Mafia by Blood (wlw)

14 - The Discovery

As the early morning light filtered through the curtains, Mac stirred at the sound of a soft voice calling her name. Slowly, she opened her eyes, allowing them time to adjust to the light. She found herself lying in a soft bed in Noelle's room. The door, which had been broken the last time she was here, was now fixed. Sitting at the edge of the bed were Noelle and Madison, their expressions filled with concern.

Mac blinked a few times, feeling a throbbing pain spread through her body. She instinctively held her stomach and winced, writhing in pain. Noelle quickly handed her some painkillers, which she swallowed.

"What happened?" Mac managed to ask, her voice weak as she tried to piece together the events that led her here.

Noelle's eyes were glazed with worry. "I'm so sorry, Mac. It's all my fault," she said, taking Mac's hand in hers. Madison, equally tired, sat quietly, waiting for Mac to process everything.

Mac's mind raced as she tried to remember what the other gang had said. There was something about a piece of jewelry, an inner circle, a tattoo, and the mention of the DeCavalcante's capo. She made a mental note to look up what "capo" meant later.

Madison spoke up, her voice soothing. "It was a burglary, by a group looking to steal valuable items," she explained. Mac noticed the number of people in the villa and the mysterious relationships between them. Madison continued, "This place is a refuge for people who have nowhere else to go."

Mac nodded slowly, still processing the information but sensing there was more to the story. "Where's Marley? My friend?" she asked, panic rising in her voice as she remembered Marley had also been in the villa during the attack.

Madison quickly reassured her. "She's fine. Massimo got her home before everything started," she said, placing a comforting hand on Mac's arm.

Relief washed over Mac, though her heart still pounded with anxiety. She looked down at her bandaged body, hidden beneath the covers. "We have trained doctors here who took care of you last night," Noelle said with a small smile. 

"But I have to go to work," she continued, pursing her lips as she squeezed Mac's hand. "William covered for me until you woke up."

"I understand," Mac nodded, forcing a smile.

"Can we have a moment alone, Maddie?" Noelle asked, glancing at Madison.

Madison nodded. "I'll get Capo in the meantime... she insisted," she whispered to Noelle, though Mac heard it. Capo. There was that word again.

After Madison left, Noelle took both of Mac's hands in hers, looking down at the ground. "I'm so sorry," she began, her voice filled with guilt.

Mac reached out, placing a hand on Noelle's cheek. "No, Noelle, it's not your fault. It wasn't you who kidnapped me, and besides, I chose to come here," she said, her voice gentle.

Noelle held Mac's hand against her cheek, her eyes filled with unshed tears. "You didn't see anything to help us identify them? Any faces or anything they said?" she asked, her voice tinged with desperation.

Mac shook her head, lying. "I don't remember. I think they were masked. I can't remember what they said."

"It's okay. We'll find them," Noelle assured her. The mention of "we" made Mac's heart race. The wolf tattoos she had seen flashed in her mind, confirming her fears. The people she had been surrounded by, including Noelle, were also part of the mafia.

"Noelle," came a voice from the door. Madison was standing there with someone behind her.

"That's my cue to go. I'll be back after work. Try to rest," Noelle said, kissing Mac's forehead before leaving the room.

Mac watched her go, feeling a mix of dread and longing. She couldn't deny her feelings for Noelle, but the reality of the situation was overwhelming. Her thoughts were interrupted by the entrance of a woman dressed in a long black coat, skinny jeans, high heels, and a mask covering the upper half of her face. Mac instinctively pulled the covers closer.

"Hey, Mackenzie," the woman said, pausing as Madison stood beside her. "You're probably wondering who I am. I'm the leader of this house. When I heard Madison had a sister here, I had to meet you."

Mac looked at her with suspicion. She was the only one living at the house wearing a mask that she had seen, and she assumed she was the one that they called Capo. She called herself a leader, so maybe that's what Capo meant? Chills ran down Mac's spine. Mafia leader. The woman's eyes were similar to Madison's and her own. If the other gang was telling the truth... that meant, could this be her mother? Her her was also blonde, like theirs. Mac couldn't figure out why else she'd show interest in her. Mac didn't know much about her mother, and she wanted to keep it that way. She just wanted to get as far away from the villa as she could.

"You're probably in a lot of pain, so we'll let you rest. Just let me know if you need anything," the woman said, her voice softer now. She and Madison left, leaving Mac to her thoughts.

Mac waited a few minutes, before she slowly got out of bed, wincing as pain shot through her thigh. She bit her lip so hard, it nearly bled. She noticed the bandage around it and another on her arm. She wasn't even sure what had happened to her arm. She had to lean on the wall to not fall. She was still dressed in Noelle's t-shirt and shorts, so she grabbed a long gray coat from Noelle's dressing room to cover the bandages and made her way out of the room.

The hallway was empty, and she moved cautiously down the stairs, using the railing for support. Her injuries were far from her biggest concern right now, because she knew that the villa was well protected, even more since it was a mafia villa. The villa was eerily quiet, with broken furniture and bloodstains hinting at the violence that had occurred. She spotted Massimo talking to another man in a gray suit. The fact that he and Marley seemed to be dating, and Marley assuringly was just as clueless as Mac had been on what they did for living. On the other hand, maybe Massimo was Mac's way out of the villa?

"Hey, Massimo," she said, trying to sound casual. His eyes widened at the sight of her, wondering what she did on her feet already, and if she knew things she shouldn't know. 

"Hey, Mac," he said, and gestured for the other guy to leave them and crossed his arms.

"Can't believe what happened here yesterday, what a robbery...," Mac shook her head, glancing around her. Massimo arched a brow, not sure if he was buying that. "Anyways, I was wondering if you, or someone else could give me ride home," she continued.

"Where is Noelle?" he asked, leaning against the railings. 

"She was running late for work, William had covered for her until I woke up, but I have to get home," Mac looked at him with big eyes. Massimo didn't seem like he wanted to argue, so he drove her home.

Back home, Mac paced the living room, her mind racing. Should she tell Marley? Go to the police? The revelation about Noelle and Madison being part of the mafia was too much to handle. She needed more evidence before making any decisions. For now, she had to be cautious and stay one step ahead. She wondered if any of the managers, and especially Noelle, had killed someone.