THE RUTHLESS MAFIA KING AND HIS FEISTY HOSTAGE

Maya POV

"Please, please, please come to the mall with me?" Alice begged for the thousandth time in the last ten minutes. She is kind of obsessed with shopping, and apparently, there are some really good sales she can't miss.

"Fine! If I go, will you shut up?" I snapped, and her eyes lit up like a Christmas tree.

"Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!" Alice squealed.

Alice and I have been best friends since we were five years old. She's the shy one until you get to know her, and I'm the loudmouth smartass. We balance each other out perfectly.

"You're the best, Maya!" She beamed..

"Yeah, Alice, you've mentioned that once or twice," I chuckled as we left my house and headed to my car. My parents got me a white Lexus SUV when I turned eighteen, and I helped pay for it with the money I earned working at their law firm. It's like my baby!

We jumped into my car and raced to the mall, singing and dancing to whatever songs were playing on the radio. When we arrived, I found a parking spot and we headed inside.

While shopping, I couldn't shake the feeling that someone was watching me. I glanced around but didn't see anything unusual.

"Earth to Maya!" Alice snapped her fingers in front of my face. I shook off my paranoid thoughts. I watch too many crime shows.

"What?" I asked, returning to our conversation. She looked at me like I'd grown another head but continued talking.

"I asked what you wanted to eat, but you zoned out!" she laughed, linking her arm with mine and leading me to the food court.

"Like you even have to ask," I snorted sarcastically. We always eat at the same place.

"Chick-fil-A it is!" She laughed and practically dragged me up the escalator.

Once we finished eating, we decided to visit one more store before leaving. As we headed downstairs, the feeling of being watched came back. I stopped and saw two men in expensive suits following us. I grabbed Alice's arm and we started sprinting.

"What's wrong?" she asked as we turned a corner, both panting for air.

"Shh, we're being followed," I whispered as we hid.

Suddenly, someone grabbed me tightly and pulled me up, covering my mouth. I bit his hand hard, drawing blood.

"You bitch!" he cursed, letting go of my mouth and slapping me across the face, making my cheek sting and my lip bleed.

"Let go of me, you bastard!" I yelled, but he squeezed tighter, making me whimper.

"No can do, bitch. You're coming with us," he spat.

Alice looked terrified, and I was scared too.

"You can't take her!" Alice cried, trying to run to me, but the other guy pulled her back.

"Don't touch her! I'll go with you if you leave her alone," I negotiated. They agreed, but Alice clung to me, crying.

"I'll be okay. I promise," I reassured her, though I was terrified myself.

"Can you let go so I can give her my car keys?" I snapped, but the guy holding me just grunted.

"Nope," he replied in a raspy voice that sent shivers down my spine.

"Can she grab them from my pocket?" I asked, annoyed. He had such a tight grip on me, like I could go anywhere.

"No," he snapped back rudely.

"I drove her here. She'll be stranded if I can't give her my keys, you moron!" I yelled, struggling against his hold, which only made him squeeze harder.

Then he grabbed both my hands with one of his and searched my pockets until he found the keys, tossing them to Alice.

"Take care of my baby, or I'll kick your ass, Alice!" I warned, tears streaming down my face. She smiled and picked up the keys.

"I will, I promise!" She hugged me tightly, and the guy released his hold so I could hug her goodbye. I whispered comforting words in her ear.

"It's going to be okay. Go to my house and call my parents. Let them know that I was taken and try to find me before they kill me and leave me in a ditch somewhere." I tried making a joke but honestly I wasn't sure what they planned on doing with me.7

Alice looked terrified, but I gave her a reassuring smile and urged her to leave before they changed their minds. She hesitated at first, but eventually ran off.

My heart raced as the guy holding me hooked his arm with mine and forced me to walk with him and the other guy. I wished it was the other guy handling me; he seemed less aggressive and wouldn't have hurt me.

Outside, I was shoved into a fancy Tahoe with tinted windows so dark I couldn't see anything outside. I was stuck in the backseat between the two guys from the mall.

During the ride, I learned that the driver's name is Diego. He has blonde hair and light green eyes, and a soft smile. He didn't seem like the others. The other guy, Ricardo, has jet black hair and chocolate brown eyes. He looked tough but also regretful about kidnapping me. His soft smile brought some comfort, but I wasn't sure if I'd be okay yet.

The guy who slapped me is named Carlos. He has black hair, grey eyes, and stubble on his face. He's good-looking, but I wouldn't say it out loud.

"Yeah, she bit me and earned herself a slap," he smirked, making me scowl.

"You busted my lip, you prick!" I argued, knowing I was outnumbered and powerless.

"You slapped a lady?" Diego asked, turning from the road to look at us.

"The bitch bit me!" Carlos whined like a child. It was almost funny, but I wanted to slap him.

"Carlos, you need to learn to talk to women. Slapping and name-calling only makes things worse," Diego scolded, shaking his head as he turned back to driving.

"Shut up," Carlos snapped, leaning back in his seat. I felt him relax beside me.

"Damon won't be happy about you slapping her or the bruises and busted lip," Ricardo added, making Carlos tense up next to me.

"I know," Carlos sighed heavily, rubbing his temples. Damon must be a big shot if even tough guys like Carlos are scared of him. I was definitely doomed.

Before I could ask about Damon, the car stopped and I was yanked out. The sight before me was breathtaking.

As I was pulled out, I shot Carlos a glare. He smirked, almost making me fall, but his grip kept me steady.

"I can walk! Stop manhandling me, you moron!" I snapped, trying to free myself from his tight hold, but it was no use. He said nothing, just pulled me towards the mansion.

The house was stunning, at least four or five stories high. The front was made of different colored stones with wooden pillars and a big brown door. There was a porch with patio furniture and blooming flowers. A long sidewalk led up to the mansion.

Before I could take it all in, the door opened and I was pulled inside. Carlos let go of me once we were indoors, but I still felt trapped. Even if I escaped Carlos, I couldn't get out of this house with its tight security and different codes for every room.

Inside the house was even more stunning than the outside. To my right was a living room bigger than my entire house. There were three large couches, a huge 70" flat screen TV, and an Xbox with every game imaginable on the entertainment center.

As Carlos and Ricardo led me through the house, I got a tour of the giant place. The kitchen was amazing, with dark marble countertops, light brown floor tiles, and stainless steel appliances. I'd kill to cook in a kitchen like that-I love cooking, thanks to my mom who taught me everything.

We went up four stories, and on each landing, there were beautiful family photos. Some showed a man and a woman who looked married, gazing lovingly at each other. Others had pictures of three young boys-Carlos, Ricardo, and another boy I didn't recognize. The photos looked like they were taken about ten years ago.

There were also pictures of Carlos, Ricardo, and the other boy with a few other guys I didn't know. But what caught my eye was a little girl in some of the photos. She had long brown hair and electric green eyes, and she was stunning-enough to make any girl feel self-conscious.

I was led down a long hallway to a room on the fourth floor. Carlos opened the door and pushed me inside. The room had no windows, just four dark brown walls. There was a twin bed against one wall and a small dresser with three drawers. No mirrors, pictures, or TV-just the bed and dresser.

Carlos took out handcuffs and chained me to the headboard, causing discomfort as they dug into my skin.

"Is this necessary? What do you want from me? Let me go!" I yelled, panic coursing through me.

"You'll find out soon enough," Carlos snapped, tightening the cuffs before leaving. I heard the beep of a keypad, signaling that I was locked in.

Alone in the empty room, I curled up on the bed, sobbing until I fell asleep. When I woke up, I momentarily forgot where I was. I searched for a clock or any clue about the time, but found nothing.

A few seconds later, I heard the keypad beep, and panic surged through me. I jumped up and stared at the door. Ricardo walked in with a tray of food, and I relaxed a little, relieved it wasn't Carlos. I couldn't handle any more of his aggression right now.

"Are you hungry?" Ricardo asked softly. I wasn't in the mood to eat. I'd been held hostage for who knows how long with no clue why I was kidnapped.

"No, thanks," I replied with a fake smile, sitting back down on the bed with my legs crossed. Ricardo froze when he saw the deep purple ring around my wrist. He cursed in Italian and stormed out, leaving the door open.

I would have left the room, but I was still cuffed to the bed. I huffed and leaned back, closing my eyes. I had no idea where Ricardo had gone.

Then, I heard light footsteps in the hallway. I opened my eyes to see a girl about my age with long brown hair and deep green eyes-Camilla.

"You're the girl from the pictures on the walls!" I exclaimed, feeling like I'd solved a mystery. She smiled and walked into the room, sitting beside me on the bed.

"That's me. I'm Camilla," she giggled, offering her hand to shake my free one.

"I'm Maya," I said, offering a small smile and shaking her outstretched hand. Camilla gave off good vibes. She was about my height, with naturally curly brown hair that reached her belly button. She was in great shape and had a tan I envied.

"I'm sorry they have you handcuffed. I don't usually get involved with my brother's business, but this is wrong," Camilla said, irritation in her tone. Who was her brother?

"Your brother is Carlos?" I asked, my voice dripping with distaste. She laughed as if I'd told her a joke, which left me staring at her until she finally calmed down.

"No! My brother is Damon," she said, still giggling. Again, who was this Damon guy?

"I don't know who the hell Damon is!" I snapped, suddenly aware that I was kidnapped because of him, without anyone filling me in.

"I'm Damon. Watch your mouth," a sultry voice spoke from across the room by the door. His voice alone sent chills down my spine.