The Mafia Contract Series

WINTER

The car speeds away from Massimo’s mansion, and I leave my heart in the nursery. It’s not unusual to accompany Massimo on a dinner date and every time we leave it’s as if my heart is torn in two because I hate being away from my son, even for a second. Even knowing the bastard beside me is far away from him, I am always fearful that something will happen to Frankie the moment my back is turned.

The fact he is so well cared for makes it bearable somehow. I never meet the people responsible for feeding, bathing and playing with him, but they must be doing a good job because he’s a happy baby. Filling out nicely with a healthy glow that settles my heart. I crave every moment I spend with him, always fearful that it’s my last, and that sensation is out in force today because of what Massimo told me.

I know better than to ask questions and wait like a timid mouse beside him, knowing he will take great delight in telling me everything. No subject is off limits with him and his favorite one is to describe in great detail how he murders his enemies. Not just enemies, either. There are also the poor unfortunate young men he orders like takeout, who are delivered to his home courtesy of a well-paid servant. Homeless kids fresh off the bus, runaways and guys drunk in dark alleys, all find a home waiting for them chained to his dungeon wall.

He loves to leave the door open as I sit in my cage in my own dark, depressing cell next door, and I hear them scream and beg for their lives as he subjects them to the most depraved ending. I’ve tried so hard to shut out the screams of a dying man, knowing it won’t be quick but a lengthy transition to the afterlife.

There are the times he made me watch, and I tried to block out the violent, despicable images that will live behind my eyes to my dying days. My main fear is that one day a familiar face will replace the strangers I’ve seen this far. All except one, that is. Corey. The new boyfriend of my friend Emma, who was in the same position the day I was delivered here courtesy of my history teacher. Corey never made it out alive, and I often wonder what Emma went through. They had not long met, but I’m certain she will have forgotten him already. I haven’t.

I will always remember him. Praying for his soul, happy he suffers no more.

Knowing there was nothing I could do to save him carved out my own future path. Massimo makes it impossible to fight back. He has stripped my soul of humanity and replaced it with fear. I have no strength left after enduring many months of mental torture and extreme cruelty. I try so hard to focus on the positives to keep me sane and now we are leaving the most important person in my life behind, I must trust Massimo to bring me back to him.

“So, my darling wife, we are in for a treat today.”

He sounds eager as he laughs softly. “Now don’t be jealous my darling, but I’ve been meeting another woman in secret.”

I say nothing and he nudges me as if we’re friends and not prisoner and prison guard. “Portia Symmons was Imogen’s boss back in the day. She runs a modeling agency, and my wife was her star model. Imogen was her most beautiful asset and in great demand. Portia is a friend of mine, and we share the same love of fashion and beauty. As soon as I met Imogen, though, she became my world. We were happy and I’ve never known love like the one we shared.”

His voice deepens as he hisses, “Then that bastard baby tore her from my side and my so-called friends covered it up. They betrayed me and we all know how that ended for them.”

In a sudden move, he grabs my face and squeezes it hard and hisses, while staring into my eyes. “You will never betray me, will you?”

I try to shake my head, but he does it for me and it’s as if he’s a dog with his favorite toy. “You love me, don’t you, my darling?”Upstodatee from Novel(D)ra/m/a.O(r)g

Again, he does it for me and nods my head vigorously, causing my brain to scramble.

Then he holds me by the throat and, to my horror, runs his hand up my leg underneath my skirt, causing my heart to fill with terror as he pushes my panties aside and strokes my clit.

“Who was it?” He snarls as he gazes with fury into my eyes.

“Who took what was mine?”

This is different. He’s never been interested in me sexually before and I gasp, “I don’t remember.”

I’ve tried so hard to convince him it could have been one of many just to protect Alessandro and the love we had in creating our son and he jabs a cruel finger sharply inside me and hisses, “Do you like that, my darling? Did he do this? Did he take what was mine by rights like the dirty bastard he is?”

I’m so afraid because I’ve never seen this side of him before and as he pushes in deeper the pain blinds me for a second and then I’m shocked when he slaps me hard around the face and screams, “Whore, you’re a fucking whore. I hate you and I hate him. One by one I will string them up and tear out their hearts with my teeth, just you wait.” He slaps me hard again, stunning me into disbelief because where has this come from?

The pain is so great I think he must have broken something and as my eyes try to remain focused, he wraps his hands around my throat and squeezes until my breath is torn from my lungs.

“You fucking cheap whore, screwing around behind my back. You were meant to be a virgin. Your father promised you would be a virgin. You are tainted, marked, and imperfect.”

My heart fills with fear because once Massimo regards his possessions as imperfect, it sends him into a rage and he replaces them. Is this what’s happening? Am I about to lose my life in the back of his car? I almost wish for it but for one thing, my son.

I can’t even fight back because I know it would only increase his rage and then almost as soon as it started, it stops, and he releases me and laughs out loud.

“You should see your face, Winter. You know I’m only playing with my favorite doll.”

He stares at me with concern and removes a fresh handkerchief from his pocket, dabbing my face and looking annoyed.

“Now I’ve ruined my amazing makeup. It’s such a shame that we will visit my greatest friend and you look anything but perfect.”

He pulls me close and starts to groan as if in pain and I feel something hard against my breast. The memory returns from when we visited his old nanny, and he pulled out a tin from his breast pocket. It contained a syringe and a phial of something that caused her to have a massive stroke. Is this his plan? Will he use it on me? Portia, perhaps, or somebody else.

My mind works hard, but there is no chance to act because he pulls back and smiles sheepishly.

“Forgive my games, Winter. It’s fun to play, isn’t it?”

I smile as if he’s my one true love and nod. “You play them so well, my darling.”

He fusses around me like a bridesmaid to a bride, attempting to clear up the mess he made, although I’m guessing I bear a mark on my face, judging by how much it throbs. I can’t remember the last time I saw my reflection. There are no mirrors in Massimo’s world, and I haven’t been able to catch a glimpse of my own face since I got here. I wonder what others register when they stare into my eyes. Do they peer behind the smile? Do they witness the pain in my expression? Or do they see what he expects me to portray? A woman in love.

I watch from the inside out and really hope that what happens today won’t finally break me.