The Mafia King's Nicotine

Chapter 38

"How is she?"

"Obedient for the most part."

He and his father weren't ones to share small talk. They had always been about business and that's how it would stay between them.

Gino watched his son carefully behind squinted eyes, gauging his facial expressions from where he sat across from him at his mahogany desk. Ollie still wasn't the best at hiding his emotions and his flickering eyes gave away his discomfort.

"Obedience is good. Make sure it stays that way." His voice turned darker with every word, ensuring his son knew his place. If he wanted to keep this girl, she needed to be trained or Gino would do it for him.

Ollie nodded in agreement with his father not looking him in the eye out of nerves. Gino was an intimidating man, even to his own kid.

"Have you heard from the Markeelis?" Ollie worked up the nerve to ask, eyes still cast down.

His father sighed, not wanting to admit their plan had only been half successful. The man they had sought out to kill had bested them and got out alive. Barely. But alive all the same.

"Markeeli's dead." His voice was cold, slicing through the bitter air that hung around them.

Ollie sucked on his teeth, chewing this new information for a moment, "And Raires?"

"Who do you think killed that no-good sack of chocolate fudge! How could you have trusted that damn family to take on one of the most dangerous mafia men?" Gino began to show his anger as it bubbled behind his eyes, sending flares of fire towards his son's head.

"I thought you were the most dangerous." Ollie refused to be blamed for the Markeelis' failure. He had gotten what he wanted, so why should he care that Nicolas had died? "You want him dead, go take care of him yourself. I got what I wanted from the deal."

Gino huffed, biting the inside of his cheek thinking. "That pretty bitch better be worth it."

~•~•~

Cold.

That's all Vivian felt at the moment and she embraced it. It was better than feeling anything at all. It was better than acknowledging the now prominent feeling in her stomach and her hyper attention to dangers around her.

God, please, it has to be Erik's.

She spent most of her time laid out on the bed, head rested on her hands, praying to anyone who would listen. Any god that was above that could save her, she didn't care.

She heard the door at the top of the stairs open but she didn't have the energy to look up. It was most likely Ollie and she did not wish to see him. Now or ever again. She would be punished for not greeting him properly but she didn't care. He could beat her all he wanted, it would only fuel we hate for him.

"Gattina." (Kitten)

That was not Ollie.

"Look at me, Gattina."

She slowly raised her eyes to the form before her, gazing across the hand that gripped his cane tightly, traveling up his arm before settling on his face. The face of a man who had seen a thousand wars and won. A horrifying face.

She gasped silently, letting out the shaky breath a moment later. She had forgotten how intimidating Gino was, especially now that she had no place to run.

"Frightened little gattina. Don't let me scare you." He settled himself on the edge of the bed and Vivian sat up scooting away from him. He gazed her up and down drinking in her exposed features, "My son told me the good news."