MARKED BY THE MAFIA
Marked By The Mafia – Episode 65&66
[…BOUND BY DUTY…]
GENRE: Dark Romance
TAGS: MAFIAS, OBSESSION, POSSESSIVE, LOVE, STEAMY, LOVE TRIANGLE, EMPIRE, BETRAYAL, CRIME, VIOLENCE, DEATHS AND MANY MORE…
✧༺✰༻✧
✮{…THE BOMB…}✮
She pushed the door open.
Nicholas was there.
Standing perfectly still, framed by the dim light of the hallway. His face unreadable, every expression masked in shadow.
The maid froze beside her, a sharp, stifled gasp escaping her lips.
No words, no movement. Just the tense silence, heavy and suffocating.
Aurora’s heart thudded in her chest as the door hung between them.
OH GOD…
Then Nicholas’s expression shifted… first blank, then confused.
He reached up and pulled a small earbud out of his ear.
It had been there all along.
He hadn’t heard anything.
Relief washed through Aurora, loosening her stiff shoulders. The maid quietly exhaled, her fear draining just enough for her knees not to buckle.
Nicholas looked between them, confused.
“Why are you here?” he asked.
Aurora forced a small, casual smile. “Oh… I was kinda bored. I wanted someone to talk to”
“You should have come to me,” he said softly.
“I went to your room and you weren’t there. I searched everywhere for you. When I didn’t find you, I checked here”
The maid lowered her eyes quickly, hiding her trembling hands. Aurora shifted subtly forward, shielding the woman without making it obvious.
“Oh,” Aurora said lightly, even though her heart was pounding. “I didn’t know you were looking for me”
Nicholas studied her for a moment, his gaze lingering like he was trying to read her soul. Eventually, his eyes softened just a little.
“It’s late,” he said. “Come on. I’ll walk you back”
Aurora glanced once at the maid, silently reassuring her, then stepped out into the hallway with Nicholas.
The door closed behind them.
Nicholas walked her down the hallway, his steps steady and unhurried. Aurora kept her breathing calm, her expression soft and composed, even though her mind was spinning.
They reached her door.
“Goodnight, Aurora,” he said gently. “Get some rest”
“Goodnight, Nicholas” she replied with a small smile.
He lingered for a second, eyes on hers, then finally turned and began walking toward his own room.
Aurora waited until he was a few steps away before letting out a slow exhale.
Nicholas reached his door, placed his hand on the handle… then stopped.
His posture tightened.
His expression changed, his jaw clenched.
Because he had heard everything.
No music had been playing in his ear.
The earbud was silent.
He didn’t confront her, didn’t say a single word.
He simply opened his door and walked inside, shutting it behind him with a soft, final click.
Immediately Aurora got into her room and locked the door, she hurried across the room, grabbed her phone from the nightstand, and sat on the edge of the bed.
She opened her messages.
Matteo.
Her thumbs flew.
She typed out everything— the maid’s confession, the underground rooms, the trafficking, the threats, the sister trapped below, Antonio’s lies, the danger, all of it.
Her heart pounded as she hit send.
The message went through.
And now… all she could do was wait.
Aurora collapsed back against the pillows, staring at the ceiling, her pulse still racing.
•••
NEXT MORNING*
Aurora woke with a violent jolt.
Her head spun, her breath coming in fast, sharp bursts. She tried to move, but her arms would not budge.
Her wrists were tied to a chair.
Her ankles too.
A blindfold pressed against her eyes, suffocating her in thick, disorienting darkness.
Her throat felt dry.
A metallic scent clung everywhere.
Was she in a basement, dungeon or prison?
Panic clawed up her chest.
“Where the fuck am I?” she whispered, voice shaking despite her effort to stay composed.
Silence answered her.
Then she heard it.
Creeeak.
A door opened slowly somewhere in the room.
Footsteps followed.
Aurora’s pulse pounded so loudly she could hear it echo off the walls.
A familiar voice filled the space.
“Hello there, future daughter-in-law”
Antonio.
Her stomach dropped.
She stiffened, fighting the urge to pull against the ropes.
“Why is your supposed future daughter-in-law in this state?” she forced out, her voice sharp even as fear scraped her throat.
Antonio laughed.
A deep, cold, amused sound that did not belong to a human being.
“Oh, Aurora” he said. “You really thought I would not find out”
She felt his presence move closer. She could hear the shift of his breath, the smugness dripping from every word.
“You thought I was a fool” he whispered.
“And that I would not discover who you really are”
His fingers gripped the blindfold.
“Let me help you see things clearly”
Light exploded across Aurora’s eyes as he yanked the cloth away.
Her vision blurred from the sudden brightness, then sharpened.
Her heart froze.
They were in the underground.
The same corridor of nightmares she had stumbled into before. “You are reading from www.mhiztaemy.com.ng” The same cold walls. The same metal doors. The same smell of suffering soaked deep into the concrete.
Antonio stood in front of her, smiling with chilling delight.
“I ran a little background check on you” he said casually, as if discussing the weather.
“You are Vincenzo’s daughter. And Matteo Moretti’s wife”
He tilted her chin up with two fingers.
“You are probably here because of Matteo. Because he wants revenge”
His smile widened into something grotesque.
“What a loving wife you are”
He straightened, watching her like a predator admiring a trapped animal.
Aurora’s blood ran icy cold as she glared at him, fury coiling in her chest. Without a second thought, she spat on his polished shoes.
“You’re evil” she spat, voice shaking but sharp.
Antonio bent down slightly, his smile widening as if he expected it.
“I know” he said calmly, almost proudly.
He reached into his pocket and pulled out a vape, the tip glowing faintly as he inhaled deeply, exhaling a slow, curling cloud of smoke that filled the underground.
Aurora’s eyes narrowed, brimming with defiance.
The sound of the door opening made both of them glance up. Nicholas walked in.
He froze for a moment, taking in the scene: Antonio, the vape, Aurora standing tied and furious.
“Oh… what was I expecting?” Aurora snorted, her voice dripping with disdain. “That you’re completely innocent and don’t know what your father is involved in?”
Nicholas’s gaze met hers, steady and unwavering.
“I didn’t know anything until last night,” he said firmly. “In fact, this is my first time coming here. I have to be with my dad always. I will always be by his side”
Antonio exhaled a long plume of smoke and glanced at his son, pride flickering across his features.
“That’s my son,” he said, voice softening just enough to sound human. “I’m proud of you”
Antonio smirked at Aurora, then stepped behind her.
“Let’s keep those pretty eyes from seeing too much” he murmured.
Before she could jerk away, he slipped the blindfold back over her eyes, tying it tight enough that the knot bit into her hair. The world vanished into blackness. She felt his fingers brush her cheek deliberately before he stepped back.
Footsteps echoed.
Antonio’s voice drifted away. “We’ll be back for you later”
Nicholas said nothing. Only the soft sound of his shoes turning. Then both men walked out, the heavy underground door shutting with a cold metallic thud.
Aurora was alone.
Bound and blindfolded. Surrounded by the stench of mold, metal, and dried blood.
She listened to their footsteps fade. Then silence swallowed her whole.
BACK IN THE MAIN HOUSE*
Antonio loosened the collar of his shirt as he entered the lounge. Nicholas followed quietly, his expression unreadable, cold, hardened.
“Call them in,” Antonio said. “I need… entertainment”
Minutes later, two women strutted in wearing glittering outfits and seductive smiles.
Maya and Vixen.
Undercover but their faces hid it well.
“Hello, darling” Maya purred.
“Ready for a good night?” Vixen added, flipping her bright wig.
Antonio grinned, leaning back on the couch. “Hello, babies. Now show me what you’ve got”
Music hummed low and the girls moved with practiced seduction, fluid, distracting, deadly if they needed to be.
But Antonio’s eyes sharpened halfway through.
Then he said it.
“Matteo sent you here, didn’t he?”
Both women froze.
Maya’s breath caught.
Vixen muttered under her breath, “Busted”
They stepped back from Antonio, muscles tensing, ready to strike.
But before they could move, two shots fired with a soft hiss.
Tranquilizer darts.
Maya gasped, hand flying to her neck before her knees buckled.
Vixen staggered, swore under her breath, then collapsed beside her.
Nicholas lowered the tranquilizer gun, face blank.
Antonio clapped once, slow and satisfied.
“Nice shot, son.” He nudged Maya’s limp body with his foot. “They are both fools”
Nicholas stared down at the unconscious women, jaw tight.
Antonio’s grin widened cruelly.
“Send a message to Matteo,” he said, voice dripping with dark amusement. “Tell him it’s time we strike a deal”
Nicholas nodded once.
•••
ONE HOUR LATER*
The doors swung open with a violent crash.
Matteo walked in.
His eyes were cold, sharp, lethal. The kind of look that made grown men rethink every life choice they had ever made. His suit was black, his jaw clenched, his aura radiating pure danger.
Antonio looked up from his seat and grinned.
“Well… well… well… look who we have here. Matteo Moretti himself”
Matteo didn’t waste a second.
“Where’s my wife, you old fool?”
Antonio tsked lightly. “She’s in a safe place. Just calm down”
Matteo’s fist slammed into the table, cracking the surface.
“Don’t fucking tell me to calm down!”
Antonio chuckled, almost fondly.
“I understand your pain, truly. Because I killed your mother. Your father betrayed me and that was the only way I could get back at him”
Matteo’s eyes went black with rage. “You made a mistake by killing my mother”
Antonio’s grin widened. “What if I tell you that she isn’t dead?”
Matteo’s fists tightened. “You can’t fool me, Antonio”
“I am serious,” Antonio said calmly. “All you have to do is follow me”
Matteo’s lip curled. “You’re sick”
He lunged forward.
His fist connected with Antonio’s jaw so hard the old man flew backward, crashing onto the floor, landing on his ass with a grunt.
Antonio’s head snapped to the side. Blood trickled from the corner of his mouth.
His expression shifted from shock…
…to anger…
…to pure, murderous amusement.
He wiped the blood with his thumb.
“Men”
Ten armed guards stormed into the room, surrounding Matteo like wolves closing in on prey.
“Finish him” Antonio ordered coldly.
The men stepped forward, guns raised, muscles tense.
Ten against a mafia boss.
And Matteo didn’t flinch.
Antonio watched, amused. “Let’s see if you’re as dangerous as they say, Moretti”
Matteo didn’t answer. He lunged forward, moving faster than any human should.
The first guard aimed, fired but Matteo ducked just in time. The bullet ricocheted off the wall behind him. In one fluid motion, he swept the man’s legs out from under him, sending him crashing to the floor.
Another came at him from the side. Matteo twisted, grabbed the man’s wrist, and snapped it with a sickening crack. The guard howled and dropped his gun.
Gunshots rang out, echoing in the lounge. Sparks flew as bullets shredded furniture and glass. Matteo’s movements were a blur, striking, dodging, and disarming with terrifying precision.
One of Antonio’s men lunged with a knife. Matteo sidestepped, twisting the man’s arm behind his back and driving him to the ground in a sharp, bone-breaking motion.
Antonio leaned back, still smiling, but a hint of unease crept into his eyes. “Impressive,” he muttered, puffing his vape, smoke curling in the dim light.
The remaining guards hesitated. Ten men. And Matteo was moving like a force of nature, unstoppable and ruthless.
In seconds, five of them were down groaning, unconscious, or clutching broken limbs. Matteo’s chest heaved with controlled fury, his eyes locked on Antonio, who now looked slightly less amused.
Matteo growled, voice low and dangerous. “Where is she, Antonio?”
“Patience, Matteo. You’ll see”
Matteo lunged again, and the last five guards barely managed to get shots off. Bullets whizzed past him as he dodged with impossible agility, each strike dismantling their assault. One by one, they fell to the ground, screaming, groaning, or unconscious from blunt force.
Antonio watched in silence, finally straightening. “You’re stronger than I thought,” he said, tone flat, controlled. “But strength alone won’t save you from everything I have planned”
Matteo wiped blood from his knuckles, chest rising and falling steadily. His glare was deadly. “Tell me where she is. Now”
One of Antonio’s men dragged Aurora and Maya into the lounge, both women struggling against the tight grip on their arms. Aurora’s eyes widened the moment she saw Matteo standing there, rage written across his features.
“Mia!” Matteo exclaimed, his voice raw with shock and fury.
Aurora opened her mouth to speak, but a sharp voice cut through the tension.
“This isn’t the time for that,” Antonio said, stepping forward, calm and chilling. “For your information, there’s a bomb strapped to them. It will explode in the next five minutes”
“What!?” Matteo shouted, his eyes widening as he stared at Aurora and Maya.
“Yes,” Antonio continued smoothly, puffing lightly on his vape, smoke curling around his face. “Now we have to strike a deal first”
Matteo’s fists clenched, knuckles white. “What deal?”
Antonio’s smile was cruel, deliberate. “Give me your wife, or she dies with your sister”
“You’re insane!” Matteo roared, his voice bouncing off the walls of the lounge.
Antonio tilted his head, almost mocking. “It’s ticking, ticking, ticking. Time is going”
Aurora’s heart raced. She glanced at Maya, who had gone pale, her hands trembling. The tension in the room was unbearable. Every second felt heavier, each tick of the bomb like a drum counting down their fate.
Matteo’s gaze locked on Antonio, fury and calculation warring in his eyes. “I will not—”
“Five minutes,” Antonio interrupted softly, the words slicing through the chaos like a blade. “Decide, or they die”
Aurora swallowed hard, her pulse pounding. She realized there was no room for mistakes. Every second counted.
The countdown clock on the wall blared the final minute. Beads of sweat ran down Aurora’s temple as she struggled against the restraints. Maya trembled beside her, both of them frozen by the deadly tension in the air.
Suddenly, a metallic click echoed through the room. Nicholas stepped forward, gun drawn, his hands steady despite the adrenaline surging through him.
“Release them, dad” he said, his voice low but iron-strong.
Antonio laughed, a slow, dangerous sound. “Oh wow, my own son is snitching on me”
“I’ve never been a partaker of your evil, and I will never be!” Nicholas shot back.
Matteo, sensing the distraction, lunged forward, his muscles coiled like springs ready to snap. At the same time, more of Antonio’s men poured into the lounge, their faces hard and merciless.
But Matteo wasn’t alone. From behind, his team emerged, moving like shadows of vengeance.
ACE, BLADE, STORM, AXE, VIPER, SCARLETT, SYLVIA, ROSA and then AXEL.
Chaos erupted immediately.
Fists slammed, knives slashed, bodies collided. Antonio’s men fought fiercely, but Matteo’s team matched them blow for blow. Steel met steel, grunts and shouts filling the air. Dust and debris clouded the lounge, the smell of sweat and blood sharp in the air.
Aurora’s heart pounded in her chest as she watched, frozen, the battle unfolding around her.
Then the clock blinked: 1.
Her stomach dropped.
“No!” she screamed.
“NO!” Maya echoed, panic in her voice.
The bomb detonated.
A deafening roar ripped through the room. The ground shook violently, flames and smoke consuming everything in a blinding wave.
Shouts, screams, and the clash of chaos were swallowed by the explosion.
The screen of the world went white.
The room fell silent.
And then… darkness.
•
•
TBC😈
