Stealing The Mafia's Heart

AMARA'S POV

"Thank you so much for buying the house" I smiled "You can come by Thursday, we just need two days to move out".

Woah! That was a great lie!

The look on this man's face wasn't encouraging at first and I thought he would want his refund immediately. Just kidding, I already gave him his forged receipt and document of the house.

With a wide smile on my face, I watch the man walk away in happiness. Poor thing, I am about to ruin his surprise gift to his girlfriend that would not accept his proposal until he buys his house.

"They will learn soon" I shrugged.

This is the third person I am selling my late parents' house to today and I can't help but feel somehow excited. Call me a thief because it's my nature and I can't change it even if I want. Not when stealing has become my only hope of surviving since I was fifteen.

Let's start from the beginning, the very beginning.

My name is Amara Zino, I am an orphan who lives with my only relative Madame Flavia. I lost my parents at the age of fifteen when they went on a 'parents bonding trip' and never returned alive. Their valuables were all missing same as some useful parts of their bodies their fingers and a significant bullet wound in between their heads.

They had lots of gun wounds on their chest, head, and neck, and one on my mother's left breast. Half of my father's head had been blown off and I puked on his body when I saw it. Funny enough, the picture of my father's brain and the hole in my mother's breast never left my head for once.

Since then, My aunt moved in to take care of me but what was I except? She arrived with her always-drunk boyfriend, Massimo, and her extremely spoilt 12 years old son, Bruno. Living with them for nine and a half years was hell, especially when I had to share my room in the basement with rats.

Did I forget to tell you that the best part of selling my late parents' house is because Madame Flavia still lives here with her family?

Yes, they still live here and I hope they will adapt to living on the street soon because, in two days, the three new landlords will come for their house. One will get it, the poor girl I gave the real documents to yesterday. I couldn't help but pity her because she is like me, 25, maltreated and homeless.

Although she paid 50 Euro which I used in getting the cross bag I am having across my chest right now.

Walking into the house to take my laptop, I make sure not to make a sound at all.

Getting into the basement, I put on my favorite sweater and very tight jeans trousers. Stuffing the laptop inside my stomach and waistband helped me sneak out of my only useful property until I got to the front door.

"Sneaking out again?".

Dang, it!

I had no idea Bruno has been around. What he is even doing her by the way with his...turning back to look at him, a deep frown spread across my face as I sight him wearing my stolen Jersey.

Two weeks ago, I went to the market to price a new white wig which I actually stole too. The Jersey was something I couldn't miss so I asked for the price and didn't notice it ran out of the store with me stuffed in my jeans and trousers.

The same blue ripped jeans I am wearing now.

"And why are you looking so bloated like..." He moved closer to touch my stomach but I stepped back "Why is your stomach bloated?" Bruno flash me a toothy grin.

Damn! He looks like a catfish about to be catfished. No matter how I feel that I shouldn't do it because don't want, teaching Bruno a little lesson became my next priority. With his phone glaring at me in his front pocket, I moved close to him and let a single tears drop down my left eye and that's it!

The next thing is Bruno offering me 5 euros and then a small pat on my back. Little did he know that the latest iPhone he brought a month ago followed me to the door. Well, it didn't get to follow me so far because the last tone I noticed was when I exchanged it for a container of Pringles, two oversized shirts, and a small bag for my laptop.

Don't ask me how I got the laptop too because I stole it three months ago on a bus. The user unlocked it in my presence and forgot it on the chair. As a good, Samaritan, I attempted to return it by running after her immediately after she left but no way! You can't trust a thief with a pink MacBook she can never afford.

With the balance of 3000 euros, I am happy that I have booked a flight to America and my flight would leave in the next three minutes. I have planned about this for a whole year, all the process of making a student visa, renting a very small apartment, and someone to pick me up from the airport in Chicago where I will arrive.

I will miss Italy, I will miss Calabria, and the market I enjoy stealing from.

I heard America is a place of opportunities so I bet I will have to stop stealing thereof I must go to college and actually get a job for the first time in my life.

No more sleeping in a dark basement with lots of Rodent friends and insects. I became so used to cockroaches and mosquitoes that I no longer feel them crawl over my body. What else do I expect I had to stay in that basement for eleven years since I was ten years old?

A twenty-five years old orphan knows better than to still be scared of anything except death.

Soon, I am seating on the plane with my heart in my palm. This is the first time I am entering a plane and I am terrified for my life. I can literally feel my head flying backward immediately after the plane left the ground and my heart now beating somewhere around the lower side of my stomach.

If not for the nice fellow beside me, I am sure to pee on my pants.

Such a gentleman to hold my hand till the plane leaves Italian soil. Sadly, he was putting on a beautiful ring when he held my hand but didn't leave the plane with it because I could not let such a good ring leave my sight.

Stepping out of the plane with my small bag, I looked at the ring for the last time. It would be worth more than ten thousand dollars if I sell it in America and that should hold me for rent and other things for the next three months.

"Poor fella" I shrugged "I just hope this isn't your wedding ring".

"If you can't afford it, just move out already"

I wish I could be rude for once but I could not. I wanted to tell him to get out my door step as I stood blocking the entrance of my room but I can't. I owe him, one things about debtors.

Standing face to face with my landlord, I nearly cried. It was the fourth time he had woke me to this month asking for my rent. I honestly don't know what to tell him again so I remain silent.

"I thought as lunch, Mara" The man said.

Pfffff! He is always calling me that instead of Amara. I won't correct him so he can have the victory this time.

"You didn't pay last months rent, I have people...."

The both of us looked into my room as my alarm beeped again. When I looked back at him, I flashed him a toothy grin.

"Today is my payday, Mr Marshall, i will pay I promise" I muttered as I walked into my room.

The only thing I took was my phone and my uniform jacket for work. When I walked out the room, I didn't bother to lock the door because if he change the key again, I would pick it open.

"Last promise Mr Marshall, I will....."

"That's what you said last weak you annoying Italian Bitch!" Mr. Marshall yelled as I walked away "And better don't pick my locks again!!"

He sucks. Frankly, Everything sucks!

Since my seven months in living and four months of working here, I can say I have stolen from at least ten people. I can't just stop, especially when I have to pay tasks, water bills, electricity bills, gas bills, house rent, and foooood!

Adulthood is a pure scam. You wake up one morning and discover that you are owing a freaking 10,000$!!!

Seating with a sad look on my face, I bit my lower lips, pretend to quiver them and it was working. The man suddenly have forgiven me and was begging my boss to let me retain my position but his Karen wife was something else.

At some point, I wanted to kill her. Maybe if I pull her hair so hard, she would know better than to call me an Italian bitch. I know my accent sound a bit funny but saying it to my face is something else. She even suggested that they are not the first person I must have stolen from to be so skillful and not get noticed.

'Well, I hate to break it to you sweetheart, but you guys are not the first'

I wish I could tell them that that would not be the last either. So I listened.

"I am glad you have the stolen ring here, Amara" My boss said.

Finally, someone that doesn't call me Mara. What I don't get is why he emphasised on the 'stolen' as if I am the first person.

"Hand it over, and...." He paused.

His expression seems sad for a bit but I understand. I get that a lot, especially when I am being caught.

"You are fired, Amara Zino" he said as he pointed at the door for me "Make sure you drop you uniform and card".

"Yes sir" was all I could say.

The most annoying part was when this Karen wife decided to come close to me to slap me. That was humiliating but I did steal from her since I would eventually get fired. I want to slap her back and pull her hair off her big head!

Poor Karen! Who had 20$ in her bag and yet kept screaming like she was the psycho daughter of the president. Before I use to believe that all Karens are mainly blondes.

Walking out of the coffee shop with a fake look of sadness, I screamed. Believe me, when I say I look like a mad woman, I opened my mouth, bent my head back, and screamed again in audible.

"I can't believe I stole it".

Trying to make myself look as if I want to cry, I held my chest and forehead. No matter how I tried, the more I failed so I just gave up trying. After all, I already lost the job I worked for only four months because of a goddam ring.

Damn!

'Did I make a mistake by leaving Italy?' I asked myself.

I can't tell of this adult life is for me because I am done. I need to pay for my next semester and no money for rent.

Ps: Remember to go into a foreign country with a pot of money.

As I walked home, I got close to an alley and gasped. All I could see was danger and money.

I have never see a car so simple and yet scary; the black Limousine in front of me is an example. Or the men standing around the car with their faces like funerals attendances in plain black suits. I can't tell if they were selected for this because they are all huge, and have visible tattoos on their palm, neck, or face.

Just four of them and I am beginning to feel like they are too much.

Although, I don't know who or what might be in that car but I can smell that danger and money. This car worth more than my life, but how am I not sure it was not a trafficking skill.

"Never mind, I amma watch anyway"

The back door of the car suddenly revealed a leg of a shiny back shoe. In anticipation, I bit my lower lip as I stood still. Seriously, I am beginning to get offended at the person for taking so much time in bringing out his second legs as if trying to let everyone get their eye full of his shiny black shoes.

'Just get out already' I scoffed as I took a few steps away 'It won't be a surprise if you look like a chicken!'.

Deciding to mind my business, I turned and began to walk away; Almost about to take a sharp corner, I collided with someone who immediately began to rub his hands over my body. He looks interesting so I did let him, after all, I found somethings in his pocket that might be good.

As he pretends to be sorry for stealing my 20$ I smiled at his stupidity for losing a lot of money to me. I can tell, even as all I did was stare and smile at him as he left.

Checking if the money was real, I smiled from ear to ear. With my head low as if my head could no longer carry it, I let out a muffled scream. I wanted to shout for joy but seeing my environment isn't the best place to do that, swallowed the joy with a red face.

'You can hit on me anytime' I muttered.

Maybe that was the reason I should have waited. It could be I would have gotten more or would not have lost my 20$ but it's fine; i have 500$ now.

What I still want to see is the face of the sluggish man that was nowhere to be found.

His gain, my lost. But checking at the right sense, none of them were my lost; not even the 20$.

Frankly, I meant it when I said it, surely, if I had met him, I would have stolen from him and probably put myself in trouble.

The Limo is still there just that the men are reduced to two, and I see no point in wanting to see him again.

He looks fine, he looks like a whole meal but I think I have something now. So, I looked down at the notes, recounted the 500$ with a calm smile, and placed it into my pocket.

Like the happiest person on earth, I turned back only to collide with another person.

"Shit!"

This Douchebag better not be a thief! Please not twice!! I can't lose this money!!!

Quickly, I brought out the money from my pocket and held it firm even when I am falling.

Wait.

Oh, I wasn't falling, I thought I would fall if not for the strong arms around my waist and my upper body. I looked up to see a mean-looking fellow glaring down at me for a blissful second. The man's empty blue eyes stared intensively into mine for a few seconds making me scream in terror.

Sadly, only a muffled scream escaped my throat as I felt consumed.

Oh no!

Quickly, I got off his grip only to hit my back against another person. I looked up to see one of those funeral attendance men and good thing, I couldn't look at his evil eyes because the black glass he wore even look evil.

The next thing I did was check my palm for my 500$ and when I found it, I hugged it with a smile on my face.

"Move her" I heard someone said.

Before I know what was happening, I felt carried. I was about to scream when he dropped me, I mean the man with the black glass. But you trust me, I did search him for something, and what I felt made me freeze to death.

I felt a freaking gun!

Or maybe not. Maybe it wasn't real, maybe it was something else I mistook to be a gun or maybe a toy gun to scare someone. Now the question would be who? Why? And what have I gotten myself into?

"Hello, sir" I waved at the sluggish man "I will be on my way"

Pathetic.

As if he didn't know I was leaving or as if I wasn't supposed to leave. I gave him the last cracked smile I had shortly before turning and running off. I did not bother to look back until I am home and made sure to lock the door.

I trembled in loneliness as I bath. No roommate, no family, no boyfriend, nobody to talk to at all.

I miss my parents. Hopefully, I pray they are resting wherever they are.

Memories of the day they left flashed back; the gifts they gave me. It funny enough how many people feel it's something they can have too.

I lay down on my twin-size bed and began to eat a leftover candy I had left there three days ago. I ignored the unpleasant taste and began to check my stealings for the day.

500$ and a diamond ring seems to be the best so far.

Don't call me a careless thief when I say I stole a diamond ring from the sluggish man. It looked so expensive and I know one thing for sure.

Mere looking at it, I know my struggle had been settled and all that's left for me is to know when and whom to sell it to. To be sure, I brought my phone and search for any ring that would match the description but none.....wait a minute, there is one but it's sold out.

Oh, snap! I don't want to talk about the amount!

"I am RICH!!!!"

A week had passed and here I was, carrying my valuables which were my laptop and phone. Not as if I don't need clothes for anything, but with the money I would make from selling this ring, I was certain to relocate to Uk and do absolutely well. I will keep a low-key profile till I know about my environment before probably getting myself a car.

Don't worry about college, I can decide to work on that or drop out. Checking the prices of that ring, I saw everything above 400 thousand dollars. That's a freaking huge amount of money! And even if I get 300 thousand dollars I will be fine. Very fine and I can be able to go back to Italy and buy my late parents' house back. I will renovate it, make it bigger the way I want, and pay back those people I scammed.

That means no more stealing for me even if I literally stole yesterday. That means more hope, I can go back to Italy and when I get disturbed, I can settle them off or even raise a case against them because I have the money.

Walking down to a dealer shop, I thought of what to tell him. A flat lie would do, right?

People say that man buys anything as long as it's valuable. Even if you obviously stole it. I know he would not mind cheating me to buy it and that wasn't my problem. My problem was getting a good cover-up story to tell.

I don't look rich, I don't look like I can even afford a 3000 dollars ring much more than 300 thousand. The last time I came here was to sell a 500 dollars bracelet and that was really had to tell him how I got it from my ex and want to sell it to stop thinking of him. Fvcking love story.

"You can do this, Amara," I said to myself "You can really do this".

Standing opposite the store, I found a man performing a magic trick. Trying hard not to lose anything, I held my laptop and my phone pressed to my chest while I have the ring in my mouth. I know how all these and I can't stand the chance of losing what I worked so hard to steal just because I want to watch a man steal for people in the name of performing magic tricks.

The only thing stopping me from exposing the man is that he caught me stealing the wristwatch of a woman very close to me. Well, it looks fresh and I bet she just got it and was all that mattered which isn't my business. Next time, she will know better than watch worthless magic shows in broad daylight.

She would also know when someone stands next to her and pretended to almost fall only to grab their wrist and smile at them like they are in love and leave the second.

She gat beautiful eyes though, and a sweet smile. Her breath smelled like garlic bread and that isn't anything a girl should eat by this time. I hope she has a boyfriend that can understand what it takes to love garlic bread.

Getting to the dealer's shop, I saw a man. He looked so....familiar and yet odd. His white expensive car didn't fit him well same, unlike his white suit.

"Damn! I wish I can steal his car" I groaned with a stupid smile on my face.

If I can get close to him, maybe I can see something to take from him but from afar, he looked dry. No wristwatch, no earrings, no rings, no bracelet, just a tattoo at the back of his palms and something like a half-naked woman half snake tattoo running from his neck to the small left side of his face.

How odd to see the tattoo of tiny boobies on a grown man's face.

"Nothing interesting to see" I muttered as I watch him pass me.

Waiting for him to get into his car and drove off, I quickly wiggled my fingers through my hair, squeezed my chin to give me some blush, and grinned stupidly.

Pushing the door open, a bell rang annoyingly as it announced my grand entrance.

"What do you have now?" The dealer asked immediately after he saw me.

No way!

Did he recognize me? I know people sell stolen things to him but why does he make it hard for me just because I stole a fake silver ring from him the first day I came here?

"Sorry," he said as he stood up, "I thought you were someone else".

Walking out to his counter, he flashed me a toothy grin before bringing out his palm.

"So pretty, what do you have?" He asked me.

Should I be worried? He had these fresh bruises on his face, neck, and a fresh cut on his bloody lips. I just don't like that I had this paranoid feeling like something was coming to get me. I don't know why I was so scared like what I was doing was wrong or I was in danger.

Nah! Was there any time I am not in danger?

I was supposed to be in class, studying for my second-semester exam which would commence in five weeks. Well, here I am, scared to even show the buyer what I stole for the first time.

Shoving the sudden fear off my head, I brought out the ring. Not in front of my mouth though, I removed it when I stole the wristwatch from the garlic bread girl.

Placing the ring and the watch on the table, I grinned up at the man.

"Remember to price well," I said.

The scared look on the man's face terrified me. Worst, he just took the watch and slowly moved the ring back toward me. Without saying a word, he brought out his wallet and counted 250$. Slapped it on the table with his eyes roaming around, he lean closer and whispered.

"I will try to act nice," he said.

Walking inside, he stayed a bit long before appearing out back.

"You don't mean to give me just 250$," I said feeling a bit greedy.

I should have noticed but I didn't. I just stood still, staring at the 250$ in my palm them the man's face. I don't know how it happened or how I did it. I just know I quickly picked up the ring and put it in my mouth immediately the door burst open. Reflex, I guess?

'Just the hot man with the booby tattoo face' I tried to assure myself.

Flashing him a nervous toothy grin as he walked toward me didn't help. Soon, I felt his warm breath on my head, breathing like a dragon ready to vomit fire. He looked at the dealer for a while and back at me.

"I give you what you want, please take her and leave" the dealer begged.

Shit!

What in the low-budget horror movie is happening to me?