* * *
“My name is Giuseppe,” He said.
* * *
His belly stuck out like a globe, thick with beer and overindulgence in the finer things in life. Eve was too frightened to take his hand, but also too frightened not to. She reached out and let Giuseppe squeeze her fingers tightly.
* * *
“Eve Morgan,” He said out loud, letting her know that not only did she not have to introduce herself, he knew exactly who she was.
* * *
Somehow Eve got the sense that this wasn’t exactly a good thing.
* * *
“Drive round the block,” Giuseppe said to his drivers/accomplices in a heavy Italian accent.
* * *
Eve could feel her heart thudding, trying to break out of the prison of her chest.
* * *
“Let’s have a conversation Signora Morgan.”
* * *
Still, Eve didn’t reply.
* * *
“Relax, speak to me. I am probably not going to hurt you.”
* * *
The word “probably” hung in the air like a threat.
* * *
“What do we have to talk about?” Eve asked, trying her best to hold her voice steady.
* * *
“She speaks!” Giuseppe replied with a devilish grin.
* * *
He continued, “Let’s not beat around the bush. One thing you’ll learn about me Eve is that I’m a very fair man. Don’t listen to the liars out there. I’m a man of God.”
* * *
Somehow, Eve doubted that statement but she kept her doubts to herself.
* * *
“What do you want.”
* * *
The statement emerged from her mouth far more harshly than she’d intended.
* * *
“I’m looking for a boy. I want to know if you’ve seen him.”
* * *
“A boy?” Eve tried to play stupid.
* * *
“Yes. He is my nephew. And foolish little boy that he is, he’s gotten himself into trouble.”
* * *
“I’ve seen lots of children… But I can’t say if I’ve seen him.”
* * *
A half-truth. Of course Eve knew exactly which boy Giuseppe had been talking about. There had only been one Italian boy on the run. There had only been one who had such blatant connections to one of the most dangerous men in Boston.
* * *
“I’m sure if you had seen this boy, you would remember him. And of course, I have my methods of jogging your memory if you feel that you require assistance.”
* * *
Eve was sure that she wanted nothing to do with whatever assistance Giuseppe would offer. But again, just like when she was faced with the tall, handsome stranger, she felt the urge to protect the boy. With two men looking for him, he must have gotten himself mixed up in something serious.
* * *
“Perhaps you could describe him.”
* * *
“Skinny. Italian. Blue Eyes. Very very sneaky.”
* * *
“I… I’m not sure I remember seeing anyone like that.”
* * *
“Hm.”
* * *
Giuseppe continued, “Signora, do you know why I wish to find this boy?”
* * *
Eve shook her head. Her chest hadn’t stopped its obsessive thudding. Each breath she caught had been difficult to find.
* * *
“He’s my nephew. My brother, he married a woman — a very rich woman — and this boy is the product of that marriage. He’s a Borgias, one of the wealthiest families in Italy, and heir to an immense fortune.”
* * *
“Wow.”
* * *
“Wow, indeed,” Giuseppe replied, stretching out the word ‘wow’ with his voice as if it were an unfamiliar delicacy. Nothing impressed Giuseppe except results.
* * *
He continued, “So you understand that the boy is very important to me.”
* * *
“Yes.”
* * *
“And you maintain that you haven’t seen him.”
* * *
Eve shook her head, “I don’t believe so.”
* * *
“Hm…”
* * *
“Would it help if I told you that the boy always wore a gold watch?”
* * *
Yes, that did ring a bell. Eve had definite confirmation that Giuseppe was looking for the same terrified boy that had used her shop as a hideout. But was he hiding from Giuseppe? The handsome stranger? Or both of them…
* * *
“Maybe I can tell you if I run into him. The candy store is full of children.”
* * *
She couldn’t tell if Giuseppe knew she was playing him, lying to the face of a man who had the power to kill to get his way. Giuseppe raised his eyebrows. That hadn’t been the response he’d been expecting. But Eve wasn’t the typical kind of woman Giuseppe had come across. She knew how to survive. She knew how to get by with saving her own skin.
* * *
“I would appreciate your help. As you know, my people can be very generous to those who assist us.”
* * *
He had no idea she was lying. Eve could have breathed a sigh of relief if it wouldn’t have compromised her position.
* * *
“So can you let me go?”
* * *
Giuseppe chuckled. An odd, misplaced laugh.
* * *
“I must leave you with a warning first.”
* * *
A warning. Like he hadn’t threatened her enough. Eve felt disgusted the more time she spent with the greasy man and his great big beer belly. She allowed Giuseppe to continue. She learned a lot more when he was the one who did all the talking.
* * *
“I want you to be careful of a man who may come asking for the same things I am asking.”
* * *
Eve nodded.
* * *
“He is my enemy. An enemy who I am looking for currently as well. You must not trust him. Just like I take care of my people… I punish my enemies. Do you understand?”
* * *
Eve nodded.
* * *
“Good. I’m very glad Signora. This man is dangerous. He is a murderer. A liar. And he has the benefit of being very easy on the eyes. But remember, do not trust him. Because if you choose to befriend him, you will have made an enemy out of me.”
* * *
Eve half expected him to end with “capische”. But real life didn’t abide by these stereotypes. The car pulled over in exactly the spot where Eve had been picked up.
* * *
“Can I leave.”
* * *
Giuseppe gestured towards his driver and henchman and they unlocked the doors. Eve pushed the door open but before she could leave, Giuseppe’s grubby fat hand grabbed her arm tightly.
* * *
“Eve Morgan. Remember, I do not like liars. If I find out that you have lied to me… I know a man with a penchant for African women who will have you for a pretty price. Let’s not ruin our friendship. Eh?”
* * *
“Alright,” Eve huffed.
* * *
She pulled her arm away and leapt out onto the street. Giuseppe chuckled, and then the door closed. The SUV sped off and Eve stood there shaking in the cold. She walked towards a nearby light post and threw up into the streets. Her body was still shaking in terror. She felt like she’d narrowly escaped death, kidnapping or something far more unimaginable.
* * *
Giuseppe was slippery. Eve had a strong feeling that he’d killed before and he’d do it again. She couldn’t believe she’d gotten away with lying to him. And for what? A teenager whom she’d barely met. Eve started to walk home because it was all she could do.
* * *
She
turned Giuseppe’s words over in her head as well as the promise to him that she’d never intended to keep. Eve knew what she really had to do was leave town. But who could she trust to help her? You never knew who was in the pocket of the Italian mafia. She also reviewed Giuseppe’s words about the stranger who had walked into her shop.
* * *
A dangerous man. If a guy like Giuseppe thought that man was dangerous, what kind of man could that possibly be. And why couldn’t Eve get that brief interaction with him out of her head?
3
Nico R
Eve thought she could manage it, but she couldn’t will herself to get out of bed and open up the shop the next day. She kept thinking about the SUV, the greasy Giuseppe, the feeling of being overpowered by the two men who had grabbed onto her. She just couldn’t handle it, so she stayed in bed.
* * *
Eve had always thought of herself as the kind of woman who could handle anything. But this was more than what Eve had ever expected to handle in her life. She couldn’t believe that she’d gotten out there alive. And at the time, while it had seemed like a good idea to make a promise to Giuseppe, regret ate her up.
* * *
Her name was on the map. She was a target. Eve didn’t even know if she could try to leave Boston. She didn’t think she was a big enough fish to track down, but she also wasn’t sure that she wanted to take that chance. Eve hoped that the boy she’d been trying to protect was still safe. She’d given up her own safety for this child, even if she’d barely known him. Still, Eve couldn’t shake that look of terror she’d seen in his eyes.
* * *
He’d begged her for help. And she’d given it.
* * *
Eve wandered over to her dresser where she saw the watch still sitting there. She considered hiding the watch out of sight. It was solid gold; Eve would have considered selling it if she weren’t terrified of the ramifications.
* * *
She wrapped the gold watch in a pair of her underwear and shoved it in the back drawer of her dresser. Safe. No one would know she had it and the last piece of evidence that tied her to the teenager she claimed to have never seen was now in a safe place. Eve wasn’t sure she knew what “safe” meant anymore. Was she really safe here?
* * *
Giuseppe, a mob boss who might have killed two teenagers, now knew exactly who she was. He could find out where she lived. He could find out information about her family. Eve felt grateful that her sister was far away from this mess. Safety was an illusion.
* * *
Eve’s day progressed idly. She made a green smoothie and then retired to her room. Finally after she’d eaten a meager lunch (her stomach was still churning from her previous night’s escapades), Eve persuaded herself to take a nice hot shower. She covered her hair with a nice big shower cap and allowed the water to run rivers down her dark skin. Eve cleansed her body, appreciating the beauty of her umber colored skin in her bathroom light.
* * *
I love my dark skin. She thought to herself.
* * *
Eve smiled as she stepped out of the shower. On a day like this, where she had nothing to do, she usually found herself ruminating on her absolute lack of a love life. Today, she was glad not to have that complication. Now, she had bigger problems than her lack of a boyfriend, fiancé or husband. Sometimes it took a big change to put things into perspective.
* * *
When Eve started willing herself to prepare a mushroom sauté for dinner. She heard her mailbox open. Funny. It was early for the mailman.
* * *
She hustled to the front door and opened it to check the mail. But there was no mailman. Just the tall, handsome stranger she’d seen in her store. Eve’s eyes widened and she started to slam the door shut. The man stuck his hand out and held the door open.
* * *
“Let go of my door or I swear to God I’ll scream.”
* * *
“Don’t scream. I’m not going to hurt you.”
* * *
“1…2…”
* * *
“My name is Nico,” He said, interrupting her countdown, “I believe you’ve met my cousin. He gave you a gold watch.”
* * *
Eve wondered how he knew that. She paused. That was enough time for Nico to reach into his pocket and pull out a gold watch identical to the one she had lying on her dresser. Eve tried to push against the door but Nico was strong — far stronger than she was.
* * *
“Take the watch,” Nico demanded.
* * *
Eve dropped the door. Nico pushed it open and handed her the watch. Eve’s eyes darted around the street and she took the watch. She looked for the inscription where she’d found it on the other watch.
* * *
Nico R.
* * *
“This is yours?”
* * *
Nico nodded, “Yes this is mine. And the one you have belongs to my twin brother.”
* * *
“But…”
* * *
“The boy who gave it to you isn’t my brother. That’s correct. He was holding onto the watch for me.”
* * *
Eve paused for a moment, eyeing Nico up and down. He was handsome, but there was a certain darkness surrounding him, accentuated by the scar on his neck.
* * *
“Well if you want the watch, you can have it back.”
* * *
Eve would have done anything to get him off her doorstep. The longer she stayed outside the longer she feared someone might be watching. She’d been warned by Giuseppe not to trust Nico. But seeing him here was different. She didn’t get that greasy uneasy feeling around Nico that she got around Giuseppe. While he cast a dark aura, he didn’t seem evil. Perhaps he was troubled, but not evil.
* * *
And then again, there was the inexplicable magnetism she felt towards him. Even if Nico was wrong for her, there was a part of her that was curious to hear more from him, curious to let him into her life.
* * *
“I don’t want the watch back. I want to come inside before anyone sees me here.”
* * *
The air hung taut between them. They both knew exactly who Nico wanted to avoid. Eve pursed her lips and then let him into her house. Nico looked around as he entered her house and Eve ushered him into the living room, pulling the shades shut. Just the thought of Giuseppe watching her sent her heart rate through the roof.
* * *
Once they were inside, Eve found herself restless for Nico to get to the point. He seemed more interested in staring at her as she sat across the living room. Her hair was in a high ponytail, she wore a simple pair of jeans and a plain white t-shirt that had been ironed crisp. Nico found her beauty subtle yet alluring. Eve dressed simply, she wore her hair in a simple manner, yet he could detect complexity in her eyes.
* * *
He could detect a yearning for something more in life. It was a yearning that he himself had experienced. Although Nico suspected they were both trapped for different reasons.
* * *
“So… What is it you want?” Eve said, breaking the silence.
* * *
Nico’s icy blue eyes boring into her were starting to make her feel uncomfortable.
* * *
“I want to make you an offer,” Nico replied.
* * *
He had no idea how she would react to why he’d come here. He had no interest in the gold watch. He had no interest in anything except her. He’d followed both his instincts and his impulses and ended up in Eve’s living room, about to make her an offer that would be unwise for her to refuse.
Mad Mafia Love Page 4