The Mafia's Secret

Chapter 20 ✔️

SCARLETT

        "Where are you taking me?" I asked as he slowly led me outside and to the back of the house. There were two large cellar doors.
        Xavier walked up to the doors, putting his hand on one of the handles. "Only you and Zayn know about this. Not even Darren knows."
        He opened the door. Following him inside, there was a whole other basement suite. It had everything but a kitchen, table and chairs. It was a large open space with a curtained off section to a bedroom. There was a bathroom on the other side. A large sixty inch flat screen TV rested on the wall with a dark red microfiber recliner ten feet away. I would have been amazed at such a space, but what pulled my attention away from that was the dozens of toys and books scattered all around. Before I could question why, a small face appeared from behind the curtain. A small girl slowly walked out. She had shoulder length brown hair, big hazel eyes and rosy cheeks with freckles. She seemed about eight years old yet she looked exactly like her mother. She had her hands behind her back as she stood there, suddenly expressing shyness as she kept her head down.
        "Mindy?" I asked in a small voice, unsure if it were actually true.
        Her face lit up. "You know my name?!" Her high voice squealed in excitement.
        Xavier chuckled. "Mindy, this is Scarlett. Uncle Z's sister."
        "Uncle Z? Is he here?!"
        "Not yet. But he did send his sister here instead. I'm sure she would love to play with you."
        Mindy ran up to me, grabbing my hands. Wincing, it took all the mental capacity not to pull away at the pain in my hand. "Oh, can you?! Please!" She begged.
        "Not right now, Mindy. We have pizza arriving in a few minutes and you know the rules. Now come on. Go run off some energy before I take you upstairs."
        She frowned but it was gone in seconds as she suddenly ran up the stairs. Glancing at Xavier, he was smirking. He gestured for me to walk up the stairs before putting his hands in his front pockets. Slowly going up the stairs, I watched as Mindy ran around, chasing a butterfly around the house.
        "I really can't trust anyone anymore. Zayn said you hid her to control Darren. I have a feeling that isn't true."
        "It is." He sighed, grabbing my arm as he stopped walking. "That part is true. Only Zayn doesn't know why and it needs to stay that way."
        "I don't understand. Why can't he know?"
        He hesitated, clearly not wanting to say anything. "Darren works for your father, Scar. I found out the day I kicked them out of town so I took Mindy to keep her safe. I would never kill an innocent child and Darren made it clear your father was capable of doing such a heartless thing. Darren can't know where Mindy is because your father is looking for her, not just you and your brother. Darren killed his sister and wife because your father wanted him to. Not because I demanded him to. If Darren finds Mindy, he'll take her to your father and then that poor kid will be a victim just so your father can get to you. You can believe me or not, that's up to you. But I won't risk Mindy getting killed because you don't trust a word I say. Not even Zayn knows the truth and yet you believe him with what he thinks he knows."
        "Darren wants to give Zayn and I to our father so he and Mindy are free." I guessed.
        Xavier nodded. "Why do you think I didn't bring you back to the gang house? Darren is getting desperate according to Caleb. That place is corrupt now. Not even I can go back without Darren going off the rails."
        I had more I was about to ask but before I could, a car pulled into the driveway. I expected Xavier to pull a gun out of nowhere but instead, he started walking towards it after it parked in front of the house. Mindy ran over to it, jumping up and down in excitement as the stranger got out of the rust bucket of a car. There was a passenger as well, getting out at the same time. Both men I recognized almost instantly. Caleb and Zayn.
        Caleb was frowning as he got out. It was only then that I noticed the blood covering his shirt. Only it was hard to see with the three boxes of pizza he was holding and the only mark on him I was able to see was the black eye and bruised cheek. Zayn didn't seem to have any marks as he stepped out of the drivers side.  Mindy ran up to him, where he quickly swooped her up in his arms. Zayn offered a slight smile as he put her down, using one arm to grab the pizza from Caleb and the other to hold Mindy's hand before walking up to the house.
        Caleb walked over, stopping in front of Xavier and I. He waited for Mindy and Zayn to go into the house before he opened his mouth.
        "Jake didn't make it, man. Darren fucking killed him when he saw what we were doing." Caleb said angrily, shaking his head in frustration. "He was just a fucking kid."
        Xavier clenched his fists like he was ready to punch something. "Damn it!"
        "I warned you what would happen if you brought Jake into all this." I whispered.
        Despite his promise of never laying a finger on me again, he gave me a warning glance. He was back. That tempered man that had made my life hell for days, was back. And he was angry. It left me confused since I had thought he didn't care about his members and only about the power of having more than other gangs. Being wrong, I was curious to know why he was so  hard on everyone if he truly cared about people. I was going to get my answers from him whether he liked it or not.
        Caleb cleared his throat, pulling me away from my train of thought. It was only then that I noticed Xavier had started walking  towards the door. Lancing at Caleb, he had a look of curiosity mixed with concern as he looked down at me.
        "You okay?"
        "I'm fine, Caleb!" I unintentionally snapped as he took a step towards me.
        He furrowed his brows, crossing his arms as if he didn't believe me. "Zayn told me what your father and Nathaniel did to you. I'm sorry. I should have stopped you."
        "Oh, I don't need your pity. I made my choice and now this is where we are. If I wasn't so stupid to fall into that trap, none of this would have happened. I'm the reason Jake is dead." I paused, taking a breath as I felt my emotions and memories begin to surface. "I honestly should just go back into his arms so no one else gets killed."
        Thwack! Caleb's hand came flying across my face. The force was hard but not enough to knock me to the ground. Tears welled in my eyes as I stood there in shock, holding my stinging cheek. A flash of anger crossed Caleb's face but it was quickly replaced with concern as stepped forward. He tried to grab my wrist but I quickly backed away, in too much shock that he had hit me.
        "Shit, I'm sorry, Scar. I didn't mean to."
        "You didn't mean to?" I challenged, wanting to hit him back.
        "I love you, Scar. I didn't mean to hurt you. I swear!"
        "What the fuck is wrong with you Caleb?! You're acting so fucking strange!" I screamed at him, rushing into the cabin, in too much shock to care about the pain.
        I didn't care about the eyes on  me as I came into the cabin. I paused, looking at the three from the entranceway. Both men were staring at me with shock, confusion and anger in their eyes. I wasted no time to explain before rushing up the stairs, ignoring Zayn's voice as he called for me. I could hear Caleb getting yelled at by Xavier before I slammed the door. Their voices echoed in the distance. I could hear footsteps coming up  the stairs but whoever it was, went into the other room, closing the door.  I could only assume it was Mindy since the boys were yelling and it would be obvious that Zayn didn't want her to hear because she was just an innocent child.
        As the pain in my cheek subsided, I couldn't help but think about what Caleb had said. He loved me? I wasn't aware anyone from a gang could actually love since most were concerned with money and staying out of jail. I had to rethink everything now since love was a concept I never fully understood. It was hard since my parents were always strung out and abusive while I was under their roof.
        And now I was faced with choosing. Choosing someone who would protect me and me or someone who had actually admitted to loving me. Despite the slap, him admitting that he loved me had made my heart skip a beat. But I had already made up my mind. If anyone wanted me, they had to fight for me. And one already had.
        I made my choice.