Your Call | Call The Series Book #1

Chapter Thirteen

       His bloodshot eyes staring mine down, a high consuming me the dissonant voices unclear of who they were. My mind revolved around the high I felt. My head tilted back, the smoke clouding the room. I've yearned for a high like this. The jaded eyes and crooked smile placed on me fueled my happiness. "This feels great", I breath out staring at the blacked out ceiling. The man next to me placing his arm underneath my neck.

    "It takes a lot out of you kid just to have a little fire in you. That's why we do this it sparks something new". The voice spoke I nodded, a the age of sixteen I was dabbling in invasive drugs. Stuff that can run me into the ground and frankly I wanted it to. My life wasn't worth much besides a few dollars here and there. I was useful because I was trained to be someone's puppet.

    As long as the coke consumed me and everything around me died down I loved it. The numbing sensation the small feeling I got when I let it take over. Not using drugs had become harder as I had gotten older because that's all I fought for. Drugs to let me live just a bit longer.

    Now I sat in a large leather chair, my body facing towards the crashing waves and dark atmosphere of the room. The ocean only brightening the room. "You've called to speak to me", a voice says I don't reply I continue to stare at the ocean.

   "I don't have time for mind games Mariana". I turned my head looking at the figure. "I don't either Cole" his eyes widen looking at me. "There's a forty five million bounty on you and you dare to show yourself to me?" He questions I nod, "You can go down just as fast as I can if you say anything". I threaten, a coy smile playing at my face. "Your father knows you as Aleah why pose Infront of him?"

    Cole sits next to me my eyes looking into the daylight. "You know me as both, so why should I have to pose?" I continue his eyes meeting mine, "Its been years Mariana, why now?" I chuckle to myself, "I never stopped looking for Mateo, he is mine just as much as he is yours". Cole sighs and I could feel the nerves waver over him.

   A cheap move that I didn't think anyone could pull off including myself. I was treading in steep waters, meeting with someone who could take me down haunted me. But, if I know Cole he wouldn't dare say a word. "I heard you died around a few years back. That spread for a while, your father believed it. I'd never seen a tougher man mourn". My head whips over to him, "he mourned me?"

   Cole looking at me nods, "You were his best subject Mariana. He molded you, even now Angelo can't keep up". I look ahead my eyes focusing towards the waves crashing. "Why would anyone want to give me this information. He can get killed for this". I explain Cole stands up walking towards the large picture window. His hands secured in his pockets.

"He uses the only thing I have as a weapon. I haven't had a family since Mateo was born". My eyes double in size I look at him, "He's threatened to kill Mateo?" I stood up walking next to Cole, his eyes manage to seem unfocused, his lids threatening to close he sniffles his nose scrunching. Cole had never broken down once in all of the years I'd known him. "What is he doing" I pause sighing.

"To our son"

I haven't named Mateo as my son in almost a decade. To everyone he was a Russo family member. Just not under the specified "Mariana's son". He'd get skinned alive if anyone knew who was truly Mateo's mother. Just a few months shy from turning twelve I had my son. The most horrific thing any girl could go through. Now I stood staring out the window. With my son's father, "I haven't been able to figure it out. But, I've met Mateo before".

My eyes widened my heart aching at the thought of the grownup he's already become. "How does he look?" I ask wanting to know anything remotely close of who my son was. "He's you, down to the weird smile. I met him after your supposal passing". Cole clears his throat his hand runs over his clean shaven face. "He didn't cry or make a sound. He was obviously younger but you can pick a face like that out of a crowd. He isn't safe Mariana. Especially since he is your copy." I fixed my posture feeling the hair stand up on my neck.