His Promise: The Mafia’s Babies by C. Tamika

Chapter 335

Elena

I held my phone in my hands-waiting for Victoria’s text. It had been days, but there was still no message about the stick.

“Lena.”

I flinched hearing the voice of the person I despised the most and almost jumped from my chair. “P- Panther?” I brushed my hair to the side, appearing as casual as possible. “I thought you were….out.

“Yes, out.” He slowly stepped closer and released a chuckle. “You would like that, wouldn’t you?”

“I-I don’t know what you’re talking about.” I held in my breath as Panther stood in front of me with only a few inches between us.

“Did I do something to make you feel uncomfortable?” Panther’s finger moved to a strand of my hair. “Elena, do I seem scary to you?”

“No, of course not!” Belongs to NôvelDrama.Org - All rights reserved.

He shot me a strange look and knocked his fist on my forehead. “So all this time, I’ve been worrying over nothing? I’m glad to hear that.” He said. “Especially since I’ve had your back since the beginning and kept your secret for a long time.”

A shiver curled down my spine.

What was the meaning of his words?

Had all my plans not to act suspiciously been in vain?

Anxiously, I stared at him as I waited for his words.

Panther cackled loudly and pinched my check roughly. Why so serious?”

“S-serious?”

“Plans for today?”

I shook my head.

“So you’re not spending time with your friend today?” Panther said nonchalantly, eager for me to make a mistake.

That was enough confirmation that he was either following me around or at least felt a bit threatened to do something about the situation.

He didn’t know about the stick. He couldn’t-because if he did, he would’ve turned the house upside down. Other than my identity, which would also jeopardize him for lying to Marvin-he did not have a single thing on me.

“W-what friend?” I frowned, folding my arms. Panther, who had probably expected me to confess and cry for forgiveness, seemed startled that things were not going his way.

“Nothing.” He smiled with trembling lips. “Come on. I’ll take you out today-we’ll visit Marvin at work.”

I knew what he was thinking.

She thinks she’s safe because she has Marvin, so I’ll take the DEA agent’s daughter to his workplace and show her what kind of monster he is.

“I don’t think that’s a good idea.” I opposed to the idea, knowing it could change my opinion on the love of my life. I was aware of what kind of work he did because he owed up to it-but I did not feel

the need to watch it in live-action.

“Why not?” Panther smirked. “If one day you’re planning to become the main woman of this house, you should know what he’s been up to.”

All I could do was glare at him.

“Don’t worry, today is not really an eventful day-so we can go.” Panther stated, not giving me a chance to decide. “I’m ready when you are.”

“Ready when I am?” I chuckled in disbelief, pulling out my phone to share my live location with Victoria. If he did decide to kill me, he could try-but I could only promise one thing. He would go down for it.

The drive was the most uncomfortable situation I had ever experienced in my life. With neither of us saying a word, the tension was so thick you could cut it with a knife.

Panther sensed I didn’t trust him anymore, just as I had sensed that he had been keeping an eye on me.

What if he suspected Tiago of opening his mouth and would end up hurting him?

No, he couldn’t-at least not yet.

“We’re here, come on.” He stopped the car, interrupting my deep thoughts.

I stepped out of the car and felt my head spin at the uncomfortable scenery.

This area looked nothing like the Castillo estate. If anything, this seemed like the part of town Dad and Alex told me to stay away from.

I let my eyes wander around the poor state of the neighborhood before staring at the grey and gruesome packhouse in front of me.

“Come on!” Panther wrapped his hand around my wrist, pulling me along with him. I felt so out of place. It even made me tighten my grip around Panther.

Dad used to tell me stories about how he and Stevie took down these disgusting labs and how sometimes they would find underage and trafficked girls inside.

Do you guys do that?’ I remembered asking Marvin a few weeks ago. I could only breathe because he nearly gagged at my words and told me The Castillo’s would never be as pathetic to force anyone to work for them.

His words at that time were loud and clear. It’s the same way my grandmother was dragged to the states, so it’s against our protocol.” He said.

But did that really make them all that better? They were still creating and selling drugs that ruined people’s lives. People with families and children.

No, Elena, stop it.

Whatever his plan might be, this is exactly what Panther wanted.

I could see those present in the packhouse were, luckily adults, backing up Marvin’s statement.

A group of men stopped what they were doing and shot me looks of curiosity as Panther led me through

the house.

“There’s nothing to see here-go to work,” Panther told them, pulling me along further.

A while later, Panther opened a door leading to a garage. “I think Marvin should be over-”

“I’ll pay you back every cent!” A voice cried out, right at that moment.

A man was pushed to the floor. He curled up in a fetal position, blood covering his face before receiving kick after kick. I almost yelped as a man lifted his leg to stomp on the other man’s body.

“I’m done with your lies!” The man called out. At that moment, I realized that it was Marvin’s voice. He was the one kicking the man.

I watched as two men behind him let out laughter, encouraging him to continue.

“Oh my bad, I was sure nothing was happening today.” Panther whispered, chuckling. “I completely forgot about the liar Marvin has to deal with.”

I froze at his words.

Liar?

So this was what happened to liars? This was the punishment for people like me.

“Hold him up for me,” Marvin growled, his demanding voice almost unrecognizable. He had always been sweet, patient, and gentle with me. Was that all an act?

No, it wasn’t.

It’s what Panther wants me to think.

Marvin knelt to the man’s level. “I gave you multiple opportunities to give us back the money while you looked me in the eyes and lied.” He said. “And do you know the thing I despise the most in this world? Liars.”

Panther stood behind me, forcing his hands on my shoulders to ensure I got in every single word and could not escape. “Personally, this is my favorite part.” He brought his lips to my ear.

“Please, please, please!” The man looked up, pleading. Memories of Marvin’s past words crept into my mind.

“There’s nothing better than someone you despise pleading for mercy.”

“Marvin, please, it won’t happen ever again.” The man rubbed his hands together. “I’m sorry, okay? I’m sorry!”

Begging you to spare their lives.”

“Please don’t kill me. I’ll do better-I swear!”

As you cock the gun and stare into their hopeful pathetic eyes

Marvin released a low chuckle and pulled out a gun before pressing it to the man’s head. “You look pathetic.” He tilted his head as he cocked the gun.

“To hear their last request to spare their families.”

“I have a wife, a son, and a daughter-you can’t do this!”

“and then….”.

Boom.

+5 Bonus

I felt my heart pound in my ears as a cold wave went through my body at the sight of the lifeless body on the cold ground.

Marvin did this. My Marvin did this.

Don’t fall for it, Elena-you knew what he was capable of

“Do you see what happens to liars?” Panther squeezed my shoulder. “That’s why I’m happy that the two of us got each other’s back.”

“I keep your secret, and you keep mine.” He said. “So you can either mind your business, or you can deal with the consequences.

“And don’t worry about Misty threatening to find out our little secret-I also took care of that.”

His words made me stumble backward, knocking over a few rods in the process. The room was filled with loud echoes, and Marvin turned around.

His eyes bored into mine, worried.

“E-Elena?”

The two men he was with had turned their heads and shot Marvin a questioning look.

“Elena?” Marvin repeated, changing his expression from surprise to complete worry. “What are you doing here?”

“I-I,” I looked back at Panther as a smug smile appeared on his lips. Marvin’s beautiful white clothes were covered in blood, and so was his face. Rather than feeling scared, I felt angry, disgusted, and betrayed.

Angry for knowing this was the fate that awaited me for lying, disgusted because I had finally experienced what he truly stood for, and betrayed that I couldn’t stop my heart from loving him.

I was disgusted, but that didn’t mean I would change my mind. I was still put on protecting Marvin from the monster he was with while knowing he was most likely the same.

What the hell was wrong with me?

Where did it go wrong?

Were dad and Alex right?

I turned without saying a word and brushed through Panther to make my way out.

“Elena, wait!” Marvin followed me, only making me walk even faster until I almost ran. I could be around him, not now

And somehow, he man’? the terme.

It may not him. It’s me,