Chapter one

~Sofia~

 

"Sofia, can you bring this to table twenty-two?" Another waitress, Kendall, asks me. I'm quite thankful that we don't use name tags, so that I don't have to lie about my name. I guess in this part of town, you don't want anyone to know your name. I nod, not showing how I really feel. I've been here since we opened at 8 o'clock in the morning, and I'll be here for another hour until closing at 10 o'clock P.M. It's the fifth day now that I've been the one to open and close. 

"Here you go. Can I get you guys anything else?" I ask kindly, but very quietly since they are all men. 

"I wouldn't mind you." One of them cat calls, and I immediately feel bile rise in my throat. I nod as a way of saying goodbye and quickly leave. It's bad enough I have to live with someone like that but I have to work around them too? Whatever, it gets me out of the house. 

"Sof, table thirty." Polly, the night shift manager tells me. With a sigh I walk over to the back corner. 

Once again, it's a table full of men. Just my luck. "Hi there. I'll be your waitress tonight, so can I start you off with anything to drink?" I recite the greeting I know by heart, getting out my white note pad.There is about six people at this table, so hopefully it's not too bad, but the majority of groups that come into a small diner like this is just two or four people. And normally they at least have one female. 

"Do you have anything stronger than soda?" One of them asks, sounding stressed. I brush my hair behind my ear while I shake my head. "Damn. Then Pepsi please." The same blonde says. I write it down and quickly glance at the red head next to him, basically telling him it's his turn. 

"Same for me." He says with a smile. 

A bald man, with tattoos covering his neck and part of his face is next. I must say, he's very intimidating, especially being so strong. "Hmm... Herbal Tea please." I bite my lip to stifle my laughter while I write. For a man this tough and scary, I wouldn't expect tea. 

"I'll take Cherry Pepsi." Another blonde, looking a few years younger than the rest, next to baldy asks. 

A man with dusty brown hair speaks next. "Me too." With a slight nod, I look at the man on the other end of the circular booth. And man, is he gorgeous. His short black hair is disheveled, as if he had run his hands through it a few too many times, but it still looks really good. He has stone cold, gray eyes (which I found out when he was looking at the menu, not me). He has a very defined jaw line, and a refined nose, with pink lips, matching his tan skin. 

"Umm..." His deep voice breaks me from my semi-trace. "I'll just take a mocha. Sorry for the wait." I nod, not knowing how to respond, and leave to get their drinks. I quickly pour the two Pepsi's and two cherry Pepsi's, and then brew the tea while I mix the coffee and cocoa. Once it's all ready, I put it on the tray, bringing it over to them. 

"-no we can't do that boss!" The first blonde exclaims to the black haired man, throwing his hands up, hitting the tray, making it spill all over me. The hot coffee and tea are mostly what I'm concerned about, but I know the pepsi's soaking my shirt, making it semi see through. Luckily, none of the cups broke. "Shit. I'm so sorry." He gasps. I take a deep breath, and squeeze my eyes shut for a moment. It's a tactic I learned years ago to stop my anger, since I'm too shy to actually have an outburst like I want to. 

"It's alright. I'll go get you some new drinks." I give them a small smile, and rush to the back. I peel off my wet clothes, and put on one of my extras that I keep here. I rush around getting their drinks again, and this time make sure my steps are a bit louder, do they'll know I'm coming. I give the first so their drinks, then reach over to give baldy his tea. "Pardon my reach." I say quietly. "Careful it's hot." I warn, again quietly. I go to grab the other cold drinks, when I realize that in the process of getting drinks spilt on me, the foundation on my arm began washing off. I yank me sleeve down slyly, something I've gotten good at over the last six years. I give them their drinks and go to put the mocha down when the receiver of it looks me directly in the eyes, making me look away. 

"What's wrong with your arm?" He asks.

"Are you ready to order?" I ask, ignoring his question. They all order, and the man makes sure to give me a look. I ignore that too, and give the kitchen their order. I move around from table to table, taking orders and ordering food, until I get back to the table of six with their food. "Western omelette." I set in front of the red head. "Vegetarian omelette." I put in front of baldy. He continues to surprise me. "Mushroom breakfast burrito." I give the brown haired one. "Meat lovers." I put, another omelette in front of the second blonde. They must love breakfast. "Buttered noodles." I in front of blondie. "I'll go grab your burger." I say already turning to avoid eye contact. Once I grab his burger I place it in front of him, standing as far away as I can without looking stupid. "Anything else?" They shake their heads and I go back to the kitchen area. 

"Sofia. You'll close again?" My manager asks. I nod slowly exahausted from all the fourteen hour shifts lately. Not even five minutes later, the men in the corner are the only ones there. I guess it makes sense since there is only fifteen minutes until closing. 

"Do you need any to-go boxes?" I ask once I reach the table. I'm sent to get two, and when I come back, boss man hands me a card before I even get the receipt. Okay then. Once they pay I give him his card and leave again. When I come back to clean up, I found a written on napkin.

I don't appreciate being ignored, Cupcake ;)

Well, I can officially say I've been called cupcake now...

Underneath the napkin, is a copy of the receipt and $1,000 dollars cash.

Chapter two

 ~Sofia~

 

See, that's just the beginning of my story. Once all the workers had left, I locked the door and put the Closed sign up. Once I'm back at the little counter in front of the kitchen, I begin counting my tips, getting a total of $1,435 dollars. Lately my tips are around 400-500 dollars, since I work all day instead of a normal shift. But today, since the thousand, I got over that. That's insane! I was unprofessional, I ignored him, I spilt their drinks, and yet they still gave me an amazing tip. What kind of job do they have? I think scoffing. Rich people always throw their money around like garbage. I yawn and when I look at the clock and see its 10:26 P.M. already, I decide it's time to head 'home'.

"Where have you been??" Antonio asks as soon as I step foot past the threshold.

"Work." I say quietly, looking at my feet after I shut the door. 

"Next time tell me!" He brings his hand out, and backhands me, making me slightly stumble. He goes on to slam my head into the wall, making me see dots while I fall to the ground, and once I'm down, he kicks me in the stomach repeatedly. He finally gives up, slamming the front door as he storms out, most likely to the bar. I get up, walking to my room- well, our room but Tony normally doesn't even make it past the living room before he passes out, so it's basically my room and his clothing storage. I change into a long sleeve shirt, making sure its baggy, and long pants, also baggy. No one should have to go through the torture of seeing my body. I wash my face, the ridiculous amount of foundation I have to wear to cover the bruises, given to me by my 'boyfriend.' 

See, years ago, six to be exact, my parents gave me away, to Antonio. He runs a gang, and a big part of his gang is drugs, which my lovely parents got hooked on. Eventually, he wouldn't give them anymore heroin because they weren't paying up, so when he came to get it one way or another, he saw me, a little sixteen year old, afraid for my life, and took me instead. My parents had no arguements giving me up, it not like they raised me anyways. I had to lie about my age and get a job at the age of ten, because my parents wouldn't provide for me. From the start he was abusive, controlling, an ass. But there is no talking back to 'his majesty.' I learned that the hard way. Luckily though, I got to finish high school and then went straight to my waitressing job.

He claims that he is just trying to make me the best person I can be, because he loves me, but I know better. Love isn't real. I mean, my parents constantly fought, high or not. Antonio says he loves me, but is constantly hurting me, mentally and physically. If love was real, then maybe life wouldn't suck so much, but it doesn't. It just makes us believe that someone cares about us beyond all rationality, when in reality they don't even care. All the couples you see on the street, so deeply in love, it's all fake. A scam. 

With a finally look in the mirror, I sigh and head to bed, so that I can get at least five and a half hours of sleep before I have to get up at 5:30 A.M. Yes, it's already midnight, and I have to go in early tomorrow for a team meeting. It takes me about half an hour to get to the diner, and I want half an hour to get ready, so that leaves me with having to get up at 5:30. Yippy.

My alarm goes off, and I immediately shut it off. I can't stand the noise. Getting up out of bed, I grab my uniform and undergarments, and then hop in the steaming hot shower. I dry off and get dressed, and then have to cover all the marks on my arms and face. When I'm satisfied with it, I put my strawberry blonde hair up into a tight bun on top of my head, despite being very painful since Antonio grabbed it so hard yesterday to slam my head into the wall. When I'm finally done, I go down the curved stairs to the main entry way. When I reach the bottom. I have to step over a passed out man and walk out the door, making sure I have my wallet since that's the only thing I'm aloud to have besides my keys. 

I make it to work by 6:30, since the meeting is at seven. Once I put my stuff in the back, I but on my servers apron on, and wait for the others, stifling a yawn the entire meeting. When 8 o'clock hits, some of our regulars come through the doors. The day goes by slowly, going from table to table, of mostly older people since they are retired and don't have plans in the middle of the day. By the time four o'clock rolls around, the place is bustling. I have to say, this is my least favorite part of the day, because their are so many people. Antonio has made me afraid of men, and women normally judge me, but I still prefer them to men. By the time nine rolls around, I'm exhausted and just want to sleep. 

"Sofia. Table thirty." Someone says as he passes me. Ugh. Since that is a circular booth, it always has large groups. It's the largest spot we have, seating up to 10 people. With a sigh I walk over and gulp when I see four out of the six men from yesterday, with four others across from them. 

Chapter three

 ~Sofia~

 

"Well hello." One of the new guys says. 

Feeling more intimidated than yesterday, I say almost unaudibly, "Hello, I'll be helping you today. Can I start you off with anything to drink?" The four new people just ask for cups and I sigh again. "I'm sorry, but alchohol is not allowed on the premises." I tell them, knowing why they asked for cups. 

"Dammit Adrian, bringing us to an booze free zone?" The one closest to me, on the edge, asks the blacked haired man from yesterday. I unconsciously move closer to the more familiar side, getting the same feeling from the ones I haven't seen before, as I get from Antonio. 

The man- Adrian apparently, shrugs. "The food is good." 

"Fine. We'll just take some mountain dew." The first guy sighs heavily, making sure to show his disappointment. 

"For all of you?" I ask quietly, but my tense body makes my voice hard. 

"Yes stupid bimbo. That is what I meant by 'we'!" He spits out sharply. I close my eyes and take a deep breath before I turn to the familiar faces with them open. Baldy, the younger blonde, and the brown haired one accompany Adrian.

"Joseph that's no way to talk to a lady." Baldy tsks.

"I wouldn't have to if she'd use her brain." Joseph scoffs. 

"What can I get you, gentlemen?" I ask the four politely.

"Same as yesterday." They all say and I nod. Normally I probably wouldn't remember something as small as that, but this is a pretty unforgettable group. I get the tea and mocha, and then move onto the six sodas. When I get there, I place the drinks in front of them, getting thanks from blondie, baldy, and two of the new people. 

"Are you ready to order?" I ask, keeping my eyes downcast. They all order, and I go to my other tables. When their food is ready, I bring it out to them, and when I'm about to ask if they need anything else, I hear the bell above the door ring, followed by a familiar voice, making me stiffen. 

"Helloooooooooooooooo theeeere prettyyyy." Antonio slurs, over and over again to all the female waitresses, until he gets to me. He scoffs behind me, but I keep my eyes focused on my feet. "Yooooou're uuuuuuglyyyyyyyy." He chuckles at himself, and I've never been more thankful for Polly.

"I'm sorry sir, but you're obviously drunk, and I'm going to have to ask you toleave." She tells him. 

"No. I want tooooooo tell this bitchhhhh how ugly she is." He sighs. 

"Antonio, I'd suggest you leave unless you want some real problems." Adrian raises to his feet, towering over my 5'6 figure, with his 6'3 body. How would he know his- boss. The blonde called him boss yesterday, so he's probably in some sort of gang. 

"I'm not scared of you." Antonio states, puffing his chest out. He's taller than me, but still about a head shorter than Adrian. Adrian fakes lunging towards him, and he screams and runs out, causing everyone to look over at us. I feel my throat start to close and take deep breaths to stop stop from having a panic attack. I hear the bell again, and that's when I allow myself to open my eyes, and find concerned gray eyes looking back at me. 

"Are you alright?" He asks, putting his hands on both of my arms. 

I jump back, sort of putting my hands up. "I'm fine. Thanks for your help. Now, is there anything else I can get y'all?" The other seven men look angry after seeing Antonio, making me believe that the other guys are also in a gang, but a different one than Adrian and his people, given the way they interact, but they shake their heads. I guess now they have one thing to get along over.

"Miss?" A gravely voice calls out behind me as I go to leave. I turn to see baldy looking directly at me. I look away, and realize that I should probably stop calling him baldy... "Do you know him?" I hesitate, wondering if I should tell the truth or not, but I end up shaking my head. If they are both at odds with him, then I they knew I was 'with' him, I'd be a target. Not that that would be a bad thing...

Stop it Sof. You're better than that now. I tell myself. He nods, and they all go into a hushed conversation. I take that as my que to leave.

"Hey Sofia, are you able to close tonight?"

"No, sorry Polly. I have to work tonight." I have a part time job on Saturday and Sunday nights at a club. I'm a bartender there. I know, I have two of the worst jobs ever for being so shy, and hating my body. Whatever though. 

"It's alright." She says, and walks away. I go back from table to table, taking orders, bringing orders out, and checking if they need anything. When I get to table thirty, I sigh. 

"I'm sorry for the issues I've cause you all tonight. I'm sure you're unsatisfied, so your meals are on the house." I tell them, looking at my feet. I mean, I'll be paying, but after my recent pay checks, I have quite a bit added to my savings. I made it so that maybe, some day, I can get away from Antonio. 

"No, no, it's no problem. We'll pay." One of the unfamiliar people tells me.

I nod. "Can I get you anything else?"

"I would be okay with yo-" 

"Jose, now is not the time!" Brownie (That's the brown haired one's name for now), Blondie, Baldy, and Adrian bark out at what looks like Joseph's right hand man.

"It's fine. Really. All of us ge that once in awhile." I shrug, looking down at my feet embarrassed. I wasn't lying, getting hit on happens all the time around here, just some of us deserve it more than others. I'm one of the ones that don't deserve it. "I'll go grab the check." I tell them. While I'm getting it, I slip the sixty-four dollars into the register, and print the receipt as nothing. Sliding it into the black folder, I bring it over to them, placing it in the middle. "Alright, someone else will take it from here, I have to go. I'm sorry for any inconvenience." 

My words make Adrian's hand shoot back to the back pocket of dress pants. Everyone else quickly digs out their wallets, and grabs two, hundred dollars Bill's each, handing them to me. "Here the tip since you have to leave." Baldy says.

"No, no. Please keep it." I try handing the cash back, but they won't take it. 

"Please?" Blondie asks, giving me puppy dog eyes, from what I could tell from my quick glance. With a sigh, I put it in my apron, and say goodbye. 

Now time for work.

Chapter four

 ~Sofia~

 

I get out of there as fast as I can, before they see that they don't have to pay anything, but as I walk out the main doors after grabbing my stuff, I see Adrian glance at me with a smirk on his face. I look away and rush to my car, and then head to the club I bartend at. I rush to the bathroom in the employee room, and change into the much more revealing uniform, courtesy of my asshole of a boss, Dan. It's a button up three sizes too small so that you can't button it all the way, that way you can see your cleavage. Then it's either a too small skirt, or pants. All black bottoms, and either white or black shirt. I choose pants and white shirt for tonight. I get out to the bar, and immediately start rushing around, making drinks left and right. 

"Emily, can you go bring these to the booth in the back?" One of my co-workers asks me, using my fake name. Since we have to use name tags here, I couldn't risk my name getting out. I nod, grabbing the platter of different drinks, and bring it to the back booth. My eyes widen when I see the group I just left, this time joined with four new people. It seems as though the rivals from before, are now a 'team', leaving the brand new four out. 

"Um..." I break through their conversation awkwardly. 

"Fancy meeting you here." Baldy says when he glances up at me. 

"Who's who?" I ask, too quietly for a club, so it's a shock when Adrian hears me. 

"I got jack and coke." He states. I look around on the tray of colors, and don't see that. 

"I'll get that in a second, I'm sorry." I apologize. He shrugs, and they go around in the circle of twelve, all of them getting their drinks, but Blondie and Adrian. I go back to the bar, and make Adrian's drink, and then just Sprite for the little dude. He looks underage. I give Blondie his soda, and go to give Adrian his, but I feel a hand come down on my ass, jolting my forward, not only falling into his lap, but spilling his drink all over him. "Oh my- Oh my God I'm so sorry." I glance behind us, since he is sitting against the wall of the again, circular booth, this one just larger than at the diner, and see Dan walking away. Oh what I would do to beat-

"It's fine. This is just a ten-thousand dollar suit." He gets out between gritted teeth. 

"I'm so sorry, I'll go get you something to wipe it off with, I'm really sorry-"

"It's fine. It's not your fault. What ass wipe did that to you?" He asks, angrily. I go to scramble off his lap, but he holds me down. 

"Please let go." I whisper. 

"Just tell me who did it... Emily." He glances down at my name tag. 

At this point I don't really care if I get fired, I just need off this man's lap. "My boss, Dan. He's not the owner but he's a manager here." He releases my hips, and I get off his lap as fast as possible. "I'm so, so, sorry. I'll go get a rag or something."

"No, no, it's fine. I'll just send it to the dry cleaner." He says, making me stop turning to go away. He takes off his soaked jacket. "A new drink might be nice though." He suggests. I go to the bar with a nod, and once his drink is done I set his new drink down.

"You must really like doing laundry." Brownie laughs. I blush and look down. I know I shouldn't, but in my mind, he's judging me and laughing at how stupid I am. Well, given the look on his face, he is. He seems to hate me. When the others aren't looking, he always glaring at me. 

"I'll pay for your drin-" I begin.

"I believe I already owe you money." Adrian butts in. 

"No, no. It's done, and it's happened." I walk away before anyone can say anything else. This is a 24 hour bar, so I work until seven A.M. and then I go straight to the diner again. Dan was out of a job before two A.M.

I go through the whole groggy and disoriented. I'm not used to working back to back. I normally have at least three hours of sleep. Lucky me, I get to go straight to the club again tonight. By the time my shift is done at the diner, I'm glad to have not seen anyone from the nights before. I slam an energy drink before I begin working, and not even an hour later, its worn off and all I feel is nauseated. 

"Woah there, you gonna stop pouring?" Some girl asks all bitchy. 

"Sorry." I snap out of my exhausted daze, and hang her the full drink. I hear a chuckle down the bar and my gaze lefts that way. "Wow. Alone?" I mutter under my breath. 

Apparently Adrian heard it. "I know, I never thought I'd see the day." He sighs with a low laugh. "Can I get some scotch? Neat." He asks. I nod and grab the bottle, pouring it into a bucket glass, and handing it to him. He looks at it weirdly, and I follow his gaze. 

"Ah shit." I sigh, grabbing my forehead, while I shake my head. I accidentally gave him a straight shot of Devil Springs Vodka. "I'm so sorry. It's been a while since I have slept." I admit. 

He looks at me strangely. "When was the last time you get any rest?"

"Um..." I try to do the seemingly easy math in my head but it takes me a few moments. "Forty-one hours?" It comes out as more of a question than a statement. 

"Stop working. Let's go." He practically demands. 

I freeze the hand that was currently scrubbing the bar to give me something to focus on instead of him. "I'm sorry?" I scanned over his features for any sign of him mocking me. 

"I own this place, and I'm telling you Emily, let's go." He tells me sharply.

I don't know if it was the energy drink, the news, or me being sleep deprived but before either of us can say anything else, I run to the employee restrooms, just in time to release the vomit building up in my throat.

Chapter five

~Sofia~ 

 

I feel him behind me, as Ieave my guts in the toilet. He pulls my hair back, and as soon as I can, I jump away. Leaning against the stall walls, I wipe my mouth and glance at his face which is currently holding a worried expression. "Come on. You can't work like this." He tells me, holding out his hand for me, which I choose to ignore. "You need to go home." He brushes off the fact that I ignored him. 

"I..." I almost say I can't, but I decide against it. I just nod and walk past him, making sure to keep my eyes glued to the ground. If he's everywhere I go, I don't know how much longer I can work either of these places. Men like him terrify me. And it's all Antonio's fault. 

"Where the fuck have you been?" He growls as soon as I walk in. 

"Work. I'm sorry. My phone died." I admit quietly. He scoffs and grabs my arm. My breath catches in fear and I feel my entire body tense. 

"Calm down." He rolls his eyes and proceeds to drag me down the hall. To his office? Men in his gang line the walls, making me wring my shirt between my hands. "Alright, now that we're here, you're going to help me."

"What?" I exclaim in shock, but one look from him makes me lower my head again. "I mean, what with?" 

"That's better. You'll be sneaking into one of my enemy's gangs. Well technically he's part of the Mafia but whatever. You have to be strategic, and smart about every little move you make. He's intelligent, and doesn't let much past him. You'll be going in under a fake name, of your choice, and you'll be getting information for me. Here is a burner phone, that you only use privately, and to talk to me. We'll discuss the rest later. Now rest up, you'll be going tomorrow." I nod and stand up, after he dismisses me with a wave of his hand. Suddenly he stands up and is in front of me in a flash, gripping my chin fiercely. "Oh, and I swear to God, if you tell anyone about this, especially anyone in the Garcia family, I will gut you like a fish. Got it?" I nod as my only form of reply. "Good."

I'm dismissed again, and this time I'm actually allowed my much needed rest. This should be interesting. I've never had to help him before, and I'm not excited to start now. I guess I'll have to quit my jobs too. Well, I worry about that later. For now? Sleep.

 

•••

 

I'm shaken awake at precisely 6:00 in the morning. Antonio makes me over the plan over and over again, and soon enough it's already 2:30. Well all this shit starts. He shoves me into a black car and drives until he's about half a mile away from the large house. "Alright, just for good measure..." He brings his hands up and slaps me so that there is a red mark on my face, then grips my arm exteamely hard. When he's done he drags his nails from my forearm to the tip of my hand. Safe measures my ass. I inwardly roll my eyes. "Now, remember. Act. Act, act, act! Got it?" I nod and he shoves me out of the car. "Run." He smiles wickedly. I was still yet to know who 'he' is, but I guess I'll find out soon. 

This is a risky move for a gang like Antonio's. Sneaking people into a mafia leader's house to get information? This could be deadly, and I have a feeling I'll be in the middle of it all.

I run for about four and a half minutes before the house comes into view. Damn this place is more like a mansion. The front gates are open at the moment, so I run straight through them, frantically knocking on the wooden door when I reach it. It opens as I'm looking around, making me seem scared. Which really, I am. "Please help me! My boyfriend is going to get here soon. Please, please I don't have any other choice!" I beg breathlessly. 

"Hey, hey, come in." My eyes widen and my head snaps towards the man in front of me. 

"Adrian?" I ask quietly. He nods, and opens the door wide enough for me to enter. I glance over my should one last time before he shuts the door. "I'm sorry.  I had no idea this was yours..." Technically, that's not a lie...

"It's fine Emily. Are you okay?" He asks, examining my face, making my breathing become erratic. It's bad enough being in the same room as males and having to talk to him, but being this close and touching is torture. 

"Fine." I step away from him and wrap my arms around my body. 

"Why were you running?" He asks tonelessly. Damn. Hot and cold much?

"My boyfriend. Well, ex. He's crazy. Abusive. I had to get away, so I ran. He was chasing me. I went to the first house I could find." I explain. 

"Why were you all the way out here?" 

Shit. Antonio didn't tell me he would ask this. "He told me that he had sobered up. He was a drunk when we were together, and he asked if he could pick me up. I agreed, giving him the benefit of the doubt. But, he brought me out here and started getting violent again. I tried getting out, but he grabbed my arm." I glance down at where Antonio's nail marks were currently bleeding in spots. I look even further to the once that grace my wrist and smile. I forgot the rush seeing that gave me... "I got away though." I tell him, going back to being serious. I cast a quick look up to him, and he's running his hand through his previously perfect styled hair. "I-I can leave if you want me to. I just had to get away. I'm sorry for bothering yo- One second." I get cut off by my phone ringing at the perfect time. The Caller ID comes up as Management, just like he said it would. "Hello?"

"Is this Emily from 608?" I recognize the voice as one of Antonio's maids, and feel horrible that she got wrapped up in this too.

"This is."

"Well, a man broke into your apartment. Stole all of your belongings and left before we could say anything. We thought he was just visiting you but then he left and we could stop him. I'm so sorry we'll-"

"Look Maria, it's alright. I'll just... Fine somewhere else to stay I guess. But I would appreciate if you'd allow me to return my keys?" I ask, going along with the stupid story. God I hate this. Why couldn't have he just felt me be?

"You'll be moving out? Oh... Yes, yes of course. Come in anytime and do it. I'll see you soon. Bye dear." 

"Bye..." She was one of the few people I got along with in that God forsaken house, and I'll actually miss her. Her name is actually Maria, but I doubt Adrian would know all of Antonio's staff.

"Wow. You... I guess you can stay here for the time being." Adrian sighs. 

"Um, thank you." I reply, much quieter than when I was on the phone with the woman who became the closest thing I'd ever had to a real family member. 

"Come on. I'll show you where you'll be staying."

Chapter six

 ~Sofia~

 

I got to the guest room he told me I'd be staying in, when he sits down on the queen sized bed and stares at me as I stand awkwardly in the middle of the room, unsure of what I can do without him thinking I'm weird. "So did he do that to your arm? Before." He suddenly asks. I simply nod in response, not noticing the flaw in my story until he said it. "If he sobered up, it would have taken more than three or four days, correct?" My breath catches in my throat, and I stall with a cough. 

"Oh, I uh, I thought you meant this." I motion to the scratches on my arm as I stumble through my bullshit explaination. "I... Don't date the right people." I conclude awkwardly. The feeling of his eyes still on me, studying me, makes my heart race, and not really in a good way. He nods and stands up, exiting the room. I peek out into the hallway, and when I see no one, I shut the door. For safe measure though, I continue into the bathroom, turning on the fan. Holy shit. Not only is the bedroom amazing, but the bathroom is too. There is a shower, separate from the jacuzzi tub, and the vanity has two sinks in the middle of the slab of black marble. I lean down and grab the burner phone from my Converse shoe, and flip it open, calling Antonio. "I'm in." 

"Good job. Honestly, I didn't think you had it in you. Call me with any important information, and remember, I'll know if you say anything out of line. I have eyes on you all the time in the place, you hear me?" I say yes and hand up, as I hear a faint knock on the bedroom door. I quickly hide the phone and rush out to the door. 

"Hi. Emily right?" A girl a bit younger than me stands on the other side of the doorway when I open the oak door. I nod, and she holds out her hand. "Nice to meet you. I'm Riley. Riley Garcia." I take her hand, and once I pull out of her strong grip, I step aside to invite her in. She seems nice enough. "Adrian told me you'd be staying here, and that you need to go shopping." 

"Uh yeah." Unknown to Antonio, I actually brought all the money I've saved up over the past four years, so I'll have some to shop with. God, it's been six years since I last went, and I couldn't wait. 

"Okay, we'll go now if that's alright with you?" She smiles, and it's like the entire room lights up. It's not just her outer beauty, but her kalon is radiating off of her. She has black hair and dark blue eyes, than stand out against her pale skin. Her little button nose makes her look really young. I nod and we leave. 

"Um, Riley, right?" I ask hesitantly once we are in her red porche. She hums with a nod, and I continue. "Would you mind if I made one quick stop? I have to return some keys."

"Oh yeah, that's fine. Where to?" I give her direction to the dangerous part of town, and once we stop at the run down apartment building, I get out and rush into the building, heading to the top floor. When I get to Maria's door, I knock and she opens the door right away since she has the day off today. 

"Sofia! Hi love. What brings you here?" She brings me into a tight hug. 

"Hey doll." I started calling her different nicknames by the second year I was in Antonio's clutches. "I just wanted to say hi and give you a hug since I won't see you for a while. I'll see you whenever I can though." I hug her again as tears form in her soft brown eyes. "Please don't cry. You'll make me cry." She laughs at that, and pulls away from me. 

"I'm so proud of everything you do darling. You may not be my own, but I sure as hell think of you as my own family. Don't ever let anyone tell you that you are anything but amazing, alright? I love you Hun." She tells me, and I feel a tear threaten to fall. 

"Yeah. I better get going." I give her one final hug and run down to the awaiting car. She knows I don't believe in love, but still says it anyways. I never know how to respond. "Thank you." I tell Riley when I get back. 

"No problem. Where do you want to go first?" She asks, and then we're off. We went to what felt like a thousand different shops, getting everything from undergarments to dresses and shoes. My favorite areas were the ones with sweatshirts and hoodies in them. I get some jeans, sweatpants, leggings, and joggers for pants, and all sorts of shirts. Apparently I don't have to pay for anything, Adrian in, so I offered to take us out for lunch. Riley chose Subway, which I was okay with since it's pretty easy on the stomach and I haven't eaten in almost a week. I just get a six inch and don't even eat all of it though. 

While we are driving back, Riley and I bond a lot. When we pull up she's in the middle of telling me a story. "-so, while drunk off his ass, he yanks his pants down in the middle of the party, and jumps off the diving board, yelling, 'I'll save you turtles! Hang in there, I won't let you down!' And then throws all the empty beer bottles out of pool. He ended up hitting the host in the head, and sending him to the hospital." She finished as she opens the door, and I can't help but burst out laughing. She laughs with me, but my laughter ceases as I look up. "Oh hey bro." Riley greets. 

"He's your brother??" I ask her quietly, waving my hand in Adrian's direction. She hums in response, and I glance at Adrian. He looks way more serious than he ever has around me. 

"Riley. I trust you got everything you need?" He asks me and I nod. "We'll go put your stuff away, and I'll introduce you to everyone around here. Alright?" I nod again. "Riley, please go join the others." 

"Okay. Bye Em." Her nickname makes me cringe inside. I hate lying to her, and everyone else for that matter. Marge told me to never lie, and until I got the job at the club, I didn't. I follow Adrian upstairs and drop my bags at the end of the ground. 

"Um, thanks. For, those. You know." I sigh at my awkwardness and stand next to the bed, again, awkwardly. 

He nods, then asks, "So will you be living out of bags for ever or are you going to put them away?" I pick up a bag, and walk over to the dresser, and begin unloading the pants in there. I hear the rustle of a bag, and when I look over, he is hanging up the dresses I got into the gigantic walk in closet. When I'm done with the pants and socks, I grab one the bags with shirt, and- with a sigh- join Adrian in the closet. He's soon done with the dresses, and walks out to help with another bag. I hear a chuckle and spin around, my skin immediately turning into a tomato. "Damn cupcake. I bet over half the guys I know would pay to see you in thoughs." I snatch the bag away from him, and stalk over to the dresser, throwing the entire bag of lacy undergarments into a drawer. He laughs and we go back to putting clothing away. "Okay, let's go introduce you to everyone."

"So why do so many people live here anyways?" I ask as if I don't know already. I catch him looking at me through the corner of my eye as we descend down the three levels from the fourth floor.

"Maybe you'll learn someday." He answers and we reach the bottom. We reach what appears to be a meeting room, and probably twenty people sit at the table. Most of them are men, making my palms sweating as they wring out the bottom of my shirt. "Everyone, this is Emily. She'll be staying with us for a while alright? I expect her to be treated with respect and as our equal."

"But she's not, is she?" The one with brown hair from the times we'd met before asks, his eyes glaring dangers into me. 

"What's that supposed to mean?" Baldy speaks up before Adrian or Riley can.

"Well, she isn't. Why else would she be staying here? Why would she need someone to save her, if she was really like us? Hmm? Why do you? Seems like you'd be fine with mommy and daddy, right?" My breath catches. How does he know about that? 

"Shut up Alan." Adrian growls. "Now," he changes the subject, but that doesn't make... Alan? Stop glaring. "This is Fred." Adrian introduces the red head from the restaurant the first time. "Chad." The older blonde that knocked the drinks into me. "Chase." Blondie. "Alan." The brown haired one. "Brad." Baldy. Eh. I like baldy better. It reminds me of my old best friend. We met in kindergarten and were friends until we graduated and I had to cut ties with him. When we were six his dad got cancer and lost all his hair, so he shaved his head for him and kept it that way even after he died. What's funny is his name was Brad too, but I always called him baldy. Adrian goes around the rest of the table spewing off names I try my best to remember but I doubt I'll be able to. Then he reaches the end. "...and my siblings, Riley, Garret, and Danni." He points to a girl and boy on the right of Riley. I nod, and then I'm asked to leave so they can talk about something. Oh Lord.

Chapter seven

 ~Sofia~

 

"Hey, Emily right?" One of the girls, I recognize as Rose pops her head in followed by Riley, about a week later. I have barely left my bed the entire time.

"Yeah."

 "Cool. I'm Rose." I give a small not in response, but that doesn't stop either from plopping straight onto the bed. "I can already tell we are going to be great friends. Ooh! Do you guys wanna have a fashion show with your new dresses?!" She asks energetically, looking between Riley and me. We make eye contact and laugh. 

"Sure." I laugh. 

"Eek! Let's go!" She exclaims. She throws a dress at both of us and grabs one for herself. Rose changes in the closet, Riley in the room, and me in the bathroom. I look at the dress she gave me. I immediately fell in love with this dress when I saw it. It was black and when mid-thigh, with a bit too plunged neckline for me, but the rest of it over took that. The back was mostly open, in a diamond shape, and on both sides there are little cut out also in diamond shapes. It showed a little too much skin for my taste, but it was gorgeous. I was really self conscious since it showed my stomach, but Riley assured me it looked great. 

"Ready?" Riley asks and we both say yes. "Three, two, one!" Rose and I join Riley in my temporary bedroom, and I can't help but gape. They look stunning! Rose is in a floor length silk dress, the blue matching her vibrant eyes. Riley looks just as good in a red long sleeve cocktail dress. "Make-up time!" She squeals. 

"Wait we're like going all in on this?" I laugh. They both eagerly nod, and ask where the make-up I got is. I forgot about that. I stuffed that bag in the undergarments bag so it would take up less space. I walk over to the dresser and grab the bag of makeup. I did Riley's, she is Rose's and Rose did mine. For Riley I did some vibrant red, and shimmery white for eyeshadow, with winged eyeliner. For her lips I did bright red lipstick to match her dress. Rose got blue purple eyeshadow, and dark purple lipstick. Rose gave me a smokey-eye look, and dark red lipstick. "Alright, now, Rose go strut your stuff! Ew that was cringey." We all laugh, but she still goes to the closet and shuts the door. They suddenly fling open and Rose comes out like a true model. She could be one, so I wonder why she is in a gang instead. 

"Whoo!" Riley calls, as we clap like crazy. 

"Thank you, thank you. Oh, you're too kind." Rose curtseies. She then stand up like an announcer. "Next up... Riley Garcia!" She exclaims in a muffled voice, as she takes Riley's place next to me. Riley comes out looking like a queen, and even have the princess wave to go with it. 

"Alright folks, up next, a crowd favorite... Emily... Emily!" She exclaims realizing she doesn't know my last name. I laugh and go into the closet, doing a mix of their acts. We all fall to my bed laughing when I'm done.

"Em you by far look the best." They say in sync. 

"Are you kidding? Have you seen you two? Y'all are gorgeous." I laugh. "When I tell you I almost fell about fifty times..." We all laugh, thinking of our six inch heels. 

"I thought you all were great." A gravely voice breaks through our laughter, and where as Rose and Riley's laughter slowly died down, mine immediately stopped as I shoot up to a sitting position on the edge of my bed. My eyes widen in horror as I see Adrian, Brad and Alan. 

Alan. 

I know I know him from somewhere. The lethologica driving me mad. 

All three enter my room, and as Alan passes he whispers, "Boss won't be happy your already making friends," so quietly that no one else would be ableto hear.

That's it. He works for Antonio. That's what he meant. 'I always have eyes on you...' Alan is here. Does Adrian know? If possible, my body got even more tense as I stand. 

"You saw that?" I ask quietly, and I dare to raise my gaze to him, but the second it meets Alan's, it snaps back down to the ground. He grunts in response, but I don't know how to interpret that. 

"I did. Quite the show you gals put on." He chuckles and I feel an unfamiliar feeling bubble within me. Feeling nervous around the men, I gravitate towards my new friends. 

"Hey back off bro. This ones mine." Riley giggles, wrapping her arm around Rose. 

My eyes widen. "You two are together?" They nod in sync. I smile at them as they gaze lovingly at each other. But my smile fades away slowly. Do they really believe love is anything but a sham? What a shame. They seem like lovely people to just get hurt in the end. 

"Anyways. Emily, would you like to explore the house?" I nod hesitantly at Adrian. "Alright. Brad will be going with you. Any locked doors are off limits though." He explains and I nod again. When he gives me a quick look and turns to Alan, speaking in a hushed voice, I exit the room. 

"So, Emily, huh?" Brad looks at me when he joins me in the hall. 

"Um yeah? That is my name." I lie casually. God I hate Antonio. "Is there something wrong with that?" 

"No, no. Nothing. You just remind me of someone I used to know." Could he be...? No. He can't. My Brad always wanted to move out to Cali and be some stunt person. And I know he did. I watched his flight leave graduation day. We start walking, Brad giving me a tour from the bottom floor until the sixth, the top floor. "This is just Adrian's floor. His room, bathroom, private rooms. Not even any of us are aloud in there." I nod, and we go back down the many flights of stairs. When we reach the first floor again, I catch sight of Alan smirking at me, then opening one of the previously locked doors. I take a quick scan of the room, and find Baldy preoccupied with Adrian's youngest sister Danni. No one else is around except Alan who just exited the door, still smirking at me, so I quietly creep over to the door that's opened just a crack. 

I open it as silently as possible, which works except for a tiny creaking noise, but it doesn't attract any attention. I walk down the stairs, until my feet hit the cold cement floor. It's pitch black down here, but I still reach around until I find a light switch and flip it up. My jaw drops when I see the room around me. Weapons of every kind line the four walls. Guns of all sorts, knifes, grenades, brass knuckles, you name it, it was probably there. I slowly walk around, examining all of them, when suddenly my arm is locked behind me in a death grip, trapping me in an uncomfortable position. 

"What the hell are you doing down here?"

Chapter eight

 ~Sofia~

 

"Adrian..." I begin. "I can- The door- I'm sor- It wasn't my fault- I-" 

He cuts off my jumbled up words by flipping me around so my back is against the wall. I feel knives poke into my back as he stands with his arms on either side of me, and me paralyzed in fear. "I thought I told you locked doors were off limits?" He growls.

Before I can even think, I roll my eyes as the words, "And how would I get in here if it was still locked?" Tumble out of my mouth. My eyes widen as I realize what I just did. I did this only a few times in the past few years, but every time he made sure I regret it. My hand goes to fly to my mouth, but in our close proximity, it only brushes up against his rock hard figure. I jump as far back as I possibly can, afraid of what he'll do since I touched him. "I- I'm so sorry!" I gulp. 

He cocks his head as he stares at me. His hand comes up, and I flinch away, but I never feel the blow come. When I open my eyes, I meet his smokey grey gaze, and I quickly divert my eyes. I feel his hand on my chin as he lifts my head so that my eyes will meet his. "What did they do to you?" He asks softly. 

"Please..." I whisper as tears fill my eyes. His eyes drift back and forth between mine, before he finally backs off. 

"Come on. You shouldn't be here." He says, his voice now cold. 

"What is it anyways?" I ask softly, beginning to walk up up the stairs. 

I hear him sigh. "One week, and your already finding out all of our secrets." I glance over my shoulder, and see him shaking his head, but with a small smile on his face. "This is the Weapons Room." He tells me and I spin around so that I seem shocked. 

"What??" 

"I haven't properly introduced myself yet. Hi, Adrian Garcia. Italian Mafia don." He holds his hand out for me to shake. I ignore it. 

"Boss, right?" I ask, meaning his use of the word 'don.'

"You know italian?" He nods.

"A bit." I reply. When we reach the main floor, he turns and locks the door. "So that's why everyone lives here?" Most of them live of the third floor, except for Rose, and Adrian's siblings. They live on the fourth forth floor.  

"Yup. Tonight we'll actually be out." He tells me. I nod. That'll give me a chance to call Antonio. I haven't called him since the first day and I know he'll be angry. 

"So you said mafia right?" He nods. "What's the difference between the mafia and a gang?" I ask. I know the basics but he doesn't need to know that. 

"For one thing, Mafias typically are more widespread and organized, whereas gangs typically occupy one area in a city, and don't really know what they are doing. Most of the time they are just a bunch of thugs looking to make some money for their families. Mafias typically have more morals. Mine for example, we refuse to kill any innocent civilians, and we don't kill women or children unless they have truly committed a crime against us. We won't use car bombs or anything because of the risk of hurting innocents, but gangs don't really care. They kill anyone who gets in there way." He explain. 

"Oh." I say quietly, trying to hide my building nerves. We reach the meeting room again that has about ten men talking, including Alan. His eyes narrow when he sees me. The rest of the men stop speaking when they see the half of me that isn't hiding behind Adrian. He may make me uncomfortable, but at least he is more familiar.  

"Um..." One of them- Garret- begins awkwardly. 

"It's fine. Someone had to go and find out." He casts a side glance at me and I feel my cheeks burn. 

"So why is she still alive??" Alan growls. 

"Alan, you know that isn't how we run things." Adrian snaps back. It is how Antonio does though. I sigh and lucky me, he hears. "Would you like to interject?" He turns to me, crossing his arms over his muscular chest. I cross my arms over my stomach, feeling self conscious now being the center of attention. I shake my head slightly. "Alright." His voice is again, much colder. I feel Alan's glare, and while Adrian is distracted with whatever they were talking about, most likely a weapon dealing, I slip out of the room. 

I almost reach my room without being detected, but at the last second I hear my 'name', being called. "Emily!" I turn at the familiar lie.

"Brad?" 

"Hey. I heard you found out?" I can't help but scoff. 

"News travels fast around here." I state, and he laughs.

"That it does. Anyways, whatcha up to?" He asks politely. He locks his hands behind his back and rocks back and forth on his feet, reminding me of a small child who wants something. It almost scares me more that I'm not super nervous around him...

"Nothing much. Why?" I raise an eyebrow at him.

"I was wondering..."

"Yes?" I grad out, copying what he did with his words. 

"Will you play Candyland with me?"

I can't help but burst out laughing. "Seriously?" I laugh. He looks at me incredulously. "Wait, your serious?"

"Well yeah... No one else will play with me." He shrugs.

"Are you sure your old enough to be here?" I ask, giving him a strange look. 

"Hey! I'm 22!" His words make me wonder again, him being the same age as myself, but I stop myself.

There is no way. 

"Alright, fine." He shrieks like a valley-girl and runs down the stairs, expecting me to follow.  

And that's how I end up sitting on the floor of a monstrous living room, playing Candyland with a grown adult. 

"Haha loser! I win again!" I gloat.

"You know what, I don't like playing with you. Your cheating!" He pouts, again proving my point. 

"Okay, you shuffle the cards this time." I offer.

He scoffs. "I will!" He rips the cards out of my hands, shuffling them once before pausing. Right when I open my mouth to ask why he stopped, he suddenly flings the cards at me, some landing straight in my mouth. 

"You asshole!" I screech. He just rolls around on the ground, laughing his ass off. "You know, suddenly I know why no one will play with you." I sigh, gripping the bridge of my nose, making his laugh even louder. I can't help but smile, and soon I'm laughing softly with him. 

"Oh no." I hear a groan behind me. "You roped her into doing this?" Riley comes in and sits next to me. We pick up the cards and start playing again. Riley wins that time. Then Rose joins us. Then Garret and Dani are there, and we end up playing three on three with teams. The siblings are together, Riley and Rose are together, and then Brad and I. We won that round, and then more peoppenjoin us. 

And that's how we ended up playing four on four, with twenty Mafia memembers, plus me. Since we needed five people, I got drags onto Riley's team, that had Dani, Garret, Rose, her and me on it. Baldy got all offended, but he had to deal with it. I soon learned that the people here were really easy to get along with, and even the guys were nice. Weird... Basically everyone that lived here except Adrian and Alan were here.

"Close game here people. We have Team Chase, tied with Team Emily. Who will win?" Everyone besides Chase and me are standing up, watching. Brad and Rose are being weirdos, reporting every action in this close game. We both need two moves to win. Chase goes first. He picks up the card and... Gets the lollipop! "Ooh! Chase has to go back! Will Em get what she needs, or let this dipdhit win?" Brad asks, making everyone laugh. I pick up the card, and get two squares, exactly what I needed. I move and throw my hands up as everyone cheers. I stand up and join my teammates in their high fives. "You did good Strawberry... But next time I'll get you back!" Brad says when he's close enough since everyone is still buzzing with excitement. I laugh. 

"What going on here?"

Chapter nine

 ~Sofia~

 

"Adrian! You missed it." Chad exclaims. Adrian walks over and glances down at the Candyland board, as Alan glares beside him. Adrian looks up at a now shy me, and back at the board. 

"Who won?" He asks after a few moments of silence, making everyone but me laugh. Oh, and the Devil's spawn obviously. 

"Emily! She just barely came out on top and..." Everyone starts talking at once, and suddenly the room is all too small. With everyone preoccupied, no one notices me briskly exiting the room. I escape to my temporary room, and try to calm myself down. I shouldn't have done that. Getting close to them when all i will do is betray them, is idiotic. I shouldn't be feeling comfortable around any of them anyways! But I guess that's what they do. Everyone. They act like they care so that they can use you. They get this stupid power over you, and they abuse said power. 

 I don't know what to do anymore. 

Then it hits me. 

Antonio isn't here, right? He wouldn't know if I just ran away, right? I smile, as I form a plan in my head. 

"Emily! We gotta go. Do you need anything before we leave?" Riley asks, knocking on my door frame before she spoke. 

"No but thank you." I smile kindly at her, and get one in return.

My smile drops as she walks away and I see Adrian behind her. "Stay here alright?" His tone is light-ish, but his eyes hold only seriousness. I nod and divert my eyes. "Bye Cupcake." I roll my eyes as he hums, walking away. Who calls someone cupcake? Fifteen minutes later, I call Antonio. 

"Ahh, Sofia. I've been waiting to hear from you." He says. I roll my eyes, thankful he can't see me or I'd have a black eye already. "How's it going over there? Alan told me you're making some friends?" He growls. 

"I'm getting them to trust me. That way they'll tell me more." I tell him a half-truth. 

"Ah, smart girl. Any news?"

I hesitate. Should I tell him? Sure... "They have a deal today. I'm not sure where, I think up town?" 

"Excellent. Keep at it. Remember, I have eyes on you." He hangs up after that. I throw the phone into the vent above my bed that I hide it in. I don't want to ever have to talk to him again. I peek out into the hall when I finish, and shut my door when I see no one. I know they left, but I didn't know if they have maids or anything.  I change out of the dress I was wearing, and remove the make-up. I lay the dress neatly on the previously made bed, and change into a white t-shirt and black skinny jeans. I put on Converse, and a leather jacket, and then go to leave. Since they took my phone, I don't have to grab that. I only grab all the money I brought with me. Just before I shut the bedroom door behind me, I rush back in a grab a floral sundress that I know will look stunning on Maria.

I get out of the house, and run down the driveway as fast as I can, while an alarm blares behind me. It'll take me about half an house to get to downtown, so I pray to God that they are gone longer than that. I'm only about two minutes away when I hear a gunshot. It's common for this part of town, so it only startles me. I only walk about two steps more before there are gunshot on top of gunshot, and it seems to be right next to me. With a sigh, a glance around the corner of an old building and my breath catches. I should have known this wouldn't be easy. 

On the other side, is Adrian and Antonio, going at each other's throats, while those around them shoot at each other, Adrian's people and some I don't recognize blocking the crate, of, I'm assuming, guns and other weapons. Adrian is currently on top on Antonio, repeatedly getting blows in as Antonio lays there helpless. This may sound bad, but seeing the sight makes me smile. He's finally getting what he deserves. I leave before anyone can see me, and run all the way to Maria's. I knock frantically on the door. The faster I was gone the better. 

"Sofia! What a lovely surprise. Come in." She walks away from her open doors leaving me to gladly shut and lock it. "What brings you here?" She asks with a smile. "Coffee?" I glance at the time and laugh. 

"Only you would make coffee at ten fourty-five at night." I chuckle and she shrugs. "I'd love some. And I was kind of hoping I could stay here for a while?" I ask with a hopeful smile. 

"Always Hun." I give her a full blown smile at her answer. 

"I have a gift for you." I tell her. 

"You do?" She gasps jokingly. I nod and hand her the blue sundress. She gazed at it and her eyes sparkle. 

"Well? Go try it on!" I demand. She squeals. 

"Thank you!" She runs to her room, and emerges wearing the flowing flower dress. "Eh, what do ya think?" She smiles, twirling around. 

"You look amazing!" She really is gorgeous. Her straight brown hair falls around her shoulders, framing her oval face. The dark blue on the sundress makes her hazel eyes pop. A smile graces her full lips, and her cheeks turn rosy at my compliment. 

"Thanks. How'd you get this?" She asks, but quickly figures it out. "The Garcia family." She sighs. 

"Yeah." I confirm. 

"Why aren't you there anyway- No. Sofia! You didn't. Sof you're going to get ins so much trouble when they find out!" She tells me. She's only about 30, so just 8 years older then myself, but she still acts like the scary mom for me sometimes. 

"Relax ma. They have no reason to come after me. Either way, they won't find ou-" I'm cut off by a knock. "Fucking hell." I growl under my breath. Maria shoots me a sharp look and I immediately go to hide. They did have a reason. They now think of me as a threat, I know about them. Shit. 

"Hello. How can I help y'all?" I faintly hear her ask when she opens the door. 

I hear Brad's stressed voice next. "Hi. You haven't seen a woman around have you?" 

"Why I have." My eyes widen as I hear her sell me out. "You know, I went in the bathroom, and there she was, staring back at me from the mirror!" I sigh and shake my head with a smile on my face. "Sorry hun, you'll have to be more specific."

"Uh, strawberry blonde hair, green eyes, tan skin?" I know he'll be peaking around her, and my current spot in the hallway isn't very secure, so I go to hide in the bathroom. I glance behind me to make sure he didn't like barge in or anything, when I trip over a small towel rack, causing it to fall, me going down with it,and I can't stop the string of curse words that leave my mouth. "Um, is everything okay here?" Brad asks. 

"Uh, yeah. Heh, silly cat." She laughs, but I can tell it's a nervous one.

"Last I checked cats couldn't talk... Would you mind if we took a look around?" I hear Alan and my eyes widen. Fuck. Antonio definately knows by now... 

"I'm sorry but I don't think that's a good- Hey!" I hear a grunt come from her and scramble to my feet, running to her bedroom. Footsteps outside the room come closer and closer, having me panicked. I look around frantically, trying to find a way out. The only thing they wouldn't be able to find me in, was the window. I run over to it, cursing it when it squeaks as I open it. The steps get increasingly faster, so before I can talk myself out of it, I launch myself out the open window, praying I don't break anything in the five story fall. I brace myself for the cold, hard ground, but warm, muscular arms break my fall, as they pull me against the owner's chest. 

"Why, hey there cupcake. Fancy seeing you here."

Chapter ten

~Adrian~

 

I land blow after blow on this bastard's now messed up face, as guns are blaring around us. How dare he interfere with my deal! Again! His head slams to the right, and he smirks. "Well," he spits blood on the ground next to him. "Seems like you had a witness." My head snaps to the side and he laughs. "Until next time." He shoves me off of him, and runs away, getting his members to follow suit. 

I pull out my phone, to see that the alarm is going off. "God dammit!" I growl, throwing my phone to the floor in my frustration, smashing it to pieces in the process. 

"What boss?" One of my members, Elliot asks. 

"Take out your phones." I demand of everyone, and they do. 

"Well shit." I hear Brad say. In all the chaos, I never realized this was going off. I look at the time it started, and see that it was a little before half an hour ago. That couldn't have gotten her very far on foot, but I have a feeling that that 'witness' was Emily. 

"You guys finish this up. Alan, Brad, come with me." I tell them, and they follow. These two were probably my right and left hand men. I have to admit, Alan is a bit weird, but he does his job well. "I guess we'll just wing it." I sigh as a begin speed walking towards a cluster of buildings. 

"Adrian!" I hear my sister call from behind me. We all stop and spin around. "There." Riley points to a run down building. 

"What? How do you know?" Brad asks. 

"When we went shopping. Emily asked me to stop here. That's where she has to be." She explains. 

"Thank you." I say to her, and she nods before running back. "Let's go. You two, start on the top floor and go down. Remember to turn your coms on." I tell them. "I'll stay out here in case she tries getting out. Got it?" This wouldn't be an issue if she hadn't gone into the damn weapons room. Who even left it open? The last person that was in there was- Alan... Why would be leave something that imporatant unlocked? I listen in as I stand in a alley way, by the back door of the old building, while Brad does most of the talking. 

"This is the last one on this floor boss." Brad tells me. 

"Hello. How can I help y'all?" I hear a broken up voice ask when she opens the door. 

Brad's stressed voice is next. "Hi. You haven't seen a woman around have you?" 

"Why I have." My heart starts beating faster when she says this. I found her! "You know, I went in the bathroom, and there she was, staring back at me from the mirror!" I sigh and shake my head with a frown forming on my face. Dammit. "Sorry hun, you'll have to be more specific."

"Uh, strawberry blonde hair, green eyes, caramel skin?" I picture her body as he describes her, and I'm sort of glad she found out. That'll just give me a reason to keep the beauty around for longer. I don't think she realizes how truly gorgeous she is. She's a little too skinny, which reminds me that I should start bringing her food since she never comes down to eat with us. I don't think she's eaten all week. She's a good height, around five foot six, but that still let's me tower over her by nine inches, a whole head taller. I sort of lose all sense of logic whenever she is around. 

There is a crash is the background, and I hear distant mumbles. 

"Um, is everything okay in here?" Brad asks. 

"Uh, yeah. Heh, silly cat." She laughs, but even through a device, I can tell she's nervous.

"Last I checked cats couldn't talk... Would you mind if we took a look around?" I hear Alan.

"I'm sorry but I don't think that's a good- Hey!" A grunt from the other side reaches my ears, and I know I'll have to have a conversation with him about this later. I look up, and see a shadow disrupting and light that was previously streaming out of a window. Through the intercom in my ear, Alan is breathing hard, meaning he's walking hard and fast. The window of that very room creaks open, and Alan's breathing gets even harder. God bless America. Is she insane? She'll kill herself with that fall! I start running over there just ask she launches her small figure out the window. I get there just in time to grab her. 

"Why, hey there Cupcake. Fancy seeing you here."

"A-adrian..." She gasps, looking up at me. 

"I have her. Brad, bring the woman with." I tell him. 

"No!" Emily exclaims from my arms. "Please, do whatever you want to me, but leave Maria out of this. Please!" She begs. 

"Sorry cupcake, but I don't think your in much of a place to make demands." I tsk.

"C-can you at least put me d-down? P-please?" She asks, remarkably quieter. I glance down at her as I walk, and she looks scared. 

"We're almost there. Calm down." I soothe. I soon reach the deal sight, and see all the cars gone but two. Mine, and Alan's. Brad rode with me. I put Emily in the passenger seat of my SUV and we wait for Brad and the woman. The back door suddenly opens, scaring Emily from the sleepy state she was in. Brad gently guides the woman into the car, and Emily looks back at her. 

"I'm so sorry. Are you okay?" She asks. 

"Yeah, I'm fine. How about you Emily?" She shoots the younger female a look. 

"Yeah. Great." She says bashfully, but with a hint of sarcasm.

"So, who are you?" I ask, meeting the woman's eyes in the rearview mirror. 

"Maria Martinez." She states boldly, with a hint of a Spanish accent. "You know, it isn't very polite to kidnap two women." She scoffs. 

"Well it isn't very polite to lie either." Brad shoots back, making both Emily and Maria flinch. 

"I'd say it was if it protected someone you care about." She turns to him sharply. 

"Maybe you should have protected yourself first." She rolls her eyes. 

"Well damn, if that's how you work, how the hell do you have anyone that cares about you?" She shoots back. 

"Maria!" Emily exclaims. "Just stop. Leave each other alone." They both huff in response, crossing their arms over chest and turn to look out the window. "My God." I hear Emily mutter under her breath. I glance over at her and she seems to be in her tired state again.

Her head snaps up and turns back when she hears Brad mumble, "She came to us first..."

 "Brad! Shut, up!" She sighs, and sinks back into her seat, staring out the window she's leaning her head on. When we reach the house about five minutes later, Brad and Maria immediately step out, but Emily doesn't even stir. I look over at her, and find that she's out cold. I cut the engine, and walk over to her side, opening the door gently. After I unbuckle her, I scoop her up in my arms, carrying her like a baby. Holy shit, she can't weigh more than 105 pounds... I shake my head as I look down at her small body snuggling into my chest. I shut the door softly, and walk to the still open front door, shutting it behind me. 

"Maria, you'll stay in Emily's old room." I tell her. 

"What?? Where are you bringing her?!" She snaps. 

"My room." I sigh at the fiesty woman in front of me. 

"I swear to God, if you lay a hand on my baby, I will murder you myself." She growls, lunging at me, only to be stopped by Brad. 

"Woah there Tigre, calm down." He attempts to calm her, using the spanish word for tiger. "Let's go get you to sleep." He guides her up the stairs with his arm around her shoulder so that she won't leave. I look down at my cupcake and smile. She looks so at peace right now. I bring her up to my room, and set her on the king sized bed. I know she'll be mad at me for it, but her clothes look so uncomfortable, that I remove them, without looking at her, (Much harder than i thought it would be by the way) and pull one of my t-shirts over her, which goes down to about mid-thigh. She looks so damn good in my shirt though. I remove my shirt and pants, and throw on a pair of sweatpants, before climbing under my covers too. I give her space, which isn't all that hard on the large bed, but pretty soon, her petite body is cuddled up against my own. 

And hey, who am I to stop it?

"Good night cupcake."

Chapter eleven

 ~Sofia~

 

The first thing I'm conscious of doing, is snuggling closer into the warmth next to me. The weight around my waist shifts against me, holding me tighter. My eyes fly open as the realization hits me. The only thing I'm met with is a hard tan chest. I attempt to shoot away and look at the owner, but the arm tightens further. I lift the arm and scurry out of the extremely comfortable bed. I can't help but notice how good Adrian looks in just sweats, but then I realize that that means I was sleeping with him. I look down at myself, and if possible, I am even more shocked. That little shit changed me! Despite this, I can't help but admire his inked skin. He has tattoos scattered around his torso and on his arms. God tattoos are hot. I shake my head at myself and run out of the room before he awakens and sees me. I run to my room, and I'm shocked to see a person in the bed. "Maria?" 

"Hey." She smiles at me as I walk in. 

"How are you?" I ask, looking at my hands which are currently folded in my lap as I sit on the bed that was previously mine. 

"Fine, fine. How about you?" 

"Um..." I think about everything and start tearing up so I jump up and move to the closet. "I'm okay. Do you mind if I take a shower?" I ask and she shrugs, going back to relaxing. I look for a while, and then give up deciding I'll get Maria's help later. I take a brisk shower and grab a towel from the closet before walking out. "Hey Maria can you hel-" A sharp gasp leaves my lips as I tighten the suddenly too short towel around my body. "A-adrian." I stutter, standing there wide eyed like an idiot.

"Uhm." He clears his throat. "Fix this and come to my office." I walks out without another word and Maria helps me pick out an outfit. Although I can't say I'm entirely happy with it. She threw me Adrian's shirt and a pair of black leggings. I buff and she leaves to go explore I'm assuming. I get dressed, and I'm startled when a phone rings. I just on the bed and open the vent before it can ring a second time. 

"Hello?" I open, quietly. 

"My my, little Sofie all grown up. Sneaking out?" I roll my eyes at his use of the name Sofie. Only my best friend could call me that. "Don't worry though. You'll learn your lesson." He states, cackling evilily. That is, until he begins choking. "Be a good girl now." He hangs up and I just barely get the vent back in place before the door swings open, revealing the devil's spawn. 

He grins at me. "Boss isn't too happy with you. Just because he isn't hear doesn't give you the right to act out, does it?" He comes forward, but I'm stuck in my place. He back hands me, harder than Antonio ever did. I fall to the ground and attempt to look up at him, but he begins kicking my stomach and legs. "This one is from boss..." He strokes my cheek while he kneels down by me, before violently grabbing my hair and striking my head against the wall, making me feel queasy. He laughs and exits the room. 

"Hey Sof, Adrian really wants you down- Oh my God!" Maria shrieks. "Hey hey, Sofia, Sof, Honey, it's okay. Alright? It'll all be okay." She pulls me into her lap, and I can't even say anything about her using my real name before I start bawling into her legs. I haven't cried in what feels like forever. "Shhh... it's okay." I take a deep breath, and straighten up. "Babe, we have to tell Adrian. You can get away from Antonio, he can help you." I shake my head at her. 

"Thanks for your help Maria, but I gotta go." 

"So- Emily!" She calls after me, but I wipe my eyes and keep limping my way to the second floor where Adrian's office is. 

"What took you do long?" He growls, standing up immediately after he granted me permission to enter. I simply look down at the floor. I hear him stalk towards me, making my breath catch in my throat, as he grips my chin tightly, bringing my eyes to meet his now practically black eyes. I guess he gets angry easily. "I don't know where the hell you come from, but here, when I ask a question, I expect you to fucking answer!" He sneers, and I back up out of his grip. 

"I'm sorry." I whisper. 

"Damn right you are. Sit. Now." He demands so I sit across from his desk, while he walks around and sits in the large chair behind it. He stares at me intensely, making my hands fidget in my lap, while I just watch them, avoiding his gaze. This goes on for a few minutes before he breaks the deafening silence. Talk about an oxymoron. "Why did you run?" I don't answer despite his earlier warning. "You came to me, claiming you had no where to go. This wouldn't be a big deal, but now you know that I run, one of the most dangerous mafia's in the world." He sighs. He opens a drawer and pulls out a golden band. He holds out his hand, and when I just stare at it he sighs heavily this time. He walks around the desk and reaches out for my hand, making me flinch. He rolls his cold eyes at my reaction and slides the ring onto my right index finger. I've seen these before. Studying it, I find the engraving. A.G. His initials. 

This is one of the mafia's things. It means that as long as I'm wearing this, everyone else that would potentially hurt me knows that I'm under his group's protection. "Now," He sighs again. "Why, did you run?"

"I'm sorry." I stand up, trying to get away but he grabs my wrist, slamming me into his firm, now covered, chest.

"That's not an answer cupcake." He chuckles darkly, scaring me. I feel like a child right now. Being scared... I dare to life my gaze to his, and I can't help but jump out of his grasp. His normally medium grey eyes, are now completely black, his emotionless face revealing nothing. He takes a step towards me, and upon instinct I take one back. He frightens me more than Alan and Antonio combined. He takes around step and so do I. He takes two more, so I do too, but I hit the wall. He takes another step towards me, closing the space, making tears spring to my eyes. He strokes my cheek, making me flinch since it's my sore one. "Your scared of me." He states more than asks. 

"No..." I whisper, unable to decide if it's a lie or not, so I resort to looking down, but close my eyes when all I see is his body pressed up against mine. He moves his hand from my cheek to my chin, and makes me meet his eyes with my own. 

"Please cupcake..." His eyes soften a bit, turning a slight shade lighter. 

Should I listen to Maria, and tell him all about Antonio, or should I lie? 

"I was scared." I sigh with my decision. Why didn't I just tell him?

"Of me? Of my family?" He asks, his eyebrows furrowing and frowning. 

"No. No, of course not." I glance between his eyes, and they get another small shade brighter. "I just... I didn't know how to process everything and I missed Maria so I took my chance." I come up with on the spot. 

"If you had Maria," He says her name with a slight accent, and God that was hot too. "Why did you come to me?" Fucking hell. Why do I suck at this do much??

"Maria was away. She got back that night you left. I planned on telling you and leaving the day after I found out." He backs up and runs a hand over his face. When he turns back to me he has a smile on his face and his eyes are his normal color, while he shakes his head.

"Talk about timing." He chuckles. A small smile tugs at the corner of my lips, but I briskly dismiss it. "Now," he says serious again, just with eyes still light. "What happened to you?"

Chapter twelve

~Sofia~ 

 

"W-what are you talking about?" I stutter.

"You don't think I didn't think I noticed the red on your face? The limp in your step?" He growls. 

"Ehmm..." I remove myself from the wall and start walking towards the door. "I-I just fell. I went to wash my hands, and accidentally put my hands too close. It sprayed everywhere and I ended up slipping on my way out. I hit my cheek on the floor really hard." I internally cringe at the made up story. 

"You have to be more careful cupcake." He sighs. "Alright." 

I open the door to leave but turn back. "Why was I with you this morning?" I ask. 

"Maria will be taking your room. You'll be staying with me."

"What??" I exclaim, surprised but shrink back when gives me a pointed look. "I'm sorry, sir. But what? Why can't I stay with her?"

He chuckles darkly. "What? So that you two can plan a way out again? I don't think so. You'll stay with me, and she can have your room." 

"B-but- Yes sir." I look at my feet after I cut off my protest. 

"What's with the sir?" He laughs, a real laugh. I furrow my eyebrows at the ground in confusion.

 Seriously, he's bipolar, I swear. I think to myself. Laughter booms through the room, shocking me. My cheeks turn crimson when I realize I said that out loud. I rush out of his office, and I can still hear his chuckling, when I turn the corner and run straight into Brad, who's walking with Garret. Suddenly off balanced, I begin to tip backwards, when suddenly familiarly small hands grip my sides from behind, making me groan in pain. "Shit. Sorry..." I step away from Riley who joined their confused group. I look down sheepishly. "I, uh..."

"Emily, did you seriously do all those leg lifts? I told you not to do that while your on your period! Your cramps are always the worst on the second and third day anyways!" I let out a sigh of relief when Maria comes to my rescue. Both guys turn bright red and Riley looks at me sympathetically. 

"Jeez. I'm sorry girl. Lucky you, we have some chocolate. Let's go!" Riley grabs both mine and Maria's hands and drags us towards the kitchen. I will admit, my legs are killing me from Alan's beating, but I also have a pretty bad cramp right now. Yes, she was right about it being that time of the month. Luckily when Riley and I went out, I got two of the assorted sizes of tampons. Riley gets all of us some chocolate, and my my, was it amazing. Some time along the way, Rose and Dani join us. We all sit around the ginormous island on the bar stools, talking and laughing about the most random things. 

 "Ladies." Brad slides in between Dani and Maria, and I smirk when I see his slight blush as he looks at my best friend. "What we doin'?" He asks, like some weird gangster dude, and if we weren't already giving him weird looks, we sure as hell are now. 

"Y'all wanna play two truths and a lie?" I suggest and they all agree.

"I'll start." Brad states proudly. "I shaved my own head from the age of twelve on, I hate bacon, and I played basketball growing up." 

The shaving his head hits a little close to home, but I shake it off. My Brad is probably off having the time of his life with his new stunt buddies. "Obviously it's the bacon one." Everyone agrees except me. 

"Mmm... Basketball." I decide. 

"Ding-ding-ding. We have a winner. Yes I hate bacon." Everyone gasps and we laugh together. "Alright, Dani next." 

"What are we going in alphabetical order?" She giggles. "Alright, I'm adopted, O think Star Wars is the worst, and Yellow is the worst color." We all exclusively agree that the lie is about Star Wars. "Em, you're next." I almost say, 'No, S comes after everyone's,' but then I realized she was meaning Emily, not Sofia. 

"I like Adrian, I'm in love with Adrian, and I hate him. Obviously the lie is that I hate him! I could never hate that cute little snuggly poo!" I burst out laughing at Baldy's girly impression of me. 

"God, no." I sigh. "Alright then. Um, I have three tattoos, I only occasionally like shopping, and I know someone who likes Maria." Maria's face flushes as all eyes turn to her. Brad's eyes narrow in on me and I shurg.

"Okay, you always like shopping." Brad demands, turning my second statement backwards. The others agree with him, other than Maria since she knows me so well. 

"Nope. I have five tattoos." 

"Wait really? Where??" Rose shouts. I can't help but laugh softly at her. 

"Well, I have one on my shoulder, on my back, two on my stomach and on my arm. Wait, make that six. I have one on my wrist too." I pull my sleeve down to reveal the black and purple gradient outline of a heart on my wrist. 

"Ooh, will you show us the rest?" She asks, and my heart rate increases. 

"Uh, well I don't think-"

I've never been so thankful for someone interrupting me. "What's going on in here?" Chase asks in his best, deep, manly voice. He fails miserably as his voice cracks, but it makes sense since he can't be anymore than eighteen.

"Sorry father, I know you said no ladies around, but I just couldn't resist." I sigh, jokingly. 

"Wait, so I can be here?" Brad parks up. 

I look at him confused. "Did I not say ladies?"

Baldy's jaw drops as the rest of them burst of laughing. "Girl are mean when their on their periods." He grumbles. Maria shoots up and walks over to him, doing her best to be intimating, and from the look on Brad's face, it's working. 

"Hm? What was that? You mind saying that again?" He shakes his head vigorously. She smirks. "That's what I thought." I can't help but laugh at her. Her head snaps to me and she puts her fists up. "You want some of this?" She starts bouncing back on forth on her feet. A smile breaks across my face as I nod jokingly. She bounces over to me. "Come on. Let's go." 

"Really?" I stand up with her putting my fists up, and taking a weak, play jab at her side. 

"Ahh. No. Help me." She crumbles to the floor in slow motion. I hear everyone around us laughing, along with myself, as I hold out my hand to help her up, but one stand out. I look up and see Adrian in the doorway. My eyes widen as I momentarily drop Maria, from wheres she's half standing. My reflexes kick in and I reach out and grab her arm before she falls. 

"Fuck. I'm sorry." I whisper, totally serious. 

"It's fine, So- Em." She almost slips up. "What happened..." She turns around, trailing off when she follows my gaze to Adrian. "Oh." Her smile doesn't fully drop, but it does dim. 

"Oh hey Adri, what's up?" Dani asks. 

"How long have you been there?" Maria asks, voicing my thoughts.

"Long enough to know Emily's thoughts on me." He raises an eyebrow in my direction and I clench my fists into tight fists, digging my nails into my palms so hard I draw blood, just to stop myself from running out of the room. 

They all begin talking and laughing, and I decide to slip out the french doors to the humungous backyard. I walk around the flower, almost maze and sit on a bench by a fountain, and begin thinking, drowning everything else. Why do I have to stay with Adrian? Why do I have to stay here in general? If Antonio already had Alan, then why the hell did he need me? Why don't I just tell Adrian everything and be done with it? I should really just do that. Why did I have to end up as worthless and ugly as I am? Why did I have to lie about my name? Emily. I used my great-grandmother's name. Why? I have no idea. It has a nice ring to it though. Emily. It seems to be echoing, as the ground shakes around me. Emily. Emily. Emily. Emily!

"What?" I shoot up, looking around me, to find myself in the same garden. Although, it's much darker out than it was before. 

"Hey... You fell asleep earlier." Adrian's voice cuts through the crisp air so I turn to him to see him crouching beside the bench I'm currently on. 

"Oh..." 

He gazes at me for a moment, before he shakes his head at himself, and grabs my hand, dragging me behind him. My immediate reaction is to pull away, and retreat from the danger, but his eyes are normal right now. I don't think I'm unsafe at the moment. I decide to let it go since I am exhausted at the moment. We travel through the house, until we reach his- our room I guess. The room really is homey and calming. It's mostly black, but the tone soothes me. Adrian let's go of my hand, and walks to his giant walk in, throwing me a shirt. Suddenly I'm glad he woke me up instead of changing me like he did the night before, for the simple fact that when I reach the bathroom and pull off my current outfit, bruises scatter across my entire body. Luckily, in the dark, he won't see my legs as much, but that's still easier to explain than my stomach. I keep my bra and panties on, and throw on the t-shirt. I let his natural scent fill my nose before I exit the large bathroom. 

He's already in the bed, so he lifts the covers for me to crawl underneath, which I gladly do. Despite the king sized bed, I still end up cuddling up to him during the chilly night. 

Chapter thirteen

 ~Sofia~

 

Five days later, I inhale as soon as I wake up, and relax when a familiar scent envelops me. It should be illegal to smell so good. God, I really sound like a creep don't I? I just lay here until he stirs, and then I look up at him. He's already looking down at me with a smile. "Good morning cupcake." He rasps. 

"Morning banana bread." I call him the first baked good I thought of. God dammit. Why am I do weird? I stuff in my face into the nearest thing to hide my embarrassment, but it doesn't help that that happened to be his chest since one hard arm is under my head and the other draped over my waist. His entire body vibrates as he roars with laughter. 

"Did...you...j-just...call me.... banana br-" He attempts to get words out between his laughing fits, but he can't even finish the question. 

"Shut up." I grumble. Although all this achieved was making him laugh harder, until tears were streaming down his chiseled face. (Seriously though God, how much time did you spend on this one? It isn't fair.) I huff and climb out of the bed. His laughter soon dies down when I feel his gaze on me as I walk towards the door. 

"What happened to your legs?" He asks, and I look down at my legs. From my thighs to my shins. 

"It uh, happened when I fell yesterday." I glance at him and he doesn't look convinced, but he seems to have let it go. 

On his way over to me, he trips on part of the blankets that he kicked off over night and falls to the ground with a groan. I laugh and open the bedroom door. "Wait! Cupcake! Come back! Help me!" He calls as I exit, like a five year old. 

"Bye banana bread." I snicker as I walk down stairs. I soon find myself in the kitchen, where Maria is making a huge breakfast. "Hey babes. Whatcha makin?" I ask sliding up next to her. 

"Eggs, bacon, and pancakes." She tells me. "You wanna make the eggs?" I nod and get to work. We used a ton of eggs for the house of twenty plus people, but they had a ton of food in the house so I didn't figure it'd be a big deal. The bacon's aroma must have wafted through the residence because soon there were a bunch of groggy people sitting at the table, waiting. We start dishes everyone up along the lengthy table, when finally Brad and Adrian walk in. "Look what the cat dragged in." Maria says, quiet enough that it seems like she would just be talking to me, but loud enough that Brad would hear it. 

"Oh ha ha Tigre, at least I'm not in the same family as Adrian." He laughs at himself, but everyone else freezes, and just stares at him. "Well... you know... Cause, Tigre, spanish for Tiger. If Adrian dragged me in that means he was a cat... So you... Two would be uh, related. Cause, cat families...." He explains awkwardly. Its silent for a few moments longer. When everyone else starts laughing, I notice that Alan isn't there. Well they say curiosity killed the cat, luckily, I'm not a cat. I sneak off and up to the forth floor where Alan's room has to be. I follow his voice to a room that was opened just a crack. 

I find him on the phone. "Yes boss, I made sure she learned her lesson... Thank you... You want me to what??... Boss there is no way I can plant a bomb without Adrian figuring out... Yes boss... Thursday it is." He hangs up and runs a hand over his face with a sigh. I have to cover my mouth with my hand to stop the gasp that threatens to escape my lips. Antonio wants to place a bomb?! But, that'll hurt everyone! 

This is why I wasn't supposed to get close. I'll care if anyone gets killed, or hurt. God Dammit! There's nothing I can do to stop this. Unless... Maybe there is. 

 

•••

 

"Alright, fine. Why though?" Adrian asks. 

"I just think he deserves a surprise. I mean, he does so much for you, right?" I reason. He nods.

"Yeah. You and Maria can plan it?" I nod, and he walks away. As soon as his back is turned a huge smile broke out on my face. I might be able to pull this off. 

"Maria! I need your- Oh my, sweet baby jesus. Ew ew ew. I need bleach!" I shriek, covering my eyes and turning around. I'm never barging into her room again. I just walked in on Baldy pounding into Maria like she was water in the Sahara Desert. I hear shuffling behind me so I ask, "Are you descent Brad?"

"Ye- Wait why does it just have to be me?" He huffs. I walk over to the bed and sit on the side they aren't on. 

"Oh please. This isn't the first time I've seen her." I scoff. "Anyways, I need to talk to Maria." 

"Can we, um, finish?" She asks. 

"Trust me, this is more important. Baldy, out." I shove him out of the room. "Also, make sure the shower is cold." He scoffs and walks away when I shut the door. 

"Alright, what the fuck was so important that you had to leave me in this state?" She growls, obviously upset with me. 

"Look sweets, I'm sorry, but this is an emergency." She motions me to continue so I sit on the bed again and lean against the head board with her. "On Thursday, we need to get everyone out for as long as possible. Antonio is having Alan plant a bomb, so we need to get him alone in here, without him knowing. That's why we are planning a surprise party. Everybody there, but Alan. He will probably get injured, but no one else has to. Neither does the house."

Chapter fourteen

 ~Sofia~

 

"Are you sure this is going to work Sof?" Maria asks. I just nod, since I don't trust my voice at the moment. I'd be lying if I said I wasn't scared. Terrified, actually. But, this has to work. I'd say we had a pretty good plan. We told everyone we were having a surprise party at the a club, Adrian's club, for Alan. Flawed, right? Wrong. We told Alan that we were having the party for one of the members, James, at an abandoned warehouse. He left awhile ago, and just got back from planting it in the warehouse. The 'Parties' start in half an hour, so we are all leaving. "Bye James, gotta go." Maria laughs, making sure to seem suspicious. Alan smirks, as everyone piles out of the house, except James. He's the only person who knows how to repair things, so earlier, we made sure some shower heads were loose so that they leaked and he had to stay behind later.

"Yup, meet you there!" Alan smirks as James walks up the stairs with his tool bag. Here, they don't hire anyone outside to do their work. They don't even have maids or anything, they just clean this giant place by themselves. We reach the club, and my heart is literally beating out of my chest. What if word got around to Alan, and he put it here? Everyone is setting up the previously plain club with decorations.

Adrian looks at me pacing by the door. "Hey, it's fine. It's just a surprise party." He laughs. I nod and give him a half-hearted smile, before walking over to Maria, who is talking to Brad. I take her hand in mine, and she gives me a reassuring squeeze. 

"Hey party planner number two. This is sick." He motions to the balloons and streamers all around the room. "Also, what did you call me Monday?"

"Baldy, why?" I sigh at my quivering voice. He just smiles and shakes his head. It hits 2:30 and I can't stop chewing on my lip. James just got here, so it's time to call Alan. 

"Hey Alan, can you come to the club?" Adrian asks over speaker phone. 

Fear laces his voice as he answers. "W-what? Boss, where are you?? What happened to James's surprise party?" Everyone looks confused, and Adrian's eyes shoot up to me. 

"It's your surprise party, here at the club. Where are you?" He asks.

"But Maria and Emily- Son of a bitch!" He shouts, then suddenly hard breathing is all we can hear, until there is a loud boom. The bomb. 

"Alan? Alan?!" When he doesn't get a response, he hangs up and turns to Danni. "Track his phone. Now!" He demands, making her just but she pulls out a laptop from her bag, and begins furiously typing on it. The room becomes chaos as people attempt to figure out what happened. 

"Got it!" Danni's voice breaks through the noise. Everyone rushes to their respective vehicles, and we all speak off to the no doubt, wreck. It takes about forty minutes to arrive, the entire car ride with Adrian, Brad, Maria, and myself, filled with tension. Maria and I have been holding hands the entire time in the back seat of Adrian's car. I swear, I'm about to pass out from fear. This is going to end up worse than I thought. Adrian has no idea what was going to happen, and there is no way I would be able to just explain it to him like Maria. He's going to blame me. 

I can't even imagine the punishment for this.

The car comes to an abrupt stop, making me glad I had my seatbelt on. I look ahead of us, and see ruins upon ruins, blocking most of the street. Luckily, this part of the town is basically a ghost town. Adrian's gets out, but makes sure to order us to stay here. Does that stop Maria from dragging me out? No. No it does not. People from the vehicles behind us, pile out to get to Alan. Adrian is pulling him out from under some of the heavy rubble. The pain he looks to be in looks intense, and for once, I feel bad for the devil spawn. He holds his leg when he gets out, his pant leg wet with blood. He has cuts and bruises on his face. He glares up at me.

"Alan, what happened?" Adrian asks, as Brad evaluates his legs, which were stuck beneath the broken building. 

"I was told we were coming here for James' surprise party. I got here and no one was there, and then the bomb went off." He explains. 

If Adrian was really listening, he would have noticed that Alan said, 'the bomb' instead of, 'a bomb' so he's basically admitting that he did it. But no. Instead, he glares at Maria and me. "I thought I told you two to stay in the car." He growls, making me hide halfway behind Maria. 

She mocks being shocked. "Really? I thought I told Alan the club, I guess everyone just happened to be where they wanted to be." She replied innocently. 

"Maria, stop, you're making it worse." I sigh, when his glare gets more intense. 

"No! It's not our fault this bastard over here was-"

"Maria! Stop! Now." I put my hand on her arm to calm her down, and she does, but hesitantly. She has some anger issues, that were better since she basically had free reign around Antonio's house, but they seem to be spiralling since we got here. Despite my fears, I step in front of her, making sure it doesn't get too bad. 

"He's fine. Just needs some rest and gauze." Brad concludes, coming to stand by Maria. 

"Good." Adrian's stiff glare never leaves me, daring me to look away. I attempt to hold it, but Antonio's warnings, punishments come to mind, and I look away. "Everyone leave. Garret, call the clean up crew. James, Riley, Danni, Chase, Chad, go clean up the club. The rest of you get the fuck out of my sight." He growls. "You three," he points to us angrily, "Get in the car."

Chapter fifteen

~Sofia~

 

The rest of the ride was silent and tense. We reach the house, and Maria drag me out her door from the backseat, since she still hasn't let go of my hand. My heart is racing at the thought of what he would do to me. She can probably tell by my shaking hand. Adrian signals for us to follow him, but he doesn't even glance back at us. We follow him in, me behind my friend. He opens the door to his office, where we both go in and sit on the large plush chairs across from his oak desk. He shuts the double doors, then moves in front of us, leaning against the desk. He stares at us for a while, before he runs a tanned band over his stressed face. "Alright, what the hell were you two up to?" 

"Nothing. We told him the club, he went to some abandoned building, where only he was." Maria shrugs, again, innocently. 

"Do you have anything to add?" He asks, and when I give him a brisk glance, he's looking at me. I simply shake my head. I feel his gaze on me a while longer. "Emily, go to the room. I'll come up soon." He growls. 

"Please don't hurt her." I beg quietly, standing up but not moving. I need an answer. 

"I won't." He finally answers. I nod keeping my eyes downcast, squeezing Maria's hand, before leaving and going up to the room. I sit on the bed, and sink into the silk sheets and pillows. I pull the soft covers over my body, and cry. Cry about Antonio. Cry about my birthgiver and sperm donor. They can't even be called parents. Cry about my best friend. Current and old. Cry about Adrian. Cry about... Everything horrible that has ever happened in my entire life. 

Eventually I end up crying myself into a deep slumber.

 

•••

 

I take a deep breath as I regain consciousness. Fingers are running through my strawberry blonde hair, as a familiar warmth and scent hits me. I open my eyes to see Adrian looking down at me, from where he is next to me on the bed, propped up on his elbow. "Hey cupcake." He whispers. 

I can't help but smile. "Hi banana bread."

"Dammit, I was hoping you had forgotten about that." He sighs. I laugh, and he soon joins me. He looks at me for a while, and this time, I hold his light gaze with mine. He takes a deep breath before talking. "Maria told me that you overheard Alan talking to someone on the phone. Which is why you planned the party, and away from the house. Is that true?" God dammit Maria. 

I nod. 

He scoffs. "And all along I was trying to get him to find the mole." His light eyes darken, to an almost black color. Is that even possible? Maybe this is all one big dream. I'll wake up in my personal hell, go to work, come back, get my beating, go to sleep, repeat. I discreetly pinch my self below the sheets and find that it is not in fact, a dream like I had previously hoped. This is all just too weird. "I'm going to kill that bastard." He suddenly states, standing up next to the bed. 

"Alan?" I ask shocked. 

"Him too. But no. Antonio. He deserves to rot in hell. For this, for how he treats his members. God, the worst part is how he treats women. You have no idea..." He continues ranting, but I stop listening. I do have an idea. And a damn good one at that.

He randomly storms out of the room. After about ten minutes of waiting I finally sink back into the pillows with a groan, just in time for him to charge back in here, and begin pacing in front of the bed. He abruptly stops, that much I gather. What doesn't register, is that he climbs over me, and sits on my lap, his legs on either side of me. 

"W-what-" I gulp.

"Why do you care so much for Maria. I guarantee you, that you would have taken any punishment for her, without a second thought. You know, that's how I was with Alan and Brad. Brad! Brad is the best." He giggles. Giggles!

I attempt to sit up, but he pushes me back down with his body when he lays on me. "Are you drunk?" I ask in shock, but he ignores me.

"Why did Alan have to hurt me? I trusted him." He looks up at me for a moment, before laying his head back on my chest, with a whimper and a sniffle. I feel like such a hypocrite comforting him with this.

"I'm sure he didn't mean to hurt you..."

"Yes he did." My shirt all of the sudden is soaked, and I realize he's crying. One of my arms finds it way around Adrian's shoulders, and the other into his softs black hair. As I run my fingers through his hair, I pull my other hand up to gently massage his scalp. With a few more muffled blubbery words, his breathing evens out and he drops deadweight on me. Luckily, it's the kind of heavy that is comfortable, if that makes any sense? 

With my hands still working on his head, I begin thinking. First of all, how did he get shit faced in ten minutes? This whole thing must have taken a huge toll on him, and I can't help but feel guilty. Maybe if things had been just a little bit different, maybe if I had been more persistent and not left Maria this wouldn't have happened. Maybe if I had just told Adrian from the beginning, this wouldn't have happened. Maybe, if I had gotten away from Antonio sooner, this wouldn't have happened. Maybe, just maybe, if I had gotten away from parents, this wouldn't have happened. 

This is all my fault.

Chapter sixteen

~Sofia~ 

 

"I want you to train them." Adrian tells Brad and Garret. I woke up this morning alone, and after I got ready and saw Adrian next, all traces of his breakdown last night were gone. "Garret with Maria, Brad with Emily."

"But-" Brad and Maria's protests were cut off, surprisingly by me. 

"Oh please. The only training you two would get done is how to take off each other's clothes faster." Maria blushes and opens her mouth to deny it. "Maria. Don't deny it." I raise an eyebrow at her flushed expression. 

"Shut up." She grumbles, making everyone laugh. 

"What should we work on first boss?" Brad asks. 

"Let's start with hand to hand combat. It'll be a good skill and more helpful in the long run." He decides. Garret and Maria go to one gym type room, and Brad and I in the other. "Brad, go get ready. I need to have a quick talk with Emiley quick. We'll take a jog around the track and be back, alright?" 

Luckily, I was already in leggings and had a sports bra on under my baggy t-shirt. (Okay, I guess I shouldn't say mine, I stole it from Adrian.) We begin running, which I suck at by the way. "So, what do you need to talk about.?"

"I just wanted to ask you to keep what happened yesterday to yourself. Only Brad has seen me like that, and I plan on keeping it that way." 

"Okay." I say, slightly out of breath. We are almost at the end though. 

"Oh yeah, by the way. You look good in my shirt, cupcake." He Pat's my shoulder and runs out of the room. 

"Better than you banana bread!" I shout after him and hear him chuckle. 

"You ready Strawberry?" Brad asks, stretching his arms. 

I laugh. "What's with food names around here?" 

He smiles, but it doesn't fully reach his eyes. "Trust me, I knew from the moment I saw you, you were going to be my strawberry." He chuckles, with a hint of sadness. "Now! Jogging!" He exclaims, jumping up and running. 

"But! I just did that!" 

 

•••

 

"I...Think...You...Killed...Me." I say, between heavy pants. 

"We were just getting started." Baldy laughs. My head shoots up from my current spot sprawled out on the floor.

"We were what?" I shout. 

"Come on, stand up. This will be hard with a shirt on, so take it off. You do have something under it right?" I nod. "Good." He turns around and peels his t-shirt off, putting on the bench. When he stands up, I see something that makes my heart stop. 

I scramble off the floor. "Y-you know, I don't think that's a good idea, you know, um, with Maria and all..." I attempt to come up with an excuse.

"Strawberry, we aren't actually dating, and plus, I won't do anything." He turns back around to grab something, and my eyes stay glued to his shoulder. That's when it all makes sense. 

The tattoo. How could I not notice before the tattoo? 

Before my Brad left, he and I got matching tattoos on our shoulders. They said, "That is BS", since that was our initials. Brad and Sofia. And that's exactly what was on his shoulder. 

Holy fucking shit.

He's my Brad. 

"Uh-uh I don't really think I'm feeling well enough for this. Can we do it tomorrow?" I ask. He smirks. 

"Yeah, sure. Rest up Strawberry." The knowing smirk doesn't leave.

 

•••

 

Not much has happened in the last month. It's basically the same thing every day. Wake up, get ready, train, eat, sleep. Although, I have gotten more comfortable around Adrian. Much, much more. I started to come to terms with the fact that not all men were like Antonio and his crew. I also stopped contacting him, because it's nice to be free. I don't even have to worry about Alan anymore. I haven't heard from his since the bomb incident. 

Sometimes Adrian will fill in for Brad, and I practically drool over his inked muscles. Today is one of those days. I begin running before Adrian even gets there. With Baldy's help, I've gotten increasingly better at running and hand to hand combat. I'm apparently a natural with guns and other weapons, so now it's basically just making sure I'm doing everything the right way. "Damn cupcake, pretty soon you'll be better than me." Adrian tells me when he catches up. 

"Ha ha." I say sarcastically. 

"No really. We should have a race." He suggests. I raise an eyebrow at him.

"Alright. Ready, set, go!" I shout, starting before he can register what's going on. 

"Hey!" I hear behind me. I run even faster when I hear his footsteps pounding behind me. I'm almost at the soft ground next to the track, when a heavy weight hits my back, making me fall, but I'm flipped around, on to my back. On top of the air being knocked out of my lungs, what little bit is left is caught in my throat when I see Adrian hovering over me. His chain necklace is hanging from his neck, causing the breathing I just got back, to quicken. I gulp under him. His arms are on either side of my head, and his legs are boxing mine in. I raise my hands, one going into his hair distracting him, and raising one hand up past the line separating the two sections of flooring. 

"I win." I whisper. Without breaking eye contact, he reaches up, and slowing brings my hand down back to where his was before. We stare into each other's eyes, and it occurs to me how strange the normality of this is. I'm not scared anymore and honestly it feels amazing. Some where along the way, we end up just centimeters apart and I can practically feel the warmth of his lip-

"Em, Adri! We were- Oh, what's going on here?" Riley wiggles her eyebrows suggestively at us. I blush and shove Adrian off me. 

"Your brother was harassing me." I huff, and she laughs at me. 

"Mhmm, sure." Adrian scoffs. When I turn around, he's still sprawled out on the ground where I shoved him. 

"Oh get up you baby." Riles and I say in unison, making us both laugh. 

"Alright, but that shit was creepy as fuck." He states, getting up. We look between each other and laugh.

Chapter seventeen

 ~Sofia~

 

We go to a coffee shop in town. It ends up being Brad, Maria, Chad, Chase, Rose, Riley, Garret, Danni, Adrian, and myself. I'm still kind of making it awkward between Brad and I, since I found out who he really was. I'm still confused though. I watched his plane for California leave, why did he come back? Why did he join this? 

I'm snapped out of my thoughts when something hot spills all over me. "Oh my God, I am so sorry!" Danni exclaims, her disposable cup filled with a mocha currently sitting sideways in my lap. I just laugh it off. 

"Trust me girly, it wouldn't be the first time." I cut a look at Chad, since he's the one who knocked the tray out of my hand the first time. He puts his hands up defensively, making everyone laugh. I grab some napkins off the table and wipe off my black leggings. "Here, I'll go get you a new one, alright?" She nods and says thank you, as I stand up. "No problem." I tell her over my shoulder, but while I do, I knock into someone, almost falling, but they catch me before I do. "Oh I'm so-" My eyes widen as I see who it is. "A-an-" I can't even finish saying his name. 

"Well, what's a pretty girl like you doing here alone?" Antonio asks, with a snarl. He yanks me up a bit hard, making me fall into him. "You haven't been answering my calls you bitch. Getting a bit close are we?" He says quietly, so that just I could here it. 

"I-I'm not alone." I stutter. He glances behind me. 

"Ahh, family outing I see? Well, I'll see you around then." He winks at me dangerously, before walking out, not ordering anything. A hand touches my shoulder, making me flinch, a lot. 

"Woah, you okay? I was just checking on you." Adrian is there, and I just nod. "I'll get her drink. Go sit down." I nod again, not trusting my voice, and go back to the group. I feel my eyes water as I look at Maria, who's already looking at me. 

"I have to pee." She announces loudly, making everyone look at her, except Brad. Strange because they're still dating, I know, but he's busy staring at me. Knowingly, which freaks me out even more. "Em, come with me?" I nod and stand up, following her to the restroom. "Oh babygirl..." She pulls me into her arms as soon as the door is shut and locked. I feel weak, but I immediately start bawling into her shoulder. 

"Maria... He'll get me back. I can't go back!" I sob. 

"Shh, I won't let that happen alright? He'll be beat to a pulp before he ever lays his hands on you again. I'll make sure of it, okay babes?" I nod, crying for a bit longer before pulling away, wiping my eyes. "There is that gorgeous face. Now, we're going to go out there, and rule, okay?" I nod, but I don't believe it. I turn to open the door, but her hand on my arm stops me. "Sof, you know I love you, right?"

 Instead of being my normal philophobic person, I respond, "I love you too bestie." Despite my vally-girl voice when I said bestie, I mean it. Being away from all the toxicness in my life, and around people who care for and love each other, I might take back a bit of what I said about love being one big sham. She looks kind of shocked, but then a large smile splits her features, and we exit the bathroom. We get back to them, to find them packed up, with Adrian holding my iced vanilla macchiato. 

"C'mon." Brad shoves his head in the direction of the door. After I get my drink back, we leave the coffeehouse, and begin walking back to the mansion. It was about a three mile walk, but none of us minded, and it was really nice put. It's a bit windy, but the sun is out so it's a good temperature. We begin walking through the town, when suddenly there is a loud, screeching voice behind us. 

"Sofia?? Sofia, is that you?? Sofia!" I do my best to ignore it, but when even the others look back at the crazy woman, I can't resist. My eyes widen again. How many fucking people do I have to reconnect with? "Yeah! You!" She points to me, shoving people out of the way to get to our group, which is now stopped. 

"Me?" I ask. She nods excitedly. 

"Oh Sofie!! I've missed you my daughter!" She lunges herself into my arms. I quickly peel her off of me. 

"Um you must be mistaken-" The undeniable face of my mother stands in front of me, completely ignoring me. 

"Oh dear, we have so much to talk about! After your father passed, I went to rehabilitation, and I have been out for three years! I even re-married. Oh, here he comes now. Hal! This is my daughter Sofie!" God I hate when people call me Sofie. 

Fucking hell, when am I going to catch a break with people from my past? Before I can say anything else, my ex best friend speaks up. "Hal? You married this psycho?" Brad asks his apparently ex step dad. 

"Brad, I hardly recognized you! Oh, Sofia, it's been so long. How have you been?" He asks, noticing me. 

"Uhm, I'm really sorry, but my name is Emily." I tell them. My mother still doesn't back off. 

"Oh Hal, isn't she just the greatest? I don't remember much from her childhood, but I know she was great. Why did you run away honey?" 

"Ma'am, this isn't your daughter. I'd appreciate it if you'd stop harassing her." Adrian steps in, before pulling me away. "You okay cupcake?"

"Sure thing banana bread." I add to the lie with a smile. He nods and continues dragging me, with the others close behind. I can't believe this. My sperm donor is dead? Good riddance. 

Despite what I said, I can't help the pang at my heart. Before my mother got addicted, we had fun. Before I was nine, we had so much fun together. He would take me to the park, to see movies, and he would even play princess with me. Not even my mother was horrible. She was more distant than my father, but she would still hang out with us sometimes. But that all changed when she lost her job and got addicted. It started with alcohol and moved to practically any drug you should think of. My dad became so focused on getting her into rehab that he lost his job too. That's when I had to lie and say I was fifteen when I was only ten to get a stupid job at McDonald's. It payed the Bill's though. Luckily, I began puberty earlier, so I looked the part. Juggling that with school, was a pain in the ass though. 

"Cupcake, are you sure, you're okay?" Adrian stops and crouches to my eye level in front of me. I nod, not trusting my voice after the resurfacing of painful memories. He doesn't look convinced, and his eyes darker a few shades. He jaw ticks in annoyance, but nods and continues walking, dragging me with him. When we reach the house a while later, he doesn't even bother closing the door behind us, as he pulls me to the six floor. His floor. We get to his room, more like our room, and he immediately slams me against the wall. One inked arm is over my neck, pressing me into the wall harder, the other holding both my hands above my head. "I value honesty cupcake. And I don't like being lied to." He growls, a hint of Italian accent coming out.

"I-I didn't lie." I whisper, looking down. His arm still presses into me, but his hanhand goes to my chin, forcing me to lock gazes with his almost black one. 

"Keep on lying principessa," He tsks, speaking in Italian. "E potrei solo doverti punire."

And that was the start of my first time. My first time having sex, and my first time discovering I'm a kinky bitch...

Only for Adrian though.

Chapter eighteen

~Sofia~

 

"My God cupcake. That was the best sex I've ever had." He groans. If you thought it was the one time, boy are you wrong. We went for a least seven rounds, over the next few hours, in so many different ways I couldn't even imagine. I simply pant in response. He gets up, and I immediately miss his warmth, but when I hear the water running, I sigh in contentment. A few minutes later, he comes in and lifts me up wordlessly, placing me in the hot bath, before sliding in behind me. He silently washes my back, leaving me to think. I need to yell him. Luckily, he never called me Emily, cause that would he a huge turn off. He needs to know that I'm not who he thinks I am. I'll enjoy this moment before he hates me, and tell him later. 

We wash each other off, and then go lay on the best as I work up the courage to tell him the truth. What if he hates me after this?

Deciding I'll have to deal with the consequences, I take a deep breath and say, "Adrian I need to tell you something."

"What is it cupcake?" He asks, playing with my wet hair. 

"I'm not-" 

"Emily, wanna come play Candyland with us? You too banana bread." Maria barges in, making Adrian yank the covers to his waist. 

"Sure- wait. You got Martinez in on it too?????" Adrian asks me. I laugh and feign innocence. 

"What ever could you mean banana bread?" 

"Oh you... I'm beating you in Candyland." He declares. "Both of you."

"Oh it's on Garcia. Em, get dressed and come with me." Maria tells me. I hop out of bed and Adrian is obviously shocked. 

"You are aware of the fact that you're naked right?" He comments. 

"Yeah. So?" 

"Wait... why are you... HOLY SHIT YOU TWO HAD SEX!!" She exclaims, probably loud enough for the whole house to hear. 

"Maria! ¡Tranquilizarse! ¡No quiero que toda la casa escuche o pensarán que soy una puta!" I whisper shout in Spanish. [Quiet down! I don't want the whole house hearing or they'll think I'm some whore!]

"Sorry, it's exciting." She shrugs and hangs her head. I throw on Adrian's t-shirt (One of many that have ended up in my closet) and a pair of leggings, before walking out with Maria, letting Adrian get dressed. "Oh my God! My baby isn't a virgin anymore!" She squeals as we wait outside the door. "So, how many times did you do it?" She asks, wiggling her eyebrows suggestively. 

"I don't know... I kind of lost track after seven." I admit, looking at the ground. Her eyes widen as she stands there stunned. 

It's my turn for wide eyes when I see Brad turn the corner of the stairs, right as she exclaims, "Seven times?!" He looks shocked to say the least.  I open my mouth to warn her that Brad is coming, but she doesn't allow me to speak. "You have to tell him." She tells me, her voice much lower so that Adrian doesn't hear. 

"Tell him what?" Two voices speak at the same time, one behind me, one behind Maria. 

"Ehm." I fake cough to stall, luckily I don't think Adrian notices as I'm looking at him. "Adrian. Um, just how many times we did it. Incase you know, you lost track." I come up with on the spot. He nods, and walks ahead with Brad, who gives me one last cold glance. What was that about? "I was about to when you walked in." I whisper to Maria when we are out of earshot. 

"Shit. Sorry Sof." I shrug and we walk down stairs, where there are two teams. Adrian, Brad, Garret, Dani, Fred, and Chad are on one side. Waiting for Maria and I on the other, is Riley, Rose, James, and Chase. Trying to ignore my guilt, I jump right into playing. "Remind me how Candyland became a thing?" Maria speaks up, breaking the tense are as Adrian and I pick up cards and move. All hands shoot to Brad, who is shrugging and smiling sheepishly at Maria. We all laugh and get back to the game. I stare at Adrian as we play, and the guilt immediately creeps back into my stomach, making me queasy. 

And hand waves in front of my face. "Strawberry! You good?" Brad asks. 

"Yeah. Fine." I snap. Ever since I found out Brad was my Baldy, I've been really testy with him. He puts his hands up in surrender. The game goes on a while longer, before it gets down to the turn that could win the game. My team is hyping me up, so I take a few deep breaths, rolling my shoulders. On the other side of the coffee table, Adrian laughs and rolls his eyes, and Brad simply smiles, giving me an odd feeling in my gut. It wasn't a creepy smile or anything, it was the knowing look that came with it. My eyes linger on him for a bit longer, before I pick up the card. Just the one I needed. I move the one orange spot, and the next one is in the finish. 

Everyone around me cheers, making me laugh. I turn around, giving the others high fives, when I feel Adrian's gaze on me, so I turn to him. He gives me a small smile, and motions his head towards the dining room. I follow him there. Once I make it in arms reach, he picks me up, setting me on the table. "So, what were you going to tell me before we were interrupted?" He asks from his spot, standing between my legs. I can't help the small smile the graces my lips. I get to tell him!

"Adrian, I'm not who you-" 

"Oh, one second. Sorry." His phone cuts me off, and I have to bite my cheek to keep myself from screaming in frustration. "Adrian Garcia...Yes who is this?...Oh Matteo...Seriously?...Well, tell them no then!...I can't-...Cut me off again I dare you..." He growls, but his angry face falls as he sighs, running a hand over his face. "Yeah yeah, I'll be there." He hangs up, with a frusterated sigh. "I have to go." He tells me, picking me up, dragging me with him to our room. 

"Where?" 

"Italy. There are some complications, my brother brought to my attention." He explains, packing a suitcase quickly. 

"You have another brother?" He nods. "Okay... How long will you be gone?" 

"A month? I promise we'll talk though." His suitcase is packed in a matter of seconds, and he walks over to where I'm standing up right now. He kisses my lips, and then walks out of the rooms, with my hand in his. "Grab your luggage guys. We're going to Italy." Adrian exclaims, making it echo throughout the third floor where everyone is staying. About 10 people come out with packed luggage within seconds, following Adrian and I down the stairs. "Brad you're in charge. Be good." The last part is to me and Maria. He plants a kiss on my forehead, and starts walking away, but I grap his wrist, making him stop and turn to me. "Meet me outside." He demands to the men going to Italy with him. They give a curt nod and walk out the door. "What up, principessa?"

"This is really important." I tell him. He snaps out of his distracted state at the seriousness in my voice he motions for me to continue. "My name-" A chime coming from his phone cuts me off. 

"I'm sorry cupcake, but I really have to go. I'm sorry. I'll call you when I land." He kisses my forehead again, before walking out. I feel tears welling in my eyes, as I turn and dart up the stairs. I get to the third floor, right in time to hear a phone ringing. A very familiar one. I run into Maria's room, and hop on the bed, getting the phone right in time before it stopped ringing. 

"My my Sofie, I didn't think you'd ever pick up. Not after you've been ignoring me for a month." He tsks, and I feel a single tear fall from my green eyes. "I heard from Maria, that you moved room? With Adrian no doubt? How is it being his little slut?" He sneers. 

"You know what? Fuck you. Fuck you, fuck your gang, fuck anything, that have to do with you, and your stupid ass fucked up fucking existence. Don't bother calling again. I'm done with you." I hang up and through the phone against the wall, watching it shatter. Just like I do, as Maria walks in, hugging me as soon as she gets to the bed.

Chapter nineteen

~Sofia~ 

 

I'm not sure why everything hurts so much right now. It feels like every little thing, is adding an invisible rock, to the invisible bag on my back. That's how it's felt for the past two weeks since Adrian left. It's not because I miss him, because I do, but I'm scared- no terrified, of what he'll do when he finds out. We've been talking, getting closer, but that makes the rocks drown me in a sea of guilt. I've tried telling him more than just the three times, but I either chicken out, deciding it should be something done in person, or he gets whisked away by some work thing. I've barely gotten out of bed the entire time, let alone eaten. The guilt has taken it's toll on my body, both mentally and physically. 

My phone ringing snaps me out of my funk. I answer without looking at the Caller ID, already know who it is. "Hello?"

"Hey cupcake." His deep voice rings through my ears. Something that should make me happy, just drags me down a little more. 

"Banana bread. How's it going over there?" He sighs. 

"Fine I guess. Stressful, but I'll be home in a week or two so that's good. How's all over there?" He asks, changing the subject. 

I stay silent for a moment. "Great." I lie. 

"Good. Brad tells me you've been doing tons with them. I'm happy about that. If you were just sitting in bed all day, never training or eating, I wouldn't hesitate to punish you principessa." I shiver at the memory of his last punishment. Once what he says sinks in, my eyebrows furrow in confusion. Why would Baldy lie fofor me? I mean, I know Adrian would be livid if he found out I was practically starving myself. 

It's not like he knows who I am. 

Right?

"Ehm, yeah. Train train train, eat eat eat." I laugh. "Adrian? Will you be called away any sooner than like five minutes from now?" I slip in before he can comment on my weird behavior. 

"No, I shouldn't be. Sorry, I know I never get to hear what you've been wanting to say. Oh! That reminds me, when is your birthday?" He asks, making me sigh. 

"That is for me to know, and you... not to." I giggle as he groans. 

"You are lucky I like you cupcake. Not many people are aloud to test my patience like you are." I laugh, but it's cut off by a bang on the other side of the line. 

"Adrian?" I ask worried, as I hear angry chatter in the background. 

"Yeah uh, sorry cupcake, I gotta go. I'll take to you later." Before I even get a chance to speak, he hangs up. My heart drops again. 

 

••• 

 

A week later, I finally slink out of the room, into human territory. "Ay! She's alive!" I hear Chase exclaim as I descend down the stairs. I grunt in response. "Human bad. Dark cave good." He does his best caveman imitation. 

"Ha ha. Really, you should be a comedian." I state dryly. Those who are still here laugh at my comment. I sit down at the dining table with the others, trying to regain the few social skills I have, after three weeks of no human contact. I hear laughter coming from the living room, making me curious. I slip away, venturing towards the room. I find Maria and Brad on the couch, cuddling. Brad glances my way, before nudging Maria. 

"Well look who returned from the dead!" She squeals. I laugh and shake my head. 

"It doesn't exactly look like you missed me." I state, looking back and forth between my old best friend and current best friend. Maria gets up, hugging me, followed by Brad, but he stops next to his girlfriend. 

"Sorry, I'll give you ladies some space." He kisses Maria's temple, before making a move to leave. 

"Wait, baldy." My voice makes him stop. "Why did you lie to Adrian for me? You shouldn't have lied to him. Lying to your best friend isn't right." He gives me an incredulous look. 

"You'd know, wouldn't you Strawberry?" He deadpans

"What the hell is that supposed to mean?" I ask, glaring at him. "And what is wrong with just calling me by my name?" I snap. Strawberry brings back too many memories. 

"Alright. Fine, Sofia." My jaw drops. 

I turn to Maria. "Did... Did you..." She shakes her head, looking at her boyfriend just as shocked as I was. 

Suddenly, it all made sense. 

Strawberry, 'So, Emily, huh?', the knowing looks, the smirks, everything. 

It. All. Made. Sense. 

"You... You've known. Since the second I walked up to your table. You knew." I accuse. 

"I must say Sof, it hurt that you didn't recognize me before we started training." He mocks hurt. 

"You asshole." I sneer. "Excuse me if I thought you were still in Cali." 

I go to storm off, but his next words stop me in my tracks. "Who's better? Andrian, or Antonio?" I turn to him in shock, my jaw dropped. Again. "Oh please Strawberry, you didn't thing I'd be keeping track of you ever since I started here? Silly girl." He tsks. I feel my eyes water. 

"I don't know who you are, but you sure as hell aren't my Brad. He, would have never, ever, even implied, that I was some sleazy whore. This really is bullshit." I see guilt form in his eyes at the mention of our tattoos, but I run up the stairs before he can get a word out. 

 

~Adrian~

 

I sigh. Why won't she tell me her birthday? I must admit, at first when Brad told me I should figure out her birthday, I was a bit confused, but then I realized that her birthday could have passed and I'd have no idea. Why wouldn't she want me knowing? I didn't even realize I was pacing until my brother, Vince, said something. "Calm down brother. What has you so riled up? This girl again?"

"'This girl,' won't tell me her birthday. It could have passed, Vince, and I didn't do anything special for her. What kind of person would I be to her if I didn't do anything?" 

"So? You've never cared about anyone but our family before her." He counters. 

"Cupcake is different." I huff. 

"Well, what did it say when he did a background check on her?" He asks. 

"Vincent Garcia, you genius." I grip his cheek hard. "Thank you, thank you." I dart upstairs to find my personal phone. "Danni. I want you to do a background check on Emily." I tell my sister as soon as she picks up. I hear her sigh. 

"Adri, you realize we don't have her last name, and that this could take up the a week, right?"

"Yes yes, just please do it." I beg. 

"Alright. Bye Adri." 

"Bye sis." 

Now to wait for what I should have done in the beginning. 

Chapter twenty

 ~Sofia~

 

I hear a knock on the bedroom door but ignore it. I flip to the other side, my back facing the door. Suddenly the door opens, and the person comes in. The bed dips next to me, and the presence in right over me. "You know, it's not nice to ignore people, principessa." His deep voice says. I flip onto my back, and shoot up in shock, but I end up just knocking my head against his, really hard. I groan, holding my head, as he does his own. 

"Shit. Adrian, you weren't supposed to be back for another week." I groan. 

"Damn cupcake, I was expecting a bit more of a welcome." He grunts, falling next to me. "And it's been a month already." He tells me. 

"What?? It's only been..." I trail off. Have I really been in here for a straight week without even knowing it?

"Principessa, what's wrong?" He asks. I just shake my head, turning away from him. "Don't lie to me." He growls, flipping me around to face him. 

"How was Italy?" I ask in a lame attempt to change the subject. 

He chuckles darkly. In a flash I'm bent over his lap, my pants pulled down, along with my panties. "I told you not to lie." His hand comes crashing down on my ass, making it sting. I wince. 

 

•••

 

~Adrian~ 

 

"I love you principessa." I growl, flipping her onto her stomach, ready to take my love again. She is quick to stop me though, sitting up, and backing away from me. I feel my anger spike at her actions. "What the hell?" I grip her ankles, pulling her back towards me. 

"No, no, no." She pulls against me. "Banana bread, you don't understand. You don't love me, you don't even know me. That's what I've been trying to tell you. Adrian-" She is cut off by my phone ringing, get again. God people do not have good timing. She groans in frustration, getting off the bed, and going to throw one of my shirts on with some leggings, while I pick up my phone, still watching her in confusion. 

"Adri, there is no Emily that looks like her." Dani exclaimed, as soon as I answer. 

"What??" I ask quietly enough not to attract Emily's attention from her spot in the bathroom. "That's impossible..." I trail off, thinking of all the times she tried telling me something over the past month. Since the first night I took her. The night she lost her virginity, to me, the mafia leader. Then my mind drifts to that day, after she'd been so upset. It happened after we ran into Antonio... And then that insane woman and her husband. That's when it got really bad. "Try Sofia." I demand, remember what everyone was calling her. I hang up, leaving no room for discussion. I grab my discarded pants from pile of our clothes on the floor, and wait in anger. She comes out, looking as beautiful as ever, especially in my clothes. Dammit, she really has changed me. Beautiful, and love, weren't even apart of my vocabulary before I set my eyes on her. "Who the fuck are you?" I shout in anger, pushing past my feelings of affection.

"W-what?" Her eyes widen. 

"Don't make me repeat myself." I growl. I feel my heart breaking even more, when I see her looking at me in fear. 

"Adrian, I've been trying to tell you... My name is Sofia Sage..." She whispers, barely loud enough for me to hear.

"And why the fuck would you lie to me then?" She gulps, not answering me. I throw a glass full of water, that was previously sitting on the nightstand, across the room, just barely missing her. She jumps, and I see tears forming in her eyes. "Fucking answer me!"

"Antonio." She spits out. "Antonio sent me. But I swear, after the first month, I stopped talking to him, and I only told him one thing!" She assures me, looking down. 

"You were sent here by that fucking bastard!" I yell, turning and punching a wall, the only way I know to control my anger. Hitting things. Tears stream down her angelic face. 

"Adrian... I'm sorry."

"YOU'RE SORRY? YOU'RE SORRY?! SORRY DOESN'T CHANGE THE FACT THAT YOU BETRAYED ME!" I scream at her. She flinches. A haunted look crossed her beautiful emerald eyes. "That's why you did what you did to Alan." I state more than ask. She nods. 

"I heard him talking to Antonio. I needed to find a way to stop it so that he didn't hurt you guys." 

"Maria. She was in on it too? Does that mean you running away while Antonio distracted me was all a setup???" 

"No. I met Maria because she was Antonio's maid. We developed a close bond, so when I thought that if I was away from Antonio, I could get away from it all, I went to her. She had nothing to do with this." She looks at me with pleading eyes. "Please, do whatever you want to me, but don't hurt her." 

"Why shouldn't I? You care for her, and you betrayed me. What better punishment, than to watch your best friend suffer?" I chuckle darkly, pushing down every since fucking emotion I have. At least attempting to. 

"Please." She whispers. Getting fed up with seeing her like this, I turn around and whip out my gun from the nightstand, pointing it at her. She stares straight at it, not afraid at all. My hand begins to tremble as I look at the woman I am in love with. 

"Get out. I never want to see your fucking face again." She looks at me hurt. But she nods anyways. On her way out, she pauses and looks back at me. 

"Just for the record... I love you Adrian." With that, she walks out. 

Chapter twenty-one

~Sofia~

 

I walk into Maria's room, ignoring the couple who is currently fighting next to the closet. I lift up the mattress, grabbing my stack of almost 20,000 dollars. I pause when I pass them. "Good bye Maria. I love you." I give the confused woman next to me and tight hug. Then I turn to Brad. "When my Baldy comes back, tell him I miss him." With that, I walk out, ignoring both of their calls for me. I momentarily freeze when I hear a cry of agony echo throughout the house as I reach the front door, but as one last tear falls, I open the door, and walk out, leaving the only place I could ever call home. 

 

Two months and three weeks later

 

I managed to find my mother and Hal, and ended up staying with them for the past almost three months. I've barely been able to get out bed, accept for the past week or so to throw up once in a while. I caught a stomach bug or something. I got a new, untraceable phone, and I ordered a fake ID and passport, just incase I see Adrian or Antonio again, and they go all ballistic and make me move half way across the world, I wouldn't want them knowing where. Those fakes must be pretty damn good because they cost me a pretty penny. 

"Sofie! There is a package for you!" I hear my mother call from downstairs. I shiver at the name Sofie. Antonio and my mother ruined the name my father called me. She always tried to join in on it, since my dad and I were so close so she thought if she called me by his name for me I'd like her more. 

"Thanks." I take the plain orange envelope from her, retreating back to my room. I rip it open, spilling the contents on my bed, revealing the fake ID and passport. Luckily, they look realistic. I went under the name Ava Smith, since I feel like that's pretty generic. I throw them into my nightstand, and pick up my backpack type purse, walking down the stairs. "Bye." I half-heartedly shout as I exit the house. This is the first time I'm seeing Maria since I left. I was hesitant in contacting her, but I really did miss her. I get in my car, and drive away. I arrive at the 24 hour diner, before Maria does. When I sit down in a booth, a someone immediately comes up to me. 

"Hey doll, can I get you anything?"

"An iced coffee would be lovely, thank you." I smile at the older man. He gives me a kind smile back, leaving, heading towards the kitchen. I begin playing randoms games on my phone to pass the time. 

"Here you go girly. Waiting for someone?" I nod at the man from before. "Alrighty. I'll be back in a bit. Enjoy." I thank him again, and go back to playing. I look up when someone sits across from me. Or, more like, two someone's. 

"Maria..." I trail off, glancing between the two people. 

"Just listen babes." She tells me. 

"He misses you too." Brad speaks up, with a small smile. "I'm really sorry Strawberry. I didn't mean what I said. At all." I stay quiet for a while, thinking. The same man, I'm assuming the owner at this point, came up and got there orders, all the while. 

I return the slight smile. "I'm glad." Maria looks relieved. We talk and laugh the rest of the time, throughly enjoying ourselves. They start talking about how good the food is here, and I feel my stomach flip. "Excuse me for a second. I'll be right back." I get up, walking to the restroom as fast as I can without seeming suspicious. If they knew I had a stomach bug, they probably wouldn't want to be here with me, and honestly, this is this best time I've had in almost four months. Since the time Adrian left for the trip... 

I finish, wiping my mouth, and swishing some mouthwash from my bag, around and spitting it out in the sink. I walk out, smiling when I see the happy couple cuddling. "Better?" Maria asks. I nod. We talk for a while longer, before I realize the time. When I check my phone, Maria does too. "Oh shit. We're late! Sof, we walked here... Do you think you could give us a ride? Pretty please?" She gives me her best puppy dog eyes even though I was already going to do it. I nod, and we pay, leave, and hit the road. Baldy is giving me directions from the back, where Maria joined him. We end up at some weird baseball field just outside a park. 

"It was great seeing you two. We'll have to meet up again?" They both nod, and give me a hug before the get out. With a final smile, I turn my car back on, and put it into drive. Although, just when I start moving, a car skids in front of me. Confused, I go to back up, but then there is a car behind me, and on the side of me. Men get out of every vehicle, stalking towards my door. Just before I can lock it though, it swings open, and I'm yanked out. They don't even bother taking my seatbelt off. "Hey! What are you doing??" I ask, but the men don't stop dragging me. Looking down, I feel humiliated... 

"Boss, look what we found." One of them speaks when we come to a stop. My head shoots up, but I regret it instantly, when I see Antonio, smirking in front of me. 

"My my, Sofie, Sofie, Sofie." He chuckles. I flinch when his hand touches my cheek.

"Don't touch me." I demand, looking him straight in the eye. He gets instantly angry, bringing his hand out and back down on my face, making my head spin to the left. 

"Hey! Don't fucking touch her you bastard!" I hear Brad's voice from my right, as Maria yells my name. My eyebrow furrow in confusion. Why were they here? I turn my head past Antonio. If possible, I regret it even more. My heart sinks to the bottom of my stomach. 

"Adrian." I whisper under my breath, seeing the fuming man across the field. Everyone if there. Everyone I became friends with over the course of three months, who taught me to love, was there. 

"You fucking say his name again, I will kill Brad, and his little girlfriend too!" Antonio's voice echoes loudly around the field. I mean, everything is echoing, but his was ear piercing. I'm pretty sure my heart is in my feet at this point. 

"I-I'm sorry. Just don't hurt any of them, please?" 

"Sofia, no. Come over here, please!" Riley's voice breaks the silence, making tears form in my eyes. 

"I'll come with you, but you have to leave them alone." I offer. Antonio gets a smug look on his face. 

"Alright." He says, reaching into his pocket. "Everyone but Loverboy." He takes out a gun, aiming it at Adrian. 

"No!" I hear a scream, and it's only after I jump in front of it, do I realize it came from me. I feel a sharp pain hit my shoulder and then stomach. Another gunshot go off, and then Antonio falls down by my feet, which I'm currently swaying on. I begin to fall to the ground, but strong, familiar arms hold me.

"No no no, cupcake. Principessa please, keep your eyes open. Please. Come on, keep them open for me. No, no, don't let them close love, you have to stay with me. Cazzo! Get her help!!" Adrian's worried grey eyes are the last thing I remember before everything goes black. 

Chapter twenty-two

~Sofia~ 

 

An annoying beeping noise wakes me up. But when I try to open my eyes, I can't? Faint voices in the background of the beeping, finally come into focus. "Come on Sofia. You have to wake up." A female's voice breaks through first, then a male. 

"Yeah. Without you..." He chuckles. "Adrian has been a mess these last few months, but now he's... He needs you Sof. He hasn't even left the hospital all week since you came in. That boy needs a shower."

"Amen to that." The girl laughs sadly. "Sof, please wake up." 

I am awake! Someone taped my eyes shut, can't you see??  I want to yell. I feel so stuck though. I don't even know what's happening. Wait, did that guy say hospital? Why??

"Bye Sof. We love you boo." The female tells me, making me confused. What? I don't understand! A door slams, and then another man speaks. 

"Please cupcake." He cries. "I need you to wake up. I'm sorry for not listening to you, I'm so so sorry. I love you so much. You have to come back to me,  principessa. Please." The man sniffs, meaning he's actually crying. "P-please. I need to know why you saved me. You shouldn't have. This should've been me. God, when I saw you jump, my heart broke... again. I killed him for you cupcake. I didn't care what the consequences were, I did it. Because he hurt you. But s-so did I." He let's out a heartbroken sob. "Principessa, please. I love you. Come back to me." He begs. 

"Sir, visiting hours are over." Someone says. He sighs. 

"I love you cupcake." With that, there isn't any talking. But I replay his words over and over again. He loves me? 

Adrian.

One word comes to mind. I will my eyes to open, and thankfully, they slowly do. As I'm blinking against the bright white lights, everything comes back to me. Everything, over my life, the months, everything. The last thing I remember is Adrian holding me in his arms. I shoot up, ignoring the pain in my shoulder and stomach. "Are they okay?!" I exclaim hoarsely when I see a doctor looking down at a clipboard. I must scare her because she jumps. 

"Oh good! You're awake. Calm down dear. Here, I lift this up a bit, but lean against it." She tells me, walking over and lifting the back of the hospital bed. "Here, drink this." She hands me a cup of water. "Yes they are okay. You're lucky though, it just barely missed them." 

"What? The bullet didn't go through me, did it?" I ask, taking a drink of water when my throat hurt. 

"No dear, it just barely missed your uterus." I spit my water everywhere.

"I-it... I... I'm... Pregnant???" I shriek.

"Yes... You didn't know?" I shake my head. "Oh... You were meaning the people who came here with you, correct?" I nod. "Well yes, they are fine. And so are the twins." My eyes widen. 

Fuck.

"Twins? Did you happen to... tell anyone?" 

"No, I figured your boyfriend already knew." She explains. At my confused look she continues. "Adrian I believe. The one that keeps coming in here. He even got you bodyguards. They are always right outside your door." She shakes her head. "Hard headed one, ain't he?" I laugh softly, nodding. That's when I realize... Adrian doesn't love me anymore. He just wanted me up so that he could ask me questions. He wouldn't want the- our, kids. I'm 23 and pregnant, with children that won't have a father, if my plan works out. I feel bad potentially taking that away from my... twins. My twins. But I have to protect them. My hand unconsciously drift to my stomach. They don't deserve to be on the run, but they won't be. We'll move to Canada or something. My heart clenches in guilt. 

"You said there are bodyguards right?" She nods. "Do they switch between some? I'd feel horrible if they had to stay all day, just for silly old me."

"Yes. They always switch at 8 A.M. and 8 P.M." She explains. "Oh yes, your friend Maria left this bag for you. I'm assuming it's clothes for when you get out."

I take the bag from here setting it next to me on the bed. "Thank you." I say, and she nods, going to leave. "Wait, when can I be released?"

"Mmm, five to seven days?" She estimates, leaving. I glance at the window, and see Adrian smoking against a lamppost. He really does look like a mess. Looking at him run a hand through his soft black hair, makes the guilt pile up more. I shake my head. He wouldn't want them, and he doesn't want me. 

How did I not notice I missed my period?

I look in the back, finding a notebook and pen, clothes, and about twenty handwritten notes. With a sigh, I write notes back to everyone, hoping to pass time, until I can put my plan into action. I cry when I write Maria, Brad, and especially Adrian's notes. They don't deserve this, but I'm scared. And I don't want to find out what happens when he figures it out. I'm hoping he doesn't. I slip into the clothes given to me at 7:30 A.M., waiting for eight to come. When it does, I rip the IV out of my hand, grabbing my backpack, which is now filled with the notes given to me, and leave my notes on the bed in my place. I pull up the hood of the hoodie Maria packed, slipping out. "You two can go in now." I offer to the new bodyguards, pretending not to know. 

"Oh no ma'am, we are just here to make sure no one that's not supposed to can get in or out." One of them says. 

"Oh, oops, my mistake. Have a good day you two." They nod, and I slip away, managing to get out of the hospital, undetected. I catch a cab back to my birth giver's house, so that I can grab my ID and passport, and pack a bag quick. "Bye." I give Hal and my mother a hug. 

"But Sofie, you just got back!" My mother protests. 

"Thank you both for allowing me to stay here, but I found somewhere. I'll see you around maybe." With that, I leave, taking another taxi to the airport, where I buy the first ticket I can, out of the country. That happens to be to Mexico. Just as I board the plane, I see Maria's name pop up on my phone. With a sigh, I ignore it, and turn my phone off. 

I guess I'm glad I know spanish...

Chapter twenty-three

 ~Adrian~

 

"Adri, come on, the doctor said she woke up!" Riley squeals, as soon as visiting hours start. It's about 8:30 in the morning, so I'm not fully awake, after getting just four hours of sleep. When her words sink in, my drooping eyes fly open. Fuck yes!

"What are we waiting for?!" I ask, practically running through the hospital. Suddenly there is a huge commotion throughout the halls. "Excuse me. What is going on?" I ask one of the frantic nurses. 

"One of the patients in the East Wing isn't there. We don't know where they went." She explains. My eye brows furrow in confusion. 

"Adrian, let's go. She'll be fine, it's not like the patient is important to us, come on." Riley reasons. I nod, following her. When we reach the room Sofia is in, the guards aren't right outside. I burst into the room, finding Maria crying, and Brad comforting her. Looking to the bed, I see it empty of anything but some notes. My eyes drift towards the bloodied IV needle on the ground. My jaw ticks, and I instantly want to punch something. 

"How the fuck did she get out??" I yell, turning towards the bodyguards.

"S-she pretended n-not t-to be her. S-she ma-made us t-think she was just v-visiting." One of them stutters. My hands turn to fists as I feel the urge to beat them both to a pulp. The only thing that stops me is a gasp from Maria. 

"What?" I growl. She shakes her head, still looking at the piece of paper, but I narrow my eyes at the small smile on her face. I stalk over to her, snatching the piece of paper from her hands. She doesn't even look remotely worried. 

Maria,

Hey babes. I'm sorry I had to do this. But it is what was best. I heard you before, and it honestly breaks my heart that I had to do this. I'm not going to tell you why I did this, incase someone else reads this, but I know you'll understand. You are seriously the best friend I could have ever asked for. You were always there for me when Antonio would beat me, and even when Alan did it for him, you still had my back. I've made you do things I feel awful for, but I am so thankful. I never would have gotten through it if it weren't for you. You were the light in my dark, so thank you. I know I'll see you again someday.

I love you, Sofia

I feel my blood boil at it. But when I look closer, there are two little pink pluses at the bottom. I roll my eyes at the confusing marks. I give her back the letter, going over to the bed. I see one labeled to Brad, and I know they were really close so I open that one too. I feel like an ass right now, but she just left and I don't know what to do. 

Baldy,

I'm sorry for all the trouble I've caused you. I'm sorry for making you lie to Adrian that I was actually doing stuff while he was away. I'm not sure why I locked myself away, but now I regret it. I wish I would have spent more time with you before I couldn't anymore. Knowing Adrian, he's reading this right now, so banana bread, don't get mad at him. Please. If you're going to be mad at anyone, be mad at me. 

Anyways, thank you Brad. I know we had our ups and downs growing up, but you were still my best friend. And us fighting? Now that's what was bullshit, not you. You were so much better than that. I'm so excited you and Maria have found each other, and I hope you continue making each other happy. I love you both. 

Love always, Strawberry

"You knew her?? You lied to me about her??" I spin around to face him, throwing the note in his face. Shocked, he reads the note, tears springing to his eyes when he does. 

"Yeah. I did. Because she deserved to be treated well, not called a whore." I'm confused, so I raise an eyebrow at him. "I knew she got taken to pay off her mother's debt to Antonio, so I implied that she slept with him too, and just wanted to use you to get off." He mumbles. 

"Oh that little..." I trail off, not finishing my name calling. She was a virgin. She gave herself to me. "You still lied to me." I change the subject, pushing my feelings down the best I could

 "Adrian, you would have too." He counters. I sigh knowing he's correct. It's then that I realize everyone saw that. 

"Alright. Let's just go, We'll find her later." I pick up the pile of handwritten notes, throwing them into the backpack Maria packed for her. We all leave, despite everyone being upset. None of us even got to see her. She just up and left, not even thinking about how all of us would feel. She's so fucking selfish! There is a tense silence on the way back, no one risking angering someone else. We all (mainly me) storm off to our respective rooms. I walk into my room, pausing to look at the second closet. My eyes drift to the bed. I can practically see her laughing, watching me do something stupid, just to hear the angelic sound. I can see her sneaking over to my closet to steal my shirts, when she thought I couldn't see her from the bathroom. And then I can see her throwing on leggings and one of my t-shirts while I was on the phone, and storming out with one final I love you, not to be seen again until almost three months later when she got shot... for me.

Shaking my head, I push away the memories, throwing the bag on the bed, emptying the contents. All the letters I had forgotten about flutter out, making me sigh with the realization that one; she isn't coming back, and two; I should probably deliver these. I silently leave all the letters outside everyone's door, not bothering to read them in my depressed state. I barely even have the energy to deliver these. When I get to that bottom of the stack, I can't lie, my heart dropped a bit. She didn't even bother writing me one. With a heavy sigh, I slink back to my room, my head aching more than it has in years. I throw the bag at the wall, angered. How is it, I've been killing since I was twelve, and yet after fourteen years, this is what ruins me. 

One.

Silly.

Girl. 

But that's the thing. She isn't just a 'silly girl'. She's my girl. And I have every intent on getting her back. 

Chapter twenty-four

~Maria~

 

"Brad, look at this." I shove the note I received in his face. 

"Jesus woman, I will. Calm down." He chuckles, but it doesn't fool me. He's hurt. He just got his best friend back, and then she left. 

"Brad, it's okay to be sad. I'm upset too, but I know why she left." I hesitantly tell him the last part. I'm not sure if I should, be I don't really have any logic when I'm around him. It's like, nothing matters, as long as I'm with him. Besides Sofia, he's the most important person there is to me. 

"You do???" His head snaps up in shock. "How?" I pound to the two pink pluses at the bottom of the paper. "So what?" 

"We made this stupid agreement as a joke, that whenever we got pregnant, we would draw a plus on the mirror, for the other the find when they showered. But she put two. Babe, she's pregnant with twins. That's why she left."

He looks completely in shock. "B-b-babies?" He stutters, his eyes still wide. I nod. "S-sofia?" I nod again. "A...Adrian?" He asks with a pause. I nod yet again. 

"He was the only person Sof ever had sex with." Suddenly a large smile breaks across his face.

"You wanna make some?" He asks devilishly. I laugh, and wrap my arms around his next. 

"I mean, they will need some friends when we see her again." I kiss his lips, cutting off his laugh. 

 

•••

 

Later a tense silence settles over the dinner table, everyone lost in their own heads. Everyone is still distraught over Sofia's disappearance, except for Brad and I of course. We are still sad obviously, but knowing her motive makes it more bearable. Brad breaking the air startles me. 

"So, what do all of you think of having kids some day?" My eyes widen as I smack him under the table. 

Adrian narrows his eyes at us. "Why? You aren't pregnant are you?" All the water that was previously in my mouth, is now all over Brad, as I start choking.

"No! No, we were just wondering, cause you know, it's just a conversation starter." I lie. He rolls his eyes, looking away. 

"I personally think Riles and I would love you adopt someday, or get an IUI." Rose speaks up. That starts a chain of everyone's answers, until it comes down to just Adrian. 

"What about you Adri?" Dani asks. He stays silent, staring at his untouched food. "Adrian?" She asks hesitantly. He stands up so briskly that his chair clatters to the ground behind us. 

"I don't want them. Because I can't have them with..." He can't even say her anme. This is worse than I thought. "Her." He decides on, before exiting the room.

"Brad..." I whisper. 

"I know baby... I know." He sighs. 

 

 ~Sofia~

 

I get to Mexico, and when I'm done with the airport, I decide to just walk around. Maybe find a place to stay tonight. Or for awhile. The streets of Mexico were colorful and exciting, but I couldn't find it in me to be enthusiastic about anything. I attempt to blink away the blurring in my eyes from how tired I am. Someone rams into my injured shoulder, making me cringe and grab it. 

 "Oh my God, I'm so sorry." The man speaks frantically, turning around. My heart stops. 

"Dad?" I ask quietly, looking into the familiar eyes I see ever time I look into the mirror. His eyes widen. 

"FiFi?" 

"Dad!" I throw my good arm around him, as he holds me in his arms, tightly. I ignore the killer pain in my shoulder and stomach, just enjoying this moment. "Wha- How? Mother said you died?" I ask when we pull away and I begin walking with him. 

"Do you need help? I can take your bag." He offers. 

"Sure, um, thank you." I give it to him, shrugging my purse further up on my shoulder. I know, 'How did you get fifteen thousand dollars over the boarder?' Well, I'm not exactly proud to admit that I have a secret pocket in my bag, that I hid it in. Luckily, the security at the airport sucks. "So..." I trail off, allowing him to explain. 

"I faked my own death to get away from that witch." He says bluntly. I start coughing to cover up my laugh. It doesn't work though, as he start chuckling with me. "After you left... Well, after you had to go, I realized how fucked up we had made your life." I glance over at him to see tears welling in his eyes. "I gave my little girl away." His hand flies up to his face, meaning he probably wiped a fallen tear. "My baby wasn't there anymore, and then we got kicked out. Brad's stepfather found us, and took us in. Brad, boy, he hated us. He couldn't even look at me anymore. "Fiona, well she was still addicted, but you being gone was a wakeup call for me. I needed to fix up my act, and get my babygirl back. But Antonio... He refused. He said you were his now and always would be. I couldn't even see you..."

"I had no idea..." I mutter. Then his words sink in. "Dad... That means yoyou moved in with them when I was in high school. Brad didn't tell me he knew what happened... He lied to me." I whisper the last part. 

He still heard it though, because he says, "What do you mean he lied? Did you see him again after you graduated?"

"That's a story for another day." I reply. Then he stops, making me stop beside him, in front of a house. 

"Do you have somewhere to stay?" I shake my head. "Stay here, with me." He offers. 

"Dad, I'll be here for a while. I'm moving here for the foreseeable future." I tell him. 

"I don't care Sofie, move in with me. Make up for lost time." I think about it, and nod with a smile. When we get inside the two story house, I look him dead in the eyes. 

"Okay, just Sofia, Sof, FiFi, whatever you want, just not Sofie." He looks confused at my demand. "That's what Antonio called me." Anger flashes in his eyes. 

"I'll kill that bastard." He growls. 

"Trust me padre, it's already done." I mutter. 

"Wait, what?" He turns to me confused. I laugh it off, shaking my head. I follow him to a room, which he says is now mine. He goes to leave, when he turns. "Why were you here to stay if you didn't have anywhere to go." I give him a sad smile, looking down. 

"It was what was best for the time being." My father's eyes drift to my arm, a and then to my stomach where my hand is resting. He raises an eyebrow, waiting for me to explain. "I got shot. In the shoulder and stomach." I tell him, causing his eyes to widen. I begin rubbing my small, barely noticeable baby bump. I can't believe I couldn't figure out why I was sick and gaining weight, without really eating anything. 

"Oh, areyou hungry? I could make tacos?" I nod, knowing I have to eat now for the babies. But the thought of food makes my stomach lurch. I cover my mouth with my hand, running out of the room to the bathroom, throwing up the small bag of peanuts I had on the plane, plus whatever they gave me at the hospital. "Woah, you okay?" My dad asks, holding back my hair. I nod through the tears forming in my eyes. When the torture is over, I wipe my mouth, leaning against the tub next to me. 

"Dad, I'm pregnant..." I whisper looking down. When I glance up, his jaw is hard, and his eyes are ablaze, reminding me of Adrian. 

"I swear to fucking God, if it was Antonio, I will go to his grave and re-kill him." He growls. 

"Papa... it wasn't him I promise." My eyes water, as the realization set in. I'm pregnant, with Adrian's babies. I'm twelve weeks... That was the last time he held me...

And now he never will get to again...

Chapter twenty-five

 ~Sofia~ (Sorry for all the time skips previously and coming up)

 

"But dad!" I whine. "I'm fat now!" I motion to my bulging stomach. 

"Honey, you're just seven and a half months pregnant, not fat." He tries reasoning with me. 

"I swear to God I am not going grocery shopping with you!" I yelp as I feel yet another contraction. 

"Please? I'll get you some chocolate since it's Valentines Day?" He tempts me. I sigh. 

"Asshole." I mutter, grabbing my jacket. He chuckles, helping me into it. "You are the worst, dad." He laughs harder. We go to the store, getting odd looks from random people. I guess you could think we were a couple but... I gag at the thought. That's disgusting. I suppose that I know we are a father/daughter duo, and they don't, but still. We get out the car again, and I start breathing heavy, to get through the killer contraction I got while I was opening the door. Suddenly, right when I went to sit down, I felt like I was peeing myself. "Dad..." I hesitantly say, staring at the wet trail down my legging leg. He looks concerned, running over to me. 

"Honey, your water broke. We have to get to the hospital now!" He quickly sits me down, and starts driving to the nearest hospital as what he just said sets in. 

"No... No dad, it's too early! No, what if my babies are hurt... Dad it's siz weeks early, they shouldn't be coming yet!" I exclaim as he speaks to the receptionist in spanish. 

"Twins?" He asks. I nod. "Sènorita, that's perfectly normal. Just come with me." He bring us to a strange room, making me sit down while my dad fills out the paperwork right outside. 

When I'm all set up, hooked up to a few machines, a doctor comes in. She does some check up type things, before speaking. "Hola, mi nombre es doctor Stien. Parece que estás listo para partir, y debemos hacerlo lo antes posible." She tells me. [Hello, my name is doctor Stien. It looks like your ready to go, and we must do this as soon as possible.] I nod. 

"Sofia." I say, using my real name for this. I've been contemplating it for a while, and I decided that I want my kids to have my real name on their birth certificates. 

"Are you from the US?" She asks, pulling on gloves and switching to English. 

"Ye-" I finish the word with a groan as I feel a ton of pain. "Don't I need to be drugged up for this?" I ask loudly as another pain hits. She laughs softly. 

"Normally yes, but seen as we can already see the first head, we don't have time." She explains. I nod. "Alright, on my count, I'll need you to push. Ready? 3, 2, 1, big push!" I push as hard as I can, feeling the worst pain I've ever experienced. Physically that is. This is worse than any beating I've had, or even being shot. "Good, again. 3, 2, 1, big push!" I push again, not being able to stop the scream from escaping my lips. "One more, okay? 3, 2, 1, push!" I push again, screaming more, and then my hole doesn't feel nearly as stretched, but I still am in pain. I watch as she cuts the ambilical cord. "First one out! It's a boy, get him cleaned up. Okay, we need to this again. Ready?" I'm having a boy! I'm about to nod, when the world starts spinning. I shake my head the best I can. 

"S-something isn't... it isn't... right..." I mutter. 

"Get her on oxygen!" The doctor demands, making one of the nurses run over, putting a mask over my nose and mouth. She waits a few moments. "Alright honey, you need to push a few more times okay? Can you do that for me? For your baby?" I nod. I want to know she/he is okay. No, I didn't find out the gender. "Okay, 3, 2, 1, push!" I push again, as hard as I can, a bloodcurdling scream, coming out of me. "Good, good job, ready, 3, 2, 1." I push again, groaning and throwing my head back in pain. "Alright, almost done. Keep going, give me one more big push!" I push again, my tears mixing with a bunch of sweat. "You have a daughter sweetie!" She give my baby to another nurse, letting them wash her off. 

"Are... are they okay?" I ask, removing the mask, being able to breathe again. She nods with a smile on her face. Two nurses come at me from either side. They place my now swaddled children in my arms. I smile down a them, now crying happily as they snuggle against what's peaking out on my chest. 

"What are they're names?" She asks. 

I continue smiling down at my small babies. "Taylor and Tyler Garcia." I sigh. I decided on Garcia, because he would search Sage for me, but not himself. Hopefully. A few minutes later they are taken away to be checked up on by the nursery people. My dad comes in smiling. 

"How are they?" 

"My God, they are so beautiful. All the pain, was so worth it." I sigh in contentment. I smile sadly, remembering when they opened their tiny little eyes, looking up at me with their father's eyes. Taylor had a tuff of black hair sitting on her head, and Tyler's was barely noticeable, meaning he probably got my hair. 

"I can only imagine." He chuckles. "Oh yeah, that reminds me, who's the father?" He asks. My heart races st his question. 

"Here, um, I'll fill that part out." I tell him, reaching for the clipboard. Hesitantly hands it over, letting me fill it out. 

"Why can't you tell me FiFi? I'm your father." 

"Maybe someday..."

Chapter twenty-six

 ~Brad~

 

I reread the letter for the billionth time. In the past five and a half years, I've reread this same letter probably at least once or twice a day. I take comfort knowing why she ran, but it still upsets me. I had just gotten her back and then... poof, she was gone. I study the writing, taking in every loop, curve, and otherwise. Then I notice something odd about it. "Baby, let me see your note." I say to my beautiful fiance, who's currently rocking our one year old, and playing with our three year old. 

"Nightstand." She whispers, not to wake our sleeping daughter, Olivia. 

"I got it!" Reese exclaims, only to get shushed. "Sorry mommy." 

"It's okay babygirl. Go get daddy the paper, okay?" She nods excitedly at her mother's words, while Maria gets up to put Olivia to bed, she begins running over to the nightstand, digging around on her tip-toes to get the familiar sheet. 

"Here you go daddy!" I kiss her temple. 

"Thank you baby. Now go get your jammies on." I tap her lower back, making her run to what used to be Maria's room but now belongs to the girls. Maria comes back a moment later as I study her note. I grab a pen and pad of paper off the bed next to me, that Reese was coloring on. "Look at this babe." I say, pointing to six different letters between our two notes. "They're different than the rest." I point out. 

"Good night daddy. Good night mommy. I love you!" Reese runs in, giving us both a hug. She is quite the smartie for being so young. She told us unless she told us to, for an entire week we don't have to tuck her in. My little girl is all growl up.

"Good night babygirl. Sleep well, we love you." Maria and I say in sync. 

"Okay, read the letters, I'll write them." Maria demands. God damn she's zexy when she's controlling. I smirk, staring at her. "Hello?" She snaps in front of my face, snapping me out of my daze. 

"Right, reading. Okay, M, C, O, X, I, E." I read off. My eyes widen, as I raise them up to my fiance's, as do her's. 

"Mexico." 

 

 ~Adrian~

 

I sit there staring at the same wall I have for years. I haven't changed anything in here, not even the back I threw at the wall, all those years ago. Five and a half years, that's how long I've been away from the woman I love. That's how long I've been a mess. That's how long it's been, since I gave my mafia to my little sister. I would have given it to Brad but he claimed Maria and him were going ro start a family, so I couldn't. I feel my heart shatter a tiny bit more. I've searched everywhere for Sofia. And yet, I can't find her anywhere. 

 "Adrian!" Brad and Maria burst through my door. 

 "Jesus! Have you two ever heard of fucking knocking?" I snap. 

"Oh shut up. We waited all night, you'll want to hear this." Maria's shoots bad, making a fire ignite in Brad's eyes. Ew. She takes a deep breath, as I motion for her to continue. "We found Sof. Well, we know where she is, just not her specific location." She says. I pop up. 

"What?? Let's go find her!" I exclaim, running out of the room in just my boxers, slipping every now and then on the way down the stairs. I get to the bottom running into the kitchen where my sister's are currently cooking. "Danni, come on." I demand, running to the conference room. After a few moments of my pacing, a confused Danni comes in, followed by the couple of the day. Luckily, Danni's computer is already here. "Okay, explain." I demand. 

"I was reading my note," My heart pangs at the thought that I didn't get one. "When I realized something odd about it. Some of the letters were different. They were straighter, and more slated, that the rest of the loops, so I asked to see Maria's. Then we wrote all the letters out and they spelt one word, Mexico." Brad rambles all in one breath. Danni immediately starts typing. 

"The only 'Sage' in Mexico is still Jared Sage." She sighs, followed by my curses. 

"Do it." The dynamic duo demands in sync. 

"Stupid, why wouldn't you tell us he was there is the first place?" Brad smacks the back of my head. 

"Ow!"

"Yeah, dipshit, we would have been able to find her before she even had her-" She cuts herself off with a cough. A very fake one, I might add. "Ehm, before. Just before." She squeezes her eyes shut and shakes her head. "That's her dad." 

"This says he lives with... Ava Smith." Brad rolls his eyes. 

"Strawberry... So basic." He smacks his forehead, making everyone stare at him. He just shrugs. 

"Whatever. Get me the address, Danni, we leave in four hours." I glance at the clock. That'll be four P.M... Whatever. My phone pings as I rush up the stairs to my room. I glance down at it while I walk into my room, reading all the information. She's been right under my nose this entire time. I trip over something, stumbling and dropping my phone in the process. I glance at the familiar backpack. This time, with a smile. Deciding I'll use it as a carry on, I bend over, picking up that and my phone. My eyebrows furrow in confusion at the sight under it. I bend again, picking up the folded piece of paper. Flipping it over I see my name sprawled out in loopy letters. I can't help the huge smile that breaks across my face, making my cheeks ache at the unfamiliar feeling. She did give me a note!

Banana Bread,

Hey Adrian. I know you're probably mad at me, but I want you to know that, this is what was best for... everyone involved. This is the hardest thing I've ever done. You are the most important thing in my life, and anything that came from you, or had anything to do with you, I will forever cherish. 

I'm sorry for not giving you a choice in this, but I hope you'll find happiness in someone new. This is so cliche... But I'll always love you Adrian. You'll always be my banana bread. 

Love always, Sofia

P.S. I promise not to eat any other banana bread from now on ;)

I laugh at the end. I glance down at my bare chest, seeing the tattoo I got for her. It was the word cupcake, with an actual cupcake as the 'a'. Reading it again, I get hard just thinking about her glorious mouth. 

Now, time to get my girl back. 

Chapter twenty-seven

 ~Sofia~

 

"Happy fifth birthday my babies!" I wake up my two little devils. 

"Yay!" They exclaim together. 

"TayTay, guess what." Tyler has a smug look on his face. She turns her attention to him. "I'm older than you!" He yells. She rolls her eyes. 

"You're so mean!" 

"Oh calm down you two. Get dressed, we're going shopping for your choice presents. Then when we get back, we can open presents with grandpa." They both nod excitedly, as I go out to my father. "Morning dad." I kiss his cheek, going over to the coffee maker to get some much needed caffeine. 

"Morning honey. How are the twins?"

"Excited for their birthday." He laughs. "So, you coming shopping with us?" He laughs even harder and shakes his head. "Tell me about it." I sigh. Shopping with newly turned five year olds? Not fun. 

"Mommy! We're ready!" Taylor and Tyler come running down the stairs, yelling at the same time. I swear, this whole twin thing is freaking me out. My birth giver and aunt were twins, but they were never like this!

"Okay, let's go!" I exclaim, leading them out of the house. We walk into town, watching couples walk along the road all lovey dovey. My heart hurts at the sight. That should be me and Adrian. It would be if you had given him the choice to keep his children or not.

Stupid conciousness. 

We shop for a while, making me exhausted. I didn't think it was possible to ever be this tired. "Hola, pequeña familia encantadora." [Hello, lovely little family.] I laugh, hugging my new friend Owen. I met him when the kids were two, and he's basically become my rock. He knows everything about everything. From my parents, to Antonio, to Adrian and my babies. He's honestly like a brother to me. 

"Uncle Owen!" Tyler exclaims, followed by both him and his sister throwing their arms around either of his legs. 

"Hey, little ones. How are you being for your mama?" He asks. 

"Great!" Taylor immediately answers. Owen and I laugh. 

"Oh yeah, happy birthday!" 

"Owen, you should come open presents with us!" The twins offer. He glances up at me asking for permission, but when I nod he proceeds to agree. We all walk back, talking and laughing. When we get inside the house, my dad greets us. 

"Ah, Owen. How are you doing son?" He asks, giving Owen one of those bro hug things. 

"Great, thank you." They begin talking about sports or something, allowing my babies to start playing with the previously bought toys. My father has a job, making it so that I can just use the money I had for the kid's "fun," stuff, like toys and going out the eat, and other stuff like that. He payed for everything else, despite my protests. "So, who's ready for presents?" Owen comes up behind them, scaring them. They start giggling, running to the kitchen table. 

"Thanks bro." I shake my head, heading towards my room to gather the gifts, leaving a laughing father and Owen behind. I bring everything out to the kitchen, where even Owen and my dad are sitting like giddy little kids. I smile at everyone. They rip open all the gifts excitedly, loving every second of it. I video everything on a camera I received from Owen and my dad for Christmas, just two months before. It still amazes me that they were born on Valentine's day. "Okay babies, why don't you go get you pajamas on, and then I'll go up with you and tuck you in, okay?" They both nod, racing each other up the stairs. 

"Alright, I gotta go. Jessica is just waiting to break up with me." He sighs, grabbing his shoes. 

"Really? The bitch is going to break up with you on Valentine's day?" He nods. He's wanted to break up with his girlfriend for a while now, but he really is a sweetheart and didn't know how to break it off softly. 

"Mommy, we're ready!" Tyler scream from upstairs. 

"Alright, I'll be there in a second!" I call back. "I'm assuming you'll be back in a few hours?" He always ends up staying here when he can't live with his current girlfriend. Yes, he is quite the player. 

"Yeah, probably around 10." He waves, leaving. I lock the door behind him, before going up to put Taylor and Tyler to bed. 

"Mommy, TayTay and I have a question." Tyler declares as I walk in the room, to find them both sitting on Taylor's bed. 

"Yeah, what's that?" I ask joining them. They glance between each other, silently communicating. Like I said, freaky.

"Why don't we have a daddy? Grandpa is your dad, so why don't we have one?" Taylor asks, ever the bold between the two. 

I start coughing in surprise. "Ehm, baby, you do have a daddy, he's just not here. He had other stuff to do, so mommy separated herself from him, okay?" Tyler nods, but Taylor still looks distraught. 

"Who is our daddy?" She asks, not letting it go. I pick her up, airplaning her to her own bed, before pulling up her covers, doing the same to my son. 

"We'll talk about this another day, okay bebés?" They agree, allowing me to turn off the light, but not without turning on their nightlight. "I love you two." They reply, letting me shut their bedroom door. I turn right into my father. He motions for me to follow him. Confused, I do. 

"Who is their father?" 

"Dad, we've talked about this-"

"No! We haven't because everytime you tell me it's not important, or it doesn't matter. I think I deserve to know my grandkid's father, or at least his name!" He snaps, looking angry. 

"I'm sorry, but it doesn't matter. He won't be in their life. I took that choice away from him when I left!" I slap my hand over my mouth when I realize what I let slip. 

"He doesn't know??" He bellows. 

"Dad! The twins are sleeping!" I shush him. "I'm sorry, okay?! I was scared. He wasn't exactly the fatherly type, and at the time he hated me. I fucked up. Trust me, I regret leaving every day, but then I would have never found you..." I attempt to reason. 

"Why would he hate you?" He asks, making me even more mad. Why can't he just let it go?? "Sofia, answer me."

"Antonio sent me, okay?? I was sent to Adrian as Emily, but after we had already slept together, he found out. I swear, I tried to tell him, but he would never listen until he found out for himself. Then he kicked me out. Three months later, I was shot, woke up after a week of being in the hospital, and found out I was pregnant with those two. I freaked and left before anyone would know." I ramble. His eyes widen as my words sink in. 

"Adrian as in... Adrian Garcia??" I nod slowly. 

"Get some sleep dad. We'll talk more tomorrow." I kiss his cheek, sending him upstairs. With a sigh, I get the futon ready to be slept on. Deciding to stay up until Owen gets here, I flop down on the couch, turning on the TV quietly. It was only about 8, that talk took longer than I thought. Eventually I must have dozed off, because I was woke up by a harsh banging on the door. Owen! I grumble, getting up, and walking over to the door. "Owen I swear to God if you woke up- Owen?" I look around the empty doorway, wrapping my arms around myself. The icy air hitting my bare skin, since I'm only wearing a spaghetti strap, and short shorts, my normal sleep attire since I had the kids. 

Without warning, I'm picked up at the waist, and thrown over someone's shoulder. They begin walking away quickly, leaving the door wide open, giving me a view of my children running down the stairs. "Mommy? Mommy!" They run after us, but the man doesn't notice. I gulp as his scent hits me. 

"Adrian! Adrian put me down please!"

"Cupcake, I don't think you're in any position to be making demands." My heartbeat increases tremendously as we turn down off the driveway, making my babies stop at the end. 

"No, no, Adrian, you don't understand, put me do!" I kick, not thinking about anything other than the fact that they could get hurt. He groans, bending over, and in the meantime setting me down. I see familiar headlight coming down the street as I run to Tyler and Taylor as fast as I can. Ty is crying and calling for me, while Taylor is hugging him, letting him cry on her shoulder. I fall to my knees, scraping them in the process, but I ignore it as I hug them. I hear multiple feet pounding against the road. 

"Sof, what happened?" Owen asks, breathing heavily. 

"Sofia I swear to God you better come with me or-" Adrian stops short at the sight in front of him. I stand up, handing the kids to Owen, blocking them from their father's view. 

"Adrian, you need to go. Now." I demand, despite the slight tremble in my words.

"This is the asshole that-" Owen starts but I cut him off. 

"Owen! Kids!" I hear him mumble a sorry. 

"Mommy, what's an asshole?" Tyler asks through his sniffles. 

"Don't say that baby. Owen shouldn't have either." I say, not even looking their direction. 

"What's going on here?" I hear my dad's sleepy, raspy voice ask while he runs down the driveway in slippers and a robe. 

"Nothing! He was just leaving." My words seem to snap him out of his shocked state. 

"Like hell I am!" He roars. 

I cover Tyler's ears, making Owen do the same for Taylor. "Everyone, stop, swearing, or I promise I will rip each of your balls off and choke you with them!" I threaten. We uncover their ears. I see all of the men's eyes go wide. 

"Sofia, stop being so rude. Would you like to come in?" My dad asks.

"No!" I yell at the same time Adrian says, "I'd love to. Let me go get my sister." He says. 

"Dad!" I groan loudly. "Let's just go. I now have to find some way to convince him to get out of here." I take Taylor from my friend, and then Tyler to follow. We all walk inside, my dad waiting there for Adrian and either Danni or Riley. 

This should be fun. 

Chapter twenty-eight

 ~Sofia~

 

Soon enough, we are all seated at the table. My father is sitting at the head, Adrian and Danni across from us, while Owen sits next to me. I have both my little devils on my lap. Adrian looks very smug. "FiFi, mind explaining?" My dad asks, breaking the silence. 

"Yeah FiFi, mind explaining?" Adrian mocks me. I resist the urge to cuss him out. 

"Dad, this is... Adrian. Adrian, this is my father, Jared Sage. This is Danni, Adrian's sister. And Owen, my friend. Alright, this has been great, but it's time for bed." I rush out. I go to stand up, but my dad puts up a hand to stop me. With a huff, I sit back down. 

"This is Adrian?" He asks me.

"So, you talk about me?" He asks, smirking. I groan. 

"I don't have the time for this." I snap. 

"Wait cupcake, I think you forgot some when introducing everyone." Adrian glances down at- unknown to him-  our kids. 

"Hi! I'm Ty-" I bring my hand up over my son's mouth. 

"Nope. I don't believe so." I glance at an enraged Owen, and then back to Adrian, who is glaring right back. Then he turns to me and smirks. 

"Hi little ones. I'm Adrian." Taylor looks hesitant in answering. 

"Don't." Owen growls. "Little ones is my name for them." 

"Are they yours?" Danni asks. Owen's glare lingers on Adrian for a moment longer, before shifting to the now twenty or twenty one year old. His eyes widen to the side of saucers, as if he's seeing her for the first time. Then he gets a lazy smile on his babyish face. 

"No." He sighs. I scrunch my nose up. Adrian scowls, making me try not to laugh. Key words; try to. His gaze lands on me. I snap my mouth shut. 

"So, what brings you to Mexico?" My dad asks.

"Here to get my girlfriend back." He replys simply, leaning back in the chair. 

"I'm not your girlfriend you-" Luckily I'm cut off by a yawn. "Babies, go to your room okay? I'll go up there in a second." They nod, scurrying out of my arms and racing each other to their room, yet again. "We'll finish this when I come back." I state, going upstairs. I sit on Taylor's bed, where she already lays under the blankets. 

"I'm sorry you two, you shouldn't have had to see any of that." I sigh. 

"It's okay mommy. But who was the big scary man?" Tyler asks, pulling the covers to his chin. 

"Adrian dumdum." Taylor rolls her eyes. She's feisty for a five year old. 

"Be nice to your brother." I tell her softly. She nods, apologizing. "Adrian is someone from mommy's past. No one you two should worry your pretty little heads about." I get up, kissing each of them, before walking to the door. "Sweet dreams, I love you." I tell them, meaning it from the bottom of my heart. I shut their door, turning, but this time when I run into someone, I'm against a wall in less than a second. 

"So, I'm just someone from your past?" He growls, chuckling darkly. "Oh no sweetheart. I'm part of you past, present, and future and I'm not leaving until you figure that the fuck out, and are with me." He shoves his head into my neck, inhaling deeply. "God I've missed that smell. I've waited five and a half years, to have anything from you. And trust me babygirl, I'll have everything." He lips up my neck, all the way to the sensitive spot behind my ear, where he sucks, making me shiver. 

"Do you know spanish?" I ask breathlessly. 

"A little bit, but not enough to have a full blown conversation, why?" He pulls away confused. 

"Vete al infierno." My words echo throughout the hallway, and probably down stairs. I push him away, running down the stairs. I find Owen and Danni both concealing their laughter, but as soon as a confused Adrian follows me to the table, they both burst out laughing. I huff. 

"What??" He exclaims. 

"She..." Danni tries to say but bursts out laughing. "She told... you... to... go... to..." She can't even get it out. 

"She told you to go to hell, buddy." Owen laughs, but sneers the last word. Adrian's jaw clenches, as he glares at me. "¿Este es el tipo que dejaste que te dejara embarazada?" [This is the guy you let get you pregnant?] Owen chuckles. I turn to him and shrug innocently. All of the sudden all the laughter stops, causing everyone to look at the previously giggling Danni. Her eyes are wide as she stares at me, and then her eyes drift to the stairs. 

"Fuck." The word slips out before I can stop it. "You know Spanish..." I state the obvious. Owen's eyes are wide too. I rub my temples, turning to my dad who has been eerily quite. I find his sleeping next to me. "Padre, why don't you head up to bed." I shake his arm gently. He doesn't even look phased, which is kind of concerning since he's a really light sleeper. "Padre?" I ask concerned. I shake harder, standing in front of him. "Dad. Dad! Dad please wake up!" He is still unresponsive. I reach for his wrist, feeling a barely beating pulse. "Owen, bring him to the car, please. We need to get him to a hospital!" I run upstairs. "Tyler, Taylor." I shake my kids awake softly. They sit up groggily. "Come on babies, we have to go to the hospital. Grandpa isn't doing too well." I grab them each a jacket throwing it on them, before picking both of them up. 

"Mommy, what's wrong with grandpa?" Tyler asks, rubbing his tired eyes. 

"I don't know baby, we're going to find out though." They nod, resting their heads against my chest. I feel horrible for tonight. "Go to sleep." I tell them. I can feel Adrian watching me, and I sit in the back of the car, never letting them go. My dad is unconscious in the front seat, while Danni slides in between Adrian and I. My heart is pounding the entire time to the hospital. 

I just pray to God that he is okay. 

Chapter twenty-nine

 ~Sofia~

 

We all sit in the waiting room, Adrian and Danni in the chairs across from us, with me leaning against the wall, with my legs draping over one seat. Owen has my feet on his lap, which I've already made sure was okay with him. The twins are both sleeping soundly on my torso. I feel my eye lids dropping, but despite how tired I am, I am determined to stay awake. Besides my little accidental nap earlier. I haven't slept in at least 60 hours. I couldn't sleep all night two nights ago, and then I had to stay up to get everything wrapped and set up for the kids. An awkward silence settles between us. Danni startles everyone by standing up abruptly. 

"I'm getting some coffee. Anyone want some?" 

"Coffee would be great." I sigh. Glancing at the clock, I see that it's one o'clock in the morning. Thanks Adrian. Scratch 60, in an hour and a half it'll be 72 hours. Danni comes back, setting everyone's coffee on an end table. Luckily, mine has a straw so as long as someone lifts it for me, I can drink without waking up my sleeping angels. I always call them my little devils, but really, I couldn't ask for any better children. I got lucky in that department. 

"Sof, do you need help?" Owen asks me. I shake my head, despite desperately wanting the caffeine next to me. He gives me a disbelieving look, and goes to stand up.

"No. You move, you wake the twins." I quickly get out. Movement from the corner of my eye, makes me look over. I tense and grip Taylor and Tyler a bit more, when I see Adrian walking over. 

"Chill. I'm just trying to help." He snaps, grabbing my cup, and placing the straw between my lips. I don't hesitate in chugging the hot liquid. "Jesus woman, slow down." He tells me, pulling the cup away. 

"No es que hayas estado despierto durante 72 horas." [It's not like you have been up for 72 hours.] Owen mutters. I dig my foot into his leg, not moving enough to make the children stir, but enough to hurt him. "Ouch!" 

"Sofia, you need to rest. 72 hours is a long time without sleep!" Danni exclaims. Adrian look angry, from his spot kneeling in front of me. 

He opens his mouth to speak, but I get there before him. "I'll rest when I'm at my home, with my kids, and my father!" I snap. I feel Taylor move on my lap. When I look down, she's already looking up at me. 

"Mommy?" She asks, her familiar medium grey eyes blurry with sleep. 

"Shh, I'm sorry babygirl. Go back to sleep, okay?" She hums in agreement, going back to cuddling with her two minute older brother. "Don't worry about me Danni. I'm sorry for snapping, but I'm tired and worried right now, so I have a short temper." I stroke both of my  babies' backs calming me, and by the way the relax even further, I'm assuming them too. Adrian eventually sits back down, everyone falling silent again. I feel all eyes on me, but one sharp look to Owen and Adrian, make them turn away. I don't bother with Danni though. I lay my pounding head against th wall, letting my eyes close for just a moment. 

I must have fallen asleep though, because I wake up to a great commotion. "Cupcake, wake up! Antonio is here, he already shot your father, he's coming the kids next." My heart races as I look at Adrian, already holding my babies. 

"Okay, let's go." I rush out of the waiting room, but when I turn back Adrian is no longer there, and neither are Taylor and Tyler. "ADRIAN???" I scream. Where are my babies?? I turn down an abandoned hallway, to find Adrian and Owen exchanging things. Adrian now has a back, Owen with the kids. "Oh thank God, you have them." I run to them. Owen smirks, nodding. "Please, can we go?" They nod. I run out of the hospital, Adrian and Owen behind me. Adrian brings me to a sleek black car, while Owen goes down an alleyway. I begin shaking. "Owen? Owen!" I attempt to run, but Adrian stops me. I bite his arm and kick him, making him fall back. I run into the alleyway. "Owen! What the hell?!" I scream, seeing Antonio with my kids. Both of them laugh in sink, grabbing a gun. I start shaking even more. "No!" I scream as Anontio and Owen shoot my kids, and then me. 

"Sof!" My eyes fly open, to be met with concerned grey ones. "Cupcake hey, you're okay. We're right here." He soothes, stroking my face. I turn to see a bunch of medical staff frozen, staring at me. Suddenly two pairs of arms are flung around my neck.

"Mommy, are you okay?"

"Yeah, you scares us." My heart breaks at Tyler's words. I know he didn't mean to do it, but that made guilt pile more and more. 

"Oh baby, I'm sorry. Are you two okay?" I ask, worried because of my nightmare. 

"Yeah. We're okay!" They sit on my legs, while I try to calm my breathing. 

"Ma'am are you okay? You were screaming and no one could get you up." When I look up, I see the doctor that I had when I was giving birth. 

"Doctor Stein! Nice to see you again." I laugh nervously. 

"Sofia. You as well. Please answer the question." The seriousness in her tone, made me sigh. 

"Yes, I'm fine thank you. Just a little nightmare." She nods and walks away, making everyone go back to their business. I take a few more deep breaths, trying to call my pounding heart. "Are you two sure you are okay?" I ask Taylor and Tyler. They both assure me that they are good. I hear an animalistic growl come from my left. My head snaps over and I find Adrian glaring at me. I roll my eyes, looking for the clock. When I find it, I see that it's only five thirty. 

"Sofia, can I speak with you for a moment?" Adrian growls. I hesitate. 

"Stay with Danni and Uncle Owen, okay babies?" They nod, Tyler hopping onto Owen's lap while Taylor slowly walks over to Danni. 

"Hey pretty girl." Danni smiles at my daughter. Taylor blushes at the compliment. 

"Hi..." She whispers. 

"You wanna come sit with me? We can get to know each other." Danni casts a look my way, making me drop my head and walk over to a vending machine down a different hallway. Adrian stalks after me, seemingly enraged. 

Chapter thirty

~Adrian~

 

I stare at the beautiful woman in front of me. There are no doubt the kids out there are hers, but the father is what concerns me. Is it me? Is it that douche? Was it Antonio?? I have no idea! She looks annoyed, leaning against the vending machine. 

"Why don't you care about yourself?" She looks taken back by my questions. 

"Excuse me?" 

"You were screaming, and shaking, from your nightmare, and the first thing you do is ask if your kids are okay, and apologize for scaring them. You told a doctor, who knew you by name, you were fine, when you were still shaking. Cupcake, I may not have known everything about you, but I did know you. I knew when you were afraid, and back there, you were terrified, and wouldn't tell anyone, so you, don't, care, about, yourself." I get out all in one breath until the end, when I paused between every word to let it sink in. 

She scoffs. "And how would you know I was scared?"

"Your eyes." She raises an eyebrow at me, and crosses her arms. "Sofia, you're practically an open book to me with your emotions." She rolls her eyes. 

"Really? So you knew, how sorry I was that I didn't tell you who I was? How scared I was when you would never let me fucking tell you? Adrian, let me make one thing clear. You don't know anything, about me, or my family. So, when you try having kids, and dreaming that the man that made your life a living hell for years, shooting not one, but both of them, with your best friend right by his ride, come talk to me." She sneers, shoving past me. I rub my shoulder where she hit. Damn. Now that she says it, I feel guilty. I glance down the hallway both ways, running my hand through my hair with a sigh. I expected this to be so much easier. I wasn't expecting her dad, Owen, or most importantly, her kids. 

"Adrian Garcia, right?" The doctor from earlier walks up to me from an unknown location. I nod hesitantly. "Doctor Stein. I was Miss Sage's deliverer. She was quite the trooper." She laughs. "You should have seen how scared she was. Those two came six weeks before the due date. Common with twins, but she was still terrified that they would be hurt. She almost passed out after little Tyler popped out, and yet as soon as Taylor came, she ripped that oxygen mask off, and asked if they were okay."

Tyler and Taylor. 

I love it. 

"Was she okay though?" I ask. 

"Yes, sometimes while giving birth they lose too much blood, or forget to breathe. Either way, all three of them left the hospital happy and healthy." She stops looking through the window into the waiting room, and turns to me. "I guess what I'm trying to say, is cut her some slack. Most mothers put their children before anyone, especially themselves. She's doing just fine, and doesn't need the extra pressure from you or anyone else for that matter." She glances at the window, smiling at the sight in front of her. Taylor and Tyler are sitting on either of Sofia's knees, laughing and playing with her. She scrunches up her nose- adorably I might add- when both kids boop her. 

She leans in with a smile, giving the two an eskimo kiss. They giggle, making her smile widen. I turn to Doctor Stein. "Thank you Doctor. I guess I didn't think about that." She nods at me, turning and walking away. I walk back to the waiting room. I smirk when I see Danni and Owen talking rather closely. "Owen, right?" I sit next to my sister. He raises an eyebrow as he nods. "Hmm, lovely. We'll have to chat sometime. But right now, I have more important matters." I stand up, and I'm about to walk away, when an idea comes to mind. "Oh, Owen, don't hurt her. And also, wear a condom." I wink. My sister's face is heated in seconds. Owen's eyes are just wide. I stand in front of a chair next to Sofia and her kids. "May I?" I ask. She glances down and nods. 

"Hi Adrian! I'm Tyler! This is my little sister TayTay!" Tyler exclaims. 

"Hi Tyler. Hey Taylor." Her daughter glances up at me, rolls her eyes and looks back to Sofia. I can't help but burst out laughing. "She really is her mother's daughter." I comment. That gets a smile out of her. "So Tyler, what's your favorite thing about mommy?" I ask the little man. 

He looks deep in thought, as he stares at the gorgeous woman in front of him. "EVERYTHING!!!" He exclaims in an over dramatic loud voice. 

"Shh baby. People need sleep here, okay?" Sofia corrects his actions kindly. 

"Oh... Okay mommy. I'm sorry." She rubs his back. I see Taylor lean in towards Sof's ear, whispering something. Sofia's eyes drift to me while they talk. Finally, she nods. Taylor jumps off her lap, but not without giving her a kiss, and walks the whole two baby steps to me. She climbs her way onto my lap, making my eyes widen in surprise. 

"Why are you here?" She interrogates immediately.

"Ehm... My uh, original plan was to uhm, get you," I clear my throat. How does this tiny human being make me nervous? "My original plan was to get your mom back, but now I just want to be there for her." I tell her. Her eyes narrow into slits so thin that I can't even see her eyes. Suddenly, her eyes light up, which I see when she opens them again. Before I can get a close look at them, she turns her head, laying it against my chest. Sofia smiles at the sight. Then a doctor comes in. 

"Jared Sage?" Owen waves him over. "Hello, are any of you blood related?" 

"I'm his daughter." Sofia speaks up. 

"Alright. We don't know how much longer he'll be here. It could be anywhere from half an hour, to two hours." Tears pool in those beautiful emerald eyes. "We found that he had a history of strong drug use-" 

"But he stopped! H-he doesn't do them anymore. You have to be mistaken." My love protests.

"Yes ma'am, well, the drugs still had long term effects on his body. All of his systems are shutting down." She stays silent, but hesitantly nods. "Two of you can see him at a time." We all nod. 

"Uhm, Ty, go with Uncle Owen, okay? And T-Taylor, you can go with Danni, okay?" They nod. 

"Where are you going mommy?" Tyler and Taylor ask in sync. 

"I just have to go to the bathroom. I'll be there when you're done, I promise." She smiles at them, going over and giving them each a kiss. Why isn't she sad? She just found out her dad was dying?? She leaves the waiting room quickly, and I have a sudden urge to go after her. With a quick glance to Owen, his nod in her direction, I practically run after her. I enter the bathroom labeled 'Chica', not caring if anyone else was in there. Luckily, the few nurses that were, had just left. I hear a heartbroken sob coming from one of the farthest stalls. My heartbreaks for her. 

"Cupcake..." I start softly, barely hitting the door with my knuckles. Shuffling comes from the other end. Suddenly the stall door opens, and a smiling Sofia is on the other side. 

"Adrian, hey. You aren't supposed to be here you know." She laughs, trying to walk past me. I reach out, grabbing her hip and spinning her towards me. My arms wrap around her, and I feel her tense, but after a few moments, she flings her arms in, clutching me shoulders from behind, shoving her head in my chest. She begins sobbing, her tears soaking my t-shirt, but I don't care. 

I would do anything for her. 

Chapter thirty-one

 ~Sofia~

 

"I'm sorry." I pull away with a small laugh.

"Principessa, it's fine. You shouldn't have to go through that alone." Adrian assures me. I give him a small smile, before looking at his used to be white shirt.

"Your shirt is see through." I laugh. 

"Nothing you haven't seen before." He counters cockily, as we exit to restroom. I glance over at him, my mouth going dry when I see a new tattoo.

"But I haven't seen that." I state, poking him where it is on his chest, just a bit too hard. 

"Ouch! What was that for?" He asks, rubbing over the tattoo of the word cupcake with an actual cupcake for an 'a'. 

I shrug, feigning innocence. "Just for the fun of it." He groans, grabbing my waist yet again, spinning me towards him. He leans down giving my lips a hard peck. 

"That was, 'Just for the fun of it.'" He mocks me. I smile, laughing and shaking my head. We walk back to the waiting room, to find everyone already there. Owen gives me an, 'Are you okay?' look, to which I nod. They tell us that we can go in, so we walk to my dad's room. I gulp back tears when I see him lying there, hooked up to a bunch of different machines. 

"Hey dad..." I whisper, going up the grab his hand. I feel Adrian wrap an arm around my shoulders, in a comforting way. 

"Hey FiFi." He manages to get out in a raspy voice. "Adrian." He gives a slow nod. 

"Hello sir." Adrian replies. 

"Padre, please don't go. I just got you back!" I can't help but protest. Both my father and Adrian chuckle, but my dad starts into a coughing fit. 

"Yeah, five and half years ago when you were alone and three months pregnant." He manages when the coughing stops. I feel Adrian tense beside me.

"But dad, how did this all of the sudden happen? You were fine just a few hours ago!" 

"It's been slowly happening over the years." He explains. 

"But-but, you can't leave!" I once again protest.

"FiFi, I was a horrible father. You got your first full time job when you were ten. You were only in fourth grade. Sof, no one should have gone through what you did, and yet you're still here. You know why?" I shake my head, blinking back tears. "Because, you are a fighter. You'll get through this, just like you have everything else. Those kids? They need you. And I think they need their father. too." He gives me a pointed look. 

"Dad..." I start, but he squeezes my hand, telling me to stop. 

"Ehm..." Adrian clears his throat. "Sir, may I ask you a question?" He asks. My father nods. Adrian let's go of me, walking closer to him, before leaning down and whispering something I couldn't hear in his ear. 

A huge smile breaks across his frail face. "Of course. Thank you." Adrian gives a small smile, nodding. 

"Dad please." I beg, noticing his eye lids dropping. Please, no, no, I love you. Don't leave me." 

"I...Love....You........Too." His hand falls limp in mine. Nurses come in at the beeping on the heartrate monitor. I finally let the tears fall, turning into an already-ready Adrian. He let's me cry, gently rubbing my back in the process. I feel arms wrap around our legs, so when I look down and see my babies, I'm not surprised. I pick up Taylor, placing her on my hip, but when I go to pick up Tyler, he's already in Adrian's arms. 

"Momma, what's wrong?" Taylor asks, playing with my hair. 

"Uhm, babygirl, I have some bad news." I start. Tyler looks from his father to me. 

"What mommy?" He asks. 

"Grandpa... Grandpa, he passed away." I see both of them tear up, breaking my heart. "Hey, it's okay though. See, he's up in Heaven. He's happy and healthy, and he'll always be watching over us, okay?" Tyler let's one tear fall, before he smiles, and Taylor just stops tearing up. 

 

•••

 

"Come back with me. You can bring the twins, and even the douche if you want." Adrian pleads. 

"What??" I ask, and stop folding clothes. "You want me to pack up my entire life and get the first plane out of here?" 

"Cupcake, when was the last time you actually went out and met people?" He deadpans. I roll my eyes. "Please? I already talked to Owen and he said it was fine with him! You can move into the mansion. The kids can have a room down the hall from us, and Owen can even have one on the fifth floor, with Brad, Maria, and all my siblings. I already have everything ready... Please babygirl." He drops to his knees, holding his hands together as if he is praying. Seeing his beg makes me sigh. 

"Fine. Let's go."

 

•••

 

I packed all of the essentials, including most of my fathers stuff, and then all of the kid's stuff. The only things I grabbed for myself, besides clothes, is a few pictures. One is a picture of everyone from the Mafia, another being of Brad, Maria, and myself, then one with either of them. I had one of my father and I, one of the twins and us, then a few baby pictures. The last one, was a picture of Adrian and me. I was leaning over, in attempt to kiss his cheek, but he turned and kissed me on the lips before I could. I laugh at the memory, gently setting it in the bag. "Cupcake, are you ready?" Adrian asks. I nod, grabbing the last bag. Adrian told me he'd take care of the house and stuff later. 

We get to the airport, not even have to get any of our bags/boxes checked, and we slid right through security. Mafia things. We all board Adrian's private jet. Taylor and Tyler go crazy over everything. "Calm down!" I laugh. Tyler jumps up, ending up sprawled across Owen and Adrian's laps. He stays there, but both men seem content with it. Taylor sits on Danni's lap. 

"Go to sleep principessa." Adri whispers, kissing the top of my head, which is currently leaning on his shoulder. I don't even get to nod before I pass out.

"Antonio, let them go!" I scream. 

"Oh no no Sofie, you need to learn your lesson! You'll never get away from me. I even set up pretty boy hear for you." He laughs. My heartbreaks, not only since he mentioned my apparently fake friend Owen, but that he is holding my kids at gunpoint, with said friend. Suddenly, Owen laughs, raising his gun from Taylor to point at Antonio. 

"I don't think so, buddy." He sneers. Suddenly, a gun goes off, and Antonio falls to the ground. 

"No one, and I mean no one, messing with my friends, my kids, or the love of my life." Adrian screams, at the body that's currently bleeding out.

"B-b-bast-tards." Antonio spits out, right before he croaks. Taylor and Tyler run up to us, and we both pick them up, embracing each other in tight hugs. Owen walks up bashfully. 

"I'm sorry Sofia. I had to." He apologizes. 

"Thank you." I wrap my arms around his neck, pulling him into hug. He hugs me back chuckling. When I pull away, the first thing I do, is give Adrian a deep kiss. 

I suddenly jerk awake, breathing heavily. "Woah there, you okay cupcake?" Adrian asks, concern lacing those beautiful grey eyes. 

I smile, thinking about my dream. 

"Yeah. I'm great actually."

Chapter thirty-two (Final Chapter)

~Sofia~

 

"By the power vested in me, I now pronounce you, husband, and wife. You may kiss your bride." Adrian whisks me into his strong arms, pressing his warm lips against mine. 

"Ewwwwwwwww!" Comes two voices, one on either side of us. I turn, seeing Tyler with Brad and Owen as his groomsmen, and little seven year old Tyler as the ring bearer. Behind me, Maria, Riley, and Danni, stand with my daughter. She was the flower girl. Everyone laughs. Maria gives me a hug. 

"Congrats girly. It's about time." 

"Exactly." Brad comes over, kissing my cheek and hugging me. 

"Thank you. Are you two sure you can take care of the twins while we are on our honeymoon?" 

"Of course they can. Are you doubting our friends?" Adrian mocks me. I roll my eyes, but a smile still manages to creep onto my face. The reception after words was amazing, everyone was having so much fun. I was just talking to the newest couple around, Danni and Owen, when Adrian comes up, suddenly flipping me and picking me up like a baby. I squeal in surprise. 

"Adrian!" I exclaim. 

"Come on. We have a flight to catch." He winks, and rushes me to the limousine waiting for us. Everyone claps and waves as we drive away. "So wife, do you regret it yet?"

"Hmm..." I pretend to be in deep thought, making him scowl. "Not yet, husband." I whisper, kissing his lips lightly. 

"Mmm, why do you have to do that to me cupcake?" He groans.

"Just for fun, banana bread."

 

 

Hey y'all! This is unfortunately the end of the story... for now. There will be a second book focusing on Taylor and Tyler! I hope you liked reading this as much as I enjoyed writing it. It took me forever, but I think I'm pretty happy with it. I would really, really appreciate it if you would comment and tell me your thoughts on it, and give me some tips. Anything is helpful! Alright, thank you so so much for reading! I love y'all! Stay safe, happy, and healthy! Bye!

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Tag der Veröffentlichung: 11.05.2020

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