Mafioso(Introduction)

I came home fairly late that night…late for me anyways for it was rare I ever went out.

I went through the back door quietly, I knew my brother would be in his room and my mother would be silently asleep so I had no questions to worry about. I walked through the kitchen smiling to myself; I walked past the living room to the stairs. As I slowly began to creep up them I heard a cough from behind me. I froze…Oh no…I thought to myself. It seemed my family had really bad timing today…or I just had really bad luck.

"Ann-Marie…come down here." The fear rose in me as I heard my father's voice. I walked down the stairs and stood in front of him. "Hi daddy." I responded trying to sound like an innocent five year old hoping he would fall for the act. "Where have you been?" I let the question linger in the air hoping he would forget he asked it. "Answer me Marie." My father demanded, I shrunk back at his tone…it was frightening. "I was with Sophia…" He gave me that fatherly 'Don't lie to me' look. "You're lying Marie. I know you were at Vinnie's restaurant with a man today." I screwed up. "I'm sorr…" He slapped me hard on the cheek, the impact echoed up the stair well. I looked at my father in fear and disbelief. "How could you do such a thing?!" He screamed at me. "And with a Bonanno?! Have I taught you nothing?!" Tears welled in my eyes. "He's not like them…" I whispered, frightened by his hostile actions. "Not like them?! NOT LIKE THEM?! They are all the same! Piccola puttana!" He grabbed a fist full of hair and threw me to the floor; I screamed trying to crawl away. Soon I heard foot steps from around the corner and just as my father was going to strike me again he was pulled away from me. "Zio! Have you gone mad?!" Angelo's voice screamed at my father. I lay on the ground crying as Angelo dragged my father away. "You are to never see that man again, you hear me Marie?! NEVER!" My father screamed as he stomped out of the room pushing Angelo aside. My cries became louder. Angelo came to my side, lifting me up and brushing my hair out of my face, trying to wipe away the tears. "What have you gotten yourself into piccolo bellezza?" I hugged my cousin tightly and sobbed into his chest. "Shh shh, come on. Let's talk." He picked me up and took me to my room, the whole way I sobbed hard into his chest unable to stop the tears. He's dead. I thought to myself. We entered my room and he locked the door and set me on my bed and sat next to me. "What's going on Marie?" I threw my arms back around my cousin, my sobbing did not stop. "He's going to kill him Angelo!" I said between sobs. "Who? Who's he going to kill Marie?"

"Niccolo…" I whispered into his chest, he lifted my head so I looked him in the eyes. "Niccolo Bonanno? He caused this?" Angelo asked, I could hear the anger rising in his voice. "No no. He didn't cause this. He's done nothing. Remember when I got beat up and I wouldn't tell you who did it?..." Angelo cut me off. "If he hurt you…" I shook my head stopping his sentence. "No it wasn't Niccolo, let me finish Angelo. That day Niccolo saved me…it was Antonio who beat me. Earlier that day he was harassing me so I called him a son of a whore…apparently that didn't please him. He trapped me behind the school and was trying to kill me…then Niccolo came and saved me. He cleaned me up, bandaged my wounds. He helped me Angelo…he saved me from his own brother…and now he's being punished for it!" Angelo stayed silent for a moment. "You are saying that our enemy saved you?" I nodded wiping my tears. "Like I tried to tell my father Angelo, he's different. He's not like any of the Bonanno's." Angelo kissed my cheek. "I'm going to go talk to your father. I'll be back later. You try and get some sleep." I nodded and locked the door behind him when he left. Then I remembered….

"Give me your phone Marie." I looked at Niccolo oddly. "Why?" He took my phone from my hand, I didn't bother fighting it. He typed in something then handed it back to me. "If you ever need anything call me." He kissed my lips softly. "Goodbye Niccolo." He kissed me again. "Goodbye il mio amore."

I grabbed my phone quickly…then stared at it contemplating if I should call him…maybe it would be better if I never spoke to him again…if I ended things before they got to serious. It's already serious. My heart said, for once I was glad my brain butted in. It will hurt more the longer you let it go on. It was true, I had to end this before things got worse…before he was actually killed. I put my phone on my dresser and dug my head in my pillow and began to sob. Tink. My head popped up quickly. No. I thought. Tink. I opened my window quickly. "Niccolo! You must leave now!" I hissed at him from my window. A light turned on outside, my thinking became frantic. "Climb up here! Now, before they see you!" I leaned out my window and watched him climb up the posts of my house onto my small balcony that lead to my room. I opened the glass doors and let him inside, almost tossing him into my room. "Marie!" Angelo's voice called from outside. "HIDE!" I hissed again, shoving him to the side of the room away from the windows. I walked out on to the balcony. "Yes Angelo?" I asked innocently as I looked down at him. "Are you ok? I thought I saw someone out here…" I shrugged playing it off perfectly. "I haven't seen anyone out there but you Angelo." He gave me a 'well aren't you a smart ass?' look and walked back inside. I hurried inside and closed all of the curtains quickly. "What are you doing here?!" I exclaimed as loud as I could so no one would here me but him. "I just wanted to see you Marie…"He paused for a moment looking at my face."Are you ok?" I averted my eyes from him. "My…my father knows. My uncle told him and he immediately figured it out. Niccolo…" He pulled me into his arms and once again stopped me in mid sentence with a kiss. I kissed him back, drowning in the moment. This has to stop. There went my brain again. "Listen, this Saturday is my 18th birthday party. The theme is Masquerade, so wear a mask. I'll mail you an invitation. It will simply have your name on the envelope. Make sure no one finds it. Do not talk to me till then. I want to make my father think I've stopped talking to you. Make sure no one knows where you're off to when you come ok?" Niccolo simply nodded. "Everything will be fine il mio amore." He kissed my lips and held me close to him. "Promise me Niccolo." He looked deep into my eyes. "I promise."

We sat in my room until the sun started to peek up on the horizon. I felt him get up slowly trying not to stir my sleep. I grabbed his hand and pulled him back to me. He smiled laying back down next to me softly kissing my neck. "I have to go." He whispered as he nibbled on my ear. "Please…keep your promise." He smiled and kissed me. "I will." Sooner than I wanted he was gone.

It was going to be one hectic party…

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Like I said...it was short. :[

Any how here's a picture of The Gambino mansion. :]

Imagine climbing those walls! lol