TAKEN BY THE MAFIOSO

- Let's wait a little longer... - I heard my uncle say, we were both looking at my mother in bed getting sick, until she started foaming at the mouth, I got out of her embrace, with her staring at both of us, I ran out in desperation screaming for help. - Help, help, help, help, my mother's in distress! - I shouted for all the neighbors to hear, but in vain knocking on all the doors in despair, some came out, others didn't, they were just a group of curious people who had formed at the door of the house, in the end no one really had any interest in helping.

- Diana! - I saw Uncle Tales standing in the doorway with his hands in his pockets calling me close to them, with a serious look on his face - Diana is hopeless! - I froze at that moment, what did he mean by there's no way out? I looked at my uncle who crossed the street towards me, and once again patiently took my hand and looked into my eyes. - What do you mean? - He interrupted me at that moment, nodding. - Your mother has just passed away my dear! - I looked at him, something surged inside me, pain and regret surged when I heard the news, tears welled up in my eyes, falling without stopping, I denied it couldn't be true, maybe it was really because of regret or just the loss, the truth is that the last words I said to my mother was that I hated her, I called her a liar, I want to know who my father is, about him and once again as always she refused to tell me.

I was tired of asking, of always questioning and she never told me who he was, where he went, there were only a few memories left, which I was already forgetting, and as always she ran away, refusing to give me the answers that were important to me. But seeing her lifeless, was too painful, she was all I had in life, my mother, she was always the one who would pick me up at the police station, or at school after a fight and/or suspension, she was always trying to make me see life from other angles, and I refused. I looked at her lifeless body, she was no longer there with me.

That same day the people from the Medico-Legal Institute came, they packed him up and removed his body, I watched everything from the bedroom door, and once again as always gentle, I saw my uncle calling them in the corner to give him some cash, Uncle Thalles was always great to me, but I always saw him only as an uncle, and for someone who longs for the return of his father to pick him up, a stepfather was not enough, I need to know about my father, who is he? What is his name? What does he like to do? If I am like him, because I am very different in everything from my mother, from physical appearance, to personality, we were always in conflict. Why did he never come after me? But the main thing, why is he gone? It didn't take long for the funeral to be organized, after the goodbyes, once again I was embraced by some acquaintances, neighbors, my closest colleagues, most of the time I was wrapped in hugs by my uncle.

- Do you know what was the last thing I said to your mother? - I nodded, it was a gray day and it was raining a little. - That everything will go on just the same, only now I will take care of you, and you will take care of me. - I smiled weakly, my face heavy at that man who was always there, with yellowish skin, green eyes, light hair, a little chubby, I loved my mother, but the secret around my father tortures me, every memory I try hard to remember, they flee from me, I was forgetting everything about him, I only had the black stone ring on my finger left in my memory, worse than the only person I had left, I lost without knowing how to give him due value, she took the most important secret of my life to the grave. Everything about my father!

Two months passed quickly after his death, and really nothing changed, except for the lack of her, my uncle really cared for me. - Diana, wake up for breakfast! - I had been awake for a while, just updating my playlist to listen to my biology and English classes, since at least this one I passed, after my mom left, I left the parties and the mess aside, my eighteenth birthday would come in a week, I added dark tones to my closet, lately some slow songs come to me and I keep turning everything over in my mind not to forget my dad, and now her, my mom.

- Ready for today? - I asked excitedly, until she points with her chin across the street, I didn't look, I always knew who it was, he was always there watching us. - Let's forget it, I don't want to look at this idiot's face any time soon. - I walked arm in arm with my friend, going towards the classroom, in fact, forgetting Paulo, my first passion in life was not easy, but after spreading to everyone at school that he was my first man, he lost my heart, it was so close, so easy, he threw it away, with the loss of my mother, we drifted further and further apart, he tried a reconciliation, but for me, I only saw an idiot in front of me.

- Good morning girls! - I completely ignored him as he passed us in the living room. - Good morning Paulo! - I looked at the only one who answered, it was Cristina, I sighed in resignation. But before I could say anything about it, I saw him appear in front of me. - Diana, how long will you keep playing these stupid games?

I looked at his blue eyes, his smooth white skin, his dark brown hair neatly combed back, his thin nose, wearing his school uniform, he's handsome and he knows it, but I don't have to forgive him, he tried to grab my chin, I stepped back. - How long do you think I should play this game? You tell me, if just by putting your mouth on my breasts you went around the whole school saying what didn't happen, what will you say if it does?

I said in a loud voice, causing everyone to be surprised, I was already tired of the buzzing around corners, and looking at me, I saw the boy in front of me turn red and dull. - Diana. - I smiled, my answer had already been given, everyone has always known that I can't control my words, what did he want? Soon I felt the tug on the sleeve of my blouse, I looked at Paola beside me, disguisedly looking forward to tucking a blond lock of hair behind her ear. - Oh no! No. - I retorted, hadn't I done that? I did, Professor Mark was still standing near the table watching us attentively, his eyes fixed on us, and this was definitely a sure thing, my Uncle Thales would know about it that very afternoon.

Hours Later

- How could you, Diana? I trusted you, I always defended you to your mother, and look at you, while I was defending you at home what were you doing? - I shook my head sitting on the couch, it was the first time I had ever seen my uncle so agitated, pacing back and forth while he kept talking to me. - Uncle, it wasn't like that, I... I... had been dating Paulo for... - I lost my voice as he stared at me, his eyes were altered, upset.

- So you had already been dating Paulo? - I nodded, and received a sharp slap on the side of my face that burned with surprise, it burned like never before in my life, it was not my first slap in the face, from him, yes, but from my mother there had been some, we were always in conflict, but this was the first time he hit me. I put my hand on the side of my face feeling the tears fall. - What did you do? - He confirmed, giving me the utmost certainty that yes, he had hit me. - What do you think I am? Santa Claus, I help you with your homework, feed you, buy you clothes, and what do you think you are, Cinderella Diana? - I denied, while my face still hurt from the slap.

- From this day on, you will no longer go near this boy, straight home after school, and if you insist, no, you don't want to see my worst face Diana, I swear you'll regret it bitterly if you force me to reveal my other side. - As he got closer I noticed his red eyes, in the thirteen years I have known him I have never seen him so upset. - What will happen to me uncle? I'm going to fail, I need to study? Is this how you promised to take care of me? - He smiled nodding, this scared me, but I am Diana Fontenelle I would not let myself be tormented by him. - No, you can't do that, I'm going to be eighteen and you're not my father.

He affirmed with his hands on his hips. - No, I'm not, I never wanted to be your father, Diana, you dare walk through this door and we'll see if anyone on this street knowing your reputation as a bad daughter, seeing the headaches you gave your mother, will help you get away from me, what will you say? That I beat you? That I forbid you to go out? - I denied it, with the recurring arguments between me and my mother before his departure no one on the street would believe me.

But I stood up in front of him, who spun on his heels in fury, I didn't know that man in front of me, his hands came to my chest, pushing me against the sofa. - Sit here! - At the first opportunity I ran into the bedroom. I closed the bedroom door quickly, before seeing him go up the stairs, I didn't know what he could do to me at that moment, next week I will be of age, I will be away from him, I can control my own life.

In the upscale nightclub in town, the night seemed long to me, with men of distinctive features sitting in the room in the dim light, drinking the best whiskey, smelling the best product on the tray, I went from one side to the other, sitting in the middle of them accompanying them, the women doing their best dancing sensually to attract them, the tips from the English are the best, they love it when they come, but at the moment their interest is our drugs, our drink, the women come after business.

I sucked as much as I could from the tray, Blanka filled my ears at our last meeting with her family about our marriage, had it been up to me, we would have been married long ago. I have loved her forever, but it was with several women who worked for my grandfather, that I became an experienced man to distract my full attention from her, until she agreed to be my bride.

Marriage should be something that a man asks and then both walk to the church quickly, take their vows and goodbye bachelor life, no other woman in the world is enough for me except to have her in my bed, in my life. I get up from the couch leaving my clients, the women who work for me have come, since my courtship and engagement I remain faithful, intact, I don't touch them, I don't have relations with them, but when I get married we will stay for three days in the bedroom, I will have her daily, it will be worth the sacrifice.

I looked down the nightclub strip, and as always the women keep attractive, whoever makes the biggest profit of the night gets two hours shopping at the mall, they can buy whatever they want, and how much they want. It is a way I have found to move the trade of women, although women do very well, what they like. I am a pimp of women, drugs and guns, but lately more of women is what has made me the most profit around here, there are no other competitors, at least the Donatellos have not intervened in this business.

Looking around, I noticed some confusion in the casino, it caught my attention, four customers were threatening a guy with nothing to show for it, he was alone, in my nightclub there can be anything but mess, my customers don't like it, besides being bad for business. It's also bad for commerce. Besides, most of the men who come here are married businessmen looking for a good time, a photo in the media, marriages fall apart and companies' stocks plummet, they lose money, and so do I.

- Good evening gentlemen! - I spoke as I approached, most of them flinched at the sight of me, I am tall, strong, I don't believe my looks helped win Blanka, my beloved, but her good eyes. I looked around, the average man, Caucasian, half-fat with green eyes, held by the collar of his shirt, had two guns pointed at his head. - Sir, excuse me for... - I shook my hand to avoid listening, there is no excuse for bringing my establishment into disrepute.

- What is the reason for the disorder? - I raised my eyebrow at the question, seeing that at the table everyone was winning and only one was losing, everything, in fact, there was nothing, until the dealer wearing a classic suit approached me fearfully, and I stared at him for an answer. - The gentleman here bet big, and now he says there is not so much to pay. - I sighed, upstairs I had just closed a deal, the English are very discreet, it's no wonder they have such a good reputation, if I knew there was a client of this type in the establishment, the deal would be undone.

- Take him to the back, take everything from him! - This time it was the stranger who knelt in supplication, and I looked at him, not understanding how he managed to get into my casino. - Lord have mercy, I have no money to pay them. - I looked at him seriously, from his attire and appearance there really wasn't. - Who brought you here? - I asked - Apolo Benavente. - I bit my lower lip out of habit, my half-brother always making trouble.

- But sir... - Just two glances in his direction, I heard him shake his voice. - Take him to the back, rip everything out of him, until there is no damage left for my clients. - I walked towards the stairs, and this time, yes, my girls were working giving their best to my clients, I spun on my heels when I saw one of my clients in his intimate moment of pleasure, feeling the maximum pleasure with an oral from Lavinsky, his eyes doing that so well in my direction turned me on, asking to be felt by his owner, I swallowed my saliva with difficulty, almost a year without feeling a woman, if my marriage doesn't come off in less than two months I will go crazy.

While Andreza satiated another client, that was more than delicious for Halfe who received that wonderful caress, pushing his head to penetrate her throat, the others also played their part, devourers of men and certainly the next day there would be nothing for them to complain about, drink, food, drugs and perfect women in secret.

I sighed leaning against the door for a long time, until each one left accompanied by a woman to the suites. - Girls, treat my friends well! - I said as John came up the stairs with a scowl on his face. - Tell me, John, what's the problem this time? - He shook his head in denial. - The son of a bitch has nothing, and one of the bettors at the table is one of the Maleastes - I sighed seeing that it would mess with my pocket, the family. Maleastes are of a high standard, if one of them is offended, dozens follow. - Pay them off, get rid of this bastard, after taking everything he has.

He climbed to the last step, bowed his head in denial. - The problem, Max, is that he doesn't have anything in his name, everything that is in his responsibility doesn't belong to him, everything belongs to his stepdaughter who lives with him. - I sighed, it was just another night with problems. - Do whatever it takes, so that I get my money back. - I looked at the shiny wedding ring on my finger and turned it slowly, feeling an enormous desire.

Blanka is a beautiful woman, extremely blonde with long hair, thick eyebrows with light hair, her blue eyes give me the sensation of being in front of an endless ocean, her white, white skin gives me the sensation of peace away from all that I inherited, from my family, I am an Italian mafioso. So every sacrifice, to own her sweetness and ingenuity will be little, it was not easy to conquer her, it could be years of waiting, since my beloved bride wants everything perfect, a garden open only for the most important in the family, and some men like me, I still don't believe the Donatello's will go to this ceremonial, but her father invited them.

- Look at this picture... - I barely looked at the picture in the night lights that flickered in my eyes, the picture, I wasn't interested in the beauty of any other woman than my fiancée, nothing and no one would be as beautiful, as graceful and sweet as her, but she was a beautiful girl. - What do you suggest with this photo? - I questioned, looking at the lights on the dance floor, people were consuming the best products, drinking the best whiskey, and other products in my club without even caring about the value, how did a homeless man with no possessions end up here? No one could have known that. - She is a beautiful ragazza sir, young, look at those eyes, the amount they took was high.

I nodded, I have no idea how much, but from the worry on my hood it must have been a lot of money. - What do you suggest? - I questioned calmly. - This girl with those eyes and such beauty will earn you a fortune every night, you will have men at your feet. - I looked at him, taking a cigar out of his pocket, he took out his lighter and lit it for me. - Are you suggesting to me that the loser has a beautiful stepdaughter, who can guarantee me the damage he caused me in one night? - I stared at him and he just nodded. - Yes sir, they are poor, the girl is pretty, no one will care!

I kept swallowing with him standing beside me. - What have you done with him? - I questioned, entering the room that smelled of nothing but sex, and he sat down beside me. - A beating as usual, but we can do better. - I agreed, we should give him another one. - Better let him go, follow him and bring your niece to us, how old is she?

- I frowned, I should be a teenager with pimples, herpes, and a lot of frills. - What do you think I'm going to do with an eighteen-year-old girl, John? - he smiled with his head down. - Many clients ask for younger girls, and no one needs to know how old she is. - I nodded, nothing that a little make-up and a dress and heels wouldn't help, the important thing was to get my money back. - Let him go and follow every step, bring her to me, I want her here, as for him we'll see what we do later.

- I need a little help from Paola, Miss Amanda help me! - I pleaded being as polite as I could, in fact, I could flatter her if she wanted. - She's not here, she went out with a school friend, she told me they are going to do some work and she doesn't have time to return. - I recoiled, what work would this be? I don't know about any job, and I don't know about any boy she is seeing right now. It is not possible that Paola will lose her virginity before me.

- Can I wait for her? - I asked holding the door so that it wouldn't be closed again, and without much kindness, I saw her nod. - Okay, fine! - I smiled, being as angelic as possible. Hours passed, I stood at the window of his small room, I wouldn't mind sleeping on the floor until I got a job, until I saw Paola arriving smiling at his, which was not someone else, it was him, Paulo, my ex-boyfriend, I adjusted myself to the window, was he asking for advice to win me back? But walking hand in hand no one would ask advice about another person.

Until they stopped, and as they did a few times with me, he took the initiative by kissing her mouth, but this time I just had to swallow him, my blood went cold in my veins, it froze all over my body, was it possible that Paola wasn't seeing that he was using her? I asked myself, seeing my best friend kissing my ex-boyfriend, the tears came, my desire was to climb down that window to the two of them, scratch his face and hers, but I swallowed all my desire, this time I needed more, I would not continue under the roof with my uncle, so it was better to ignore all that.

I waited for Paola to come up, and when I opened the door I gave my best smile, she smiled arching her eyebrows at the sight of me. - Hi," I got up from her bed pretending not to have seen anything, except for the messy red hair, the swollen lips and a gap of hickeys in disorder on her neck under the scarf, the crumpled clothes, she was normal. - Di, what are you doing here? My mother told me she's been waiting for me for hours, full of suitcases. - I smiled weakly and nodded, seeing how much my mother is missed. - Girlfriend, I need your help, there's been some breakdowns at home and... - She sat down beside me, taking my hands. - What happened?

I sighed and the tears came. - I can't live with Uncle Thales anymore... - Could I tell her? She was with the boy I liked throughout my adolescence, kissing just outside. - What do you mean Thales, your uncle? - She asked, deducing things, and I sighed. - You know my uncle is addicted to games, drinks a lot and... today he got aggressive after... - She agreed, the tears were already showing that they would come down, I stuttered at the end, she was with my ex a little while ago downstairs.

- And what do you need from me? - I got up and walked around her room, it was tiny, almost the size of the bathroom in my suite. - One week, until I get my life together, I'm going to get a job, I'm going to find a place of my own, I just need to finish my exams at school and when I get home I'll be able to go to the office.

He squeezed my hands, I didn't know whether to look at the hickeys on his neck or his eyes, would I look like this if I gave myself to Paul? How was it? I have always been a good student of biology and I admit that I have a notion of what it is and how it occurs, theoretically, but the teacher did not mention hickeys, crumpled hair, or even that smile on Paola's mouth. - Friend of course I can help you, look where I live, look at you are a Fontenelle. - Swallowing in dry, besides being betrayed by the serious a true friend.

We stayed in her room, and from there I imagined how it was, and how it would be. In my current situation I prefer to lose a passion rather than friendships, Paola is all I have left. I packed my luggage in the corner, imagined her whole scenario with Paulo was he affectionate to her? It hurt a little inside, but he should have been so gentle, he always was with me and despite everything, I could never give myself to him.

I sighed, swallowing the urge to cry, although the tears were still falling on the pillow. I wiped my tears, now I have bigger problems, a crazy stepfather, addicted to gambling and not a dime in my pocket, with a good reputation in the neighborhood, he was an excellent husband who took good care of my mother, and a wonderful stepfather.

Paola looked at me intently. I smiled weakly, I really just want to forget about this night and move on. I cried myself to sleep, Paola fell asleep quickly and I didn't want to imagine why, at least while sleeping I felt safe, even though I was afraid of what might happen soon, the next day when he arrived and didn't find me.

In the morning I woke up and lay in bed thinking about everything I could do with my life, after a turbulent night and early morning. Paola was no longer in the room and I got ready until she came in with a not very friendly face, closing the door. - What happened between you and your uncle? - I sat down on the bed, I needed to tell someone, I sighed. - He was super aggressive, he hit me in the face, he . - The door opened with a kick, I saw the man I had called uncle all my life standing in front of me, always caring, friendly. - Running away Diana? - I swallowed dry wanting to run, only to be caught by the arm, Paola reacted in my defense he pushed her against the wall, she fell fainted I don't know, until he caught me by the arm, I was dragged screaming into the car, she and her mother did not intervene.

For a young girl until she was eighteen, my Uncle Thales was a wonderful man, always attentive, he fought with my mother when she punished me, I loved him always gave him a kiss on the cheek when I caught him off guard doing something, he raised me in place of my father, for me it was love of uncle and niece, since there was never a man to take the place of my father. Not that I didn't want one, but my father's place was always empty, so for him it was always Uncle Thales, my uncle, who came out dragging me out as I wanted to go inside to see my friend. I didn't know that man who was holding me, his face was all bruised, from the marks it was not an assault he had suffered.

- What have you gotten yourself into now Uncle Thales? - I questioned when I saw him in that state. - He dragged me home, I was afraid, but at the same time, worried. - I need money, Diana, we have to sell the house, the car, I owe a lot to dangerous people, we have to sell everything or I don't know what they will do to me, and to you! - I looked at him, putting my hand to my mouth, the problem now was much bigger.

He was distressed, all bruised up, they had beaten him up pretty badly. - How much more or less, Uncle? - he sighed in agony. - A lot, a lot of money, maybe we could try a loan, but I can't afford it, you have to try.