CAPTIVE: A DARK MAFIA ROMANCE Page 5

  Chapter 8

  Astrid

  I lay in bed for as long as I could, feeling physically ill. My stomach was rolling in every direction and finally I couldn't take it any longer. I had to vomit.

  Speeding into bathroom, I eased my hair to the side and began to wretch. The feel of acid hitting the back of my throat was more than I could bare. Nothing but clear bile came from my throat, pooling into the toilet bowl as the fluffy carpet on the bathroom floor offered some form of comfort to my knees.

  Blinking rapidly, I reached up and flushed before sitting back on my haunches. I took a few breaths before getting up. I felt extremely wobbly on my feet but I forced myself to focus. I needed to go and pick up Lexi and a hot shower would make me feel so much better.

  "Oh, Lexi girl," I groaned out loud. "Today, everything changes."

  My shower lasted nearly fifteen minutes. Thoughts of Valentin surrounded me. I would have to see him today, again. My face heated at the thought of him holding my golden dress, now discarded on the floor of my bedroom. I could feel the weight of his hand holding me in place. Why hadn't I fought him off instead of standing that like a scared little girl?

  I had no answers as for why I let him spank me and even less explanations why it'd left me feeling a certain way.

  The drive to my aunt's house was quick, there was hardly any traffic on the road. Parking my car, I saw Rhonda sitting on the front steps. She already had a bottle of liquor in hand on a Sunday morning and her hair was all over the place.

  Getting out, I locked my car up tight as a tick and came up the walkway. "Morning cuz."

  Immediately she snapped to attention, "Hey cuz, you get fifty dollars I can get?"

  "I don't have it, right now," I shrugged. "I'm broke right now."

  "Mmmhmm," Rhonda rolled her eyes.

  I stopped, taken aback. It was a Sunday morning and I wasn't in the mood. Any frustrations I had with Valentin could be taken out on the nearest subject.

  "What's that's supposed to mean?"

  She raised the bottle up and took a sip, the brown liquor rolling to the front of the bottle. "How you broke and you got that nice ass Porsche?"

  "Hard work, Rhonda. Something you need to learn about," I frowned at her.

  Deciding it would be a waste of time reading her the riot act, I went on inside my aunt's home. The smell of bacon and eggs hit my stomach as I came into the kitchen. My aunt had a theme for her kitchen: cows.

  There were pictures of cows cooking on the wall. She even had salt and pepper cow shakers sitting on the kitchen island. Lexie was hard at work at the island eating with one hand and a coloring book in the other. She looked up as I approached.

  "Mommy, where have you been?"

  "I went to see an old friend," I plopped a kiss on her cheek. "Morning, Auntie."

  My aunt turned around from her task at the stove, a piece of bacon halfway out her mouth. "Hey Baby Cakes. Last night go okay?"

  I shrugged. "It went."

  She looked at Lexi and then at me. "And?"

  "I'm explaining it to her after we leave," I told my aunt.

  She looked shocked and started fanning herself. "Is it wise? This man...oh my God, I"m going to have a tism."

  She was being over dramatic per usual. Shaking my head, I turned back to Lexi. "You full Lexie girl?"

  "Yes, mommy. Are we getting our nails done today, like you promised?" Her green eyes just like her father's dared me to tell her no.

  It was so eerie how much she resembled him. It was as if I hadn't had any hand in the matter. Nine months of growing her just to for her to wind up looking like Valentin Safarayn. The intensity of her gaze never wavered and finally I had to snap out of it. "Yes. Say goodbye to your auntie."

  Lexie scooted down from the stool and went to Kit and hugged her tight. They whispered something to each other and giggled. Kit had a way with kids, especially scared ass teens who didn't know up from down. I gave my aunt a wave and headed back out the door, with Lexie holding my hand.

  Rhonda was passed out on the steps, the smell of alcohol permeating the air. I took note of her splayed arms and noticed track marks. I wondered if Kit knew but I wasn't going to involved myself. Rhonda hated me for some reason, and I had enough on my plate.

  I drove away and Lexie hummed in the back of the car. My stomach began to quiver like I was sailing on a ship in the middle of the ocean. Taking a deep breath, I took control.

  "So what color nails are we doing today?"

  She stopped humming. "Green."

  "Green?"

  "Yes, duh mom. It's my favorite color," I watched her roll her eyes in the rear view.

  That part of her was definitely me. She could get so sassy and not to mention she didn't do dirt. She was a little bit of a neat freak, possibly OCD. Even in her room, she kept her things neat and tidy. Her shoes had to be in a certain direction, or she would get upset.

  "Hey, mommy didn't know. Last week it was Unicorn purple," I frowned.

  "Well I like green now," she went back to looking out the window.

  "Hey Lexi girl," I said.

  "Mommy, what now...you are bothering me," she said.

  "Okay, first of all missy....it is too early for the attitude," I came to a complete stop at a red light.

  Turning to look at her, she rolled her eyes at me again. Talking myself down from popping her leg right then and there, I adjusted my seat bealt giving it a good grip."

  Starting over, "Lexie what would you think about meeting your dad today. After we get our nails done."

  She frowned. "I don't have a daddy."

  Deep breath.

  "Everyone has a daddy, Lexie."

  "Well where has my daddy been?"

  Oh shit, I thought.

  To say I hadn't been prepared to answer Lexi's questions was an understatement. The only thing I could do was steady my breathing while trying to come up with an answer. Only one thing popped into my head.

  "He's been away on business," I replied.

  She seemed thoughtful for a minute. "He's been away a long time. I never even seen him."

  I said nothing further and soon we were pulling in to get our nails done. My thoughts came back to her wanting green again. Green...the color of envy. What if Lexie loved Valentin more than she loved me? What if she figured out that I had made the only choice I could make after he disappeared without a trace and I gave up on ever wanting to find him.

  The little bell above the door alerted the nail techs and I gave a wave to Ms. Mae who always did my nails. She gave me a signal that said she was almost done with her own client. Lexie and I took our seats, and each picked out a magazine. My phone buzzed in my back pocket and I pulled it out to find Valentin was texting. His name on my screen made my stomach roll some more and I knew I needed to get some food in my system after this.

  Instead of a text greeting me, I found pictures instead. There were LOL Surprise Dolls littering the trunk of a car. My eyes grew wide and I found myself looking at our daughter, who was busy pretending she knew how to read.

  That's too much, I replied.

  So, she would like this style of toy? He texted back almost immediately.

  Yes.

  Good. I'm buying all of it.

  I let out a long sigh. This was going to be life now. Battling with this man over what he could buy his child when she didn't need all of these things.

  Or maybe you're just jealous you can't buy all that for her, I thought. There was no room for self-doubt right now. Lexie had always had the best of everything.

  Scamming had paid very well.

  I wasn't making the kind of money the Sarfaryans was making but I was doing okay.

  If you think that's wise, I texted back.

  We will talk more this evening. I thought that this would be a great way to break the ice.

  Or maybe...

  Maybe what?

  Maybe you're trying to buy your daughters affection.

  He didn't text back for a
while and by the time he did, a nail tech was getting Lexi set up. She indicated what color she wanted and the nail tech smiled and began to get to work. Ms. Mae waved me on back. Her station was across from Lexie's where I could keep an eye on her.

  "What color today for you," Ms. Mae asked.

  "I want to do a deep red," I muttered as my phone went off.

  "Stiletto?"

  "No...lets clip them down and more squared. My hair class starts this coming week and I want to be able to function" I smiled.

  "Okay," she said and started preparing my nails.

  Using my free hand, I opened up my messages to see what Valentin had written back to me.

  I wouldn't need to buy her affection if she'd known about me from the beginning. You hid her and now you're going to pay the consequences. You'll pay until you learn your lesson. I'm going to ruin you Astrid Davis. I want what's owed to me.

  I almost felt as though I was being watched. An uncomfortable feeling rippled over my skin and my neck became hot. Closing my phone, I ignored him. There was no need to reply. Valentin was going to go on the war path and I was the target.

  Fuck my life, I thought.

  Chapter 9

  Valentin

  I'd had Liam's assistant, Ami, meet me at The Sleepy Mermaid. I'd scoured a few blogsites on what the hottest toys were and had had her go shopping. She stepped out of the Porsche, her long legs bronzed by the sun's rays from her recent vacation. Her hair even seemed more blond. She gave a friendly wave as I turned to one of my Captains.

  "Keep him quiet until I return," I murmured.

  Lucien nodded and I stepped off to meet her in the parking lot before she got to close. She'd parked next to my vehicle and already had the trunk to her vehicle popped and waiting.

  She smiled as I approached. "Something you want to tell me?"

  Ami was gorgeous and I knew she would ride me the way a man dreamed of being ridden but she was off limits. Liam didn't have many rules that I did have to follow but Ami was one. He'd known her father for a long time and offered her a job after college.

  "You wouldn't believe me if I told you," I returned her smile.

  We began to survey the toys in the trunk.

  "I just bought a bunch of these for my nieces’ birthday a few weeks ago," she remarked.

  "And how'd it go over with her?"

  "She's obessed....Liam's going to need to give me a raise. She's asking for more, " Ami cringed.

  "I'll put in a good word for you. Thank you for doing this."

  She clapped me on the back, and I noticed her hand. When she saw me looking she shyly held it out. The diamond on her left hand began to throw sparks in the sunlight. Surprise crossed my features. I had no idea she was seeing anyone, and I knew mostly everyone's business.

  I stopped my movements. "Is there a wedding in the midst?"

  "My girlfriend purposed on vacation...I said yes, of course."

  Frowning, I noted the inflections in her voice. "You don't sound excited..."

  "I'm not sure that I'm...

  "Not sure about commitment?"

  "That I'm gay," she quietly admitted.

  I felt my eyes go big. Like I'd said, I knew mostly everyone's business. It was my role in the organization along with killing motherfuckers when Liam wanted it done. Speaking of which, I checked my watch and noted the time.

  "Sorry I'm laying all this on you," she said suddenly looking distraught. "Please don't tell, Liam. I do need my job."

  I chuckled. "We all have our secrets."

  We finished packing up the toys and placing them in my car. She drove away shortly after and I wondered what she was trying to hint at by telling me she wasn't sure she was gay. Maybe I'd bend that rule of Liam's after all.

  I pecked on the door and Lucien opened, his burly physicue blocking the damn doorway. He stepped and I entered hearing the door lock into place. Slowly, I began to unbutton my shirt and rolled up the sleeves to the elbow.

  One of my father's associates, Julien Smirnov was out cold from the beating some of my men had used on him. Picking up a bottle of water and pouring it on him, he sputtered to life. Blinking rapidly, I could tell the moment pain began to fill his body because he scrambled back against the nearest solid object and held up his hands.

  "You picked the wrong side in things," I told him.

  He seemed to recognize me and grunted.

  "Tell me where my father is," I kneeled down in front of him. "Let's have this be over. You can go back to that pretty girlfriend of yours that works at the Shiny Tap and Grill."

  "Don't you fucking hurt her," he wheezed out.

  I smiled. "Sabrina isn't in bed with the Bratva. You are and I'm here to tell you that you're laying on the wrong fucking sheets. But we can get you right. It's up to you."

  "If I betray, Viktor," the man said. "You'll let me walk out of here and home to my girl?"

  I nodded. "All I want is information on Viktor and what he's planning."

  "You have his wife," the man said. "He wants her because she's the only one who knows where the child is?"

  "Child?"

  "Your half brother...she hid him away..."

  I looked over my shoulder at Lucien; he frowned but said nothing more. Turning back to the man on the floor who was bruised and bloody, I almost felt sorry for him. Our conversation had put him at ease. Given him a false sense of security.

  "Where is Viktor?"

  He began to pat his body down as if looking for something. He pulled out a pack of cigarettes and a lighter. "You don't mind do you?"

  "No but please answer my question," my patience was beginning to run thin.

  Lucien had began to crack his knuckles again in the background and the noise started to fill my ears like an eerie symphony. My father's soldier took his time lighting the cigarette and its salty smoke eventually reached my nose, which I turned up in utter disdain.

  "Viktor is going to kill your cousin and you," he spoke pulling on the cigarette. "He thinks you're a blight on his bloodline."

  "Tell me something I don't know," I shrugged.

  It was no secret that my father was out to kill me.

  "Okay," the man replied. "He wants your brother because he's going to marry him off to a daughter of another syndicate leader. In hopes to unite the two organizations."

  The cherry on the end of the cigarette turned red as he pulled in on last puff, then stabbed it out on the ugly green carpet. It singed and hissed as he twisted it and then he looked up into my face.

  "I know you have no use for me...but I love Sabrina...and I would do anything to make it home to her."

  "Shouldn't you have thought about that before you betrayed them?" I heard Lucien ask.

  He was clearly ready to get this show over with. Murder seemed to linger on the wind and I could feel my phone vibrating in my pocket. I held up my hand and checked it.

  What time should we meet?

  It was Astrid and I could tasted the attitude coming off of her text message. I wasn't exactly happy about this either but here we were.

  I sent her back the time, excitement racing through my veins. The thought of Lexie had my insides twisted all up into a knot. I couldn't wait to hear her call me dad for the first time. Or Poppa...

  It was only a matter of moments before I felt rage pull me out of myself. Sometimes, I went into a blacked-out state and when I came through, The deed was already done. I blinked and found myself standing over my father's bloody and beaten soldier;. he was now laying in the bath tub.

  He was still breathing but barely and Julien looked on in boredom. "Clean him up....he might come in more useful to us as a spy. Make him understand that, Julien. I'd hate to kill that cute little curly haired bartender."

  "Yes, boss," Julien said and began to pull the man from the tub.

  He moaned in his state and I looked at myself in the mirror. My left hand had a slight cut on it and blood splatters had hit my white shirt. I definitely needed to clean up before I offici
ally met my daughter.

  Chapter 11

  Astrid

  "You're my Poppa?" I heard Lexie ask him.

  And my heart shattered into a million little pieces.

  Valentin was down on one knee while Lexie had her hands wrapped around his face starring into his eyes.

  Those damn green eyes.

  They were the reason I was in this position.

  His eyes...always so lonely looking even when I'd first met him.

  But now when they turned on me, they weren't lonely looking. They were full of disdain and hatred. I turned away and got myself together. This was my worst fear coming to life, watching Val and Lexie connect and bond.

  She'll love him more than you, I thought.

  He'll find a way to take her away from you, I thought again.

  I looked down at my hands. They were shaking like leaves on a Chicago breeze and then I felt a hand on my shoulder.

  "She's amazing..."

  Valentin was standing there as we watched Lexie run off into the living room and open her gifts, he'd bought her. She was squealing with glee and boxes were being emptied onto the floor.

  "I know," I replied. "I raised her."

  "We need to figure out custody," he stated, his words firm.

  The urge to vomit in the middle of the floor presented itself but I fought it. Taking a deep breath I went into the area where Lexi was. She began to show me some of the toys. There were so many toys I wondered if they would all fit into my car and as if reading my mind, Val spoke.

  "I was thinking, Pumpkin," he came and kneeled by Lexie. "That if it were okay, you would leave some of these here."

  "To play with?" Lexie asked.

  Val chuckled and popped a swift kiss on her forehead. "Yes, just so you have something here to play with. If it's okay with your mom."

  I shot him a look.

  Of course, position me to be the bad guy already.

  "Mommy, please?"

  "Of course, Lexie Girl!"

  My voice came off sounding enthusiastically fake. Lexie gave me a frown but just rolled with it. She wasn't by any means dumb and knew something was up, but she'd would ask later. I just knew she would. When she didn't quite understand something, she questioned everything.