THE MAFIA’S RUINATION
The Mafia’s Ruination – Episode 10
Subtitle; {Between Love and War}
Authoress Rejoice
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Alexander’s POV
All the lights were off as I lay on my bed, staring aimlessly at the ceiling.
The AC was on, but I still felt the oppressive heat surrounding me. I’d grown accustomed to this feeling since before I entered my teenage years.
Sleep had eluded me since the beginning of my teens. It was either I slept for a few minutes and had nightmares that prevented me from going back to sleep, or I didn’t sleep at all.
This sleeplessness had become a constant in my life, and I’d grown accustomed to not sleeping at night. No matter how hard I overworked or overstressed myself, sleep remained elusive.
My body ached, my hands were tainted with the bloód of those I’d taken from this world, and my mind wandered through an eternal abyss.
My body ached from the stress and burdens on my shoulders. My hands were tainted with the bloód of the people I’d taken and stripped of their lives. My mind journeyed endlessly through this dark void.
I was like a walking robot with hidden emotions, emotions I didn’t want anyone to discover. I didn’t want anyone to know how desperately I wished my father would love me as much as he loved my sister. I didn’t want anyone to find out that after every lífe I took, I locked myself in my study to escape the world. I didn’t want anyone to know how much I longed for someone to hug me and tell me I was important, special, and loved. I didn’t want anyone to know how much I yearned to get married and have children. I didn’t want anyone to know how my heart was filled with all the darkness in the world. I didn’t want anyone to know how much I yearned to scream for help, even though I knew help would never come. I didn’t want anyone to know that I had feelings.
And I was hurting. Deeply and profoundly hurt.
I just wanted to disappear, even if it was for an hour, so I could feel all the things I’d been deprived of. I wanted to laugh, cry, be happy, be sad, and experience everything I’d missed for so long, even if only for a brief moment.
It felt like my heart had been ripped out of my body, stabbéd repeatedly, and then placed back inside. The pain was unimaginable, and I just wanted it to stop.
I wanted to erase every single thing in my life and start anew. I wanted to be able to love and be loved. I wanted to share my feelings with people. I wanted to stop bottling up my emotions and let them flow freely. I wanted to be free from my father.
But it wasn’t possible.
It was the most impossible thing on Earth. To break free from Aidan Romano’s grip was a near-impossible feat. It was like asking for a swift déath and being given a slow and agonizing one instead.
My father had always had his grip on me. He had the power to manipulàte me however he pleased.
My father had subjécted me to intense training from the age of five. I lost my childhood, never had friends, and was homeschooled. Just when I thought I had seen the wórst in life, my father shót an innocent maid right in front of me on my thirteenth birthday, and that was when I lost all connection to life and humanity.
I used to laugh and confide in my mom and sisters, but that incident had changed everything. It had driven a wedge between me and my mom and sisters.
I was the only one in this void, this black hole, and there was no escape for me.
Then, out of nowhere, this girl appeared in my life and began making me feel.
She made me want something more than my father’s love, more than life itself—she made me want her. She resurrected my laughter, which had been déad for almost a decade.
I wouldn’t let anything húrt her. She would never be harméd as long as I desired her. I would protect her. She was just an innocent girl who happened to be a little too attractive.
“Ouch,” I heard her hiss in pain, and I got up from the bed.
Speak of the devil.
Approaching the door, I opened it and searched for the source of her pain. She was sitting on the first step of the stairs, hissing in discomfort.
“What’s wrong?” I asked, and she looked back at me, sighing.
She exhaled, pain etched across her delicate and beautiful face. “I stubbed my toe.”
Walking over to her, I bent to examine her toe. There was no visible injury, but she seemed to be in a lot of pain.
“Why were you walking around in the dark?” I questioned, locking my eyes with hers. “Couldn’t you have turned on the lights?”
Her green emerald eyes blinked at me, a smile playing on her lips that I desperately wanted to kiss.
“Does Alexander Romano care about me?” She teased, obviously aware of my concern. “Oh my, you do. This should be in the newspapers.”
“Not funny, Alice,” I retorted, standing up from my bent position.
She rose as well, pouting sadly. “I don’t like it when you call me Alice.”
I was about 90% sure there was a smile on my face. That’s what this girl did to me.
“Your name is Alice,” I remarked. “What would you like me to call you, Alice?”
She shrugged slightly. “I don’t know. What do you think?”
Her dazzling eyes sparkled with mischief and a hint of flirtation.
Oh, if only she knew what that did to me.
“Why are you awake, Kitten?” I asked.
Her smile widened, and she shrugged again. “I don’t know; I could ask you the same thing.” She folded her arms and raised her eyebrows. “Why are you awake, Alex?”
Alex? I hated diminutive names, but from her mouth, I wanted it.
“You woke me up, Princess,” I replied. “Now, your turn?”
“I was thirsty, still am, so I wanted water,” she said, biting her lip. “Though I don’t believe I woke you up.”
She was right, but she didn’t need to know that.
“Can’t sleep?” She tilted her beautiful head, her eyes searching mine for answers she wouldn’t find. Hopefully. “Wanna watch a midnight movie?” I raised an eyebrow at her question, but she just grinned. “I promise it’s interesting. So, yes or no?”
Yes meant I had to be close to Alice without touching her. I had to resist and control myself, not giving in to the desire to pin this beautiful creature to the living room sofa and overwhelm her senses.
No meant I had to refuse this beautiful smiling face and those enchanting eyes and go back to my room with my inner demóns.
Can you guess my answer?
TBC 📖✍️
