Chosen

Chapter 2

Two Years and Nine Months Later

Chapter 2:

Alexis Radley took a look outside one of the many windows aligning the walls of her bedroom. Her eyes easily finding the three black SUVs that were parked just across the street from her family's home.

"They think just because they move around everyday that I won't notice that they're still there. Seriously, what danger could I possibly be in in my own bedroom? The windows are bulletproof for God's sake!" she exclaimed down the phone.

"The boy clearly cares for you Lex." her best friend Meredith Shull replied to her from the other end.

Meredith was one of Alexis' only friends who didn't come from a family that was involved in the dangerous world Alexis lived in. And to be honest, the only reason she was allowed to be her friend or spend time with her was because Meredith's father was a respected pastor. Otherwise, her family didn't want her spending time with kids that they didn't know the parents of. Which pretty much excluded anybody who wasn't a part of the Chicago Mafia community.

However, in spite of her father being a pastor, Alexis was always able to confide in Meredith. By now, Meredith knew the ins and outs of the world Alexis was accustomed to, which was extremely rare for an outsider.

Alexis rolled her eyes dramatically before closing the curtains along the back wall of her room. Those windows that had once allowed light and warmth into her room as a child, now made her feel watched and exposed to the world.

"He doesn't care for me. He's just possessive like the rest of them. I'm a prize for him to show off to the world one day." Alexis snapped back.

Usually Alexis wasn't in such a sour mood. She was known to be a loving and caring friend, daughter, and sister. But the surprise return of her two older brothers put her on edge.

Alexis was a clever girl. But her brother's were cleverer. Even though she may have been able to sneak away from her ever present mob of security, it was a totally different story with her brothers around.

They were two additional people she would have to get around in her last week of freedom, and what was worst is that they knew her sneaky ways best of all.

Alexis had returned home with her mother earlier that afternoon and had found herself swallowed up into large overbearing hugs from both her brothers.

To her utter surprise, they had come home sooner than Alexis had expected.

She knew they would definitely come home for her eighteenth birthday, but not exactly a week early.

And with the sudden realization that she might not be able to make it to the party this evening, she did her best to greet them happily before excusing herself to take a bath.

However, the moment Alexis had entered her bedroom and began to undress, her eyes snapped towards the window to only be reminded that even in private moments, they were watching. They would always be watching.

And this is what led her to calling her best friend in hopes of letting off some steam.

"But in all honesty Lex, they're not allowed to watch you while you undress. I'm sure Sonny has specified that as well." Meredith sighed.

Sonny. The code name for Alexis' future husband.

Yes. Husband.

It was a strange concept to most who had never heard of it, but to Alexis, it was a way of life. Her way of life.

It was inevitable that a man from the Chicago Mafia Community would want to claim her. Daughters of the CMC were often fewer in number than men. And therefore, daughters were always chosen. And if it wasn't by a man in the CMC then it was a man in a neighboring community a few states away.