5

Chapter 5:

MAYA

I stared blankly at the ceiling of the cell. The gray concrete felt like it was closing in on me coldly

I had woken up hours earlier and began calling for help, my throat raw from screaming until my voice cracked and disappeared. No one came. Not a guard, my mother or even a sound from outside.

Only the twins had shown up much later. They had bribed the guards with everything they could scrape together and slipped inside.

When i saw them, we huddled on the dirty floor, arms wrapped tight around each other, and cried for Rosa until our bodies shook and our eyes burned dry.

The pain in my chest burned hotter than anything I had ever felt. Anger mixed with it until I felt helpless and completely trapped.

They had left with a promise to be back and few hours later when they came second time, they had swallowed their own grief.

Their faces were still puffy from crying, but their voices stayed steady. We planned my escape before the wedding could happen. I told them I was scared what Lorenzo would do to them if I ran but they shook their heads and held my hands tighter.

“We’ll be fine,” one of them whispered. “No harm will come to us. We promised Mom we’d get you out no matter what.”

I nodded even though fear still twisted in my stomach. They had made that vow to their late mother, and nothing would break it.

Back in the cell now, I learned the wedding had been pushed back another two days because of some old mafia tradition.

According to Mara,one of the twins, she told me that according to Lorenzo, there had to be a grand pre-wedding party first.

It was the kind of event where every major mafia family got invited, friends, enemies and everyone was under strict rules of no attacks and no bloodshed.

It will be a neutral ground. The Rossi estate would turn into a glittering trap for one night. Chandeliers would drip crystals over long tables loaded with food from every corner of the world.

Music would play loud enough to drown out secrets. Rival bosses would shake hands while hiding knives in their smiles. Wives would trade gossip like loaded guns.

For the son of the Rossi family wedding, nothing could be skipped. The whole thing had to be perfect. That party was when the twins and I decided to act. The crowd and the chaos would give us our only real chance. It had to work. There was no other way out.

I was still lost in those thoughts, knees pulled to my chest, when the heavy metal door creaked open. I smiled weakly, thinking it was the twins again. My head turned fast but seeing it was Luca stepping inside.

A deep frown pulled across my face. I stood up and grabbed the cold bars of the cage, my eyes bloodshot and burning as i stared daggers at him.

This man was the reason I was locked in here. He was the reason Rosa was dead.

Luca stepped closer and he reached one hand through the bars, trying to touch mine.

I jerked back and spat right in his face.

“Get your filthy hands away from me, you fool,” I hissed. “You’re the reason I’m in this cage, the reason Rosa is gone. Don’t you dare touch me.”

He wiped the spit off slowly, eyes wide with shock and then he sighed.

“Maya… I’m so sorry. It was a mistake. Lucy seduced me. She kept pushing, wearing those tight dresses, whispering things i couldn't resist.... You’re always so focused on your computers. You’re kind of a prude, you know? I couldn’t resist her.”

I let out a sharp ugly laugh,

“Prude? That’s your excuse? After four years of me giving you everything...my time, my sleep and my best code... you call me prude because I didn’t act like my whore sister?”

Luca’s face tightened and he looked almost hurt.

“I still love you, Maya. I never stopped. I came here to give you a way out.”

I chuckled low, shaking my head, my hands itching to strangle the life out of him,

“I know whatever you’re here for is selfish. But go ahead. Spew your rubbish.”

He looked offended for a second but kept his voice calm.

“You don’t have to marry any of my brothers. They aren’t good for you. My father just doesn’t want you to leave the family.”

I scoffed loudly.

“Wasn’t it you who was balls-deep in my sister? Are you the good one now? Or should I just marry the big monster... your father instead of the two mini monsters?”

Luca stayed calm, but his jaw clenched.

“No. No. You know.. You could become my mistress. We keep it quiet. You stay in the family, keep working, and we can still be together.”

I stared at him cusing myself for being such a fool and not seeing this man for who he truly was.

"I'll take care of you, i promise." He added and then I burst out laughing, the sound wild and broken.

“Your mistress? Taking care of me? You want me hiding in the shadows while you parade Lucy around as your Donna, right? Cleaning up your messes and warming your bed when she’s bored? Fuck that. I’d rather eat broken glass than be your secret side piece.”

He opened his mouth to speak but I cut him off fast.

“Save it. You’re not offering freedom. You’re offering a prettier cage. Go fuck yourself, Luca. Go crawl back to my sister and tell her how small you looked when I laughed in your face.”

Luca tried again, stepping closer.

“Maya, listen...”

“No. Get out. Get the hell out of here before I find another way to spit on you. You don’t own me. You never did, you're damn rotten, no wonder your scumbag of a father doesn't have much hope on you.”

His face twisted with anger and he snapped.

“Bitch! You’ll suffer for this attitude. Mark my words. I will always have you, whether you like it or not. No matter whoi you marry, your body is mine. You belong to this family.” he gave me angry looks before storming towards the door

I gripped the bars tighter and shouted after him.

“Belong? I belong to no one, especially not a cheating coward like you! Go to hell, Luca! Take your fake apologies and shove them up your ass!”

The door slammed shut behind him.

The second he was gone, my legs gave out. I slid down the bars and broke down, fresh tears spilling hot down my cheeks.

The pain hit me all over again, Rosa’s blood, the betrayal and my own mother turning away.

But I wiped my face hard with the back of my hand and forced the tears to stop. I couldn’t be weak. Not now. Hell was waiting if I fell apart. My future depended on me and the twins’ plan.

Running away wasn’t enough anymore. Lorenzo knew exactly how valuable I was. He would hunt me down no matter where I went.

The only real way out was to find someone stronger than the Rossi family. Someone from my past whom I had known growing up.

The only man who had ever looked at me with real love in his eyes, even though he was a bigger monster himself but I had to reach him before the party turned into my prison forever.