Phoenix

Chapter 29

Glass doll

Phoenix's POV
Despite the darkness, I could still tell she had a swollen face as she limped over with the help of the driver, to stand behind Emilio. Her eyes didn't meet mine as she looked down ashamed of her state. She wore a random mismatched outfit which looked too baggy on her. She remained mum as the man held her up, an indication she couldn't stand up by her self.

My fists clenched into balls as I dug my fingers so hard into my palm, I felt it split open and warm blood stained my fingertips.
But other than that, I kept my face impassive, as my eyes moved and locked on the grinning mobster before me.

_ "The boy." I moved to the car and forcefully tugged Grayson out, making him fall to the floor. As soon as I opened the door, men filed out of the SUV's and raised their guns, removing the safety off them. I hadn't given my own men the signal to come out yet, so I calmly pulled Sergio off the floor and dragged him towards Emilio. I will never get used to the fact that Grayson's name is actually Sergio.

_ "Splendid, now you can both join me." He grinned, seeing the rat untouched, unlike Essence. She looked up, and with empty eyes glowered at Grayson, who shamefully turned away.

_ "I think not!" My mother climbed out of the car, gun in hand. All of the members' weapons turned and were directed at my mother instead of me now. Emilio squinted as my mother made her way towards us, before his eyes widen in realization.

_ "Florencia?" He mutters in disbelief.

_ "Ciao fratello" she sickly smiles at him, wrapping an arm around Sergio's neck and pressing the firearm to his head.
(Translation: Hello brother)
"Put the guns down now and let the girl go." She warns.

_ "You wouldn't do that to your ne-" he begins but as always, my mother cuts him off.

_ "To my nephew? No I wouldn't. But I'm sure her brother will be more than glad to tear him apart, limb by limb after seeing the state his sister is in." She motions to Essence. Emilio glances to the car, wondering if there was someone else in there that he needed to know of.
"Now I repeat, put the guns down and let the girl go." She hisses.

Slowly but surely, the man holding Essence let's go of her, and she stumbles into my mother's arms as she pushes Grayson over to me and hands me her gun. Essence tumbled to the floor before my mother's feet, and remained there unmoving, despite my mother's attempt to pick her up.
This makes me tighten my grip around my "cousin's" neck, as he let's out a choked noise.

_ "Why did you have to be so childish and involve someone who has nothing to do with our family problems into something as stupid as this." My mother almost yells as she scolded her brother. No reply came from him.
"Why did you have to ruin so many things for all those years?" She asks as if in disbelief.

_ "He took you away from us. From me." Replies Emilio.

_ "No! No he didn't." My mother laughs a breathless hurt laugh. "I ran away Emilio." She snarls.

_ "ma perché?" He takes a step forward and I feel the men around us step out of hiding.
(Translation: but why?)

_ "Because you were suffocating me!" My mother exclaims. "You always bossed me around and controlled my life, I had to sneak out in order to jog in the mornings for god's sake. I wanted nothing to do with that world. Mother never payed any attention to me, she was always busy spending her husband's money or praising you for worthless shit! Never once had she acknowledged me. The only person who had a shred of affection towards me was father. Despite his cold and ruthless title, he loved his daughter, and that little time off he had off work, he would sacrifice it for me. He knew I wanted nothing to do with the cartel and he did nothing about it unlike you! And when he passed there was no use for me anymore in that house. I had lost all my joy and sanity with his passing. But I found that happiness with a stranger I met in the streets of Italy, and he was my only hope at that point. I left by choice Emilio, and if you had listened to me for once instead of forcing your opinions and beliefs on me, then maybe this" she motions around with her hands, "wouldn't of happened." She concludes.