Sold to the mafia

Zane

She won’t stop shaking. I hold her closer to me. I think she’s in shock. “It’s alright peaches, I’ve got you.” I repeat the words over and over, holding her tighter to me.

I look up at Nikolai. “I need to take her to the hospital.” She needs help. She needs it now.

He looks back at me with hesitation. That’s something the mob doesn’t do. At the hospital they ask questions. Questions are something for snitches.

I grind my teeth. I’m not going to let her go without a fight.

“I’m done with this shit, Nikolai.” I nearly spit my words out. I look up at him, holding my girl closer to me.

He’s the only one I had in my life for the longest time. But that’s over now. I’m ready to move on. And this isn’t the life I want. It’s not the life of a man she deserves. And more than anything, I want to deserve her.

“What’s that, Zane? You’re done with what?” he asks with a small threat in his voice, but I don’t care. I’m not letting go of Maddy, and her and this life simply don’t mix.

“I’m out. I don’t want this anymore. Take the shop, do what you want. You’re the Don, and I’m asking to go. I’m asking for peace.”

Nikolai looks at me and then back at his men. They heard, but they keep their heads down. Nikolai is the boss now. He holds the power.

He takes a few steps back and runs a hand down his face. “Get these fuckers out of here now!” he yells at his men.

“You need to wait till it’s clean.” I nod and agree, but I don’t like it. Nik passes me the plastic wrap and duct tape and it takes me a minute to realize it’s for her cut.

I take care of it and keep an eye on her as time passes. I rock her in my arms and watch her breathing. She seems to be doing better and not worse, so that’s a good thing.

“She’ll be alright,” Nik says. I look up at him and his eyes move from her to me. “She’s alright.”

“I wanna take her to the hospital.”

Maddy nestles into my chest, she’s quiet and still trembling. This was too much for her.

Nikolai nods his head at me. “Call ’em.”

I don’t hesitate to reach in my pocket and dial up the ambulance. I’m short and to the point. “I have a young woman in shock on 32 and Sussex.” They ask questions that I don’t answer. “She needs an ambulance.” And with that, I hang up the phone. I may want out of the mob, but I’m sure as shit not going to give them any information.

I’m not a rat.

A long moment passes. “You okay, peaches?” I whisper into Maddy’s ear. She nods her head and offers me a small murmur, but her eyes aren’t focused.

“What’s the shop worth?” Nikolai asks, bringing my attention back to him.

“No clue,” I answer him. I don’t fucking know. I don’t handle the books. “You can check the books.”

Nikolai looks at me for a moment. “I’ll give you the money, whatever it’s worth, and you go where you want.” I hold his gaze, feeling a weight lift off my shoulders.

I nod my head as I hear the sirens coming. They’re always fast when you hang up.

“It’s been a long time coming,” Nikolai says. “I’m proud of you, Zane.”

I don’t know why, but it hurts to hear him say that. My eyes water and I’d feel like a little bitch if Nikolai’s weren’t all glassy-looking, too.

“It’s over,” he says.

I nod my head and lean down to give Maddy a kiss.

“It’s over, baby; we’re safe now.”