The Four Mafia Men and Their Prize by M C

90 - Cat and Mouse Aurora POV 7300 3 months later Fresh air. The smell of pine, citrus and fresh leaves just consumes my every cell forcing my lungs to expand and inhale the glorious scents.

It's refreshing, too bad | can’t enjoy it as | frantically look around searching the garden around me. | quickly whipped my head to both sides looking to see if those big burly men that wear all black with the guns strapped to their shoulders sawscurry from the trellis near the balcony that connected to the luxurious room | was held up in.

The cool night air does nothing for my nerves as my heartbeat starts to increase. | wait patiently counting to 5.

This is it. This is my chance. If | fail, | doubt they will ever letsee the sun again for an exceptionally long time. | will not be bound to that bed any longer. 5....4...3...2..1! | quickly dash across the vast open gardens. The silver glow of the crescent moon reflects off the neatly trimmed grass and hedges. The smell of it just being cut this moming still lingers in the air mixed with the rose bushes that line the walking paths. | just need to get to the tree line. The forest is thick and should hopefully be my salvation. The sound of chirping crickets is all the sounds | hear amongst the rapid beats of my own heart and the soft thudding of my feet along the ground.

At the furthest edge of the garden is the bench under the big Magnolia tree that | was allowed to sit and read on the good days. It was the only place | ever found ssemblance of peace. The quiet serenades would help transport my mind to the imaginary places of my books and allowto revel in the beauty of the literature and forget why | was there, in this house, with these mer | stop briefly at my bench. To take a moment to check my surroundings. | made the mistake of looking back at the house. Big mistake.

Standing on my balcony, illuminated by the moon of the sky and the harsh bright light of the room behind them, stood the men | feared the most. All four of them.

Crap.

“ALPORA!” Kai calls out.

They had their arms crossed watchingin silence. Even though | was on the far side of the garden and the darkness of the sky blocked out their stem gazes, | could still make out the challenge in their features. They are daringto take another step.

| take a quick breath and lowes my head like | have done before giving them the impression that | am once again submitting to them. But this time, not a chance! Defiance is my favorite hobby these days.

I look up and stick my tongue out, raising both of my bruised wrists in the air and holding out my middle fingers.

on my heels and run into the forest behindand under the e cover of the darkness.

1/4 90-Cat and Mouse “AURORA” They call out again. This t| don’t look back, | hear my na few more times, slowly fading in the distance as 1 pick up speed. | soon hear the familiar blow of the whistles and many shouting in the distance. It’s so dark under the canopy of these trees. | stumble into fallen branches and hear the crunch of twigs and leaves beneath my feet. | was smart this tand found a pair of Converse shoes so my feet wouldn't be cut up. Just wish | grabbed a jacket too. The air is crisp and would seep into my bones soon when | stop. A few scrapes litter my legs and arms.

My chest is becoming heavy as | try to push oxygen into my screaming lungs. Every muscle is burning, but | cannot stop. | swerve left then right trying to find a path.

“ALRORA!” Shit. They are getting closer.

| finally stumble and fall on a broken limb of a tree. My palms and my knees take the brunt of the fall, my weight harshly pounding into the ground. I let out a small yelp and quickly tried to cover my mouth. Ouch. That hurt! | take a moment to catch my breath and look behind me. | see small lights dancing through the tree line. Four...

no six... no..... FUCK A DUCK! | see at least 10 lights dancing towards the direction | am in. Great! Simply great.

They called in the dang calvary. Now the guards are looking too. My breath starts to speed up.

Aurora! Cback now sweetie! You had your fun... Surrender now and you will only get the whip! You know you can’t run from us! Was that Ben? | stay silent. | quickly see a larger tree to my right with a small hole at the base. | quietly pick myself up and crawl towards the tree trying not to make any sounds. Once at the tree, | am just able to pull my knees to my chest inside the opening at the base. | cover my mouth with my cut-up hands and try to breathe as slowly as | can to bring downl my racing heart. If | move, they will see me.

“AURORA! BABY GIRL YOU ARE IN BIG TROUBLE!!.... COME. OUT. NOW!” That was Jason. Fuck. This is not good.

They are so pissed.

And then silence.

Nothing- Not even the chirps of the insects. | don’t hear any crunching of leaves or hollers from the men.

No shining lights through the forest reflecting on the trees.

I hold my breath. 1...2...3....1 count to 60 silently, willing that they gave up.

Magivethey left? | close my eyes for a moment. | don’t hear them. I finally allow myself to exhale and a small smile creases my cheeks.

1 did it! 1 did it. Now I just have to get out of here. | crawl out of my little imaginary cubby hole.

“Well, hello sweetheart.” FUCK! | exhale another big breath and drop my head.

“Too much?” | say sweetly, looking up at Charlie, who is standing tall next to me, his arms crossed and a scowl resting 2/4 11:44 Tue, 20 Feb to 90 Cat and Mouse on his face.

“Just a bit,” he says with a glint of mischief in his eye.

“I'm about to have a really sore ass, aren't I?” | question him as | stand up and brush off my bare legs.

He just raises an eyebrow atwith the you know the answer to that look.

| take a quick deep breath. “Worth it!” | state as he liftseffortlessly and throwsover his shoulder. My world gets turned upside down and | begin to struggle trying to get more comfortable. He givesa harsh little slap on my naked thigh as he starts back to the house. “OW!” | screech out and he slaps my globes again. “You know the rules! No complaining” So | just hang there.

You see, after | was released from the hospital wing about a week after | woke up, they had givena choice.

Even though they didn’t want to, they knew they needed to. They letchoose if | wanted to leave them and return to my old life or | could stay with them, for life. They would protect me. They promisedto be better and | made sconditions which they sort of agreed to. They gavemore freedom. | now get to hang out with Chef at Saturn a few times a month, they letexperiment in the kitchen whenever | want, and | can go out whenever | want, as long as | take like a small army of armed guards, but hey, it's better than being a prisoner! They also takeout on a proper date once a week and when | am ready, | can return to school, online classes only though.

| have really grown to adore these men. They have continued my self-defense training and | have to say, | look pretty badass in my yoga pants and the training ring if you get what | am saying.

| am still a total brat when | want to be. What can | say. I've beca pain slut. And | have found ‘escaping the compound to be my favorite gwith them. Over the last 3 months, | have run away and hid from them about 30 times, successfully got outside the house 5 times and made it past the tree line now twice. | was supposed to be waiting for them in our room, kneeling and being all “good girl’ submissive after they finished their late-night work at the warehouse, but | got the bright idea to test the newest security systems. Never thought I'd get as far as | did. Must be my ninja skills.

| felt the temperature change and the soft grey glow of the moon was replaced with the softer amber glow of the house lights. | barely register the bouncing on the stairs as | continue to be wrapped up in my head. Running in the woods is tiring! | finally hear a few doors open and close before | feel myself being thrown in the air and bouncing a few times on a very comfy bed.

A red bed. A huge red bed. Shit. We are in the Master Playroom. And looking down atare my four badass captors of my heart.

“Well, fucksideways and bakea chocolate pie!” | exclaim as my eyes are as wide as saucers, looking at the various restraints and pleasure items in their hands. Kai is wielding his favorite leather flogger. Damn, that is going to sting. | just got rid of the last marks too! “Oh, we plan to princess! That and so much more... Kai darkly says before they all pounce onlike the tigers they are, Rawr!