RPOV

If any one asked my father why he was a crime boss, he'd say it was because of the power. The feeling of being on top and in control is worth breaking the law. Abe once told me that's what any mob boss would say. He once accidentally admitted to me that he doesn't even remember how he got started in this all.

Now that he was in it though, he didn't want it to stop.

I could see it in his eyes each time his fast came down on me, or the blade of his stake slashed me against the face.

He was like Victor.

He liked terror in people's eyes.

He liked being the reason someone was scared.

He liked being my biggest fear.

I was shaking long after all of the pain stopped. My eyes were closed tight. I could hear the stake, it's blade, being put back in its holder. I heard the bottom of his cane touch the floor and he cleared his throat like doing this, attacking your own daughter was the most normal act in the world.

"Do clean yourself up Rose. You look a bit of a wreck," he chuckled leaving the room. He stopped in the doorway.

To my mother he said, "I'll deal with you later."

He left the door open as he whistled on his way down the hallway.

My mother waited until the footsteps were down the stairs and outside again, the front door closing behind him. I heard the creak of the bed and the struggles as she tried to get up off of the bed. It took a while but she made it over to me.

"I told you never to run away and this is what's happened."

I couldn't believe with both of us looking like this, this is what she was saying to me. I did it for her.

"You shouldn't have come back," she said.

I opened my eyes and tried to relax from the ball I was in. I sat up and leaned against the wall. In the mirror across the room I could see gashes, open all over my arms, the side of my face and my torn tattered clothes, bleeding.

"Ma I did it for you."

She winced, trying to lean on the foot of the bed.

She looked as bad as I felt.

"Stop saying that! I told you to not say that." Her voice was horse. She noticed my own flinch and calmed a little. "Now's a better time to tell you than any."

"Tell me what?"

She sighed. She was going into story mode.

"Your entire life, you've been trying to get me away from here. You thought you were protecting us both from your father. I don't need protection though. He loves me."

That hurt.

"We were in love and we still are. He's done terrible things but for me, to give me a better life. It was supposed to just be me and him…and then I got pregnant and that ruined everything."

That hurt even more. Tears would have built behind my eyes if they were so swollen.

"I didn't ask to be born," I said, speaking my earlier thoughts aloud.

She didn't seem to hear. She only listened to me when it was convenient.

"Your father only wanted it to be me and him. There wasn't supposed to be any kids. When I told him he was angry but after a while, he let the idea grow on him and he was happy."

"I can tell how happy he was about me. He just showed me," I muttered.

"No. He was happy because he thought it was a boy, someone he could trust and take over for him. You disappointed him first by coming and then by being a girl."

I flinched again.

She sighed.

"I wish you were never born."

My earlier anger came back to me.

"How can you say that to me? Everything I do for you! He hits me because he hates because he couldn't keep it in his pants and you got knocked up! This is ridiculous. I can't believe any of this!"

I managed to stand up.

My mother other stared after me.

I could feel her eyes on me as I wobbled out of the room and up to my old room.

I laid on my bed.

The room wasn't extravagant like the rest of the house. It was small compared to the other rooms. I was almost positive my room was actually the attic or a hall closet but I never brought my self to ask.

If they hate me so much why did they keep me? Why put me through this? Did they hate me so much they wanted to punish me?

These questions ran through my head as I lay there looking up at the pale ceiling, watching the daylight fade into a cross between noon and evening night. It was quiet. I could never hear anything here unless someone was on the stairs.

The quiet was starting to scare me. I was in silence so much.

I wished I were at Dimitri's suddenly.

Dimitri…

DPOV

It was over quickly. I fought pretty well even though I was out of practice in a while. I learned how to fight when I was a kid and kept at for a while and right now I was grateful I hadn't lost my touch. I took out three of the five guys that were initiating me into Abe's group of men.

If I survived this, I was one step closer to the job.

There fist flying at me left and right, kicks and punches. I'd have a black eye by morning and I could feel a bruise building where someone hit my temple.

A few scrapes but I was okay.

The other guys didn't look so well.

Mikhail looked ticked off I got away barely unscathed.

Panting, Ambrose said, "You fight well. Come on. I think you should meet Abe."

We went into the house, breathing hard, tired from the scuffle.

Three of us, Ambrose, Mikhail and I sat in a wide office on the second floor. I didn't look around too much so I wouldn't out my self as a cop.

Ambrose handed me a water bottle and one to Mikhail.

I took this time to breathe and catch my breath.

I sipped as Ambrose spoke to me.

He was the nice one of the two.

"So new guy. You got a name?"

"Dimitri."

"I don't think we should call him new guy. He has to get by Abe first and we know how picky he is," Mikhail said, evil laugh in his voice.

As if hearing his name, Abe, dressed in a thick black business suit came in. He unrolled his sleeves. I could see specks of blood on the hem of his sleeve.

"Who do we have here?" he asked sitting behind the desk the stretched the length of the room.

"New guy. He heard about the bodyguard position. He fights well," Ambrose explained.

"He has to fight better than 'well' for you to bring him into my home and office."

Ambrose stiffened but relaxed when Abe smiles only slightly.

"He's great boss," to my surprise it was Mikhail who said it. "Took out three of us."

"That really says something. No many people are brave enough to go against my men. Not even for the amount of money I'm offering for anyone who fills this job position," Abe explained leaning back in the chair.

For the longest of times, until the sun had set, Abe asked me basic questions, personal questions (where I had to lie) and looked me over.

"Do you have anyone you care about Dimitri?" He asked after Mikhail and Ambrose were told to leave the room.

"Doesn't every one?" I replied, avoid the answer a bit.

This amused him.

"Good answer. It must be someone special. Whoever this person is, you should know that if you double cross me, I'll find them, everyone you care about. I'll send Ambrose and Mikhail. Don't let their somewhat 'happy' attitudes fool you'll. If I tell them too, they'll go after anyone you know, and when they're done with them, they'll be begging for death. Are we understood."

I resisted swallowing the reluctance in my throat and nodded.

"Yes sir. Crystal clear."

A slow smile spread across his face.

"Good. You're hired. You'll start off with a couple hundred each week and I'll give you a raise if you do your job well and prove your self trustworthy."

"What exactly is my description sir?"

I don't know where the sir was coming from but he seemed to like it.

"Initially it was as another bodyguard for my self but I want to be sure I'm hiring the right person. Someone's been trying to get to me lately and I cant put my life in just anyone's hand so you'll start with a simple job. You'll keep watch of my troublesome daughter and my household and I'll keep watch on you. If I see you're doing well, we'll talk about changes in your job description."

"Sounds good."

This worked out better than I thought it would.

Little did Abe know, he was handing the perfect position. I'd have a chance to go through the house and keep an eye on Rose.

I just hope nothing goes wrong.