like I was a piece of worthless garbage. Is this how they treated women here? And Sadie? She was Damen's wife and Valentino's sister-in-law.
Oh right, sorry. Her name wasn't Sadie, it was Sabrina.
Feeling betrayed, I rose shakily to my feet, wiping my eyes and straightening my rumpled dress.
"Jasmine be careful, let us help you," Sadie offered as she too rose and put her arm around my shoulder to support me.
I angrily moved away from her and started off down the hall.
"Jas, what's wrong? Why are you acting like this?" I heard the hurt in her voice but continued walking.
"Jasmine wait, let us help you, your ankle is still hurt. You could do serious damage if you walk on it," Sadie rushed after me and tried once more to help but I shook my head, refusing her.
"You lied to me Sadie!" I said as more tears rushed to my eyes. "You're in the Mafia? Your name is Sabrina? How could you do this to me? I thought you were my friend!"
"I am your friend Jasmine. That's why I didn't tell you about my life. I wanted to protect you," she said sadly. "I didn't want to involve you in all this, it's a dangerous life, being in the Mafia. There are too many risks, too many dangers and secrets."
Riley had taken off her doctor's coat and was walking alongside us. She let her hair out of the bun and looked so casual she could've passed off as a normal everyday civilian, but no. She was also in the Mafia. Like Sadie. My best friend.
"Sabrina wanted to protect you Jasmine. She didn't want you to be mixed up in this life when you had your own life to pursue. You're young and you have a bright future ahead of you. This is our life, we were born into this, there's nothing more for us," Riley said. "You're innocent and don't deserve to be tainted with such things."
"My real name is Sabrina Guerrero, I was born into a crime family from London. My parents married me off to Damen when I was sixteen since they were in debt to Mr Guerrero and they needed a way to repay him. So he offered to get me married to his son in exchange for clearing the debt my father owed," Sadie explained as we rounded a corner and walked down another hall.
"You were sixteen when you married Damen?" I asked shockingly.
"The oldest you can get married is sixteen. Damen and I had a rough start in the first few months of our marriage, I was kinda used to the life of the Mafia and I knew what was expected of me. but that didn't stop me from rebelling," she giggled.
"When Sabrina came here she really made everyone squirm. Damen was never a patient one and tried to tame her, but it was she who tamed him," Riley chuckled.
"In time I fell in love with him, and learned to embrace who I was. I accepted my new status with open arms. He's my whole world."
"As romantic as that sounds it's not exactly my cup of tea, letting some man dominate me and control my life. I don't want to stay here, I want to go home," I said folding my arms across my chest.
"Home? You call that shitty apartment your home? Mrs Ross made your life hell, your dick of a boyfriend cheated on you, your boss fired you and you're struggling to make ends meet," Sadie said angrily. "You can't go back to Colombia because Valentino won't allow it. Neither will his father."
"Do you expect me to stay here and serve at their feet? To bow down to them and become their personal whore?" I scoffed.
"No Jasmine, Valentino doesn't expect that of you. All he asks of you is your respect, your loyalty. He cares for our family and will do anything to protect us," Riley gently corrected me.
After that last sentence we didn't speak, all while we were walking through the mansion where servants, bodyguards, men and women were walking around. Some of the men had guns and were dressed in suits with assault rifles and handguns strapped to their person. Sadie, Riley and I walked up the stairs and down another hall which was carpeted in red with portraits lining the cream painted walls.
There were lots of doors, all closed and a few servants were walking in the opposite direction. Every time they saw Sadie and Riley they stopped and bowed their heads respectfully.
"You guys sure are respected around here," I observed.
"It is expected of them, I am the younger Don's wife and Riley is Mr Guerrero's niece," Sadie explained.
"What about your mother Riley?" I asked. "Valentino mentioned that his uncle and cousins stayed here as well, but I didn't hear him mention an aunt."
"Mother was killed in a shootout years ago. A few men from a drug cartel invaded our home and I was out with my father and brothers when it happened," Riley said sadly. "I've never been the same since that day. My innocence was snatched in a heartbeat."
"Oh. I'm sorry to hear that," I said sympathetically.
"It's okay. I've put it behind me a long time ago," Riley casually stated. "I made up my mind that I wanted to help others, so after I graduated high school I went to college to pursue my bachelor's degree in Physiology, Biology, Anatomy and Chemistry. After that I studied for my MCATs and enrolled in Med school. Now I'm in the process of pursuing my residencies in Internal Medicine, Pediatrics and General Surgery."
"That's very impressive. Have you ever killed anyone?" I asked.
"Why do you want to know that?" Riley asked laughingly.
"I'm curious is all. Have you or haven't you?"
"I've killed my fair share of bastards. It was mostly people who tried to hurt me or the family."
"What about you Sadie? Have you ever killed anyone?" I turned to look at Sadie as we went up another flight of stairs, this one with more doors and lesser people.
"When I joined the family I had to pledge my loyalty and my life to the Sangue Mafia. I had to pass a test, several in fact. I had to go on a recovery mission with Damen to prove I would go against anyone to protect my own and I had to be initiated as Mrs Guerrero and leave my maiden name behind," Sadie confessed.
"And you were only sixteen when this happened?" the shock in my voice when I asked this did not go unnoticed.
"I had no choice, I couldn't refuse even if I wanted to. I was the property of the Sangue Mafia."
I was stunned to hear her say this in such a casual manner. But I can guarantee you there is no way in hell I'll ever be called anyone's 'property'. I was my own person, I had a mind of my own and I'll be damned if I ever let anyone tell me otherwise.
"Sabrina mia cara, dove sei? Vieni da me mia bella moglie," a deep voice called from around the corridor.
(Sabrina my darling, where are you? Come to me my beautiful wife)
"There's my husband," Sadie said blushing furiously.
"May I ask how old he is Sadie?" I asked raising my eyebrows.
"Damen is twenty three. Sabrina married him when he was twenty one. She had the body of a twenty year old with her height, her boobs, her ass and her attitude. She drove Damen wild," Riley snickered. "Also she admitted to me on several occasions that she thought he looked breathtakingly gorgeous. Especially when he was all naked and-"
"Okay Riley that's quite enough," Sadie interrupted her. The three of us started to laugh just as Damen emerged from behind the wall, his shirt was partially unbuttoned, the sleeves rolled up to his elbow and his hair was visibly untidy. I'm not hitting on Sadie's husband, but I had to admit, he did look a little hot.
"Carry the girl to her room Riley, I have some things to discuss with my wife. Carol has already deposited her dinner there as well as sleeping attire for the night," Damen said.
"Sure Damen, and where is her room? The dungeons?" Riley asked a little sarcastically.
"What? No..I don't want to sleep in the dungeons...can't I bunk on the couch?" I asked, growing hyper at the thought of spending the night in a cold, dark lonely dungeon.
"Relax Jasmine she was just kidding," Sadie laughed. "We won't ever dream of letting you sleep in the dungeon. That place is only reserved for the worst of the worst of our enemies."
"That's right. It's not like my brother will ever allow his precious little kitten to sleep in the dungeon anyway," Damen scoffed.
"He's just being a dick Jasmine, don't mind him," Riley took my arm and walked past, making sure to elbow Damen in his side.
"Damn it Riley, I've been stabbed there yesterday," he complained.
"Non mi interessa. Te lo sei meritato, testa di cazzo."
(I don't care. You deserved it, dickhead)
It amazed me how laid back they all were. I guess when you grow up with family surrounding you, you don't have to fear anything. Unlike me. My parents were quite wealthy and my siblings and I grew up in a life of luxury. My mother spent her time taking care of us and running the household, but my father was never home half the time. And when he was, there'd be arguments and fights.
My mother argued with my father about not being home and my father argued with my mother about favouritism between me and my sister. But it was him who showed favouritism between us. Just another reason I left home. I also had a lot of cousins, but some of them were a lot older than I was.
"Okay Jasmine here's your room, I hope you like it and are comfortable here," Riley's voice brought me back to awareness from my distracting thoughts and I looked up to see that we reached the room where I'd be staying in. To say it was beautiful will be a complete understatement.
I was awestruck.
Jasmine's Room.
The walls were a painted in beige with wooden flooring and a gorgeous cream and white rug underneath the bed. The bedside drawers and closet were made of white melamine board and there was a window overlooking the garden and water fountain.
"This room is amazing, who designed it?" I asked delightedly.
"Interior designers hired by Uncle Luciano," Riley replied.
"Must be nice. I wanted to be an interior designer when I graduated college. But I guess that dream's a flop."
Riley didn't comment on my statement, instead she led me to the adjoining bathroom and I opened the door and peeped inside.
Jasmine's Bathroom.
There was a porcelain tub, a glass cubicle with three square showerheads and a marble counter top with marble floors and walls. There was recessed lighting on the ceiling, a large florescent light in the middle, a white closet for towels and toiletries and a toilet next to the tub.
I was mesmerized.
"There aren't any clothes in the closet, but Carol has left a pair of shorts and a T-shirt with clean underwear for you on your bed," Riley told me. "It's after one in the morning so have your dinner, freshen up and get some rest. You have a big day tomorrow."
"What do you mean by that? What will I be doing tomorrow?" I asked before she could leave.
"For starters you'll be getting a rundown on what we do around here. How things work, who do you talk to when you need assistance, what to say, how to say it, when to say it and things like that. Sabrina will give you a tour of the estate and Valentino will introduce you to the family at breakfast," she replied.
"Who will I be meeting? Other members of your gang?" I joked.
Riley suddenly lost her smile and walked up to me, her eyes slightly serious. "Let me make one thing very clear Jasmine. Never ever refer to the Sangue Mafia as a 'gang'. A gang is a collection of various people who just do random criminal acts or otherwise. A Mafia is a criminal organization focused on a set task or goal."
"But what's the difference? Mafia, gang, don't they technically do the same thing," I said confusedly.
"Not entirely. There is a difference between the two," Riley stated.
"And what's that? A Mafia has a set leader and a gang shares leadership with its members?"
"In some aspects yes. But a Mafia is more like family, an all for one and one for all scenario where one man or woman is loyal to the clan and no one else. They do not break the code of honor, conduct or the ties associated with it. Hence Omertà."
"Omertà means that whatever goes on inside the walls of the Mafia must not be mentioned to authorities or outsiders. Right?" I asked. "If asked about the Mafia they stay silent?"
"Exactly that," she confirmed. "In gangs it's mostly every man for himself. Or if circumstances are drastic enough— where there's a choice between leave and live or stay and die—they usually choose to leave and forsake their comrades."
"That's kinda sad when you think of it. It's like switching off your humanity and leaving your loved ones to perish," I admitted.
"It's disgusting. And heavily frowned upon in our society. So that is why you must never refer to the Mafia as a gang. That will get you a headshot instantly," Riley said shaking her head.
"I understand. And I'm sorry if I offended you."
"It's alright. You didn't know, just try to remember that," Riley's smile was back on her face and so was her cherry personality. "Now go to bed, it's very late and you have a lot to do tomorrow. I won't go into details since you'll get curious and ask questions and that'll keep you up longer."
"Okay Riley, goodnight and thanks for all that you've done for me," I hugged her and she hugged me back. After that she left my room, closing the door behind her. I sighed and looked at the bed and saw the clothes neatly placed in the center along with a toothbrush, a towel and a bar of soap.
I took everything into the bathroom and placed it all on the pristine countertop. Stripping out of my dress, I tied my hair up and stepped into the shower. I began to scrub my body of all the sweat and grime that accumulated at the nightclub. The water was so refreshing as it ran down my shoulders and back, and the fruity fragrance of the soap was most enticing.
After my shower I wrapped myself in my towel and went to wash my face. I changed into the fresh clothes and went back to the bedroom. Sitting on my dresser was a plate covered with a shiny metal dome, and underneath was an egg salad sandwich, a slice of cake and a cup of tea.
Sitting on my bed I took the plate and began to eat, moaning contentedly at the taste of the sandwich. Whoever prepared this had to have a culinary thumb. When I had finished, I put the empty dishes back on the dresser.
Yawning, I went back to the bathroom and did my business before climbing into bed. Pulling the silken bedsheets up to my chin, I laid my head on the soft pillow and closed my eyes, falling asleep almost instantly. I was so worn out I forgot to properly lock the door, hardly stirring when someone walked into the room.
They sat on the edge of the bed and started stroking my hair. I didn't know who it was, but I couldn't force my eyes to open. I wasn't sure how long the person stayed for, but when I felt them leave, I faintly heard a man's deep voice whisper in my ear.
"Buonanotte mio dolce tesoro, dormi bene. Hai un grande giorno domani e voglio che tu sia al tuo meglio. Perché domani mostrerò il mio angelo,"
(Goodnight my sweet treasure, sleep well. You have a big day tomorrow and I want you to be at your best. Because tomorrow I'll be showing off my angel)
Sixth chapter of His Sinful Desire is up. Please vote, comment, share and follow 🙂🙂🙂🙂 So Jasmine is in the Mafia, she still has to be initiated. Stay tuned, the ride's just beginning
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2nd Edit
So I deleted the previous pictures of Jasmine's bedroom and bathroom and replaced them with these. I hope you guys like them. Shout-out to @ifeelsikc for the idea of beige and white accents furbthe bedroom and a marble bathroom with vanity lights. Very much appreciated ❤️❤️❤️