She knew what he was going to say; why had she thought it would be anything but. This was her fault. Had she paid better attention, she would have known Maria was lying and really meant to go out. Had she been a better friend, she would have been with Maria instead of cutting a man into pieces. Not bothering to acknowledge his words, Angie moved past him, opening the door enough to enter before softly closing it behind her. Sealing herself in with her latest guilt.
It was pitch dark except for a light that came from the partially open bathroom door. Moving toward the whimpering coming from the far corner of the room, Angie found a shadowed excuse of what Maria once had been curled into herself. Going to her knees in front of Maria, Angie looked at her and tried to hold back her rage. Maria didn’t need that part of her now; it could come out later. It seemed satisfied with that and burrowed back, taking away the red tint that had crowded her gaze.
Raising her eyes like a deer sensing a predator, Maria locked hers with Angie’s, relief rushing first, than pain, then shame. Holding her arms open, Angie gathered Maria to her taking the harsh sobs that rocked Maria’s body into her own. Showing no emotions Angie rocked Maria until she cried herself out. No words were spoken as she helped Maria up; they could wait.
Going into the bathroom, Angie got Maria into the shower, cleaning her up, ignoring the bruises that even after a week were covering her body. Going through the motions, she had Maria cleaned, dressed, hair brushed, and in bed quickly. Sitting down with her, Angie turned on the TV, flicking through the channels as Maria silently cried into her lap while she soothed back her hair.
When she was sure she was calm enough that none of the anger that filled her would leak into her voice, Angie finally spoke. “When was the last time you ate?” She asked, knowing she needed her rested and fed before she forced Maria to relive that night. Instead of answering, Maria burrowed her head into Angie’s lap. Angie waited a few moments for the tension to leave her before pulling Maria up and setting her against the pillows, putting the remote in Maria’s hand Angie told her to. “Lay down and relax. I’m going to get you something to eat.”
Getting up, Angie walked to the door, stopping at Maria’s hoarse whisper. “Will you make me something?”
Keeping her back to Maria so she wouldn’t see the grimness of her face, she forced a lightness into her voice that she didn’t feel. “Of course.”
Going into the hall and closing the door behind her, she found the hall was empty now. Looking over at a clock on a table, she saw that almost four hours had passed since she had gotten there. Holding her purse in her grip, she made her way back the way she had come. Angie could hear voices as she approached the stairs, but she ignored them, just as she ignored the gazes that latched on her as she descended the stairs. Going straight to the door, she went out, leaving it open wide behind her. She could hear the angry shouts for her to stop, but she ignored them, pulling out her keys and going to her trunk. She had already pulled the bag she had come to get out and was headed back toward the house when she saw that the men had rushed to stop her from leaving. Angie could feel Lucca’s rage that she had ignored him, and his slight confusion as he stared at the bag in her hand and the fact that she was coming back.
She would have loved to have gotten in her car and left this behind, but she wasn’t wired that way. It’s why she never cultivated friends. Her family had pounded it into to her with every action, every word: loyalty. Loyalty not just to blood but to the family, and unfortunately, when she let Maria in, she became family.
Walking straight ahead, Angie didn’t stop, forcing them to get out of her way. Going to a bathroom she’d noticed when she arrived, she went in, closing the door. Mechanically, she removed her clothing and changed into one of the spare outfits she always carried. You never knew how bloody a kill would be, so she always kept spares. Finished, she put her nightclub clothes in the bag, feeling tiny without her heels, but yoga pants, a tank, and a hoodie made her a lot less noticeable than the outfit she’d arrived in.
Opening the door, she wasn’t surprised as everyone in the room turned to look at her. Angie could still see the desire in their eyes, but she ignored it as she set her bag by the stairs and headed in the direction that the kitchen should be. Angie could feel them following her as she entered the kitchen. Though she was aware of their every move she pretended they weren’t there and went to the fridge. After taking quick stock, she did the same with the cabinets as she put together what she could make. Quietly, she pulled things out. Setting her phone on the table, she turned on music, smiling to myself when “Angel of Murder” came on. How poetic.
Pushing the thought aside, Angie went to work. Forty minutes later, she cleaned her mess and made Maria a plate. Leaving the rest of the chicken and dumplings on the stove, she walked past her audience, stopping at Sal. “Whatever you don’t eat put in the fridge. I’ll do the dishes in the morning.”
Not waiting for a response, she grabbed her bag and went back upstairs.
…..
Watching Rico grab a bowl from the cabinet and make a plate, Lucca was careful to keep his eyes off the girl as she left. There were enough eyes on her, and for some reason it was seriously pissing him the fuck off. “What do you know about her?” Lucca asked Sal harshly when he walked into the kitchen, smiling. Why the fuck was he smiling? What did she say to him?
Walking over to the stove, Sal grabbed a bowl of whatever she’d made before coming to sit at the table with Lucca. The fucker looked like he was in heaven as he sniffed the shit. “Not much. Maria met her at the start of term. The poor girl didn’t know what to make of her. No matter what she did to try to get rid of Maria, it didn’t matter; you know how your sister gets. She was determined for that girl to be her friend.” Lucca held back a smile, because yeah, he knew how determined Maria could be when she decided she wanted something. “Eventually, the girl just gave in, though she put up a good fight. I think she realized how lonely Maria was. The girl has a strong mothering instinct. To tell you the truth, I think that’s what attracted Maria to her.”
Stopping at the sound of the door opening, Lucca watched his father Antonio and his consigliere Vincent walk in. Waving at Sal to continue, they made straight for the pot on the stove, getting heaping bowls before joining them. Christ, the shit did smell good Lucca thought. Eyeing the boys, he got up to get a bowl before they finished it off. “That’s pretty much it; they hang out at school, and when Maria goes out, it’s usually to Angie’s apartment. She cooks us dinner and we watch a movie or play games most nights and during the weekends, Angie disappears. Maria thinks it’s to meet some guy, but I’m not sure. When she comes back from the trips, she seems like a different person almost.”
“Different how?” Antonio asked.
Seeming to think about his next words carefully, Sal finally said, “Well, boss, I guess the word to use is withdrawn. It’s as if where ever she goes she leaves a piece of herself there.”
Considering Sal’s words his father asks. “What do you think of her, Sal?”
“I like her. She’s been good for Maria and to Maria. Hell, she’s always good to me, making sure I’m fed or have something to do if the movie they’re watching is too girlie.” Smiling slightly: “She even yells at Maria to do what I say and mind me; that there’s a reason I’m with her.”
Nodding his head at Sal, Antonio turned his attention to Lucca. “Well, underboss, what do you think? Can we use the girl?”
Lighting his cigarette, Lucca leaned back in his chair. “Does she know about us, Sal?” He asked as he stared at his father.
“Maria never told her. She thinks the boss is some type of businessman.”
No, she thought that; now she knew differently. In that sweep of her eyes, she took us in and knew. “I’ll give her a day, then I’ll find out what Maria told her,” Lucca said coldly, knowing that he’d hurt the girl if he had to, to get what he needed. Hopefully, it wouldn’t come to that.
“Do that, Lucca, and find out
everything you can about the girl. I have a feeling she’s not the type to break easy. I want those fuckers who hurt Maria, underboss. Don’t disappoint me.” Rising up from the chair, Antonio motioned for Vincent, his consigliere. “Head home. There’s nothing else we can do tonight.”
“I’ll be here first thing in the morning. Call me if you need me before then, Antonio.” Vincent said tiredly, nodding to the rest of them before turning and leaving. Vincent was exhausted, just as exhausted as the rest of them. Lucca didn’t think anyone had gone home longer than to shower since the hospital called and said Maria was there. Christ, tonight was the first night Maria wasn’t screaming her head off, banging it against the wall or wailing so loudly that no matter where you went, you couldn’t block out the sound of her pain.
As if reading Lucca’s mind, the boss stopped at the door before going through. “Try not to hurt the girl, Lucca, and don’t let her leave; your sister needs her.”
His father should have known him better than that. There was no way that the girl was leaving, no matter what he had to do to her.
Chapter 4
Moving through the house, Angie went to the kitchen to start breakfast. She hadn’t slept at all. After Maria ate her food she fell into a fitful sleep, but that only lasted a few hours before Angie was awakening her from a nightmare. There in the dark silent room, Maria told Angie what had happened to her.
Maria had snuck out of the house to meet a guy she had been talking to on the Internet. They’d met at a club downtown; he was there with a bunch of his friends. After a few drinks she wasn’t feeling well, and when she tried to call her brothers, they took her phone, saying they’d give her a ride. They took her to some house and each took turns with her. When they left her in the room alone, she heard them talking through the walls: Now that the fun was over, they’d better hurry up and kill her or they wouldn’t get paid. Somehow she was able to crawl out the window and hide. From her hiding spot she could hear them searching for her but they left after a while, afraid of getting caught. The next thing she remembered was waking up in the hospital. A jogger had found her and called for help.
She begged Angie not to tell her family, terrified of the way they’d look at her. It was bad enough that she’d been raped; if they found out it had been multiple guys—eight, to be exact—she wouldn’t be able to bear their disgust. The shame she felt was destroying her. She blamed herself for what had happened; if she hadn’t snuck out to meet a stranger, this wouldn’t have happened.
After Angie Promised her that she wouldn’t tell them, she got Maria to calm down and go back to sleep. It was easier than before, as if a weight had been lifted from her. Going to Maria’s computer, Angie was able to find some of the e-mails and tracked the IP back to a coffeehouse. The name the account was registered under was obviously an alias. Going to the site where Maria had met the guy, Angie found that his profile was already gone. Fucker was trying to cover his tracks. Might have worked if he was dealing with the cops, but she thrived on finding people who didn’t want to be found.
Looking over her shoulder at the sound of the door opening, Angie was pulled from her thoughts. The guy who walked in was handsome and obviously one of Maria’s younger brothers. Must be the middle one Dominic. Nodding her head to him, she turned back to the stove. Obviously not used to a woman ignoring him, surprise flashed in his eyes, followed by a slow grin as he looked her up and down, not realizing she could see his reflection in the glass. Watching the little shit all but strut toward her, she gave no indication that she knew he was there, even when he got right behind her to reach for a cup. About to give him a little jab in the nuts with her elbow, not to hurt him but to teach him a lesson, he was saved by his brother. Not the crazy, older fucking brother but the cute little brother, who had to be all of fifteen. Ignoring the asshole at her back, she hip checked him to get him out of her way. Turning she smiled to the little guy—well, he wasn’t really little; he was taller than her and probably had twenty pounds on her, but he was adorable, a male version of Maria, with dimples girls would one day start fights over.
Walking over to him, she held back a laugh as he checked her out. “Are you hungry, sweetheart?” She asked, causing him to blush as he realized he had been caught.
“It smells good,” he said, smiling at her with those adorable dimples.
“Go sit down. I’ll get you a plate, OK?” Angie told him, turning back to the stove. The kitchen had gotten crowded, as Lucca and a couple of the guys from last night stood staring at her. Dropping the smile from her face, she ignored them, making a heaping plate for the boy. Pouring a glass of orange juice, she brought both to him. “There you go, sweetheart,” Angie said, setting the stuff down in front of him before pushing back the hair off his forehead. “If you’re still hungry, let me know.”
Turning to leave, she was stopped when he grabbed her hand. “My name’s Nico.”
“I’m Angie, darling, a friend of Maria’s,” She told him her eyes sharpening as his smile dimmed at the mention of his sisters name.
Recovering, he turned up the cuteness. “Would you sit and eat with me?” he asked, giving her the full dimple effect.
Bending over until they were at eye level, she tapped his nose. “I’d love to; let me get a plate.”
Raising her gaze from Nico, Angie saw Sal had taken a seat. As if waiting for her notice he gave her a wink and a little grin. Rolling her eyes she went and grabbed two plates, one for her and one for Sal. The ass squad was still there, looking at her…well, except for Lucca, who was grabbing a coffee. Going back to the table, Angie set her plate down and brought Sal his. Ignoring his thank-you, she went to sit with Nico. The poor kid had to be having a hard time accepting what was going on. Knowing that she was a moron for caring, but the boy just reminded her of…Pushing the thought away, she gave him her full attention, only stopping long enough to bring his father and his father’s friend a plate and a coffee when they arrived. It was an ingrained action, not a conscious decision. Ignoring the speculative looks, she kept talking to Nico as she watched the clock. Maria should be walking up about now. Picking up Nico’s and her empty plate, she took them to the sink, rinsing them off before placing them in the dishwasher. Grabbing the plate that she had set aside for Maria, Angie walked back into the dining room and held her hand out to Nico.
Looking a little confused, he took it, and she pulled him out of his seat. “Where are we going?” he asked.
“To bring Maria breakfast,” Angie said, barely hanging on to the plate and cup when he stopped short.
Absolute silence filled the room as everyone stared at her, but the only one she looked at was Nico. He looked scared shitless. “I don’t think that’s a good idea,” he managed to get out as he tried to take his hand from hers.
Not letting go Angie stepped into his personal space. What the hell had been going on before she arrived? Letting all the warmth leave her face, she looked at him again. “What I think is that you’re going to visit your sister. She’ll be happy for your company.” Blinking at her like he didn’t know what to do, Nico turned his head to look at his family. Releasing his hand, Angie grabbed his chin with her fingertips. “Now, darling, do you understand what I just said?” She asked giving a hard squeeze. Nodding his head once as he stared at her wide-eyed, she gave him her most blinding smile before re-grabbing his hand and pulling him along behind her.
…..
“Does anyone want to explain what the fuck just happened?” Dominic asked, looking from his father to Lucca. Christ, he was even more confused when a small smile spread across his father’s face. “Are you going to let her take him up there? He’s just a kid. Maria attacked me and started screaming when we went into her room to check on her. I don’t want her doing that to him, or seeing her like that. He won’t understand that it’s not him.”
“He’ll be fine. If the girl thought that seeing Maria would upset Nico, she wouldn’t bring him up there,” Antonio told his son while looking down at h
is breakfast, probably the best he’d had at home in years.
Ignoring his father, Dominic was about to stand up to get Nico, but Lucca stopped him. “He’s right; she wouldn’t hurt him like that.” Dismissing his brother Lucca turned hard eyes to Paulie, the resident computer guy, “What have you found out about her?”
“Not much,” Paulie hurried to say when he saw the pissed-off look Lucca was sporting. “Her parents were killed when she was seven; car crash, no other family. She bounced around foster homes till she was eighteen. W-4s say she waitressed at the same restaurant in Minnesota until she turned up here and enrolled herself in school.”
“How’d she pay the tuition at that place? I know it’s not cheap if you’re an out-of-stater,” Lucca mused quietly, wondering who the fuck this girl was. “Do some more digging and send someone to find out if that girl is still waitressing at that place.” Watching as what he just said sunk in to Paulie he wasn’t surprised when he hurriedly got to his feet and headed out the door. The guy was a fucking genius with computers. Normally he wouldn’t have slipped up like this. One look at her and you forgot to look any deeper than what you saw on the outside. Smiling, Lucca thought of the way she’d put Nico in his place. When she did that, she showed a piece of what was hidden beneath the beauty. Now he just had to find out what else was hidden there.
…..
Nibbling on popcorn, Angie stared blankly at the movie playing. Nico was sandwiched between her and Maria on the bed, a prisoner as Maria used him for a pillow, suffering as they forced him to watch Auntie Mame. She’d fucked up and she knew it. She had seen it in Lucca’s eyes. When Angie had gone to get the popcorn, he’d watched her as he talked to his father. Dominic had jumped up and gotten in her path as she tried to go back upstairs, demanding to know if Nico was all right, like his sister was going to hurt him. Pissed, Angie pretended he wasn’t there and had tried to go around him, but the little shit grabbed her and pulled her into him. Years of ingrained instinct took over before she could stop herself from reacting; only one person ever touched her like that, and it was never in a good way. Before Dominic knew what hit him Angie had him on the ground with her foot at his throat and her hand holding his wrist, ready to snap his arm before she realized what she was doing. A haze of red crowded her vision. Lucca’s “No” had pulled her back enough to realize what was going on. Quickly releasing his brother, who was gasping for air, she stepped back, not bothering to look at the table, which held a sea of shocked faces, she was sure, and casually made my way back to Maria’s room as if nothing had happened.
Angelica (The Family Book 1) Page 2