Hidden in Darkness: A Mafia Love Story

by Ali D

  Noah and I came over here to scope things out before she makes her way back here, that is, if she comes back. She only stopped for a short while before but when she left, she had this look on her face that will torture me until my last breath. It was a look of pure devastation and pain; it was a look that screamed resignation. Like she knows what’s to come next and it won’t be good. It was weird for her. She’s not scared of much so there had to be something hidden in the darkness that even she couldn’t bear to deal with yet. I’m going to find out what that something is.

  “Hey man, you gonna be ok? This is probably going to get much worse before it gets better and I know you’re barely holding onto the beast inside, but I really need you right now brother. I need to figure out a plan to get her back and then ‘Teo and I will let you create utter chaos. Can you do that?” I look at him, fully knowing how mentally strong he is to hold back when his every instinct is to let go and protect our girl.

  “Yeah bro, I’m good. I just want to figure out who put that horrifying look on Alessandra’s face so that I can murder them in cold blood.” The smile accompanying his statement is one that even the most depraved murderer might shy away from. He’s close to the point of pure psychosis.

  “The sooner you do your job, the sooner I get to do mine.” He winks at me, his eyes clearing back to normal, letting me know he’s actually good to go in with me.

  We make our way to the front door. Both of us have our guns drawn in case any squatters have taken it upon themselves to make a home here. Pushing our way inside, the first thing I notice is that no one cleaned up after the investigation. There’s a notice for a demolition that never happened. There’s some investigative tape surrounding the area where a body was found dead, presumably her fake mothers, but nothing else except some ratty old furniture. They didn’t even have a tv or anything. Or if they did, the place got ransacked after everyone was gone from here. A shitty couch full of holes and a folding card table being the extent of what’s left. The smell here is that of something rotten. It smells like absolute shit in here, like maybe an animal died in here or something. We continue, finding nothing of use in the kitchen area. They didn’t even have a stove or a microwave. Only a fridge and a hotplate. How did she eat as a small child? So far, this place has done nothing but break my fucking heart for the woman I love. I see a reflection of my feelings looking back at me in Noah’s face, expressive as always. It’s no wonder she’s so brave and so smart. It’s no wonder she didn’t know what it meant to love. She’s a fucking survivor. She’s the strongest person I’ve ever met. I swear I’m going to make her life so good going forward. I’ll do my best to erase every horrible memory she has. I’ll give her every reason to smile. I’ll show her true love. The kind of love so great it surpasses time and space. Rubbing my watch, I move forward. Surprisingly enough there are three doors at the end of a short hallway. One on the left. One in the middle. One on the right. Instinctively, I know her room is on the right so I move to check the other two first. I’m not sure what I hope to find but I know that I need to save hers for last, whatever we’re looking for will most likely be there.

  I open the door on the left, allowing my eyes to adjust to the dark space inside. Pulling my phone out, I use the flashlight to look around. There’s nothing but a bare mattress on the floor and some ratty old blankets in a disheveled heap on the top of it. The closet has been cleared out of any clothes that may have been left behind from the passing of the crack whore that pretended to be Q’s mom. There are a few loose boards making up the floor in the closet and upon closer inspection, there are some documents showing proof of purchase for one Alessandra Evelyn Quinn Salvatore to a one Lorenzo DeLuca Jr, underboss to be, to the Chicago territory of the Gavino family on the east coast. It’s dated from thirteen years ago.

  Son of a bitch! That motherfucker Lorenzo has been scheming for fucking years.

  I feel Noah at my back as I shove the remaining paperwork into the backpack we brought to review once we get back to the hotel. I fucking knew it. I felt how off he was deep in my bones. All these years and we’ve been living under that sick fucks roof. There’s still so much to figure out though.

  Who did he buy her from?

  Why did he hide her here with that lazy druggie bitch?

  What is he planning to do with her?

  It starts to piece together in my mind as I conjure up several scenarios. He’s big into sex slavery. We didn’t know the extent in which he created his army but if he’s gotten in bed with the east coast mafia, there’s a chance things are worse off than we even knew. I’m making mental notes of who we need to look into as I place a call to Matteo. When it goes to voicemail, I get hit with the overwhelming sense of something going very wrong.

  Looking to Noah, I see the fear etched into his face as the blood drains causing him to look ghostly as he looks back at me. I know he senses my unease.

  “We need to look in her room. Now.” I say as I rush past him and kick the door open to the room that used to belong to Q. Immediately, I see what caused our girl to run away with the frightened look in her eyes. There are black roses covering almost every inch of her room. Dozens of blood red candles are lit and dripping wax everywhere, causing an eerie glow across the room. On her bed lays a white lace wedding dress, one that under normal circumstances would be beautiful and complement her perfectly. I see it as a Jessica Rabbit style dress but with two off the shoulder draping short sleeves, made in all white delicate lace with very little underneath to show any amount of modesty.

  Noah and I rush towards it, noticing there’s a note that’s fallen to the ground.

  Ciao mia bella,

  Welcome home mi amore. I was waiting until you were of legal age to bring forth our plans but things have changed. I know you are curious as to who I am but rest assured, I am a man of power and one you will enjoy marrying. In time you shall learn to love me the way I have loved you from afar these many years. This was the only way to make this happen and I am so very sorry for the secrecy, but all things will be revealed soon. Here is your wedding gown, I had it designed to your exact specifications. Together we are about to rule it all. Together we will reign over everything. I hope you like my gifts mia bella. I’ll be seeing you soon. Ti amo, Alessandra.

  Xo,

  LDJ

  What the actual fuck. He thinks he’s going to marry her?! Fuck. No.

  “Noah, grab everything we can fit into our bag. I need to call Matteo again. Here, put this note in the bag also.” I barely get the words out of my mouth. My mind is moving too fast for me to even make sense of everything yet. I’m practically shaking with adrenaline and fury running hot through my veins when my phone starts vibrating in my hands.

  It’s Matteo.

  “Your-” He cuts me off. A sob catching in his throat as he chokes out his words. Never one to show emotion, I know we’re fucked.

  “We have a problem. She’s been abducted again. I couldn’t get to her in time. I barely got the camera’s installed and got back to check them when I saw her get a needle jammed into her neck, a bag thrown over her head and her tossed over the shoulder of some guy in a mask on our monitors. I don’t know where they’ve taken her man. I chased them down the road, but they were in a blacked out SUV. She’s gone, man. She’s fucking gone.”