The Italian Mafia

Chapter 14

I pulled the sheet off the mattress in one big yank, and it finally came off. My arms were sore from changing sheets. Why couldn't they spread the work out? It wasn't necessary to make us do it all in one day.

"Emma, are you okay? You seem a little off?" Nina asked from across the bed. She was getting the new sheets ready. This was our second to last room, and I was glad we were finally done.

I nodded at her. "Yeah, I'm fine. Just thinking about some things," I said with a smile. I had decided not to tell Nina about my escape. I couldn't risk her.

"What things? Come one, Emma. You nearly had a break down yesterday. Some real existential things were on your mind. Don't you think it would better to talk about it?" I shook my head lightly. She had no idea. It pained me to lie to her, but it was for the best. I had things on them. On Ambrogio. But Nina, Nina could be spared and I definitely didn't want that future for her.

I looked out the window. Just like I had in every room. I needed to find the best place for my escape. There were brick walls around most of the garden, but I had seen a place were the wall stopped. It was just by a wooden shed, and I had chosen it as my way out. If I remembered correctly, we were on the countryside so it would be hard to run out on the road. If I did that, Ambrogio's men could easily catch up with me in their cars. I needed the forest. In the forest I could outsmart and outrun his men. That would be my best option. I had planned for my escape this evening.

"Emma?" I snapped out of my thoughts and looked over at Nina. She had her arms crossed and seemed annoyed.

"I'm sorry, you were saying?" She shook her head with a smile.

"I was just asking if you liked kissing Ambrogio." She raised her brows at me. She was looking at me with a very sheepish grin, and if everything this night hadn't happened, I would've probably laughed.

"Nina," I said with a sigh and looked down. She was being naïve. "Of course not. He's... him? How could I enjoy it? Wouldn't it be wrong?" I asked her. I felt a little desperate and I didn't understand why.

"Why does it sound like you want one specific answer?" she hinted at me. I shook my head with a small laugh. She was being crazy. Of course I didn't like kissing Ambrogio. I mean I couldn't possibly, right? It would be silly and stupid for me to enjoy it. I had seen things. Seen him do things. He hit me.

With my thoughts going down that path, I knew that I certainty did not like kissing him. He was a monster, and just because he brought me some comfort in a really weird way, he wasn't less of a monster. I should not even think about stuff like that. And neither should Nina.

"Nina, please just leave it," I begged her. She found my eyes, and I guessed she could see my desperation in them since she let the subject go.

"Will you bring the dirty sheets here?" I nodded and walked to the cart and threw them in. They landed with a thump.

She grabbed my wrist. "Emma, can I say something?" I looked at her and nodded. Her eyes were serious.

"Yes?"

"Either you're a really good actor or you actually find some reassurance in Ambrogio's company. You seemed eased yesterday. I will leave it at that, okay?" I nodded dumbfounded. This wasn't her teasing me about him. She had actually noticed the thing I was negating myself. Ambrogio did bring me comfort. He was safe. Though he ruined that last night. I no longer felt safe around him. And the small part of me that did was wrong.

As if on cue, Nina turned my head. "Is that a bruise? It looks like a tiny bruise? Did something else happen last night?" I felt my blood drain from my face and my brain. I couldn't tell her. She would do something and my escape would be compromised.