The Italian: A Mountain Man Romance

by Hazel Parker

  “You’re so right,” I said, sighing. I sat thinking about it and decided there was no other choice. “I’m going to check on her.”

  I stood to get dressed.

  “Of course you are,” Jo said, wrapping herself tighter into the covers I’d discarded.

  “I won’t be gone long. I’m just going to see if Sarah’s there, discourage her from going to the second level for any reason and then come home.”

  I stood in front of my closet, thinking too hard about what to wear. I wanted to appear casual. I might need to save someone or run. Pants were the best option for that.

  I put on my tightest black jeans and marveled at the way they held my hips. Perfect bait for the man I was trying to catch as well as practical just in case some shit went down. I threw tops out of my drawer onto the bed in quick succession. I didn’t have any idea what I would wear, but I’d know it when I saw it.

  No. No. No. No. Yes.

  Yes to the silver tank top that glittered when I moved. This is the perfect way to make sure I was seen in a dark night club.

  I couldn’t help the giddy feeling I felt as the taxi dropped me off in front of Blue Nights. I kept telling myself I was coming for Sarah, but Solomon was never far from my mind.

  I knew Sarah too well to know that I couldn’t convince her to leave this place if she didn’t want to. I should just accept that she was a big girl and I’d already given her a warning. If she chose to ignore me, that would be beyond my control. In truth, I felt kind of ticked that she’d choose to believe a man she’d just met over me.

  I stood in the street, not quite able to convince myself to go in. What if he wasn’t there? If Solomon wasn’t there and Jay or someone else grabbed me again, I’d have no one to blame but myself.

  I waited a few minutes, away from the entrance. Paralyzing fear spread through my body like the chill of icy liquid. I clenched my fists and hesitantly took a step forward.

  I could do this. I could go back inside there. I could feel my feet trembling in my flats. My legs twitched, fighting the impulse to whirl around and run all the way back home. But I wouldn’t do that. I couldn’t do that. I had to know that Sarah was okay and I had to know for sure if I’d lost my chance with Solomon.

  Whoever he was, wherever he was, I had to know that I did everything I could to find him.

  I took another step forward and could see the long line of people and the bouncer. The pizza and popcorn churned noisily in my stomach, betraying my nerves. I could not throw up in front of all these people especially when I was looking this cute.

  “Alright, Jen,” I told myself. “Go in, check for Sarah and then leave.”

  Sounded simple enough.

  I entered the familiar lounge and looked around. Sarah was taller than me and I knew she couldn’t be dressed inconspicuously.

  Sure enough I found her draped over a man I assumed was Alex. I tapped her on the shoulder, not wanting to yell over the loud music.

  “Sarah!”

  “What the hell?” she said, unlatching herself from the guy. “Ugh. Really Jenny. You tell me not to come here and then you show up? Hypocrite much.”

  “I’m not here to hang out. I’m here to get you. I was worried about you,” I said, leaning in so she could hear me over the music.

  “Well, don’t. I’m fine. If that’s all you wanted to know you can go now.”

  “But Sarah.”

  “Girl! Who are you? My mother? You need to chill.”

  The guy interrupted, sticking out his hand. “Hey. I’m Alex.”

  Something about his smile was as creepy as Jay’s. I had to stop myself from flinching back.

  “Hi,” I said, shaking it quickly. “Come on Sarah. Please leave with me.”

  Alex interjected again. “You didn’t tell me your name.”

  “Jenny.”

  “Jenny,” he said, rolling it in his mouth. “I like it.”

  I didn’t care.

  Sarah, on the other hand, seemed jealous of Alex’s attention on me. “Jenny, you are really cramping my style.”

  “Jenny,” Alex said, sliding his arm around my shoulder. “I was just about to show Sarah to the VIP. Would you like to join us?”

  My heart raced in my chest. Absolutely not. “No, thank you.”

  “Well, suit yourself,” he said, turning to Sarah. “Ready?”

  “Yeah,” she said, smiling. “Look Jen. I’m going either way, babe.”

  If I let her go by herself, I would never be able to rest thinking of all the bad things happening to her and how to stop them. If I went with her I was putting myself in even more danger, but we were better together. So, resigned, I tagged along as Alex walked us up the stairs and down the dark hallway. The music was quieted enough for my pants to be heard.

  “What is with your girl?” Alex asked Sarah. “She’s freaking me out.”

  I was practically hyperventilating which only pissed Sarah off.

  “Jenny please. Will you calm down?” she said, her forehead creased with irritation.

  I knew what was on the other sides of the doors even if Sarah didn’t and when he opened the door to a room full of equally confused, nervous, scared women, I knew we were stuck.

  Alex looked back at me, smiling, though the smile never reached his eyes.

  “The way you’re acting, you’d think you’ve been here before,” he said before pushing us into the room.

  Sarah raised her eyebrows at him.

  “Alex. What the fuck? This is does not look like a good time. I want to go home. Ugh. You totally overpromised. VIP looks like a bad porno. Take me home,” she said with her hands on her hips, still oblivious to the danger we were in.

  I wanted to escape, but I couldn’t leave Sarah behind.

  “You are home, sweetheart. Your new home is right here,” he said, caressing her cheek.

  “With these drugged-out wannabe’s? I don’t think so.”

  “You’re right where you belong.”

  He smacked her face quickly, shocking any delusions she had from her.

  “Now be a good girl and change into your new uniform,” he said gesturing to the hanging lingerie on the side of the room. “Talk to the other girls. They’ll catch you up to speed with what this job requires.”

  “Alex! You fucker,” Sarah screamed, launching herself at Alex’s back.

  He yanked her from behind and threw her on the floor before putting a gun to her skull. “If you do something that foolish again, I will make you regret it. Do you understand?”

  Sarah stared up at him and nodded her head, her defiance quickly fading. When he left, Sarah looked at me and burst into tears.

  I tried to warn her. Now we both would suffer the consequences.

  Chapter 12

  Solomon

  They voted. They said yes. One last chance. I wasn’t going to waste it. I wasn’t going to mess up again.

  I lay back on the bed, thinking. I had all I needed to complete the job, but this time it might not be as easy as it was before. I’d kicked that guy’s ass. Jay. Even though he deserved it, he and his friends might be looking for me. I imagined they wouldn’t let me just walk in like a welcomed guest without any repercussions.

  I wasn’t hard to remember. I didn’t have one of those faces. And I was big as shit with a scar on my face that wasn’t going away.

  The scar wasn’t one of those clear lines from surgery or a childhood mar that faded over time. It was broad and rough from a fight I’d had after school when a boy had called my mom a whore.

  The boy had hit me with a brick, playing dirty since I’d been bigger and heavier, but I’d made it clear I wouldn’t tolerate having my mom called names. The injury had never been stitched or treated because my father didn’t pay for anything that wasn’t for himself. I’d bandaged it and iced it and it had stretched with time and aged like I did.

  It didn’t matter. I knew what was in the club now. I didn’t need to go inside. I could wait it out. I would ride up and
wait in the car. The plan was still in effect. Stake the club out, wait until everyone was out and then burn it to the ground. That was non-negotiable. I would watch until it was all in ashes, if not for that crazy ass sex ring they had upstairs, then for the way that jerk, Jay, had treated Jenny.

  I set my alarm on my phone, ready to take a nap and put my churning thoughts to bed. Time was of the essence. I would trust myself as I had before. I would complete my mission, prove myself and become a Bandit. Then once I was secured in my brotherhood, I would pursue this thing with Jenny.

  I had no idea what we had between us or if I’d like the road I was about to travel, but I’ll be damned if I wouldn’t find out. I wasn’t going to let the woman crowding my thoughts and dreams go. Not without a fight.

  Night came. This time I parked near the front. I wasn’t hiding. I wasn’t going to go in, but I needed to see when the majority of people started coming out. Music played lightly as I watched the door. It was just loud enough to keep me distracted but low enough that no one could surprise me. I took a deep breath, prepared to wait all night, and relaxed into my seat.

  My phone rang and I recognized the clubhouse number. “Talk to me.”

  “Solomon.”

  “Yeah, Prez?”

  “You know someone named Jo?”

  “No. Where would I know him from?”

  “Not him. A girl. Kinda mousy. Brown-haired. Says she’s a friend of someone named Jenny.”

  Jenny’s roommate? “She there? Put her on.”

  “Hello?” said a small voice, obviously nervous.

  “Jo, what the hell are you doing in my clubhouse? How did you know where to go in the first place?”

  “I saw you leave our apartment last Saturday morning and I Googled the name I saw on the back of your vest.”

  I cursed. “You know what? I don’t give a fuck why you’re there. You better take your ass home. Now. I don’t have time for this shit tonight.”

  “But Jenny is in trouble.”

  The words gripped my heart, and I knew I would leave this club standing again if saving Jenny meant going the opposite way. “What do you know?”

  “Sarah went to Blue Nights even though Jenny told her not to and when Sarah didn’t answer any calls or texts, Jenny went after her.”

  Her revelation made me see red. “Are you telling me Jenny went back to Blue Nights to save her stupid friend?”

  Of course she did, even though this was probably the last place she ever wanted to see again. She was too sweet. She was willing to risk getting attacked again to help her friend. The friend, if I recalled correctly, who’d left her in the first place. I could only sigh.

  “Yes,” Jo said, pleading. “I just know something bad had happened to them. Jenny told us what happened to her there last time. What if that guy took her again?”

  “I’ll handle it,” I said. “Get my number from Gus and text me Jenny’s phone number.”

  I hung up. Seconds later, my phone buzzed and I put Jenny’s number into my phone before calling.

  It rang and rang before going to voicemail. “Hey, you’ve reached Jenny. I’m probably drawing or sleeping so leave a message and I’ll call you back soon.”

  Then the tone.

  “Jenny. It’s me. Don’t you worry, baby. I’m coming for you and whoever has you is going to wish they had left you alone,” I growled before snapping the phone shut.

  With my mind clear and my promise resolute, I braved the front door. What would they do to me? Jump me? Not likely with the club as full of people as it was—even on a Sunday. I repeated the same steps I’d done the night before. Overpaid the bouncer. Walked in and looked around. Same set up, different night.

  I headed straight for the stairwell and the guy met me in the bottom step again.

  “I need more than one,” I said looking up the stairs and not at him.

  “It’ll cost you.”

  “Prices are for men on a budget. I want my choice of women. Now.”

  What if they weren’t up there? What if they were already taken and forced to be with customers? I didn’t have time to formulate an answer before the man brought me into a small gallery-like room.

  “Please sit,” he said, gesturing to a high chair fit for a king.

  In front of me was a stage and women half-naked and walking in a line entered from the side. My fists clenched at my sides when I saw Jenny and, considering how tightly she was holding the blond woman’s hand beside her, I assumed that was Sarah.

  “Those two,” I said, staring at Jenny, willing her to pretend she didn’t know me.

  A man from offstage moved forward to grab them.

  “No!” Sarah cried. Her shoulders shook, causing her tiny bikini to almost slip. “I can’t do it. Please.”

  Jenny consoled her and whispered something in her ear. After rubbing her shoulders a few times, she nodded, allowing herself to be pulled by another man.

  “Right this way, sir,” the wannabe butler said, gesturing down the too familiar hall. “What can I get you to drink?”

  “Nothing,” I said, standing in the empty bedroom. “The women are all I need.”

  “Absolutely.” He bowed his head and stepped aside as Jenny and Sarah were pushed through the doorway.

  The man who led them clicked the lock from the inside and then closed the door. “Have a good night.”

  Jenny, who had stood still until we were alone, ran forward and threw her arms around me.

  “Oh, Solomon.”

  I sunk into her warmth, squeezed a fraction tighter, as every muscle in her body lost its tension. Sarah stood by the door, no longer crying but watching us.

  “You weren’t kidding,” she stated, her voice devoid of emotion. “I almost got kidnapped into sex trafficking.”

  “But you’re okay now,” Jenny said, pulling away. “Solomon is going to help us get out of here.”

  Her confidence in me was gratifying. “You’re damn right. We’re getting out of here.”

  She was chewing that lip again. My hands touched her face, caressed her cheeks softly before I kissed her hard. She moaned, wrapping her arms around me and pulling me closer.

  I pulled away before I took things much further than they should go in front of her friend, and in light of the situation. “I’m going to handle it.”

  “I want to help the other girls, but I don’t want you to get hurt.”

  I squeezed her shoulders in assurance. “Jenny. Trust me. I can handle this.”

  Her eyes searched mine and, satisfied, she nodded. “Okay.”

  “Now. How to get you past the security guard? I need you two to play the part. Look neutral, not too happy and not too sad. Hold each other’s hands and do not let go for any reason until we get out of this club. Do you understand me?” I looked pointedly at Sarah.

  “Dude, I just want to get out of here. I’m not going to do shit.”

  “Good.”

  With a quick glance up and down the hallway, I led them quickly out, back towards the stairwell and the main club. If anyone tried to stop us, I planned to get lost in the crowd.

  The lights were dim enough for us to leave shrouded in secrecy. The only real liability was the stairwell. It was well lit and the main focus of the room.

  I didn’t care. I held my head confidently and, with a girl on each arm, walked down the stairs. I could see Jenny blushing. Given her attire, I couldn’t blame her. They were both dressed in the equivalent of bikinis, but tinier. The kind that with one wrong movement, there would definitely be nip slip.

  The stair sentry intercepted us. “Sir! Um, the ladies are for private pleasure only. The kind that’s experienced upstairs,” he said, hinting that I should turn around.

  But that wasn’t going to happen.

  “I understand, but I wanted to take these two for the night. I liked the fit. I’ll pay extra and get them back to you tomorrow.”

  He gasped. “Sir, that just isn’t done. These women are new and not properly vetted.
I can get you someone more suited for your request.”

  He grabbed my arm, but he moved it quickly seeing me stare at it like an offending appendage.

  “I wasn’t asking. You can bill The Bandits.”

  The man turned pale. “W-what did you say?”

  I turned slightly, now at the bottom of the staircase and closer to getting the women out.

  “Send the bill to 14003 Greenridge Road,” I said. Everyone knew that address. It was one of the few blocks most people avoided. “I’m sure you know where that is.”

  Then I turned, merging our bodies into the thrumming crowd. Once outside, I hailed the first cab I saw and pushed them in.

  “Go home. Don’t go nowhere but home. Text me as soon as you’re there so I can know you’re safe. Use Jo’s phone.”

  “You’re not coming with us?” Jenny asked, with her leg in the way, preventing me from closing the door.

  “No. You asked me to help the other girls and I’m going to do what I can.”

  “What are you going to do?”

  “I’m going to make sure this place can’t be used as their home base anymore.”

  She opened her mouth again but closed it after a forceful look from me.

  “Home.”

  I closed the door and rapped my knuckles on the top so the driver would pull away. I watched the cab disappear from my view then walked in the shadows until I reached my car.

  That rescue mission took longer than I’d thought and it wasn’t much longer before the club began to wind down. The music turned down and slowly employees trickled out, including the bartender and the bouncer. Once I was sure no one was inside, I went into action.

  First, the check for cameras. There had to be some. I found two. I made a quick shot of them, exploding the cameras, and then I broke a door handle to get inside. I was planning on burning everything to the ground. Nothing would be left over, but it was best to cover all tracks just in case. That was what I was known for: getting in and getting out without a trace.

  Leaving the door open, I hustled to the car for the gasoline. My first stop was that devil’s den upstairs. I started at the door on the farthest end, kicking it in and dousing everything from the bed to the sex toys to the floor in gasoline and opening the windows before traveling to the next room. I went in every room, checking that it was empty and dousing it in gasoline. I should have bought four gallons; nonetheless, I had enough to make sure nothing would be recovered from this arson.