The Badass Mafia Boss Queen

“Okay, so apart from keeping me company, what else did he ask you to do for me?”

“Run all your errands, prepare your meal, make sure you’re comfortable and lack nothing. I work and answer to you… and you alone at least for now. So you decide what you want me to do for you.”

“Hmm, he didn’t by chance ask you to make sure I don’t run away?”

She paused briefly before replying truthfully. “Yes, that too.”

“So, asides all you’ve mentioned, what else can you do?”

“I can keep you entertained with news, jokes, history…..”

“History of certain people?”

“I believe so.” Alessia replied.

“I’d like a little historical breakdown of your Boss.” I blurted out. “He asked you to tell me everything I need to know, didn’t he?”

“Yes, he did.” Alessia replied, still standing.

“Good, now tell me about him. Everything, no matter how little.”

She stiffened. “I… don’t you think it’s better you find out from him.”

“Alessia, If I wanted to find out from him, I wouldn’t be asking you, would I?”

“Of course not.” She replied and I saw what looked like a little panic escape her face before she pulled herself together, again.

“He…. he graduated high school at fifteen, Everest at twenty,” she said as if she was reading a recital.

“Let me guess, top of his class.” I added.

Alessia nodded. He’s the first of two children, highly skilled in hand-to-hand combat, and boxing being a pastime of his.”

“So, it’s just him and Maxine?”

“Yes.”

“Now tell me, Alessia, what do you think of Hollis?”Còntens bel0ngs to Nô(v)elDr/a/ma.Org

“Not sure what to say.” She replied.

“Alessia, I’m sure you know a lot more than I do. And I want you to speak freely. You answer to me, remember.”

She nodded and cleared her throat. “The Boss can be cocky, arrogant, controlling, manipulative, hotheaded, and attractive. What makes it worse is that he knows it. He has bloodlust. He stares at people with some undertone rage, as though he wishes for them to mess up so he can put a bullet in them. However, the moment he looks at you or talk about you, it’s gone, he is content. And that is quite far from the man most of us know who always seem rather isolated. He trusts very few people, which includes his family. He’s searching for something.”

I stared at Alessia from under my full semi-permanent lashes, before grinning. Alessia was purely talented, no doubt. She could pass out as a very good profiler, a second pair of eyes.

“So you think I can trust him, with my life.”

The next words that came out from her mouth made me speechless. “He loves you, even before you came here. You’ve always been a priority. But there were a few times he would get so mad and infuriated that he would withdraw your undercover security details. But he always send us back in less than twenty-four hours.”

“Us, you were among them?” She nodded.

“So you know deets about me?” Another nod. “What type?”

“I know your daily schedule by heart, where you normally train, I profiled your trainer, your dermatologist, yoga instructor, nutritionist, best friend….”

“It’s okay…..” I cut her off swallowing hard. “That’s….. scary.”

“About your question ma’am,” Alessia continued, “you are the only one that knows. You are a better judge of character than myself. I think he wants you to care about him as much as he cares about you. I don’t think he is out to hurt you, yet…” She gave her honest, unbiased opinion and I was marvelled.

“But one can’t forcefully gain love, it should come naturally, shouldn’t it?”

“Well, it should. Don’t you feel anything for him?”

I wasn’t expecting the question, so I didn’t have a readily available answer. “I….. don’t know.” I replied truthfully. “I can’t say. What do you think?”

“You can think about what you feel for him, and give the feeling a name, no matter how little. Then work it up from there.”

“It’s been a rough couple of days.” I sighed.

Alessia nodded. “Maybe you should get even more sleep, Reina.”

*******

It’s been three days, yet there was no sign of Hollis, all I had of him was the daily short phone conversations with Alessia’s guard phone and that was it.

I trained at the gym, read some books, watched television, tried cooking twice, disaster. And I did feel lonely. I’ve never felt so useless all my life.

By the fourth day, I went down to the main house and stepped on to the front porch. From that point, I saw the busy guards and how they were stationed at each point with their long rifles guarding the house.

One of the guards walked pass me and greeted me cheerfully. I replied back with a smile, glad that someone seemed to notice me. Unlike the coldness and distance I was getting from the other guards.

He turned and brought his free hand across and shook mine. “I’m Hugh.”

“Ugo.” I replied, smiling warmly.

After a good squeeze, he took his hand back and glimpsed at his watch. “Geez. I have to get back to work.” He pushed away from me. He gestured his hand forward. “You can come keep me company, if you’re okay with that.”

I turned to Alessia who was seated at a safe distance. “I’ll be right back, just taking a lot around.”

Alessia didn’t look pleased, but I didn’t care. I would give anything to experience a different routine from what I’ve been on for days now.

I took Hugh’s extended hand, he was beaming. Shouldering his shotgun, he led the way. We crossed the lawn and reached a tree line. Hugh swaggered his steps as we neared the armed guard who was standing next to a tree.

I recognized the guard, he had been standing at the corridor when I slapped Hollis a few days ago and he drew his gun at me. Crazy fellow.

By the look of disdain on his face, he seemed to be angry with me. Well, the feeling was mutual. Hugh switched spots with the bothered guard and dragged a tree stump out of the woods for me to sit on.

The other guard glanced at Hugh and looked like he was about to say something but decided against it. He shook his head and walked away. Hugh lit a cigarette and huffed a few puffs, still beaming. We were a foot inside the tree line, half-hidden by dense green leaves. The surrounding bushes were quiet, dark, and I couldn’t see more than a few feet far.