My Crown

Chapter 2

Sitting in a dark quiet cellar sounds relatively easy, but it isn't. One, you can't really tell time. It should take them no more than four hours to confirm my story. Any longer and it's possible they didn't find anything and I'm screwed. I think it's been four hours, but it could very well be two hours. Either way, my fate relies on how I play the next few hours.

Two, it stinks in here. A pungent odour stains every surface here. The smell is torture on its own. A combination of blood, piss and shit.
Three. No windows, so poor ventilation. That on top of the smell makes breathing difficult. But I need to stay calm.

They won't break me.

After some more time stewing in here, I hear them again. This time it's only three people. Yes! That's promising. The cellar door opens and Luciano and Gianni walk in. Gianni is the second in command here, rumour has it his temper is almost as bad as Luciano but he's a decent guy.

"I don't know you." Are Gianni's first words to me in ten years. Yes, you do. You just don't remember me. Luciano stays by the door while Gianni comes closer to me. Gianni is 6' 2" of pure muscle. He's quite intimidating. But I stare him down. It's gonna take more than that to scare me big guy.

"I don't trust her." He says looking at me like I'm the gum beneath his shoes. I scoff at his arrogance. You've got secrets of your own dumbass.

"Leave me alone with her."

The other two leave and close the door behind them. Leaving me alone with Luciano. This could end very badly if I'm not careful.

"I'm trying to figure you out." He takes slow deliberate strides to my crouched figure. I do not move, or say anything. I can't afford any mistakes.

"Nobody knows who you are." You must've asked the wrong people. "You have no personnel file." I keep our eyes locked as he speaks. I won't show fear.

"Who are you?" He asks squatting down to my level.
"I'm guessing you found exactly what I said you would." My voice sounds more confident than I feel.

"You have proven you don't deserve to die. If you were a soldier, I'd promote you." He stands up effortlessly and begins to move around the small space. "But why should I marry you? You're not exactly my type. You're an intruder on my land." His condescending voice irks me.

Stay calm.

"I can be useful. And I do not expect love or fidelity. You can keep fucking your girls, I couldn't care less. Your father never has to find out." I see the wheels turning in his head considering my offer.

"I can find a hundred other women willing to do the same." He argues.

"True. But most of them are soft girls hoping you'll one day love them or power-hungry bitches who'll cause more drama than they're worth."

He knows I'm right. He's had repeated trouble with those types of girls.

"What do you gain out of this?"

"Protection."

"Protection?"

"Protection."

"You'll be a target." He points out. He doesn't know that I already am.
"I'm willing to live with that." I reply nonchalantly.
He pauses in his tracks and looks at me, must be confused.

"Who do you need protection from?"
"A bitch called life." I answer.

"You have to tell me." He's thinking about it.
"I hate scrubbing toilets, okay?" I sigh.

He smiles a little.
"You can't fall in love with me." He states. Not a problem.
"No sex." I say back,
"No problem. You're not exactly my type." I knew the fat suit and make up would be worth it.
"But you can't have sex with other men." Fair enough. I nod.
"You realise you are giving up sex forever." He points out.
"I can live with that."

"Once you announce this, you can't back out. If you back out, I leave the mafia. You let me walk." This is it. This is the big gamble.

"We have ourselves a deal." It takes everything in me not to smile at that.

Finally, mama. I made it. She wouldn't have approved at my plan but it got me here. Being a mafia queen isn't easy, but this is about survival. My survival.

"If you go against us or harm us in any way, you will pray for death." Are his last words before he walks out of the cellar.

Phase 2 done. Mama's heart would break if she was here. She believed in true love and that one day her prince charming would come and save her. A true romantic. She hoped I would fall in love and love would be my way out. I'm more pragmatic than that. I'm sorry mama, I won't wait for any man to save me. I'm saving myself.

A few minutes after Luciano leaves, two guards come and grab me roughly. Fuckers. They drag me all the way up to a room on the third floor. That's where the boss's rooms are. Only the Morellis and the Underboss sleep up here. I'm one of the few cleaners that have ever been up here. But they wouldn't remember me.

The room is one I've cleaned before, meaning I know where the hidden cameras are. I sit down on the soft bed and before I know it, exhaustion takes over and I fall asleep on the silky soft sheets.

¤

I'm waken up by the sound of the door opening. Years of living in the servants' quarters will do that to you. An angry looking Luciano walks in.
"My parents are flying in to meet you." He already talked to his parents? How long have I been asleep?

"Malorie is bringing you some clothes later, we're hoping some of them will fit you." He looks at me disapprovingly as he speaks. You're not that hot yourself. Okay, that's a lie

"Remember, you are nothing but a prop. Don't blow it. My father isn't a kind man." Neither is your mother. But I hold my tongue. "Good girl. You just might make it." He smiles then stands up.

"I want to go by my old room. Pick up my things." I ask tentatively,
"Sam can get them for you." He's testing me. "Sam can come with and oversee everything, but I doubt he wants to pack my underwear." I hold my breath waiting for his response.

"You need all new things anyway." He says looking at my clothes. He's right. None of my old clothes will do now.
"Must I stay in these stinky clothes until then?"

"Sam will be with you the entire time." I let out that breath once he's gone. Good.

Sam follows me the entire way silently and I grab my pre packed suitcase. I like to be prepared. The other girls are all out so I leave without so much as a goodbye. To be fair, we weren't really friends. But I'll need them and more for phase three to work.

I'm doing this.

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Any predictions?