Seven hours.

It had been seven hours since I'd been captured. Imprisoned. Whatever the fuck you want to call it. I could sense my downfall the moment I presented myself from the underground. The police had been after us ever since their beady eyes spotted my men leaving Mafia territory. How they knew where this was, was beyond me. It was a top secret location and of course, someone must have ratted this out.

It was a huge shit show. From the helicopters flying above my head and forces on the ground to the lasers pointing directly at my chest. All covered in shields and embezzled in assault rifles and AK-47's.

My lips twisted into a snarl as a scoff sounded it's way into the tense silence. The choppers were eager to witness a bad move on my end, and I would be a dead man.

I'd been cornered.

"Baja tus armas!" Yelled a leader of the CNI, his eyes looking at me from the gun's eyepiece. These fuckers were terrified of me. They assumed I was just a member of the great Spanish Mafia. If they knew who I really was, I can bet my entire stash of premium Gurkha Royal Courtesan Cigars that these men would rather shoot a bullet down their own throat, before even thinking of pointing it towards me.

Even with this much fear, they would be wise to show me respect. There was a reason my Mafia was the most notorious in all of Europe.

I found it humorous, however, after all these years, they finally were able to capture someone from my family. Me. Albeit they didn't know who I was, yet, I had to give it to them, they really worked their asses off for this. Something I found myself lacking doing these past few days. They wouldn't kill me, not when their decade long search finally lead to this moment, so why not have a little fun with them.

Mess with their brains before they welcome me with shielded arms and safety-lock's off.

"Bien" just as those words left my mouth, one of the cowards tasered me. My entire body tensed and fell down onto the muddy floor in pain. But I didn't make a sound. They wouldn't get a sound out of me that easily. I'd been through much worse, and this was just a walk in the park.

Once the momentary paralysis was over, I could feel my jaw relax as a dull ache took precedence in my mouth. Finding relief in my inability to even flex a muscle, one of the CNI members immediately handcuffed me. A scoff released itself from my mouth for the hundredth time at their pathetic nature. I could feel the guys rattled breathing play across my neck and the way his hands shook uselessly when restraining me.

Pussy. Had to drag his balls across the floor just to fucking restrain me at my weakest, the sorry excuse of a man.

I paid no attention when he started reading out the Miranda rights in Spanish, each quiver of his voice not going unnoticed by me. It was because of my fuck-up that all this happened.

But that was fine, there was a first for everything. This day would be my first and last. Being part of the Mafia meant always being prepared to face death, or in this case the police, hence why I carried around a fake Identity card alongside many other forged documents that would deter them from my real identity.

I could see my future now, detained in jail. For four years exactly. For Mafia men, it was much more than that, a lifetime, but since they'd find no such proof of me or my doings, my sentence would be reduced. I'm sure of it.

Now, bringing back my thoughts to Fernando. He must be real happy about this. A crackdown in the Mafia means ten steps behind from his activities being disclosed. From the world to see. Little did he know that after just a few months since I'd been captured, Lorenzo, my man, released all of his secret escapades under an anonymous account to the public.

The journalists upon discovering it were around the news like mosquitos around blood. They thrived off of this and so did the public, with their outrage and rallies. Online. In real life. From what I'd heard, it sounded like pure heaven. Music to my ears.

Yes, I was severely fucked up in that state and heavily bleeding from my entire body, but that didn't mean my ears weren't working when the two men discussed amongst themselves how Fernando had been exposed.

I could tell they'd been deeply surprised as I chuckled into the tense silence with blood dripping down my lips and into my mouth, most likely staining my teeth. If I could bet on one thing, it was I looked better than all those horror movie scenes. The chuckles transformed into full blown laughter as I allowed myself to enjoy the news.

Now we were in the same boat, Vasquez, except the only difference was I'd make it out of this the same man. And you, a dead one.

A punch to the stomach ceased all happiness, but the smile was still there as I coughed up blood. "Crazy fucker" one of the officer drawled out in Spanish, seeing the smile on my face.

"What are you scared of?" I blubbered through the blood and pain. "Afraid of a guy hanging by ropes and on the verge of death? Give me all you've got" I spat the blood onto their face and relished in the arrogance it bought me. A look of disgust crossed his face and just like that, both the men took turns in beating the shit out of me until my favourite part arrived.

Unconsciousness.

Being part of the Mafia makes you aware of many things. For instance, I've played enough years in the game to know when shit would hit the fan. And this moment was like that, so, I'd informed Juan, my most trusted man, to unveil Fernando's dirty secrets.

Three full days passed by sat here In this secluded cell. Counting the hours. The same old meal, same old men, same. Old. Thoughts. The heavily armed soldiers instructed to keep tabs on me grew some balls during the period of my confinement. Speaking to me in my language as if we were friends. Fuck, the day I'd see him as my friend was in hell. There we'd be equal. And all paying for our sins.

"Here" he grunted in Spanish, opening the slot and shoving the food my way. I sat where I was, on the floor against the wall. Not even bothering to acknowledge him. This seemed to piss him right the fuck off, banging the slot shut and talking shit to heavily armed soldier number two. Of course not before looking at me through the eyehole and laughing his ass off at my miserable state.

Laugh all you want brother, like the saying goes the more you laugh, the more you cry. I'd engrained your every feature in my brain. You'd be fucking first on my list of whom to kill. That's another thing I'd make sure of.

Their fading voices heading off towards the exit was an indication for me to grab the food. Leaning against the wall, I winced as the freshly cut wounds and bruises pained in protest for me to sit still. That wasn't me. Even inside these four walls, I had to be doing something.

Pacing around. Reading a book or two. Keeping up my physical strength. Mental strength. This was how the majority of my time went with the occasional beatings and brutal interrogation. An entire five months went by until they realised nothing came out of me, and hence decided to lock me up in the countries most notorious prison, known for unbearable security, high profile criminals and of course me. A member of the most feared Mafia Europe had ever faced. Will ever face.

It wasn't easy to keep up to date with the outside world, especially when this prison was as guarded as it was, but with enough money, a lot was made possible. By paying the corrupt soldier's assigned to me, I was able to have some sort of communication with Juan through a pathetic glass screen.

Glancing around the small room, I made sure of my surroundings. My hands were itching for a cigarette as I absorbed Juan's form and noticed the same freedom he carried so casually on him when I was a free man.

Now it was my turn, once again, in this thing called life to count down my days until I was like him. Smoking. Business. Family. But most importantly, freedom, because only through this would I be able to acquire the rest.

My mind wandered to places I avoided. What haunted me more was the unknowing reality of the future than my current situation. As much as I tried to will my mind astray, there was something about a man being alone twenty-four seven that his troubling thoughts came to life.

Her laughter. Her lush green eyes. Her heart of gold. Everything I fell for. But now, that was everything I never wanted to reminisce on. She was the reason I was tied in this predicament. Her innocent face held much more than those dough eyes and kind smile, but rather layers of personalities and acting.

And so I pushed those thoughts aside, focusing my attention back on Juan whom looked nervous. Whatever it was, I knew it was bad news. Raising my handcuffed hands, I knocked the glass harshly, bringing him back to me.

"What's the matter" I retorted in Spanish cutting right to the chase. My time was limited and I hated beating around the bush anyway. "Spit it out" I all but snarled. Being in prison took what little patience I had to last a lifetime and it didn't take much to drive my anger up the wall.

"Laila" he began, looking between my eyes like a scared dog. Automatically my teeth gritted in vexation. Just the mention of her name was enough to light a fire inside me. I'd gone months, willing myself to refrain from thinking of her, let alone saying her name, and now this man before me brought all those memories back again.

"Laila what" her name left a poisonous taste in my mouth and it was too bad that at the cost of this meeting they couldn't even place a glass of water before me. I'd need to have a talk with the Soldier. Just then two bang's sounded the door, signalling two minutes left.

"She's gone"

"Of course she's gone your fucktard, why would she s-"

"With Jimena" came his gulp. All my words ceased in that precise moment.

"And you're telling me this now!" I couldn't help but let out the rage. It had been too long since I felt anger like this. It felt good and deserving.

"I-i didn't know how to bring it up to you man, you already had so much going on" he began but I cut him off the moment he allowed those pathetic words to escape from his lips.

"I'm in the fucking Mafia Juan" I whispered fiercely and he knew if this piece of glass wasn't between us, I would have fucked up that pretty face of his. "Not in a fucking romance drama! From now on, you tell me everything of the outside world even if it's as small as your dick, you understand?"

He nodded obediently "Yes sir".

"Is she okay" It was a simple question in regards to my baby Jimena, but the tone of my voice instantly shriveled upon even thinking of any harm coming to both my girls. Another thing the Mafia took seriously was family and despite all my shit, Laila was still my wife. I made a vow to her and I intended to keep it.

Even if she failed to do so herself.

"Yes. They're okay. I assigned your men to be our eyes and ears. Jimena enrolled in a Primary school and Laila just started her second year of med school. The majority of the time, Laila takes it upon herself to drop and pick Jimena off at school, but over the last few days, her parents have been doing so since she's busy with university" glad to know she felt something towards my situation, I recalled sarcastically.

"Bien" I nodded once, leaning on my clasped hands. Just then, Juan slid a piece of paper from under the small space of glass. Only a quarter fit through and the remaining I pulled. I didn't need to worry about any cameras. It was crystal clear when making this arrangement that all CCTV footage would be off, or they could kiss their sorry asses and the two-hundred and fifty thousand dollars goodbye. Safe to say they were smart.

Flipping the paper around, it felt good to have it in my hands. It was a moment between a mother and daughter being picked up from school. Whilst the former kissed the latter like there was no tomorrow. A perfect picture caught during a perfect moment. I bit back the rare smile and instead asked Juan of my business.

One knock sounded the door. Whatever he had to tell me had to be quick.

"Everything's going well so far, your news spread like wildfire, and your man back in Russia, I forgot his name-" I interrupted him "Adrik Leonard" "yeah, him, he sent some of him best men here in Spain to keep watch of everything whilst you're gone" I nodded in understanding, still eyeing the picture.

"Tell him take back his men. I entrust you with everything now Juan until I'm released, you're going to be my eyes and ears so don't fuck this up, otherwise" He didn't need to be told twice and I didn't need to finish that sentence. He's a smart boy who'd figured out what I meant.

The soldier entered the room with another, decorated with a gun around himself. Calm down fucker, I was more alarmed at how he was holding the gun than if he shot me. Juan seemed to be having the same thoughts as me as he chuckled to himself. I glanced at him only for the soldier to scream my name.

I held out my handcuffed hands, walking away from the room to my home for the next three and a half years.

Once in the solitary of my cell, my thoughts shifted to the forbidden fruit. Laila Cenzo Ray. My wife. She's back in her country, looking after our child whilst also completing her second year of med school. Her innocent face held so many secrets. I was blind to them all.

Out of frustration, the wall beside me became the perfect punching bag as I repeated the action over and over until the pain no longer hurt but rather, something I rejoiced in. Suddenly Jimena's voice played out in my head asking her papa to stop hurting himself.

Sighing roughly, I willed myself to move from the walls and focus my mind elsewhere. Looking around the empty prison, this would be my home for the next three years. And after these years were over, I would return back to my family. The mafia. And lastly, Laila. From where this all started. I'd make her pay and that was a promise Intended to keep.

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