by Merikan,Miss
Without even switching on the light, I sat on the floor by the window and breathed in the cool, fresh air.
I would not be wasting my time on dealing with a pig like Vincenzo. Just thinking about him made me acutely aware of all the family-oriented festivities. I’d have to stand him for several days in a row, and that thought was unbearable.
Voices outside turned my attention to the garden below, but my heart beat faster when I recognized one of them as the same one that melted my panties right off me.
“There’s nothing going on,” he said coolly.
“Nothing?” Federico seemed to be working hard on not raising his voice. “I saw where your hand was. Not enough pussy to go around? You have to try to stick your dick in the one that’s not for you?”
My whole body stiffened, going into panic mode as I pressed my back tightly to the tiles and listened. Oh, God, he knew. Would he pass it on to Seth’s father?
“It was just a joke. You’re seeing things,” said Santo.
“I better be. I just came back from a chat with Tassa. In a week or two we will be setting things into motion. Once Seth’s gone, she will be passed on to Vincenzo, since that’s why she’s actually here. To be the wife of the Don, so Bruni is happy no matter what internal shifts happen.”
Santo sighed, and I heard a lighter snap open. “It’s really happening, huh?”
I took a deep breath, but quickly covered my mouth, afraid they’d overhear me. My heart was hitting my breastbone, my head spun, my fingers trembled.
What the hell were they talking about? My head could not make the connection between the planned murder of my husband and the affection Santo had always shown me. He’d been so jealous, but maybe it had just been an act, because he didn’t seem averse to the idea of me being with yet another man.
“Yes it is. And you need to stick to doing your job,” Federico lectured his son as if he were a little boy, and it made me angry for Santo, but that feeling was in fierce competition with my fury over being passed around like a sex doll.
“Christ, can’t a guy even flirt a little? It’s harmless. She’s hot. That’s it.”
“I don’t want you anywhere near her. You need to be Vincenzo’s most trusted man, and that means he can’t be jealous of you.”
“He’d be too dumb and blind to notice even if I was actually fucking her behind his back,” hissed Santo, spearing his words straight through my heart.
I was breathing too fast, too shallowly. I had trouble catching enough air in a matter of seconds, so I slid to the floor, and only once my back completely relaxed could I think straight again.
Santo was just using me. He didn’t care for me at all.
Was I blinded because he was so much smoother than his crude cousin, Vincenzo?
“I warn you, Santo. Stick to the plan, and your life will be prosperous and comfortable. And you will have all the women you want. But right now, you have to focus. I’ve planned everything out, but you have to do as I say.” There was an air of finality to Federico’s words, and loud footsteps told me that at least one of them had walked away.
I wanted to call out to Santo and ask him to tell me it was all a charade, but I knew that was not the case. When it mattered, Santo always did as Federico wished. He would happily pass me over to Vincenzo as long as he’d still get his piece of the pie.
An overwhelming sense of numbness settled on my chest, and I looked at the ceiling as warm tears trailed down my temples and into my hair.
My only ally had been lying to me all along.
I should have known better than to trust any men in this family. They were all snakes out to bite your ankles when you weren’t looking, or swallow you whole if they were big enough.
I knew Federico Villani wasn’t the nicest of men, but now I knew he wouldn’t hesitate one second to throw me to the wolves. I didn’t even want to imagine Vincenzo’s hands all over me. Just thinking about it made me want to run as far as I could.
Chapter 9
After that evening, I made sure I wouldn’t bump into Santo by accident. Not being around him at all left a dull ache inside me, but being in his proximity was somehow even worse, now that I knew that he’d manipulated me all along. I stayed in my room whenever I could, but when I absolutely needed to be out, I made sure I was accompanied by my new female friends, which wasn’t difficult considering it was Christmas season. We all spent most of our time cooking, baking, and making sure everything else was delivered in time for the festivities.
But even the scent of spices and dried fruit couldn’t make my smile genuine when I thought of the way I’ve been played and what the Villanis still had in store for me.
Did Vincenzo know what was to happen? Could he be in on the murder of his own brother? He certainly didn’t act toward me as a brother-in-law should, and just thinking about the possibility of his hands touching me made me shudder with disgust.
I briefly considered approaching their father about this, but why would he believe my word over that of his own?
I mulled over it for an eternity, but after a sleepless night, I decided it was now or never. Mona was back in Calabria, so she was as safe as she could be with Father. Despite, technically, being as free as a bird, I didn’t have my own car here, and I always felt as if I was being watched over.
Late on Christmas Eve, with guests in good spirits and slightly drunk, when everyone was celebrating, so the security didn’t have to be as tight, was the best moment to grab my chance for freedom.
My idea was vague. I gathered as much money as I could, and I would take the first flight I could catch in Palermo. If I lived frugally for a while, I would be fine, and within the European Union, no one could track me by my passport. Eventually, I would find some kind of job… Who was I kidding? I had no idea what would happen when I got wherever I’d be going. I just knew anything was better than having Vincenzo touch me.
So I unpacked my presents and was very grateful for them, like a good girl. I ate enough food not to feel too heavy, packed a lot of cookies for the trip, and snuck out only when I was certain no one would notice. There were far too many people in the Villani house that evening to miss the presence of the one new addition to their family.
I made sure I wouldn’t be recognizable. Dressed in sports clothes, with a bandana to cover my hair, and with an Adidas bag stuffed full of my belongings, I went out into the night.
Gina’s scooter was parked in the garage and guilt ate at my gut for pinching the keys from her purse, but some things were more important than honesty. I could still hear people laughing and celebrating inside as I moved quietly along the walls of the villa that no longer seemed ‘grand’ but had become a never-ending monster of a house, ready to swallow me right back in if I stopped moving.
It was so very peaceful in the garden that the sound of Christmas songs, already dulled out by the walls and proximity, was like a threat on its own. The rasp of my breath vibrated in my ears as I took step after careful step in the shadow of the wall. Its coarse surface was my safety net, but I still waved my hand in front of my body to make sure I wouldn’t walk into anything. But the gate should be close at this point, along with Gina’s Vespa. If I were lucky, no one would notice my absence until midday tomorrow, and that gave me just enough time to flee beyond the reach of Vincenzo’s dirty hands.
My soft sneakers made barely any sound over the garage floor, and I didn’t dare turn on the light, heading past all the expensive cars, straight for where I knew the scooter was.
My heart thudded when I put the key in the ignition.
A strong hand grabbed my neck as I was about to start the scooter, and the man pulled me back against his sturdy chest. I whimpered in panic.
“Where do you think you’re going?” Santo whispered into my ear, and I didn’t know if I should be relieved it was him, or terrified.
My body knew better, and it started to shake as the pink Vespa became unattainable, even though it was still so close I could touch its sm
ooth surface. My heart beat so fast he could’ve probably sensed it punching against his hand, but I did my best to remain calm. What would I tell him? That I needed a few hours away from it all?
“I—just to the beach,” I lied.
“To the beach?” His voice was like the sliver of a snake’s tongue in my ear. “Who were you to meet at that beach?” His grasp tightened slightly, but I could still breathe.
That threw me off guard so much I looked back at him. “What?”
Santo bared his teeth. “You’re seeing someone,” he hissed, but the underlying words were ‘someone other than me’. As if he had any right to make demands after seeing me walk down the aisle to Seth.
“Sure, we all know how men go crazy for tracksuits,” I said, completely baffled. The surprise relaxed me enough to actually talk, now stutter each word out.
Santo let go of my neck, only to turn me around by my wrist and look me up and down. “Tracksuits? Those yoga pants would turn heads. You’re changing the subject.”
My pants were tight but they had a bit of flare at the bottom. “I wasn’t gonna see anyone. Why are you following me? Can’t I have a moment to myself in this place?”
“Not if you’re leaving the grounds. Where were you going?” He pulled harder on my wrist, and I pressed my lips tightly together.
With the new knowledge I had about him, I wasn’t certain I could trust him anymore, but whatever I’d say, he would not believe me anyway. There was no explanation for me running off with clothes and other essentials in my bag. Much less so on Christmas Eve.
I took two deep breaths and fought the frantic feeling spreading all over my body as I looked into his eyes in the darkness. “I know of your plan.”
“What plan?” he asked with a frown, eying my duffel bag.
I filled my lungs through my nose, gathering all of my courage. “You want to get rid of my husband. What did he ever do to you that you want to murder him?”
Santo stilled, and his grip on my wrist loosened, but he didn’t let me go. No matter how elegant he looked in his black suit with velvet lapels, I knew he was a lethal force to be reckoned with. So far, I’d liked that, I thought that his force was on my side, but I wasn’t so sure anymore.
“I will not be murdering anyo—him.”
“Yes, you will, even if not with your own hands. And then what? I will not marry Vincenzo,” I said as firmly as I could, even though I knew my petite stature was hardly helping me to be authoritative.
“Did my father tell you all this?” Santo hissed and leaned closer, like a menacing shadow in the darkness, but I would not be intimidated.
“You two should be more careful about where you talk.”
“I don’t like any of this either, but it is what it is. Seth is no boss material. And you…will be a respectable widow. You will not marry Vincenzo.”
I shook my head. “Stop lying. Just let me leave,” I said, stepping back toward the Vespa.
“That was your plan?” The bastard actually laughed. “You’re not going anywhere.”
Anger rose in my chest, and I hit him with my bag as hard as I could. “Or what? What are you going to do? Lock me up?” I asked, but tears were already welling up in my eyes. I felt so completely hopeless knowing that no matter how hard I resisted, my flight was done the moment he’d spotted me.
“Baby…you’re already locked up,” he said, but didn’t smile this time. “This is not a game. What if someone else found you here?”
“Stop calling me that! You’re just playing with me like everybody else,” I choked out, wiping my tears off with the sleeve of my hoodie. I dropped the bag, along with all the hope I’d gathered throughout the last few days.
But he didn’t seem to listen and grabbed my arms. “Lucrezia, you haven’t called Seth about this, have you?”
I sniffed, cringing away from him. “Someone should tell him. If he wants to be abroad so much, why don’t you let him?”
“Because his father chose him. I’d rather Dino had never brought him back here, but he did. As long as Seth lives, he could come back and gather support. Lucrezia, this business is nothing you should even know about. Do you understand? If you warn Seth about these plans, someone will find out and make you pay. And the last thing I want is to see you in more danger.”
“How would they find out? I want him gone as much as everyone, only I don’t think we need to be so extreme.”
Santo gave me a stern look. “Your phone’s bugged. Why do you think I never gave you my number? It’s too risky.”
I froze, and every single hair on my body bristled. Did this mean someone has been listening to my private conversations with friends and Mona? Lightheaded, I leaned against the wall and rubbed my face. The sinking feeling inside me was only growing heavier.
“I know. It’s not optimal.” Santo groaned and ran his fingers through his hair.
“This is mad. I don’t understand. Why don’t you people leave me be? I agreed to marry Seth—not that pig Vincenzo.”
Santo tensed. “Has he done something to you?”
I clenched my hands into fists. “He’s just being a lecher. I don’t want him anywhere near me. He can’t control himself around women, and you think he’d be so amazing in a position of power?”
“You have no idea what you are talking about. I will sort something out. In the meanwhile, you need to stay put and smile, unless you want a war between the Villanis and the Brunis.”
“Sort something out? Of course, you’d be happy for me to stay here and wait for you. All that sneaking around must be so exciting. Vincenzo is too dumb to notice anything,” I said bitterly, looking away from him. If he had been willing to share me with Seth, then why not with Vincenzo? If he thought I’d be up for that, he had another thing coming.
“I have my duties. I can’t just do whatever I want. Now…go back to the house,” he said sternly and took a step back. “I will take your bag so you don’t look suspicious.”
“I will not be your...paramour,” I said, scowling at the end. Was that the word that fit the situation? Or was he my paramour, because I was married? “I’m not gonna marry him. I’ll never marry him, so you can forget it already. It’s not gonna happen.” How dare he talk to me as if I was a little kid who could be pushed around?
“Fine! Then so be it. This can be your lover instead.” He pulled a palm-sized box with a ribbon out of his pocket and pushed it at me. “Merry Christmas,” he said through gritted teeth and snatched my bag from the floor.
“And what is this?” I hissed, refusing to take in the context of his words. I completely lost hope for leaving tonight, and anger was fizzling within me at a rapid pace.
“You can check it out in private,” he growled and walked off with my bag.
I frantically opened the box to find what I, at first, thought was a large silver pen, but then it hit me when I thought back to his words. I pushed the tiny button on the side, and the thing started vibrating in the box.
My cheeks went aflame.
There I stood with a vibrator in my hand in the middle of the quiet garage. All alone on Christmas Eve. I closed the box and shook my head. I couldn’t believe his audacity. Lying to my face and then presenting me with a sex toy, even though we only had sex once.
I’d only had sex a total of two times, so what was I to do with a vibrator? This was so inappropriate, especially that I already told him we shouldn’t have be doing this. Of course, he ignored me. I bet he’d hoped being married to Vincenzo would make me feel so hopeless I’d give in even easier.
Well, that would not happen.
Chapter 10
I was trying to work out what look I wanted to go with tomorrow, as I’d planned to do a little photoshoot in the vineyard. The more bored I was, the more exciting my life looked on Instagram. I sometimes even wondered if Santo followed me on there under some inconspicuous account name. I liked to think he did. Otherwise, there would have been barely any connection left between us. Three weeks had
passed since the fateful night when I’d tried to escape, and no one had died, nothing had changed, and I’d even spoken to Seth twice about the differences in the weather in the places we stayed at. I gave up even trying to make it more personal than that, if he wasn’t going to put in any effort.
I felt bad because of it, but those chats had given me little incentive to save his life. He was boring and disinterested, and it seemed as if he needed to pull words out of him by force to even talk to me on the phone for five minutes.
There were a ton of things laid out on the bed, and fifteen minutes after I’d put them there, I still couldn’t make up my mind about the accessories. I heard footsteps in the corridor but paid them no mind until they stopped at my door, and someone rapped on the wood so abruptly I looked that way, somewhat shocked. That knock did not sound like the maid’s, or any of the women I’d befriended.
“Yes?” I asked, looking down at the beautiful black bra that I’d bought recently. The straps, including one around the neck, were decorative, meant to be seen, so I intended to pair it up with a dress that would showcase the new piece of underwear.
I flinched and grabbed a shirt to cover myself when a man barged into my room. Tall and bald, I instantly recognized him as one of Vincenzo’s ugly henchmen, Carlo. I did not talk much to the simple soldiers of my new family, but this one hovered around my brother-in-law all too often to be forgotten.
“Excuse me!” I hissed at him. “Do you mind?”
He shook his head and started walking my way. “I don’t have time for this bullshit. Let’s go.”
“How dare you barge in here?” I yelled at him, hoping it would be loud enough for someone to hurry to my rescue. Where were Seth’s aunts when they were most needed? “Get out. Right now.”
To my bewilderment, he laughed, going after me even as I backed away closer to the bed. This was an unbelievable display of disrespect.
“You’re gonna give me orders, bitch?” Carlo spread his massive arms.
I flushed, tossing the shirt at him as rightful anger rose in my throat. “I’m your Don’s daughter-in-law. Learn some respect.”