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Scorching the Earth
Last Updated:
2024-12-04 03:19:53
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Indebted to the Mafia King Into the Enemy's Den
TonyMy vision turns red, and I clench my phone in my hand so hard that I hear it crack. “Send it to me. I’ll be on my way,” I inform him.Armando clears his throat, and I know he’s about to contradict me. “Shouldn’t we have a plan first, Boss? We have no idea what he’s been up to,” he wisely reminds me. I’m glad I have someone to make me see clearly now because all I can think of is putting a bullet hole through Mateo’s forehead and making sure he doesn’t take another breath in this world. “What do we know?” I ask, already starting the car.“They are in an abandoned warehouse outside the city. It’s not our territory, but that shouldn’t be a problem. No one really rules that part of town,” he explains firmly and professionally. “I have all men on hold, waiting for instructions on how we can best approach without being noticed.”“Do you think the cartel is waiting for us?” I have no fucking clue what Mateo was thinking when he invaded the safehouse to go after Chloe like that. It wa
Last Updated : 2024-12-05Indebted to the Mafia King Empty House
ChloeReuniting with Ellie and my mom felt overwhelming, although bittersweet. Even though I was beyond relieved and grateful to hold my daughter in my arms once more, my heart was shrinking by the minute, not knowing what Tony was up to.The Irish King’s bar I was brought to is surprisingly comfortable and welcoming. I was even more surprised when I found Cal playing with Ellie. The way she laughed at his exaggerated movements and jokes, I don’t think I’ve ever seen her this enchanted with another man before.After I settled down from the flight and kissed and hugged my family, Cal asked one of his employees from the bar to bring me something to eat. Mom and Ellie already had dinner since they arrived here earlier, and when the waitress returns with a tray filled with burgers, fries, and a chocolate milkshake, I almost let out a moan of pleasure.Only now have I realized how starving I am. I can’t even remember the last time I ate. So much has happened in the past twenty-four hours t
Last Updated : 2024-12-06Indebted to the Mafia King Confessions
ChloeAfter I welcome Tony home, I make sure to wake Ellie up so she can have dinner with us. She needs to eat something since she has been sleeping the whole afternoon, and she also needs to wake up now so she can get some sleep later. I’m not looking forward to staying up all night because she slept too much during the day.The three of us have dinner together as a family for the first time, and it just feels… right. Like how it’s always supposed to have been. Neither one of us brings up the elephant in the room. I’m sure we’ll have time to talk about it, but right now, I just want to enjoy this moment while I can. Watching Tony feed our daughter, playing with her, and getting her to laugh is just so adorable that my heart can barely take it.It’s a dream coming true right in front of my eyes.“Come on, baby. Let’s show Mommy how you’re a good girl who eats all her dinner,” he muses, making airplane sounds as he flies the spoon toward her gaping mouth.Ellie chuckles and opens wide
Last Updated : 2024-12-07Indebted to the Mafia King Imperfectly Perfect
ChloeOur warm kiss turns into something more passionate as our hands begin to roam each other’s bodies. There are so many emotions bottled up inside us that it is hard to express them with words. Tony’s hands explore my body while he devours my mouth in a heated kiss, suffocating my moans. My head is still spinning from his confession that he loves me, and I can barely focus on what he’s doing. My distraction seems to catch his attention because he pulls away from me, his eyes studying my face carefully. “Is everything okay? We don’t need to do this if you don’t want to. I–”My lips are on his before he even finishes his sentence. Like hell I’d let him stop right now. I urge myself to be present, storing his confession for later, when I have time to dwell on it over and over without being interrupted. I wish I could’ve recorded it so I could listen to it whenever I need reassurance about how he feels about me.But this is Tony. I know he will shower me with affection and love whenev
Last Updated : 2024-12-08Indebted to the Mafia King Wedding Day
ChloeThe first few days after I learned that Mateo was no longer on this planet were a bit chaotic. Tony and his men had so much to do: cleaning up the mess, assigning the new positions each one of them would take when it came to protecting our family and the house, determining who would go back to dealing with the Saints’ businesses, and so on. In the past couple of weeks, I’ve managed to create a routine for myself and Ellie. It took me a while to process that I wouldn’t have to continue hiding or running away anymore, but eventually things just became… easier. It’s funny how easily and quickly humans get used to things. In the first few days, I was still scared to leave the house by myself, even with a couple of guards accompanying me, or Rocco taking me from place to place inside a bulletproof car. I would always watch over my shoulder, expecting someone to jump out of a bush or something and kidnap me–or worse–kill me.But Tony assured me he wouldn’t get rid of the security s
Last Updated : 2024-12-09Indebted to the Mafia King Burning History
*Heidi*Organizing books has always been one of my favorite things to do in the bookstore ever since I started working with my grandparents. This is where I feel most comfortable, pretending life doesn’t exist outside of these walls.This store has been in my family for decades–generations. My grandfather passed his passion for books, and his love for this store, onto me. And as soon as I was old enough to work, I started helping him.I’m a very lonely person, but I don’t say that in a negative way. I have my grandparents, but other than that, books have always been my only friends. I’ve never made real friends in school or college, so I spend most of my time with fictional characters instead.The best time of my day is when the shop closes and the customers leave, so I have the place all to myself. I always put on some classical music so I can hum to it while I gather the books spread across the store and put them back on their respective shelves.Tonight is an exceedingly cold Chris
Last Updated : 2024-12-31Indebted to the Mafia King Holiday Attack
Five Minutes Earlier… *Cal*“Come on, Boss. Let’s go outside. I need to have a smoke,” Sam grumbles as he brushes past me. “People are fucking crazy tonight. I can’t deal with this sober.”I actually agree with him. The bar is fucking crowded tonight, and truthfully, I could use a smoke too. I need to breathe some fresh air besides the smell of alcohol and sweat for a change.It doesn’t usually bother me, but some days it’s hard to run this sort of business. Christmas Eve is one of them.I follow Sam outside, pulling my pack of cigarettes out of my pocket and lightning one up, offering it to light Sam’s next. I shouldn’t be smoking. I quit a long time ago, but with all the cartel bullshit we’ve been dealing with this year… I’m back to old habits.“I don’t know why they have to be so loud all the fucking time,” he continues to complain. “They’re just lonely, sad people who have too much shit to deal with during the holidays,” I explain darkly. “It’s just easier to drown themselves in
Last Updated : 2025-01-01Indebted to the Mafia King Damage Control
*Cal*Normally, I’d hesitate before jumping through a curtain of flames. Even to save someone’s life. If it was one of my men in there, what would I do? I wouldn’t think twice before trying to save them.Why am I seriously considering letting that pretty girl die by herself, a victim of something she shouldn’t even be involved with in the first place?That thought seems to renew my determination, and finding a breach in the fire, I climb through the broken window and step inside the store, immediately covering my nose with my arm.The place is a fucking mess already, thick black smoke covering the tall shelves of books. I look around, frantically searching for the woman who was in this exact spot a few minutes ago. Did she manage to escape before the explosion? Did she even see it coming?The front door and the back door seem to be blocked, so I don’t see how she could’ve escaped in time to avoid the fire.I wish I knew her name so I could call for her, but when I was in here a few
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*Heidi*I lug my only suitcase inside the new apartment. It’s stuffed with new clothes that I bought over the week.Since nothing was salvaged from the fire, I had to make a list of priorities of what to buy. My computer is gone, and I’ve yet to replace it. I spent an entire day at City Hall getting a new social security card, then the DMV for my driver’s license despite the fact I never use it to drive. Getting a transit card for the subway was easy, at least, but I had no clothes to wear that didn’t smell like smoke, and I also had to do grocery shopping so I’ll have something to eat at home.Since I left the hospital, I’ve been eating only fast food–quick slices of pizza and hot-ham-and-cheese from the corner bodega. Sometimes my aunt would offer to cook something for us, but I knew she was only doing it because I was there. She’s not very fond of the kitchen, and if I weren’t at her house, I’m sure she would be eating out, too, and I didn’t want to be any trouble. I grunt as I pu
Indebted to the Mafia King A New Direction
*Cal*“What is it, Boss?” Sam asks, but his voice sounds distant and muffled.When he moves to stand in front of me, his eyes studying me cautiously, I realize I was so angry, I wasn’t paying any attention to him at all.“Who is it? What happened?” he insists, his gaze darting to my phone and back to my face.I turn the screen for him to see the picture, but by the way his brows crease, I can tell he doesn’t understand what it means.“This is Heidi leaving the bar,” I explain expressionlessly, my mind numb with a type of fury I’ve never felt before..I’m doing everything in my power to suppress the outrage threatening to overcome me.I shouldn’t have reason to be afraid for Heidi. If someone’s watching her, which is evident by this photo, I could, in theory, shrug it off as someone trying to bait me by thinking the hottest girl to ever set foot in my bar is someone attached to me. A girlfriend, perhaps. A mistress. It wouldn’t be the first time another group has pulled a stunt like t
Indebted to the Mafia King Work it Out
*Cal*Having Heidi in the same room as me this entire time has proven to be nothing but a bad idea. Even though she’s left, her scent lingers in the air, which makes it almost impossible for me to focus on anything other than her right now.I’m glad she accepted my help. Giving her a new apartment isn’t the only thing I wanted to do for her, but it does lessen my guilt to know she’ll be safe and able to get back on her feet with a roof over her head.I wish things hadn’t gone bad for her in the first place, but since I have no control over the past, I might as well accept this is all I can do for her–for now.Sure, I can give her way more than just an apartment, but considering how hard it was for her to accept that, I doubt she will even listen to any other offers. I think I can get her to open up to me eventually, although I have to be patient and careful.She doesn’t seem to trust people easily, and I can’t pretend I didn’t notice how skeptical and suspicious she was around me the
Indebted to the Mafia King Do We Have a Deal?
*Heidi*Cal takes me to his office, and I find myself slightly suspicious while at the same time, an anticipation builds within me that has everything to do with the fact that he’s taking me somewhere private to have a conversation.While we were talking at the bar, his barkeep pretended he wasn’t listening to us, but I’m sure he was.Now, we’ll be alone in his office, and that seems… weird. I’m not supposed to be feeling like this. Cal is everything I should keep myself away from in a man. He’s handsome, intimidating, sexy, flirtatious, not to mention he’s mysterious in a way that keeps me wanting to know more about him. If the novels I read have taught me anything, I should know better than to want to have any kind of relationship with Call. I know I came after him for help, but in my defense, I had no idea who he was. After I was already here and made a scene out of myself, demanding to talk to him, well… I couldn’t back down.I’m waiting in his office, admiring his decor and the
Indebted to the Mafia King Making Arrangements
*Cal*Heidi follows me as I take her to my office. We stroll across the hallway, heading for the last door on our right. Our footsteps are the only thing I can hear as I guide her, her tiny frame following me closely.I’m trying hard to ignore how good she smells. Her sweet perfume inebriates my senses and makes it hard for me to think clearly.And I have to figure out what I can do for her now that she finally seems willing to accept my help.Seeing how defensive Heidi can get has turned me on more than I’d like to admit, but I can’t say I don’t like it. Ever since she crossed the doorway of my bar, she’s done nothing but surprise me.She yelled, cried, stood defensively and suspiciously before me, showing multiple sides of her in less than an hour. Teasing and flirting with her felt good, but considering how different Heidi is from the women I’m used to dating, I need to be cautious. And more respectful than ever. The last thing I want is to scare her away.Her retorts only added fu
Indebted to the Mafia King Hitting a Dead End
*Heidi*I would never imagine Cal to be the type of man who is attentive and kind while looking so intimidating and cold on the outside. If anything, I imagined him as a grumpy, arrogant, stupid man who thinks he runs the world and that everything needs to be done according to his rules and demands.But barging into his bar and crying in front of him–even though it almost made me die of embarrassment–has proven to be somewhat worth it. I’ve never been the type of woman who was the object of desire for any man. I did have some boyfriends here and there while I was in college, but none of them ended up forming a serious relationship. And all of them eventually cheated on me. Good thing was that I was never in love with any of them, so I can’t say I suffered immensely. But it did some damage to my self-esteem. No man has piqued my interest after I graduated, and it’s been like that for years. But something in Cal makes me feel different. The way his eyes drink me in makes me feel like
Indebted to the Mafia King Unexpected Feelings
*Cal*I have never been good with people crying.Let alone women.To have Heidi sobbing in front of me was not something I was expecting to have to deal with after seeing how fiery and determined she looked a minute ago.I don’t know how to react. I don’t know what to do to make her feel better.The way the tears are pooling in her beautiful eyes is enough to make me want to go after whoever did that to her store and just make them disappear from the earth once and for all.It’s absurd how simply watching her cry is making me visit emotions I’ve never felt before.She is trying to be strong, wiping the tears from her eyes aggressively, but one more look at me, and all her walls break down.I glance at Ian, who is now pretending he isn’t even here, and I consider what to do. I don’t want to invade her privacy or do something she might find disrespectful, but I feel like she needs comfort right now.And if I can do that for her, it might be worth a try.“Come on, let’s have a seat,” I s
Indebted to the Mafia King Someone to Blame
*Heidi*I wasn’t planning on barging through the bar door across the street when I left my aunt’s apartment this morning. My initial goal was to stop by the bookstore and see if there was anything I could do to make the insurance company just give us the money faster so we can start rebuilding it as soon as possible, or at the very least, relocate. They are taking so long to get back to us, to let us know what can and will be done to help us rebuild the store. I don’t even know if they will pay us or not. I know that the end of the year is slow and bad to get things done, and no one is really making an effort to solve things quickly. Not to mention that getting someone to rebuild an entire establishment during the holidays won’t be easy. If possible at all.That’s why I’m getting so worked up and anxious.Other than the fact that I lost everything. That’s why, as soon as my eyes fell on what used to be my grandfather’s biggest achievement in life, an anger I’ve never felt before was
Indebted to the Mafia King First Meeting
*Cal*It’s been almost a week since the fire, and every day I’ve been coming and going to the bar, sitting in the same chair in the corner, just across from the window where I can watch the bookstore that is now just a pile of ashes and burned wood on the other side of the street.The police surrounded the place with yellow tape, which in my opinion serves no purpose; it only attracts more attention than the burnt out building already did by itself.New Year’s is around the corner, and ever since I saved that woman on Christmas Eve, I can’t make myself relax or move past the explosion. To say I’m pissed would be an understatement.My men still haven’t figured out who attacked us, and even though I have my own suspicions, I can’t act on instinct. I need proof to make a move. I can’t afford to make more enemies by blindly attacking in the name of revenge.Ever since that day, I haven’t heard from “Book girl”. Hell, I don’t even know if she survived. She hasn’t come to check on the shop
