SURRENDER - Mafia Romance

• CHAPTER 1 •

Talia

My father got shot in front of me. His death opened my eyes to a whole different world where I found comfort in a criminal's arms.

That day, my father and I decided to take a trip together to get him away from his work and stress and to spend time with him. Little did I know that it wasn't going to end with the happiness I painted for us.

My fear of the ocean was ephemeral as the love of it took place. I fell in love with the lacy waves that softly crashed as they danced closer to my feet, the sound of the water that echoed my heart and mixed with my heartbeat, creating a beautiful melody, the breeze of air that took fronds of my hair and made them into lashes that beat my face and blew above my head. I loved everything the ocean was to give. I wished I could stay there forever.

    "Ready?" My father called from behind me.

    I insisted that I can't leave without having one last glance at the water. My father told me that I had a few minutes while he went and checked-out of the hotel suite we were staying in. He told me he would join me when he was done, and he did.

    I nodded at him and followed him to the car.

    "Wait, before we go," he held my hand and reached for his pocket and got out a box. I smile,

    "You got me a gift?" I clapped.

    "Yes," He gave me a warm smile and handed me the box.

    I opened the box. My eyes met a silver necklace with "Lia" on it. My smile got bigger.

    "It's beautiful, dad." I put it on and played with it. I looked at him and he was still smiling.

    "Common, let's go, we're late."

    The drive was filled with the sound of silence. The silence was comforting. The calmness and stillness made it hard for me to keep my eyes open, but I didn't want to sleep. I wanted to stay awake. I never see my father and every time he plans a trip like this one, I refuse to waste any part of it, even the drive back home.

    "Sleep, honey if you want to."

    "No, I will stay with you," I blinked tight a couple of times, trying to force my body to stay awake. "I really enjoyed this trip, I'm kind of sad that it ended."

    "We'll do more. We can come here again next time I take a vacation from work."

    "Your work sucks, you can never take vacations."

    He giggled, "I promise I will try to make the next vacation sooner than this time."

    "We'll see." I sassed him. The silence filled the car again. I looked out of the window and let the trees roll by like a movie screen. The wind was hitting my face but I didn't want to close the window. I was too focused on nature to realize that my eyes were watering.

    "What's wrong?" He concernedly asked.

    "Something got in my eye," I whined as I wiped it. I hissed, "damn it."

    "Do you have tissues? Try to wipe it."

"I don't. Do you?" I started looking with one eye open around the car to find anything to wipe my eye with. "Do you have it here?" I opened the glove box in front of me. I silently gasped. It was a picture of my dad with a woman. My heart dropped. Is that mom?

    "Talia! Close that." He pushed it close. My brain was acting so slow that I didn't move for another minute, trying to comprehend what just happened. Was that really mom? Why did I never see that picture? Why didn't he want me to see that picture? We never talked about her. I knew talking about her makes him sad and I hated seeing his widened eyes closed and the disappointment that fills his face when I mention her. But I knew nothing about her.