Falling For The Mafia Underboss

CHAPTER 9 : MONEY OR YOUR LIFE

Kelsi was restless throughout the entire car ride. She had tried closing her eyes, hoping she would fall asleep, but her mind was so distressed, dreading what would come when they finally reached their destination. She was worried about meeting Aki’s Mafia or family, as he calls it. She kept imagining big and burly tattooed men wearing masks and carrying guns, waiting for them at the other end.

“Can you show me your watch?” Kelsi asked impatiently for the nth time as she leaned over Aki’s right shoulder. She had been counting down the minutes that passed. It was ten-twenty in the evening when they left the restaurant.

“That’s the fifth time you’ve asked,” Aki said, but he took off his left hand from the steering wheel and held it up so Kelsi could see his watch. 10:50 p.m. Thirty minutes had already passed.

Kelsi began to panic at how close they were to arriving, based on Aki’s forty-minute ETA. She settled heavily back in her seat and automatically started fidgeting with her pendant again.

“Kelsi, relax,” Aki said as he glanced at her. “Don’t be nervous. They’re cool. They’re family.”

“They’re your family, Aki,” she replied anxiously. “Not mine… and they’re gangsters! What if I’m not welcome? What if they don’t like me? What if they don’t want me hanging around with you?” she rambled, then her eyes widened. She tugged on Aki’s right arm frantically as she dropped her voice into a stage whisper. “What if they hate me and secretly try to get me killed to get me out of your way?!”

The car suddenly swerved to the left, cutting across the opposite lane. Luckily, they appeared to be on an out-of-the-way, less-traveled road, and there were no other vehicles in sight. Aki quickly steered the car back into the right lane. He was laughing so hard that he lost control of the car for a second.

“Aki?!” Kelsi shrieked as she faced him in shock.

“I—I’m sorry,” he managed to say between fits of laughter. He was losing it.

”Pull over right now,” Kelsi demanded, worried he couldn’t focus properly on the road.

“N—No, I’m fine,” he said as he wiped the tears of laughter from his eyes while managing to keep the car steady.

Kelsi folded her arms across her chest and stonily looked straight forward. She said nothing. She was pissed. Aki was never taking her seriously.

“Hey,” Aki said after he saw her expression. He wasn’t laughing now.

Kelsi didn’t answer, determined to ignore him.

“Look,” he said. “They are not going to kill you. Stop being dramatic.”

That snapped Kelsi out of her silence. “Dramatic?!” she exclaimed. “What? You think it’s funny that I’m afraid of getting killed?” She was upset.

“No, it’s not. I’m sorry,” he apologized. “The thought of it was just so absurd… but I know why you’re stressing out right now. I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have said that. This must be a lot to take in, huh?”

Kelsi mellowed out a bit. She leaned against the window, blankly staring out. “It’s just… I really don’t know what to expect,” she admitted.

Aki took his right hand off the wheel, reached for her left hand, and held it.

Surprised, Kelsi turned to Aki. He was smiling at her, that slightly lopsided smile with the left corner higher than the other. That smile that could make her forget all her worries in an instant… and also awaken the strange fluttering in her stomach. She loved that smile.

“You’re with me, okay? I won’t let you get hurt,” he said gently as he looked into her eyes. When he saw her nod, he turned his eyes back to the road.

Kelsi didn’t let go of his hand. His calloused hand felt warm and comforting in her soft hands. He gave her a little squeeze. This was the first time she’d held hands with a guy, and she liked it.

“They already know we’re coming, Kelsi, and they’re looking forward to meeting you. I explained everything,” he said.

“Are they okay with it, though? I mean, they’re the Mafia, after all,” she said quietly.

“Yeah, they understand your situation and Bree’s there too.”

Kelsi felt slightly relieved. She liked Bree a lot. Having Bree there would definitely help with her social anxiety.

“So… do you all live in one big house or something?” she asked.

“Nope. We have different houses within a cul-de-sac, in our territory. So it’s the safest place to be in,” he explained.

“Tell me about them.”

“I guess they’re really not that different from me.” He laughed again. “They can be a little crazy at times, but they’re good people.”

I’m sure they are, she thought sardonically.

“I’m sure you’ll like them,” he added.

They were now driving along a residential area; the car’s steady rumble seemed very loud in the quiet neighborhood. Kelsi could see lights coming from inside the single-story houses that lined the street. They must be close.

“Hmmm,” Aki mused.

“What’s up?”

“Something’s weird. It’s too quiet,” he said thoughtfully. “Anyway, we’re almost there. We make a left at the end of this street.”

Kelsi squinted her eyes in the darkness in front of her, beyond the reach of the headlights. She could see a T-junction at the end — the street they were in branched off into two directions. She could also make out a silhouette of a big vehicle parked at the mouth of the left corner, and as they came closer, she could tell it was a black van. She bit her lip anxiously. It reminded her of the van from earlier.

Just as they were about to reach the end of the street, the black van suddenly roared to life and came to a stop in the middle of the junction, blocking them.

Aki hit the brakes, and they both jerked forward in their seats.

“Oh, you’ve got to be kidding me,” Aki muttered.

“Aki, what’s going on?” Kelsi asked nervously. The familiar unwelcome feeling of terror was building up inside her.

The door of the van slid open, and two figures filed out, one taller than the other.

Kelsi froze and held her breath in fear upon seeing the two people in front of them. They were wearing masks, precisely like the ones her kidnapper had, and were dressed in black from head to toe, and if that wasn’t bad enough, they were also carrying guns. Big guns. The two men raised their guns and pointed them at her and Aki.

“Step out of the car!” a gruff voice said loudly. The order came from the tall man outside who was closest to her side. “And keep your hands up, where we can see them!”

Kelsi instinctively clutched the door handle, as if it was the only thing protecting her from the armed men outside. How was this even possible? Didn’t Aki say this was the safest place to be in? What is going on?

“Aki, what are we going to do?!” she whispered in panic.

“Just do what they say,” he said. His voice had a steely tone to it, and his eyes were fierce. He looked very angry as he glared at the people outside. “Come on. It’ll be okay,” he said quietly, clenching his jaw.

Kelsi watched in horror as Aki opened his door and stepped outside with both hands held up in front of him. She couldn’t move. She willed her legs to move, but they wouldn’t.

“You! On the passenger seat! Come out with your hands up!” The tall man took a step forward, still aiming his gun at her. “Or I will shoot him!” he said.

He turned his gun towards Aki instead.

“No!” Kelsi yelled. “Okay, I’m coming out,” she said in a trembling voice.

She fumbled with opening the door with her shaky hands and slowly stepped outside with her wobbly legs. She weakly raised both her hands in front of her. She unsteadily walked forward and stopped just in front of the hood of the car, a few feet away parallel to where Aki was standing.

The taller man pointed his gun back at Kelsi, while the shorter one, who had never said a single word, kept his weapon steadily on Aki.

Kelsi was trembling with fear as she stared directly into the barrel of the gun. She had never seen a gun up close before, and this one was aimed at her.

“Give me all your money,” the man demanded. He was now standing several feet in front of her.

“I don’t have any money!” Kelsi squeaked. It was true; she didn’t have anything.

“Don’t lie to me, missy,” the man icily. “Where’s your purse? Get it from the car and give it to me!”

“I—I don’t have a purse! I don’t have anything, please,” she pleaded.

The muggers must have assumed they were rich, seeing that Aki’s car was expensive. What happens if the muggers find out she can’t give them what they want?

“Leave her alone,” Aki said stonily beside her as he glared at the man pointing a gun at him. Aki slowly brought down one hand and took out a black leather wallet from his back pocket. He carefully crouched down and threw his wallet on the ground, near the feet of the man in front of him. He stood up and raised his hands right after.

“Are we free to go now?” Aki asked, the tone of his voice still stony.

“Not so fast,” the man said. He took a few steps toward Kelsi until the barrel of his gun was almost touching her chest.

“You haven’t given me anything yet,” he said to her. He loomed threateningly above her. He was taller and bigger than Aki.

“Hey—“ Aki began, but the man cut him off.

“Shut up!” the man yelled, not taking his eyes off Kelsi. “Your money or your life?”

What? Kelsi thought in alarm. Am I going to die to a robbery? She didn’t have anything to give him. She thought about the newly bought clothes packed inside the trunk at the back, but she doubted the muggers would be interested in that.

“Well?” the man said impatiently.

Her mouth fell open with no sound coming out. She was utterly at a loss on what to say or do.

“What about this?” the man said. Kelsi saw him staring at her neck. He traced the gun’s tip from her chest to her neck and lightly pressed it against her necklace’s pendant.

“N—No… please,” she begged. It was her grandfather’s last remembrance. She was frighteningly aware of her situation, and she knew she was not in any position to negotiate, but somehow, she didn’t want to lose it.

“Take it off.”

“Please…”

“I said, take it off!”

Trembling, Kelsi slowly moved her hands to the back of her neck to unfasten the clasp.

“Stop it!” It was Aki. He started to take a step in her direction.

Kelsi froze and turned her head to him.

“Don’t move!” the man yelled at Aki. “Or I will kill you!”

But Aki kept walking.

It was as if Kelsi was watching the scene in front of her unfold in slow motion. The armed man raised his gun, the barrel pointing to the sky, and she heard a loud click. She then knew that the man had c****d his shotgun, ready to be fired. He slowly aimed it at Aki, who was still walking toward her.

Kelsi didn’t have time to think. Aki was in danger. She was sure the man was going to shoot him. But, at that moment, all she knew was that she didn’t want Aki to die and that she had to protect him.

She quickly ran the few steps towards Aki and flung herself in front of him, placing her body between him and the gun. Aki caught her in his arms; he was clearly surprised.

This is it, she thought sadly while closing her eyes, but there was a little comfort in knowing that she did it for the person she cared about. I have nothing anyway.

She buried her face into his chest and breathed in his scent deeply. She liked the way he smelled. She would remember it forever, at least for the short time she had left.

She waited for the gun to fire and the pain to come.