THE MAFIA’S MISTAKEN BRIDE

Andre’s POV

A hand grabs me just before I can get to the entrance of the club, clamping my mouth with the other hand to stop me from screaming.

Fear jumps into my heart at that instant as the wall behind me continues to drag me away slowly while my eyes linger on the entrance, hoping someone will notice and raise an alarm.

Is it Xavier?

Shit!

I told Mom not to come but she insisted. Xavier must have traced her here. If only she had listened to me, maybe I wouldn’t be in this situation.

Waving away the thought finally, I begin to think of what to do as soon as he lets go of me. I am not with any weapon. I should have come out with that gun from earlier, maybe it would help, even though I have never used a gun but I know I can shoot that bastard if he is indeed the one.

Out of the street, I realize we are now in a dark alley and suddenly, my back hits a car as he lets go of me.

Without hesitation, I raised my right leg and hit the idiot in the crotch.

A loud cry of pain leaves his mouth, making realization dawn on me as he squats down that this isn’t Xavier.

“Alex?” I call out, unable to make out his face in the dark. I know it is him. I have spent just a few days with him but I can point him out in my dream with just a word from him.

“What did you do that, babe?” he questions instead, still down on his knees with his hand rubbing his manhood.

I sigh.

I thought I succeeded in fooling him when I told him I wanted to sleep early tonight, just so I could sneak out without his knowledge.

How the hell did he know I was coming?

With my arms folded around my bosom, I stay silent, watching his dark figure until he stops with the funny sound and finally rises.

With a serious tone, he commands. “Get into the car.”

I snort.

He doesn’t own me. He can’t order me around the way he wants. This is my life and I am going to live it the way I want. Just because I am still here and alive because of him doesn’t mean I have to follow every one of his stupid orders.

“Make me.” A challenging tone is what comes out of me, even though I wanted to curse at him and leave.

It’s my first day at work and he is ruining it.

First, it was Mom’s call about her presence in Italy and now him. I shouldn’t have told her I got a job in that club.

He takes a step towards me, his breath fanning my entire face. “You know I can, don’t you?”

I don’t want to be affected by his words. I don’t want to be affected by the dark look of lust that must be on his face right now so I move away. “Why are you here?”

I am trying so hard to keep my anger in check.

“I should be asking you that”, I can sense the amusement in his tone, making me wonder if Alex is ever serious. “The last time I checked, you were supposed to be in bed sleeping.”

A deep sigh leaves my mouth again. I underestimated him.

“How did you know I was here then?” I ask him again with curiosity. The only way he could have known was if he went to check on me in that room the moment I left and then he followed me all the way here.

Instead of replying to me, he moves towards me, grabbing my waist as it hits his lower body. “You are mine, remember? You have a job, remember?”

Placing my hand on his chest, I try to move out but his hold on my waist becomes stronger. With gritted teeth, I snap. “You don’t own me!”

“Of course I do”, he replies sharply, as though he was expecting that. The possessive is alluring and annoying at the same time and I feel foolish for feeling this way.

“Get into the car!” he orders with that serious, authoritative tone again.

Finally, I step out of his hold and I begin to back away while he remains calm. With a finger pointing at him, I say. “You do not tell me what to do. This is my life and I will choose what to do with it. I am not taking that job offer from you.”

I expect him to become mad or react by rushing over to grab me but he just stands still looking at me. He must be smiling, pretty amused by my reaction to this. Sometimes, I feel like he does this just to annoy me. My anger seems to always amuse the idiot.

When he isn’t rushing after me, I turn back to go back to the club. This might be my ego but I feel better working here than working for him. He wants me to only strip-dance for him but he has no idea why I even do that in the first place.

“I’m sure you have no idea the same men we got rid of on our way here are right on your trail, do you?”

It takes a while for me to assimilate that as I halt in my step, the fear from earlier back, clouding my entire senses.

Quickly, I whirl around to face him. “What?!”

“Yes,” he only says.

I stride towards him. “You mean Mathew and Andrew?”

He only shrugs. “You told me not to kill them, didn’t you?”

A low gasp of fright leaves my mouth as I scoot backwards. Then it hits me.

Mother.

My mom is here.

Hurriedly, I fish out my phone from my tiny purse before dialing her number which is unreachable. I curse under my breath as I become so uneasy.

I want to be sure she is fine. Then to confirm if no one is following her.

For the last part, I’m sure she won’t know but I want her to leave that club right away and go back to America. I never wanted her to come in the first place.

I continue to dial the number until it begins to ring and I try to stay calm. If Mathew and Andrew are here in Italy, then Xavier must be aware that I am here too already. The moment they know Mother is here, I am doomed.

He will find me. He might use her to find me. I can’t even trust Mother at this point.

She doesn’t pick up as it goes to voicemail. I curse again and dial her number.

“We need to get out of here”, Alex says as his wristwatch beeps.

I ignore him as the ringing continues for a while. As it goes to voicemail again, Alex grabs my hand. “We need to leave right away.”

“I know. I need to get a hold of my mom first!” I snap angrily, releasing myself from his hold.

Finally, someone picked up the call and my heart stilled. “Mom?”

She does not reply.

“I told you not to come. Now Xavier is on my trail. You need to leave that place right away. Go back to America. Don’t come looking for me again. I will come home when it’s time to, OK?”

She does not respond again and I look at the phone to be sure she is still on the line.

I am about to say something again when I see a fast-moving car approaching and Alex grabbing me and pushing me towards the passenger’s seat.

Everything is happening so fast as he makes sure I am safely tucked in the seat with the seatbelt before he runs over the driver’s seat and ignites the car engine into action.

It is when I hear a sound that I realize the phone is still glued to my ears and it is not my Mom’s voice.

“Mom?”

“Good day to you too, Andre”, a familiar male voice speaks into the phone as my heart drops and I call out.

“Dad?!”