Endless Darkness

Chapter 4

It's only four when I come back out of my room. I called Asura to handle the men. Thyra tried talking to me but I ignored her. She left a voicemail saying she was here for me and I could talk to her if I need to or want to. Maybe I could have if I could put what I am going through into words. But I can't.

I leave my room looking as though nothing happened. I put on a blood-red dress and head downstairs to where Roberto is waiting with a look that could kill in his face.

I am ready when he strikes me. I let him strike me. The pain helps me feel something.

***

Roberto locked me in his room for two days without food. Not that I have eaten much in the past week anyway.

He finally let me out today. I change and head out to find Thyra, Asura, and Holly. My mind is foggy and my vision slightly blurry but I somehow ended up at Thyras place. She gave me water and offered me food. I drank the water but ignored the food.

I now sit on her couch with Asura and Thyra examining me from the opposite couch.

"Let us kill him," Asuras face lets onto nothing of what he is feeling, "Their mafia is weak anyway."

"No," I croak. My voice week from not speaking for two days.

"Then let us get you out of there," Thyra pleads. Something like betrayal flares in her eyes. I don't know why though.

"Nicole, your our don. We need you alive and healthy. We want to protect you but you won't let us," Asura calmly says.

"We want to be there for you. Not just as your second and third but as your friends," Thyras chokes down her tears.

"Thyra, I officially named you my second the other day," I ignore their pleading. "Sorry, Asura." He shakes his head in understanding.

"Why are you staying?" A calculating look from Asura.

"I need to know what Roberto plans to do with my mafia and Koas. He wants an alliance but for what? A war? To hold power? We don't know. I need you two to run the mafia while I am stuck with Koa and Roberto. I will hardly contact you guys. Don't contact me unless it's an emergency," I explain my concerns to them.

"Okay," Asura easily agrees.

"Nicole," Thyra pleads to me, "Please, think about getting out soon. You are extremely pale and thin. You've hardly eaten. I am here for you. We all are."

"Thank you, Thyra," I whisper and give her a slight smile. The best I could do.

I leave after that. Not knowing when or if I will see them again. Not because of the threat from Roberto or Koa but because of the threat I hold to myself. Who knows when I will self implode and either get myself killed or kill myself.

***

When I get back home Roberto is waiting by the front door. I don't listen as he yells at me for leaving the house without telling him. I don't even really feel it when he hits me. I just take it and head to my room. I know Koa watched it all. I saw him standing at the top of the steps. I didn't look for a reaction from him, he probably enjoyed watching that.

Not even a minute later Koa walks into my room, "Roberto and I have a mission for you."

"What is my mission?" I keep my voice even as I speak.

"You need to get into a mafias base and get information on them. You could be gone a day or a week," I flinch as memories from when my father sent me to Koas house for a mission so similar, "As you get the information you will feed it to us. When we finally have enough we will attack them."