The next morning, I stayed in my room. A few other maids walked in and wished me a happy birthday, but that was it. Viper had left hours before I had woken up, and everyone said that he wouldn't be back until the next morning.
The day dragged on. I didn't listen to the radio as I usually did. I just sat on my bed in silence. It was at times like those when I wished that I had a smartphone, just to distract myself from the nagging silence around me, but Fede never allowed me to have one. Even if I did, I was sure I wouldn't be allowed to keep it when coming to America
Days turned to months. One of Viper's men, Diego, would visit me every day. I ended up kissing him at the end of month two. He and I got together not long after. Maids became scared of me, not talking to me as much after I started walking around with a goonie holding my waist. I didn't blame them, but I did miss having friends.
"Diego!" I yelled from my room after shutting off the TV that Diego had placed on my wall a few weeks ago. "Come here!"
"What is it, Fairy? Something wrong?" Diego came into my room and held my waist, standing me up.
"Viper was shot at his aunt's funeral. I think it was my brother. He's been in recovery ever since. I have to go to the hospital he's in. Please."
"Fairy, you know you aren't allowed out of the house. We don't know if there are any DragonBlood spies walking around. If they see you, Nighthawk will come for you. I can't let that happen." He kissed my head, a silent plea to give up, but I wouldn't.
"Diego. It's fine. I've been collecting some things for a disguise recently. I have a cap that I can use to hide my face. I can use one of your jumpers. Please. I want to see him."
"Why? What's so special about Viper? He sent men to kill your brother, who then took you here." His grip tightened on my waist. I shook my head.
"Nothing. I just want to make sure he's alright, and my brother did it. I know it!"
"Your brother did what?" A snarky voice came from the hallway, and the blonde woman attached to it appeared moments later.
"He shot your brother!"
Ludmila started to laugh.
"No. I did it. He was kissing a maid. Why would I let him stay near you?"
Diego' hands tightened on my waist again, sure to leave bruises in their wake. "Why the hell would you do that to your own brother. He is your leader as well, not just mine.
"Dee, I don't give a fuck that he's our leader. He's my brother, and I didn't like that he was getting so close to a girl that is the little sister of our enemy!" She screamed the last few words. I turned around and buried my head in Diego's chest.
"Yeah, she's Nighthawk's sister. So what, Lud? She doesn't want to go back home, and she won't." He started walking. "Come on, let's go to Viper. Maybe it'll make you feel better," he whispered to me, walking out of the room with me in his arms.
---
We walked into Viper's room, which was guarded by goonies, sworn to protect their injured leader. "What are you doing here, Violetta? You need to be doing your chores."
"Sir, there are no chores to be done. The maids and I have been the only people in the house for a few months."
"Plus Diego? And don't refer to yourself apart from the maids. That's what you are. You aren't anything different just because I've kissed you." His voice was strained, the act of speaking a clear struggle due to his injury.
"I don't stay at your house, Viper. I do go home every night." Diego rolled his eyes and pulled me close.
"So I leave for a funeral and you kiss up to someone else immediately? Someone of lower ranking at that."
"No, you had been gone for two months when we got together, Sir." I looked between Diego and Viper, the two of them staring daggers at each other.
Viper smiled at me for a moment before the scowl returned.
"Diego, get out. I don't want you here anymore. Wait for Violetta out in your car." He nodded and left after kissing my heads. "Now, I'm getting out soon, and if it isn't spotless when I get home, I won't be happy. Understand?"
"Yes, Sir."
"And you are going to break up with Diego. I can't have him getting attached to you. You will be my maid again, but with the addition of girlfriend. You will eat with me instead of before me, you will walk with me around the house when I tell you to, you will kiss me when I say to kiss me, and-" he cut off abruptly. A beeping came from the monitor beside him. "Press the red button. Please." I pressed the button and the beeping stopped.
"Are you alright, Sir?"
"Yes, I'm fine. Speaking of Sir. You will never call me that again. You will call me by my real name, Leon. Viper sounds fucking stupid coming out of your mouth with that stupid accent, and people don't call their partner sir or ma'am." I nodded. "You will still have your responsibilities as a maid, but you will spend your free time with me when I am not working. I will also be moving you out of your room and into mine. I need someone to take care of my wounds, and that's hard when you're held up in another room." I nodded. "Now go home tell the girls to make sure everything is spotless, break up with Diego, and be laying on my bed. You have two hours until I'm out of this place."
I left the room and walked out of the hospital. The familiar pit of dread welled in my stomach as I slid into Diego's car. "You ready to go, Baby?" He asked, pecking my lips a few times.
"Yeah, but first, I need to do something." Diego looked at me, avoid of emptiness in his eyes. "We need to break up." He nodded, his expression unchanging. "Viper wants me to be his, and I can't disobey him. I'm so sorry, Diego. I love you, but I have no other choice."
"I love you too, Violetta. It's okay. I understand. The boss likes to be in control, and this is how he gets in control. He makes you do his bidding, and I get it."
The ride back to the mansion was agonising. Diego didn't speak, so I didn't either.
He walked me inside and kissed my forehead. "I guess I'll be leaving now. I can't distract you from whatever the boss told you to do." He left without another word between the two of us. My heart shattered, but it wasn't the time to cry. I had to put on a brave face and lead the girls to do as Leon told.
"Girls! Viper is coming back in two hours. Get this place spotless!" I yelled. Maids around me bowed and ran off to clean.
I started to walk over to the stairs, but was stopped by one of the girls that had been closest to me before I got with Diego. "Why should we listen to you? YOU aren't our boss. Viper is, and he isn't here anymore. I don't have to do anything that doesn't come from him."
"I may not be Viper, but I am his partner, and he told me to tell you to get to work. Now get out of my way. If you want Viper to punish you, be my guest, but I'll warn you. It isn't something you'll want to deal with. Good luck, Sweetheart." I walked around her and into my room to grab my teddy bear and journal.
I stalked down the stairs, girls rushing past through every hall and into every room. When I got into Leon's room, I sat on the bed and started writing in my journal, holding my bear close to my chest.
September 18, 20XX
I just visited Viper in the hospital. He's told me that I was going to be his. Maybe this will give me the chance to end the war between the continents. Maybe this will give me a new hope for the future. Give everyone a new hope for the future. Maybe I can finally set myself free and be a normal person. I hope that I can finally start a new life. One where I'm not the sister of a gang leader or the lover of a gang leader that is my brother's enemy. Maybe today can be my new beginning.
"WHY ISN'T THIS ROOM SPOTLESS? SHE TOLD YOU TO GET THIS DONE!" Leon was home, and by the sounds of it, he was not happy. I closed my journal and hid it under one of the pillows. "GET CLEANING! NOW!" He snapped the door open and laid down next to me. The bed dipped and I rolled to face him. "Hello, Violetta."
"Hi, Leon. How is your wound feeling?" I whispered, kissing his cheek.
"Good. It only got an inch or two into my skin. Barely anything." He lifted his shirt to show me the scar on his lower abdomen. "Go ahead and feel it. It doesn't hurt."
"Just feel it, Violetta. It won't hurt me. I promise." Federico looked at me and grabbed my wrist. He made me feel the scar across his stomach. "It was only a knife. Just broke the skin. I'm fine. Stop your worrying, okay? Father protected me out there. He always will. You know that. Mother is also helping us out. She's in the medical care centre. She helped me heal."
I nodded and smiled at my older brother. The day before our parents died. The day before chaos broke out between us and Asia. The last day I was happy with my brother.
"I don't want to," I whispered, trying to push the memory away. Leon nodded and kissed my forehead.
"You broke up with Diego, correct?"
"Yes. I did. He left right after I entered the house." Leon nodded again. He leaned into me more than he already had. Our lips brushed against each other, but gunshots stopped us from going any further. Leon jumped up and ran out of the room.
"Stay there, Violetta. I can't let them see you."
My brother. Federico was there, wanting to take me back. I got into the closet and hid. I couldn't let Federico find me. I didn't want to leave Leon. I didn't want to go back to Europe. I wanted to stay in the States. "WHERE IS SHE? BOYS! FIND MY SISTER!" He was yelling. He was looking for me. I cowered further into the small closet and closed the door. Gunshots rang throughout the house moments later. Three of them.
"You aren't taking her away, Castillo. She's mine." Leon growled.
"Stop acting all high and mighty. You're a child. Whatever you're going to do won't do anything. You're not as strong as you think, Kid. Now give me my sister and I might let you live." I started to move out of the closet, but Diego walked in and blocked the door before I could.
"The boss told me to keep you here, Princess. Your brother won't take you back, he's making sure of that." I gestured for him to come closer.
"Can you give me that toy on the bed?" He nodded and grabbed it. Taking it into my arms, I hugged it tight and let out a silent cry.
"Just give up, Viper. You're a coward and a wannabe. Just give me my sister and I'll leave you like you are now. I heard about the shooting at your aunt's funeral. I'm surprised that you're still alive. It's too bad. It would be fun to see the continent go into chaos, wouldn't it?"
"Violetta is mine. Now leave before I shoot." BANG.
"You missed, idiot."
"That was a warning shot. I don't miss."
I fought my way out of the closet and pushed Diego out of the way of the door. I rushed out of the room and looked at the two men.
"STOP IT!" I screamed. They both turned their heads to me. "JUST STOP! This fighting won't get you anywhere." The two men stood there, guns still drawn and ready to shoot at any moment.
"How about you two stop being so childish fighting over me and let me choose. I am allowed to be my own person, you know."
They looked back at each other before sighing and nodding at me. I stood there for some time, trying to gauge what to do.
I have a future with Leon. Maybe he won't make me stay inside anymore. But Fede is still my brother. He may have locked me away, keeping anyone from knowing that I existed, but he's my brother.
I came to my decision, but hesitated a moment more
"Who do you choose, V?" Federico asked me. His eyes were pleading.
I looked down at my feet and mumbled Viper. "Who?"
"I choose Viper, Nighthawk. He's given me more freedom than you ever did back in London. Now leave before I tell him to shoot." He opened his mouth for a second before closing it and nodding.
"WE'RE HEADING OUT! COME ON!"
Leon walked over to me and pulled me into his arms. "Thank you, Sweet Girl." I nodded. "Do you want to go out and make a little appearance? Make sure that everyone knows that America has a new queen?" I nodded again. "Alright. How about we go and get some lunch. I'm sure you're starving." I nodded for the third time. "Can you speak to me, Baby? I know you're upset, but I was just trying to keep you and myself safe.
"Yeah. I just don't like that you made me choose between the two of you. My love and my older brother. I only chose you over him because you gave me more of a chance at being free. My brother just locked me up in the house and never let me do anything." Leon frowned but nodded.
"Let's go get lunch, yeah? We can go anywhere you'd like. I can show you a list of restaurants in the area." I shook my head.
"Just take me anywhere. I don't care what we eat, but don't spend too much money on it. I hate when people go to a super fancy restaurant. We want the average public to see us, not all the fancy rich people."
---
An hour later, we were bombarded by people asking questions and congratulating Leon for defeating my brother. I tugged on his arm and whispered in his ear that I wanted to speak to everyone. He nodded, dropping his grip on my waist.
"Everyone listen up!" I yelled. Staff and customers alike turned their attention to me. "I am Violetta Castillo, younger sister of Nighthawk of Europe." People laughed and started talking to the people next to them. "Listen to me! For my entire life, I have been watching the struggle between the continents, and I know what it can do to people. I lost both of my parents and nearly lost my brother through it. I know that you all have something against the fighting. I've heard it the entire time I've been in this building. If you hate it so much, why can't you take a stand against this incessant fighting and try to convince the leaders to rally together? Our world has been at war for years, why can't we stop it now?" People cheered and clapped. They began writing on napkins and talking to each other. "This is only our first step to victory."
Leon stood up next to me and kissed my temple. "You did so well, Violetta. Maybe you're right. This fighting can't get us anywhere. Maybe if we stand together, we can make the difference we all need."
THE END