His Ardent Compulsion

PART ONE - Chapter One

"Vamos acordar menina!" Elena yells.

Ugh not this again.

To put it in easy words, Elena is my housekeeper, but I hate calling her that. She's my life. I think of her more as a mother figure, even though she's only a few years older than me. She was also forced into the mafia at a young age. Ever since she was 12, she's been working here.  She always wears the same black and white uniform that all workers are ordered to wear here, however I did tell her to wear anything she needs from my closet but she always refuses. She's skinny and has a face of a goddess, not to mention her brown locks she always keeps hidden in a plait with two pieces hanging from the front. She's so stunning, I sometimes think she's my angel from heaven. Well - she is.

I groan, "Elena!"

"Seu quarto está uma bagunça filha!"

Obviously my room is a mess. I never clean it.

"Fine, fine, I'm up!" I say, getting out from my comfy bed.

"Santiago está lá embaixo, esperando por você."

"For me?"

I walk into my bathroom and head into the shower. If he's waiting for me, I might as well take my time.

"Pelo amor de deus! Where is she?" Santiago shouts, slamming his hand on the table.

"I'm here." I say lazily, walking into the dining room.

"What the fuck took you so long?"

"I was in the shower." I state, sitting down next to him.

Santiago is my husband. He's about 30 years older than me, I'm 22. I was forced to marry him right when I turned 18. I was also forced to leave Lisbon and move here, to New York. He's the capo of the Portuguese mafia that emigrated here in the 1950s.Well used to be. Given a recent 'scandal' that my husband was a part of he was forced to give up his position as capo and give it someone else. Nobody has any idea who it is. Yet. I just seemed to become a part of it.

He ignores me and and carries on reading his newspaper.

"We're going to a charity ball today. Be ready at 6:00 sharp."

I didn't answer and kept eating my breakfast.

"When I say something, I expect you to answer me."He says.

I ignore him again.

"Porra, me responda cadela!"

"Okay, okay, fine. I'll be ready." I say.

"Good."

Elena comes and takes my plate after I was finished eating. I smiled up at her. As I was looking up I notice blood dripping from her eyebrow. My stomach flipped. He promised. I look over at Santiago.

"You fucking hit her?" I yell, standing up, throwing my napkin onto the table.

He looks at me from behind his newspaper and smirks.

"You said you wouldn't." I say, a tear falling from my eye, "You promised."

"Promises are meant to be broken, baby."

I hate when he calls me that. He knows that.

"You fucking dick."

"Hey, if you're going to blame anyone, blame yourself. You were late after all."

I grab Elena's wrist and pull her away, up to my room.

"I can't believe he did that." I exclaim as I took out my first aid kit from my bathroom.