The Mafia’s Wanted Desires

ASHLEY

My phone chimed softly, then it sounded with a loud ring that had irritation seeping into me. I groaned, throwing the covers over my head. I didn’t want to talk to anyone. I just wanted to sleep, but clearly, the person calling didn’t understand what boundaries and privacy meant because my phone kept ringing incessantly.

I hissed through my teeth, pushing the covers off my body. I peeled my eyes open, squinting them because of the sensitivity of the lights. My hands roamed the other side of the bed, trying to look for my phone, but I couldn’t find it. I looked to my right, my eyes straying to the nightstand where the fucking phone lay, vibrating with so much energy. I glared at the object, snatching it off the surface of the nightstand. I brought the phone to my face and checked the caller, unable to fight the urge to roll my eyes.This belongs © NôvelDra/ma.Org.

Of course, it was my mom.

I mean, I missed the woman and I should have known that the only person capable of blowing up my phone with calls and messages was her. I swiped the receiver’s icon and placed the phone on my ear.

“Where did you keep your phone?!” Her question came out in a screech that had me taking my phone off my ear for a second. Her voice was so loud, it felt like it was going to pierce my eardrums for a moment there.

“Mom, you are yelling.” My voice came out so groggy. I brought my hand to my temple and massaged it gently, falling back onto the pillow with a sigh evading me.

I heard her sigh.

“I am sorry, honey.” She apologized.

“It’s alright, Mom.”

“So, how have you been?” Her voice was quick to regain the usual chirpiness it always held and that brought a warm smile to my face. I dug my fingers into my hair, gently untangling the knots that must have formed overnight.

“Oh, I have been great. What about you and Dad?” I demanded, rolling off the bed and getting my feet into my flip-flops. I pushed the rest of the covers off my body and got up, ambling into the bathroom.

“Hey, Princess!” My dad hollered and a wide grin spread across my face.

“Daddy!” I squealed and heard my mom mumble something along the line of Daddy’s girl under her breath and that had me chuckling. Of course, I was a daddy’s girl. Heaven knew I missed the man so much. I hadn’t seen him in such a long time and the thought of it made me so sad.

“How have you been?” His question pierced through my thoughts and I blinked, exhaling softly as I pushed through the door that led to the bathroom.

“I am fine, Dad. I am,” I assured him. Without him saying anything, I knew what he was hinting at. It seemed like a simple question on the surface, but it was deeper than it sounds. He was indirectly asking me how Arden had been treating me.

“I wish there was a way I could get you out of that brute’s clutch.” My mom seethed, hatred brimming in her voice. It was far from my mom not to be assertive about what she felt and this was her spelling out her hatred for my husband. But then, something about her hating him just didn’t sit well with me. It made me uncomfortable and set me on edge.

“Mom!” I called.

“What?!” She retorted sharply and I sighed.

“I agree with her, baby. That man lacks empathy,” Dad aided her, backing her up and that was all it took for me to snap.

“You two, stop it! Alright?”

“Arden is not that bad and yes, he is treating me well. I don’t want you two speaking ill of my husband. It breaks my heart to hear you two say that about him. Arden is different, okay?” I chided them, defending him fiercely. It wasn’t until I finished yelling at them that I realized how protective I sounded.

“Ashley?” My dad called, sounding as though he wanted to clarify if it was me he was still speaking to. He couldn’t hide how surprised he was.

“Is there something you are not telling us?” He demanded, his voice soft with affection but still holding a hint of curiosity in it.

“I am not hiding anything.” My voice sounded so small and I heard Mom scoff in the background.

“That man is turning my daughter against me!” She fumed and my brows drew together in a tight frown.

“Not everything is about you, Mom!” I snapped.

“Ashley,” My dad warned.

“Look, Dad, I can’t deal with her right now. She’s clearly overreacting. I don’t want that kind of energy around me right now. It sounds like she has already made up her mind about him and that he is a monster. I mean, I shouldn’t be surprised. She has always hated the men that are involved with me.” I bit at him, my voice sounding so harsh. I rolled my eyes afterwards, dumping my phone on the marble tiles surrounding the sink.

I looked into the mirror, gazing at myself.

“You know that’s not true, Ashley. Your mom only wants the best for you.” He coaxed me, keeping his voice soft.

“You heard what the girl said. I am the problem and that’s completely fine. You know what? Enjoy your married life with the monster and don’t come running when he breaks your heart!” She shouted at me and hung up. I blinked, not wanting to believe that she just hung up the phone on me because I defended myself. God, I don’t understand my mom at times. That woman really needs to learn how to take a chill pill. Every fucking thing gets on her nerves.

She’s so bossy and annoying!

Gosh, I am done with her!

Throughout the time I spent in the bathroom brushing my teeth, I was fuming so much. I couldn’t believe what she just did to me. I mean, I thought we were in a better place, but then, a leopard never changes its spots. She’s always going to be like that and I would rather keep my distance than stress myself trying to get her to see things myself.

I took a quick bath and blow-dried my hair, tying it in a ponytail before changing into a short black dress. I was staying indoors and there was no reason to be all dolled up. I made my way to the intercom in the room, so I could call Alberta to bring my meal upstairs, since I was feeling too lazy to go to the kitchen.

I had barely taken two steps to the bed when a loud gunshot went off downstairs, accompanied by ear-shattering screams. My soul left my body and I nearly jumped out of my skin, a shaky breath escaping me. My mind went numb and even though my brain was yelling at me to move from the spot where my legs were suddenly glued, I couldn’t. I just stood there, frozen. The next thing I heard was heavy footsteps approaching the room, and it grew closer, my heart lurching to my throat.

The door was kicked open, revealing a furious Arden with a gun in his hands. I shut my eyes, a shaky breath eluding me and I took a step backwards, tears streaming down my face.

He knows.

He fucking knows.

“Look at me!” He ordered, his thick, dark voice resonating across the room, wanting to bring it down to its feet. My heart jumped in its confines and I shook my head in response. I didn’t want to look at him. I didn’t want to see the look of disappointment on his face.

“Fucking look at me, Evaline!” He bellowed and I flinched, sobbing. My eyes snapped open at his command, only to see him striding over to where I stood. I couldn’t breathe, fear engulfed me and numbed me. His eyes were stormy, clouded with tears. The sight of it broke my heart. It shattered me to pieces, to see him so vulnerable. I tried to reach out to touch him but Arden reeled backwards at my touch, as though it disgusted him. I couldn’t control the sobs that left my lips.

Rage, hurt and disappointment were written all over his face and he didn’t hide even the slightest bit of those emotions. He wanted me to see everything. He wanted me to see how mad he was at me.

“Please…” I begged him.

“What the fuck were you thinking? What were you thinking, stepping out of the Villa without your fucking guards? God, Evaline, what’s wrong with you? How daft can you be? You even had the nerve to threaten Lawrence and Maria not to tell me. Is that really how low you think of me? Is that really how much you don’t respect me? Is that really how low you trust me?” He threw questions at me, his voice was breaking so badly and I knew he was struggling and not wanting to break down in front of him.

“I am sorry, Arden. I didn’t want to bother you. I didn’t want you to worry about me. I didn’t want you to leave everything you were doing and come running because of a shootout that I didn’t even get hurt from. I am sorry. I didn’t mean to hurt you.” I apologized, my lips trembling.

He scoffed.

“I nearly went mad when Lawrence told me. Do you know the kind of thoughts that crossed my mind? You could have lost your life! My enemies are always targeting me! They are always looking for the slightest chance to get to me and use my weaknesses against me! They are always after me and that’s why I am always telling you to take your guards with you, whenever you are leaving the Villa!” He shouted at me and every one of his words stung, causing tears to spill from my eyes.

“I am sorry,” I choked out.

“I didn’t even hear it from you. You didn’t even have the decency to respect me enough to tell me. I had to hear it from my worker. From Lawrence! He got what he deserved anyway, for withholding information from me for nearly a fucking week! He’s lucky I didn’t kill him.” He chuckled, mirthlessly, and I felt a pang of guilt hit me because of what I put poor Lawrence through.

I couldn’t have hated myself more than I did right now.

“I can’t even look at you right now.” His voice was quiet, filled with so much hurt. It felt as though someone ripped out my heart and stomped on it until there was nothing anymore. I was in so much pain and it hurts me even more that I was the one behind his pain. It shattered me.

“Arden, please. I am sorry, alright? I didn’t mean to hurt you.” I pleaded with him, sobbing. He didn’t spare so much as a glance in my direction and he spun on his heels, marching out of the room and slamming the door shut with a bang.

Tears streamed down my face and I let out a shaky sigh, my legs giving me away and I dropped to the floor, bunching my knees up to my chest and crying my eyes out.

This was all my fault.