Mafia Legacy (Book #1 - Mafia Series)

Part 18

A/N: Little trigger warning. One sentence has non-consensual touching. Very brief, a few seconds. But, I'd rather mention it for readers out there who might be triggered by this.

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It stung, like burning flesh. Her eyes were heavy: too heavy for her to consider opening them. As she felt herself pulling away from the darkness, sounds began ringing in her ears - it was like laughters were echoing inside her head.

Her lips were parted, her mouth was dry and her throat was on fire; how long had she been heaving? Her mouth was like sandpaper. Her eyelashes were stuck together from what she assumed to be tears. Where the fuck?

After numerous attempts at opening her eyes, she finally succeeded. Everything in her sight was bright and blurry, taking time before it sharpened and became clearer. She saw many pairs of eyes looking at her, but none that she recognized.

Who were these people and why did her arms feel like someone was trying to rip them out of their sockets? Pain shot from her elbows to her shoulders, forcing her to wince.

"She's awake," said an icy voice behind her.

Gabriella tried to turn to see the person but quickly found that she couldn't. Tied. They tied her arms above her head. As that realization sank in, memories of her abduction flooded her mind. Panic took hold of her as frantically tried to break free from her constraints. No, no, no.

"And now she remembers." The man chuckled before moving, his steady steps echoing loudly on the concrete floor. "I was starting to think we had worn you out."

Worn her out? Her head dipped forward and the first thing she noticed was her tattered clothes; they looked like someone had sliced them. Not only that but they were covered in blood... her blood? Her mind was still numb, probably blocking some of the pain.

Finally, he came into view, long wavy black hair, blue eyes with many wrinkles pooling at the corners of them, a cold smile... she had seen that face before. Where? When?

"I'm afraid we were bored. We got the fun started while you slept."

"Who are you? What do you want with me?" she shouted, her voice trembling.

His smile grew. "I have many names. Your little boy toy probably calls me the Devil."

The Devil... the one who had almost killed Niccolo?

As her face dropped, he laughed. "There's the fear I had been waiting for."

He took a step forward, how despite how much she wriggled, she could not move and could not put distance between them. He grabbed her chin, forcing her to look at him, preventing her from yanking her face from his grip.

"I never thought I'd see that expression on that face again," he added, tilting her head left and then right. "Did anyone ever tell you how much you look like her?"

"W-what?" He couldn't possibly be talking about her...

"Beautiful, deadly Isabella... If I didn't know better I would think that you are her."

He knew her grandmother... but how? Had Niccolo been keeping more things from her? No... The black hair was throwing her off, making her think it was impossible that he could know her grandmother... and yet... now that he was standing so close, the signs of age were hard to miss. Wrinkles, dropping skin, hands stained by the mark of time...

It didn't seem like he was her grandfather's age but he was close to it.

"I could easily make do with you..."