64- Song As Old As Rhyme - Part 2

Isabella

Still holding Sophia’s gaze with mine, I continue to wait for her to tell me the rest of her story, the need to know has all but my curiosity running, a curiosity that always got me into trouble.

“Please, tell me there’s more, please?” I all but beg, causing her to giggle in reply.

“But of course there is dear child. Needless to say that when the boy all but returned back to school he all but ran away. Too scared to be anywhere close or near my mother. And soon, not only did he avoid her, but so did the entire school as well.”

“The entire school? I couldn’t imagine someone doing that to me” I mutter, feeling her mother’s pain.

“I’m afraid so sweetheart. Life back then was cruel. And still is. And when you aren’t strong enough to fight back you all but perish in the game called life.” admits Sophia, her eyes now stern. For it was true. A life in the Mafia was anything but easy.

Collecting her thoughts, does Sophia move to continue with her story. “Lost and alone, my mother all but cried her heart out, for everyone that she knew and loved had begun to distance themselves from her. And unable to handle the pain of rejection, mother began having mental breakdowns while at work, always crying until one day, father magically showed up. Always showing up like clockwork as he would go and sit wherever mother was scheduled to be and would always just talk to her. Keeping her company until the end of her shift before offering to walk her home.”

Shivering, I can only imagine what came next.

“Kissing her cheek, mother said she all but remembered his words that night, the way his mouth all but brushed her ear as he spoke, “No one, No one but me gets to see this beautiful face or else.” Mortified, yet angry mother all but slapped him across the face. Only to regret it soon after for soon she would come to learn that Quinton Derasmo James D’Amico words were law and that anything he said or did was to be followed to the letter.”

“Whoa, talk about crazy” I whisper, unable to process that bit of information. Afraid to find out what would happen if Lucus and the others had done something like that to me. Would I have the courage to slap each of them back.

Ignoring my thoughts, I move to continue listening to the story. “Eventually, as weeks passed, father would start by showering mother with gifts, expensive gifts too. Then he would offer to walk her to and from school each day, as well as to work and home each day as well.”

“Cute” I add in quickly only to frown by what Sophia said next.

“You would think so, but no. Father did that so no other boy in town would dare to even try to approach mother. For if they did, they would either mysteriously vanish without a trace or would wind up injured in a hospital somewhere with broken bones. Even mother’s best friend Bianca was too scared of father to risk being anywhere near mother, afraid that father would do something to her and thus withdrew herself from her until one day mom all but had enough of it and cornered her in the girls bathroom, demanding that she tell her what the fuck was going on only to find out the reasoning behind it.”

“Scared, Bianca all but begged her not to ask in which my mother ignored and all but made her tell her. The name Quinton all but falling from her lips as she did, making mothers blood run cold.”

“Poor girl” I mutter, now feeling sorry for her as I did.

“To some, yes. But father knew what he was doing. After all, you don’t get to where you are in the Mafia by playing nice. No. You all but take what you want with an iron fist and that’s what he did. He wanted mom only for himself and wasn’t willing to share her with anyone. So that night, before mother got home he all but had a beautiful diamond necklace sitting and waiting for her to return along with a note.”

“A note in which read; To my shining star, may you always shine brightly. Now and Forever.”

“Shocked as well as angry, mother had all but had enough of him, so taking the diamond necklace in hand she all but left to return it to its rightful owner, my father. Not wanting to accept such a gift from someone she couldn’t trust, she all but headed for his house, where once there she all but entered only to hear a gun go off. A gun in which he used to kill an innocent man or so she thought. Father’s friends all but watching in amusement while mother just screamed, much like you did when you witnessed my sons kill those four men down in the foyer.”

Grimacing, I all but remember that day, a day I wouldn’t soon forget, the day I had finally wanted out of this stupid place. For there in the foyer was Lucus and Alex, along with 10 or so guards all standing around what appeared to be 4 unarmed men, Lucus and Alex all but pulling the trigger of their guns until each of the men were left for dead, their bodies hitting the floor as they did.

Choosing not to speak I all but move to turn my eyes over to her, wanting her to continue with her story.

“Scared and afraid that she would be next, mother all but ran from the house, the necklace now on the floor of their home as she did. Running with all of her might like hell itself was on her heels until she all but came close to home. A home she would have hidden herself in for the rest of her life if it wasn’t for the fact that father had gotten to her, grabbing her by the waist he all but dragged her back to his house, taking her to his room where he all but tied her to the bed with thick leather cuffs, adding a gag to muffle her screams.”

“Bound and gagged, father all but waited patiently for her to calm down only promising to remove the gag if she would stop screaming, keeping the rest of her bound to the bed to prevent her from running as he moved to explain everything to her, about who he was and what he did. Telling her that he was in the Mafia and the next in line to be Mafia King.”

“King?” I ask, a little uncertain.

“Yes Isabella, King. Quinton, my father, was raised to rule over his father’s reign once he had become old enough to do so. So, the night that my mother had walked in on him was the night he was handling business for his father, for the man who was in the room had all but tried to flee with some of their drugs. A crime that isn’t taken lightly, especially when you steal from the Mafia.”

Shuddering, I begin to wonder if that was why the four men in the foyer had been killed. That maybe, just maybe they too were trying to steal from Lucus as his family as well. I mean after all it had to be. It was the only explanation as to why Lucus and Alex would have done it, I muse, only to be pulled back by Sophia as she keeps telling me her family history.

“Six days, it took mother six days of being locked up in chains before she had finally caved and agreed to be his and only his. For during his explanation he had all but told her that she would forever be his and that she needed to make a choice. To do it willingly or the hard way. Much like you do now with Lucus.”

Blushing at the comparison, I know she’s all but right. I have been making things harder and harder than they really needed to be. If only I could have gotten myself to just behave and follow simple instructions when given. But no, I had to naturally make it harder by being a brat.

Noticing my blush, Sophia refrains from commenting as she moves to finish with her story, “After agreeing to do it the easy way, father all but pressured mom’s parents into giving up their parental rights over to him in which they did, afraid for their lives before forcing mom to all but move in with him, forcing her to live with him until she was eighteen in which they would then marry and marry they did. Father and Mother had a small courthouse ceremony and eventually father became King of the underworld. Father also hired private tutors for mother so she could finish with school before finally they focused on having children, on having me.”

“That’s… That’s just crazy. How could he force someone to marry him at the tender age of eighteen? That’s downright awful. Why did she allow him to do such a thing?” I ask.

“Because she loved him, Isabella. Much like you do with my sons. And while my father was naturally dominant and hot tempered, he never once laid a hand on me or my mother. He would on occasion however spank us, much to my shock and surprise that mother found it to be enjoyable but it was never to be mean or hurtful.”

“There were also times when he would even give mother a time out and often took away her privileges. Something I’m sure you can relate too with my sons. And if mother was super rebellious then father didn’t hesitate in tieing her to the bed, but again it was all done for sexual fun, not for pain like what Lucus and the others do with their women.”

Silent, all I can do is blink. Unable to form words as Sophia all but shared her life story with me. The things her mother had endured were much like my own except while mine was done to inflict pain, hers was done for pleasure, a pleasure I wished I could experience with each of my men.