The next two days go by quickly. We haven't spoken much because of our busy schedule and with him being 6 hours ahead it's not something we're used to, but he still calls me every night to listen to me fall asleep.
The driver Oliver and bodyguard Leo have been very nice, although they don't respond with more than two words. Today has been very slow, filled with long meaningless meetings asking the same questions over and over again in different ways.
"Hi mom," Xile says as she enters my office. "Hi darling, how was school?" "School was okay, being head of the prom committee is not for the weak. You look tired, I'll make you a cup of coffee. Iced or hot?"
"I am, iced please." I sigh as she makes her way over to the mini kitchen in my office. "Don't be afraid to ask for help, you have the three of us and you can always ask Chelsea."
"I know, I just want to be independent like you for once."
"My love, you can be independent and still ask for help. Nothing is wrong with that. How do you think I got in the position I'm in now." She nods and brings my coffee over. "Bring your laptop and sit beside me, if you have any questions I'm right here."
For the next two hours, I switch between work and helping her. The twins left early because they're staying with their mom for the night, so I send a quick message to Oliver letting him know we're ready.
Me: Good evening, Oliver. We're ready to leave whenever you are.
Oliver: Underground parking lot. 5 minutes.
I quickly wash my cup and grab my things. Standing by my office door is Leo, the bodyguard. "Ready?" he asks. I nod and he turns walking ahead. "Can we make dinner together tonight? I'm tired of eating out." Xile says once we're in the elevator.
"Sure, what do you have in mind?" I ask.
"We haven't had curry shrimp in a while."
"Curry shrimp it is."
"How was your day, Leo?" Xile asks as he stands in front of us typing on his phone. "Good." He replies, not making eye contact. The elevator doors open and Leo steps out. we walk ahead as Oliver pulls up. Xile gets in on her side, and I make my way around to mine.
I hear the locks in the car close as I'm about to reach for the handle. The sounds of tires screeching, and blinding light sends alarms through me. with a loud blow to my head, I drop to the floor.
Trying to fight the excruciating pain I reach for my gun in my handbag and shoot the person. They stumble to the ground, my vision blurry as I try to get up.
I recognize the familiar features, Leo. The sound of a bullet piercing through glass fills the air and Xile screams. I jump onto my feet reaching for the knife in my bra as I shoot at the group of men running toward me.
Looking back to see if Xile is okay, I watch the bodies drop as the bullets enter them. In my peripheral I see another heading my way, I throw my knife and it enters his throat.
Xile screams and I turn to her. Leo has his hand around her throat and his gun to her head. "Make another move and I'll blow her head off!" he yells.
Fear washes over my body, paralyzing me and I drop my weapons two pairs of hands grab onto my body and I'm thrown into the car. One of the men sitting beside Xile, I grab onto her as the doors slam and another guy gets in the passenger seat. I search her body for any injuries, but I don't see anything but blood.
Leo opens the driver's side and it's only when he drags Oliver's lifeless body out do I realize he's dead. Leo gets in the driver's seat and pulls out of the parking lot.
Xile's tears run down my chest and her body shakes uncontrollably as the two other men point their guns at us. "Shut her up or I'll make her shut up." the one beside her yells and she jumps and clings to my body tighter. "Shh baby please, I'm here. I won't let anything happen to you." I whisper in Xile's ear as I run my hand up and down her back. "Why are you doing this, who do you work for?" I ask looking at Leo through the rear-view mirror. He doesn't answer.
Everything in me is telling me I can get out of this, but I will not risk it. not with their fingers on the trigger pointing at Xile. I'm trying to stay strong for her, but I can't help it when I look down at her seeing and feeling how hard she's clinging to me. A million things are going through my mind; Was this Grey's plan all along? No, it couldn't be. Why would they kill Oliver if they were working for Grey? What have I gotten myself into?
Grey would never do something like this; right? The drive is about two hours long, I count every second. We pull up to a run-down warehouse and they drag us into the building by our arms after putting black bags over our heads.
Heavy chains are locked around our wrists, and they throw us to the ground after checking us for weapons or any devices that can be tracked. They remove the black bags from our heads and standing around us are about 15 heavily built men.
"Please, whatever you do, don't hurt her. I'll take it all, just let her go, please." I beg, resulting in them laughing as Leo steps forward, "Oh don't worry, we have something different in store for her."
Two of the men grab her and drag her to the corner of the brick room as she screams trying to fight them off. before I know it, the rest of them are kicking and beating me, my body weakening more and more as the minutes go by.
They grab me and throw my body onto the brick wall; I watch as one of the men holding Xile puts a cloth to her nose and lets her body fall to the ground when she becomes unconscious. With one last kick in the stomach from Leo, the men exit the room.
Using my elbows to drag my body over to Xile, I hold her, my eyes burning from the tears and rage that course through my veins. Hours go by and I'm still holding onto Xile, only she's awake now. Every hour or so each one of the men come in and beat the strength out of me.
I don't know how long we've been here, but I know it's been a very long time because every time the door opens, I can see the morning sun slipping through.
My body not being able to take it anymore I drift off to sleep as I lay in the cold dark room. My blood scattered across the room from the cuts covering my body.
It's been three hours since I've heard from Anaís, Oliver, or Leo. Oliver told me he was on his way to pick them up, they should've been home by now and he should've updated me that they were. "Still no word from them?" Emilio speaks up as he exits the bathroom. I shake my head, "You keep trying them while I call the twins."
Zayn answers on the first ring, "Have you heard from Ana? I've been calling her and my employees non-stop but none of them are answering. I know you're by your moms, but would you mind popping by to make sure they're okay."
"We haven't been able to get them either, it's not like them. We're actually on our way there now. I'll call you back when we get there."
"Alright, I'm on the plane coming back now."
"What?" I end the call and sit back in my chair. I open the footage of the warehouse to see if Oliver is there but just like before, he's not. I call my men at the warehouse, and they all say they haven't seen Oliver or Leo since morning. I open my laptop and struggle between hacking into her security system at her office because of her privacy, who am I fucking kidding fuck her privacy.
As I'm about to open the footage Zayn calls, "Grey, they aren't here, they never came home. The house was a mess after Kaia, and I went home to pack our things. She'd never come home and not clean it. we watched the security footage from the lobby, and they haven't been since this morning. I think something is wrong."
Handing the laptop to Emilio for him to check the footage from her office today as I assure the twins that I'll find her. Then it hits me, the necklace. It has a tracking device inside and I'm praying to all things holy that she's wearing it today.
I open the app and it says she's at an abandoned warehouse in New Jersey. A pain in my head takes over as I try to find any reason for her to be two hours away from home. Maybe she had business to deal with there? No, the twins would know.
"Cazzo!" Emilio yells and I grab the laptop from him. Anaís is on the ground as she shoots Leo. I watch as she kills the group of men coming towards her and then Leo holding a gun to Xile's head.
I'm brought from my sleep as my body is being thrown over someone's shoulder, the black bag over my head again. "Xile?" I yell out panic-stricken. "I'm here, mom." She cries, our bodies are thrown in what seems to be a van and they drive off.
When we arrived at the location our bodies are drug out of the van and we are thrown into another room, only this one has a small bed and toilet in the corner of the room.
The room was cold, with nothing but darkness surrounding us. the only noises heard were our panicked breathing. Chills ran up my spine as the darkness engulfed me. our bodies huddled together on the small bed in the corner of the room facing away from the door, awaiting our impending deaths. the smell of blood filling my nostrils. The door opens and loud footsteps enter. "Hola mariposa."
The voice sends shivers down my spine, and my eyes begin to water with fear as the muscles in my body freeze. After all these years I could recognize that voice even as a whisper in a crowded room.
Camilo Hernandez, my father. "Do you know how much I've missed you?" his voice getting closer, I hold onto Xile tighter as he sits at the bottom of the bed. "I see you've made a name for yourself. Did you think little worthless you could kill us?" his hand running over my foot, I jerk it away. He laughs, "I see you're still that weak little girl no matter what mask you hide behind."
He gets up from the bed and I hear the door open, "Get the room ready for the procedure. Send someone to take the younger one there." He says to someone, and they walk away. Procedure, Procedure. No. No, no, no, no!
I get up from the bed, my body bruised and beaten. He punches me in the stomach, and I fall to the floor. Xile cries out "Mama." As he grabs her pulling her from the bed as she tries to fight back kicking him in the face.
"No! You will not do that to her! You will not leave her to suffer the same fate I have!" he lets go of her and moves over to me as one of his men enters trying to drag her out, but she puts up a fight.
He kicks me repeatedly in my stomach, "She is my daughter, I will do whatever I please!" he yells grabbing me by the neck and pinning me to the wall.
"SHE IS MY DAUGHTER, MINE. You're nothing to her. She is MINE!" I yell to the top of my lungs. I grab his knife from his waistband and stab him in the eye. He groans dropping me, my body lays limp on the floor with the heavy chains on my wrists. I watch as he runs out of the room.
I will not let them do this to my child. Something awakens in me as she screams for me. "Xile, floor!" I yell and she drops to the floor. I jump to my feet running towards the man. I jump and kick him across his face and then in his balls.
His back hits the wall and I grab his head and smash it against it repeatedly as I dig my fingers in his eyes. "Behind you!" Xile yells. I throw my chains back and twist my arms choking him. He drops to his knees fighting for air. I jump on his back and drive the knife directly through his temple.
Another runs into the room and I throw my knife stabbing him in the throat. It is only then I hear the gunshots and yelling. I grab Xile by the hand and make a run for it down one of the pitch-black hallways. The gunshots and the yelling became louder, and I ran faster.
I buck into someone's chest and as I begin to fall the person grabs onto my body holding me up. "I got you," Grey says. I look up to him, my vision hazy as I begin to black out as he runs with me in his arms. "Where is Xile?" I ask worriedly. "She's right behind us, Emilio has her." He places me in the car still holding me. "Kill them all!" is the last thing I hear before I pass out.
✦ • ✦ • ✦ • ✦ • ✦ • ✦ • ✦
My eyes open slowly, slivers of pain shooting up from my ribs to my skull. Grey is sitting on the bed beside me, his head in his hands. "Grey?" his eyes shoot to me, pain and exhaustion in them. "Are you okay, are you still feeling any pain? Fuck Anaís I'm so sorry." He says hectically. I place my hand on his, "I'm okay, there's a little pain but not much. When can I see Xile?"
"I know you want to see her, and I can only imagine how much but right now, I need you to let the doctor check on you and take a shower. Xile is fine, she was in here not too long ago, but she went to eat with Emilio."
"Where are we?" I ask as I take in my surroundings, I'm in a huge room with floor-to-ceiling windows showing the forest and a pool. "At one of my safe houses. I've sent for Kaia and Zayn, they're on their way."
'One of my safe houses' plays over in my head, what would he need a safe house for? The doctor comes in and does a full examination, when he leaves Grey helps me to the bathroom and washes me up. When I'm done, he dresses me and my wounds. I sit back on the bed.
"How did you know where to find me?" a million questions are going through my mind. How aren't my parents dead, I watched their castle go up in flames.
"I will explain all of it after you eat something." I jump slightly and back away from him as he touches my leg. "Anaís, I promise you I'm not your enemy. All I ever want to do is protect you and your family." The thought quickly leaves my mind, and he helps me to the living room where Xile is.
"Mama," she says as she sees me. I sit next to her and hold her in my arms as tears leave both of our eyes. I pull away, "Are you hurt? Tell me right now Xile, did they hurt you?" "No, you took all the hits remember." She says holding my cheek. I sigh as my mind eases.
Grey brings a tray of food to me, and I eat it as he, Xile, and Emilio watch my every move. I look around at each of them awkwardly as I lean forward and rest the tray on the coffee table.
"Can you all stop staring at me, I'm fine but I swear if you look at me any longer, I won't be."
"I'm sorry, we're just worried about you," Xile says.
"It's my job to worry about you and for the last time, I'm fine. Grey, I believe there are some things you need to tell me, hm?"
"Let's give them some space," Emilio says taking Xile's hand and leading her from the living room. I turn to him, "Speak."
He holds my hands in his, "I'm the leader of the Italian mafia. Our father's created a contract long ago that states we're to wed to create a truce between the mafias and if for any reason we cannot, Xile and Emilio must. You may not remember, but we briefly met a couple of years ago at one of your fashion shows and before then I had every intention of marrying you because of that contract as it's what my father wanted. But as the night went by and every other little coincidence of us meeting each other, I realized I didn't want that. I wanted to get to know you more and if marriage came along, it would be our decision, not because of some ancient contract. My feelings and intentions for you from the night all those years ago have been pure and true. I'm sorry I didn't tell you, but I wanted the contract to be forgotten. I promise you I am not your enemy, and it wasn't until the other day that I knew anything about how your parents treated you."
"Please say you're joking; You're the leader of the Italian mafia and you've been around my family! You've put my child in danger countless times. How could you? Did you know my parents were still alive?"
"I would never put you or your family in danger, never. Still alive, were they supposed to be dead?"
"Bullshit! Yes, they were supposed to be dead! I killed all of their men as they hid in the safe room of our castle thinking they were under attack. If it was an enemy Xile and I would be dead, and they wouldn't have even shed a single tear. I took the money from the safe, put Xile in the car, and left everyone in it, alive or dead to burn. I have no idea how they survived that, but I know I won't stop until they're dead. I'm going to the room, please don't follow me. I need some time alone and if I find out you're the enemy I will kill you and everyone you love." He grabs onto my wrist as I stand up, I pull it away and make my way to the room.
I can't help but cry as I close the door. The feeling of betrayal from both Grey and Leo, my parents being alive, almost losing Xile, and almost having her suffer the way I do.
I lean back in the bed to think. An hour or so goes by and the twins burst through the doors. I sit up and they sit on the bed wrapping their arms around me. "We're so sorry," Kaia says, the door opens and Xile joins us. I fill them in on everything that happened and everything Grey told me.
Apparently, Xile asked him and Emilio the same question about how they found me, so she already knew. The more and more I talk about it the more I get upset with myself and Grey. They try to calm me down and help me see his side of the story but nothing they say will make me less upset right now.
A knock sounds at the door, "It's Grey, can I come in?" "No."
"Stop it, come on guys," Zayn says slapping my leg and motioning for the others to follow him as he gets up and opens the door to leave, letting Grey in. "We will deal with you later." He warns as he closes the door, burning holes into Grey's face.
I turn my body away from him, so I don't have to see him as he sits on the other side of the bed. "I know you're mad and I can only hope you will forgive me soon. Until my men and I can find where your parents and their men are hiding out, you'll need to stay here. It's for your safety, please understand that's all I want. No one but the people in this house right now knows where you are."
"You do realize you still haven't told me how you found me, how am I supposed to trust you? I'm not complaining that you did, I just need to know."
"The necklace."
I look down at my necklace and hold onto the pendant. It's the whole reason he was able to save us. If it wasn't for this small little thing only God knows what would've happened to Xile and I. I walk over to him and sit beside him; he has his hands on his knees as his head hangs low. "Thank you for coming for us," I say as I hold onto his hand.
"I'll always come to you."
"I'm not mad at you, I think I just need some time to process everything. It's a lot. My parents, the contract marriage, you being a mafia leader."
"I understand, take all the time you need. I'll sleep in one of the other rooms tonight. Hey, at least now I know you can take care of yourself. I accidentally watched the footage of you in the parking garage, the warehouse they took you to, and then the house."
I laugh, "Accidentally."
"My men killed everyone that was there and the others that were at the warehouse, but Camilo and his driver got away. I promise you I won't let him hurt you or Xile ever again. I will burn the world if it means I'm protecting you and her. Would you mind telling me what he meant by 'the procedure'?"
I close my eyes as I sighed, "I was 13 when I was dragged from my bed at the break of dawn. They took me to a room in the castle that I had never seen before, it was filled with medical equipment, identical to an actual hospital. Inside waiting for me were my parents and a group of surgeons. They strapped me to the bed as I screamed and pleaded with my parents. I had no idea what they were doing to me then but one of my maids told me exactly what they did a few months after. They put me to sleep and the last thing I heard was my parents' laughter. They had my tubes burnt, refusing me any chance at having children." The memories bring tears to my eyes, and he holds me as I fall asleep in his arms.