Traded In

Chapter 18

"What the hell is wrong with you Christoph?!" She cried out. "You killed my husband! Do you know what you've done?" I drew in a deep breath, my gaze turning to the floor. "I-"

"Are you happy now Christoph?" The voice I'd been avoiding for such a long time sounded. It hadn't changed a bit. And the same pain her tone carried years back it still carried. I fought with myself whether to look at her or not, but the end result was the latter.

"I didn't raise you to be like this Christoph." She spoke softly although I could sense the pain laced in her tone.

I shut my eyes, exhaling, then composed myself. I stared dead into my mother's eyes, as she held onto a weeping Claudia. "I'm a widow now all because of you Christoph." She sobbed. "What will I tell my kids?"

"You should have told your husband to stay in his lane and not mess with me." I spoke sternly as I clenched my fists. "You know how we work here."

"How could you be so heartless?" My mother let out.

"He's only doing what's right for-"

"You-" She interrupted Giovanni, carelessly flinging her finger at him. "You're the one leading my son astray, you worthless two-faced ...."

"Ada!" I exclaimed, shooting her a fierce gaze. "You're talking like you did anything to make me a better person." Her countenance turned to a doleful one. "When I took over this fucking mafia you didn't stand by me. Only Giovanni and my brothers were present when I was turning that shit of a mafia Giorgio ran into a fucking empire!" My chest rose and fell heavily. The anger I felt, noticeable to every fucking body. "If you can't support me then just sit back and enjoy my fucking money." She shut her eyes tightly, tears trailing down her cheeks.

"Don't try to teach me how to run my mafia."

I started to walk away, her voice sounding once more, "if you continue like this, Christoph, you'll end up alone. No one." I could hear the pain in her tone all the way down the corridor. "No one will love you."

Then so be it.

I was never going to tolerate someone insulting the man that built me, or someone trying to teach me how to run my mafia. If I ended up alone in all this, I wouldn't care. In the end it's mafia over family.

I got into the back of my Cadillac. Sinking into the seat. I shut my eyes tightly with a rough gulp. Old wounds reopened and, on top of that, I disrespected Ada. My mother. This much pain I hadn't felt in a long time. And no, I'm not talking about my busted face or body. But everything on the inside, the emotional and mental.

Leilani's POV.

I quickly ran out of the kitchen trying to catch up with Christoph, who strode up the stairs to his room. I knocked lightly on the door left ajar. I pushed it open and walked in to him sitting back in his bed facing the ceiling with his eyes shut. He looked horrible. I took a few steps closer and sat down at the edge of his bed, maintaining some distance. His blood-covered fists were clenched tightly, his face bruised, with a very noticeable scar right under his right eye. His state sent shivers down my spine, I could almost feel his pain.

It probably wasn't a good idea to be here right now but here I was. "Chri-Christoph?" He opened his eyes, hitting me with a blood shot devilish stare.

Thank God for the distance between us.

His breathing slowly grew faster.

I shouldn't have been here.

I played with my hoodie sleeves, wondering whether I should just leave. I looked up at him and he just kept staring at me.

Okay, time to leave. I shot up and started to walk away, but I stopped at the sound of his voice, tight and toneless, "Leilani."

I turned back and this time his expression was soft. He seemed drained. Pained.

It hurt me to see him like this.

"What happened?" I sat back down. This time closer. "I had some work." He spoke, trying to sound enthusiastic.

I looked down at his bloody hands, then met with his gaze. "What did you do?" I asked softly, a whisper. Almost.

"What do you think I did?" He arched an eyebrow, his lips carving into a failed smirk.

"Nobody appreciates what I do for them." He stated, hiding his emotions. "Nothing I do is ever right, Leilani. Even when it logically is." His blood shot eyes held my gaze, my lips parted but snapped closed before I could say a thing. I didn't know what to say.

"I killed my cousin."

Something turned in the pits of my stomach, making me uncomfortable. "I ruined another perfectly good family."

My throat tightened, I knew he killed people but the fact that he was confessing it so bluntly. His hands, still covered in his victim's blood. I couldn't stand it. I just couldn't.

"Um, please get cleaned up." The words came out of my mouth with much struggle. "Then come down, I cooked something." I smiled a little, pulling myself from my seat with great difficulty. My knees felt like they'd give in any moment from now.

What was I getting myself into?

I watched him take a seat at the table from my side. I still had a few things to do before I could serve the food and as I moved round the kitchen I could feel his gaze on me, his sterling grey eyes followed with every movement I made.

I plated the pasta carbonara then placed both mine and his plate on the table. "Do you need anything, for your bruises maybe?" He shook his head and I simply nodded. I turned to go get our drinks when he grabbed my wrist, pulling me back to him. He moved the chair right next to his closer then sat me down onto it. We sat just inches apart. My arm in his tight grip. "What's wrong do you need anything?" I asked nervously.

He stared at me in silence, could he sense my nervousness. "Chr-Christoph, do you need a doctor?" He continued to study me, only God knows what he was thinking. I reached out to touch his face but he caught my hand, pulling it away.

"Chris-"

"-Do you love me, Leilani?"