Black Death And White Roses (1) Mafia Romance

15. The blind eyes of justice

Roxana

(Trigger warning: violence and gore.)

Dani hugs me in silence. He is frightened. It makes only sense. 

After all, I entered the house while the cuts on my shoulder were still oozing blood, barely able to speak, shaking from fear and anger.

I sink on the kitchen floor and just sit there with my back against the wall. After a while, probably not knowing what else to do, he sits by my side and leans his head against the shoulder that is not injured.

"What happened? Where is Dad?" he asks eventually.

"W... with Ivan."

"Roxi, you are hurt. You need a doctor."

"It's not that bad, only some cuts. Don't worry."

I wish the right words to calm him down would come to me but nothing does. That's because I am desperate too, lost, and have no idea what to do. Even if I get a second job I doubt I can make the amount needed to pay him and survive. The math just doesn't add up. What will he do if I don't pay? He will hurt Dad and worst of all, probably Dani.

One million euros is too much for a bank to give me as a loan. That would never work and I don't know anybody rich enough to just ask for it. Sure Christian is well off, but I just screamed at him on the phone and asked him to fire me so I guess that's not an option, and probably never was.

Dad looked very injured. I need to do something fast. I just, in the name of God, don't know what...

Tears run down my cheeks again, hot and heavy while I whimper in the darkness of our kitchen.

"I don't know what to do, Dani. I just don't. Dad gambled away a lot of money again and I don't know how to pay it back. I am sorry..." The words become unintelligible under frenetic sighs.

"I think you should go to the police, Roxi."

The fucking police... It is not that I didn't think about it... three years ago. But Ivan told me preemptively that they were in his pocket. In a small, poor country at the margins of Europe, it's quite likely. 

However, in the desperate situation I am in it's worth trying to maybe find someone that is not corrupt, somebody that is willing to help me.

"Dani go pack your things. Not many, only the most important. They have to fit in a backpack. Take all the money you can find in the house if there is any and wait for me."

"Where are you going?"

"I have to arrange some things but I will be back in a few hours. Make sure you are ready till then."

Dani is a minor. Unfortunately, he cannot get out of the country without the permission of his legal guardian, which is our father, and without being accompanied by someone over eighteen who was legally given permission to do so.

Eastern Europe is pretty corrupt. This is generally bad, but today I will try to use that to my advantage.

On the morning of the next day, I take care that nobody sees us exit the house. He is only carrying a backpack as if he is going to school.

"So tell me again what you have to do."

"Get on the bus and take care that nobody follows me. In Ungheni I will meet the girl that you showed me in the photo, give her the papers you gave me, and go with her."

"Good. One more thing: take care and I love you, most of all," I say hugging him one more time, not sure if I will ever see him again.

"You take care of yourself too, OK Rox? I love you, and if I have to choose between you and Dad I choose you."