Mafia Daddy: Claiming His Son's Bride As His Mistress

Natalia's POV:

My heart thumped rapidly against my chest, each beat echoing in my ears as I shoved a hoodie into my duffel bag. Sweat beaded on my forehead with each fast movement I made. I needed to escape. It was now or never.

BANG!!

My heart skipped a beat as a shiver ran down my spine at the sound of the living room door being slammed. I knew what the sound was, it was HIM again. No doubt already drunk even though the day was just starting.

Quickly, I pushed my little sister, Ava, into the closet. "Don't come out until I come to get you, okay?"

She nodded, her big brown eyes glistened with tears as the fear on her face mirrored mine.

I placed a kiss on her forehead. "I won't let him hurt you. I promise."

Liar, you can't even protect yourself. The voice in my head mocked and I squashed it, shutting the closet door, and headed for the living room as my heart raced with a familiar dread.

He wasn't supposed to be home, he was usually off at some bar drinking until evening. So I planned my escape properly, it had to be during the day, and I've been planning this for years. I wiped my sweaty palms on my jeans as I approached the living room. If he found out what I was up to... I'd be dead meat.

My stomach churned at the memories of dad beating me up simply because he felt like it. When I was much younger, he'd lock me in the closet and starve me for days... If I cried while he beat me up he'd say, "It doesn't even hurt! It only hurts because you think it does, you've always been an annoying child."

One time, he broke my arm because I 'cried' after he had starved me for three days. I've lived in nothing but pain since I was old enough to walk. My skin was littered with bruises and scars from over the years.

Several times, I've tried to escape but I knew I'd end up in foster care. And then, Ava came along. My monster of a father got a teenager pregnant and the girl had dumped the baby with him.

I'd started rebelling for Ava's sake, he could use me as his punching bag all he wanted as long as he didn't go near her. I had been waiting for the right time to escape with Ava. I had just turned eighteen and it was my high school graduation ceremony today. I knew today was the right time to escape. Or so I thought, fate was hardly ever on my side, I always felt like I was cursed...

I moved cautiously into the living room, expecting another round of beating like last night when he used his special belt on my back, but my fear quickly morphed into terror and confusion when I got to the living room.

The man before me