by Krista Lakes
"I guess it doesn't matter with projected stars," I say, motioning to the rounded ceiling as we enter. "But, for real stars, the light we see in the sky is millions of years old. The light left its star around the time of the dinosaurs and has traveled through space for all that time and we're just seeing it now. We're seeing something that doesn't exist anymore. The past and the future doesn't matter to stars because it's all the same. Time is meaningless to them."
Dante nods as if he understands, but I don't think he does. Some days, it barely makes sense to me, but I find comfort in the stars and how they don't experience time. My life doesn't matter to a star and something about that is soothing.
He gently guides me past the rings of chairs angled up to see the domed roof and to the center of the room. We're obviously not supposed to sit here, but he pulls me down to the ground. I reluctantly sit, watching as he lays down on the floor and puts his hands behind his head. The motion makes the muscles of his arms stand out in a way that makes my mouth go dry with want.
"Aren't we supposed to be in the chairs?" I look around, but no one else is coming in the room.
"Nope." He grins, looking charming and boyish. His hair is just about to fall into his eyes, so I gently brush it off his forehead. He closes his eyes at my touch, practically purring like a cat. "This is all ours for the hour. You can sit wherever you want." He opens one eye and glances at the space next to him, indicating where he thinks I should sit.
I nestle in closer to him, drawing his strength into me. The lights dim and the sky suddenly fills with stars. It's so real for a moment I forget where I am. I can feel Dante's heartbeat, strong and steady under me. I close my eyes and let myself relax into him for a moment. I let myself truly fall in love with Dante.
I know I won't stop loving him after this moment. Once you love Dante Russo, you will never stop loving him.
Chapter 14
The heat when I open the door makes me sigh in relief after hurrying through the cold morning fog. Sara is waiting for me in our usual booth at the diner. The whole place smells like pancakes and coffee and it's making my mouth water.
"You're late," Sara chastises me as I sit down across from her and wrap my chilled hands around the cup of coffee she has waiting for me. The heat burns through my frozen fingers but I don't let go.
"Sorry," I mumble. "I had a hard time getting up this morning."
"Late night?" she asks, sipping on her own coffee. She's gorgeous again today. Her blonde hair is pulled back into a ponytail that curls down her back. Her dark maroon shirt is long sleeved but low cut enough to display a generous amount of cleavage, but not to the point of being slutty. The haggard, frightened girl I met last time in this diner is gone.
"Actually, I went to bed early last night. I just didn't sleep very good." I pick up a sugar packet and play with it. "Too much on my mind."
“Your upcoming wedding partner?” she teases.
"Him and half a dozen other people," I reply. I can't believe how tired I am and take a big sip of coffee.
"You're keeping everything bottled up inside again, Miss Cara Savio." Sara takes a sip of her coffee and leans back in her chair. "Talk to me. Let it out."
“It's all family business,” I tell her. “Uncle Tony is having me take on more responsibilities. I'm doing a lot of the work integrating the two families. We're not just merging people, we're merging businesses. It's a lot of work.”
“I bet,” she says, sipping at her coffee. “There's still more. I can tell.”
“I found out it wasn't the Russos with your escort trouble,” I say with a shrug. “I'm still digging as to who thought it was a good idea to try taking a girl on my turf, though.”
She shudders a little.
“I won't let that happen again,” I promise. “I made sure to put some guys up there to keep things under control. Ethan says he'll help.”
“Thanks,” she says, and sips her coffee. “I'm okay now. I'm strong.” She looks up at me. “And you aren't getting me off topic that easily. There's something else bothering you. Something big.”
I play with my coffee cup, twisting it around in my hands. I glance around, but no one is nearby. I have to tell someone or I'll go crazy.
“The Russo family is split on the marriage,” I finally whisper. “You can't tell anyone.”
“What? Seriously?” Her eyes go wide. “I mean, I won't tell a soul. I thought they wanted the families to merge.”
“His mother is against the marriage,” I reply. “She wants me to break it off.”
“And have both the Savios and the Russos hate you? Yeah, that sounds like a good plan,” she says sarcastically. “Why doesn't she want you to marry him?”
“I have no idea. She says it's not a good match or something.” I shrug.
“How did you find this out?”
“She had a taxi pick me up and take me to her house. It's a freaking mansion. I didn't know how loaded the Russos were.” I sip at my coffee.
“You know it's all for show, right?” Sara asks.
“What do you mean?”
“They're old school mafia. They have roots in Sicily or something, but they made most of their money in real estate in the early eighties. They had a trash company and were basically the stereotypical Italian mafia,” Sara explains. “That's why they have that big house, the buildings, stuff like that. But, they're not making money like they used to. The money is in digital now, which is why they want in on the Savio Family.”
“Where did you learn all that?” I ask. I'm impressed that she's delved into the histories of the families.
“It's interesting. There's a couple other organizations that the Russos could have chosen. The Romanos in New Jersey, the Moretti Family, and the Scutari Family. But, none of them are as successful as the Savios.”
I raise my eyebrows in surprise. “You still haven't told me how you learned all this,” I tell her.
She blushes. “I'm kind of seeing somebody.”
“Yeah?” I'm happy for her. “What's the lucky guy's name?”
She chews on her lip for a second. “You have to promise to stay quiet about it. It's new and I don't know if it's long term and I don't want to cause problems.”
“Who is it?” I grin. I'm thinking maybe one of the Maroni brothers. They were at all the family functions, and I actually thought the older one was pretty cute. “What's his name?”
“Ethan.”
She says his name and it doesn't register in my head. Ethan is probably five or ten years older than Sara. I don't actually know his age, just that he was military and is a scary enforcer.
“Ethan? Like, the guy who keeps me safe Ethan?”
Her shoulders fall a little. “Yeah. I can tell you're not happy about it.”
I shake my head. “No, it's not that. I just...” I shrug. “I just am surprised you got him to say more than three words in a sentence.”
She relaxes a little. “He's actually pretty smart.”
“Well, if he's dating you, then I can see that,” I say with a nod. Ethan and I don't usually talk much.
“You won't say anything, will you?” Sara fiddles with her coffee cup. “It's still really new.”
“You like him, though, right?”
A smile crosses her face and her eyes light up a little. “Yeah.”
It's obvious that she's thinks he the best thing since sliced bread. It's not a match I would have made, but if it makes her happy, then I'm glad.
“You know what he does for a living, right?” I ask her.
“Yeah.” She shrugs. “But, he's on my side. He's a good man.”
Yeah. Just dangerous as fuck.
“I'm happy for you two,” I tell her. “But, please don't tell me sex stories with him. I don't think I could look at him the same.”
Sara laughs and the tension is gone. We're friends again.
“Maybe Dante's mom had a deal with another family,” she says suddenly. “Like, she promised Dante to the Romanos, but th
e rest of the family went with the Savios.”
It sounds plausible. “Maybe. I don't know. It's just weird.” I finish my cup of coffee. “We should order. I'm starving.”
“Sounds good.”
Sara smiles at me and we start talking about normal every day things again. Still, her idea about Dante's mother stays with me. It's probably just that I want things to make sense, but there's something about it that keeps tugging on my mind the rest of breakfast.
Chapter 15
After breakfast, I wander around the city for a little while, looking at shops and doing my best not to think. The Christmas decorations are out on display and it's easy to lose myself to the green and red of the season. I don't buy anything. I'm a ghost just floating through the city, trying to figure out what to do next.
I head home once I'm cold and tired. My bed welcomes me with open arms and the promise of release from my thoughts. When I lay my head down on the pillow, I smell Dante. He had just been here two days ago, and his scent still lingers all over the place. I smile as I snuggle into the pillow, imagining his hard body is what I'm holding onto.
My dreams are terrible, as they often are. Dreams of my mother, dreams of the car accident, dreams of the worst futures I can imagine for myself.
I wake up at what seems like dawn to my phone ringing. I answer it with sleep still in my voice. "Hello?"
"Cara." It was Mrs. Russo's horrible voice.
"Can I help you?" I ask, ready to just turn off my phone so she couldn't call me back.
"Oh, I just thought we could admire some art again today."
I pause. Is this some kind of game to her? "No, thanks, I'm kind of busy today."
"Oh, please, Cara. I'll have you home in plenty of time for your little meeting tonight." There is laughter in her voice, as if she's mocking me. "I just really wanted to talk to you about this piece I found. It's something Senator Norwood is letting me borrow. I think your mother would have been interested in it...” She trails off.
"Leave me alone, okay?" I yell into the phone without thinking.
I hear her tsk tsk. "That's no way to talk to your potential mother-in-law. I just thought you might want to talk about this little girl before I showed it to Dante."
Fury courses through my mind. "Fine!" I say through gritted teeth.
"Fantastic!" she says, way too happy. "There's a taxi waiting outside."
My stomach does flip flops for the entire taxi ride. I wonder what she could possibly have. Senator Norwood. Just hearing his name is like being dipped in dark water. He killed my mother and now Victoria Russo is using it to make me to what she wants. This can't be happening.
When the taxi arrives at the mansion, the butler opens my door, just as he did last time. A loyal servant is something that every rich person needs, I think to myself.
This time, when the butler steers me into the library, I don't put up a fight. I know that she's got the power now, and I know that she's going to remind me of it every chance she gets.
I sit and fidget in the chair. My hands are shaking and I think I might throw up. I try to think of what I'll say, but I don't know what link she found to my old life. Still, if she is watching me, she already knows how nervous I am. I do my best to hide it even more.
A full thirty minutes later, the butler comes in with a cup of tea. Whether ordered to or just out of the goodness of his heart, he smiles as he hands it to me. I'm sure he has seen his fair share of people that Victoria Russo has screwed with before. I don't object to the wait this time, I simply thank him for the tea.
Five minutes after that, Mrs. Russo finally walks in. "Ah, thank you for waiting, my dear." She looks like the cat that found the cream as she takes the seat across from mine.
I wait for her to talk, but she just relaxes into the chair more. I feel like she's waiting for me to talk, but I don't want to prompt her too much about my past life, so I say nothing. The silence is stifling and I can't stand it. I break.
"This is nice," I say facetiously.
"Hmm," a thin smile crosses her face.
I decide to twist the knife a little. "I might inherit this mansion someday."
"Oh, I doubt that very much, dear," she says sweetly, but I get the feeling that she'd rather burn the place to the ground than let me live in it. There's another pause, then she leans forward. "Come now, dear. I sense a little bit of a kindred spirit, and it would be a shame if we couldn't talk like civilized ladies."
A nervous little laugh escapes me, but I compose myself. "Okay, let's talk."
She waits for me to say more, but I don't have anything more forthcoming. "I'll start then. I can't have you bringing your drama into my family. Lord knows that we have enough already."
I believe her when she says there's a lot of drama, and I figure that she probably causes the bulk of it. "Dante loves me, so I'm afraid you'll just have to deal with it. It's done.”
She sits back again, that infuriating smile never leaving her face. “I have a deal to make with you.”
I narrow my eyes. I have no intention of doing anything this woman wants, but I'm willing to listen. It might prove useful. “I'm listening,” I tell her.
“You see, people work best when given a carrot and a stick. Something positive to motivate them, as well as a threat. I'm sure you've heard this before,” she says, crossing her legs.
“So which are you offering me? The carrot or the stick?” I cross my arms.
“Both, dear. Both.” She smiles again, but it's cold. She stands up and crosses the room, walking slowly and enjoying the attention. “You tell my son it's off. That you've changed your mind. The families will get over it. I'll make sure there is no repercussion on our end.”
Yeah right, I say to myself. There will be plenty of repercussion.
“So what's the carrot and the stick?”
“I had the most interesting conversation the other day with the woman that was John Norwood's secretary around the time he was seeing your mother.” She says it nonchalantly, but the words make my chest tighten.
What if the secretary knew something about my mother's death? I still believe it wasn't an accident. Curiosity starts to crowd into my thoughts.
“She said some very interesting things,” Victoria continues. She makes eye contact with me. “Very interesting. Especially about the accident.”
“So the carrot is information on my mother's accident.”
“On your mother's supposed accident.”
My heart leaps into my throat.
“And the stick?” I ask.
“I tell Senator Norwood where the proof is so he can destroy it.” Her smile is cruel. “You see? A carrot and a stick.”
She's right. I want the information, but not at this price. I don't even know if this is valid information. It's not exactly a secret that my family thinks my mother was murdered. The senator is a powerful man. He was more powerful than my uncle at the time. Given that the senator wants to run for president, he's only gotten more powerful since I last saw him.
"I'll think about it," I manage to say.
"Don't think too long. I haven't told the senator I know anything yet, but, well..." she pauses, then smiles at me again. "I'll need an answer pretty soon."
I act like her threat frightens me, when all it does is convince me that she wants me to make a hasty decision before thinking it out. Victoria would make a formidable poker player, but I'd take the prize home every night from her. I nod, then stand to leave.
"Oh, and, Cara?" I turn back to look at her. She's practically cawing with pride over winning. "I know my son doesn't care for me much, and I'm alright with that. However, don't think that the two of you can beat me together. You can't. If you try, I'll destroy you both."
I nod, still managing to look frightened. On the inside, I'm smiling. She's afraid that Dante can beat her, and that's why she doesn't want me to bring this to Dante. Plans are already starting to form in my head, and I can't get out of there fast enough.
I see the butler on the way out. He makes eye contact with me, looking grave. I can't help but crack a small smile, hoping that he'll see that I haven't been broken yet.
Chapter 16
The piano beckons me with black and white fingers. I sit and raise the lid without having to think about what I'm doing. I start with a simple scale and arpeggio, letting the easy motions flow. My fingers climb the keys, finding harmony and balance while my mind scrambles.
My mother's killer. My mother's death resolved.
Another scale cascades from my fingertips. The beauty is harsh against my reality.
I see Dante's blue eyes when I close mine. How do I tell him what his mother is doing? Family is everything to people like us. I don't want to cause problems.
What if Senator Norwood did kill my mother? What would I do then?
My hands falter despite the ease of the scale and I have to restart the scale. It's been ten years but he still frightens me. I still have nightmares of him coming to the city and finding me. He has only grown more powerful with time and made more political friends. He ruined my life once and still has the power to do it again. I know I'm not the scared twelve-year-old girl anymore, but I'm not sure if I'll remember that when faced with him.
Or what he could do to Dante. Dante's business was much less legally gray than mine. He could destroy him and the entire Russo family. He would destroy Dante if he thought it would help him. Since Dante is connected to me, I know that he would think it amusing to tear the Russo family down using me. Victoria might just meet her match if she tries to involve him.
I stop playing as I can't remember what scale comes next. I don't know what comes next for me either. It feels strange to have a such a powerful sense of urgency and yet know I have time. I have time to respond to Victoria, time before she gives me the evidence or destroys it, time to decide what I want-- but I know it will never be enough time. This is a decision I never want to make and I will never have enough time to decide. All I have is time and yet I don't have enough of it.