Nothing Burns Like You | 18+ Mafia Romance

20 Desperate

Clara Rossi

When I tried to sneak out the next morning, Grigor blocked my car.

Daniel had left early with Niko and Andrei to meet CJ. Charlotte was still asleep. I was supposed to meet Romeo in an hour, but I still had to fix my appearance beforehand.

"Clara, where are you going?" Grigor frowned. "Daniel said that you and Charlotte should stay in today."

"He meant after work. If my dad is watching, we can't do anything out of the pattern." With my sunglasses on, I probably looked way more confident than I felt.

He didn't look convinced, but I unlocked my car anyway and flashed him my phone screen.

"See?" It showed that I was on a call with Daniel. "He knows. There's nothing to worry about."

I smiled and locked the door behind me. The call connected to the car's speaker. But it wasn't really Daniel on the other line.

"Nana? I'll be there in twenty to pick up your car again. This will be the last time."

~

The round, small camera was in between my button down. I was dressed for a casual interview, in black denim to run if needed.

The place Romeo had picked was a regular-looking diner. Across the street was a rundown shopping center with a smoke shop, an ice cream store and a restaurant. The traffic was normal. In fact, everything seemed normal. Too normal.

The bell chimed. Romeo held the door open for me and grinned. "Come on in, pretty girl."

With nausea and a dry throat, I forced myself to smile at him. But every step on the checkered floor felt like a mistake.Turn around. Turn around. Turn around. My mind kept warning.

The place was filled with men. Men behind the kitchen bar, dressed as cooks and waiters. Men on the vinyl booths, pretending to be customers, drinking coffee and reading newspapers.

One by one, they peered at me. From head to toe. Their suggestive amusement like cockroaches crawling all over my skin.

"Sit." Romeo pointed at the last booth.

He sat across from me, his back toward the entrance. Which only confirmed that the reason he wasn't worried was because everyone here was a part of his scheme. There was no one here who could help me. I might have been in public, in a building with windows and glass doors, but I was officially trapped.

"What can I get you?" A man approached, wearing an apron and holding a notepad.

"Black coffee," said Romeo.

"Boiling hot tea," I said.

"Boiling?" Romeo smirked.

Better burn someone's face with hot water than use the gun I had packed in my purse. I had no intentions of killing someone. But it would've been stupid not to bring it.

"So, um..." I tried to concentrate. "This friend of yours. You said he owns a clothing store?"

"He's a very successful designer."

"And you help him recruit high school girls like me?"

He narrowed his eyes, voice lowering. "Do you not trust me?"

"Of course, I do." I chuckled, looking down. "I'm just nervous. Sorry..."

He slid his dehydrated hand across the table and covered mine. I begged myself to remain calm. 

"Don't worry. I have a feeling he'll like you a lot." He smirked at my breasts. "What's not to like?"

Over his shoulder, a black tinted car parked across the street. My eyes widened. I could've sworn I just saw my dad and Enzo exit out of it and disappear inside the restaurant.

Romeo thanked the man who brought our drinks, but my blood was gushing between my ears so loudly that I couldn't hear a thing.

Three more cars parked. Their doors opened and I stopped breathing. Daniel came out. With Niko, Andrei, CJ and so many agents. But none of them looked in my direction. 

They...they didn't know that I was here, did they?

The exit door behind me opened and my spine locked.

"Good morning, Romeo," said my dad.

It was a trick. H-he must've used a secret tunnel. Some unknown massage that snuck him from the restaurant across the street. Daniel and others didn't know. 

"Hey, boss!" Romeo stood up and proudly looked at me. "Sophie, this is my good friend—"

I locked eyes with my dad and his face paled like snow.

"CLARA?" Enzo behind him choked. He barked at Romeo. "That's his daughter, moron!"

Oh, God. I dated him. I—I kissed him. How could I have been so blind? He worked for my dad.

"Did he put you up to this?" Rage, violent and murderous rage attacked my dad's features. He curled his lip. "Did he...put you up to this?"

There wasn't a lot of time left. With so many cars and pedestrians—I was invisible to Daniel.

"Is that all you have to say?" My voice trembled. "Your daughter just learned the dad she loved her whole life is the most cruel, disgusting criminal who sells girls just like her. And you're not even ashamed. You're not even sorry."

"She's recording!" Enzo snapped.

"Come check." My dad waved him over.

Enzo stepped forward with entitled attitude. As if I should have been ashamed. I needed to be corrected. I was an inconvenience.

Well, I dumped the boiling tea at his face.

He screamed behind his hands, causing a split-second distraction. Enough for me to turn around. Throw the camera under the table and whip my gun out.

And fire it at the ceiling three times.

"HELP!" I screamed as hard as my lungs were capable. "HELP ME! HELP!"

I prayed that it reached Daniel's ears. Because if it didn't...if he couldn't get to me...

"Take that." My dad snapped at Enzo, referring to me. Glaring at me like I had betrayed him and that I would pay for it later.

"Don't you dare touch me! NO!" I scrambled back. Daniel. Daniel. Daniel. "HELP!"

A/N
Short chapter, but we gotta switch to Daniel's POV.
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