A Sinners Gamble

Daisys Pov: PrologueTime.

Time moved too fast on some days but slower on other days.

Time was proven to be my enemy and friend.

Time was against me most days. I never had enough time.

Sometimes it was to dodge an insult, other days, the time wouldn't allow me a quick escape when I heard the rumble of his run-down car pull into the driveway.

Time.

My phone ringing is what pulls me out of my stupor. I don't dare answer it. I don't want to listen to him spit more venom my way. It's becoming a huge problem now that I'm older.

When I pull my phone out of my pocket I look at the house number on it. I watch it.

Every time this happens...Every time I spent nights in the hospital with some form of injury that was from him, my skin crawled and I wanted to cry out. Tell someone something.

I did once. They told me it was going to be okay. They lied to me.

No one could save me from his wrath. No one with a clear conscience anyway.

I watch it keep flashing, letting me know that he won't give up. I watch it reminds me that he still has a hold on my life, and the last thing I really want and need right now is to know that he still holds the ropes and is slowly pulling me back the further I get out of New York.

A sigh of relief leaves my mouth when it stops but it's a very short-lived feeling of relief when it flashes again.

I pick up but I don't speak. I don't know what to say to the man on the other end of the line. I want to laugh and cry. I want to shout but I also want to stay quiet. I want to scream from the rooftops just for someone to hear me and I also want to stay hidden where no one can see me.

"Wherever you are, get back here!" His voice slurs but when his drinking has worn off, he will realise that I haven't come back and that I am never going to see his face again. I won't allow myself to be his target any longer and the quicker he learns of his mistakes, the better.

"Do you hear me, child?"

I heard you perfectly fine. I have heard you and every insult you threw my way every single time and yet I am still here. Still listening to your venom...you don't deserve to be called a father. You are the worst of humankind and yet again...here I am listening to it all on repeat.

Instead of responding I hang up and block the house number. The amount of time he has called and said those words to me. 'Do you hear me child?' makes my skin crawl. I'm 24 years old, I haven't been a child for a long *ss time. Even when I was a child, I was never really a child. He never allowed me to have friends over and quite frankly, I never wanted them to come over anyway. I was a loner child so I stayed by myself and lived a boring existence because that's all it was.

My phone vibrating with an incoming message has me choking back the whole idea of what I'm about to do. Where I'm about to go.

Jerry: If you think you can hide from me girl, think again. I have years on you! I own you. When you get back here and you will get back here I will enjoy breaking you further. Let's hope I don't get to you first shall we?

I don't know what's more laughable. The idea he thinks of himself finding me or the whole 'breaking me further' part. He's already done that. I'm terrified of the man but with his problems and unstable personality, I could outrun him without even trying.

Memories shoot through my mind and trap me into the past. They spiral on everything that's happened in my life and I once again can't help the feeling of being trapped inside my own head by a man who was supposed to love me. Show me the things that a mother couldn't, catch the ball or learn self-defence. Something.

Instead, I learnt how to stay out of the way and stay silent. I learnt which floorboards were always the loose pieces and which ones would hold my small weight as I climbed the stairs.

I learnt how to be invisible. The very thing he preferred because he was no father of mine.

He couldn't care less if anything happened to me, I was just his useless child.

"Flight 189 from New York International travelling to London please proceed to boarding gate 15. I repeat-"

Zoning out I gather my small luggage and make the trek to boarding gate 15 while silently praying that this doesn't backfire and I manage to live.

Breathe.

Survive.

I have survived all these years. Another decade or three won't do me any harm.

-

Chapter 1:

Antonio

"You know I hate being called in this early" My underboss Xanders says as he sits in the chair across from me.

"Yeah well, I needed a plan on something and I couldn't ask my brother seems how he's just arrived back from Italy. In a foul mood" I point out.

"Of course. What's going on?"

"I've got the casinos usually standard inspection today and I have to be present but I need you to pick a guy up for me"

"Go on" he says casually sitting in the chair eating a mars bar.

"Jerry Harrison."

"And who is he may I ask?"

"An idiot with a problem"

You name it, he's probably done it. The idiot decided it be best to take a gamble in my casino last night and raked up a good amount of debt. He's been told to not enter unless he knows he can pay after his tab is cleared and yet the CCTV footage showed a clear image of him thinking he can walk away.

Not for much fucking longer.

"What's he done?"

"He tried to put his hands up 3 waitresses skirts and didn't clear his $23,000 debt that's been building the last 3 months."

"Which waitress?"

"Naomi, Steph and Kat"

"Motherfucker!"

Across US Blues casino is in 9 states and brings in a lot of money that I don't even need.

"Chill your horses. I want him found, alive and in my office at Blues before sundown"

"Yes boss"

"And Xander"

"Yeah?"

"I'll let you throw a few punches in" I tell him which earns me a grin.

My phone rings the moment he leaves the office with my father's name on it.

"Afternoon pops"

"How's the deal with the Jamesons?"

"His Secretary is...or wasn't cooperative and he just disappeared"

My father chuckles on the other end of the phone. We have a close net family and that includes me my two brothers and sister.

Me and Maximus are twins but he didn't want to be boss, so when I took over from my father he became my Capo. I took over the family lineage when I was 24 but had been training since I was in my early teens to prepare for whatever it was that I needed to be doing.

I still went to school and college, graduated with business and finance which pleased my father but I also learnt how to fight and use skills no one at the age of 15 should be learning.

"That's my son. Did they finalise the deal eventually?"

"Yes. Eventually but then I found out that the business was running low with improvements and deals so we're closing all of them down, renovating them and opening up as Diamond casino"

"Sounds good. And Maximus?"

"He returned in a foul mood. As always" I tell him with my own chuckle.

My other brother Nico is who everyone trains against. He's one of our top fighters and he's a damn well good fighter. He spent 4 years cage fighting and has only ever lost once.

Bastard claimed he had the flu.

My sister on the other hand is a tad more social, she loves everyone and everyone loves her. She's just turned 20 and loves to bake. designing cakes and new baking ideas are her thing but god does the woman enjoy spending so much money.

"Your Grams will be with us in a week and then we will be attending the Gala the following day. Your mother wants to know-"

"No. I have not found a woman and no I do not plan on finding a woman. Nor do I plan to tell mom I have found a woman"

"Antonio Alexander Rosa!"

"Hi mom" I say with a sheepish sigh.

"You aren't getting any younger" She says softly but my mother means business and the amount of women she has set up for me is beyond me.

"I'm 30. I'm not that old" I try to explain but of course I can already tell her brain clocks are ticking and I'll be expecting to hear from someone soon.

"Baby. Your my first born"

"Technically speaking mom me and Max are"

"Yes but you're 3 minutes older as you very well like to remind the poor bugger" she laughs.

After ending the call with my parents which didn't seems that long but was actually 40 minutes, that includes going over business ideas and plans for the next project and what we're looking at doing about the Russians as well, a knock sounds on my door.

"What?" I shout and then I'm met with a semi conscious Jerry who staggers into my office.

"Mr- Mr Rosa please"

"Please what" I ask as I place both my arms on my desk with a smile.

"I- I didn't mean no harm" he stutters but his words mean nothing.

"Didn't mean no harm? 3 of my employees get there ass smacked by your filthy hands and then you leave after knowing you owe us a good amount of fucking money. Do you think I'm that fucking stupid to not find your drunken ass?"

"No. No please give me time I'll phone around. I'll-"

"You'll what because from the looks of your financial situation...your pretty damn fucked"

"My daughter. Please my daughter will pay it"

How the fuck does he get by in life if he rests on his daughter for support.

"How? Because I don't think you even have a daughter do you?"

"Yes. I do. Please I do. She moved away 2 years ago but I know she will help me" he says pleasingly.

"And where is this daughter and what do you suppose I do?"

"Money. Marriage whatever clears the debt. And England she moved to England" he reply's so fast

"England. I don't do marriage so the debt will have to do. But if I find out you've been lying to me and you have no daughter I swear to every fucking thing you love, I will find whatever rock you have crawled into again and I will make you pay"

"Please. Just let me go. Please okay her name is Daisy Harrison. She's 25 years old and she lives in England. Where I don't know but I'm telling you the truth"

"72 hours. Be in my office in 72 hours and if your not-"

"I get it okay I get it"