THE CAGED BIRD

CHAPTER 22

‘Ask me.’

My brows furrowed

‘What do you mean?’

‘Ask me your questions and I will see if I can answer them,’ Nicholas explained. I was quiet for a minute. I had several questions, but none of them came to my mind right now. I had questions about my own family, about Edric and this Lex guy.

‘Okay, who is the Lex guy?’ First, I wanted to know who was responsible for the death of my baby.

‘Lex was a gang leader. He had a small organization that trafficked drugs and weapons from time to time. I think he had some business in prostitution as well. Anyway, he was too eager to take power. He thought he could conquer the mafia world by killing Edric and marrying you, but he acted too rushed, now he is dead.’ Nicholas was shaking his head at the thought of Lex.

‘What made him think that?’

‘You mean why he thought he could grab power by killing Edric and marrying you?’ I nodded my head.

‘Edric was at the top when your father and brother died. His father was already planning on retiring, most of their business was already in the hands of Edric, but there was always this one thing they didn’t like. The Angelo’s power.

You see, your father and brother were at the top before they died. They did not only own this city but owned almost the whole state. Nothing came in or out without their permission, Verlice’s were a mere tool for them.’

I was shocked. All my life I had lived with the two of them and I did not even know a thing about them. I felt like I was living in a lie all my life. I sighed. Sadness and disappointment were what I felt, mainly towards my brother. I still had a hard time wrapping my head around the fact that he was in fact a criminal.

‘But if they were powerful, why lock me up? Why not lock both of us up, Xavier and me.’

It still did not make any sense to me...

‘Well, it was because they were so powerful.’ My brows went up.

‘When you’re at the top the only way you can go is down. So, your father, and later your brother as well, tried to do everything in their power to remain at the top, meaning making sure you have no weaknesses.’ He stopped for a second and sighed.

He looked at me with pity.

I couldn’t stand to see that expression on his face and turned my head towards the garden. Flowers always made me feel at ease more.

‘You were a weakness, most of the people who worked in the mafia world or were part of gangs did not know of your existence. It was until you were married you became known in the underworld.’ Nicholas explained to me. I was quite surprised by how he gave me all these answers.

‘What about my brother? How was he not a weakness?’

Nicholas chuckled and ran his fingers through his black hair. ‘Well, he was not a girl for starters, and I think he was well protected when he was younger, but men are not really seen as kidnap material in the underworld, so to say. Only when there is no other way, most of the times men are beaten up and sent back to give the mafia family or gang a message.

Girls are considered weaker than men, not all of them, but most of them. Because look at yourself, you don’t necessarily scream like you can fight or handle a gun.’

I sighed. I did not like this mafia world. If my family was not a part of it maybe I would have a normal like, a life where I could go to High School and have some actual friends. Not the maids, not people that were pitting me because I was locked up.

‘And who are you in this madness?’

It was now that Nicholas turned more serious, his relaxed demeanour vanished. ‘I’m, no I was, very close to your family. My family and yours worked very well together. In addition to that, I was a good friend of your brother, we went to the same High School. He was two years higher up than me.’

I nodded my head at that. Again, I was left out of something. I did not even know was close to our family. ‘So now what?’

‘Now…now I want you to take your time to process everything that has happened to you and what I told you. By doing so, I want you to stay here. No leaving the house, except for the garden.’ He told me with a serious face.

This was unbelievable.

‘Are you kidding me right now? After everything I told you, you still want to keep me locked up!’ I was furious. I was sick and tired of being locked up in a cage.

‘Yes, I want you to be kept here, where you are safe. Did you not listen? People see you as a mere tool to get power, you should be grateful for my help. Without me, you would be either married to that low-life Lex or be sold off to some other gang leader.’ And with that, he left me.

Of course, I was grateful for his help, but I did not ask for any of this.

All I wanted was a normal life….