My Mafia Babysitter

four

I was escorted back to my room for privacy. Yearning for a voice of familiarity, my stomach twisted in excitement. Once in my bedroom, Niklaus slammed the air-tight door shut. The landline blinked red, indicating a waiting call. I picked up the receiver and placed it against my ear. 

"Mama?" I called into the silence. 

"Violet." She audibly gasped into the phone, relief flooding her voice. "I'm just calling to check in, did you make it to Chicago alright?"

"Yes, I'm fine. And you?" I savored the sound of her soft voice, her every word lulling my anxieties, even for just a moment. 

"I'm okay, considering." There was a pause and I knew what such pause meant. She missed my father and worried for his safety, and the safety of her sons. "I'm just so happy you're okay. How are the Hale's treating you, my dear?" I pondered the question for a moment. "Lottie-"

"I'm fine, it's fine. They're... fine." I nodded, fully aware she could see through the facade. 

"One call to Daddy would fix whatever you need right up, you know that right, Sweetheart?" My mother said soothingly, to which I shook my head and sighed. 

"I'm okay, Mom, truly. It's just... a change." I mumbled, looking around the lavish room my father had put together for me. 

"I know, but don't get used to it. Your father said we wouldn't be here long." She said, a twinge of hope ringing in her saddened voice. 

"Yes, Mama." I smiled slightly and twirled the telephone cord around my finger. 

"I must be going now, Lottie. Stay well, I'll be checking in again soon." She promised, her goodbye already striking a fleet of fear through me. 

"Mama, please don't go-"

"I must, we've already been talking too long. Until we know who is behind this, we need to keep our conversations short and sweet. I love you, we'll talk soon." 

"Mom-" The line went dead and I sunk down the corner of my bed, the phone falling from my fingertips in defeat. I was alone; alone for the first time in my entire life. Without my mother, without my brothers, and without my father. Tears fell down my cheeks in waves of sorrow. Before long, my eyelids became heavy from a combination of crying and exhaustion. I hung up the phone, tired of hearing the buzzing noise coming from the receiver, but stayed in my spot slumped against the frame of the bed. 

Niklaus

"She's been in there for hours." Archor said, pointing the the door of the brat's room. I rolled my eyes, leaning against the door in a signification of my lack of care. My brother had always been the more warmhearted between the two of us, but for the life of me, I couldn't understand his interest in the fire-haired Barbie in there. 

"Why are you so worried? She can't get out and no one can get in; perfect set up." I shrugged, popping an M&M into my mouth. 

"At least go and check on the girl." Archor pulled out his pack of cigarettes and placed it between his lips before lighting it quickly with a lighter. "This is your job, little brother, and I can't say it's not a good set up. Poor Nik has to look after a gorgeous redhead while the rest of us are out hustling." 

"I'd rather be out hustling." I grumbled, typing in the pass code for the brat's room. Archor flipped me off and began back down the hallway. As the door opened, I pushed it forward and slid inside, keeping my back against the wall as I closed it behind me. My eyes scanned the dark room, looking for any sign of the little menace. Flicking on the lights, I found sight of her bright hair in contrast to the light colors of her bed set that had been sent in from Italy. My shoes clicked against the floor as I made my way over to her, her small frame slumped against the hardwood of the bed. Crouching down to her eye level, I observed her slumbered state. The gentle rise and lowering of her chest, the way her eyelashes fluttered in the REM cycle of her sleep, her galaxy of freckles that peppered her cheeks. A piece of red hair had fallen across her face and I reached out to move it, my fingertips grazing the supple skin of her jawline just as her eyes began to open. 

"What are you doing?" She mumbled sleepily, her hand coming out to move the strands of hair herself. 

"I was trying to wake you up." I shook her shoulders. "You're welcome." Standing and turning away from her, I shut my eyes to control the beads of sweat that had accumulated on my forehead in embarrassment. 

"Why were you trying to wake me up?" She questioned, standing slowly, a pained look on her face. 

"Because," I said slowly. "It'd be just my luck for you to wake up in the morning with a fucked up back because you slept weird. I'm not going to take my father's bullshit because you're negligent." Turning back to face her, I placed one arm behind her back and one arm under her legs, scooping her tiny stature into my arms and tossing her across the mattress. She gaped up at me and I rolled my eyes, walking to the other side of the room before flicking the lights off and opening the door to leave. 

"Goodnight." She called faintly to me, her small voice barely reaching my ears. Without a word, I stepped out of her bedroom and sealed the door shut.