I began to sketch to get my mind off things and then I kept hearing knocks on my door. It was Donato and he kept singing my name. It made me feel sick. He wouldn’t give up on trying to talk to me. “Madeline, I know you’re not sleeping in there. I also have a spare key to this bedroom.” He sounded a bit threatening now.
I scoffed and got up off the bed to open the door. When I did, I was overpowered by the smells of aftershave and cigars. Donato just stood there smiling at me. He was just disgusting to look at.
“Good girl. I knew you would open the door for me.” He smiled a toothy smile.
“What do you want?” I said with a lot of impatience in my voice. He looked taken aback and I became a little bit frightened that he would hurt me.
“Now what’s with the anger? I just came up to pay my beautiful guest a visit. Am I allowed that?” He tried to put his hand on my shoulder, but I guarded it by closing the door enough to make a smaller opening. He gave me a sad look, pathetic.
“I don’t know,” I said shortly, and he began to laugh to himself.
“The family will be out tonight. I thought we could enjoy a little dinner between the two of us tonight,” he said as he gestured his arms dramatically. I tried my hardest not to roll my eyes at him. If this man was trying to kill me, then I’d better play nice with him until I was able to escape.
“All right,” I agreed, and I lowered my gaze to the ground, looking at his snake-print shoes.
“All right? We have a little pasta and wine. And I’ll send you another dress. I’ll see you at dinner.” He smiled and I didn’t smile back.
He reached out his hand and brushed it against my cheek and I shivered. He walked away smiling and laughing. “She loves it.” I closed the door and ran into the bathroom to sit in a steam shower to get the dirtiness of his hand off me. It was much later in the evening and I stayed in my room. I kept surveying everything to make sure that I didn’t leave anything behind. Blake kept sending me texts of encouragement that I needed to stay strong.
It was sweet, but now it was giving me too much angst and I just felt sick to my stomach until there was a knock on the door. When I answered, I saw that it was one of the staff handing me a Saint Laurent box. There was a note, but I didn’t bother to read it.
I looked at myself in the mirror with the dress on. I felt like a high-class escort and that just made me feel dirty again. As I looked at the time, I knew I didn’t have time to take another shower before joining that dirty nasty son of a bitch Donato downstairs.
I tried to center myself in my heels as I felt too rickety to walk in them right now. When I opened the bedroom door, I ran right smack into Donato’s chest. He had been standing outside my door, probably to make sure that I actually came down for dinner and didn’t ditch him.
“You look stunning in that dress.” He smiled and grabbed my hand to kiss it. I literally felt skin separate from my muscles. “You read my note?” he said as he continued to kiss my hand.
“Mmmhmm,” I said, pursing my lips together tightly. I was afraid my lipstick would all rub off on my teeth from how tightly I was pursing them.
“Let’s go downstairs.” Donato finally let go of my hand and then he pushed himself right next to me and put his hand on my ass. I had to control the dry heave that came up. I played it off like my throat was dry.
We entered the dining room, which was all set up like a romantic evening. It made me want to barf knowing that Donato was trying to have a romantic evening with me. He sure knew how to draw out murdering someone. And then I felt faint at the thought of this.
Donato took my sudden act of falling on his arm as a way to be seated, and then he poured me a glass of wine. I decided in order to stay focused, I would just have to continue to play along. I took small sips of wine but made it look like I was taking larger sips.
Donato had the staff serve us and then ordered them to leave. He said that we could provide for ourselves for the rest of the night. They all gave me sympathetic looks as they left the dining room in a hurry. I felt like I had to give myself a lot of sympathy for having to try and survive the night.
I felt Donato’s hand creeping back and forth from my knee to my mid-thigh. I was afraid that he would creep even further, and I tensed up until I felt a twinge of pain.
“I am happy we have the night together,” he was singing, and he started to serve me the largest bowl of pasta I had ever been served. He tried to feed me some, but I told him I had it from there. I found that to be a mistake as he put his hand back on my thigh.
“Would you like some music?” he asked, and before I could answer, he pulled out a remote control and on came the cheesiest jazz music I had ever heard. I made sure he never saw me roll my eyes at him.
I kept looking outside and saw that it was getting darker and darker outside. I wondered what Blake was doing to get me out of here. I would’ve checked my phone, but I couldn’t risk Donato seeing me. So, I had to ignore every time my boobs vibrated. Luckily, this went unnoticed by Donato. Even though his gaze kept falling onto my boobs, it didn’t stop him from grazing my thigh.
I painfully got through dinner and we got up to leave the dining room. I had freedom from Donato’s grazing hands and all I wanted to do was jump into a boiling pot of water and burn off his essence. His aftershave was overpowering my natural scent, and I dry-heaved again but made sure to be silent about it.
Donato wanted to show me some of the remodeled rooms around the house. He ignored my loud comments about feeling full and exhausted. He gripped my wrist and insisted that I see the rooms. They had changed since the last time I was here as a child. We walked up the marble staircase. My heels made loud clacks on them, so loud that they created echoes that sounded like jail cell doors slamming shut on me.
When we made it to the top of the stairs, Donato swooped me up with his arm and was practically pulling me far away from my bedroom door so that I wouldn’t be tempted to make an excuse for going in there and abandoning him.
I was starting to feel like danger was on the rise for me and I silently panicked. I tried to remain calm and cooperative as he showed me three rooms. I didn’t remember one room from the next because I was fearing for my life. I kept looking out windows and seeing how much darker it was getting.
I kept feeling my boobs vibrate and I knew it was Blake texting me nonstop. I didn’t know what to do. I was afraid if I made a run for it now, I was sure to end my life almost instantly or at least be tragically injured. I had to steady myself as I pretended to be interested in what Donato was saying. I began to have trouble holding onto my wine glass. I couldn’t feel the tips of my fingers anymore.
“Are you okay, Madeline?” Donato asked. There was no sense of concern in his voice. He was only asking to be courteous, I guessed.
“Yes, I’m fine. Just too much good pasta.” I tried to laugh but it sounded more like a mouse squeaking. “Yes, we stole that chef straight from Italy.” He laughed the oddest laugh I had ever heard. It sounded like a cartoon car horn.
I tried to laugh again but it came out as a loud squawk. He looked at me oddly and then guided me back downstairs to show me the rumpus room. It was more toward the back of the house, but there were enough open exits. I still felt trapped and Donato was getting more and more aggressive with me. It hurt when he tried to touch me, and with every resistance from me, he would hurt me even more.
Chapter Sixteen
Blake
I was shocked to my core as my friend went on explaining how Mr. Ricci put the hit out to kill the Biancos. I had to get myself to focus as I listened to the details he was giving me. I hadn’t even noticed when my friend had stopped talking and started calling my name through the phone. “Blake?” he shouted, and I jumped in my seat.
“Yes, sir.”
I could hear him laughing on the other end of the line. “Blake, are you okay?” I said that I was.
“I just want to save Madeline, that’s all,” I said this breathlessly, and I heard him l
aughing again on the other end.
“It sounds like you’re catching feelings, Blake.” He continued to laugh.
I couldn’t even joke around with him. I was so broken down. I was standing front of a mirror and seeing the dark circles forming under my eyes. “I’m not catching feelings for her. I already have feelings for her. Deep feelings.” I put my head in my hand and walked over to sit on the couch.
“Wow, that’s pretty serious.” We were both silent. “Have you slept with her yet?” He cackled a bit.
“Yes,” I deadpanned.
He stopped heckling me and then we got back to business. “Buddy, I would stay in touch with her and get her out of there,” he said very directly. I began to breathe heavily again and then I pulled myself together.
“Okay, how do I get her out of there? She sent me a text that Donato wanted to have dinner with her in the house.” I had to fight back feeling violently ill as I said this. Anger built up in me. “The whole family will be out for the night.”
I heard him gasp on the other end. “You have to get in there tonight.”
I let out a frustrated sigh. “Duh.”
My friend told me to wait a minute. And then he came back to me to give me a layout of what secret passages I could access that would avoid security cameras and avoid being seen by anybody else in the area. I wrote everything down and I even made him repeat things several times. I could tell he was ready to strangle me, which made me glad that this conversation was over the phone.
“Good luck, man, and I would stay in constant contact with her. Text her every few minutes or so. Keep doing it even if she doesn’t answer back. She’ll know it’s you, and that may give her some level of comfort in knowing that you’re coming. And if she is able to answer you, then that’s even better.” We were silent for a bit.
“Good luck, man,” he said, and I thanked him and told him I would let him know how the whole operation went once I had Madeline safely out. We hung up and I sat back for a minute to take everything in. I read and re-read the instructions he gave me. I studied them as if I had a bomb to defuse.
I got up and made a pot of coffee. I was going to need the extra energy. I packed a bag and decided to dress all in black. I knew once I rescued Madeline, the Riccis would be out to get both of us, so we couldn’t risk coming back here.
I called a motel that was far enough away and easy enough to get to once I drove away with Madeline. I kept texting her what I was doing. She responded once or twice and then she stopped, so I figured that she was already having dinner with Donato. This thought infuriated me, and I drank my coffee as quickly as I could. I could feel the caffeine pulsing through me, and I was ready to go. I grabbed everything I needed and sent a couple of texts while I ran to the car.
I drove and started to feel the caffeine mixing with all of my anxiety. It wasn’t the most pleasant combination for me to feel. The drive seemed to take longer than Google Maps was letting me believe. I turned on some music to calm me down a bit and help me focus.
I had the instructions in the passenger seat and would check them at every red light. The only music I could find on each station was hardcore gangster rap. It seemed fitting so I went with it.
I was coming close to the Ricci estate so I turned the music off and turned my headlights off. I drove as quietly as I could and found an easy spot to park in so that I could find it easily again. I got out and had the instructions memorized by this point. I stuffed them in my pocket anyway out of nervousness. I also stuck my gun in my back pocket.
All I had to do was walk around the gate of the property to where there were a few lose bars. I just had to wiggle them open enough to slide through and then walk through some very tall bushes and that led to a secret passageway that led to the rumpus room at the back of the house. It had been designed for the Ricci family to flee when they needed to from their home. It was almost too easy to accomplish.
As soon as I got through the secret passageway toward the rumpus room, I heard screaming. I knew that it was Madeline, and I began to run and then creeped up to one of the closed doors where I could hear her screams getting louder and louder. They were shooting right through me, and I pulled my gun out from my back pocket. I tried to be as quiet as I could. I had no idea what I was going to see behind those doors.
I put my hand up and slowly pushed it open. The first thing I could see was Donato with his pants dropped, and he was pinning down a screaming and thrashing Madeline.
I felt vomit rise in my throat and tears fighting to come from my eyes. I steadied myself and aimed the gun for the back of Donato’s head. It was difficult to make my shot at first because he was moving around so much. I tried to keep my focus on the back of his greasy slicked-back hair. I didn’t want to drop my gaze as I would see Madeline in a state of pain that I never wanted to see her in.
I head a steady target and waited for the right moment and then shot my gun. It went right through his head and down he went. I hoped I wasn’t too late for Madeline.
I heard her yelping and I ran to pull a dead Donato off her. She had the most terrified look on her face, and I pulled her up off the pool table and held her shaken little body. She cried into my black hoodie and even blew her nose a couple of times. I didn’t mind at all.
Chapter Seventeen
Madeline
Donato and I stayed in the rumpus room for a long time. I listened in and out of what Donato was talking about, and I retained none of what he said. I just kept checking how dark it was getting and how much my boobs were vibrating from all the texts Blake was sending me.
“Madeline, come here.” Donato motioned for me to come stand near him. I moved as close as I was comfortable with. He reached out and grabbed my waist, forcing me to be closer to him. I could feel the hotness of his breath and it smelled like wine.
“I’ve always liked you.” He smiled that toothy smile and I nodded my head that I heard him. “You were so cute as a kid, and now you’re a gorgeous woman.” He didn’t stop smiling and I felt his hands press harder into my waist. I nodded my head up and down. “You playing coy with me?” he chortled, and I didn’t respond.
Suddenly, Donato stood up and shoved his tongue down my throat. I practically gagged as I felt his erection poke me hard in the stomach. I screamed a muffled scream and then I pushed him away from me for air. He slapped me hard across the face. “Oh, that’s how you’re going to be?” he shouted, and then he went to the windows and closed the blinds and shut the doors.
I was still gasping for air and holding my cheek. He came charging at me and grabbed my wrists and threw me onto the pool table. When I looked up, I saw him whipping off his belt and unzipping his pants.
I began to scream repeatedly at the top of lungs. Donato kept shouting for me to shut up. He put his hand over my mouth and I bit him. He pulled his hand back and there was blood. He slapped me again and spread my leg apart. I continued to scream loudly and tried to fight him off.
His strength was too much for me, and he pushed me further on the pool table and pinned my legs down with his knees. He took his dick out and was about to force himself into me when suddenly, I heard a loud bang and he fell on top of me.
Before I knew what was happening, I saw Blake’s face and he was pulling what I realized was a dead Donato off me. Had he killed him? I was shocked but not surprised. I had never been around a gunshot before and my ears were ringing.
I held onto Blake so tightly and cried uncontrollably into his black hoodie. “I’m so sorry, Blake. I’m so sorry. I will never do anything behind your back again.” I felt him hold me, and he made calming hushing sounds and held my head.
“It’s all right, sweetheart. You’re safe now.” He said this calmly, and I replayed his calling me sweetheart in my mind.
He then told me we had to leave quickly, which was fine with me, seeing as I didn’t want to be under the same roof as Donato, my almost-rapist. I kicked his lifeless body a couple of times and then Blake guided me out of the
rumpus room. We grabbed my things and exited out the way he came into the house.
We drove off into the night, and Blake pulled up into an abandoned gas station well outside of town and parked behind the abandoned building. He told me that he wanted to let me know everything he did so that I knew what was happening.
I was still a little shaken, but I agreed I would listen to him. He also told me that we needed to stay somewhere else for a while until he was given the clear that it was okay to return to my parents’ estate.
Chapter Eighteen
Blake
I paced the ground back and forth in front of the car. There was barely any light except for some lamp posts and the moon and stars, and Madeline was sitting on the hood of my car. I was trying to figure out the best way to tell Madeline about everything with the Riccis and what I had been up to in helping to plan their deaths. It was hard because she felt so fragile.
I tried to start from the very beginning when she left to stay with the Riccis. “So here’s the deal. From the start, I knew that it had to be the Riccis. I knew that they would still be after you once they found out you weren’t in the car when it exploded.” I stopped and got down on my knees in front of Madeline.
“Maddie, I’m still so sorry for putting you in that position.” She told me she understood why I had done so.
“It turns out that there was enough evidence that showed that the Riccis and their friends were the ones who planned the explosion. Beyond that, they had been building up so many enemies with other mobster families. They were pulling off major business deals behind everyone’s backs and getting very greedy.” I stopped to make sure that Madeline was okay.
She waved her hand at me to continue, so I did. “And that’s why I got angry with you for leaving to their house before I realized what a danger that would be for you.” I wiped away tears that were forming in her eyes and kissed her forehead.
SEALed To Protect (Omerta Series) Page 8