Crossing Paths

Kenji

I walk into my room and toss myself on my bed, thankful I dogged everyone in the house on my way up. I stare at the ceiling my mind traveling back to Lucian Sicilian, he's so intimidating yet charming.

I roll off the bed and look through my book shelf, holding hundreds of books. I read a lot, it's my escape to a normal world, not involving the mafia. I grab the book titled, 'Love and Other words,' I've read the book atleast 10 times nows, but it's one of my favorite romances. I like to imagine what it would be to actually be inlove, something I will never get to experience.

I start reading, turning pages and loosing myself within the book.

I get pulled out of the book when the door slams open.

My eyes meet with my father, he's enraged, his face is red, vains popping through his neck and forehead.

"Why the fuck didn't you come home?!" he yells at me.

I flinch from his rage.

I was supposed to come home? He left me there though...

'I'm sorry, Papa' I think to myself.

"I-I stayed the night there..." I say stuttering.

My father approaches me, I scoot farther up the bed until my back hits the headboards.

He grabs my arm and yanks me, his hands digging into my skin. I yelp from the pain.

"Get off me! Please!" I plea.

"You dumb girl!" my father hisses, "Nothing but a whore."

My eyes fill with tears when he drags my through the halls.

"You better not have let a man touch you, you slut!" a tear drips from my eye. 

I'm a slut aren't I?

My eyes catch Hollis's, his face is full with fear. He quickly turns and heads into his room.

Please come back out Hollis.

"Father! Let go!" I scream.

Father throws me into the closet at the end of the hall. He usually puts me in here when he drinks and that sends him to edge when I do something.

I hear the door click meaning it's locked, the gold key dangles from my father's fingers. I pull my knees up to my chest, sobbing into my arms.

No, they will get me...

I want out of this, I want out of the mafia, I want a normal life. Everyone knows once you're in the mafia, you'll always be in it. The thought sends me into more tears.

After what feels like hours of crying I wipe my eyes and nose. I curl up into a ball forcing myself to go to sleep, forgetting about them, they surround me in here.

~~~Next Day

I wake up to Leanne hovering over me, "Oh, Dear..." she sighs.

I stand up pushing my way through her, heading straight to my room.

I reach for my door when a hand grabs my arms, I roll my eyes, turning my body. Hollis stands before me.

"Tatum-"

"Stop, Hollis! I don't want to talk about it!" my vision starts to blur.

I yank his arm off me and barge into my room, slamming the door shut and locking it.

I can't stomach this any longer, I start feeling nauseous. I run into the bathroom and kneel over the toilet, throwing my guts up. The feeling burns my throat and stomach, I grip onto the rim of the toilet continuing empting my stomach into it.

When I finish I roll onto my side, laying on the cold tile of the bathroom floor. A tear rolls down my cheek as the door starts banging.

He left me in there.

For them to get me.

They-

"Tatum! Open this door!" my father roars from outside.

"Now!" he yells.

I force myself up, drenched in sweat and open the door. I stare at the floor as he stands infront of me. I can smell the liquor from his breath.

"Kenji is taking you ," he smirks, "He's going to take your hand in marriage," he says showing his yellow teeth at me.

The name Kenji sends chills all over my body. My face loses its color as my father laughs while walking away.

Kenji is the mafia leader of the Reapers, he is most known in the mafia for trafficing women. He's ruthless and cares for know one other than himself, and now I'm going to be in his doll. I would throw up again if I still had something in my stomach.

I walk over to my bed and sit, staring at the wall in disbelief my father would do this to me. I grab the blanket underneath my hand and clentch it so tight my nails dig through it. I yell from the top of my lungs in rage.

Maxon rushes through the door, "Tatum, what's wrong?! Are you okay?"

"He's giving me away to Kenji! Please Maxon don't let him. I- I-"

Maxon wraps his arms around me, my face pressed against his shoulder. I gasp for breath as I choke on tears.

My father enters the room with men I've never seen before.

My father smirks and orders them something I can't hear, everythings muffled with Maxon's arms around me.

"Please, no!" I plea.

Maxon releases his arms around me, "I'm sorry, Tate," he whispers in my ear.

I grip onto his shirt, begging him not to leave, but he throws my hand away and walks out, scolding my father.

A tall , olive skinned man approaches me. He reaches out and grabs onto my arm, pulling me from the bed. He drags me down the hall.

I kick and throw my arms in every direction, "Let go of me!" "Bastard!" I scream.

We made our way into my father's office and I'm held to the chair. My father and another man stand before me, many other men and black attire stand behind me, surrounding me.

"This is Tatum....my daughter," my father scoffs.

"This is your future husband, Tatum," my father says smirking.

A tear rolls down my cheek, I stare at the man infront of me, Kenji, he has a scar along his cheek, covered in tattoos, black eyes, tall and buff. Just looking at him makes me scared. My breath trembles as he stares at me, not my eyes, but my body.

I suddenly feel pain in my head.

Everything gets blurry, and fades into white. The sounds around me start muffling.