Mafia Heir

Chapter 3

Charlotte

A jack hammer. There had to be a jack hammer pounding into my temple at this very second. There was no other logical explanation for the horrendous aching in my head or ringing in my ears. I shifted slightly and immediately regretted it. The aching didn't stop at just my head; it was radiating through every inch of my body.

How much wine had I had to drink last night? I didn't remember much after the gallery show where I distinctly remember finishing three glasses of wine. I was only twenty-four for crying out loud. Why was this hangover hitting me so hard? The last thing I remembered was taking an obscenely large check from a very mysterious man for one of my paintings. That, and the paralyzingly handsome smile of his boss. The other thing I remembered was that I had promised to call my parents after the show, which I hadn't done, and I would no doubt be catching quite a bit of heat for that today. Exactly what the hangover Doctor did not order.

Technically, Josh was my stepdad, but I never thought of him that way. I almost couldn't even remember a time he wasn't with us. I was about five when Josh moved to the coast, and six when he asked my mom if he could marry her. He gave her the most beautiful diamond ring I had even seen, and he had a tiny, matching one made for me. From that day forward, I never went a single day without knowing how much I was loved.

I had seriously lucked out in the step parent department. Josh treated me like I was his own daughter and I had the best relationship with him I could ever imagine. He was at every ballet recital and gymnastics meet I ever had, checked for monsters under my bed each night, never tired of reading me fairytales, and encouraged my artistic expression when I used crayons to color all over the freshly painted white walls. I couldn't have handpicked a better father, and I was so glad he was mine.

My eyes fluttered open slowly. This was definitely like no hangover I had ever experienced before. My vision was shaky and the faintest shine of light sent searing pain alone the side of my head. My body felt heavy, and it took all of my energy to focus on what I was looking at. When my eyesight finally came into focus, I stared at the ceiling fan spinning monotonously above me. It took a few seconds for me to realize that I wasn't looking at my ceiling fan.

As I sat up, a pit grew in my stomach as realization washed over me. This wasn't my room, this wasn't my house, and I didn't have the slightest idea who it belonged to. And unfortunately, nothing in the room was volunteering any clues. Was this a hotel? It certainly felt like one. There were no personal pictures on the wall or things cluttering the dresser. Everything was pristine and in its place, and if someone actually lived here, they had to be one of the cleanest human beings I'd ever met. Floor to ceiling blinds were drawn over the windows, and it was still dark enough that I couldn't even figure out what time it was. Luckily, it was keeping the sunlight out because I wasn't sure I could handle much more pain as I tried to sort through my confusion and figure out where the hell I was.

There was a giant, luxurious bed in the middle of the room, but it was still neatly made and untouched. Apparently, where ever I was, I had slept on the couch. The room was painted gray and a few pieces of art hung on the walls. Deep mahogany wood covered the floors everywhere except underneath me, where there was a single rectangle of plush white carpet. The rug felt like heaven beneath my toes as I swung my legs over the side and off the couch, but I was immediately punished for moving too quickly by another shooting pain in my head. There was a glass of water on an end table next to me, and I took a large gulp, trying to relieve the soreness in my throat. My entire body felt like I had been hit by a truck, and every inch of me hurt.

What exactly had happened last night?

Having learned my lesson the first time, I stood up slowly, trying to get my bearings. There was a set of double doors at one end of the room, and one of them was jarred open, revealing what looked like a bathroom.