by Haley Ladawn
He tucked a piece of my hair behind my ear, resting his head on my neck. “No, it’s not that hard, but I am.”
How was he still aroused? This whole charade ended ten minutes ago. The heat of the moment had come and passed.
“Give me the seat belt.” I ignored him.
“You don’t need one.” He tightened his grip around my hips, pulling me to his chest. He was hugging me. Actually, hugging me. “You have me.”
“Whatever.” I let my back rest against his beating chest, not seeming to have much of a choice.
“Are you comfortable?” he whispered into my ear, sending tingles along my skin.
“Not with your hard erection pressing against my back.” I sighed heavily, moving slightly to the side. “Is it too late for you to stuff me in the trunk?”
Chapter 17: Behind Enemy Lines
We found Elisa at the local Mexican restaurant, smashing away at a box of twelve tacos. She also had taco salad, taco pizza, guacamole, potato bowls, gorditas, burritos, fajitas, empanadas, rice, enchiladas, quesadillas, the kitchen sink and thirteen orders of nachos by her side.
The entire table was stacked with Mexican food, hiding her small frame behind mountains of spicy goodness. It was like an avalanche waiting to happen.
“What the fuck?” Elliot creased his eyebrows, looking back and forth between Elisa and the food that sat in front of her. “Did you order the entire menu or what?”
“You bet I fucking did.” She gave him a polite smile, taking another bite of her rice. She didn’t bother chewing with her mouth closed. She had her feet propped up on the chair next to her. “And guess what? I paid for it all on your credit card. Check and mate.”
She let out an evil laugh and tossed him a receipt. It hit the floor, curling underneath one of the tables. He glanced at it shortly before shrugging in her direction.
“You do realize that I make more money in a month than this restaurant makes in a year, right?” Elliot tossed some of the food on the ground, clearing a little portion of the table so he could sit down. “Give me my credit card back before I make you choke on the cheap food you just bought, puttana.”
“Everet?” Elisa glanced at the blonde-haired man who was texting someone on his phone rapidly. “You’re going to get carpal tunnel if you don’t put that phone down. Who are you talking to?”
Probably another one of his girlfriends…
On the fifteen-minute drive here, I realized a few things. First, Everet had a great taste in music. We spent the drive here listening to eighties classics. Second, his phone went off more often than the police sirens did. That was saying a lot considering we were on the ghetto side of town, and police sirens were as normal as birds chirping. Third, he had a collection of disposable phones.
That was not a good sign.
The whole criminal enterprise hunch I had earlier only seemed to grow as each second passed. I mean, no one carried flip phones around anymore.
“What, turchino?” Everet glanced up from his phone, sliding it into the front pocket of his dark slacks. “Give him his card back. You never step in the way of a man and his money.”
“I step in front of you and your money all the time, testa di cazzo.” Her Italian surprised me. “Remember when I forced you to take me to Disneyland and then Disney World, just so I could see which one was better? Then, I made you buy a Cinderella carriage to drive us home in?”
“Are you proud to be a gold digger?” Everet narrowed his eyes at her, seeming to give her a silent warning that she was too happy to ignore.
“Are you proud to be a sugar daddy?” She gave him a devilish smile, winking in his direction.
Are you proud to be a little bitch?
I turned my gaze toward Everet who was back on his phone. I smacked it out of his hand, until he looked at me.
“Look, I don’t know what the fuck any of you are doing, but I don’t want any part of it! I just want to go home.” I turned to face Elliot who was leaned against the wall, watching me with amusement in his eyes. “No one has told me why I’m even here! Someone better give me some real answers right now, before I shove spicy burritos so far up all your asses that you feel the burn in your mouth!”
There was an awkward silence for a moment, before Elisa shouted, “Hell yeah! You go girl.”
“What did you just say?” Everet squinted at Elisa, his hands clenching into fists at his side. His lips were pursed into a thin line. “Are you encouraging her?”
“Do you have a hearing problem, Mount Everest?” She squealed like a child, covering her face with the back of her hands.
“Are you disrespecting me, turchino?” He reached for her small wrist, but she moved to the side, evading him.
“Don’t touch me, or I’ll stab you with this fork.” She picked it up swiftly, holding it like it was a knife. “It may be plastic, but I know ways of making it hurt.”
“I give you a gun and you threaten to stab me with a fork?” Everet’s lips lifted into an entertained smile, while Elliot and I just leaned back, watching them with wide eyes. “I’m not impressed.”
“Would you be impressed if I shot you between your eyes?” Elisa pointed to the side of her jeans where there was a hot pink holster. “The bullets are made of sugar, spice, and everything that can take your life.”
“Do they always act like this?” I mumbled underneath my breath, feeling like I was watching a reality show.
“Wait for it.” Elliot sighed, shaking his head in exasperation. “It gets worse.”
There was a drawn-out battle of banter between the two of them and then they started throwing perfectly good, edible food at each other.
“You shouldn’t have done that.” Everet wiped some taco sauce off his face, eyeing Elisa like a predator that was about to strike. “Now, you’re going to lick all this off me.”
“Good thing I like Mexican food.” She ran out of the restaurant, twirling around like a ballerina. “But first let me get real nice and comfy in your car. Didn’t you just get new interior, baby?”
“Don’t you fucking dare, puttana.” Everet ran after her like a bat out of hell, leaving Elliot and I standing in their mess. “I’ll kill you and your friend at the same damn time.”
“What the fuck just happened?” I raised my eyebrows, feeling more than dumbfounded.
“They had a food fight, duh.” Elliot’s blue eyes seemed to lighten, but he was back to his usual somber self in no time. “Let’s go, Rose, before the police come.”
“No thanks.” I folded my arms across my chest, shaking my head. I planted my feet to ground even as he grabbed me by my arm. His grip was harsh, but I was holding onto a nearby table for the life of me. I wasn’t going anywhere. “I was being serious when I said I wanted to know what the hell was going on here!”
“I’ll tell you what’s going on.” He glared at me, biting down on his lower lip. “We’re going to go to that Italian restaurant across the street, and we’re going to have a little chat, yes? A little one-on-one. You’ll eat some pasta, and if you don’t do as I say, I’ll kill you. Are we clear?”
“Crystal,” I mumbled, unlatching myself from the table. I crossed my arms, as he pulled me out of the restaurant. He kept me close to his side where I was warm.
The Italian restaurant across the street was a lot different than the first one he’d taken me to. That one had been elegant, but this one not so much. Not to say that is was unappealing or anything. It just had a different vibe to it. It was more family friendly as opposed to date night locale.
There weren’t any luminous candles, or smooth jazz playing in the background. In fact, this place was dead quiet. Elliot and me breathing was the only sound I heard.
“Where is everyone?” I tucked an errant hair behind my ear, looking around slowly.
“I made reservations to have this whole place to myself, so that I could kill you in peace and quiet.” He shrugged absentmindedly. “I don’t like to be interrupted when I do these kinds of things
.”
My face turned white as I turned around to meet the menacing man behind me. To my surprise, his expression didn’t match his words. He was wearing a shit-eating grin, showing off his perfect, straight teeth.
He was smiling like a lunatic. I backed up a little, putting my hand over my heart.
“I can’t believe you actually fell for that.” Elliot’s husky chuckle broke me away from my thoughts, as he ran his hand along his sharp jaw. “If I was going to kill you, I would do it in a nicer place than this.”
“Thanks for sparing me,” I muttered, letting out a sigh of relief. I ran my fingers over my face, beginning to fidget in my chair. “I’m glad that you’re not planning on murdering me beside a dumpster. You know what? You deserve a medal of honor the all the brave kindness you have showed me. You’re my knight in shining armor! Thank you so much, Elliot Santoro! I’m in your debt. How can I ever repay such a rich man like you? You have everything you’ve ever wanted.”
“Not everything,” was his only response, as he turned his head in the opposite direction, hiding whatever emotion he was feeling. I couldn’t see his face, but the light caught the side of his jaw that was now clenched.
“So…” I started to change the subject. Not for my sake, but for his. “Can I ask why you kidnapped me when it’s obvious that your brother is in a committed, or at least partially committed, relationship with my friend?”
“I didn’t mean to kidnap you.” He rolled his eyes, already seeming bored by my attempt at conversation. “You were supposed to take that internship with Elisa, and my brother and I were supposed to keep an eye on the two of you. Things got a little out of hand, yes?”
“A little?” I let out a hysterical laugh. “You murdered a girl in a restaurant that was very much like this one. Are you sure you wouldn’t murder me here? I think you would.”
“Death is a part of the business.” He shrugged, still avoiding my gaze. “You wouldn’t understand.”
“I saw all the drugs that were in that room,” I admitted quietly. “I know Connor uses. You can tell just by looking at him that’s he strung out, which makes me think that you and your brother are his suppliers. I bet he owed you money. The kind of money that a sixteen-year-old doesn’t have access to. I think he faked his death to get away from you, but you two intercepted him and Elisa. She developed Stockholm syndrome, and Connor turned into your drug mule to feed his addiction and pay his debt. Am I close?”
“Not even a little, Lily.” He grabbed me by my waist, sitting me on top of a wooden table. “Do you have any more theories, or is your tiny, little brain at a standstill?”
I scowled, pushing him back with my palms, but he didn’t budge. “I think you kidnapped me to get back at Elisa for some sick reason. You knew she was my best friend, but you knew that she loved Everet too. She would do anything for him, even if it meant helping his sick, little brother catch the attention of some poor maiden.”
“You have a wild imagination.” He stifled a laugh, pushing me further back on the table. His hands tightened around my thighs, pulling them apart quickly. He stood in the space between them, moving closer to me. “You and I both know I could’ve easily gotten your attention on my own. I didn’t need anyone’s help. You’re attracted to me, just like a moth is attracted to the very flame that burns it.”
He didn’t give me a chance to reply before he pulled my body to his, until we were inches apart and his neck rested on my shoulder. He moved some hair away from my ear, so he could whisper, “You were wet then and you’re wet now.”
His hand moved up my thigh gingerly, while his muscles flexed around me, caging me in. It wasn’t frightening so much as it was comforting. I slid up to meet him halfway, but he pushed me back again.
“You’re eager, aren’t you?” His hands found my waist, leaving lingering touches there. He was tracing circles on my hipbone. “Good things come to those who wait.”
“I thought you weren’t a patient man?” I narrowed my eyes at him, as he looked up at me with a smirk playing on his soft, sensual lips.
“I’m not patient, but art takes time. Some people scribble crooked lines, while others draw with precision. I want to take my time with you.” He grabbed my trembling wrists, steadying them in his strong hands. “I want to watch you come undone, and then I want to watch you come. In that specific order.”
“Elliot?” I was panting like a dog, trying to catch my lost breath.
“Yes?” I caught his hand just as it was about to make its dark descent, snapping it back with force.
He flinched, raising his dark eyebrows. He was leaning somewhere between being surprised and amused. I assumed he thought I was just being rough, but he was wrong.
“We weren’t alone then, and we’re not alone now.” I mocked his words, pushing him away from my legs.
He looked crestfallen as I slid away from the table gracefully.
It was high off the ground and my knees were weak, but I landed without tripping. He had me feeling all wobbly, and he must have known the effect he was having on me because he bit down on his lips to hide a smile.
I pointed to the door and he glanced over his shoulder to see our uninvited guest.
Standing in the threshold was a woman with caramel brown hair pinned back in a hair net. She didn’t look pleased, while her arms folded around herself, like she felt exposed.
She wore a tight, red dress that had stripes down the middle. It was in the style of those old diner dresses from the fifties. It looked gorgeous on her tall frame, as she leaned against the threshold with a frown on her red lips.
It was Margo Wallace, the girl who had been working at Santoro Court the day I met Elliot. Judging by her new attire, she no longer worked there.
“Mr. Santoro?” Margo raised her eyebrows, pulling her hair out of the net immediately. It fell to her stomach in waves that looked like black coffee when you added milk to it. The perfect shade in between blonde and brown. “What are you doing here?”
“Eating…” Elliot replied, looking down at my breasts. His smoldering gaze stayed there for a moment, sending a warmth through me. “I was just about to enjoy some really nice buns.”
I sunk in the chair next to me, hiding the redness in my face.
“Oh. Well, I have really nice buns too.” She eyed him as she moved toward the kitchen. She toyed with her bottom lip, looking sultry and seductive. For some reason, I wanted to punch her in the face. “I mean, I can make you some really nice buns if you want. We make bread here. You can touch the buns too. They’re really soft.”
“I bet they’re stale as fuck,” I mumbled underneath my breath, glaring as Elliot kept his eyes on Margo.
“Are you jealous, cara mia?” Elliot’s eyes finally drifted back to me when Margo disappeared to the back of the restaurant.
“Jealous? Pfft! No way, Jose!” I let out an awkward laugh, tightening my hand around the end of the table, until my knuckles turned white. “I’m just fine and dandy! I’m doing really great actually.”
He draped one arm over my shoulder, whispering sweet nothings into my ear. That is, until his voice shifted into a thick accent that sounded like a haunting lullaby. “La gelosia ti fa impazzire e poi ti fa debole.”
“What did you just say?” I creased my eyebrows, squinting at him.
“You know what the best part about being bilingual is?” He tightened his arms around me, bringing me a little too close.
“What?” I turned my head to look at him, my cheek brushing against his.
“You can talk shit about people straight to their faces and they’ll never know what you’re really saying.” He let out a wicked laugh, nuzzling my neck. “But I’ll tell you what, fiorella. You better believe that I would know if anyone ever tried to disrespect me.”
I sighed, rolling my eyes. “You think you know everything, don’t you?”
“Sí.” He nodded in my direction, running his palm along my exposed throat. “I’m not fucking stupid. I know that you
were going try to kill me with that piece of glass earlier, puttana.”
My face paled as his hand wrapped around my throat. The air in the room had grown colder, but I was frozen in a newfound fear. The playful look in his eyes had vanished.
“You made a mistake.” He whispered into my ear, eyeing me dead on. “Your mistake wasn’t that you decided to kill me. It was that you didn’t follow through with your plan. You just proved to me that you’re weak and delicate, just like a flower. Where are your thorns, Rose? Why are you wilting underneath my touch? You should be blooming.”
There was a long moment of silence on both ends and then he said, “I don’t regret anything, but I promise that you will.”
Chapter 18: Ice Scream, I Scream
There was an awkward silence between the two of us. Not the we both tried to speak at the same time kind of awkward, but the you just threatened to murder me in an Italian restaurant in between bites of gelato kind of awkward.
The worst part was that Elliot didn’t even offer me any ice cream, so I had to sit and watch him seductively lick some of the world’s best gelato, or at least that’s what the menu claimed.
He said it didn’t compare to what you could get in Italy, but he still scarfed it down like no tomorrow.
I glared at him, like the jealous child that I was.
“What?” His eyes darkened, while he licked the spoon once more. “Do you wish my tongue was on your pussy instead?”
I shifted in my seat, moving further away from him, but his hand around my waist stopped me. I wasn’t going anywhere anytime soon. Not if he could help it.
Soon after Margo came in, others did too, until the entire restaurant was packed. It was around lunchtime, so there were several businessmen and women at the crowded tables.
“What are you thinking about, fiorella?” He finally sat the spoon down, folding his arms across his chest carefully. “Other than what I would look like naked.”
I had given up on wondering how he always knew what I was thinking, and settled on the fact that in some weird way, Elliot and I were alike.