The Mafia Contract Series

Emma looks scared shitless and actually starts trembling. “Oh, please God, no, Winter, anything but that.”

I try not to take it personally and sit on the bed and try to help her avoid a massive anxiety attack.

“It’s fine. They’ll keep away and have promised nobody will come upstairs, they wouldn’t dare, and you’ll get your own room, your own study even and all the food you can eat. Please say you’ll come, Emma. I don’t think I can do this on my own.”

I can tell she’s torn because the room we’re in is so small there’s barely room for her books and I say slyly, “Just think, Emma, your own desk, bookcase, and heaps of room to study. No worries and everything paid for.

You can study without anyone disturbing you and you have the best security on campus. Please say you’ll come, and the best thing is, nobody will give you any grief.”

I know she’s bullied by just about everyone in her classes and it makes me sad that just because she’s studious and not bothered about fancy clothes or makeup, she’s made to feel inferior. Emma is a beautiful girl inside and just isn’t interested in the stuff most girls are.

She jumps as the door slams open, and Angelo stands there looking bored. “Times up, bring what you need, and I’ll arrange the rest to be brought across in the morning.”

I actually think Emma is going to cry because her eyes fill with tears, and she appears to be having trouble breathing. She can’t even speak to protest and as Angelo steps aside and Ivan heads into the room, she inches closer to me as he says firmly, “Where’s your bag?”

Quickly, I grab one and start filling it with Emma’s stuff and thrust it at him, more to get him out of here than anything and as I do the same to Malik, Emma sits shivering on the bed as if zombies have entered the room.

Grabbing her hand, I pull her from the bed and as Angelo moves behind us, I swear I hear her whimper. I feel so bad for doing this, but I need her more than she needs me and if I can do anything for her, it’s helping grab her some confidence from somewhere.

WE HEAD SILENTLY BACK to the house because any words of reassurance sound empty even to my own ears and it doesn’t help that our escorts are surrounded by a dark force field. Sighing inside, I hope this is the right move because if I disrupt Emma’s studies in any way, I will never forgive myself.

It’s important to me that one of us at least gets to live her dream and she is now my number one priority.

As we reach the house, I feel her fear and grasp her hand and squeeze it reassuringly.

“It will be ok, trust me.”

As we head inside, Ivan and Malik head straight upstairs with our bags, and Flynn and Alessandro provide an unwelcome committee. For Emma, at least because she turns even whiter if that’s possible the moment Flynn openly stares at her.

Flashing him a warning look, he shrugs and turns away, heading into the kitchen, giving us some much welcome space.

Alessandro appears to be brooding about something and doesn’t look happy and I try to ignore him and concentrate on my friend, who is definitely in need of some form of help right now.

“This way.”

Angelo is curt and to the point and yet I’m glad to follow him upstairs and see just what we’ve signed up for.

This house is huge, and I can’t believe the number of rooms we pass with firmly closed doors.Belonging © NôvelDram/a.Org.

“Are you sure it’s just the five of you here?” I can’t believe it is, but he nods. “This floor is where we sleep and there’s a few other rooms spare for visitors, not that we have any, but they come in useful sometimes.”

He doesn’t offer any more explanations and I’m certainly not asking because I know what the spare rooms in our own home are used for and none of it is good.

We head up another flight of stairs and Angelo says gruffly, “This is your personal space. There’s a door you can lock to keep others out and there are five rooms up here you can use how you like. Just tell me what you need, and I’ll arrange it.”

Emma is silent beside me, but I can tell she has relaxed a little and as he turns to go, I say quickly, “You really didn’t have to do this. I was fine before.”

“We both know it was always going to happen, Winter. Just make the most of the next six months.”

His words remind me what’s at stake and the huge weight of sadness that has always lived inside me swells unbearably. Normality for six months and if this is what’s considered normal, I’ve already started to fall into the abyss and this time I’m dragging an innocent angel in with me.

FINALLY, we’re left alone, and I turn to Emma and say with concern. “Are you ok?”

She exhales and looks around with wide eyes. “I think so.”

“Good. We should take a look around and decide what we need.”

As we head through the rooms, most of them are fine as they are. Modern looking bedrooms with attached bathrooms.

“Which room do you want?” I give Emma the choice because it’s the least I can do.

For the first time she looks enthusiastic, and I don’t blame her because we could live up here with no worries and I’m already planning a way to make us self-sufficient.

“I’d love the one at the end that looks across the lake.”

“Fine. I’ll take the other one and we can use two as studies if you like, leaving one as a television room to relax.”

“Sounds good to me.” She sounds a lot brighter, and I say thoughtfully, “Maybe we should ask for a microwave and some kitchen facilities. I don’t fancy those stairs just to make a snack. What do you think?”

She looks relieved as she nods. “That sounds amazing.”

“I’ll ask Angelo to arrange the rest of our stuff, but I’m pretty sure we can slum it here.”

I grin and as she catches my eye, she laughs and the sound of it settles my heart. Thank God, it will be ok.

The next hour is spent unpacking and when Malik and Ivan drop the rest of our stuff off, it keeps us busy. Before long, we hear someone shout from the stairwell below, “Pizzas up.”

Emma comes running, looking horrified. “Do we have to go down there?”

“I’ll bring some up if you like.”

“Please, I just don’t think I’m ready to mix with them.”

Smiling, I leave her to it and head downstairs and, as I wander into the kitchen, I swallow hard.

Ivan and Alessandro are standing by the fridge wearing nothing but sweatpants. and the sight of their toned bodies covered in ink makes me falter and my face burn when they catch sight of me. I am not used to this because nobody in our various houses ever ventured out in less than a well laundered shirt and, seeing the sweat glistening on their bodies as they chug down bottles of water, tells me they’re fresh from a workout.

Ivan just slams the bottle down and growls, “I’m heading for the shower.

Save some pizza for me.”

He brushes past me and Alessandro smirks at the flushed look on my face as he heads my way. “You’re gonna have to get used to this; just be grateful we’re wearing pants.”

He smirks as he brushes past my other side as Angelo heads into the room, closely followed by Malik. The fact that Flynn is unaccounted for, and Emma is alone upstairs, causes me a moment of panic and I say fearfully, “Um, where’s Flynn?”

Angelo shrugs, “Who knows, but the scent of pizza won’t keep him hiding for long.”

“Emma will be ok, promise me.”

Malik laughs softly and they share an amused grin before Angelo sighs.

“Your friend has nothing to fear from Flynn. He’s got a few issues and if anything, he could help her. Just leave him and don’t test him if you want a quiet life.”

“What’s that supposed to mean?”

I venture in and grab a box of pizza, intending to take it upstairs, and Angelo says abruptly, “We eat as a family.”

“But…” “As a family, Winter. Fetch your friend and tell her to wash her hands.

You have five minutes.”

Malik watches with interest as I snap, “Fuck you, Angelo. Neither of us asked to be brought here. Let us live the way we want to, even if it is under your supposed roof. Who made you the boss, anyway?”

Malik laughs out loud. “He is, actually. Your brother is the boss, and you’ve met the beast and the savage. Flynn is the angel and me…” He grins darkly, “I’m the demon, so in this house, you play by our rules, or we make you–simple.”

Angelo grins as I take a step back. “You wouldn’t dare.”

He shrugs. “I’d advise you not to test any of us because you don’t know how things work around here. For your own sanity you will play by our rules because then you’ll have an easy time. Test even one of my friends and I can’t help you. We’re a family and that counts for everything within these walls and if your friend can’t wrap her head around that, I’ll ask Flynn to teach her. So, run along and grab her hand and pull her in line right behind you because under this roof, you are controlled by us.”

Tearing away, I run for the stairs, my heart thumping with anger.

Bastards, every last one of them and now I’m here, I wish to God I wasn’t.