Anastasia by A. Marie

Anastasia

“Today marks two months and she’s only been progressing, Ms. Smith,” Dr. Flores started with a smile gracing his features. I couldn’t help but cheer in happiness as I ran over to hug my sister. Her color was already returning, she was no longer as pale as before.

“Does this mean she can come home soon?” I questioned.

His smile dropped slightly as he shook his head. “Alex is progressing, but we still have to keep her close in order to monitor her. If things keep going how they are and if the chemotherapy continues to destroy more cancer cells, I believe she can go home within the next week or two,” he responded.

It wasn’t as good of news as I had anticipated, but it was better than what could’ve been said.

“Hey, you’re in the middle of the toughest battle, Alex. You just have to keep fighting so you can win in the end,” he muttered before giving Alex a small smile. She nodded her head slowly as she puckered her lips off to the side.

“You got this,” I told her.

The doctor gazed at me, but I chose to ignore him as my phone rang inside of my pocket.

“Hello?” I answered.

Dr. Flores began to explain his plan that would happen in the next couple of months with Alex. She listened sadly as he told her about her next chemotherapy treatments.

“Hey, babe. Valerio said he needs you to come down here about six. You’ve been requested,” Janice explained.

Letting out a loud groan of aggravation, I agreed. All she did was chuckle as we said our goodbyes.

Hearing that I had been requested brought back memories of Mr. Romano. After that day, Valerio had come up to me with all the cash I made from tips and a big fat check. It was worth about twenty-five thousand and it was addressed to me from him. If I didn’t need the money, I would’ve given it back and informed the man that I was not a prostitute. However, that wasn’t the case because I did, in fact, need the money. I took the check and turned back on the electricity in our small apartment. I even paid the rent for the next couple of months and then put the rest into my savings.

“If your sister wants me to explain everything to her just give the nurse a call,” he told Alex while walking out of the room. I pushed myself out of my thoughts before glancing over at my sister. She was looking at me suspiciously.

“What?” I quizzed.

Then, I watched as her eyes wandered down to the bag I had underneath my chair. It was the same bag I used to pack all of my clothes in just in case I had to work. My diner clothes were in there along with some makeup and a couple of Barbie outfits just so I wouldn’t have to go all the way home.

“I love you, Nana, but I have noticed how you leave some nights. Of course, you are a woman, and you can do how you please, but I just―”

“You just what?” I asked, pulling my brows together at her momentary pause.

“I just can’t help but wonder; where do you go?”

Sitting down in the chair that had become my usual home at the hospital, I thought about the answer to her words. I didn’t want to lie to her, and I knew that she would use her brilliant mind to put everything together eventually. However, her disappointment was just something I couldn’t handle.

“My second job. Stop worrying so much about me, you should be the main focus,” I told her, wanting to drop the entire subject.

She opened her mouth as if she wanted to say something else, but then she closed it. A sigh moved past her lips as she let her shoulders fall in defeat.

Dancing at the club had gotten easier, and the men began to know my name and they loved me. It seemed like every day that I went, the more money in tips I seemed to make. I had already bought my sister a few wigs that were waiting for her inside of our room for the day she comes home. I even updated her entire wardrobe after paying off a few of her medical bills. Life was beginning to look up for me.

“I’m going to swing by the house to grab a few things, is there anything you need?” I asked her, standing up.

“Actually, there is something,” she whispered. I furrowed my brow as I watched my sister’s shaking hand rise to her head where she combed through her strands. Long pieces of hair were clinging to her fingers. My heart broke at the sight of Alex’s tears as she did it again and again.

“Stop it, Alex!” I exclaimed, grabbing her wrist. As I held her wrist, I couldn’t stop staring at the hair in Alex’s hand. When my eyes trailed up to her head, I noticed the patches of missing hair and how thin her once thick strands had become.

“Just cut it off.” Alex wept.

“What? No,” I stated, releasing her wrist from my hold.

Alex glared down at her hand as she shook her head. There was this pain that arose in my throat from seeing my sister like that. I’d never once seen Alex hang her shoulders in defeat. It was unlike her to be so hurt and to so easily show off that pain. She was closed off, keeping her emotions sealed.

“Then I’ll do it myself,” she spoke. Just as she said it, Alex reached over to her nightstand where her arts and crafts were hiding inside of a drawer. She grabbed the safety scissors, and before I was given the chance to stop her, she cut her hair.

I gasped. “Alex!”

She sobbed as she cut another chunk. I could only watch in horror as she did it again. Every time the scissors snipped, her sobs grew louder.

After one last cut, she finally stopped. Her body stilled, but her weeping grew. Alex threw her hands up in her hair as her shoulders rocked to match the music of her sadness. I hurriedly wrapped my arms around my little sister, trying to protect her from her own pain. Alex responded by allowing me to hug her and keep her protected like I always swore to do. If that meant I had to protect her from the very disease killing her, then I would.

When her crying died down, I rubbed her back soothingly. “Are you okay?”

She sniffled. “I’m fine.”

“Good. Now, let’s get this head as smooth as a newborn baby,” I joked. Alex cracked a smile before a snort climbed out of her throat. After kissing the top of her head, I called in a nurse, who helped me cut off the rest of Alex’s hair before we used hair clippers to really get it short. Once we finished, I watched Alex touch her bald head as she stared at herself in the mirror. Her wide eyes and parted lips made my frown deepen.

“How do you feel?” I asked.

“I know that I have cancer. I know that it is real and that I’m dying. This whole time it was always easy to forget about it and stay strong because my family needs me to be. You taught me to be, but as I look at myself with no hair,” her voice cracked. “It all feels so real now. I’m dying, Anastasia. I have cancer.”

I shook my head, tears of my own beginning to fall. “No, you aren’t. I won’t allow that to happen.”

She didn’t bother to say another word as she continued to look at her reflection. I could almost hear her thoughts, full of doubt and disbelief. There was so much I wished I could do for her, but I knew that I couldn’t.

After letting out a sigh, I cracked a small smile to try and lighten up her mood. “Now that you’re bald and everything, you kind of look like Vin Diesel.”

“Get the hell out!” Alexandria laughed as she pointed to the door.

I couldn’t help but chuckle. “What? Vin Diesel is hot!”

We continued to laugh and cry, our time together stretching into hours. I helped Alex back to her bed when the nurse came in and gave her all the medication she needed. Soon, Alexandria drifted off to sleep, allowing me to slip away.

* * *

“Mum!”I called out before flicking on the living room light. She soon walked out of her bedroom with a cigarette in her hand. Bags were visible under her eyes. I couldn’t help but notice her drained expression as she stared at me. It was the first time in a while she was actually sober, and as much as I hated cigarettes, it was better than what she usually did.

“What?” she asked.

I walked toward her, only to see her eyebrows raised in question. I quickly wrapped my arms around her motherly frame and chose to ignore how her body shivered even though the room was not cold at all.

“Are you okay?” I asked. “I came to tell you that Alex has progres―”

“Anastasia, do you think I could borrow some money? I promise I will give it back. I just need a little to tide me over for a little,” she cut me off.

My eyebrows scrunched together. “Tide you over for what? I bought food for you, I paid all of the utility bills, and the rent. What could you possibly need money for?”

She looked away from me, preparing to share another lie. A dangerous fire was settling in my bones as I waited.

When I walked in to see her sober, a feeling of hope surged through my body. I wanted to talk to her like how we used to talk all of the time in Australia. She used to be such a great mother before she met her friend’s disappointment and drugs after bringing us to America. She promised us a better life, but so far, it only seemed worse. I would have gladly accepted the cruel man that my mum once called her husband, who beat on her more times than I could count than having lost my mother in a battle of sobriety. I could never understand how that same man was the father to a kind girl like Alex. Luckily, she doesn’t remember a single thing about him.

It would’ve been great to have someone who understood how I felt about Alexandria’s situation, but instead, I was faced with a mother who only wanted money from me. Even though I have had to deal with this for so long, it always managed to sting.

“You know,” she began. “Girl products.”

I rolled my eyes before grabbing my bag and walking right past her. When I opened our bedroom door, I immediately wanted to scream. All of the clothes and shoes I had bought for Alex were gone. It didn’t take a genius to know who took them. I threw my bag on the ground before sitting on the bed with my hands in my hair.

“Fuck! Fuck! Fuck!” I yelled.

Tears no longer threatened to fall from my eyes. All I could pinpoint was a feeling of numbness that traveled from my thoughts to my heart. There was so much stress in working two jobs, taking care of my little sister who was battling the deadliest thing on Earth, and having to watch over a mother who no longer felt like being a mother at all.

“Fuck,” I whispered

I placed clothes and shoes into my bag. Irritation was clear in my expression. I was angrier with myself; I should have known she would do something so selfish. I needed to learn to be more careful with what I left in my mother’s care.

Grabbing my phone, I sent a quick text to Alex, informing her that I would be heading off to work.

The stare of my mother’s eyes, burning at me from the entrance of my bedroom didn’t go unnoticed.

“Don’t you ever ask me for a penny of my money! You should be ashamed of yourself! You sold all of the things I bought for your very sick daughter,” I snapped, my eyes never going to meet her.

“I didn’t do that! Anastasia, baby, you know I would never,” she lied, walking toward me. I grabbed my bag and stormed out of the room. Nothing will ever make up for the wrongs she had done.

Just before I walked out of the house, I snatched off the necklace she had gotten me many years ago, it was a locket of me and a woman I once loved to call my mother.

Gripping her hand, I placed the necklace in her palm. “That is all you will receive from me ever again Sell it, trade it, shove it up your ass for all I care.”

Without another word, I walked out and made sure to slam the door behind me.

* * *

I strolled into the club,only to be immediately met with Valerio. Relief quickly washed over his features as he grabbed a hold of my arm. I thought he was going to push me to the back, but instead, he walked me up the stairs. As we walked, my eyes wandered down to my attire. I was in a pink leather skirt, a white crop, and clear heels. I was nowhere near prepared for where he was taking me.

The second he opened the door, my eyes widened as I looked around. It looked like I had just stepped into a mansion. Everything was huge and dripped with expense. Even the smell was rich and elegant. I looked at Valerio.

“I am so confused. The club is a part of a mansion?” I asked.

“Yes, the club is underground. This mansion is a private home to Mr. Romano and Mr. Rossi. As for why you get to see it, Mr. Romano has requested your presence. I’m not sure what for, but I am aware of a meeting he’s having,” Valerio explained. My eyebrows were still bunched up as we continued to walk. The place was heavily guarded with tall men, ready to pounce on whoever necessary.

We made our way past the kitchen, where a blonde-haired lady was cooking. Her eyes met mine and I saw pity swim in them.

Past the kitchen I saw a staircase as we strolled by. I then eyed Valerio as he knocked on a wooden door. I was still confused as to why my heart began to beat wildly in my chest. I was going to see Mr. Romano again after that strange night at the club.

“Come in,” a cool voice stated.

Based on the chill that ran through my body, I knew exactly who it was, Mr. Romano. Valerio opened the door, leaving me to gaze into the room. All I could see were men in suits and some women sitting beside them who looked quite bored.

There was an empty seat between Mr. Romano and a man who looked kind of similar. Only this guy had a bunch of tattoos covering every bit of his skin. Janice had told me about Mr. Romano, but I began to wonder if he was the other man Janice told me about, Mr. Rossi.

Everyone turned to look at me while Mr. Romano leaned back in his chair with a smirk on his face. “Sit.”

Looking around the room, I slowly made my way over to the seat. The man covered in tattoos looked quite annoyed.

“As I was saying before the interruption,” Mr. Rossi said, glancing at Mr. Romano.

I failed to pay attention as Mr. Rossi talked. They were speaking about matters that I had no clue about, or the will to learn.

Suddenly, I could feel a hand on my thigh.

My gaze traveled up to meet Mr. Romano’s. Shaking my head, I grasped his hand and pried it off my thigh.

I had made a promise to myself to stay away from him. Janice warned me of his kind of business, and the last thing I wanted was to get my family into any more drama.

When his hand went back to my thigh, he squeezed it tightly before traveling up. My breathing was beginning to increase dramatically when his hand reached inside of my skirt.

“There is a reason why we have invited all of your women here today,” Mr. Romano said, causing me to listen and stare right at his perfectly sculpted face. From his plump lips to his jawline, even his piercing shed with danger. As I looked at his eyes, I could see the secrets begging to be heard.

“Well, everyone except my brother,” he said, causing a light chuckle to settle around the table. I looked over at Mr. Rossi to see his eyes narrowed into little slits as anger oozed from them. I never would have guessed that they were brothers. They could have been like Alex and I, only half-siblings, seeing as their last names weren’t even the same.

“Many have considered me to be cruel and heartless, yet my friend here…” he began before beckoning for one of the suited men to stand. The man quickly stood up on wobbly feet while fixing his suit in the process. “…is getting married. His wedding ceremony will not only be paid for by me, his friend, but he says that I get to invite the people of my choosing as well. Isn’t that right, Marco?” he asked.

I could hear the evil intent in his voice. It was enough to make my eyes narrow in suspicion as I saw Marco visibly gulp. I felt bad for him, and I wasn’t even sure why yet.

“Yes, sir. Thank you, sir,” he sputtered out quickly before sitting down next to a woman, his fiancée. She immediately wrapped her hand around his arm as she gazed at Mr. Romano with fear-laced eyes.

All of a sudden, Mr. Romano’s hand found the outside of my panties and he brushed against my core. I immediately grabbed his arm to halt his actions, and thankfully he did stop. However, he didn’t pull his hand away.

“Next time I hear of a marriage, it better come from you. This is my kindness to you, Marco, because I would gladly kill your fiancée right in front of you. You really thought you could just hide this engagement from me? Get married right underneath my nose? No. Any woman that you allow into this business should be run by me. I must know everything from the last whore that you sleep with to your preferable brand of fucking toothpaste. Do you understand me?” Mr. Romano asked, anger slipping through his words. I flinched as he slammed his fist down onto the table. “That goes for all of you at this table.”

If I thought I was confused before, I was beyond confused now. His words began to process in my mind as I started to get fearful. Did he really mean he would kill someone’s fiancée just for failing to bring it to his attention? A shiver ran through my body as I gawked at him.

“That is all I had to say. You are all excused,” Mr. Romano said.

Everyone quickly fled the room, except for his brother, who moved at a slower pace. Mr. Rossi’s eyes fell on me as he stared at his brother while shaking his head. There were no more words exchanged before he walked out of the room, leaving us all alone.

I got up from the chair, but his hand on my thigh stopped me. “You stay.”

My heart was pumping vigorously in my chest. I kept repeating the promise I had made to myself in my head over and over. His eyes were staring into mine and it made me wonder how someone could look so perfect.

“I am not your puppy that you can call on whenever you want to. Secondly, I don’t even understand why I was brought here,” I pointed out.

Mr. Romano was known as a man without mercy. What I expected as a response was anger, but instead, he smirked at me. Not knowing whether to be scared or grateful, my eyebrow rose in question.

Abruptly, he leaned in closer, his lips freezing me in my spot as they grazed against my jawline. I was hoping he didn’t notice the shiver that flowed through me.

“You’re right, you’re not my puppy. You’re my little Barbie doll, no? I get to play with you when and how I want,” he whispered into my ear as the hand he left perched on my thigh began to move against my clit. “As for the other thing, I wanted to let you know of your invitation to my friend’s wedding. No need to be rude to me, Barbie. I only want to be your friend.”

I grabbed his hand, and with as much strength as I could muster, I pushed it away from my thigh. The sound of my underwear snapping back into place didn’t go unnoticed as he chuckled darkly.

“I saw and heard what you do to your friends, that is the last thing I want to be,” I said behind narrowed eyes. Even though I sounded confident, my heart was pumping with fear. I knew what his hands were capable of, and for some reason, my body wouldn’t run the hell out of the room.

“What do you want to be then?” he asked with a smirk still playing on his lips. I felt his other hand easily make its way up from my waist and toward my breast. As I began to let go of his hand that was prepared to finger me, I reached for his other hand. It was becoming a game of ‘Don’t let the mafia man grab your body parts.’

“I want to go back in the club and make as much money as I can,” I stated. Like before, I tried to get up but he grabbed me and dragged me onto his lap. I couldn’t deny how aroused I was beginning to feel by being on top of him. Who was I kidding? A single glance in my direction had me wet.

“I pay you for your company,” he explained, as if that was supposed to make me feel better.

“What kind of person do you think I am, your escort?” I challenged. He shook his head, his hands wrapping around my waist, pulling me closer to his chest. I could smell his rich cologne but couldn’t exactly pinpoint what kind it was. Based on how much money he seemed to have, I was sure that it could’ve been custom made.

“Do you want to be?” he asked. I grabbed his hands on my waist before dropping them to his sides. Getting off his lap, I turned around. The moment I did, he pushed me down so my chest laid on top of the table while his hands moved down to my bottom.

“I was kidding. Why don’t you let me joke?” he asked, pressing his hard-on against me. I bit down on my lip as I could feel every inch of him upon me. All I could hope for was that he wouldn’t lift up my skirt to see how wet he made me.

My mind was too busy with an internal battle, so I didn’t pay much attention to his hand trailing underneath my skirt. Instinctively, I pushed closer against him, leaving his hand that was once underneath my skirt to come crawling up to my neck.

“What do you want from me, Mr. Romano?” I seethed. His hand wandered down from my neck to my waist, where he pulled up the tight fabric of my crop top. The feel of his skin against mine only built the sensations deep within. My eyes shut momentarily at the thought of everything he could do to me.

“Valentino,” he said. I had to stop myself from moaning when his hand disappeared into my crop top and pushed past my bra. His flesh was against my bare boob with his erection pressing right up against my most sacred area. Biting down on my lip, he teased the bud of my nipple, leaving me to warn my hip not to make any movement against his.

“I want to fuck you right on top of this table,” he muttered. A small squeal escaped my mouth when he flipped me over so my back was pressed against the table. My eyes met his darker ones. Desire was pooling in his eyes as he looked at my body hungrily. It was as if he hadn’t eaten in months and I was his first meal.

I shouldn’t do it.My family would be in jeopardy and Janice warned me that he was a man to not be played with. However, one thing I couldn’t deny was how turned on he made me. My breathing was growing heavier by the second. Without another thought, I grabbed him by his neck and pressed his lips down against mine. He immediately dove his tongue into my mouth, exploring everything I had to offer.

My legs immediately wrapped around him as I pressed against him. Slowly, my body began to move against his as his mouth wandered lower to my neck. A moan ripped out of me as his hand cupped my tit before his mouth returned to mine.

I ignored his fingers that unwrapped my legs from around him right before he pushed my skirt down my legs. The feeling of being completely bare except for the panties I had underneath made everything feel even better. His hand moved my panty aside like he had done previously while his mouth had never left mine.

My back arched, leaving my breast to meet his chest once his finger had dived into my sex. I broke the kiss once again when a moan shredded out of me. I felt on fire as he pulled away to look at me. He bit down on his lip while his finger pummeled in and out of me at an inhuman pace. When he added a second finger, it took everything for my body to not cave into my desires.

If I thought my breathing was heavy before, I was not prepared for how hard I was breathing now. The eye contact he held with me was almost promising. It was as if he were telling me that he could do so much more with me, and that it was a guarantee I would feel blissful no matter what it was.

Not much time passed before I could feel my lower region tightening against his fingers. It happened before I could stop it as an orgasm washed through me. I let out moan after moan until I was finished.

He removed his fingers from inside of me with a smirk. Then, he brought it up to my lips with a knowing look on his features. “Taste yourself.”

I looked down at his fingers to see my juices had coated them. Staring intensely into his eyes, I stuck my tongue out. His eyes dropped from mine to stare directly at my lips right before placing his fingers directly on my tongue. I grabbed onto his hand so he wouldn’t pull away and gently wrapped my lips around his fingers. He looked hypnotized when I sucked them and swirled my tongue against the tips of them.

“Cazzo, mia bella,” he said softly before sitting down in his chair directly in front of me. I quickly sat up on the table, allowing my eyes to drop down to his erection. He was extremely hard and it looked like it would tear me apart. My eyes picked up on how it was straining against his slacks.

“You never truly answered my questions,” I muttered softly.

He gazed at me for a while, then pulled me right back down onto his lap. I allowed him to grab a fistful of my hair before his head buried itself into the crook of my neck. The feeling of him sucking against my skin caused me to try to push him away, although, no matter how hard I pushed, he pulled me even closer.

“Mr. Romano, you’re going to leave a hickey and I still have to work tomorrow,” I groaned irritably as he continued to suck against my skin. Attempting to push him away again didn’t work, but he did stop momentarily before moving on to somewhere else.

“Mr. Romano,” I repeated.

His hand latched onto my waist where he squeezed me. While his one hand held onto my waist, his other one was still gently pulling my hair to keep me in place. Despite the fact that I just had an orgasm, he was making me feel turned on once again. Every time he sucked against my skin, I felt a jolt go directly to my core.

Seeing as he held on to my hair, I ran my fingers through his. I never would’ve guessed his hair would feel so silky and thick. When I grabbed a handful and tugged it gently, he let out a small groan against my neck. It was the sexiest noise I had ever heard. He pressed me closer against his erection and just like I had done before, I began to grind against him.

After much time, he pulled away from my neck. I just knew that it looked bad based on the smirk he wore on his face as he stared at it. “Every time you strip, I just want those little boys to know that you belong to me, no?”

“I don’t belong to you,” I said before quickly getting out of his grip. I bent over as fast as I could to grasp my skirt that he had discarded on the floor. His eyes followed my every move as I quickly slid it back on.

Annoyance was clear on my expression. I hated how much of an effect he had on me. One minute I was ready to submit to him and do what he wanted because my brain was clogged up with lust. Then the next, a reminder of the type of business he does would go rushing into my head. I had to get away, but no matter how hard I tried, my body wouldn’t let me.

My phone rang, interrupting my thoughts. I quickly grabbed it and felt my heart sink at the realization that it was coming from the hospital. He got up from his chair and made his way over to me, where he pulled me against him.

“Ms. Smith? We need you at the hospital as soon as you can. The doctor received an urgent call from your sister’s room and we’ve tried to reach you for a couple of hours. They are currently rushing her to surgery,” she explained. My heart immediately sank at her words. I couldn’t even form a sentence as the repetition of everything she had to say kept playing in my brain.

“I’ll be right there,” I muttered before hanging up.

It had been two months since Alex had been diagnosed with leukemia. I couldn’t ignore the fear that crept up my bones at the thought of her possibly dying. Mr. Romano pulled away from me as he looked at my face. I quickly wiped away a tear that had fallen before briskly walking over to the door.

“I have to go,” I whispered. My voice wasn’t trustworthy at all, so a whisper was all that came out.

As fast as I could, I opened the door and walked out of the huge mansion and back into the club. Valerio cast me a concerned look.

I knew I couldn’t handle bringing up my situation, so I just left. I left the club, I left my boss, and I left Valerio. A sob climbed out of my throat as I tried my best to breathe. It seemed like one thing kept tearing me down after another. As soon as I took one step forward, I was pulled ten steps back.

* * *

I rushed into the hospital.My makeup probably looked a mess and I knew that my clothing wasn’t the most presentable. None of it mattered though, I just needed my little sister to be okay. She was my last little bit of sanity that I had left, I didn’t know what I would do without her.

Just as soon as I walked in, Dr. Flores came up to me with a tight-lipped smile. It wasn’t his usual smile where he proudly displayed his pearly whites, which left me worried.

“Anastasia, I’m happy to inform you that Alexandria is in much better condition. I had to perform a splenectomy, which is surgery to remove the entire spleen. It was an emergency operation because her spleen had been dangerously compromised by the leukemia. The spleen is a very important part of the body’s immune system. Seeing as we had to remove that, it’s going to lead to a lot scarier bumps up ahead. This is what I call the ‘dark part’ of cancer, Ms. Smith. Remember when I told you that you may need help? This is the time that you should get it,” he said, his hand rubbing my shoulder soothingly.

I understood that it was supposed to be good news, but I couldn’t stop my tears. I wrapped my arms around him and sobbed. It may have been inappropriate to hug my sister’s doctor, but it was the one thing I needed at the moment—a hug. My body shook and there was an ache beginning to make a permanent home in the pit of my belly.

“She’s not going to get better, is she? She’s never coming back home,” I cried as I pulled away. His eyes strayed away for a moment before returning back to mine with a sad smile.

“It depends on the way her cancer responds to the treatment.”