Saving Her

Chapter 9: A Plan For The Golden Girl

Zayn's POV:

I can't seem to stop the tears from falling as I stare at Audrey. The words I need to form just aren't forming. This isn't how she was supposed to find out. What do I do now? She won't listen.

I can't lose her. Not like this. Not when she doesn't know the full story. I have to tell her. If I tell her and if she still hates me, fine. But I have to at least try to fix this. At this point, I don't even care about Mattio's stupid contract. My father's dead, he can't uphold the deal if he's dead. I never signed that contract, I was just bound to uphold it when I took over. She'll be 18 in two weeks, she's going to learn it all eventually.

"Please just let me explain," I beg, one last time.

"Just....just leave, Zayn,"

"I'm sorry, Audriella, I'm so sorry" I whispered, wiping the tears from my face, giving up. Putting my head down; I walk out of her bedroom and down the hall.

How did I screw everything up this bad this fast? I knew she wouldn't understand. If I just told her everything, maybe she could have. I should have just admitted to everything when she asked where I went. Maybe then she could understand and forgive me. Not now, not after what we did. I should have stopped. I shouldn't have given in. I knew she would hate me if I didn't tell her before.

I continue down the hallway, fighting tooth and nail not to turn back around and go to her and beg her to let me fix it. I hear Audrey's door slam shut, causing me to flinch. I pause, looking back at the door, before continuing my walk of shame. I hear a sob ring out from behind me. My heart clenches at the sound. Continuing to fight against going back to her.

Maycie is in Mattio's study, explaining what happened to Mattio, who looks furious. His eyes meet mine, and he instantly stands. He takes a few steps toward me but I just shake my head. I deserve to feel like this. Mattio can't support me or try to make me feel better. I deserve this. Everything she said is right. I have killed people. It's what I do. I don't deserve for her to understand. I don't deserve her.

"Zayn...I should have told her sooner. You were right, I should have told her. I..." I shake my head again, stopping him. He can't feel bad about this. This is my fault. This is no one's fault but my own.

The news doesn't know everything. I do string them up in front of their family's homes, making an example of them; using her initials as a warning that anyone who comes for her will not survive. But there's more than that. I kill to make demands known, I kill when those demands aren't met. I kill indiscriminately, whenever and whoever I want.

I am a monster, evil, vial, darkness. I deserve for her to hate me. This is what I wanted after all? For her to hate me, isn't it? Because if she hates me, the golden girl will stay away from me and all of the evil following in my wake. I don't deserve to cry over this. I don't deserve to feel bad.

"Don't bother apologizing, Mattio. I should have just done this fucking meeting over the phone like I was fucking planning on doing originally." I sighed. I don't want to feel anymore.

So I do what I do best; turn it off. I close my eyes, wiping my face one last time before shutting everything off. I force all emotion to the back of my mind and focus on only one thing; getting out of this house.

When I open my eyes again I see Mattio still watching me from where he stands in his study. He sees my eyes dark, my face blank. He lets out a sigh and shakes his head, but doesn't say anything, just sits back down at his desk and continues reprimanding Maycie.

I continue down the stairs, hearing hushed voices coming from the kitchen. Someone's on a phone call.

"No, she doesn't know that they are involved with Zayn, she just thinks they must be absolutely clueless to not put the pieces together as she did." Who's voice is that? Where do I recognize it from? I try to lean closer to get a better view but they are blocked by a large cabinet.

"Yes, the assistant let his name slip.....accidentally" The person speaks. The way they say the word accidentally, makes me think it wasn't an accident. Maycie did this on purpose?

"She's a very smart girl, she put the pieces together perfectly, just as you thought she would......Apparently, she never wants to see him again....yes this is very good news for us." So this was planned? By who? Who is this person, why can't I figure it out?

"She's pretty broken, everyone can hear her cries throughout the house.....Yes, I know, I will be sure to cheer her up. Planning on 'running into her' later today."

"No, E, I do not believe they did anything, I sent Maycie up just in time......No.....He would never suspect Maycie of double-crossing them...She will still be pure for your son." Pure? I slowly put the pieces together with this one-sided conversation. Someone is trying to get to Audrey.

"When she turns 18 in two weeks, she will learn of everything, and then she will convince them that Audrey must marry him." Marriage? Audrey will never agree to that. Who is this other she? There's more than these two behind it? How many people am I protecting her against?

"She will have to agree if her father says yes. Daddy's little perfect girl can never tell him no and upset him." The woman says with a scoff.

"We must move quickly though, as soon as she learns the real truth about Zayn, she will go find him. The idiot girl is in love with him." Another scoff, caused a pang of hurt to hit my chest. She did love me. Not anymore. Even when she learns the truth. It'll be too late.

"She will convince Mattio he has to sign the contract for the betterment of La Cosa Nostra. You have power, but not more than Lucifer, and if she convinces her father she wants him before the contract is signed, we are doomed" I stop listening, instead, my mind begins to race. Audriella is in danger. Someone wants her, and they want her to marry their son. This isn't to get back at Mattio for something. This threat is purely targeted toward her.

As soon as the call ends I wander into the room, making it look like I just got down the stairs. The room is empty. Where did they go?

I have to stop this. I have to get more information and tell Mattio. I cannot allow Audriella to be bartered off like some business deal. Even if she hates me, I will never allow harm to go her way. She is the love of my life, my golden girl.

There is someone after her. Someone within the walls of her own home. Someone was able to flip Maycie. Someone is orchestrating this. I intend to find out who.

Audriella is a force to be reckoned with and she surely wouldn't need my protection if she knew what to look out for. Mattio has told me that her training is going amazingly. Leo says she's incredibly fast on her feet, strong, and accurate. That she has a good head for this. That she's more than ready. This is going to be her life, she could continue to lead, letting her light shine making this world better, or she could bring the world to its knees. She just needs a push in the wrong direction.

I think I just gave her that push.

I walk out of the front door, get in my car and speed out of the driveway. I pull out my phone and call the only person I trust. I dial the number and switch it to Bluetooth, swerving around a car that was going much too slow for the anger pouring out of me.

The phone rings Once. Twice. Three times.

"Hey, Luci, how'd it go?" Leo finally answers with a chuckle. His voice coming through the car speakers somewhat calms me down.

"I need your help, Beniamino. Fuck, I need your help."