Desired By The Mafia

Author’s Note: Welcome to my very first book! Please note that this is Book 1 in the series, and it is currently undergoing a gentle round of editing. Since I am new to this journey, I would truly appreciate your help. If you spot any typos, incorrect word placements, or errors while reading, please feel free to point them out using the inline comment icon (the small speech bubble) next to that paragraph! Your support in making Matteo and Eliza’s story the best it can be means the world to me.

 TRIGGER WARNING (18+): This is a dark mafia romance. It contains frequent, graphic scenes of torture, murder, kidnapping, abuse, and mafia violence throughout the story. 

The Empty Vessel

ELIZA

New York City: the place where dreams come true, or a place you go to when you’re running away from a nightmare. For Eliza, it was neither; it was a place to find answers to questions she didn’t know how to begin to ask. She didn’t know…

The private jet came to a slow stop in the hangar, as the door hissed open after the engines died down.

Eliza stepped forward and stood in the doorway, her heart beating against her chest as she clutched the strap of her single bag tightly. Anxiousness filled her entire body, she was unaware of what to expect .She looked out across the hangar; she saw a black SUV waiting in the center of the oil-stained floor.

Eliza made her way down the steps, reaching the tarmac. The wind blew her hair across her face, but she did not pull it back. As she got closer to the car, she was met by a driver in a dark, tailored suit. His movements were efficient, with no emotion. He did not speak; instead, he stood by the rear door, his hand resting on the handle, waiting for the girl with no name.

As she reached the car, the driver pulled the door open. Inside the plush interior, she could see the shadow of a woman, her legs crossed as she leaned back into the dark shadows of the leather seat.

“Get in,” Valentina said, her voice low but commanding.

Eliza hesitated for a moment and then climbed in. She slid onto the smooth leather seat, the driver shut the door with a heavy thud, sealing out the world on the other side of the tinted glass.

The silence in the SUV was deafening. Valentina didn’t turn to look at her, her expression emotionless and hard. She knew exactly what this shy, timid young woman was capable of .This was not just a favour to her friend Vivienne; it was a matter of her family’s survival, in fact it was for the survival of all Mafia families in the city.

This woman — this quiet, anxious looking girl, had stolen something of such great value that could destroy their entire world and she didn’t even know it.

“Vivienne told me that you needed assistance settling into the city and that you also looking for a fresh start,” Valentina said, the tone of her voice firm but careful not to spark something she may not be able handle.

Eliza didn’t look directly at her; instead, she kept her eyes fixed on her own lap. “Thank you for agreeing to help me with this,” she said as her shoulders were hunched forward.

Valentina’s jaw tightened as she looked out the tinted window at the skyline in the distance.

“This is a favour to a dear friend, not to you,” Valentina countered coldly. “I don’t know you, so I don’t owe you a damn thing. You will work at my club, The Raven. You’ll also have a place to stay with one of my other employees; her name is Eve. When you’re at the club, you stay behind the bar and serve the drinks. You don’t ask the customers questions, you listen to their problems and you stay out of the VIP backrooms. You are there to work .When you work for me, you do as I say and I will make sure you are kept safe. Do you understand?”

Eliza nodded. “I understand.”

The SUV came to a stop in a dark alleyway.

“Out,” Valentina commanded.

The driver opened the door, and Eliza stepped into the humid New York night. Valentina led the way down a flight of concrete stairs. She flung the door to the The Raven open. It was a palace of velvet, steel and amber lights.

Eliza immediately saw a woman sitting on the edge of a small stage, unlacing a pair of high heels. She had fiery red hair and an athletic grace that made Eliza feel small.

“Eve,” Valentina’s voice rang out, cold and sharp, “This is the girl that Vivienne sent— Eliza. She will be staying with you. Teach her the bar, the house rules and keep her out of trouble.”

Eve stood up, her eyes sweeping over Eliza with an eager curiosity.

Eliza caught Eve’s gaze and huddled into her jacket, her eyes wide and hauntingly empty.

“You ok, doll? You look like you’ve seen a ghost or something,” Eve asked softly, stepping closer.

“She is a ghost,” Valentina countered, her eyes flashing a warning that Eve clearly understood. “Ghosts don’t talk, they watch, listen and learn. Remember that.”

Valentina turned to look at Eliza, her figure tall and imposing against the light in the club. “This is your life now. You work. You sleep. You wait. Don’t go looking for trouble. A lot of our customers are high end mafia men with big egos and even shorter fuses; they’ll bury a girl like you just for looking at them the wrong way.”

With a final look of authority, Valentina vanished around a corner down a dark hallway, the clicking of her heels against the floor fading as she created distance between them.

Eve sighed, tossing her heels aside. Don’t mind her. She’s not so bad once you get to know her. Come on, let’s get a drink.”

Left alone in the centre of the quiet club, Eliza looked down, at her trembling hands. She quickly tucked them into her pockets and squared her shoulders. Hearing the muffled city traffic humming above her heard, she felt the anxiety in her chest once again.

She was lost, but she was here. She would not stop until she found that part of her that disappeared —no matter how dark that woman turned out to be.