Mafia Love (Faithfully Yours)

Chapter 1

Hello my Lovelies :) Welcome to Reese and Finn’s world. This is the new book I have been promising you for some weeks now. I want to get your opinion on what you think first before I start posting more chapters. Be as honest as possible please because I am a new writer and love to hear what my readers are thinking and what they have to say. Remember to be kind.

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Reese Cole put her hands over her ears as the sound from the other room penetrated through the walls. Her mother was moaning out loud as the man in her bedroom grunted. She screamed out for more as the headboard banged on the wall over and over again.

Reese closed her eyes, and counted in her head trying to ignore what was going on, her hands on her ears, despite the fact that this was an everyday occurrence. Her mother was a stripper and p********e. After her shift ended at club Okko, she would pick up a few men on appointment and bring them back to the apartment. Everyday she would either bring home the same men that sought after her services or new strangers that were always willing to pay extra unlike the ones she used to get at uncle Perry’s bar who just preferred a quick shag in their cars or down a dark alley somewhere for very little money. She had heard her mother explain this to her best friend aunty Gillian.

These men that came to the apartment always scared Reese, some of them would look at her in a funny way and wink at her but some would totally ignore her. “It’s much more safer this way Reesey, now you be good and stay hidden in your room until they leave.” Her mother would always remind her and press a chocolate bar in her hands.

Reese lived with her mother Leona Cole, in an assisted living housing complex. They had been staying there for as long as Reese could remember, her mother would work at the club by night but by day she would work in a diner while Reese went to school. They had no other relatives as far as Reese could tell because no one except for Aunt Gillian visited and Leona never talked about any other family. What Leona had neglected to tell Reese was that she herself grew up in the public system as an orphan and had run away from a group home at the age of fourteen because she could not take the a***e that was inflicted on them.

At seventeen she had met Reese’s father and fallen in love. A year after Reese was born, Derek had pulled a disappearing act leaving Leona to fend for herself.

At twelve years old, Reese was a skinny girl who was short for her age. She had a head full of long brown curls that came to the small of her back, almond shaped eyes with a small bud nose and Cupid’s bow shaped lips. Her skin tone was a beautiful warm caramel. She looked nothing like her mother, the only thing she had seemed to take from her was her beautiful green eyes, even though Reese didn’t know who her father was, she had guessed that he was probably African American because of her own skin tone.

Leona was a tall and slim twenty nine years old with a tiny waist. She had small breasts but her legs were long and shapely. She had straight blonde shoulder length hair that was styled into a bob like cut. Leona was a very beautiful young woman and she knew it, she had to look good always because her profession required her to. She always had her nails and hair done and she had beautiful clothes and shoes that were stuffed in her closet.

The banging stopped as they both yelled out. A few moments later the front door was closing and Reese could hear her mother in the kitchen. It bugged her that her mother was selling herself just to make ends meet but Leona assured her that it was for a brighter future and that one day she would stop and they would have enough money for Reese to go to college. That’s all Leona ever wanted, she knew that Reese was very smart for a twelve years old so she would do anything to make sure that her daughter had a different future to hers.

“That was the last one for today Reesey, you can come out now.” It was a Saturday morning around 3am. Reese walked out of the room to find her mother standing in the kitchen in a floral satin kimono bathrobe making some tea and having a smoke.

“What movie do you want to watch today Lovebug? Put something on and make some popcorn, I am going to take a quick shower then I will join you okay Bug.” Leona smiled at her daughter. There were so many things that had gone wrong in Leona’s life but the one thing that had gone right and definitely gave her joy was her daughter. She wanted the best for her daughter, that’s why she sent her to a private school in the suburbs… and if it meant selling herself so that she could afford to do that then she would do it.

“What about Pretty woman?” Reese grinned.

“Again? Okay Bug. Let’s do it. Make the popcorn and I will be back in ten.” She looked affectionately at her.

Reese smiled as her mom walked to the bathroom. She placed the packet of popcorn in the microwave and then boiled the water for some hot cocoa. She could hear the shower running and her mom singing sweetly as she walked to the small lounge to insert the movie disc into the DVD player.

A knock came on the door, she wondered who it could be so early in the morning, it was probably aunty Gillian coming back from the club. She walked to the door but as she reached out for the lock, the person on the other side opened the door.

It was a man, he looked startled by Reese’s presence at first but he flashed her a smile and a wink. “You weren’t here earlier on. I think I might have forgotten my wallet in that bedroom.” He pointed towards her mom’s bedroom.

“Do you think you could wait a bit outside and I will see if it’s there.” Reese said quietly and pushed the door gently to close it.

“I could just go in quickly and get it myself.” he winked at her as he used his foot to block the door from closing, his hazel eyes had a sly twinkle. “You’re a pretty little thing, what’s your name? Do you live here?”

“I can’t let you in.” Reese said nervously as she tried to push the door to close.

He moved forward and reached out to caress her face. “I think that for the money I paid that blonde, you should have been part of the deal.” He said. His face had a funny look on it as his eyes dilated. Reese flinched and backed away but he grabbed her by her shoulders and backed her up onto the old black couch.

“No, stop.” Her plea came out but barely as a whisper because she was too shocked but it was drowned out by the sound of the beeping microwave. She fell onto the couch and he plonked himself on top of her, her arms went in between them as she tried to push him off. She began to scream wondering if Leona could hear her.

“Stop moving, you will enjoy this young one, I will break you in quite quickly. First time always hurts.” He nuzzled her neck then his mouth went on to hers as he tried to force his tongue in her mouth, his hands groping at her flat chest and bum.

“Stop! Mommy! Help me.” Reese cried out as she began to fight and kick in a panic as he tried to pull down her pyjama shorts. He smelled like alcohol and day old sweat mixed with some cheap cologne which made her want to throw up.

“Mommaaa!.” Reece cried out, screaming at the top of her lungs with her eyes closed because she was too scared to look at him. The microwave sounded again, the shower was still running in the bathroom, Reese wondered if her mom could hear her. He held her down and peeled her underwear off then unzipped his own pants as he told her to stay still. Before he could even penetrate her a heavy thud sounded on his head not once but twice and his body went limp on top of her.

Leona was standing over them with a baseball bat in her hands. Her face had a look of horror on it as the baseball bat fell to the ground, she watched Reese open her eyes, her face was red and tear stained as Leona leaned over and rolled the man of her daughter. Her heart was thumping fast as she wondered if he was just unconscious or dead, not sure which one would be better.

Reese seemed so petrified, Leona grabbed her from the couch and pulled her into her arms. They both clung to one another as they cried, what would happen if he was dead? Would the police agree that it was self defense? If he was just passed out, how would Leona get him out of the house and would he be angry when he came to? Would he come back here?.

Reese’s sobs pulled her out of her own mind as she hugged her daughter even tighter, rubbing her back and leading her towards the door. Leona prayed that Gillian would be home as she walked fast. She got to the door down the hall and began to bang on it. The adrenaline in her body was starting to dissipate, she was on the verge of tears. This man had almost succeeded in defiling her daughter, why would Reese let him in? She knew better than to let strangers into the flat.

Leona banged harder on the door and she heard Gillian’s feet shuffle towards it. “Who is it?” She yelled out.

“Gill, open up it’s me.” She answered. The door opened slightly, still being blocked by the door chain as Gillian regarded the pair of them in a confused manner. She unlocked it and opened the door widely.

“What’s going on? Why is little Reesey bear crying?” She stood aside so they could walk in. She pulled her auburn curls away from her face and tied her hair back with a scrunchie that had been on her wrist then closed the door and turned around to face her friend.

“I need you to come with me, something bad happened Gill and I think I killed him.” Leona began to cry.

“What? Killed who? Lee, what are you talking about?” Gill looked mortified at what her friend had just said. She looked at Reese who was shaking uncontrollably, she rushed to a passage cupboard and pulled out a blanket as Leona led the little girl to the couch.

“Reesey bug, sweetheart lay down here for me. Mommy and aunty Gill will be back just now okay?” Leona kissed her daughter’s forehead and Gill placed a blanket on her making sure to tuck her in and placing a cushion under her head, she was unresponsive from the shock.

The ladies walked out of the flat and headed back to Leona’s. “He was one of my clients, he paid me for a session and when we were done he left. I don’t know why he came back but I was in the shower and I heard Reesey screaming. When I came out he was on top of her trying to force himself on her.” She was so overwhelmed by what she had just said that she began to sob heavily. “I didn’t think, I just grabbed the baseball bat that Derek left here and I swung really hard at him.”

Gillian walked in and surveyed the scene in front of her. The man was still laying on the floor and he was bleeding heavily on the carpet. Her hands came up to her mouth in shock and she turned to look at her friend.

“I don’t know if he is dead…” Leona continued to sob. “I just wanted him to stop hurting my little girl.” Gillian hugged her as she slowly massaged her back.

“We have to call the cops, they will believe us won’t they? He looks too big for us to move.”

“What if we just call Jace and Curtis, can’t they help us? What if the police won’t believe me Gill, I sleep with men for a living and they will take my baby away from me.” She looked so distraught.

“Maybe he’s not dead, let me check.” Gill walked towards the man and placed her hand on his throat to feel for a pulse. There was nothing, she moved her fingers around praying that maybe she hadn’t placed it on the correct spot but she couldn’t feel anything still. “I think he’s dead, she choked out the words as panic began to build up inside her.

Leona fell to her knees, her hands covering her face. She started to hyperventilate, her lungs refusing to take in air. Gillian ran to the phone and dialled.

“911 what’s your emergency?” the operator’s voice came through audibly.

There’s an intruder and he’s dead, she hit him with a baseball bat. She’s having a panic attack.” Gillian cried out into the phone.

As soon as Gillian gave the operator the location and flat number, she hung up the phone then ran towards Leona and tried to get her to breathe. Leona was in such a state that she was oblivious to everything around her as she clutched at her chest, tears running down her face.

A few moments later the police sirens could be heard as they neared the building.

Leona stirred from her heavily induced sleep. Her mouth felt so dry as she looked around her, she wasn’t at home in her own bed, this looked like a hospital. She frowned and tried to sit up but one of her hands were handcuffed to the hospital bed. What had happened? Had she gotten herself in to trouble at work? She pushed herself into a sitting position with her free hand. Then pressed a button by the side of the bed and waited for someone to come.

A female nurse who looked like she was in her mid thirties shuffled into the room looking very irritated like she had been disturbed from whatever it was she had been doing.

“Oh goody you are awake.” She said sarcastically.

“Why am I here? Where’s my daughter?” Leona ignored the woman’s sarcasm.

“The police will come in and explain everything to you, I am going to check your vitals and give you a clean bill of health before they book you.” The woman sneered at Leona.

“My daughter…” she was about to ask again.

“Is in the next room, sedated.” Social services will be coming in later to collect her.

“Wait what? No, why would they be collecting her? She’s my daughter and she has a home.” Leona tugged at the handcuff. “I want to see her.”

“Lady, you need to sit still so that I can do my job. Like I said, the officers will explain everything once I’m done.” The nurse said, her voice had an underlying tone of judgement in it and Leona was trying to figure out why.

“I want to see my baby, let me see my baby please.” She kept tugging at the handcuff even though it was digging into her soft skin, when the nurse tried to wrap the blood pressure arm band around her arm, she wriggled and moved around the bed.

Eventually when the nurse realised she couldn’t do her work with Leona moving and writhing around like that, she walked out to go and get the two officers who were waiting by the front desk.

“Miss Cole, my name is officer Davis and this is officer Levine. You need to calm down and let the nurse do her job then we can have a chat about the incident that took place at your home.” One of the officers addressed her.

“I just want to see my daughter, is she okay? Why have you sedated her?” Leona was on the verge of crying.

“I will explain to you if you calm down Leona.” He walked towards her and indicated for the nurse to carry on with her job.

“Why am I in cuffs, the man broke into my house.” She whimpered but she let the nurse do her job.

Davis looked at the beautiful young woman on the hospital bed. She looked like she was in her mid twenties, he felt sorry for her. How had she gotten herself into this mess, she must have a had her daughter in her teen years. He couldn’t let her talk to the little girl in the next room, he needed to make sure she wasn’t coerced into telling the same story as her mother.

“Leona, your daughter has bruises on her and she was quite shaken up when we found her at your friends place. What happened at your house?” Memories of what happened came flooding back into Leona’s mind.

Leona teared up, I didn’t mean to hit him so hard, I just wanted him to stop hurting my baby. He was hurting her.” She started to cry at the overwhelming mages of the events that had led to this moment.

“What was he doing?” Davis asked.

“He was trying to force himself on her, he broke into the house.”

“Where were you when all this happened? there was no sign of forced entry.” He looked at her seriously and she blinked a few times before she answered trying to think about where his line of questioning was headed towards.

Had she already said too much? She was always hearing from some girls at the club that the cops were always trying to get you to incriminate yourself. “I was in the shower, I don’t know why Reesey opened the door for him then.” She said as she tried to wipe the tears from her face using her one free hand. She regarded this Davis guy looking him up and down.

“Why was this man at your house Leona.” Davis scrutinised her. “Before you lie, we found his wallet in your bedroom.”

She suddenly realised that’s why he had come back to the flat. This was all her fault, her little girl had almost been r***d because of her.

Was he your boyfriend? Did you know who this man was and what he did for a living? Your neighbours seem to think you are a p********e and you tried to sell of your daughter to him, they heard her screaming for you to stop.”

Leona’s face paled, she looked mortified. “I would never hurt my baby! He was trying to hurt her and I stopped him!”

“Then why was he at your flat?!” Davis growled at her.

“I don’t want to talk anymore! I want a lawyer” She turned as far as the cuff would allow her to look the other way to avoid Davis’ face.

“It would do you good to talk to me lady, because this is being treated as a homicide case and you will be charged as well for trying sell your daughter for money.”

Leona stubbornly closed her eyes and pursed her lips. Davis knew that he would not get anymore out of her so he decided to leave the room. As soon as they left, she waited for the nurse to leave the room then she bent her head and reached for a pin that had bin holding her hair up earlier on. She slipped it out of her slick hair and opened it up to pick at the lock, she had never done this before but she prayed it would work.

To her luck it clicked open after a few more tries. She pried it off and got off the bed searching for her clothes. The nurse had forgotten them on the side table so she grabbed them and ran to the bathroom where she locked the door and began to change quickly. She had to get her daughter out of here before she got put into the system. She would sort out these charges nonsense mess once her Reesey was safe.

She walked to the window and realised she was on the first floor, thanking her lucky stars she slid it opened. It was a tight fit but she was slim enough to slink out of it, she took of running as fast as she could.

“Leona, hey baby why are you out of breath.” A man asked her the moment she stepped into his twenty four seven convenient store.

“Jonas I’m in trouble, I need to make a call please.”

“I hope it’s nothing criminal Leona because I don’t need trouble in my store, anybody chasing you?” He asked his voice laced with a heavy Jewish accent. She shook her head vigorously, tears started to run down her face.

“Fine fine go round back to the office.” He shoo’d her.

She dialled a number she knew of by heart, even if you were to wake her up at three in the morning out of deep slumber she would have no problem reciting it.

“Caleb, I need to get ahold of Derek please.” She said to the man on the other side of the phone as soon as he answered. “Reese is in trouble, they want to take her into the system. Tell him he needs to get to the Angel heart hospital latest by end of today. He has all her birth papers. Caleb don’t forget because I’m about to get arrested.” she cried out onto the phone then hung up.