I Saved the Mafia Boss—Now I'm His Obsession. novel Chapter 26

Madeleine

𓎢𓎠𑄻𑄾𓎠𓎡

I curled into Jason’s sheets, face buried, breath hitching with every ragged inhale. My eyes burned, swollen tight from crying so hard it felt like I’d bruised something deep inside.

The video kept playing behind my eyelids like some sick loop I couldn’t escape. Carlos... his hands, his mouth, that look in his eyes. The kind of look he’d never given me.

Not once had he kissed me like that.

I blinked up at the ceiling, and the tears started all over again. My chest ached. It physically ached.

A soft mechanical whir broke through my crying. Flan. He wheeled to the side of the bed on his little walker. I sat up with a tremble, lifting him gently off the floor. “Hey, baby,” I whispered. I nestled him into the blankets beside me, his tiny spine curved against my ribs. His purr rumbled faintly. He didn’t understand, but somehow, he still knew.

I stroked his fur. My fingers were shaking.

I couldn’t go back there. I couldn’t sleep in Carlos’s bed. I would never lie in those sheets again. I’d burn them first.

My phone buzzed.

I flinched and then reached for it. The screen lit up: Unknown Number. My chest tightened but I opened the thread.

Unknown: Are you okay?

My fingers hovered. Then I typed fast, unthinking, pure hurt and anger.

Me: How can you even ask me that after what you’ve done to me?

Three dots appeared.

Unknown: I didn’t break you. Carlos did. I pulled you out before he ruined what was mine.

I stared at the screen, chest tight, lip trembling.

Me: That doesn’t matter.

Me: I hate you.

The typing bubble returned.

Unknown: No. You hate that I made you see him for what he really was.

More bubbles.

Unknown: Stop crying.

Unknown: He never deserved you.

Unknown: You’re not alone. I’m right here.

I sucked in a breath. My fingers hovered over the screen, shaking.

Me: You think that makes this better? You, lurking somewhere, watching me fall apart?

Unknown:The only way I want to watch you fall apart…

Unknown: is with your legs shaking and my name in your throat.

I swallowed hard, but the lump in my throat didn’t budge. Legs shaking? His name in my throat? I wasn’t stupid. I knew what he meant. The words were dirty, but the way he said them...

My cheeks burned, hot and blotchy from crying, but my heart gave this pathetic little flutter, and I hated that it did. I hated that some part of me still wanted to be wanted. Even by him because my boyfriend clearly didn't want me.

Flan shifted with a soft snuffle against my stomach.

Unknown: You looked so beautiful today, even with your heart in pieces. I wanted to hold you so badly.

I swallowed hard.

Me: Where are you?

The dots danced again.

Unknown: Close enough to make sure no one ever touches you like that again but not close enough to scare you... yet.

I jerked upright, clutching Flan tighter. My breath caught in my throat.

Me: Don’t. Please don’t do this.

Unknown: Do what? Protect you? Make you feel safe for once in your life?

I couldn’t look away. My fingers hovered over the screen, but I had no words left.

He messaged again.

Unknown: Sleep now, try to breathe and keep Flan close.

I covered my mouth, a sob catching in my throat. My heart stopped for a beat. I looked around, unsure why. The windows were closed. Curtains drawn and nothing moved. He knew... he knew that Flan was with me in bed right now. Or maybe he just guessed.

Me: Tell me who you are.

The dots blinked then stopped and then blinked again.

Unknown: No. Not yet. If you knew, you'd run. And I’m not ready to let you go.

Me: I feel stupid. So stupid for not seeing it sooner. Do you know how many times I asked him if he was happy? He always said yes. He lied straight to my face like it was easy. Am I that easy to lie to? I must be because you keep lying to me as well.

Unknown: No, you are easy to love. He just didn’t know how. And as for me... I’ve kept things from you, sure, but I haven’t lied, not once.

Me: Stop saying things like that. You don’t even know me.

I waited for him to text back but fifteen minutes crawled. I told myself to put the phone down, to let it go but my fingers moved on their own.

Me: Say something else. Just don’t go quiet on me tonight, please. Distract me?

There was another pause.

Unknown: Don’t ever tell me again that I don’t know you.

I froze, staring. That familiar chill ran up my spine, half dread, half something I didn’t understand.

Me: I don’t want to be alone tonight. I’m afraid of what I’ll think if no one speaks. My head is too loud.

Unknown: Lie back. Close your eyes.

I did slowly, while the phone stayed pressed to my palm, its glow the only light in the room.

Unknown: Imagine me with you. Behind you. One hand on your waist, just to feel you breathe.

Unknown: I’d kill to be there.

A sharp breath caught in my throat.

I hated that word. Kill. It was ugly. It made everything realer than I wanted it to be. I didn’t like the violence. I didn’t want to be wanted like that.

Me: You scare me.

Unknown: I’m honest about how far I’d go for you.

I stared at the words, heart pounding but not in a sweet way, not in a safe way, it was pounding like it was trying to claw out of my chest.

Me: Say something soft. Just once. Please.

There was a long pause. So long I thought he wouldn’t answer.

Unknown: If you were mine, I’d never let you cry yourself to sleep again.

Unknown: And if anything ever tried to hurt you again, I’d make it bleed slow enough for God to notice.

Me: That’s not soft. That’s scary.

Unknown: Then let me try again.

Another message.

Unknown: If I were there, I’d kiss your forehead then I’d press my mouth to your throat and feel your pulse stutter under my lips. I’d whisper every terrible thing I’ve thought about the man who hurt you then promise you’d never have to be afraid again.

I read the messages twice.

Me: That’s... not better.

Unknown: That's all the softness I have in me, Madeleine.

Unknown: Send me a picture. I want to see your face.

I hesitated as my thumb hovered over the camera icon.

Unknown: Please.

That word hit harder than I expected. I looked down at Flan curled against me, then at myself, my curly hair were a mess, red-rimmed eyes, wearing nothing but an old black tank top with a deep neckline and sleep shorts. I didn’t feel beautiful. I felt wrecked but maybe that’s what he wanted.

Maybe that’s what he meant.

I flipped the camera. The screen lit up, ghosting my image. I didn’t pose nor did I hide the tears or the way the strap of my tank had slipped down my shoulder.

I hit send.

A few moments dragged by, just long enough for doubt to sink its claws into me. I stared at the screen, regretting everything until his reply finally came through.

Unknown: You’re the most exquisite thing I’ve ever seen. That skin. That throat. That mouth.

Do you have any idea what you’re doing to me?

My stomach flipped.

His eyes narrowed, “What the fuck does that even mean?”

My voice broke slightly, “I saw it.”

“Saw what?”

“Don’t,” I said, “Don’t do that, don’t lie to me while I’m still in the room, Carlos.”

He stared, silent, expecting me to spell it out for him.

I took a breath that hurt. “Nina,” I said. “I’m talking about Nina. I know what’s been going on. I know about the late nights and the weekend shifts and the scratches and the bruises.”

“You’re serious? That’s what this is about? You’re jealous of Nina now?”

“I’m not jealous,” I said, stepping back. “I’m humiliated. You’ve been cheating on me for months and acting like it's nothing every time I ask.”

He took a step toward me and I instantly tensed.

“You don’t know anything, Maddie,” he snapped. “You see a bruise and build a whole fantasy around it. God, you’re so dramatic sometimes—”

“I’m not being dramatic,” I whispered, “I’m being honest, something you clearly forgot how to do.”

He scoffed. “You’re throwing away five years over a hunch? Over some stupid girl drama you made up in your head?”

My hands were shaking.

I stared at the floor for a second, heart thudding so loud I thought it might echo through the walls. Then I looked up right at him.

“I saw the video, Carlos.”

That shut him up.

He blinked once. “What video?”

“The one from the security camera. The health center. You and Nina in the supply closet. Where you shoved her up against the wall and ripped her shirt open—” A sob broke out at the end.

Carlos opened his mouth. I could see him scrambling for a lie, the way his eyes darted like they were searching for an escape route. Then he closed it. Hard. Nothing came out as he just stood there, frozen.

I wrapped my arms around my stomach, “Don’t lie to me again, Carlos. Please. Just don’t.”

His jaw tightened, and then his expression completely changed, like I’d flipped some switch and become someone he didn’t recognize. Maybe I had. Maybe this was the first time he was seeing me without the rose-colored glasses he always counted on me to wear.

I bent down and picked up my duffel. My fingers clenched so tight around the strap they turned white.

Carlos spoke again, slowly, cautiously, “Maddie, I—I was drunk. That night didn’t mean anything.”

I tried to walk past him to get out of there, “Please, don't, Carlos. I have made up my mind.”

He stepped forward, “Wait, come on, don’t walk away like this. Baby, we can talk about this. We can fix it—”

I took a step back.

“No, there’s no we anymore.”

He laughed bitterly, “So that’s it? You’re just gonna walk out and throw everything away? You’re not even gonna try?”

He ran a hand through his hair, pacing. “It didn’t mean anything with her. I didn’t love her.”

“And you don't love me either because you disrespected me,” I said softly. “Over and over. You broke my heart.”

Carlos stepped toward me again, “I messed up. Okay? I messed up bad. But you’re it for me, Maddie. You know that. I'm going to make you my wife.”

I stared at him, and for a moment, I saw the boy I used to love. The one who brought me sunflowers on Thursdays and made pancakes in the shape of hearts but he wasn’t that boy anymore.

I took a breath, “It’s over, Carlos,” I whispered, the words barely making it out of my mouth. “I’m done. Nothing you say now can ever change that.”

I stepped past him, or tried to as I made my way towards the door.

And then I felt him grab me. His fingers locked around my arm, yanking me back so hard I lost my footing.

My back slammed against the door, the thud rattling through my ribs. The air whooshed out of me, and I let out a choked sound, half gasp, half sob.

His face was inches from mine, twisted with rage. Spit flew from his lips, “Not so fucking fast,” he growled, “You gold-digging little bitch.”

My lips parted but no sound came out. His grip dug into my skin, and fear gripped me.

“You used me,” he spat. “For rent, for tuition, for groceries, for gas, for every fucking thing and now what? You get your fancy job and think you're too good for me? Think I’m just gonna roll over and take it?”

I shook my head, barely able to form words, “Carlos... I never—”

But he cut me off, slamming his palm flat against the wall beside my head, hard enough to make the wall rattle.

“You’re not leaving,” he snarled, voice low and venomous. “Not until you pay me back. Every fucking cent.”