The Mafia And His Angel: Part 1 (Tainted Hearts 1)

He kept his eyes on me the whole time, and when he was done rolling his sleeves, he reached up and unbuttoned the first two buttons of his white shirt. Rolling his neck around, he took two steps forward and then stopped.

Viktor pushed his legs apart, shoulder wide. He cracked his knuckles before pointing at me and then moving his finger to his chest. “Come at me,” he ordered, his voice cold and hard.

My eyes widened slightly and fury surged through me. With a deafening roar, my feet lurched forward. A red mist of anger clouded my vision as I made the first strike.

We fought. Punched. Kicked. Scrambling around like animals. Viktor didn’t go easy on me. He retaliated. We both fought for power, each of us letting our anger out.

I saw his fist moving toward my face and I quickly dodged it before punching him in the gut. Viktor groaned in pain and went down to his knees, holding his stomach. I didn’t let him go. Pushing him down, I continued my assault. He still fought back.

When I noticed him growing weaker, I pushed him away from me. Viktor laid on his back on the ground, his hands over his chest as he gasped for breath.

Sinking down on my ass, I sat beside him. Licking my lips, I tasted my blood.

“Better?” Viktor gasped, turning his face toward me. He stared at me through swollen eyes and I shook my head.

“Not even close.” My whole body was sensitive and aching, but still, I couldn’t get rid of the rage.

“Shit. I don’t think I can move,” he groaned and then winced in pain. Viktor pulled his head back and bellowed at the top of his lungs.

“Nikolay!”

The door opened and he came in.

“It’s your turn,” Viktor said, his lips turning up in a small smirk.

Nikolay nodded and then took his suit jacket off. After rolling his sleeves the same way Viktor had, he braced himself and gave me a nod. I didn’t wait for another signal. Letting the rage take hold, I rushed forward.

Before I could punch him, Nikolay moved out of the way and landed a punch on my shoulder instead.

It pissed me off more.

Shifting to my side, I kicked him in the leg. He stumbled back but quickly gained his footing and then he was rushing toward me again. We kept going like that, back and forth, teeth clashing together in anger as we reveled in our fury. When Nikolay was done, Phoenix took his place. Adrenaline kept me going. Artur was next.

My body eventually started to weaken and I could barely land a punch. After Artur fell to the ground beside Viktor, Phoenix, and Nikolay, I sank to the ground too and laid there, staring at the ceiling.

These men had my back. They were my brothers, not by blood but by choice.

“Alessio,” Viktor started, but I quickly cut him off.

“Don’t. Just don’t say anything.” I struggled to sit up, then sighed before running my aching hand through my sweaty hair.

Rolling my neck around, I winced at the pain and then stood up on shaky legs. I nodded at them and I walked out of the gym.

The fury inside of me, the beast, the monster inside me was finally calm. But for how long? How long before I lost it again?

I went straight upstairs. But instead of going into my bedroom, I walked to the room beside it, the one between my room and Ayla’s. Pushing the door open, I turned on the lights.

My gaze went to the large piano in the corner of the room. My heart stuttered in pain at the sight of it and my stomach twisted painfully.

I made my way to the piano. As I neared it, my heart ached and my eyes started to burn. I stopped in front of the piano and slowly brought my fingers up, pressing softly over the keys.

I couldn’t stop the memories that came crashing around me.

A loud bang jostled me awake and my eyes went wide with fear. “Mommy?” I called. I felt her hands on me and she pulled me out of the bed. The lights were on and as I blinked the sleepiness away, I heard another bang. I flinched when I heard screams.

“Mommy, what’s happening?” I asked, my voice filled with fright.

She knelt down in front of me and my eyes widened at the sight of terror on my mommy’s face. My stomach dropped and my lungs squeezed together.

“Mommy,” I whispered.

“Alessio, listen to me carefully. I want you to hide under the bed. Okay?” she started, her voice small and shaky. “No matter what happens or what you see or hear, you don’t come out. Do you understand?” Mommy grabbed my shoulders and shook me gently. I nodded but didn’t understand what was going on.

The fear on her face made me scared. My mommy was never scared. She was always laughing and smiling. I had never seen my mommy like that. Her small body was shaking and I saw tears in her eyes. She ran her hands up and down my body and pulled me to her chest.