Wanted By the Mafia Boss

Chapter One

Lyla

As I stood in the control room, my pre-recorded song filled the space. I felt so much pride that I got goosebumps all over my body. Ryan, my producer and friend, turned in his chair to face me with a huge grin, I felt my cheeks start to flush.

"OMG, Lyla, this is incredible," Mike said, his eyes shining with enthusiasm. "For real, I'm literally tongue-tied."

I looked away, trying to hide my embarrassment. "Shh, it's not that great," I protested, but Ryan just chuckled.

"I'm dead serious," he said. "If this song goes out there, it will be a major hit. Don't be so modest."

“Go girl!” Rachel and Chris, our friends who were listening in, nodded in agreement, smiling at my obvious embarrassment.

"Come on, Lyla, own it," Rachel teased. "You're amazing."

I laughed, feeling a little self-conscious but also pleased. "Okay, okay. Thanks, guys.”

At the same time, my phone began buzzing again. How the call managed to bypass the DnD mode surprised me. It has been ringing for a while but I chose to ignore it. I had an unwritten rule, no distractions whatsoever while I was at the studio, I did not have many friends in my circle so the few I had, knew this rule far too well.

“You might want to take the call,” Rachel handed the phone and whispered. “It's him.”

My curiosity piqued. “Him?” I took the phone from her to see who it was. The annoyance that built in my chest vaporized as soon as I saw my boyfriend's name on the screen.

I walked away from where the others were and when I got far enough, I hushed into the phone. “Victor?! You know better than to call me at this time.”

“Relax babe, I know your whole don't-call-me-during- work rule but I couldn't wait. I missed you and was wondering if you'd be free, I wanna take you out tonight.”

“Seriously? You know I can't make that happen right now, we can always go another day.” I pinched the fold between my brows, not knowing how to react. I could sense the glee in his voice but couldn't place what the reason for it was.

His tone dropped decibels lower, giving off disappointment. “That's what you said last time, and the time before that, and the time after that…”

“Alright, alright.” I cut him abruptly, he was going to go on like that if I did not stop him. I couldn't protest, he was right about everything, plus he has been my number one fan. I was so immersed in my music career that I barely had time for him or myself and I always came up with an excuse each time he asked me on a date or an outing, save for our first and second date..

I was conflicted, hoping I could bail out this time. “You know I have work to do, Vic. I promise I will clear everything on my schedule for the next two weeks, you can always have me then.”

“Nope,” I almost heard him shake his head in refusal. “It's today or never.” And he meant it.

A short moment of silence crawled in. He won and I lost. I had to break my tight schedule and join him on the date. I comforted myself with the thought that I owed him that much.

“Come pick me by 6. I'll go talk to Ryan for a time window. You okay now?”

“Six it is.” And the line disconnected. I had expected at least twenty minutes of ranting about the consequences of distractions during work and its effects it would have on my career but today I had an easy time talking Ryan into letting me leave for the night, he simply agreed with only a ‘be careful’ note when I brought it up, which was strange and unlike him.

It was already thirty minutes past five, so time passed rather quickly. I did a quick re-run of the song and said my goodbyes to the crew with a promise of returning tomorrow to continue and finalize the work. I waited at the entrance of the studio and waited for Victor to come. Few minutes later, a black Dodge Challenger pulled up right in front of me, its tinted window at the passenger’s side rolled down, revealing Victor's charming face at the wheel.

“Hey baby, hop in. The party has almost started.”

I got in and we drove off. Victor kept glancing at me at random times with an unreadable smirk in his lips. I kept a poker face, trying not to smile back.

“Smile if you want to.” Victor said and broke in laughter. My lips curled up against my will and I joined him, laughing.

“Babe, stop it. That's not really nice.”

The car rumbled to a halt in front of The Beach, one of the best and most expensive five-star Clubs in the country, and entry into this place was strictly based on invitation and reservation. Given that, It is usually booked fully every day, I was made to wonder how Victor earned the entry and space.

“The Beach?”

“I never specified the location for today's date. Besides, you always wanted to come to The Beach, right?” He said, turning off the engine. “Come on, they've been waiting.”

As expected of a club, the speakers boomed hard with pop music that my ears took time to adjust to, the multi-colored lights flashing made my eyes hurt badly.

Victor, noticing my discomfort, nudged me playfully. “Come on, You'll get used to it. There they are.” We took a flight of glass steps to the VIP area upstairs. Victor's friends were already seated with different wines and things that looked like drugs on the table before them, with their girlfriends keeping them in good company.

“Lyla!! You finally came!” Hugo exclaimed as he stood, rushing over to squeeze me into a big bear hug. The strong smell of alcohol from his clothes clogged my nose, almost knocking me out.

Finally, he let go of me and I could breathe once again. Hugo ushered me to an unoccupied part of the long sofa. “Yeah, I came because of Victor's relentless pressure. He's such an influence.”

“Wanna drink?” He offered a glass of a yellow-looking fluid.

I shook my head in refusal. “Nahh, I'll pass. I've got a hell lotta work to do tomorrow morning. Maybe some other time.”

“I see,” Hugo flashed a smile. “Please sit and have a good time. You came right on time because the party just took a huge turn!” I found his voice surprisingly loud despite the noise from the club.

Suddenly, the music stopped and the lights went for a split second and came on but remained static. A song slowly began to play in the background, as I listened, the intro became familiar.

How come one of my songs was playing in a club all of a sudden?

The party floor already began to vibe hard to the song. Still in a state of shock, I threw a questioning look at Victor but he simply shrugged, not surprised either.

“How? Why did you?...I don't understand…” Flustered and in a mental mess, I struggled to make a complete sentence. Words completely escaped me.

Victor neared me and grabbed me by the chin. “Anything for you, Cupcake. Don't think of it too much, thanks to Hugo and the others. It is our way of saying that we are always rooting for you. Come on, at least dance to your own song!”

He pulled me to the open space and began to move his body, silently waiting for my physical response. Left with little to no choice at all, I began to move my body to the sound, freeing myself of the shackles I had restrained myself in.

I was at a loss for words, unable to fully grasp the situation. I looked around and below, watching the people dancing free and wild unaware that the coroner of the song they were dancing to was in their midst. I couldn't help but feel a wave of pride wash over me.

Hugo joined us, passing a glass of wine to me. “Here's a toast to the starting point of greatness!” We all raised our glasses and cheered before taking it down in one gulp.

One round of drinking became two, two became three until my eyes became foggy and my movement slowed. I squeezed my eyes shut and opened them again if the feeling would disappear a bit. My consciousness began to slip out no matter how hard I tried to hold on, I staggered in Victor's arms.

“What's going on? I can't feel my legs.” I complained as the feeling grew stronger.

“It's the drink, you'll be fine.” Victor waved my complaint off. Minutes passed and the feeling only grew worse.

“Babe, something's wrong with me. My eyes…”

“Oh, really?” Victor turned into something I did not notice anymore. He showed no reaction of any sort, only a look that sent shivers down my spine. “I'm sorry, Lyla. I think this is the end of us. I'm sorry.”

“What are you saying? What did you do to me?” I pushed him away and fell to the floor. The realization struck me hard, I was lured here and drugged but why? If only I could get out of here before the worst happens. I rose to my feet but never made it a few meters before I fell again.

“Why?” I asked myself as I lost control of my senses, save for my closing eyes, It soon turned dark and cold.

Chapter 2

Lyla

I slowly awoke from a dreamless slumber in a dimly lit room, my eyes trying to adjust to the lack of light. I found it hard to move my limbs, as my body felt like jelly. It took a great deal of effort to turn onto my back, facing the ceiling. My heart burned within my chest, with tears rushing down the sides of my face like a broken dam.

“Where the hell am I?” I asked, to no one in particular. I was in a state of shock, processing what had happened and trying to comprehend why it had occurred. Never in my life had it crossed my mind that I would be a victim of an arranged kidnapping. It crushed me to know that it was my very own boyfriend who pulled it off, someone I had trusted with my life.

I was eventually paying the price for being a people's pleaser and too easy going with trusting people. The past warnings of Ryan played in my mind, filling me with fresh guilt and excruciating pain in my heart. He had always pressed the issue of not trust