by Unknown
"Thank you," I whispered, feeling a lump growing in my throat.
"Now go to bed. I'll take care of the mess. I love you, Gia."
***
"Terry?" I said, raising my voice in case he was somewhere in the house I hadn't looked.
It was the morning after the funeral, and my biggest fear came true. Terry was gone. I was worried something happened to him until I entered the kitchen and saw a note with my name on it hanging from the freezer door.
Gia,
Momma was the only thing protecting me from the Lords of Vengeance. I have to leave. It's safer if I'm away. They'll have to find me. If I can, I'll try calling you to let you know I'm okay.
Love,
Terry
"Dammit, Terry!" I said as I tossed the note onto the counter.
I didn't know anything about the Lords of Vengeance other than they were a street gang and capable of anything. For all I knew, they already had Terry or worse, he was dead.
The phone rang and I grabbed it mid-ring. "Terry?"
"Hello, this is Front Street Bank calling for Francesca Carlisi," said the stoic male voice on the other end of the line.
"I'm sorry, but she passed away. Is there something I can help you with? I'm her daughter."
"She's behind on her mortgage payments, Miss," he said, his voice sounding sympathetic.
"What mortgage? The house has been paid off for years."
It slowly dawned on me how bad things had gotten with Terry. The man who was my brother now was capable of horrible things without thinking about the consequence to others.
"She refinanced the house six months ago and missed her last three payments," he said quietly.
I didn't know what to say. My mind reeled. How much did Terry get from her? There wasn't much money in Momma's bank account, and most of it went to pay for the funeral.
"Can you please call another time? I need to talk to my brothers and sisters about this."
"Of course, Miss. I'm sorry for your loss."
Hanging up, I waited for the dial tone and called my oldest brother, Carlo.
"Carlo, it's Gia," I said.
"I can tell from your voice that something's going on. Let me guess, it's Terry."
"Yes! He must have tricked Momma into refinancing the house. And he says he's in trouble, and now he's gone! I need your help," I said, blurting everything out.
"Gia, I'm sorry, but you've been away for quite a while now. We all have our own problems, and each of us has been burnt by Terry before. I can't help you and I'm pretty sure if you called anyone else, they won't help, either. Not as long as it has to do with Terry."
Staring at the phone, I couldn't believe what Carlo said. He was just going to let me deal with everything because he had enough of Terry.
"Carlo, I don't know what to do. I don't even have a job and the mortgage is three months behind already."
"Then find a job and move out. Let the bank take the house. It's not your problem."
"But it's our house. It's where we grew up," I said.
"It's time for you to grow up, Gia. It's just a house. And you can't save Terry, so just forget about that. He's too far gone. Let it go."
He hung up, leaving me still holding the phone to my ear listening to the dull dial tone. I never expected any of my brothers and sisters to act like that. If Carlo, who was normally levelheaded and sensible, responded like that about Terry, then I knew all was lost.
Sighing, I put the phone back on the receiver and looked around the messy kitchen. Terry couldn't even clean up like he said he would. Grabbing a stack of dirty paper plates, I shoved them into the trash as I thought about all the messes Terry left behind.
***
A sound in the hall startled me awake. Turning to look at the clock, I saw it said 3:15. Dammit, Terry! I thought as I slid out from under the covers. The least he could do was be quiet.
Voices came down the hall as I reached the bedroom door. My heart stopped as I realized it wasn't Terry at all. Were we being robbed? I had to get out of there as quickly as possible.
Wrapping my light blue robe around me, I tightly tied the belt and headed towards the back of the house. There was a door in the kitchen that led outside. I hoped they hadn't gotten back there yet and I could sneak out.
"Well, whatta we got here?" said a male voice behind me.
Spinning around, a large man in jeans and a leather vest headed towards me. He had tattoos covering his arms and along his neck. A red bandana was wrapped over his bald head. A goateed man in the same vest came up next to him and grinned. They stared at me like a cat stares at a mouse.
"Guess we found something of value after all," said the goatee. "Maybe Terry couldn't sell her."
"Shame, I bet he'd get a good price," said bandana man as he reached to touch my hair.
I slapped his hand away and folded my arms over my chest. "Don't touch me! And get the hell out of my house!"
"Your house?" said the goatee, laughing. "With everything Terry owes, I think this is our house now. And since you're in the house, you belong to us, too."
"I get her first," bandana man said huskily as he reached for my robe.
I backed up as far as I could and prayed that God still listened to me. Help me. Anyone. Please, I repeated over and over in my head.
A loud thump echoed down the hall, followed by another. The two men turned around and left me as I ran towards the kitchen planning my escape. Arms grabbed me. A hand covered my mouth as I tried to scream.
Looking up, I saw Dante in a buttoned shirt and slacks, all in black. His blue eyes looked even darker and cold, but there was something behind them that told me to trust him. With a quick spin, he pushed my face against his chest and I heard a soft but rapid beat before another large thump collapsed.
Dante opened the door of the bathroom and pushed me inside. Looking like an extension of his arm was a handgun with a long silencer. He put his finger up to his lips and locked the bathroom door, leaving me alone.
My heart was beating so fast, I felt it vibrating through my entire body. I thought about escape, but the bathroom had too small of a window. There was no way I could fit through there and once I was in the alley, where would I go?
The bang of a gunshot filled the air. I ducked and curled myself up into the smallest ball I could manage and moved as far from the door was possible. Dante's gun didn't sound like that, and I worried he might be hurt.
Silence filled the air, chilling me. I hoped no one else could hear how loud my heart was thumping from fear. Not wanting to be found, I held my breath, trying to be as quiet as possible. But nothing could stop me from shivering.
The doorknob turned slightly, then stopped. With a quick jerk, it flew open and Dante filled the doorway. I leapt towards him and he held me for a moment.
"We have to go," he said. "There will be more."
I nodded and turned to go towards the bedroom, but he grabbed my arm.
"Now," he said, his cold eyes staring deep into mine.
"But I have to change."
"No time."
With his hand still on my arm, he headed towards the front door. I couldn't leave. I yanked my arm away and rushed back towards the bedroom.
"Gia!"
"Momma's rosary," I said as I dashed into the room.
He didn't follow me. He stood on the porch like a sentinel as I rushed. I had draped the rosary over a framed picture of Momma and I. It was the last picture I had of us together where she still looked well. I couldn't leave it behind.
As I hurried back to Dante, my heart swelled with emotion for this beautiful man who saved me. When I stepped onto the porch, he put his arm around my shoulders and guided me across the street. In a dark corner of the parking lot, he opened the passenger side door to a small black car and waited until I got inside before closing it.
With long strides, he circled the car to the driver's side and stepped in, keeping his gun on his lap. He kept the lights off as he pulled the car ou
t of the parking lot. Up the street, three cars turned the corner and hurriedly stopped in front of my house.
Dante's face was as hard as stone. Several men got out of the cars carrying guns while others kept their weapons concealed. As they entered the house, Dante leaned towards me. His muscular shoulder brushed against me and I felt the heat coming off his body.
He opened the glove compartment and pulled out a small box. Holding the box in one hand, he flipped it open with his thumb and pressed a button.
A pop, then a flash of light burst from the basement of my home, followed by another. Dante put the car in gear, its lights still off, and we turned onto the street. A loud bang spun me around in my seat and I saw my home engulfed in flames.
"No!" I screamed as I tried in vain to open the car door.
When we reached the end of the street, Dante turned on the car lights. In the distance, sirens headed our way. Dante drove in silence and while I didn't want to cry in front of him again, I couldn't help myself.
His face softened and he reached his large hand out and covered mine, but I pushed it away. I wanted to be left alone. I was so confused. He saved me, but he destroyed my home. Looking out the window, I noticed we were heading towards the bridge.
"Where are you taking me?" I asked.
"The only place I know you'll be safe. My home."
At that moment, I realized whatever he did, he did it for me. I replayed the night in my head and saw a ruthless killer who hid my face from the violence and protected me. He was alone, he could have died, but he put himself in danger to save me. I reached out and touched the hand I pushed away before, and he intertwined his fingers with mine.
***
The sky had the pale yellow glow of sunrise as Dante drove through Manhattan. I had been to the city many times in my life, but never saw it as quiet as it was this early in the morning. It seemed odd to me that such a large city could be so silent. It felt eerie, abandoned, and deserted. Thinking of my brother, I felt the city and I were one and the same.
We turned onto Central Park West and I was curious where we could be heading. Only the wealthy lived on the Upper West Side. How could a killer live among them? These were tall, beautiful buildings I always admired from the outside and daydreamed about their marble floors and fancy things.
Dante turned the car into an underground garage and parked, leaving the car running. He opened my door and helped me out as a younger man in a mechanic's jumpsuit approached us.
"Get rid of it," Dante told him.
He wrapped his arm protectively around my shoulders as I hugged the framed picture of my mother and I against my chest. As we walked, I didn't think to question where he was taking me or where I would stay now that I didn't have a home to go back to. He saved my life, so I trusted him with it.
Entering the building, the doorman in his uniform of a long green coat nodded and didn't seem at all fazed by my robe and slippers. Dante led me down the rich marble and wood lobby and past the main elevators to a small alcove where a man around my height stood.
Wearing a plain black suit, he stood at attention in front of a smaller elevator door, his hands clasped behind his back. He had a strong jawline and a sharp nose that looked like it had been broken one too many times. His eyes were intense and so black, it made his dark hair seem light.
"Sonny," Dante said, addressing the man. "Gia will be staying with me. Do not allow anyone in unless they've been cleared. Do you understand?"
"Yes, sir," he said, his voice gravelly.
Sonny moved aside and revealed a golden panel on the wall. Flipping the small lid up, Dante placed his thumb on a reader and the elevator door slid open with a hum.
Dante's face relaxed as we entered the elevator, but he still didn't speak. The ice in his eyes melted as he became the man I met and not the man who rescued me. I couldn't help but stare at him. To say he was gorgeous was an understatement, but adding to it that he was a killer made him more complex than I could ever imagine.
Thoughts raced through my mind as I replayed the night. The heavy thumps I heard, the pops and flashes coming from my home, Dante was responsible for all of that. And yet there was something more to him, something underneath all of that. He was a good person. I was sure of it.
The elevator opened to a foyer with thick, plush cream carpeting and rust painted walls. My curiosity got the better of me and I wanted to look around, but I was tired. Dante noticed me trying to hide a yawn and led me down the hall to the open door of a bedroom.
The room was much larger than any bedroom I had ever been in. A king-sized bed with a thick upholstered headboard sat in the center of the far wall. Along the next wall was a dresser where I placed the frame and the rosary beads. Still wanting to explore, I realized I was too sleepy to notice anything else in the room.
"Sleep," Dante said as he pulled the grey comforter back from the bed. "We'll talk in the morning."
I couldn't argue. I could barely stand anymore. Everything from the night caught up with me and all I could think about was how I was safe and wanted to sleep.
Crawling into the soft cotton sheets, I felt small and alone in the bed. The door clicked as Dante closed it behind him and I settled into the cool pillow. As I closed my eyes, I saw the man with the red paisley bandana reaching out to grab me and my eyes flew open, my heart pounding.
Taking deep breaths, I calmed myself down and reminded myself where I was. But it was useless. Every time I closed my eyes, the man appeared again. I tried to push the image away, but it wouldn't budge.
"Dante?" I whispered, feeling foolish.
He wasn't in the room, so I didn't expect him to hear me. I didn't want to call for him, but I didn't think I had a choice. I was more tired than I'd ever been in my life, but I couldn't fall asleep if bandana man was going to invade my dreams.
The door opened and Dante's muscular figure outlined the doorway. He didn't say anything, he simply stood there waiting.
"Can you sleep in here? With me? I—"
"Shh," he said as he entered the room. "Don't say it, you'll give it life."
He lay on top of the bed, fully dressed, and I moved myself closer to him, but that didn't help. Finally I lifted his arm and positioned myself alongside his firm body. His arm fit along my curves perfectly. As I rested my head on his shoulder, I listened to his breathing and closed my eyes. The man was gone. Dante saved me again.
CHAPTER FOUR
Dante
Gia's soft body pressed against me as she slept. Her dark wavy hair framed her face, making her look even more angelic. The heat from her body radiating through her pajamas and onto my clothing made me want her more. It wasn't fair that someone as pure as her would make me think such impure thoughts.
I never went against orders. I knew my rank as a Soldier, it was one I became accustomed to in the Army. But that seemed like a lifetime ago.
As I listened to her steady breathing, my cellphone vibrated in my pocket. I didn't have to look to know it was my Capo, Robert. By now he knew what I had done. I had to answer.
Careful to not wake Gia, I slowly slipped out from under her. I pulled the phone out of my pocket and answered as I closed the door behind me.
"Yes?" I said.
"I'm on my way. I'll be there in five minutes."
Robert's voice was more business than usual, which meant he was pissed.
"I'm home," I said.
"And you brought the girl, didn't you?"
"You know the answer to that," I said before hanging up.
I didn't want to get involved in this mess. The Lords of Vengeance were like any street gang, no one knew what to expect from them. Protecting Terry had been my punishment for trying to escape this life. I was always looking for an out.
That is, until I saw Gia. Protecting her was like breathing. I didn't have a choice. Something in her called to the part of me I buried within myself many years ago. She could see the person I once was; the person I still wanted to be.
So
nny notified me that Robert was on his way up so I waited by the elevator for him. As the doors opened, I moved him towards the living room where we could talk without waking Gia.
The sunken living room was filled with sunlight from the large windows. I motioned for Robert to sit on the white leather sectional, but he ignored me and paced instead.
"What were you thinking, Dante?" Robert said as his eyes narrowed at me.
"She's innocent, Robert. I couldn't leave her there to get raped and killed. You know that's what they would've done to her."
"They know it was you. Blowing up that house was the wrong move. You left your calling card."
"I was buying us time and leaving them a message."
Robert shook his head. "Well because of that message, they think the family is protecting that scumbag now."
"They're not stupid, they'll figure it out. They'll realize he left soon enough."
"No, Dante. They want blood. Right now they don't care who it is, and your antics have put the family in the line of fire. You need to fix this."
"Fine, who?"
I had been involved in this my entire life, I knew what fixing something meant. Robert didn't have to tell me who, but I didn't kill without my orders. At least not until Gia.
"Terry. Find him and take care of him. Make sure he's not a problem anymore."
I gave him a quick nod. Taking Terry out not only cleared the family of involvement, but it also kept Gia safe. I didn't like killing people, but it was what I did best. Finding and getting rid of Terry would be easy. The hard part would be dealing with Gia when she found out he was gone.
Without another word, Robert left. I wasn't worried about myself, but I had been reckless the night before when I set the bombs. I knew when the Lords pieced it together they would trace it to the Gambinos.
I didn't want anyone to die because of my foolishness, but I did what I had to do to make sure Gia was safe. Hearing her movement in the bedroom, I entered the kitchen and began making breakfast. After all the excitement from the night before, I needed a good breakfast and she needed to eat.