Filed to story: Bring It On My Mafia Life Novel (Rhea & Lukas)
“What?”
“Since you want to die so much, go and do it then,” Lukas told her nonchalantly as if her death wouldn’t affect him.
Rhea glowered at him, “You think I’m not going to do it,” She said through gritted teeth. Lukas must think she was bluffing. She had to show him.
“I don’t care whether you do it or not, however, if I were you, I would reconsider my decision, especially how it affects my loved ones,” He hinted.
Rhea froze, her mouth dropping open having sensed there was more to that story than he was letting on. She swallowed limply and asked, “What did you mean by that?”
Lukas didn’t reply, rather he gave her an answer by pulling out his phone, flashing the screen at her face and she stiffened.
Her blood ran cold and she forgot to breathe as she stared at the image of her friend Mimi, gagged and strapped to a chair. Although her head hung low because she seemed to be asleep, Rhea could recognize Mimi even with acid all over her face.
Rhea didn’t even think before her hand cracked across his face. Her hand reacted before her brain could think about the consequences. Well, damn consequences because she was full of fury.
“You bastard!” Rhea raised her hand to slap him a second time but he stopped her.
“The first was enough -“
Pah.
Rhea cut him off when she landed the second slap with her left hand and Lukas couldn’t stop her either because he didn’t see it coming.
How dare he threaten her with Mimi?! If Rhea disliked Lukas previously, she loathed him now. How could he be so cruel? How could he do that to Mimi?
Her heart was breaking so much, she broke down in heart-wrenching tears. Of all people, why Mimi? Why couldn’t it be her wicked aunt or Costanza?
This wasn’t how it was supposed to go? Lukas was suddenly in regret. Rhea was so fierce and strong that he didn’t think she would buckle under his threat. He had thought they would fight as usual and he would force her into submission with the threat and she would have no choice but to accept his fate. But then, she was crying. Did he push her too hard?
What has he done?
Hurt Her And Heal Her
“Momma, don’t cry,” Young Lukas said, walking into the room to his mother’s surprise.
Penelope, obviously taken by surprise, hides her face away while trying to wipe away her tears at the same time. But Lukas used that opportunity to walk straight to her hence the young boy saw everything.
“I’m not crying,” She put on her brightest smile, hoping it fooled him. But then, her son was hard to prove.
“Those are tears, momma,” He pointed out with a hardened expression, probably angry that she lied to him.
That was the problem, her son was maturing at a very fast rate and it worried her. At a young age when he was supposed to live freely and have fun, Lukas was already a good critical thinker. It scared her that he was being deprived of the joy of childhood – he deserved it.
But of course, she should have known that when getting involved with Daniel. It was her mistake for loving him too much. She had thought that the birth of Lukas would change his mind, melt away that frozen heart but the reverse was the case.
Penelope knew the only reason she was alive was because of Lukas – the boy loved her too much and she was a better option than a hired help. But she can’t interfere too much in Daniel’s plan for Lukas else that man would have her killed or send her to a place she can never escape from and wither there slowly. Whether she liked it or not, Lukas would be trained to carry on his legacy.
Penelope knew life with Daniel would not be easy but she never thought it would be this difficult. She couldn’t even divorce him either, which was equivalent to asking for a death sentence. She knew too much for Daniel to let her go now. In one word, they were both stuck in this hell till death does them apart.
“Baby,” She pulled Lukas to her side, running her hand through his blonde hair. Sometimes Penelope was grateful that Lukas had taken after her in terms of appearance than her husband else she wouldn’t know how to look at him without feeling hurt.
…..
Nonetheless, Penelope knew even if Lukas had taken after that monster, she would love him still. He was her child and that’s how deep a mother’s love ran.
She caressed the furrow on his face, these days her baby wasn’t laughing much and she hated it. She wanted him to get all the happiness she couldn’t have. He should live a blessed life. Now she lived only for him; for his happiness.
“Not every tear is bad, Lukas. People cry for different tears,” She told him.
“Then, why were you crying?” He asked with his stern look.
“That’s tears of happiness, Lukas. I cry happy trees because of you,” She attempted to coax him.
“Don’t flatter me, mother,” Lukas saw through her flattering, “People here hardly cried tears of joy. And when you cry….” He cupped her face, drawing lines around her eye, “I see nothing but loneliness. How can you be lonely when I’m here?” He scolded her.
Penelope chuckled, then ruffled his hair saying, “Sometimes, I don’t know if it’s a blessing or a curse being more mature than your age. Nonetheless, my son is so sweet that I’m turning diabetic,” She kissed him on the eyes.
The young Lukas scrunched his face up at the gesture, this was embarrassing yet he still signaled his mother to kiss him in the other eye – he knew his mother liked doing that.
Penelope laughed at that gesture. For someone who behaved tough and older, he was quite a softie. She kissed him and took advantage of his vulnerability to tickle him at the same time.
He screamed, trying to get away from her but Penelope went after him. And in that short blissful moment, she forgot all about her sorrows.
——
Of all memories, Lukas couldn’t understand why he recalled that one. However, seeing Rhea break down in tears stirred inside of him and suddenly, her image overlapped with the image of his mother. His stomach churned at the action, he hurt her.
Lukas promised himself that he would never hurt the woman he would settle with in the future. Even if they don’t marry for life, he owed her that obligation – keeping her happy.
He would never turn out to be like his father yet that was exactly what he was doing. Lukas’s weak point was no other than women. He could never hit one unless they pushed him to the edge or threatened him.
But most of all, he hated their tears – the sincere ones. Having been very close to his mother, he could tell when they were faking it or manipulating him. Those tears do nothing but bring back the memories and promises – he was currently failing to keep.
Lukas didn’t even know when he pulled Rhea into his arms, consoling her. She tried hard to get out of his embrace all to no avail.
“Let me go, you bastard!” She screamed and beat him but he wouldn’t let her go.
“I’m sorry. I’m so sorry,” Lukas only gripped her harder, pressing her into him as she wept on his shoulder.
She hated him! Rhea told herself that repeatedly but she couldn’t help but lean on him when he provided comfort. How could he hurt her and heal her at the same time? He was the worst!
With each “Sorry” Lukas muttered, Rhea cried harder. She wanted him to stop saying those words because he didn’t deserve it. At the same time, she craved it as well, he needed to pay for this wound he created inside of her.
Her tears were like a collapsed dam and lasted for quite a while yet Lukas stood at that spot the entire time. The tears eased into sobs, followed by sniffles, and the next, she simply rested her chin on his shoulder.
The result?
She fell asleep on his shoulder.