Chapter 2
Elli
Being called to my father’s office is never a good thing, but he’s only been home an hour, and usually he sits in his office for hours once he arrives home, smoking cigars and drinking whisky.
Stepping into the office, I notice my mother sitting looking at her hands, which are clasped in her lap.
She looks like she’d rather be anywhere than here.
This is not a good sign, not a good sign at all!
“Take a seat, Elliana.”
Father points at the chair in front of his desk while looking at me with his blank face.
That face tells me I’m not going to like what he’s going to say.
I take a breath as I take the seat, then give him my attention.
“As you know, Nico Vincholetti needs a wife.
Varina ran away and died in that horrendous accident.
I’m sure you remember all of that happening over six months ago.”
He calmly waits for me to respond, but I don’t respond, and look at Mother when she tuts under her breath, while giving me a side-eye to respond to Father.
“I remember that happening,”
I reply, but say no more than is necessary.
“An arrangement has been made between Nico Vincholetti and yourself.
The engagement will be announced in four weeks, and the marriage in six months.”
Jumping to my feet, I don’t stop to think as I snarl at my father.
“You sold me to the Don… for what, more power? You are already an underboss, what more power do you want?”
Mother jumps out of her seat but continues to look at her feet.
Father, however, rushes around the desk and slaps me across the face, making my head whip to the side.
I make not a sound.
I’m aware that my father sees women as nothing more than commodities, but what he is doing is selling his daughter, but to gain what?
“You promised me when I was a young girl that you would never arrange a marriage for me.
You would allow me to find someone to love and cherish.
Yet, here you are abusing me for your own gain.
Shame on you Father, and shame on you Mother for allowing it.”
Before either of them can respond, I run from the office and directly to my room.
I know now is the time to get the hell out of Dodge, and that’s exactly what I’m going to do.
My grandmother had given me money for birthdays, and on other occasions she would tell me to save it in a safe place because one day I may need it.
Now, I know why she said that to me, and if she’d still been alive I would have gone to her, but she died three years ago, and I miss her greatly.
An hour later, I have collected all the cash I’ve stashed away in different places.
There is quite a few thousand, and that’s not counting the money in the bank account I opened when my grandmother died.
She had made me promise I would do that, and I, of course, fulfilled that wish.
But it seems my grandmother knew her son better than I knew him as my father.
I never thought he would go back on his word, but I’ll never trust him, or my mother again.
I keep quiet as I pack a backpack with jeans, t-shirts, underwear, toothpaste and brush, and a hairbrush.
I’m not sure I can carry more than I have packed tightly into this bag, so I look around and decide it is best to leave everything else here.
I will have to travel light, and without identity, because if I use anything with my name on it, my father will be able to trace me quickly.
A light tapping on the door has me gritting my teeth.
My mother quietly speaks through the door.
“Elli, open the door and let me explain.”
Oh, I’ll never allow you to explain anything to me again, is what I’m thinking, and I ignore her.
“Elli, I know you are upset, but I need to speak to you about this.”
I can hear her speaking to someone, saying that I won’t open the door, and she’s right I won’t open the door to her.
I’m waiting for darkness to fall, then I’m out of here.
“Mother, leave her alone.
Elli needs time to think about what she has been told.
You married Father for love, yet you are agreeing to have your daughter given away as a bargaining tool.
So, I have to agree with Elli.
What is Father getting out of this shit of a deal?”
Hearing my brother, Alexander, who is three years older than my nineteen, saying he thinks this is shit has me smiling.
He’s my hero and always has been, but I know he has no power to stop this from happening.
They both walk away from my door a few minutes later, and I set the alarm on my phone to vibrate.
I need enough sleep before I make a dash out of here and out of the state.
The further away I get, the better, and I need to keep my head down, out of the mainstream of travel.
Waking quickly to my phone vibrating, I switch it off and head into the bathroom.
I wash up quietly, and dress in black skinny jeans, black t-shirt, and black leather jacket.
I push into the back of my walk-in closet and find the boots that I have for hiking.
They are leather and similar to ankle biker boots.
They are sturdy and comfortable, and as I don’t know how long I’ll be walking, I need comfort or I’ll end up limping.
Unlocking the bedroom door, I check to make sure no one is around before I quickly and quietly head to the stairs, where I again pause and listen.
Nearly screaming when a hand covers my mouth, I flick my eyes up and see Alex, my brother, and he’s giving me a shake of the head to be quiet.
I nod that I understand, and he removes his hand.
Whispering to me, Alex states, “Follow me.”
I follow him down the staircase as quietly as I can, and through to the office Alex uses.
He closes the door behind him, then turns and hugs me to him.
“I’m sorry, Elli.
But listen, I’m going to give you some cash, and a card that is in my false name.
You know the one I mean?”
Alex is bending down and looking me in the eye.
I give him a nod, then whisper, “Roger Dalglish-Harriman.”
“Good girl, that’s the one.
I’m giving you a card with that name.
Use it whenever you need more than the cash you have on you.
Go to the park on Hellman Street, and you will see a Ford Ranger pickup truck.
Take that, here is the key.
I have placed bedding and things in the back, in case you have to hide anywhere.
You’ll at least be able to sleep in the bed of the truck, or lock yourself in the cab.
Either way, you’ll get some rest. Get as far away as you can as quickly as you can,”
giving me a hug, and kissing me on the forehead, he continues, “Here is a burner phone, only use it to contact me, and I mean contact me every Monday without fail.
Eleven in the evening, and I’ll make sure I’m away from everyone to take the call.”
“Thank you, Alex.
Don’t get caught, please.
I’ll be careful, and I’ll make sure to keep you informed that I’m okay.”
“Okay, I’m going to distract the guards at the gate while you get over the wall by the old apple tree.
You know how to do that and get the hell gone.
But know I love you, Elli.”
Alex hugs me one more time before walking out of the office, quietly closing the door behind him.
After tucking everything Alex gave me into the pocket of the backpack, I open the window nearest to the apple tree Alex wants me to head for, and wait until I hear no movement from the guards.
I hear Alex speaking so quickly throw out my backpack and climb out of the office window.
Grabbing the bag I quickly run to the tree, climb it with the backpack on my back and drop over the wall.
On the other side of the wall, I look around before running for the park as fast as I can, and seeing the black truck, I head directly to it.
I grab the key from the backpack and make my escape.
I’m thankful that I was allowed to learn to drive, and that was Alex’s doing.
Without his support it would have never happened.
I’m sad to be running from home, but not sad I’m going to be avoiding this marriage.
If Nico Vincholetti thinks I’m a weak-willed woman, he will be thinking again soon.
My brother has taught me to fight, fire a weapon and, if needed, stab someone in vital places.
Shit, I forgot my gun, and my knife! That will have to be something I do as a priority… arm myself, because I know that as a mafia family, we have enemies.