Mafia Runner

Chapter Fifteen

15.

Separation was good.

Why not? If I could spend six months away from him, we could spend five days apart without any sort of contact.

I sat on the living room couch, mindlessly watching some show about home renovations. I determined I was past the point of caring. A bowl of soggy cereal and a half-eaten red and green donut sat on the coffee table in front of me. My mother had prepared a cup of hot chocolate for me, and much to my horror, she added a bit of eggnog for flavoring.

At least she put a swirl of whipped cream on top.

I loved when she did that...

I left the hospital and came home to this.

A life of laziness and tight shelter. It didn't make me feel safe, rather, it made me feel confined and confused. There wasn't any contact with the outside world, with the exception of Nick. They were all coddling me as if I needed someone to watch over me every second and check how my wound was healing.

And Lucian... that man was an arrogant bastard.

Did the man really think he could keep me here in New Jersey, especially after not contacting me for days?

I was still indecisive of where to go after break. Secretly, I had already scoped out New Jersey City University for fall semester. I would live on campus, yet it was only a few miles away from home. I would still have the capability to drive here on the weekends.

I hadn't told anyone else about my decision. While my father and mother might feel impressed that I switched my focus to study in the medical field, they would insist I go to Princeton or Harvard. Nick would probably have kept a secret, but I wanted this to be my decision. And I didn't want to be forced to stay here by Lucian.

Standing up, I switched off the TV, drawing my mother's attention.

"I'm going out," I announced suddenly.

My mother, who sat at the table, looked uncertain. "Where are you going?"

Dragging my feet toward the door, and the newly installed windows, I shrugged on my coat. "I need to clear my head." I opened the front door, pausing in the doorway as I stared outside. Cold sweat beaded my forehead as I remembered that night.

Get yourself under control, Conti.

"I have my phone if you need me," I called to her over my shoulder.

M.R.

"Afton!"

Emily wore a green and red headscarf today, looking just as jolly as my morning donut.

"Hello, Emily, Mrs. Zacardi," I greeted as warmly and quietly as I could. Tony's mother didn't like me much. "Is Tony here?"

I hadn't seen his car in the driveway, but I thought I would come inside and see Emily. I'd constantly thought of her during my semester in California. Judging from Tony's lack of updates on his sister, I had believed she wasn't doing too well.

And while she did appear a bit tired, I could tell her energy was brimming today.

"I'm afraid not. He hasn't been home for a few days now," Lia Zacardi replied with an unreadable expression. "I didn't know you were in town, Afton. Emily has been asking nonstop about you coming home for Christmas."

As I toed off my boots, I gestured questionably toward Emily.

Fortunately, Mrs. Zacardi understood my inquiry and nodded her approval. "Let me go get you something to eat. I'll be right back."