His [Book #1]

Chapter 3

I woke up in a bedroom far nicer than any hotel I've ever stayed in. The room was decorated in expensive Italian decor from the trimmings on the wall down to the vase on the dresser.

The room was bright and lively, which is the complete opposite of what I pictured the home of a Mafia boss to be.

I always imagined something much darker and cryptic.

But this is actually really beautiful and homey. I still have yet to determine whether or not that's a good thing.

Remembering what took place just before I blacked out, feelings of anger and worry returned.

I looked around the spacious room, but my son was nowhere in sight.

Did someone put clothes on me? I thought to myself, realizing I was wearing the clothes I had set out for work.

Pushing the thought aside, I jolted to my feet, and raced over to the door. I turned the door knob, trying to push it open, but the door wouldn't budge.

I was locked in.

I started to fear the worse, which only intensified my feelings. Wildly banging on the door with closed fists, I screamed and hollered in the hopes that someone would hear me and let me out.

"Help!" I began to sob, my throat dry as I thought about Mateo and how scared and confused he must be feeling right now. "Please! I just want my son!"

The door swung open and I leaped back. A young woman who looked to be about eighteen or nineteen stood on the other side of the door, a confused expression on her face.

"What's going on? Are you okay?" She asked, her voice filled with a heavy Italian accent.

"I-I've been kidnapped and my s-son is missing." I could hardly speak, my entire body trembling and my heart beat erratic as tears streamed down my face.

"Your son?" She questioned, recognition flickering across her face. "Is his name Mateo?"

"Yes! Yes!" I replied, nodding my head incessantly. "Do you know where he is?"

She nodded. "Sì(yes). I can take you to him." Thanking her repeatedly, I followed her out of the room and down a hallway.

She brought me into a nursery where a beautiful older woman with long graying hair and kind eyes sat in a wooden rocking chair with Mateo cooing happily in her arms.

She looked up, a polite smile on her wrinkled face as she stood up and handed Mateo to me.

He smiled up at me, a single bottom tooth exposed. I clutched him close to my bosom, afraid that if I didn't hold him tight enough that he would slip through my grasp a second time.

"Thank you so much for taking care of him."

"Certamente, cara(of course, dear)." She gave me a concerned look as she analyzed my body language and facial expressions. "Is everything alright?"

I shook my head, swallowing the lump in my throat. "I need to get out of here, before he comes back."

"Before who comes back?" The young woman who brought me to my son asked in curiosity.

I couldn't get a word out as a voice that didn't belong to any one of us spoke. "I guess I was too lenient on the dosage."

Hearing the familiar sound of his low voice sent a chill coursing down my spine. I slowly turned around, Tristan leaned against the doorway with an annoyed frown on his face.

I embraced Mateo as close to me as I could, my heart racing in fear.

"What are you doing to this nice young woman and her son, Tristano?" The older woman asked, her tone stern and her hands resting on her round hips. Tristan groaned, in which the woman responded with, "parlare(speak)!"