ADIRA

I awoke to a chorus of murmurings coming from a direction I couldn’t ascertain.

Where on Earth am I?

As I groggily surveyed my surroundings, I noticed that nearly everything was cloaked in shades of darkness—blacks, deep mahoganies, and a medley of colors that screamed “depressing.” It felt like I had stumbled into a gothic art exhibit gone wrong.

I tried to hoist myself off the bed, which felt like an Olympic event, and made my way toward the door, only to be greeted by a heated argument coming from the other side.

“Nónos, we cannot keep the girl. What if she figures out who we are? It’s too risky! We could expand through other means, and you know that.”

Boss? That’s not ominous at all and why the hell would he want to keep me?

“She’s our best option, and you know it.” A second voice chimed in—definitely the rude fool who had made a mockery of me earlier. Revenge simmered in my veins like molten lava, even as fear twisted my stomach into knots.

“Andronikos, you’re my friend, but this is madness! She’s the enemy and she’ll ruin everything we’ve built—a mafia empire that took years to establish!”

Enemy? Mafia? Was I trapped in some surreal blend of crime drama and a bad soap opera?  

Deciding that I’d heard enough, I attempted to stealthily retreat from the door. My clumsy self obviously miscalculated and collided with a nearby table, creating a cacophony that could wake even the dead.

I am so going to die today, I thought, praying to every deity I could recall that they hadn’t heard that.

Silence fell, heavy and eerie, before the man—Andronikos—broke it, his voice cutting through the tension.

“Did you hear everything you needed to, Adira?”

Oops, I guess they heard that.

Trying to slink back to the bed like a ninja, the door swung open, and suddenly I was pinned down by the other man, hands behind my back on the floor.

“Release her, Iason. I think she’s disciplined enough not to try anything while we talk... amicably,” Andronikos said, clearly reveling in the drama. Iason reluctantly released me but remained poised like a predator eyeing its prey, the shadows accentuating the gleam in his eyes.

I wonder who took a shit in his breakfast today.

 I turned my attention to Andronikos, whose smile had the kind of charm that could land someone a role in a horror film. With my hands raised in the universal sign for “I mean no harm,” I cautiously spoke up.

“I’m not going to pretend I didn’t hear anything. But we could totally act like it never happened. Even the part about you keeping me. I’ll even forgive you for tossing me to the floor at the club. A nice bargain, right?” I forced a smile, but it felt more like a grimace.

Nikos chuckled, but it was the kind filled with malicious intent.

Having had enough of his games, I straightened my posture and matched his gaze with defiance.

My father didn’t raise me to back down from any man—no matter how handsome he was.

Momentarily taken aback, he laughed even harder displaying the deep indents on his cheeks.

And there goes my ovaries!

“It’s cute that you think you can intimidate me,” he began, his accent heavy. “But I’m the one making the bargains here.”

He stepped closer, grasping my chin in a way that was both unsettling and oddly thrilling.

Raising my head so our eyes locked, he continued, “Honoring OMERTA requires that I kill you for overhearing what you did, but I’m going to make you an offer.”

Don’t combust, don’t combust, don’t freaking combust! I chanted in my mind, trying to focus on his words rather than the storm brewing in my chest.

“You see, I plan to expand my empire in America, and you just happen to be the perfect solution,” he declared, his eyes glinting with mischief.

“What?” I blurted out, utterly bewildered.

“Your company, of course!” he exclaimed, as if he had just suggested we grab ice cream.

“Maybe not everything right away,” he continued, a pondering look on his face “but being a major shareholder has a nice ring to it, doesn’t it?”

I blinked, trying to process this absurdity.

“And if I don’t agree? What are you going to do, kill me?” A murderous glint flashed in his eyes, and I felt my heart drop to my stomach.

“Kill you? Too easy. I’ll rather destroy your family and let you watch as I kill them off. One by one. Something you could have avoided by giving me what I want. Then, I’ll take your company, but I’ll still keep you around. I need a manager to attend my legal affairs, after all.”

He released my chin and turned away, casually taking a seat on the bed and playing with a knife that seemed to have appeared from nowhere, its blade glinting dangerously in the dim light.

“Now you have four minutes to make your decision,” he said, glancing at his watch. “Or Iason will call my men to finish off your family, starting with dear Penelope.”

Wait, how did he know about her? And she’s alive? Thank, the gods for that!

“Yes, she’s alive,” he said, rolling his eyes, as though reading my thoughts. “But she could cease to be in,” he looked at his watch again, “one minute. Time’s ticking Adira.”

Panic surged through me. What would Baba do in this situation?

Baba’s not here Adira, you are! I thought sweat dripping down my back.

“5-4-3—” he chanted in a sing-song voice.

“Fine! I’ll do it!” I blurted, the words flying out before I could stop them.

Satisfied, Andronikos nodded, stood up and began to leave. Pausing, he turned back with a glint of amusement in his eyes.

“Iason will give you the papers to sign and show you the video feed of your family, so you know I wasn’t bluffing about killing them. I have eyes everywhere Adira, and it’ll do you well to know that.”

As he was about to open the door, he quickly turned around. “I can’t wait to do business with you, Adira.” And just like that, he left me alone with the brooding Iason, who seemed to glare at me like I offended him when this was just our first meeting. I’m definitely going to give him something to cry about later.

Slumping onto the bed, I buried my face in my hands, trying to process the metaphorical shithole I’d just been thrust into.

What the fuck have I gotten myself into?