Captivated by the deadly mafia boss

Lena

I’m in the kitchen washing my breakfast dishes when a long chime rings. I turn off the water to listen, and again it rings. Leaving the pan in the sink, I make my way through the winding hallways to the main entrance just as the elevator doors slide open.

Micah said he wouldn’t be back until tonight. Stupid elevator, I have no way to stop someone from entering when they aren’t supposed to. I don’t even have my phone to call for help.

A man steps off the elevator carrying four full bags. He’s dressed similar to Micah with his dark suit and his black hair slicked back from his face.

“Lena?” He brings his gaze to meet mine.

I squeeze my hands together. “Who are you?” I’m a third of his size; even if I ran at him to knock him off balance, I’d probably only end up bouncing onto my ass.

“Dimitri, Micah’s cousin,” he says with a nod and walks to the table between us. Pushing aside the vase he puts the bags down. “Micah said to bring you these.” He reaches behind him and pulls out a cell phone. “And give you this.”

I stare at him for a long moment, before I take it from him. It’s mine, and it’s fully charged.

“He said whatever doesn’t fit, put to the side and he’ll take care of it later.” He pushes the bags toward me.

“You went shopping?” I ask him, while digging into the bags. I pull out a t-shirt, a dress, a pair of jeans-all the right size.

Dimitri snorts. “No. I don’t… shop. I picked them up from the stores I was told to.”

“Micah said I was going to my father’s house this afternoon to get my own things.”

Dimitri frowns. “That won’t be possible today. Things came up. He wanted you to have your phone in case you need him, his number’s already programmed in.” He points to my hands cradling my lifeline to the real world. “And here’s the house code. For an emergency only.” He pulls a folded-up piece of paper from his jacket and hands it to me.

“What came up?”

He shrugs. “Things. He’ll be home late tonight.”

“Late?” Am I really supposed to just sit here alone waiting for him to come home like some lost puppy waiting for her master? “What about dinner?”

“Like I said, things came up.” He puts his hands up like he wants nothing to do with this discussion.

“I’ll find my own way to my father’s house then. I don’t need you to take me. I’m sure my brother can pick me up.”

“Micah said you’re to stay here. He doesn’t want you leaving today.”

“What am I supposed to do, just sit here and stare at the walls?”

“I don’t know, I gotta go. My suggestion, stay out of trouble.” His eyes soften a bit, like he’s a big brother warning his little sister. “The Ivanovs aren’t a family to fuck with. You’re lucky to be marrying Micah. Roman could have done much worse to you.”

“So lucky.” I grab the bags from the table. “Thank you, Dimitri, for bringing these.”Property of Nô)(velDr(a)ma.Org.

The elevator arrives and he steps inside. When he looks back at me there’s a touch of warning in his expression. “Look. Make the best of it, right?” This is his best try at advice.

“Yeah. Make the best.”

Once he’s gone, I take the bags to my room and dump them onto the bed. There’s at least two weeks’ worth of clothing here, including three dresses. They aren’t my things, but at least they aren’t from the closet of misfit one-night stands either. Everything he has in the dresser and the closet is brand new, tags are still on everything, but I’m not ignorant about what they really are. Who they were really for.

Dimitri wasn’t at Roman’s house last night, so he couldn’t realize I was wearing the same dress.

I shove the clothes in the closet to one side then go about hanging the things Micah has bought for me. As a young girl I fantasized about my knight in shining armor being so sweet as to go shopping for me. To bring me a beautiful ball gown to wear with him when we met the king. After I finish clearing a drawer in the dresser and filling it with my new things, I stare down at the panties. Black lace and satin undergarments. Did Micah request these or did the sales lady already know his preferences?

Once everything’s put away, and I’ve folded the paper shopping bags and stashed them behind the dresser, I change into a pair of jeans and t-shirt. I find a pair of sandals among the shoes and slip them on. I run a quick finger comb through my hair, working out the tangles and head back into the kitchen to finish cleaning up.

* * *

Skyscrapers block the sun, casting a pinkish orange shadow around the buildings as it begins to climb down from its daily perch. I lean my forehead against the window, staring at the city before me from the window seat in my bedroom. There’s an entire apartment outside my door, but I haven’t set foot in any of it.

This isn’t my home.

I can’t deny how beautiful it is, but it’s not mine. I don’t belong here. Sighing, my breath creates a circle of condensation on the window and I swipe my fingertip through it. This can’t be the rest of my life, tucked away waiting for my husband to come home and let me out.

My father warned me about this. He tried to tell me how things were going to be for me, but I refused to listen. I wouldn’t accept that my position in the family was to be used like this.

You cook, you take care of the household, you be there for your husband, that’s what you do.

His words come back to me now and the same anger rolls into my chest. I’m more than that. I can do more than make a pot of coffee and spread my legs when he commands it.

As if on cue, my phone pings from the dresser. I’d left messages with Marie and Tanya that I was alive but didn’t go into details of what all had happened. Unraveling my legs from beneath me on the window seat, I get my phone.

Let’s parteeee

Nine o’clock Katfish

Tanya’s obsession with my brothers’ new club doesn’t seem to be fading in the same timeframe of her other obsessions. I start to text her that I can’t make it, but my thumbs freeze.

Why can’t I make it?

Micah isn’t home to stop me, and he gave me the elevator passcode.

Instead of texting her back, I hit the call button to get her on the line.

“Lena! Thank God you answered. I was worried,” Tanya yells through the phone. Music thumps behind her.

“You’re already at Katfish?” I ask, stalking to the closet.

“No, Marie and I are at Kristian’s, we’re heading to the club next. You’ll come, right? Your dad doesn’t have you locked up?”

My father?

“Tanya, I’m not at my house. My father-” I stop. She doesn’t know, no one knows, I can still have a night of freedom before the word spreads through the families and I’m roped down.

“You headed to the club now?” I flip through the dresses in the closet. The three Micah had sent over are good for dinners, but not clubbing. I need something more erotic. I’ll have to wear something from the whore selection.

“Yeah, you’re coming, right?”

I pluck a black slip dress from the rack. Close enough to my size to make it work.

“On my way.”