Taken By The Mafia Lord

"I'll only be a dead weight to you," Penelope told Natalie, not that she was listening.

Natalie was too stubborn for her own good and kept on dragging Penelope along, supporting half of her height. She was determined they would leave here together.

"I see them!" A voice undoubtedly one of Daniel's soldiers notified the others and from the look of things, they would catch up to them soon.

"You have to let go of me now," Penelope was almost begging her, "If you get caught now, then all of our efforts would have been for nothing. However, if you leave me behind, then it would be worth it,"

"No, no, no," Natalie shook her head, hot tears running down her cheeks. She didn't want to leave Penelope behind, who knows what that psycho Daniel would do to her now he knows she aided her escape. Also, Penelope was the only one she could trust now, not after her father's betrayal. She was practically the only family she had left now. What would she do without her?

"Please, Natalie," Penelope was begging her, tears in her eyes too, "You have to go before it is too late,"

"No, I can't leave you," Natalie stood her ground and tried to grab her again but Penelope pushed her away. She wanted her to leave! Doesn't she get that?! This was a sacrifice she was willing to make for her.

"Penelope.." Natalie cried out.

Thanks to her stubbornness, Daniel's soldier finally caught them and tried to reach for Natalie who shrieked in alarm. However, Penelope was a quick thinker and picked the empty bottle she saw on the floor and smashed the man on the head before Natalie let go of the panic and bashed the man's head against the wall, knocking him out.

"What are you still waiting for?! Get the hell out of hell!" Penelope roared at her with great ferocity, startling her.

The ferocity on her friend's face told Natalie that she wasn't joking anymore. She had to leave. Penelope was right, she can't let her sacrifice be for anything.

At that moment, Penelope looked like a fine warrior, like a lioness intent on protecting her young from the predator and she was filled with both guilt and gratitude.

Without warning, Natalie put her two arms around her neck and hugged her one last time and Penelope returned her hug — and then started to cry.

"I love you!" Natalie said to her.

They were young people who were supposed to be having fun at this point of their life, not running away from a psychopathic wannabe husband.

"Promise me that after tonight, you will return to your parents safely and you will forget about me?" Natalie told her.

Penelope nodded even though she knew deep down that might not be possible anymore. She had a feeling she was not going to survive tonight.

She clasped Natalie's cheek, "And promise me, you would come back to the country after things have cooled down? Promise me, I'll be the first person you would seek out!"

"I promise you," Natalie said, even though she knew it was not possible to return home anymore. Her father betrayed her while Daniel was searching intently for her. There was no more home for her, not in this place, not in her country.

The shouts became louder with the stomping of feet coming their way and Penelope bent to pick a shard of glass, placing it in her palm.

"Take it, protect yourself. Now, go!"

Natalie didn't wait to be told twice, she took off, but not without casting one last look at her friend. Penelope confidently stood in the way while Daniel and one other came after her.

The look in Daniel's eyes scared the hell out of Natalie, he looked like a ravaging beast who had lost his sanity. He was furious and for a moment there, Natalie feared for her safety of Penelope. What if Daniel kills her in his fury?

However, knowing that it would be much worse if Daniel catches up to her and Penelope's sacrifice would be for nothing made Natalie run faster. She took a series of turns, intending to confuse her pursuers who seemed to be far behind her - thanks to Penelope - but being careful, not to come to a dead end.

But just when Natalie turned she lost them and was about to take the next turn, someone knocked into her with force and she fell to the ground. She went pale in the face upon finding out it was another of Daniel's men and this one must have intentionally separated from the others to track her down faster.

Natalie saw the smug grin on his face knowing he caught her when the others couldn't. He ran his hand through his wet hair, breathing heavily while Natalie glancedat him while still on the floor, trying to figure out a way out.

"Bitch, do you know how much trouble you've caused us tonight? All this trouble just to catch the boss' whore. Boss would be so proud of me. Time to go." He tried to grab her and Natalie kicked him in the jaw. Although it was a smart move, it was still not enough to deter him.

Furious from her retaliation, the man unmercifully pulled her by the ankle to his side and Natalie screamed in fright. She can't be caught! She can't go back to Daniel! Those were Natalie's thoughts as she was being dragged on the floor.

And then she struck.

Blinded by fear, Natalie struggled against him and finally slashed at the man with the shard of glass Penelope gave her. She had kept it in the pocket of her sweater until this moment. He yelped and freed her and it wasn't until Natalie turned that she saw what she had done.

She slashed his throat and right now, the man was choking on his own blood.

God!

Natalie didn't mean to hurt him. She just wanted him to let her go. But the deed had already been done and right now, there were only two options.

To live or die.

She chose to live.