KIDNAPPED BY THE MAFIA LEADER

PROLOGUE

-NATALIE POV-

I tap my nails against the marble counter as I read through the newspaper; looking at the available jobs in L.A. Not much open for someone with the degrees and experience I have. I want to go into accounting, I have already passed all my exams and graduated with flying colors from the University of Texas in Austin, the state Capital of Texas, an inland city bordering the Hill Country region. I have a degree in both Accounting and Business.

I moved to Austin to live with my Aunt's family after my parents died, they were murdered when I was six years old. I was raised in Austin and I decided to study there to stay close to my Aunt and Uncle. After I graduated from the University of Texas; I moved here, to the city of Los Angeles. I have lived here for a week now, with one of my cousins, she is two years older than me. Layla has been very good to me; she is helping me find my dream job. She is also very patient with me and doesn't rush me to find a job. She understands that I want my first official job to be the dream job I want and I want it to be my forever job.

"Woman if you don't stop tapping your nails against the counter, I swear to God I will murder you." I look up to see Mike; Layla's boyfriend, frustrated and looking like he just crawled out of hell. I stop my tapping and smile at him as I decide to tease him a bit. "I told you not to drink that many shots, it's your own bloody fault for trying to drink me under the table, Love." He chuckles as he says "I was sure that I could beat you." I laugh at him as I stand up and walk to the fridge "No one could ever beat me before, I have been drinking since I was fourteen years old and I started on the hard stuff."

I take out an orange and then I pour coffee into a cup and put it in front of him, without sugar or milk in it. I take a knife out of the drawer and cut the orange into slices and hand it to him as I say with a pat on his back "It will help with the hangover, Love." He looks at me suspiciously "Where did you learn that it will help?" I smile as I think back to when I was younger. "My Aunt is a doctor, remember, she gave it to me the first time I had a hangover, it was her way to punish me; because I don't really like orange. Or well, I didn't back then. The orange will hydrate you again, better then water will, because water will only make the alcohol go faster though your system and you'll feel drunk all over again, and the black coffee with no sugar, because sugar and milk will only make you want to throw up."

He shrugs and eats the orange slices and drinks the black coffee, with a lot of funny faces in disgust. I go back to my computer, shaking my head, and search big companies in L.A. After a while Layla gets back home and greets me "So, have you found something that peaks your interest?" I smile at her and say "Well Love, actually I have; it's a Personal Assistant job that is open at a very big company, but the job will require you to do all the CEO's accounting work." She smiles at me "Well you always loved going for the bigger goal." I smile at her "Well there is a saying; the bigger they are, the harder they fall." She laughs at me and greets Mike with a kiss. He says as he looks at me "So, what big company is it?" I smile as I say and look at them "Ciantro Corporations." They both seem a lot surprised as they look at each other. Mike says "I don't think..." but Layla cuts him off "it's fine, Mike. We wish the best of luck to you, Natalie." I look between the two of them.

"Okay, what the bloody hell is going on?" Mike looks at Layla and then back at me "It's just, it's really hard to get into Ciantro Corporations." I say with a shrug "Well, I think I will get in. I already send in my résumé and they will be very impressed with the degree I have in accounting and in business." Layla walks to me and says "I am very much sure they will; just don't get your hopes up about it so soon, okay? It will probably take weeks before they call y..." She gets interrupted by my phone ringing.

I look at it and frown a little. I answer by saying "Natalie Harper speaking." The woman on the other end of the line says "Miss Harper, I am Donna from Ciantro Corporations; I would like to schedule a meeting for tomorrow at 09:30. Mister Ciantro personally wants to interview you since you would be working directly under him." I am shocked for the moment "Um, yes; that would be perfect." She says "Alright then, see you tomorrow?" I say as I look down "Okay, bye." She hangs up and I look shocked at my phone. Layla says as she walks to me and puts her hand on my shoulder "Who was it, Natalie?" I look at her and say "Ciantro Corporations; I have an interview tomorrow at 09:30 and mister Ciantro is going to interview me himself." Mike seems a little worried. Layla says "Don't worry, I'll take you." I nod at her and can't believe what is happening. I feel nervous; I don't know why, but I do.

I spend the rest of the afternoon doing research on Ciantro Corporations. They are divided into five factions all in one company. The stock market faction. The IT faction. The health faction. The accounting faction and then there is the Web and Graphic Design faction. The company is owned by Carter Ciantro. He took over from his father seven years ago. And he has made it even bigger than it was when he took it over.

I can't wait for tomorrow to meet him. I would love to work for a man like him, it would really give me the opportunity to grow and move forward in my career in business and in accounting. I really hope I get the job.

I finish getting ready for bed. I already chose out an outfit for tomorrow and I have everything I need organized in my briefcase. I take a quick shower and get dressed in an oversized T-shirt. I turn of the light and get into bed. Tomorrow is going to be a busy day. I can't stop thinking about how tomorrow will go. Soon I drift off to sleep. 

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