Lucia - Money

Present Day

My feet hurry along. The last thing I want to do is to be caught here.

"He's close to the Cosa Nostra, be damn careful when you do this."

Ignoring the words of my ‘sold to’ boyfriend that he said to me earlier, I keep going. Once I round the corner, my pace picks up. I haven't met Dario.

Yet Dan warned me.

He's close to the Cosa Nostra.

He's got deadly hands.

He never quits.

I need to pray he quits and that he won't realise I took this and ran. I'll be honest. At first I didn't know. Foolish, maybe, as Dan looked astounded when I had never heard of the Pesci brothers.

Maybe Dario is close to them, but who gives a fucking shit? I need this. I need to ensure I keep Dan and his friends happy. I have watched this place daily since Dan told me about the job.

Tonight was the night I took what they wanted; I took something I never thought I would touch in my life, but I have.

God, Lucia, you're fucking foolish!

Stopping, my eyes go back to where I had run from. Sweat beads on my forehead as I try to slow my heart. Maybe I should go back and put it back?

Fuck, what have I done?

Standing, I don't move and consider the consequences of this. If this Dario guy finds out, it was me, if he catches me. If he is the Cosa Nostra or linked, I'm dead. That's worse than Dan and his friends.

Screaming, I kick a bin close to my foot.

"You fucking dumb bitch!" Screaming, I kick it repeatedly until the rage at myself dulls. Standing, panting, I turn and carry on walking away.

I can't go back. How can I? Fucking Fuck!

Rounding a few more corners, I step into the dimly lit cafe, seeing the old, weary man balancing himself on the counter. He doesn't smile; he just stares at me with interest.

Yeah, okay, dude, it's 3 am, leave me alone.

"Coffee, black." I smile sweetly at him.

He grunts and turns his back to me. Sucking in a breath, I try and steady my breathing and heart.

"Woman, look at me." I roll my eyes, turning and seeing Dan grinning at me. "You fucking did it?"

Geesh, can he be any more fucking dumb?

I jab him in the side, and he groans.

"No one is listening. Grab your coffee, let's go." I watch the old guy walk back. He places it on the counter at the same time as I put the money down. His hand stays on the coffee, his eyes scrutinising my face.

Shit.

I smile, but it wavers.

It feels like he is recording my face, ready to be asked if he saw anyone tonight. Is that a thing? Do they do that? Sure, it's late and close to the warehouse, but do people really purposely take notice of who comes and goes in cafes just in case?

No, I'm being a fool. I smile harder at the old guy and pull the cup from his grasp, turning and leaving just as quickly as I had walked into the place.

"Are you sure you got the right place?" Dan looks at me worriedly, and I laugh.

"Yeah, I followed the guy you said to."

He deadpans at me. "Just because he walked in doesn't mean it was the right warehouse! Shit, Lucia, people come and go from there all the time! You might have just stolen from the wrong person."

I stop, I didn't consider that. I assumed the first warehouse was the one.

You always rushed in there, forgetting to consider the consequences or if the situation you saw was real.

Growling at the voice of my father, I push it away. What the fuck would he know anyway? As if he could hear my thoughts, Dan stops.

"We have a date tomorrow with your dad."

I groan at him. Is it not enough that he has put in a relationship with this jerk without requiring me to be present at his new engagement?

"I would rather not." He stops, turning to look at me.

"You don't get a choice in it, woman!"

Gah, fine! I don't reply. I just continued walking until we got to the apartment. Stepping in, I take the gun from my pocket. I was surprised to find it.

I thought they would have been hidden more, but it wasn't. I stare at it like it's a grenade. I just stole a fucking gun!

"Well, if it isn't you."

Bile rises in my throat, hearing Jack.

"I got it, so you can fuck yourselves tonight." Walking to my room, I slam and lock the door. Falling onto the bed, I don't move as I listen to their muttered chats from beyond my bedroom door.

The knocking has me twist to look at it.

"Come on, Woman, unlock it."

I want to poke him in the eyes whenever he calls me ‘woman!’

"Oh, I can't, I lost the key, sorry." Sliding from the bed, I begin to strip, hearing him walk away from my room. Stepping through to the bathroom, I stand in the shower.

The spray of the water washes over me. I'm not looking forward to tomorrow, sitting there and smiling while feeling like I want to puke every time my dad calls me pet names.

I'm not your darling dad. I haven't been since the day you raped and sold me.

I grit my teeth and feel the tears burn the back of my eyes. Everything changed the moment Mum died, everything. It went from a safe and happy family to, how much will you be worth?

Apparently, not a fucking lot. Of all the people my dad could agree to marry me off to, it's Dan. Someone who holds barely any power and can't fuck himself right, let alone a woman.

Raising my head, I close my eyes.

I love you, Mum.

I love you, Rose

I love you, Ethan

I'm so fucking sorry I was useless

"You forgot I had a key woman." I shiver at his words. Quickly stepping from the shower, I grab a towel, his hand yanking it away from me.

"I did what you asked!" Screaming, I step back.

"Which is fucking amazing. I'm bored of the arrangement, though, woman. You do jobs for me, and I get nothing; I want more again." He takes one long stride towards me.

My head shakes briskly. He can't do this.

"I could always call in Jack and make this a party." The corner of his lips turns up, slowly pulling higher until he smirks. I want to refuse, but refusing means he will call in Jack. He always goes through with his threats. Then there is the chance he will call my father and get him to teach me a lesson for refusing him.

Walking into the bedroom, he follows me.

"I want you bent over woman." His words are cold, and I do as instructed, hearing his heavy steps stop behind me. The sound of his zipper is loud in the silence but quieter than my thudding heart.

Tears that had burnt the back of my eyes now rolled down my cheeks.

Fuck you Dad

Fuck you Dan

Fuck you world