Page 4 of The Mafia's Vendetta

“Would there be anything else?”she asked.

“I’d like to know where you’re from?”the man asked.

“I’m not really from anywhere.I move around a lot.”

One of the other men at the table asked why, and she told them she liked being a free spirit.When she looked back at the man in charge, she could tell he didn’t believe a word she was saying, and she needed to get out of his way because she didn’t want any more questions.

“Really?”he asked.

“Yes, I don’t like being in one town long because there’s always something else to see.”

One of his brows spiked.“Oh, really?”he said.

She blew out a breath and gritted her teeth.”Yes, now, is there anything else I can get you?I have other customers.”

“No, we’re fine for now.Please check back.”

She took a few steps, turned, and walked away.For the next hour, she ignored them as much as she could and knew she eventually would have to go over and check on them.

Only the three men were left when she saw the table, and the main man was gone.They didn’t intimidate her as much as the other guy.She breathed a sigh of relief.

“What can I get you, gentlemen?”she asked.

“I don’t think we need anything.I think we’re probably leaving here soon.”

She could feel her stomach at ease and gave them a small smile.“All right, you have a good evening,” she said.

For the next hour, she took care of her other tables.

The next time she looked at the table against the far wall, it was empty except for the dirty glasses and pitcher.It made her slightly dizzy with relief.She walked over to get the glasses and found a hundred-dollar bill under one.The man was nosy as hell, but he was generous.

The rest of the night went smoothly, but she was ready to return to her room and get some sleep.

“I’m going to head out,” she said after finishing the sweeping.

Newman smiled.“Get some rest tonight, and I will see you tomorrow.”

She smiled.“I will try.”

She waved, grabbed her jacket from the locker by the office, and went out the back door.She looked around carefully to make sure there was no one there before she closed the door because it locked right after her.

Nala cautiously started to go back to the room a block away.About halfway there, her sense of being watched grew stronger with every step.She stopped and looked around and couldn’t see anything but then turned back and hurried up the stairs to the room she was staying in.

She locked the door, making it as secure as she could.Looking at the door and all four locks almost made her smile.She put in two extra ones when she moved in because she felt unsafe.It helped a little, but she didn’t think she’d ever feel one hundred percent secure.She pulled off her glasses and clothes before stepping into the shower.She scrubbed and dried herself, then put on her nightgown and brushed her teeth.She took down her hair and finger-combed it.

Nala studied her face in the mirror and grimaced.She disliked the blonde color she used to hide her natural black hair.She’d been in a hurry that day, so she grabbed the first one off the shelf.She did everything she could to hide because she would kill herself if he caught her and took her back.Death would be better than what he would do to her.She’d feel pain unlike anything she’d ever felt with Clayton, and she wouldn’t be able to handle it.The thought of begging him to stop made her sick because that’s exactly what the bastard wanted her to do.It never helped, but it made him happy.

She thought she should eat something before bed but had no energy to get up and find something.

Her eyes closed, and she let out a sigh before she fell asleep.A few times that night, she was jerked awake from a sound out in the alley or down in the restaurant, but otherwise, she got a few hours of uninterrupted sleep, which she needed.She couldn’t remember the last time she’d gotten a full night’s sleep.Even as a child, she’d been on guard in all the foster homes before the monster Clayton had come into her life.

The light coming in through the thin drapes brightened the room the next morning, waking her up.She lay there and stared at the ceiling for a long time, relaxing and thinking about her next move.

It made her feel better making plans.She thought about how she would leave town and where her next few options were.She saved all her tips and wages because she’d need them to run.Fortunately, Newman’s cousin, who owned the restaurant below her, didn’t charge her rent.So, besides some food, she spent very little and saved every penny.

Later that day, she went to the grocery store and bought a few cheap items she had craved for years.That was another thing she had a hard time with.For years, her owner, Clayton, would give her bread and water, sometimes rice.She knew it was to keep her weak, and it worked.

She was never given meat, fruit, or vegetables.So, now she craved them and ate them whenever she could.It didn’t seem to help her gain weight.She knew she was too skinny and needed the extra flesh on her bones for energy when she had to run the next time.But so far, everything she tried had failed.If she didn’t feel so healthy otherwise, she thought something was wrong with her body.But she still had energy, could function, and had no pain.

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