Born to Fly

Martyrdom - ✔

I'm ushered into one of Maroni's warehouses with zip-ties around my wrists and completely bare. I changed into a long t-shirt and boy-short underwear after I got home from the hospital.

"Ah, there she is!" Don Maroni cheerfully greets me. He plants a kiss on my forehead, and I cringe. "There's the beauty I remember. Sera, right?"

Focus on breathing. "That's me."

He slaps me hard across the face. I fall back on my knees. The sting shudders through my whole body. "I didn't tell you to speak. I make the rules, doll. Do you know why you're here?"

My jaws clenches as I'm raised back to my feet.

"You can answer me."

"No," I say, holding onto the hope that he doesn't know of my ties to Falcone. "I don't."

The snowy breeze whips through the exposed warehouse. My body quakes with the temperature.

He bellows in laughter. Maroni's guards chuckle along to save their boss's wrath. Sal grabs onto my chin. "You're here because you a valuable asset to the old man. Without you, no one gets patched up! No one's able to attack my family. I need you to understand that this isn't what I want to do. I'd much rather keep that pretty face as a tool in my personal life. Eliciting Jim Gordon's rage isn't on my to-do list either, but we all have to do what we must. You understand that, don't you? Go ahead. Speak up."

My eyes close shut. There are horrors I can't even imagine waiting in store for me. I'll either die quickly, or he's going to drag it out. Tears form in my eyes. "I understand."

Butch was right. My brother was right. I should've stayed away. This is what I've been told from the beginning. My alliance has gotten me into the gates of hell. I don't want to be a part of this life anymore.

Maroni's smirk is just as vicious as I remember. "You know?" He points his finger in the air. "If Little Penguin were in your place, he'd be begging for his life. You're not. Why's that?" He motions for me to talk.

"You don't scare me."

"I'm glad about that. I'm glad you're not scared. You're just what I need, darling."

"I'm not joining your family."

He doubles over at the thought. "No, sweetheart. I'm not asking you to join me. I'm going to use you to send a message to Falcone."

"What message?"

"But Don Maroni, you've already sent him a message," a henchman says.

Another one pipes in. "You can never send too many!"

"I think one more will be just fine! I'm starting to think Falcone's falling asleep. What do you say, Sera? Send a message?"

"If you're going to kill me, at least give it a reason."

Now everyone finds me hilarious. My cheeks flush with their eyes.

"Let's give the lady what she wants," Sal says. "We're gentleman after all."

"What are you going to do?"

He gets in real close, answering me with a whisper. "Do you know how Jesus' disciples died?"

Terribly. They were often tortured, boiled alive, killed in the most gruesome ways imaginable. "They were martyrs. You'll be a martyr for the Falcone family."

If he thinks making me a martyr will do anything to help him, he's crazy. It'll only infuriate Penguin, Butch, and my brother to the brink of murder. Falcone will come after Maroni with everything he's got. He's planned out their revenge tactic. Sal will be ready for their worst.