The Search

Chapter 41.

Jade

There's a pause of deep thinking between my brothers and father. 

"I told you it wasn't safe, don't blame this on us." Alexander exclaims. 

Exasperated I burst out towards all of them, "it was unsafe as soon as you came here! Don't you see? Connect the dots!" I throw my arms up pushing my hands through my hair.  "You guys bring danger wherever the hell you go, My family is more safe without you guys is my life!"

Nikolai steps up beside me and as I'm about to go on Alex steps out of his doorway, tears in his eyes, "she's right."

"Alex." Nikolai warns. Maybe we're acting out, saying things we shouldn't. Things were going so well and yet I can't stop myself because I was beginning to cower away like I did when I was 14.

I can say whatever the hell I want, I am a grown ass woman and right now they are living under my roof.

"No, she's right Dad." Alex surges, "as soon as they came here our lives began falling apart.  None of this would have happened if they had just stayed away."

Alex steps up, right in front of his uncle, "get out." Alexander's jaw clenches.

Papa looks at me pleadingly, he's holding Lexi. "Jade please."

"Give me my daughter." I command reaching forward so he could meet me halfway and give her to me.

"Jade." He whispers, "I just want to be apart of my grandchildren's lives. Don't take it out on us, please."

"Give me my daughter." I say again, a bit more aggressively.

"You ran from us before, now you are taking her away. What do you have against us? We have done everything we can." Luca pleads.

I look at Alexander, "you didn't tell them did you?" I say. By the terrified look on his face I can guess he didn't.  "You guys all complain that I didn't tell you how I was feeling when I was younger, but I did.  I told Alexander."

"What is she talking about Alexander." My Father says in his sickening Mafia voice, it makes my stomach turn.

"Tell them Alexander, because I'm done playing the no good princess who ran away. I had to." I step forward and grabbing a sobbing Lexi from my Fathers arms.

He tries to protest holding onto her but I don't take it, I pull her away and stand back by Nikolai who helps me calm her down a bit.

18 years ago

"Papa." I whine trying to follow them out the door. Although one of our guards holds me back, reminding me I'm not to go outside or that I'm not allowed to go to meetings with them.

"I'll see you later bambina, I love you, goodbye." He closes the door leaving me once again in my huge lonely household.  Alexander is here, yet I still always feel alone.

Maybe now was the perfect time to talk to him about how I've been feeling. I head up to his office, behind the large wooden door is a big space, with a huge desk and shelves upon shelves of books and files.

I'm not allowed in there, or the meeting room unless I have permission or if I am accompanied by someone.  Before I can knock I hear Alexander's voice.

I'm a very curious person.  James says I snoop, but it's mostly because I'm really bored.

He seems to be on the phone, since I can't hear the other persons side of the conversation.  "You can marry my sister, if that is what
you wish."  his voice comes from the other side of the door. 

My heart drops.  He speaks again, "of course, a deal is a deal."

Maybe I've misinterpreted it. 

I finally give the door two firm knocks, "come in." He yells.  I enter and he finishes up the call, placing it down aggressively.

"Did Pop's leave?" He asks signalling me over to sit by him.  I sit in front of his desk.

"Yep." I sigh. "Can I talk to you about something?." I twirl the bracelet on my wrist, one with a tracker.  I've found all of the trackers in everything I own by now.

He waves for me to go ahead, "can I go to school? Like real school?"

He pauses giving me his full attention, "why on the hell would you want to do that?"

I shrug, "I'm lonely in this house and I want to go past the gate and into the actual world."

"No Jade." He picks up his phone again. 

I almost give up.  "Alexander please, why don't you guys ever listen? I feel trapped, I feel like my opinions never matter and I can't take it anymore."

"I said no Jade." He grumbles,  "you are a woman, you stay hidden, you stay safe and you stay quiet.  Yes?"

Tears spring to my eyes, "why do you guys treat me like shit?"

"Language." He snaps standing up and goes around his desk towards me, "you are treated like god damn royalty in this household Jade.  Don't act entitled."

My chin trembles, I don't like when people are mad at me.  Now I think it's because I'm stuck in this household with them and I don't want my only time not going insane to be within a hostile environment. 

I stand and head towards the door, "I heard the call." I stop.  Did I just say that?

"If you are selling me off, I am happy to go." 

He hums leaning back against his desk, "maybe you will see we aren't so bad then.  Go live with this guy and see what the real world is truly like."

With my blurred vision I can no longer see him, I wouldn't want to anyway.

I'm going to run, into the "horrible" real world he describes and when they can't find me it's going to be all his fault.