Chapter 10:
1269 Words
Ariana Miles...
When I woke up this morning, all I wanted was to be left alone.
But as always, God is never on my side and things never go my way.
The one thing I didn't need today, was the complication of accompanying the boss to a meeting.
I hated it for a lot of reasons. It distracted me from my plan for the day and took away precious time.
Although the boss rarely demands anything from me except profits from my events.
I was still miffed by his demand and felt like he had targeted me this time around.
But I can't complain, everyone knows, to avoid me, to give me space.
You ever wonder why I haven't been forced to be someone's muse by now?
The deal Lina publicly made with Craig still stands. I am, in some sense, untouchable.
I shudder to think what would have become of me if Lina hadn't made that deal, if she hadn't protected me the way she did.
The entire head office and the crew had been in an anxious frenzy for days now,
Since we were informed of, the Uno's presence in our city,
At first they had hoped he wouldn't come here. He did.
Then they hoped he would come and leave without a glance our way. He glanced.
Two days ago, we were summoned for a meeting with the uno.
The crew had converged here, for a brief meeting and to leave together in a convoy.
What I didn't expect was to be dragged into their drama.
They usually pushed Lina and I far away from their Marchetti business.
Finally, they were ready to leave for the meeting.
And they began to file out of Craigs office, when he called me.
" Arianaaaa..."
"Yes boss !!" I answered instantly in a loud voice, running bare footed down the stairs from my room upstairs.
Lina had been clearing the breakfast table. She looked up at me as I brushed past her, an apprehensive look on her face.
I skidded to a stop in front of Craig, his nostrils flared in disgust, of course at my appearance.
I really don't care, I wear what I like.
"You've got one minute to get dressed, you're driving one of the cars."
"But boss, I am supposed to..."
"Ria!!" Lina called my name in a stern voice, cutting off my protest.
The warning was clear. Do not argue, just do as you've been told.
I stiffened, squared my shoulders and nodded my head at his request.
I dragged myself back up the stairs, taking my time.
Not too slow, so I didn't annoy Craig , he was most likely irritated already that I had almost argued with him.
I quickly got out of my ratty old sleeping joggers and grabbed a pair of oversized white joggers.
I brushed my unruly blonde hair, packed it loosely with a band and slipped my feet into my ever faithful and reliable Crocs.
When I was ready, I went back downstairs, got in the car and drove off with the others.
On the drive down to the hotel, I thought about the mysterious Uno.
In all my life with this crew, the other Marchetti people I have met can be counted on my hands.
I have met just eight of them and they sometimes talk when they drink.
They are never drunk, but their utterances are less controlled.
The few conversations I have heard about the uno have shaped my idea of the man.
And none were good. I heard he is a handsome old, ruthless, cold and wicked bastard.
who like women in a certain forceful way, he uses them and treats them like sh*t.
The women are crazy about him because he is impossibly wealthy and really good looking.
I sigh as I park the car and get out.
Whatever people do with their lives is their business, not mine.
The meeting didn't last long, and I was extremely relieved to hear the boss and the other crew members that went in for the meeting were on their way out after just two hours.
When they got out of the elevator, I quickly rushed to them, before they reached the hotel lobby, where I had been waiting with the other four drivers.
Since I was the lowest, almost no rank member, it was my job to take their bags and placed them in their various cars.
And I did so, as quickly as I could.
I put my head down , making sure my hoodie was covering my face.
I did get a glimpse of the men in the group i didn't know.
They had to be the uno's men.
They were handsome and wealthy.
But I didn't see much because I didn't want to anger Craig by staring.
Besides, I would just end up being taunted as a sl*t by the guys when we get back.
I dropped each bag in their various cars, before going back to my assigned car for the trip back.
After dropping them off at the crews' home base as we call our operation base.
I picked up my backpack, hailed a cab and headed straight for the venue of my event.
Our boss is on edge because of the meeting with the Uno.
But the boss is mostly nervous, because ...
Let's just say if the Marchetti's get wind of the unsanctioned means by which we make extra profit.
We could be kicked out and Craig doesn't want that.
Of course, we are under scrutiny and everyone needs to be on top of their game.
That means being on our best behavior. And for me, that means avoiding the boss by all means and at all costs.
Lina pulled me into a hug and said, "Good luck on your event today."
My step-sister Lina practically raised me, she is like my mom and best friend.
I sometimes call my stepbrother Nathan, dad.
Our father died when I was three years old, and Craig, our boss, the head of Lethal crew, became our guardian.
He was my father's best friend and dad trusted him to take care of us.
Instead, Lina who was twelve at the time, became my only parent.
Lina became Craig's s*x slave and mistress when she turned sixteen.
She had to beg him, literally on her knees, to allow her to finish high school.
Being raised in the mafia is difficult and challenging, but being raised as an orphan in the mafia is the absolute worse.
The boss's wife and kids hate us, my siblings and I, because Lina is his mistress.
I don't blame her, she has a right to her reactions. Estelle, basically treats us like garbage.
Craig is doing a terrible job of parenting us.
He made himself our god, as he takes decisions on everything concerning us.
We eat when he says we eat, we clean the entire building, all three floors, we do everything he says.
Nathan runs a lot of errands, any type of errand, really.
Lina couldn't protect him as much as she wanted to, like she did me.
He'd been beaten to within an inch of his life several times and been shot at a few times.
Since I attend the same high school as Craigs brats.
I should be bullied, but it's not possible.
Lina got me into the boxing and Teakwondo teams at school as early as possible.
So I could learn to defend myself properly.
It helped, but for me, I have found that psychological torture can be more dangerous than physical torture.
- Writer
