Beautiful Hell: The Mafia and His Maiden: Book One

by Wanitta Praks

  “Imagine what he looks like all grown up. He’ll be one hot-looking guy.”

  Jenny’s words caught me off guard.

  Gosh! I had never thought of him that way. In my dreams, he had always been his young self. But to imagine what he looked like as a man, all grown up with a deep masculine voice. Just the thought sent shivers down my spine.

  Was this the kind of man I would fall for? Those heterochromia eyes, blue and green, staring fixatedly at the person he loved, and those lips…

  Heat raised up on my face.

  Gosh! I was being ridiculous. I was already twenty-one years old, a fully grown adult. I shouldn’t be fantasizing about a man in broad daylight.

  And why was I feeling embarrassed? Girls my age had already experienced love, sex, and everything in between. Just because I hadn’t experienced all those things yet, it didn’t mean I had to act cheesy. I turned to a more serious matter.

  “I’ll be home late today. Would you mind doing the cooking tonight?”

  “No worries. I’ll pick up groceries on the way home,” Jenny said.

  My sister was always so considerate. She was such a kind person. I hoped one day she would receive all the happiness in the world, happiness that I’d robbed from her.

  I opened the trinket box housing my small collection of jewelry and took one out in particular. The twin dragon necklace.

  This necklace was the cause of all my destruction. I shouldn’t have taken it. It was never mine to begin with. I hoped there would come a day when I would be brave enough to return this back to its owner, and that everything would resolve in peace.

  But I was still a coward. I was afraid of the consequences. For now, I’d just live in this little bubble I created, enjoying this tranquil life with Jenny and Papa while it lasted. And if that time did come, then I’d cross that bridge when I got there.

  Jenny’s soft voice lured me back to the present and I refocused my attention. “Mel. I asked if you want anything special for dinner tonight.”

  “…umm…no…anything is fine,” I said, trying to collect myself.

  Jenny didn’t seem to notice the fluster in my voice. She kept on talking, and I was only too happy to listen. Hearing her voice soothed me. Hearing her speak meant she was alive and well, and not lying in a coffin somewhere.

  “Oh, talking about something special, Crispin is taking me to this new café that just opened up. If they have financier cake there, I’ll buy you one. I thought it’d go well with your rose tea.”

  “That would be nice. I’ll like that very much.”

  “Oh, and I’ll buy three croissants, too,” she rambled on. “One for you and one for me and one for… Oh crap!.” She lowered her voice, almost to a complete whisper now, and said, “Sorry, Mel, got to go. Professor Barker is here. Hope he doesn’t bark at us like a dog. Crickets, I’m sleepy. I hate eight o’clock start.”

  “Be good in class, Jen. No slacking around,” I teased her.

  She retorted right back, “You know I’m always good in class. Oh, I don’t want to argue with you now. Wait till I get home tonight. We’ll argue over financier cake and croissants.”

  “That’s a deal.” I laughed and ended the call.

  And that was when I noticed two missed calls and a voice message on my notification panel, lodged at three a.m. from two days ago. I slipped the necklace into my dress pocket and checked the caller ID. They were all from Gian, my friend from the university.

  Uneasiness swiped through me. Something wasn’t right. Why would Gian call me at that hour? I was about to listen to his voice message when I heard a loud crash coming from downstairs. Assuming it was Papa who had tripped over something nasty, I raced to help him. Except it wasn’t what I had expected. Papa was scruffed at the collar by three strangers in our house.

  “Pa!” I shouted, running to save him, not caring about my own safety. I shoved the man aside, but he was immobile, like a pillar erected on the spot.

  He turned to me and hissed in my face. “Get out of the way, girl. You have nothing to do with this!” With one hand, he shoved me aside and I crashed to the floor.

  I was scared, but adrenaline took over and I somehow managed to pull myself back up, grabbing Jenny’s thick textbook I saw on the couch, and started hitting them. I caught Papa’s hand and hauled him to stand behind me. I was his shield. If anyone wanted to hurt him, they had to go through me first.

  “I don’t know who you people are”—I threatened them with the thick textbook in my hand—“but you better get out of my house, or I’ll call the police.” When they just stood there staring at me like I had gone batshit crazy, I shouted, “Get out! Now! Or I’ll—”

  “Are you Amelia Stone?” a man asked, his deep baritone sending a thrilling sensation up my spine. I turned to the owner of that voice just as he emerged from a dark spot in the corner of the room. My eyes grew wider as he took another step forward, his face fully illuminated in the light.

  Blond hair, streaked to an almost gold color, gelled back to reveal his prominent forehead, a tall, lean body that exuded power and strength, this man was every woman’s dream man come to life. But these weren’t the reasons why my heart was racing so fast, why I was transfixed on the spot. It was because this man had the same face as the boy in my dream.

  Chapter 3

  You Choose: Life or Death?

  How could this be? How could a boy who had always appeared in my dream materialize into a man? On top of that, he was out to harass my father.

  I blinked, forcing myself to deal with the situation at hand. This wasn’t the time to dwell on my fantasy. My father was in trouble and I had to save him. I pointed my weapon in his direction.

  “You, too. Get out of my house.” I warned him, my voice raising an extra notch to show I meant business. But it didn’t go as well as planned. Within seconds, he outmaneuvered me and had my hands pinned behind my back, with my weapon lying pathetically on the floor.

  “Are you Amelia Stone?” he growled out his question again, his warm breath fanning the outer shield of my ear.

  That voice did something to my body and I didn’t like it one bit. Every single fiber within me came alive and I became aware of his existence. His rock-hard body pressed against mine and his masculine scent invaded my senses. My heart was beating so loud, I didn’t know whether it was from fright or from him being so close to me. I tried to breathe, to think rationally of a way out of this predicament, but it was so hard. Only when I heard my father’s pleading voice did I spring into action.

  “Lorenzo. Leave my daughter alone. She has nothing to do with this.”

  I surprised him with a kick to his shin. I only needed one second for him to get distracted and I could make my escape, but my action came too late. He already had me twisting around to face him before I could even pull my stunt. Now I was forced to endure those hateful eyes glaring at me.

  That was until I saw his eye colors. Left side blue, right side green. Heterochromia eyes. This man named Lorenzo had heterochromia eyes, just like the boy in my dreams.

  There was something mysterious about him and I found myself being drawn to him like a moth to a flame. I couldn’t blink away when he continued to glare at me, his gaze so intense it felt like my skin was burning alive.

  “Answer me this instant. Are you Amelia Stone?” he demanded, his voice firm.

  I was piqued. Why did he wanted to know my name so much? And when I didn’t respond, he squeezed my arm until I winced.

  “So what if I am. What do you want with me?” I shouted back, struggling to get out of his hold. But he wouldn’t let go, his hands only forcing me to stay put. And his eyes were on me again.

  “Your old man owes our boss four million dollars,” someone said in the background.

  “Now it’s time your old man pays back. We’re just here to collect the debt,” another one said.

  But I couldn’t focus on what they were saying, just as I couldn’t focus on anything else apart from Lorenzo’
s heterochromia eyes. He in turn also mimicked my action. He gazed at me as if he wanted to consume me, those eyes filled with a dangerous hunger I couldn’t identify. But in a split second it disappeared, replaced with nothing but a stony sight, devoid of emotion.

  “Amelia Stone,” he started, “I give you two choices. Each choice will lead to a consequence.” I felt a sudden chill on me, and I watched in horror as my worst nightmare played out in real time. Gun poised at my father’s temple, he asked me point blank, “Choose between his life or yours.”

  And that was when I completely lost the plot. I cried out, pushing him out of my way, and I went to my father, blocking Lorenzo from brandishing the gun in front of his face.

  “No. Don’t kill him. Please don’t kill him. Take me instead. Please don’t kill my father,” I begged Lorenzo, sliding down to my knees.

  Lorenzo cocked his head to the side, assessing me for three full seconds, then he crouched down to my level and moved the gun to rest at my temple. A twisted sardonic smile appeared on his face.

  “Good choice,” he said, baring all white teeth, like a predatory satisfied at trapping his prey. In his eyes, I was his prey.

  The air whooshed out of me as soon as the cold, hard barrel came in contact with my skin. I closed my eyes, waiting for him to pull the trigger. I could hear Papa shouting at his men to let me go, but I blocked him out, focusing instead on controlling the violent tremors which threatened to overtake me.

  Whoever Lorenzo was, he took pride in seeing me suffer. But I would not let him see me in this state. I refused to grant him that privilege. So I waited and waited for that very moment when my world would end. Except what came next was not the click of the gun as I had anticipated, but his deep voice growling next to my ear.

  “Do you think you deserve to die, Amelia? Do you think by choosing death, you could save your father?”

  Did I deserve to die? Did I really think my death could solve everything?

  Yes. At that moment, I really did think that. If I could atone for all of my wrongdoings in the past, I would happily trade my life for theirs. Jenny and Papa, they were good people. They were not like me, who had a tainted heart. They deserved to lead a fruitful life. Especially Jenny. She had gone through so much as a child and I was there to witness every single misery she went through. She may not remember it, but I did, and never in my life would I want her to go through that trauma again.

  Yes. I chose death. Maybe then I could reunite with Mama, up in the stars. I’d tell her I was sorry that I ruined everything, even when she had given me a second chance at life. I’d tell her I had done my best to look after Papa and Jenny, and hopefully she would forgive me for ending her life that one summer all those years ago.

  I was satisfied. I had made my decision. And I waited for my final moment, but that moment never came. Instead, I felt a large hand wrapping around my arm and jerking me up to my feet.

  “Get up. Now!”

  I opened my eyes and felt my body being propelled forward by none other than Lorenzo. He forced me to take each step, dragging me away from the only world I had ever known and the only people I had ever loved and cared for: Papa, Jenny, and my friend, Gian.

  “Where are you taking me?” I asked, fear etched in my voice. But my question fell on deaf ears. Lorenzo kept walking, each step only increasing the distance between Papa and me.

  “No. Don’t take my daughter. Please. I give you my life. Just don’t take her.”

  Papa’s voice revived my instinct to survive. I searched for him and there he was, at the corner of the room, sobbing.

  The sight of Papa at that moment reminded me of a certain memory I tried to bury all those years ago. It triggered something inside me, and that tough façade I erected moments ago broke down. I cried, tears streaming down my face.

  “Please. Can I say goodbye to my father?” I turned to Lorenzo and pleaded with him. “I’ll do anything you say. Just… Please let me say goodbye to my father.”

  He only clamped on my arm harder and hissed in my face. “You’ve made your choice, Amelia. You chose death. You are now dead to your family. Now start walking.”

  He hadn’t a single ounce of mercy in his bones and I was foolish enough to let him see me in tears. I wiped my eyes and forced myself to confront the situation at hand, but everything was out of my control. He dragged me toward a car parked in front of our house, shoving me in and following behind. I heard a loud bang, the sound of the door closing, and that was when I moved to the corner of the car, curling myself into a ball, shaking violently at the thought of my impending future.

  “Where are you taking me?” I asked a second time.

  He closed in on me, his massive body blocking all my exit points. He shoved his fingers to cradle my head and brought his face so close to mine, I saw his blue and green eyes staring fiercely at me. He only said five words. But those five words would change the course of my life forever.

  “I’m taking you to hell.”

  And that was when I collapsed into the pit of darkness.

  Chapter 4

  I Will Take You to Hell

  Lorenzo sat staring at his prey, his gaze so focused, he didn’t hear the sound of the car moving, taking him away from this part of town, the place that belonged to his prey, a woman named Amelia Stone. And she was the course of all the destructive things that had happened in his life.

  Within less than twenty-four hours, his world had completely turned upside down. He was so hurt inside, he became numb. Initially, there was so much pain, like a fire taking place inside his heart. He couldn’t stop the tears from flowing until there was nothing left inside him.

  There were so many thoughts racing through his head, but none were strong enough to force him into action. All he could do was keep staring at her, like a predator waiting to attack, as she slept so peacefully inside his car, unaware of the danger lurking around her.

  Beside her lay her mobile phone that had fallen out of her dress pocket when she fell into her unconscious state. He reached out and took the phone, grabbing her hand and using her thumb to unlock the screen. He went into the gallery and scrolled through the photos she took. He saw some images of plants, rose bushes, blue sky, and green moss, all random pictures she took, until he got to the last image in the gallery. It was the face of a young man he knew so well, his brother Gian, smiling warmly at the woman wrapped in his arms.

  He admitted, she was one good-looking woman. In the picture she was beautiful, but in real life, she literally took his breath away the minute she entered the room.

  And she still did. Large pretty Bambi eyes when she was fully conscious and gazing at him. Ash-brown hair flying in disarray when she yelled at him to get out of her house. She was one fucking gorgeous woman; Lorenzo was sure she could bring men to their knees.

  Which was precisely why she was so dangerous. Gian had fallen under her spell. But her magic wouldn’t work on Lorenzo. He lived a life of an elite. He had his fair share of beautiful-looking women. He was immune to them all. He fucked them and left them. And he was never in the least bit affected. But Gian, he was far too innocent. And he was hurt when this woman had broken his heart.

  Lorenzo moved away from the picture and saw something on the notification panel that piqued his interest. Two missed calls and a voice message from his brother. He listened to the voice message, his heart aching at hearing his brother’s voice.

  “Amelia. It’s Gian. Please pick up. I need to talk—”

  Crash! Bang! Boom!

  And the phone line went dead.

  Lorenzo was in shock, his hands shaking as he stared at the phone in disbelief. He had just listened to his brother’s final moment through that phone. And it hurt like fucking hell. He didn’t know he was crying until he felt tears wet his cheeks.

  When he had heard the news of Gian in the car accident two nights ago, he thought his world had collapsed, but it was not until he was in the hospital and saw his brother’s body, damaged beyond recogn
ition, that it really sunk in. He had lost another family member.

  He remembered he had lost control of the situation, letting out a gut-wrenching cry, like a broken lone wolf. The pain of losing Gian was synonymous to a knife being thrust into his chest, twisting and turning repeatedly, and it hurt so fucking bad. If Tono hadn’t brought him back to his senses, he would have gone berserk.

  After the pain there was nothing left but numbness. His life was now empty. There was nothing left to look forward to, nothing for him to live for. Until Tono had told him the woman was responsible for all this catastrophe.

  Amelia Stone. She was the woman in the picture with his brother. And it was her phone which contained his brother’s voice message.

  He didn’t care that Amelia was his brother’s girlfriend. He didn’t fucking care that she was the woman whom his brother loved. In his eyes, she was the culprit.

  Lorenzo only lived by one motto in life. ‘An eye for an eye. A tooth for a tooth. If you hurt me, I will hunt you down and exact vengeance on you tenfold.’ And Amelia had hurt him by taking away Gian, the only remaining family member he had left in this world. And now she must pay.

  Anger seeped out of every pore in his body until he couldn’t contain himself anymore and he snapped. His hand snaked out to wrap firmly around Amelia’s neck.

  “Do you think you can get away with what you did when you have taken my brother away from me?” he hissed in her face, his fingers tightening around her neck. Just a little more pressure and she would be dead. It was so tempting. But he relented. “I won’t let you die easily, Amelia. Even if you beg me for it. I’ll let you live through hell, one where I’ll make sure you suffer in every possible way. That will be the only repayment you deserve.”