Chapter 61: He is a Mafia Boss

ANNABEL

The past few weeks had been fun, normal, and Damon had ensured to always be there, dropping me off at school every single day, taking me out on dates and to movies and expensive shopping trips. I now lacked nothing, and I'd been speaking with my family regularly, hearing updates from Max about how everyone was doing.

It had been normal weeks without any drama, and I was preparing for my exams because it was exam week. I couldn't believe it had been four months already—five months since I lost my dad—and yet so much had changed. But I was worried about something that had been nagging at me constantly.

I hadn't seen Michael ever since that day, same as Janet.

I knew Janet was fine—I had seen her at the auction looking polished like some kind of fixed doll, all perfect and put together. But Michael? It was so unusual for Michael to skip school for weeks on end. He never did that, not even when he was sick.

Yes, I was still mad at what he did, but I was still worried that he hadn't been here. Exams were right around the corner, yet no one had heard from him. It was like he'd just vanished into thin air.

"Do you think he traveled or switched to another school or just dropped out?"

I asked Christiana. We had become extremely close over the past few weeks, and she was literally the only friend I had now. We did everything together in school—studying, eating lunch, gossiping about professors.

"I don't know. I know he wouldn't drop out, but changing schools when we're about to graduate soon? That's not like him at all. His parents wouldn't want that, especially not this close to finishing."

Christiana said, her eyes focused on her book as she fumbled through the pages, trying to find the right diagram for our chemistry assignment.

"So he just... disappeared?"

I asked, getting more worried by the second. Something deep in my gut told me that Michael's disappearance had something to do with Damon, but I immediately shook my head. Damon wouldn't harm him—never. He wouldn't do something like that, would he?

"Well, maybe someone hurt him or something. You told me about what happened with him and Janet, how you caught them fucking. Maybe someone saw how hurt you were and decided to hurt him back."

She said, now shading on her paper some group of atoms for our chemistry homework.

I had never really told her the full story—I only told her the part where I walked in on him cheating on me. I'd kept all the details about Damon and everything else to myself.

But... no, that couldn't be what happened. Right?

"Um, and who do you think would try to hurt him?"

I asked, and then she dropped her pencil and focused her full attention on me, giving me that look she got when she was about to say something she probably shouldn't.

"Um, maybe your uncle? Fuck, he's so hot, and I've been admiring him from afar. Just imagine those hands wrapped around my waist, and gosh..."

Christiana kept mumbling and fantasizing, and I gave a fake cough to snap her out of it. She smacked her own head and groaned dramatically.

"Ahhh, I'm so sorry! I completely lost track of the conversation. Just thinking about your uncle makes me forget everything else."

She said, her cheeks flushed bright red, and I didn't know if I should be jealous or not. She was human, after all—anyone with eyes would notice how incredibly hot Damon was. I shouldn't be jealous, especially since we... well, we fucked a lot.

I blushed hard at that thought, hoping Christiana wouldn't catch a hint of it.

"Um, you're blushing..."

She said, pointing at me with a look of pure surprise and curiosity.

"And you're changing the subject again. I asked you who might want to hurt him."

I said, trying to steer the conversation back to Michael, and she nodded her head as if suddenly remembering our entire discussion.

"Oh yes, you're right! Well, I don't know for sure, but what if your uncle is like... a Mafia boss or something? He definitely looks like one with those hot, sexy tattoos and the way he carries himself, the way he dresses. Fuck, I might just cum from staring at him..."

"Fuck, Christiana!"

I screamed, and she was really getting me pissed now, but also making me incredibly jealous.

The thought of her being with Damon, of him touching her the way he touched me, made my head feel like it was about to explode. I closed my eyes for a moment, trying to get my thoughts together and control the sudden surge of possessiveness.

"Um, I'm sorry if I sound too awful."

She said quickly, and I smiled at her, shaking my head. I had just screamed at her, and I didn't know how my jealousy could make me act so rashly toward my only friend.

"I'm sorry. You were leaving the topic again, that's all."

I whispered, reaching over to hold her shoulders reassuringly, and she smiled back at me.

"It's fine, but have you actually thought about it? That he might be in the Mafia and he could have hurt Michael? You said you told him about what happened, right?"

She asked, and I nodded my head slowly. I wasn't sure I believed her theory, but... Damon did look dangerous sometimes. The way he carried himself was so majestic, so primal, and sometimes I did wonder if he was really just a billionaire businessman. Then there were all those men that surrounded the mansion, the way security always seemed to be following me around within the school grounds, watching from a distance.

But that still didn't mean he was a Mafia boss. If he was, I'd notice something more obvious, wouldn't I? There was nothing that directly showed he was involved in anything like that.

"He's not in the Mafia, Christiana. He runs an oil company and he's mega rich, like billionaire level. Why would he need to be in the Mafia? Not to mention, why would he be a Mafia boss?"

I asked, and Christiana sighed, giving me that look that said she thought I was being naive.

"Well, why don't you just ask him yourself? I think it would make so much sense and clear up everything."

She said, and I stared at her in complete confusion, not understanding what she was getting at.

"Ask him about what? If he's in the Mafia?"

I asked, my eyes widening at the thought of actually having that conversation with Damon.

"Hell fucking no! Come on, Annabel, I mean ask him about Michael. Ask him if he knows Michael's whereabouts, since you mentioned telling him about the whole incident that happened between you and Michael."

She said, and I nodded my head, realizing that actually made perfect sense.

"Hmm, well, that's actually a good idea. I will ask him about that."

I said, wondering if this was really such a harmless idea or if I was about to open a door I wasn't ready to walk through.

"And watch his reaction carefully. Study his reaction when you ask, and there you'll get your real answer about everything."

She said, and I nodded again, feeling a mixture of curiosity and nervousness building in my stomach.

Okay, this seemed like a good idea and a harmless enough question. But something tugged deep within me—what if Christiana was actually right? What if Damon really was a Mafia boss? Then what else could he be capable of? And more importantly, what did that mean for me?

The thought both terrified and, if I was being completely honest with myself, excited me in a way I didn't want to examine too closely.