Desired By The Mafia Boss

Chapter 2

"That you have to die," he said.

She stifled a chuckle, certain she must have misheard him. "That's not -" Her voice was abruptly cut off as she suddenly felt weightless and Nomer's grip tightened over her chin. What on earth was happening?!

She opened her mouth to scream, but instead, she swallowed a mouthful of salty seawater. With an extra shove, her head was plunged back into the murky depths of the ocean. This couldn't be happening, she thought, her mind racing with fear and disbelief.

She held her breath, her lungs straining as her briefcase slipped from her grasp and tumbled into the abyss. Panic set in, her thoughts evaporating as terror took over. It was really happening. Her heels, still clenched tightly in her hand, flailed above her. Her head felt light as Nomer held her underwater, her chest aching as the air was forced from her lungs. She was going to die if she didn't do something, and fast!

In a panicked frenzy, she thrust her hands above her, her lungs near bursting for air, the ice-cold liquid drowning her from all sides. Nomer's fingers held her down, and the rose slipped from her grip. In a desperate move, she threw her heels forward and in that moment, the tip of one of the heels made contact. Nomer's mouth opened in startled and soundless shock as he let go. Opportunity greeted her. Yes!

In that split-second of precious hope, she slithered backwards, deeper into the water. Now was her chance! She gulped down fresh air and salty liquid at the same time. "f**k-" she gasped.

Sound re-emerged, her ears ringing as she broke through the water's surface. Nomer lunged towards her, and she moved, throwing her body sideways, her knees digging into the sand, coughing up water simultaneously.

Run! All other thoughts evaporated as the cold water soaked through her suit, chilling her to the bone. She craned her neck over her right shoulder and spotted Nomer only half a meter away, his stocky body sloshing up water with each forceful lunge. "I'll go easier on you if you don't try to run, Jessamae!" he threatened.

"Oh f**k!" She screamed, choking as she gasped for breath. "Someone! Please help me!" But her voice was drowned out by the roar of crashing waves. With no other choice, she forced herself forward, each step languishing through the water, the flood of adrenaline in her veins moving her body without consent. She knew this was fight or flight mode kicking in. You have one rule, Jessamae: don't become a statistic.

The weight of her body dragged her down as she reached the water's edge. She hauled each foot forward, her hands empty, her briefcase lost somewhere in the darkness. She raced up the sand barefoot, each step forcing bursts of icy particles to dig between her toes. She blinked away the icy liquid as it ran into her eyes, and she staggered forward, her lungs bursting for air. She didn't dare to turn around. She didn't dare to stop. If she stopped, she was dead.

She escaped through the pier, back the way she came, running as fast as her body allowed. The sound of an engine roaring to life startled her, and she ignored her rule. She darted her vision over her shoulder and caught Nomer jumping into a black sedan, the headlights switched off. Tyres screeched, rubber burning, as the occupants hit the accelerator, and the vehicle grew closer in her vision. Beams of light from a nearby lamp cascaded over her body, instantly illuminating her vulnerability.

"Oh, Jesus!" She threw herself into an alleyway, the distant roar of their vehicle thundering behind her. When she heard the engine abruptly cut out, she knew whoever was in that car wasn't done. She rounded the corner, her bare feet slapping against the cold cement below, almost numb, as multiple footsteps echoed in behind her. She almost didn't register the shard of metal as it broke through the skin, only the pressure. A bottle cap?!

"f**k!" She screeched, unable to contain the surprise. Pain shot up the sole of her foot, but she willed herself to hobble onwards. She spotted a light shining in the distance, and she ran towards it. Salvation!

A black sign hung from the entrance, each word dripping with gold. 'The Lounge.' It was a piano and cigar bar! She ran inside, greeted by the gentle tings of piano music from a jukebox, threw herself behind a pot plant, and prayed that the psychopaths following her would be put off by the presence of others.

The Lounge was a beacon of dark elegance, from the sleek, black grand piano that held a commanding presence in the center of the room, to the numerous cupboards brimming with cases of high-end cigars and liqueurs. Majestic chandeliers hung from the vaulted ceilings, their light bouncing off mirrors that stretched from one corner of the ceiling to the other. Two grand staircases were strategically positioned at either end, leading up and down to what Jessamae suspected were the lower and upper levels. At this late hour on a Tuesday evening, only a smattering of patrons were stationed at the bar.

Jessamae realized she was without shoes and likely resembled a drowned rat. In a place as upscale as this, she would undoubtedly stick out and possibly be asked to leave. What was she to do? She needed assistance. She needed to call the police!

The door swung open behind her, and she quickly ducked between a few armchairs, positioning herself behind the wall and peering over the side. She spotted three suited figures entering the establishment, with Nomer leading the pack, and her blood ran cold. They had followed her here.

She hurried through the dimly lit hallway, her feet slipping against the cold marble. Spotting a storage cupboard up ahead to her left, she made a beeline for it. She threw herself inside and shut the door, but it only locked with a key. One problem seemed to lead to another!

Multiple footsteps echoed down the hallway and she crouched on the balls of her feet to peer through the keyhole. She had left an unmistakable trail of blood. She prayed it was too dark for them to notice.

Her heart pounded as the men slowed in front of the door. She shuffled backwards but hit some stacked shelves. A broom toppled over, smacking her in the back of the head, and she jumped up. There was only a few inches of wood protecting her from danger.

Two muffled, unfamiliar voices echoed through the other side of the door. She couldn't see them, but she could hear them.

"Who let you guys in?" one voice asked.

"How'd you get past security?" another voice called out.

"Hnnnn, you see what I see, Jasper?" the first voice asked.

"Yeah, Boss," the second voice replied.

"Let's keep it quiet. We don't need another raid," the first voice said, his tone ominous.