MAFIA KING

4. R I C K A R D O

Thirty five minutes and eight seconds, I inhaled sharply while raking my head. That’s how long they have been in that damned office. What the f**k does he want from her? My legs didn’t bear to stand still, so they started with their march along the hallway right outside the don’s -aka papa’s- office back and forth. Back and forth. Right and left.

“ti fermerai, cazzo?” Oh she is still here? Of course she is here. She is guarding the office with her fellow friend. “lei non è una bambina.” [trans: Will you f*****g stop?... She is not a baby.]

This woman with her annoying voice just gets on my nerves. I want to--No, no Rick you have had enough issues for one day. Heck, it is the first day here and all you have been doing is causing trouble and getting beaten up. Just ignore her. Yes, I will ignore her. Exhaling an agonizing breath, I continued with my march in the hallway.

Not five seconds passed and I heard her mocking chuckle. “mi stai ignorando?”

[trans: You are ignoring me?]

“forse si era dimenticato di parlare italiano dopo aver trascorso tutto quel tempo con gli americani bizzarri.” The guy who is guarding the door with her said. I already despise him. 

[trans: perhaps he had forgotten to speak Italian after spending all that time with wanky Americans.]

“tu pensi?” Sofia’s annoying voice led him on. [trans: you think?]

I am on the verge of tearing this two apart and slit their f*****g throats so they could keep shut. I swear if it wasn’t for my queen and that I didn’t want to put her in any more danger I would have kicked them so hard when they ambushed us -even though I would definitely lose being outnumbered and all. But these are some slight details. However, for now, I have to be the bigger person. I will leave them to bully me just for her sake.

“Okay, I will talk to you in english, Rickardo.” Sofia’s voice was coated with sarcasm. “Do you love that bambola that much?” Her voice took a snarky turn. Even her partner noticed and zipped his mouth shut. I looked at her face and saw the fire lingering in her light orbs. She grew up so much since the last time I saw her. She was a girl. Now she is a woman. A very strong one as well. Her once brunette hair is now greyish blue, a color that is daring as her. Her pouty lips are now drawn into a hard line as an angry scowl decorated her white skin. She looks beautiful as always. But not as beautiful as my queen with her simple beauty. “She is not even that beautiful. She is a slim weak cagna Americana. She has got nothing to make her a q--” She didn’t get to continue her filthy words as my hand was clamped around the smooth skin of her neck. [trans: ...American bitch.]

“hai il coraggio di dire qualcosa in più su di lei e lo giuro, Sofia, dimenticherò tutto quello che avevamo una volta e finirai per scopare.” I said through gritted teeth, my hand tightening around her neck while our eyes connected in a n angry battle. 

[trans: you dare to say something more about her and I swear it, Sofia, I will forget everything we once had and you will end up fucking.]

A minute passed and neither of us moved until she scoffed. She scoffed. She f*****g scoffed as a smirk took over her red flushed pouty lips. “non oseresti. Sei diventato una fica una volta uscito da questa famiglia.” [trans: You wouldn't dare. You became a cunt once you got out of this family.]

I growled at her, my fingers tightening around her neck pushing her harder into the wall. I bared my teeth at her as I breathed harshly into her annoying yet beautiful face. I knew what she meant. I know that I am the joke of the mafia now. They are all mocking me. The future mafia king that’s supposed to lead them is nothing but a p***y who ran away when he was young afraid of this honourable responsibility. And once he came back he got beaten up by his future right hand man. The pathetic mafia king to be -me.

“R-Rick?” That sweet velvet voice. My queen’s voice that would drag me out anywhere and anytime from the darkness and brutality these people want so bad to drag me into it. I let go of the annoying little b***h before me and noticed the red marks around her neck that I left. Satisfied by that, I turned away from her and my eyes fell on my queen whose eyes held a look I never wished to spot on her: Fear and hurt.

I neared her slowly, “Queen…” She took a step back and my heart cracked upon that. Her eyes went behind me, probably glancing at Sofia then they came back to me.

“I-I want to go upstairs.” Her voice was shaky and I could almost see the tears brimming her eyes.

I took a closer step towards her and this time she didn’t move too busy looking at the ground. “Queen…” My hands engulfed her cheeks, lifting her face up to look in my eyes. “What happened? What did papa want to talk to you about?”

She shook her head while sliding my hands away from her face. I could hear the snickers of the two assholes behind me while they mocked me calling her queen. I think Lariene noticed too as her eyes once again found Sofia behind me.

“I am tired.” Her voice was breaking, breaking my heart in the process. “Please.” I could hear the desperation in her voice.

I took a step back from her, sensing her need to stay away from me and respecting it. “Okay.” Out of reflex, I was going to hold her hand but she avoided my touch. Another c***k could be heard from my heart. “Okay.” I nodded slowly as I urged her to follow me.

Slowly we started making our way up to our room until finally we reached it. I opened the door and let her in. I knew mama would have rearranged my old room for the both of us and luckily I still remember my way around here a bit. As soon as we were in the comfort of the room, I locked the door after us. She immediately went to the walk-in-closet, still avoiding me.

“Queen…” I went after her like a lost puppy. I need to know what did papa tell her to make her all shaky and teary like that? More importantly, I want to know why she is avoiding me? “Queen, talk to me, please.”

“I am.” She said lowly, her hands searching for something through the clothes mama probably bought us.

“No, you are not.” I said. “You are avoiding me. Why?”

“I-I am not.” She finally found what she was looking for and was going to pass by me but I held her in place by her wrist.

“Look at me.” She didn’t lift her face. “Look at me, Lariene.” Now, she did. Her eyes looked sad and teary. She was barely holding herself in front of me. “Baby…”

She cut me off. “I am just tired Rick.” She slipped her wrist away from my hold. “I will take a shower then sleep it off.” And, she was already in the bathroom.

Sighing, I took my shirt off me followed by my pants, leaving me in my boxers. I wanted to take a shower too but I don’t have the energy to wait, so maybe when I wake up. I took a pillow from the bed and an extra blanket from the walk-in-closet then made myself a bed on the comfy couch in our room.

I know Lariene wouldn’t feel comfortable lying next to me. Yes, she got used to my touches and all but she always put an end to it with the way her body tenses or shakes. So, I don’t want to pressure her. I know she has been through a lot especially from the way her mother treated her and I want to help. I want her to be better and feel better around me but I know she is not ready. Also, I know that when she is ready she will come to me herself, so I will wait for her. I have been waiting for the right girl to make me feel what she makes me feel now and I am not gonna let go just yet. Even if that place is making our thoughts jumbled and all, I know we will fight it off.

I know we will...hopefully.

§§§

“AHHH!” My body hit the floor after the shock of the freezing water being thrown on my bare body.

“Buongiorno, la bella addormentata.” God Dammit that asshole. [trans: goodmorning, sleeping beauty.]

“f**k you.” I wiped my face clean from the freezing cold water still feeling the water droplets running down my bare torso.

The asshole had the nerve to chuckle. “We have training to do, you slept enough.” He was enjoying this. He is enjoying tormenting me and I can see it in his eyes.

“I told papa I am not going to train with you.” I hissed pushing myself off the ground. He was already in his sweats and tank top.

“The don said either that or…” He didn’t have to continue. From the s******c smile on his face I understood what the or is holding. Heck, papa already threatened me with it yesterday.

“o ti alleni con Valerio, ragazzo o verrai picchiato da tutti i membri della mafia fino a quando non ti indurirai.” papa’s eye bore into mine, daring me to say otherwise. He was a man of his words and I knew he meant each one. [trans: either you train with Valerio, boy or you will be beaten by all the members of the mafia until you toughen up.]

Remembering papa’s underlying threat, I clenched my fists as my eyes glared at a smirking Valerio.

“So, what’s it gonna be Americano?” Valerio’s nasty smirk annoyed me more than I already am.

“Fine, let me change.” I turned to go into the bathroom when I noticed the empty unkempt bed. “Where is Lariene?” My heart was already pounding hard, fearing what these brutal people might have done to an angel like her.

“Took you long enough.” Valerio had the nerve too chuckle finding this situation amusing even though I found none.

I turned to face him ready to attack. “Valerio!” I growled out a warning and he just smirked, seeming as if he was being challenged by a kid and maybe that’s what he thinks.

“Marissa is beating the crap out of her.”

“WHAT!?” My eyes widened while my legs took over.

I knew something like that would happen. My queen, my angel, they were robbing her away from me.