Back & Forth | Book 1 of Back & Forth Series
Four: Meeting the Boss

Throughout the few hours of the flight, I kept waking up and going back to sleep. The constant sleep and wake only causes me to be more exhausted and sleepier than I was previously. It’s worse now that I have a headache. It think I might get into a coma if keep doing it.

Luciano has told me that we’ll arrive and land on our destination in an hour. Ever since then, I’ve been awake. I also plan to be awake for the rest of the flight.

The plane finally touches the ground. Now it has come into a full stop. I let out a sigh of relief as I unfasten the seatbelt.

Finally. I think I’m going to die from boredom if we’re flying any longer.

Luciano is the first one to step out of the plane. I closely follow behind him. When I look up at the dark night sky, the clouds are covering the stars and the moon above us. It’s full moon tonight. I thought I’ll see it illuminate the dark sky. It’s such a letdown that tonight is cloudy here.

Luciano leads me to the Black Range Rover Sport parked near the jet. Sebastiano and Pietro fall behind us with everything they’re carrying from the baggage. Luciano and I are the first ones to hop into the awaiting car while Sebastiano and Niccolo load the luggage into the back of the car.

Like how it was before, I’m sitting between Niccolo and Sebastiano again in the middle of the backseat. It’s as awkward as it previously was.

After an hour of driving, the car finally stops before a tall, black, steel gate. It looks old. Like something out of a period movie. I expect there will be an old yet sturdy grand manor in this gated area. Just imagining it my insides to tingly out of giddiness despite my current circumstances. I always love how magnificent and elegant old manors look in movies. Now, I might be able to see how it looks in real life.

The gate finally opens on its own. I watch the road as the driver continues to drive us past the gate and through the dark road. There’s nothing but trees throughout the passage. The car keeps traversing through the parted sea of trees.

We finally reach an open space. An enormous white building stands before us in all its splendour. The car circle the grand fountain in the middle of the broad area and finally reach the steps leading to the grand mansion. I jump out of the car and stare at the building in front of me.

The building looks like something out of a movie. However, age wise it doesn’t look as old as I thought it would be. The mansion has a classic style exterior, but it also has a touch of modernity. It might be an old house, renovated to keep it fresh and flawless, but still has the same structure and foundation as its original build.

The walls are as white as a cloud on a sunny day. Almost in contrast with the walls, the roofs are covered with dark grey slates. French windows are spread and spaced evenly across the façade. The building at least has three storeys from the look of it. The amount of windows and how wide the house is telling me the building possibly has loads of room.

“Follow me,” Luciano says.

I follow Luciano up the steps. He pushes open one of the double door and enters the house. Stepping into the foyer, I look at the table in front of me. The round table with white marble tabletop and a sturdy brown-coloured carved wooden base is situated in the middle of the room. On top of it is a white ceramic vase of bouquet consisting of various white flowers.

I keep following Luciano through the long hallway. Men are nodding at Luciano as we pass them. Luciano definitely has an influential role in this place besides the boss. So, who is he?

We stop in front of a big wooden door. I take a glance behind me and Sebastiano and Niccolo are nowhere to be found. Where did they go?

“Eccola qui,” Luciano says.

(Here she is.)

Peeking from behind Luciano, I see a tall man standing by the window, his back is facing us. He seems to be staring out the window at the dark sky outside.

What is he looking at? The stars? The moon? Nah. The sky is too cloudy for stargazing tonight.

Wait a second. Is this the boss? Is this Alessandro? Oh shit. He definitely is.

“Portatela qui,” Alessandro says.

(Bring her here.)

I freeze in my place. His deep, gruff voice sends a shiver down my spine, causing goosebumps all over my skin.

Nah. I’m just joking. That sounds so fucking cringe. Why the fuck did I say that in my head?

Luciano grabs my wrist, pulling me into the room with him. His firm grasp finally leaves me once we stop behind Alessandro. The brooding man hasn’t moved a single centimetre from where he’s standing, looking almost like a statue. His gaze is still fixed outside the window where a spacious swimming pool and metres of open, grassy space are.

“Qui,” Luciano says.

(Here.)

“Bene. Aspetta fuori,” Alessandro says.

(Alright. Wait outside.)

What the hell is he actually looking at? Is he spacing out? Not staring at anything at all?

Luciano glances down at me, his face unreadable. He then leaves the dimly lit room and shuts the door behind him. Now, I’m finally left alone with a possible mafia boss.

No! Don’t leave me alone with Alessandro! Come back here!

Everything suddenly feels glum as if a dark cloud hovers over us. The threatening aura he sends me causes my anxiety to surface. There’s no feeling of security and calmness coming from him, only grimness, malice, and authority.

What is he going to do to me now? I’m scared.

Alessandro’s dark brown eyes immediately meet mine as he turns around. The man before me looks like he’s in the same age as Luciano, maybe a little older.

His dark gaze doesn’t leave me as he walks towards his desk. It only bores deeper into my eyes as he sits on his dark brown leather chair.

“Sit,” Alessandro orders.

I hesitantly take a sit on one of the leather wooden chair across him. My heart pounds with anxiety and nervousness. The ticking coming from the grandfather’s clock in the silent room only heightens my anxiety. I do nothing but wait. My fingers are fiddling with each other on my lap. There’s nothing in my mind except the thoughts of my possible future.

Is he going to say anything? At all? It feels like it’s been an hour and he hasn’t said anything. What the fuck does he want from me? Should I be the one who starts the conversation?

Pushing my nervousness aside, I inhale deeply and look right into Alessandro’s eyes.

“So, what honour do I have to fly here and meet you?” I ask. Alessandro continues to stare at me, his back against the back of his chair.

“Your father hasn’t paid his debt. You’re here as my hostage and collateral until he pays it,” Alessandro explains.

My father? What? Did he really just say my father is indebted to him? Alessandro literally live across the world from where I live. He must’ve kidnapped the wrong girl. It’s impossible for my father to even be acquainted with someone like him. I know my father is a businessman of sort but he’s not well known. His business is not something huge. It sounds unbelievable that my father would borrow money from someone like this man here. Well actually, I barely know anything of his job and business so perhaps I might be wrong about him.

“How? My father only has a small and barely recognised local business. How would you know someone like him? Moreover lend him money? It sounds impossible for you to be associated with my father who literally lives in a different country and continent than you,” I say.

“You only say that because you know nothing about your dearest father,” Alessandro says.

I admit he’s right. I don’t know anything about my own father despite living with him for my whole life. You can’t blame me. He’s the one who ignores me most of the time like a dust on the corner of a photo frame. Now I can’t help but be curious about how my father and this man knew each other.

“You’ll be living here until further notice. You’re dismissed. Now leave,” Alessandro says.

I’m dismissed? Where the fuck should I go now? He didn’t tell me where.

“Where do I go now?” I ask.

“Wait outside. Luciano will escort you to your room after I talk to him. Now tell him to come in here,” Alessandro says.

My room? I wonder where it would be. Is it in the basement where the room is cold, humid, and dark? Or is he generous enough to put me in one of the guests room in his humble abode?

“Okay,” I say. I scurry away from him and exit the gloomy room. Sighing, I turn to my right and see Luciano standing there, his back against the white- coloured wall. He looks up from his phone and pushes himself off the wall. Now his eyes are on mine.

“He wants to talk to you,” I say.

“Okay. Stay here,” Luciano says.

“I will. I don’t have anywhere to go anyway,” I say with a shrug.

Luciano walks past me and steps into the office, leaving me alone in the vacant hallway. While I wait next to the door, I look around and replace a man walking towards me from the end of the hallway. He stares down at me, almost scrutinising, and then walks past me. That’s creepy.

Luciano finally gets out of the office and turns to me. His expression is firm and dark like usual.

“So what now?” I ask.

“I’m taking you to your room,” Luciano says. I quickly step away from him as he reaches for my wrist.

“Wait a minute. Did you know that I’m here because of my father?” I ask.

“Of course. I’ve told you I already know why we’re kidnapping you. I won’t be doing this if I don’t know the reason. That’s also why I think this plan is stupid,” Luciano says with a scowl.

“You’re right. This is stupid. What does my father do have anything to do with me? I don’t know he has borrowed money from your boss. I end up in this mess and I don’t even get to enjoy the luxury of his borrowed money,” I say.

Now that I think about it, I realise there’s something strange going on with my father. He has been living luxuriously since a few months ago despite his possibly low income from his small scale business. I remember him talking to my mother about how his business grew rapidly. Probably around two or three months ago. Ever since then, he began to wear designer clothes and accessories. Other than that, he bought expensive cars and a new house that we couldn’t afford before. I can’t believe I just moved out of my old house two months ago. It felt like a long time ago.

Now I understand where he got all of his money from. He got it from Alessandro. How the fuck would he pay his debt now? He has spent it on expensive and luxurious shits. Anyway, I take back what I said earlier. I do get to enjoy the luxury of the new house but that’s it. I don’t really expect him to get me anything expensive though. He already hates me since the beginning of my existence so doing something nice for me is never on his to-do list.

“He borrowed a lot of money from us, like three million dollars. So-“

“What?! Three million fucking dollars? Are you serious?” I ask. My eyes are wide as I stare at Luciano in disbelief.

What the fuck? I can’t believe my father really borrow three million dollars from a mafia don. This is so fucking weird. How did I go from living a miserable life to have a more miserable life? Does God hate me that much? I feel like I’m in a movie right now.

“Yes. That’s why you’re here. Kidnapping you is kind of a warning to him,” Luciano explains.

A warning? I’m sure as hell my father won’t be affected by my disappearance at the slightest. He’ll be fucking elated now that I’m out of his life. When he replaces out about me getting kidnapped, he’ll only show his concern in front of other people but in reality, he doesn’t give a single fuck about it. He’ll probably going to celebrate it with my mother, as crazy as it sounds.

“Alessandro told me I’m his hostage now until my father pays his debt. Little did he know, my father won’t give a damn if I’m dead. Did you even do your homework, Luciano? You’ve stalked me for months. You should’ve known about that already. You and your boss are only going to waste your money, time, and energy with this plan. This plan is a failure already,” I say.

This is honestly the dumbest shit I’ve ever been involved in. How can someone like Alessandro, a possible mafia boss, do something as stupid as this plan? If Luciano has done his work right, Alessandro should’ve known this shit won’t work.

“Alessandro already knows about it. He wants you to be here, not me. He tells me this plan is going to work either way,” Luciano says.

Welp. There goes the rest of my life. I’m absolutely going to end up sucking dick and be a living sex doll for the rest of my existence on this planet earth. Fuck. I should’ve killed myself a long time ago. If I’m dead, I don’t have to deal with all this shit. I swear to God if this is going to end up with me being sold to someone as an instrument in fulfilling his fantasies and desires, I’m going to get violent. I’ll literally fight Alessandro. I don’t fucking care if I’m going to lose and die in the end because frankly, I’d rather be dead than living a life as crazy as that.

“If you already know my father won’t pay his debt, Alessandro must’ve planned something for me. So, what’s going to happen to me?” I ask.

“Alessandro is going to sell you.”