Mafia Betrayal

Chapter Fifteen

Luca (Dream)

"Char, Layla, I'm home!" I called, setting my bag down and shutting the front door behind me. There were no voices in the house and I stopped dead in my tracks when something caught my eye next to the staircase. Suitcases. One big, one little. Layla's Ellie stuffed animal sitting on top of them.

No. No, this couldn't be fucking happening. Why were they leaving? Things were good. Why were they leaving?

"Charlotte!" I bellowed, determined to find her and change her mind. There was no way I would let her do this to me. I went on a rampage, searching every room for her. I could convince her. If only I could find her, I could convince her to stay.

Could they already be gone? I took the stairs two at a time until I reached our room, and my heart skipped slightly when I saw her standing there. Her perfect silhouette was at the center of the window, framed by rays of sunlight, almost as if she was an angel. I watched her for a minute, tracing every inch of her with my eyes. Her shoulders hung in a defeated way, breaking my heart on the spot.

"Charlotte?" I croaked out.

She flinched at the sound of my voice and wiped her cheek quickly before turning around. Those beautiful eyes of hers were clouded with tears.

"Baby, what's going on? What are you doing?" I couldn't believe how desperate and weak my voice sounded. What had she done to me? I had fought all my life to prevent myself from having any weaknesses, and yet here she stood in front of me, my biggest one. Always.

Charlotte bit her quivering lip, searching for the words to say whatever she was going to. I hated seeing the look in her eye, but I couldn't place my finger on what exactly it was. Fear? Anger? Complete brokenness.

"We're leaving, Luca. I can't do this with you anymore." The words came out mechanically, as if she had been practicing this over and over, trying to get up the gumption.

"What?" I felt tears of my own welling up in my eyes, but I clenched my fists in an attempt to hold them back. My father's voice echoed in my ears. Crying is for the weak.

"Charlotte, please don't do this. I'm begging you. I'll change."

"You won't, Luca." She shook her head wildly. I had given her this speech a million times over. This time I meant it though, didn't I?

"I can't hear this anymore, Luca." She sobbed. "If I don't get us out of here, you're going to kill one of us."

My face fell. Us? She couldn't be talking about Layla. I would never do anything to hurt her. And I would never do anything to hurt Charlotte if I was in my right mind.

"Mommy, where is my Ellie?" My heart nearly stopped at the sound of Layla's tiny voice. I looked at her and the ruins of my heart crumbled. She had her backpack on, her winter jacket, and a pink cast on her right arm.

"What happened to her arm?" I breathed quietly, and Charlotte shot me a glare.

"It's downstairs with your suitcase, baby." Charlotte bent down and zipped up her jacket. "Why don't you tell daddy goodbye and I'll meet you downstairs?"

"Charlotte, please..." I begged one last time.

"Bye daddy. See you soon, I love you." Layla smiled.

"Goodbye sweetie. I love you, too." I bent down and kissed her cheek.

Layla skipped out of the room, leaving Charlotte and I alone again.