Reluctant to Share: (A Mafia Love Story) by Claire Aubrey

Chapter 1
     
    Vivian
    "Okay class, leave
your papers on my desk on the way out. Have a great weekend and try to stay
safe," said Professor Ledo once he had finished going over his lesson plan
for the day.
    Stay safe? Why
was it that whenever a weekend or holiday was on the horizon, people always
felt the need to remind others to stay safe? Was everyone else really going out
there doing all sorts of crazy, messed up things while I studied for upcoming
exams and helped out with the house chores at home? Honestly, staying safe was
the least of my worries. If anything, I was itching to feel what it was like to
actually get in trouble for once.
    Growing up as an only
child wasn't all that it was cracked up to be. Instead of getting spoiled, I
had to live with extremely strict rules under my parent's roof. It was their
way of making sure I didn't end up disappointing them. Also, because I didn't
have any siblings, it was my responsibility to take care of most of the
household chores once I had reached my preadolescent years.
    My father was a
salesman who traveled often for work. Meanwhile, my mother worked in retail and
was hardly ever home during nights and weekends. So it was up to me to make
sure the floors got mopped and the lawn outside mowed regularly.
    I never really minded
helping out with the chores at home. After all, it was my way of contributing
to the family. What I did mind, though, was all the pressure from my parents to
be so perfect all the time.
    They expected me to get
the best marks in school, land the perfect job after graduation, and then start
a family with a man they deemed good enough to be their son-in-law. I wasn't
supposed to date anyone just for the heck of dating, and my mother kept
reminding me how important it was for me to save myself for marriage.
    I was about to turn 21
in just a few months, and I had not even had a proper kiss from a man. Yes, I
had technically been kissed before while out on a date with the eldest son of
one of my mother's friends. But it wasn't the type of kiss that had my toes
curling or my heart skipping a beat. In fact, I hardly felt anything at all while
he kissed me. Then as soon as he was out of sight, I was quick to wipe my mouth
in an effort to erase the not-so-passionate kiss.
    Late at night, whenever
I was alone with my thoughts in bed, I would fantasize about meeting someone
who would take my breath away. He would rescue me from my mundane life and take
me on an incredibly wild ride. He would expose me to all that was adventurous
and thrilling, helping me to finally feel alive.
    Of course, I had no
idea how I was ever going to meet such a guy. I went straight home after school
each day, and I hardly ever went anywhere worth mentioning on the weekends. So
yeah, staying safe over the weekend was definitely not something I had to worry
about. Or so I had mistakenly thought.
     
    Tyler
    It was supposed to be a
fairly standard transaction. I was to give Marcus the items he had ordered from
the Alpha Outlaws while he handed over a briefcase full of money to me. But the
dumbwit was crazy enough to try to cheat me.
    I opened the briefcase
and was greeted by the sight of neatly stacked rows of one hundred-dollar
bills. I didn't bother to inspect the top row of bills. What would have been
the point? No one would be stupid enough to place counterfeit money right on
top.
     I grabbed a random
stack of money and flipped through it. Then I chose a single bill towards the
back to examine more closely with a small flashlight I had on me. It didn't
take long for me to notice that the two serial numbers on the bill didn't match
up with one another.
    Without saying a single
word, I pulled out my gun and aimed it at the dumbwit's head.
    "Please don't
shoot me!" begged Marcus. "I can explain!"
    Stifling a yawn, I
pulled the trigger, leaving Marcus for dead. I then concealed my weapon and made
my way out of the dark alley, when suddenly, I heard the noise of shuffling
footsteps behind