Page 17 of The Runaway Bride

“You are going to pay for this,Elli,” Tia groans as she stands with her hands on her hips, giving me a fiercescowl.

“Aw, come on, it’s not that bad,and if you want to do the fighting bit, you have to do the rest.” I say it insuch a way that Tia points at my face and sticks her tongue out.

Fran giggles. “You have tenminutes before you get onto the machines. Elli, you can see Tia needs buildingup before she starts the hand-to-hand sessions. If we spend the first lessonswith cardio, I think it would be beneficial.”

“Okay, Fran. Come on, Tia, let’sget onto the treadmill and get walking. We can join the beginner's spin classtoo, which starts tomorrow morning.”

“Whatever…” Tia mumbles as sheheads for the nearest treadmill. I follow behind, but I’m grinning at Fran, whois finding this highly amusing.

Walking back to my apartmentwhere I’ve promised to feed Tia, as I’ve apparently used up all her bodilynutrients while making her warm up and walk. I can’t help the giggle thatescapes and watching Tia slouch as she walks beside me. I throw my arm aroundher shoulders and place the side of my head against hers.

“You are a stinking sister, youknow that?” Tia grumbles.

“Yeah, I know. But to be fair,I’ve never had a sister before, so it’s still a learning curve. Now if I’dgotten another brother, I’d know what to do with him.”

“You know we are being followed,don’t you? I don’t see him at the moment, so I may have been imagining it.” Tiais glancing behind us as we walk.

Suddenly, a man appears in frontof us, dressed in black. I don’t recognize him, but I push Tia slightly behindme and take a fighting stance.

Holding his hands up in asurrender fashion, he speaks, “Elliana, I am here to alert you that your motherRenata is on the run. She’s coming for you as payment for your father beingkilled.”

“That has nothing to do with me,and let’s be honest, he deserved all he got.” I look at Tia who is standingquietly and looking around, more than likely remembering what I told her if wewere ever accosted. That instruction was to give me space to fight, but towatch for anyone trying to sneak up on us.

“Your brother, Alexander, hasbeen made Capo. He also is worried that your mother is going to hurt you. I wasinstructed to warn you, so you had that information at hand.” Before I can saymore he smoothly walks back until he turns and disappears between two houses.

“What the fuck is going on, Elli?Why would your mother blame you for your father's death?” Tia quietly asks,making sure anyone that walks past cannot hear our conversation.

“My mother always tried to playthe innocent card. You know, sitting meekly while my father dished out whateverhe wanted. But both Alex and I knew that she was as evil as my father. She justtried to hide it and pretend she was a good little mafia wife.”

“Okay, we need to make sure wehave weapons on us at all times. I may not be as fit as you, Elli, but I’llfight as I know how, and that is fight dirty,” Tia grins and I can see shemeans every word.

As we reach our apartments, butbefore we can enter one we are shocked to see Spinner rushing over. “You twohave eyes on you. I’ve had my boys following them. There are six that we knowof, and they are particularly watching you, Elli.”

“Hm, I have a feeling I know whothat may be. Don’t worry Spinner, I have it. But if we need you to help usdisappear, can you do that?” I ask.

“Yeah, no problem, I can dothat.” Spinner winks at Tia just as he turns and walks away. I look at Tia whohas a flush on her cheeks, but she gives me a frown as she storms over to herapartment, opens the door and slams it behind her.

A giggle escapes my lips as Iunlock the door, but I freeze as soon as I step inside—something feels wrong.I listen closely, hearing nothing, yet something still feels amiss. From myposition in the entrance hall, I have no visibility to anywhere else. I slowlymake my way to the door opening into the combined kitchen and living room.

Standing in the doorway, all isrevealed! My mother is sitting on the couch and looking at me with a sick grinon her face. “Oh, you’ve finally come home.”

"What brings you here?"I ask, though I know she'll try to hurt me, but she's mistaken. She does notknow that Alex has taught me how to look after myself. That also involves notjust my person, but the space I live in.

To my right, there is a concealedknife, and to my left, there is a Glock, both within reach across the room. I'manticipating her approaching me so I can finally confront her the way shedeserves.

Slowly getting to her feet, mymother approaches. I know she entered by the back of the apartment building, asthe front door was still locked. But I can guess the fire exit was useful toher.

“Did you know your father isdead?”

“Oh, yes, I heard that the pieceof shit got what was coming. Did you both think the Don would not find outyou’ve been skimming money and been traitors to the family?”

Hearing me call my father a pieceof shit, she screeches and lunges for me, but I’m ready. I grab the arm she’sreaching for my hair with. I mean really, hair pulling? It is rather playgroundshit, isn’t it? I yank her forward and duck at the same time, flipping her overmy shoulder. She lands heavily on her back, groans and slowly gets to her feet.

Just as she steps forward tolunge again the front door opens and Tia bellows, “HERE COMES JOHNNY!”

My mother, who is startled by theshout, and the frown says she’s not understanding Tia’s comment, has me pauseright before Tia rushes through the door and jumps on top of my mother. Shegrabs a handful of hair with each hand and is yanking for all she’s worth.

I’m frozen in shock for a moment,because the crazy look on Tia’s face would be worth a lot of money if theproducers ever wanted a female ‘Johnny’.

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