Seducing the mafia king

Zara's POV

12 YEARS AGO

I froze in my place as I looked at the sight ahead of me. My mom and dad were covered in their own blood on the floor, and two men stood over them. One of the men held a glowing iron rod in his hand. They hadn't seemed to notice me as I quickly hid behind the door, my heart pounding in my chest.

"Goodbye," the man holding the iron said, his voice cold and devoid of remorse, as he tore my father's shirt and pressed the hot iron against my father's bare chest. A scream erupted from my dad, a sound that pierced through the haze of shock. I gasped, unable to contain my horror. The man's gaze snapped to me, and I could feel the other man moving toward my hiding spot.

"Run, Zara," I heard my mom's weak voice, barely a whisper but filled with urgency.

"No, mom!" I cried, tears streaming down my face as i peeped out of my hiding spot. I felt paralyzed, caught in a nightmare that I couldn't escape.

"Zara, please, run... no, hide," she urged, her voice growing weaker with every word.

Panic surged through me. I looked around desperately and dashed into the room next to me-the store-and locked the door behind me. My hands shook as I fumbled with the lock, the sound of my parents' cries echoing in my ears.

"Open the door now," I heard a husky voice demand. It was the man who had moved toward me. I trembled at the thought of what was happening to my parents. I couldn't leave them like that. They needed me; I needed to save them.

"Open the door if you don't want your parents to die," the voice came again, ominous and threatening. My heart dropped. What did he mean? Would they really die if I didn't obey?

I moved to unlock the door, but my mom's tearful plea stopped me. "Don't, Zara. We'll be fine. Please don't open the door."

Then I heard a blood-curdling scream from my mom, and my heart sank. Should I have opened the door? The sound of someone pounding against the door made me jump. "I will break down this door if you don't open now!" The threat was clear. What should I do?

"Leave her, Pierce. We don't harm kids," the other man said, and then there was silence.

Minutes passed like hours. I waited, my heart racing, until I finally mustered the courage to open the door slowly. The room was empty except for my parents who lied lifeless. The men had left. I rushed to my parents, shaking them, pleading for them to wake up, but there was no response. They lay still, their faces pale and lifeless. A loud cry escaped my lips as I realized I had lost them. Despair washed over me, and I continued to shake them, hoping against hope for a miracle.

Zylara. My little sister! I remembered her, and a surge of panic gripped me. What if the men had gone after her? No! I couldn't let that happen. I dashed out of the room, my mind racing as I made my way to her daycare. Thankfully, she was safe. i picked her up and headed back home. But when I arrived, chaos surrounded our house. People were gathered, blocking the entrance.

I fell on the floor with a thud when I realized that my parents were really gone and I let out a loud cry.

****

PRESENT

"Here, it's the next target," Xander said, sliding a file across the desk toward me.

I picked it up and the name CASSIUS DIMARCO leapt off the page, stark and foreboding.

"Cassius, Mafia Lord?" I asked, my voice barely above a whisper. There's no one in New York who doesn't know the name Cassius, even if some don't even know what he looks like-including me.

Xander nodded, his expression serious. "Why? When did I migrate to mafias?"

"Just now!" he replied, exasperated.

"No, Xan. I really can't do this. This is Cassius we're talking about! What if I get caught?"I felt the weight of the world pressing down on me. Years ago, when I first heard whispers that it was a Mafia Lord who had killed my parents, I had vowed to myself that I would never have anything to do with the Mafia. If I ever encountered one, I promised that I would kill him immediately without hesitation.

"I believe you're not a newbie who doesn't know her way around a mission," he countered, his confidence frustrating me.

"Xan, this is huge! I can't handle this," I said, frustration bubbling to the surface as I slammed my hand on the desk. I feel like I am going to fucking kill Cassius before I even start my mission.