Mafia's Badgirl

Chapter 2

Rachel's POV

 I arrived in Cambridge 3 weeks ago to complete my education after taking a hiatus from studies until my baby girl was old enough to be left with a babysitter. My heart still clenches at the thought of leaving her every morning, but I'm doing this so I can secure a high-paying job and give her a better future. That brings me solace.  My baby was my whole world. I rushed into my humble home, desperate to see my daughter after a long day of being away from her. My house wasn't humongous but it was adequate for the two of us. It was a 3-bedroom flat that my father had insisted on buying for me. He's so selfless. My conscience weighs on me every time I think about everything I've done to them The walls of all the rooms are painted red and beige. I had already shipped my furniture from the house I lived in with Leo. He is the worst mistake of my life. Thinking of him still sends shivers down my spine. That's a story for another time.

As I reached my baby's cot, I thanked the babysitter and informed her that her job was done for the day. I paid her in cash and she left. My baby girl was fast asleep. Her tiny hands were holding onto her favorite toy. Sofia was the most beautiful baby I'd ever seen when she was born and still is the most precious baby in my eyes. She's now 9 months old. I gave birth to her when I was 21 years old so I'm now 22. I carefully picked her up in my arms, cradling her close to my chest, as I admired my daughter who is in a deep state of slumber. It would have been impossible to bring her up on my own so I'm grateful to my father who sends me money every month despite my horrendous behavior towards him and my mother when she was still alive. It's agonizing to recount the day I found out my mother had passed away. I still haven't gotten over the guilt and it haunts me like a spectre every day and it will continue to for the rest of my life. It's my fault.

I sat down on the chair near my baby's cot, still cradling her in my arms as I recalled today's events. I met the most charming and alluring man I've ever come across. He has the most gorgeous chocolate brown eyes that I couldn't help but get lost in. His muscles were well-defined and I'm confident that he has packs enough to build a bar. His face is flawless. He has a thin jawline, a cute nose, and full lips that I just desperately wanted to taste. He had smooth wavy hair, that I just wanted to run my hands through. I shrugged off the thought as quickly as it came. I can't repeat the same mistake twice. As the saying goes, "Once bitten, twice shy". Leo is the leader of the Italian Mafia and Brandon is a Mafia leader too. They're all the same. I dated a Mafia leader once and look where that got me. I don't regret having Sofia, not even for a second but Leo destroyed my life. He came into my life and took away everyone that I loved. I was so blindly in love that I didn't even realize what he was intending until it was too late.

I also met Brandon's cousin, Melissa, and his best friend Jayden. Melissa was an angel. She welcomed me into their clique with open arms and constantly ensured that I felt included and was enjoying my first day just as much as them. We became fast friends over one day and she even called me her new best friend. Jayden, on the other hand, seems to have a tough exterior, but when you get to know him, he's warm and affable. He's a gentleman, much like Brandon and they offered to buy our lunch for us. Surprisingly, Brandon and I chose the same meal. How am I gonna avoid catching feelings for him when he's unbelievably caring and gentle for someone who's a Mafia leader? Then again, Leo was constantly showering me with affection and was such a gentleman that when he showed his true colors, I refused to discern it.

I was snapped out of a daze when I heard my daughter's ear-ripping cries. It was her feeding time so naturally she would wake up and start crying. This was the norm so I'm well attuned to her needs. As I fed her, I savored this moment. Feeding her was when I felt the most connected and it was like this blanket of warmth enveloped me, making me forget my past and sorrows for some time. My daughter is the best thing to ever happen to me, and I'll protect her with my heart and soul. I am well aware that eventually, my new friends will come around my house so they'll discover that I have a daughter. I just hope they don't probe me to reveal the truth about her. Revealing the truth meant going into the depths of my past which was nothing but a hue of darkness and anguish. I can't let them in yet. Especially not Brandon. I'll just say that it was a story I'm not ready to share yet. Yea, that should work.