The Girl

“Boss.” Luca Accardi looked up from his laptop screen to see his second-in-command Alessio standing at the door.

“What is it, Alessio?” Luca motioned Alessio to come in. Alessio walked up to Luca’s desk and grimaced.

“Francis Sawyer, the one who owes us one million dollars. ” Alessio gritted his teeth and Luca steeled his face, it must be big for Alessio to react like that. Nearly nothing fazed Alessio, “he has a nineteen year old girl in his basement.”

"Merde!” Luca ran his hand through his hair. At twenty-six, he was the youngest don in his family. Taking over at twenty when papá retired due to medical reasons. He had never lifted a hand to women or children, due to his upbringing he always protected them. Now there was a girl who was being held captive by a man who owed them money. He knew what to do without a doubt. “Get Elia and Lauro. We’re going to collect our debt.” Luca stood up from his desk.

“Yes Boss. We’ll wait at the door for you.” Alessio nodded his head and exited the study. Luca opened his desk drawer and grabbed his gun. He made sure it was loaded and put it in the waistband by his back. He left his study and grabbed a blanket from his bedroom for his mystery girl. His? Since when was the girl his? Luca thought as he looked at the blanket on his way to the front door. He knew nothing about this girl, but he did know that she needed his help.

Elia parked the black Suburban in front of Sawyer’s house and looked back at the don. “How do you want to do this, Boss?”

Luca pulled out his gun and put on his cold face, “Quickly. Elia and Lauro, you take care of Sawyer. Alessio, you help me with the girl.” They all nodded and got out of the car. Alessio kicked open the door and marched in.

“Hey! What the hell!” A voice called out as they heard footsteps thundering to where they stood and abruptly stopped, “D-D-Don A-Accardi...” Without another word, Elia and Lauro made their way to Sawyer and took him to another room. Luca grinned maliciously for a moment before his face returned to one of cold, they would torture him before killing him.

Alessio and Luca found the door to the basement as Alessio kicked it open, they heard a muffled scream. They walked down the stairs and Luca’s face turned to one of horror. There was a metal cage that was five feet in height and width sitting in the middle of the floor. In the cage sat a thin young girl who was so dirty that Luca couldn’t see her skin. Her wrists were chained to a post outside the cage, the same post that her collar and ankle chains were connected to. She looked up at him with fear in her eyes and he saw that there was duct tape covering her mouth.

Luca crouched down to her level and smiled gently, “I’m here to get you out.” The girl nodded. He handed his gun to Alessio and took out his lock picking tools and opened the cage door within a minute. Alessio shot at the three chains so that Luca could bring her out of the cage. Luca slowly and gently wrapped his arms around her and pulled her out, she was so lightly, that she was most likely starved. He sat flat on the ground and set her on his lap. He did her ankles, her wrists, and then her neck. Under the shackles, he could wounds that would scar due to the metal shackles stratching at her skin. Gently, he pulled off the duct tape and she whimpered.

“What is your name? I’m Luca Accardi.”

“Angela Kavanaugh.” She spoke so soft that he could barely hear her.

“I’ll take care of you from now on.” Luca smiled gently as he put her arms around his neck and clasped her hands together before holding onto her and standing.

“I’m Alessio, I’m sorry for what you have gone through.” Alessio looked at her with sad eyes. Luca carried Angela back to the car with Alessio behind them. After he settled her on his lap again, he wrapped the blanket that he brought around her and Alessio got in on the other side.

“Thank you.” Angela laid her head against Luca’s chest.

“You’re welcome, tesoro"

“Teh-soro?”

“Yes, it means darling. Go ahead and sleep, I know you need it. I’ll keep you safe.” Angela smiled softly and sucumbed to the warmth of his body and fell asleep.

A short while later, Elia and Lauro returned to the car.

“Sawyer has been taken care of Boss.” Lauro said as Elia and Lauro looked at the sleeping girl in Luca’s arms.

“Name?” Elia asked.

“Angela Kavanaugh.” Luca replied and Elia nodded.

“We can look her up and see what we get.”

“Are you going to bathe her before or after she wakes up?” Alessio looked to Luca, “I know you won’t let anyone touch her except perhaps your sister, Abelia.” Luca sighed.

“She has had enough bad encounters with a man, I’ll ask my sister to bathe her when she wakes up.” The side of Alessio’s lips twitched, the closest to a smile he’s done.

“She is going to stay with us, isn’t she? You already got it figured out.” Alessio and Luca shared a knowing look.

“It’d be nice to have another woman around the house.” Lauro smiled.

“Ha.” Elia chuckled, “Enough chitchat Lauro, we heading home, Boss?” Alessio and Luca laughed.

“Yes, let’s go home.”