The Mafia’s Good Wife
Chapter 71

- Violet - ---ONE WEEK LATER --- "Damon?"

Violet was walking down the long hallway of their estate. It was late at night and all the windows were open. It was thundering outside and the wind was blowing the curtains all over the room. Rain water started pouring into the house, and Violet struggled to close some of these big windows. "Help! Is anyone here?" she asked again, but there was no response.

As far as she could see, there were no maids or guards around the house, which was completely odd. Violet walked faster down the hallway and she started feeling nervous.

"Hello?" she called out again. No response.

Where is everyone!?

Violet walked faster and found herself in the second floor corridor. In front of her were a row of doors. One of them was Damon's office.

"Sweet girl, I'm in here!"

Violet heard Damon's voice and let out a sigh of relief. She quickened her steps to Damon's office and pushed the door back. "Damon, are you in here?"

The office was dark. The light was off. But from the thunder outside, she saw a glimpse of Damon's chair turned towards the wall. There was someone sitting there. It must be Damon, she thought. Violet approached the desk expectantly, but suddenly, the chair whipped around to reveal Celina sitting there.

"Hello Violet," she said with a sinister smile. "Long time no see,"

"Celina...?! How did you-"

"Did you miss me?" Celina cut her off and stood up. She was wearing the sexy red dress she wore the first time Violet met her. "You don't think you can get rid of me that easily, do you?"

Violet's breath was stuck in her throat. She was looking around, trying to figure out what was happening, and when she tried to open the door and run, the door to the office was locked shut.

"Ha-ha, you're trying to run from me?" Celina said tauntingly, walking with slow steps closer to Violet. The sound of her heels clicking sent shivers up her spine.

"D-don't come any closer!" Violet put her hand up threateningly, but she was backing away straight to the door.

"Or what?" Celina scoffed. "No one's gonna save you now,"

Violet swallowed hard. There was nothing but darkness all around. And Celina was coming closer and closer.

"Where's Damon!?" Violet demanded. He should be here. Where was he?!

"Damon's right here," Celina said as she pointed to a corner. In the dark corner, a man stood tall in his black signature suit.

"What...?"

Damon was standing there, but there was something different with the look in his eyes. He saw Violet, but his eyes held no emotion. It was cold and dead. "Damon!" Violet yelled for him, but Damon didn't react.

"Damon, come here," Celina said, and Damon obeyed. He walked straight toward Celina, standing right next to her. "Sweetie, I need you to kill her," Celina said as she linked her arm around his arm. "Get rid of her. Once and for all,"

Damon's empty eyes were stuck on Violet. He pulled out a gun from his back pocket and aimed the barrel at Violet's head.

"No...! Damon...!"

Violet shook her head pleadingly, but Damon wasn't flinching. He clicked the safety off the gun and suddenly-

*BANG!* "Noooo!"

Violet's body jerked up from the bed as she screamed at the top of her lungs. She was panting breathlessly. Beads of sweat were dripping from her forehead. For a moment, she couldn't even see where she was. She thought she was dead. "Violet? Violet? Wake up!"

Violet opened her eyes to see Damon. Her first reaction was to push him away.

"No!" she screamed at him.

"Hey, it's me, it's alright," he said gently, holding onto her still.

Violet took a moment to catch her breath. She realized that she was in the bedroom. It was still dark outside. What she saw before was just a dream.

"But... you were with- and Celina was there- and the gun-!"

"Woah, woah, slow down," Damon said to calm her down. Her breathing was labored and erratic. "What are you talking about?"

"I... I had a dream... Celina was in the office... and you were there, and you..."

"Sssh, it's just a dream, baby," he cooed.

Damon pulled her into his arms and hugged her tight. Violet felt the warmth of his body and her body relaxed instinctively. Just seconds ago, she was filled with terror and panic, but now that Damon was here, the real Damon, she felt calm and assured. "I'm scared, Damon..." she whispered, burying her face into his chest.

"You have nothing to be afraid of. I'm here with you," he said reassuringly, kissing the top of her head. "Liam's really close to finding her location. She's somewhere down in Florida. Once he catches her, it'll all be over, okay?"

Violet nodded her head meekly. This was the latest breakthrough in the case. Liam went down to Florida a few days ago because they got a lead about Celina and Benzino hiding out there. Ever since Liam left, everyone in the house became tense. Waiting in anticipation. Including Violet.

"Sshh, it's alright," Damon cooed and stroked her hair gently. "Go back to sleep, baby. I'm here. I got you,"

Violet let out a long sigh and rested her head on Damon's chest. She wouldn't be able to go back to sleep if it wasn't for him being next to her. As long as he was next to her, she knew she was safe and sound. So although her heart was racing and her mind was a mess, she closed her eyes and listened to the sound of Damon's heartbeat.

"Don't worry. It's just a dream. Just a bad dream..."

-- ONE WEEK LATER ----

Sleep has been hard to come by for Violet lately. Not only that she was a week away from her due date, everyone in the house was still tense and nervous because they hadn't heard anything from Liam yet. Another week had passed and Liam still wasn't able to locate Celina and Benzino. Liam had been in Florida for over a week, and Damon expected results already, but it seemed like Celina was more clever than they thought.

Damon noticed how the stress was taking a toll on Violet. He knew that her being cooped up in the house wasn't helping either. So with Dr. Lee and Talia's support, he arranged a special shopping day for her and the other ladies. Damon closed down the mall before and it turned out great, so he did the same thing again today.

So, from morning to sundown, the mall had been officially booked for private guests only. Violet, Talia, Ivy, Barbara, and several of the maids plus several other guards were the only people in attendance.

"This is gonna be so much fun!" Ivy chirped as she rolled her suitcase toward the cars parked outside the house.

"I know, right!" Talia chimed in, walking right next to her. "I just love shopping for baby clothes. Maybe more than my own clothes at this point!"

The girls giggled happily as they neared the cars. Meanwhile, Violet stood at the front door with Damon by her side. She wanted to join Ivy and Talia to talk about baby stuff and buying post-maternity clothes, but Damon was holding her back.

"Make sure you stick with the girls and Beau at all times," Damon said warningly.

"Aye-aye, captain," Violet replied, waving her hand from her head.

"And make sure you're back before dinner time,"

"Yes, sir!"

"And get me something from the mall too,"

"What kind of thing?"

"Anything that you think I'll like," he shrugged, and then he winked.

Oh. Well, that can mean many things.

Violet bit her lip to stop herself from smiling too much. When she was at the mall last time, she noticed a store called The Pink Cherry. It was an adult entertainment store that sold anything from fuzzy handcuffs to lingerie to all the toys that Damon kept in the playroom. Violet didn't get a chance to go in there last time, but this time... she'll definitely make a pit stop.

*HONK!* HONK! *

Ivy and Talia were pressing the honk in the car, yelling for Violet to come join them. Violet let out a laugh and stood on her tippy toes, pressing her lips on Damon's cheek.

"Okay, I'll see you later," she said.

"See you," Damon said as he pulled her for a quick kiss. "I love you,"

"I love you too,"

"Oh my gosh, isn't this the cutest thing ever!" Talia squealed as she held up a pink baby onesie. The onesie read, World's Most Expensive Alarm Clock.

"That's hilarious!" Ivy laughed and joined her.

Violet also threw her a smile, but she was too preoccupied with something else. They'd been in the mall for two hours now and she already bought everything she could get for Baby Zach. Her eyes kept glancing out the window of the baby store. She was eyeing the Pink Cherry located right across.

"Guys, I'm gonna check out a store, I'll be right back," she said as she quickly stepped away.

"What store-"

Before Talia could finish her sentence, Violet was already skipping out the door. She knew how Talia would tease her endlessly if she knew she was going to an adult entertainment store. Violet just wanted a quick look around. And maybe pick up a toy or two. As soon as Violet stepped inside the store, she was greeted by so many pink and fuzzy things hanging all around the walls and shelves. There was also a disco ball on the ceiling and Madonna's Like A Virgin playing on the speaker.

A naughty smile crept up her lips as she approached the leather goods section. There was everything from leather bondage to costumes, whips and crops, and everything else unimaginable. Without thinking too much, Violet started grabbing stuff and she dashed toward the cashier counter. But before she reached it, she saw a red curtain covering a door and a sign above it that read, Hardcore Section.

Oh?

Curiosity got the best of her. Violet stopped her tracks and headed for the door. She pushed the curtains aside and opened the door. Violet gasped in awe when she saw what was inside. It was a room that looked more like a s*x dungeon, and there were all sorts of machinery, toys, and tools for the obviously hardcore fans.

Violet took a step inside and admired the ropes hanging from the ceiling. The ropes were attached to some kind of machinery so that they kept moving. Violet could imagine how someone could be tied up and hung from the ceiling, and then the machinery could move the body the way it needed to.

* SLAM! *

Suddenly, the door behind her closed with a loud slam. Violet flinched in shock and quickly turned around. She reached for the door handle, but it wouldn't budge. The door was locked shut. "Hello?!" she yelled and banged at the door. "Anyone out there?!"

She remembered seeing a girl manning the cashier counter. It was a girl with bright red hair. Violet kept yelling and banging on the door. And then a minute later, the door flew open. Violet was about to say thank you to whoever opened the door. But once she saw the person behind it, she could only freeze.

"Why, hello, Violet," the girl with red hair pulled her wig down to reveal her natural blonde hair. "Long time no see,"

Celina DeSantis was standing right in front of her. It was really her. Unmistakably.

Violet was so caught off guard, that she didn't know how to move or speak. And before she could gather her composure, she felt a hand grabbing her from behind, and suddenly everything went dark.