The Mafia’s Good Wife
Chapter 13

~ Damon -

"If you think that this is gonna make her fall back in love with you, you're incredibly delusional, you know that?"

Damon lay awake that night thinking about what Talia said to him earlier. Though he didn't show it, her words struck a chord in him. Damon wasn't used to his plans backfiring on him. Normally when it came to business, he was savvy. He always thought three steps ahead and got whatever his heart desires. But this time, things were different. His usual methods of extortion or blackmail wouldn't work on Violet.

"She's gonna hate you for this,"

Damon pulled himself off the bed with an annoyed groan. His hand went to rake his hair in frustration. He turned his head to the side and saw the empty spot on his bed. That was the spot that Violet usually slept in. He would much rather have her there than chained up in the playroom, but he couldn't trust that she won't slip out in the middle of the night if she got the chance.

Why won't she stay with me?

Damon racked his brain for an answer. He thought he was doing everything right. He gave her space. For three years, he waited patiently for her. When she didn't come back to him, he went out to find her. When they met, everything fell into place like it was magic. He still felt exactly the same about her, and he knew she felt the same way too. So why won't she admit it?

Getting up to his feet, Damon wandered aimlessly out of the room. He couldn't sleep again tonight. He hadn't been sleeping well ever since Violet left. And even though he got her back now, it didn't feel quite like it.

Damon found himself walking towards his study. His eyes immediately darted to the bookshelf covering the secret door to the playroom. He knew she was just right behind that door and he could see her if he wanted to, but somehow it didn't feel like she was there. She was here physically, but not really.

Damon walked to his desk and raided the first drawer. He pulled out a brown folder that contained all the files on Violet. He started going through the documents and pictures, thinking maybe he'd find an answer there. Maybe she doesn't want to stay because of him?

Damon stared at a picture of Violet and Lucas. They were hanging out together one night, drinking beer and watching the stars inside his mustang convertible. She seemed happy and comfortable with him. She was smiling a lot. And they even hugged each other at the end.

The thought of Violet liking someone other than him made his blood boil. Damon clenched his fist and the photograph in his hand became all scrunched up. His breathing became ragged and he knew he had to pull himself together. Slowly, he let go of the photograph and reached for a cigarette on the desk. Damon took a long drag of the cigarette and felt his body relaxed. He sat down on his chair and tipped his head back, recalling a conversation he had with Beau about Lucas a long time ago. "Does she like this guy?" he asked.

"I don't think so, boss," Beau answered. "I think they're just friends,"

"How do you know that?"

"I've seen the way she looks at you. She doesn't look at him like that,"

A small smile crept up Damon's lips. It was nice to know that for some time, Violet really did love him. Things got screwed up somewhere along the line and maybe he was to blame for that. He tried his best to fix things, going as far as holding her hostage against her will. He thought that if he did this, she'd realize that she wants him too. But days had passed and nothing changed.

Maybe she does love me, but she's just not in love with me anymore.

Damon felt a pang in his heart. After his surgery, there were times when he felt discomfort in his chest. This was one of those times. Letting out a sigh, he grabbed a bottle of whiskey from the bar next to him and an empty glass. He poured a generous amount and drank them all, feeling the burn running down his throat. The fiery sensation warmed his chest, and even just for a second, it helped him ease the pain.

Maybe I've waited too long. Three years is a long time.

Damon put down the empty glass angrily. His fist was curled up around the glass so tightly, he ended up breaking it. The glass shattered and some of the pieces cut his skin. Blood started to drip out, but Damon didn't feel the pain. The pain in his chest was far greater.

Maybe she had a change of heart. The line between love and hate is thin and fine. Maybe she realized who I really am and she wants nothing to do with me. Angrily, Damon put his cigarette down and walked away from the desk. He grabbed a small towel from the nearby bar and wrapped it around his bloody hand. Yeah, that must be it.

An annoyed laugh escaped his throat. It hurt him that he came to this realization, but there was no other explanation.

How dense am I? A bullet to the heart and it still took me three years to get the point.

Damon stood for a second more before finally making up his mind. His steps were slow and careful as he approached the bookshelf. He pulled back the door to the playroom and it revealed Violet lying down on the bed in the middle.

The room was dark and the only source of light came from the skylight above. Damon approached her with quiet steps. Her naked body was sprawled on the bed as her hands and feet were tied up by the chains. If the circumstances were different, he would love nothing more than to see her this way. But this was not what he wanted. Seeing her like this didn't excite him anymore. It just made him sad.

Hey, you...

Damon's eyes glazed over as he stared at her. There were bruises all over her body and her hair was messy and unkempt. This was not how she was meant to be treated. She was not a bird to be kept in a cage. She was a wild, beautiful girl, and she was meant to be free.

I get it if you want to leave. Given the option, I don't wanna be with someone like me too.

Slowly, Damon sat down next to her body and the bed dipped. Violet stirred a little, but she didn't wake up fully yet. Damon's hand reached for her face and he tucked away the wild strands covering her cheek. I'm really sorry I've put you through some ugly shit.

Violet let out a soft sigh. Her eyes were still closed and she looked so peaceful lying there. Maybe she was dreaming about something. Something good, he hoped.

I realize now I can't force you to admit what you don't want to admit.

His eyes darted to her lips and his thumb grazed over it gently. For a second, he thought about leaning down to kiss those lips, but he didn't. He just held her for a moment longer, and then he got up and left. Even though I know it's the truth.

****

- Violet -

Today was an incredibly long day for Violet, it felt longer than usual. She already spent four days and four nights in the estate and Damon didn't seem like he was going to change his mind.

After fighting so hard and being unable to sleep for days, Violet finally gave up on that fourth night. As the sun set over the horizon and the room turned dark, Violet's eyes were heavier than a ton of bricks. She slept through dinner and all the way into the crack of dawn. She would've kept sleeping too if she wasn't awakened by the sound of chains rattling nearby.

Slowly, Violet pried her eyes open. The room was still somewhat dark as the sun was barely rising. She blinked a few times and noticed there was a tall figure in that room with her. As she regained her vision, she realized that the person was none other than Damon. He was wearing his usual slacks, standing near the bed, and unlocking the leather cuffs that chained her.

"You smell like cigarette and whiskey," Violet found herself slurring. Maybe a part of her thought that this was just a dream.

"That's not a bad thing, is it?" he replied.

"It's an awful smell," she laughed drily.

Damon didn't respond. He just kept working on the chains, releasing her hands first and then her feet.

"What are you doing?" she asked.

"I'm letting you go," he replied.

"Don't patronize me," she scoffed.

Damon stood tall before her. His eyes shone brightly before the moon. His gaze was softer than usual, and it even looked kind of sad.

"I'm not," he said, and then the chains fell to the floor with a loud clank.

Violet stared at him with her eyes wide open. Then she glanced down to her hands and feet and they were really free. She moved them around and felt no restrains.

Is he really letting me go?

"Your clothes are here and the driver's downstairs. He'll take you anywhere you want to go," Damon said as if he could read her mind. He nodded to the chair next to the bed where her clothes were folded neatly on top.

A lump was stuck in Violet's throat. She didn't know what to say or how to react. A part of her thought that this must be some kind of game he was playing. She kept searching his eyes for an answer, but his face remained serious.

"I..." Damon's mouth fell open like he was about to say something, but he stopped himself. Violet didn't know how or why, but for the first time since they met again, Damon looked lost.

"Goodbye, Violet," he said finally. The words sounded bitter to her ears.

And just like that, Damon turned around and left the room. Violet watched silently as he disappeared out the door. He didn't even bother closing it, he left it wide open for her.

Is this real? Is this a dream?

Slowly, Violet staggered up the bed. It was a weird sensation that her feet could finally walk on the ground like this. She went for the chair next to the bed and grabbed her clothes. She kept looking back to the door, thinking that Damon would come in at any moment, but he never did. She finished putting on her underwear, a pair of jeans, and a white blouse. Then she wore her shoes and cautiously made her way to the door.

Violet's hand was shaking as she pushed the door open wider. She kept thinking that Damon would show up. It was so unlike him to just let her go without a reason. Violet thought that this must be another one of his sick mind games. She entered the study and found that it was empty. There was nothing out of the ordinary in there, except for some shattered glass on the desk and drops of red blood on some white paper.

Violet took her first step out of the study and into the hallway. Everything was quiet. There was no one around, not even a guard. Violet kept walking and she went down the stairs. She kept thinking that someone would stop her, but nobody came. Even until she reached the front door and stepped outside, nothing happened. And right outside the door, a black SUV was parked and a driver was waiting for her. Just like Damon said it would be. He's really letting me go...