by Ashley Woods
He began, “We all know that Tony doesn’t have any balls, and he has never done us any favors by keeping things so sophisticated. He wasn’t showing any honor trying to run our part of town, like his fancy chemical company.”
Anthony kept a poker face, and let his brother continue.
Marco then looked toward Vincente.
“In light of our current situation, I am now going to resort to the way my father handled the business.”
He pounded his fist and began yelling, “I am tired of negotiating with those guys, and I am ordering hits on…”
Tony stood up, “I don’t want to hear any of these kinds of details. You are on your own.” Without another word, he then shook everyone’s hand, and left.
Vincente followed him out.
“Seriously Tony, don’t get too comfortable in paradise. I don’t think they are going to let you go. You know this isn’t how it is done.”
Tony answered quietly “Well, I can only try.” He then walked to his car.
As soon as he was gone, Vincente went back into the room and moved over to the seat next to Marco. They winked at each other and smiled broadly as they lit up cigars.
All Anthony wanted now was to return to Palm Beach, marry Kristen, and share a peaceful life with her. He was through with the centuries of Fiore traditions! He no longer cared.
As Kristen awoke that morning, she could feel the weather was getting muggy again, just the way she liked it! She was badly hurting from the previous night’s banishment to The Colony. She skipped breakfast and knew she was too depressed to return to the house.
She was unsure of how things stood now with Anthony, so she left her car at the hotel, and took a long walk over the bridge to the West Palm Beach side. She planned to eventually end up at the Yacht Club on Flagler Avenue, to get some lunch. She needed to do a lot of thinking about Anthony.
As she walked by the docks, she saw a dark-haired man sitting on the back ledge of one of the larger yachts. He had a captain’s hat on, and a champagne glass in his hand.
She heard a familiar English voice call to her.
“Kristen! Come up here and see me.”
It was Karl! Kristen shuddered slightly and was unsure of what to do.
He said loudly, “I told you Palm Beach was a small place. Come on now dear. Don’t be afraid.”
As she slowly approached, he laughingly reached over the side to take her hand. She went onto the vessel and he guided her over to a small white leather bench. She sat down, and he stood in front of her.
“So, you have really embraced the life here Karl. Is this your boat?”
He answered proudly, “Yes, it is. I just had it custom built for me. I have been waiting for a year!”
“It is very nice.”
“I plan to eventually keep it over at the docks by the Whitestone. I would like to take you out to sea sometime for a few days. Would you like that?”
Kristen became nervous, “I am sorry Karl, but I can’t do that. I failed to mention to you the other night that I am getting married soon.”
Karl briefly glanced at the ring on her finger. He did not even ask who her fiancé was, and he did not seem surprised.
“That is unfortunate Kristen. You have never allowed me the chance to show you how my feelings truly are for you.”
Kristen boldly said, “Well, that’s something you were quite capable of long ago. Why now? What’s so different?”
As he sat next to her, she trembled, and felt helplessly drawn back into his web again.
She thought, “Didn’t she learn her lesson yet?”
Karl silently watched her. Then, he strongly pulled her to him, and kissed her. Kristen weakly fell back against the boat, as his power overwhelmed her. Gregory was a force to reckon with, but Karl was off the charts!
They kissed for a long time, and she could feel that the old Karl no longer existed, and neither did her fiancé. Anthony was probably through with her anyway. What did it matter? She was free to roam!
Karl spoke first, “I told you Kristen, I am ready to be with you now. In no way, would I ever treat you as disrespectfully as I did when I first met you.” Karl could feel the pillar of strength, that had shielded him for so long, begin to dissolve. A small tear came to his eye, as he pleaded with her.
“Kristen, I need you to give me a chance. Please don’t get married until you see how wonderful we could be with each other.”
With that, Kristen started feeling like herself again. She wasn’t sure she was attracted to this mushy version of Karl. She liked him better when he was a challenge. Kristen now felt uneasy and tried to come to her senses again.
"Karl, I really love my fiancé. He has been everything that I have always wanted…” It all sounded so false to her now, and it was a useless attempt.
Karl stopped her from continuing, as he kissed her again. He eased her down, until she was lying flat on the cushion. He raised himself up and looked around at the people walking near-by the boat.
“We need to go below deck.”
He put his arm firmly around her waist and led her down the stairs to the cabin. Kristen could not let go of him, and they walked together through the narrow opening to his bedroom.
Karl’s personality immediately changed and his face reddened. He then noticed the scared expression on her face.
As he looked at her, he tenderly brushed her hair to the side of her face.
“Kristen, I am sorry I just acted like that. I am not just here for a fling and I need you in my life. I will do whatever it takes to have you. Just let me know what you want, because I can give you everything. The world will be at our feet. Seriously, I can do that for you.”
She smiled, and said softly, “Karl, I feel very close to you right now, and I am glad that I am here. I am pretty sure it is over with my engagement, but, I am just not ready.”
As Kristen said these words, she again, knew she did not mean them. Karl had something over her, and she desperately wanted to be his.
He drew her into his arms, and they innocently wrapped themselves in each other for hours, as they listened to the waves lightly rocking the boat.
When the night arrived, Karl had dinner delivered to them. Kristen was not hungry, and now had a change of heart.
“Karl, I can’t stay here, I need to go home. My fiancé might be coming back tonight. He gets very jealous.”
Karl looked angry, “Yes, I know all about your boyfriend and his temper. You sure you want to put up with someone like that? He is all wrong for you, and you are too naïve to comprehend that. I don’t need you to measure him up against me. The fact you are here with me now, speaks volumes. Why do you think you are willing to cheat on him so easily?”
Kristen did not like that he was belittling her, and groaned, “Oh, please. We didn’t do anything! Again, stop with your Karl lectures, and start speaking to me like an adult. My feelings for you have always been based on curiosity. Now the mystery is solved. You are human. Now I can go on with my life.”
Karl began to look angry, and Kristen knew she was pushing it too far.
He arrogantly replied, “You don’t even have a clue about me. There is so much more you can learn, you haven’t even scratched the surface. Then he lightened up again,
“Kristen, I need to return tomorrow evening to the UK for a while, and I want you to accompany me.” He reached for her again and kissed her.
Kristen knew that he still hoped to make love, and in a sense, she strongly wanted it, but also knew that she had to leave. She was afraid to pursue it with Karl since she could never be confident around him. He was so complex, and she still felt slightly afraid.
Kristen sadly said,
“I can’t go with you, I have my life here. I am sorry.’’
She walked around the cabin and gathered her things.
“I am going to walk back now. I’ll see you later Karl.” He did not follow her. He knew she would soon need him.
Kristen enjoyed her str
oll back to The Colony, the sky was filling up with stars, and the palm trees made rustling noises, as the wind passed through their leaves.
When Kristen arrived home, she looked up toward the house, and saw it was dark. Anthony was not there to greet her, or to question her. She had left her cell in the car when she went by the marina, and now looked down at it. Anthony never called her. Not even a text!
She considered phoning him, but she was also thinking about her time with Karl. The afternoon had been special and innocent, but she felt guilty, and couldn’t continue to enjoy thinking back on it, so she went to bed.
The next morning, Anthony resurfaced from his trip. Kristen was still sleeping when he came up the stairs.
He grabbed her shoulders and shook her awake.
“Where did you go yesterday? What do you think you are doing?” Kristen was trying hard to come out of her slumber to answer him. She sat up on the bed and looked at him through her long messy hair that was hanging in her eyes.
Anthony picked her off the bed and stood her straight.
“Don’t even try to lie to me! Where were you?”
She said, “What is your problem? You never called me yesterday. How would you even know if I was home or not?”
Anthony just looked exasperated. Kristen ran off to the bathroom and locked the door.
“Get back out here,” Anthony yelled, “I am not finished with you yet!”
Kristen sat on the edge of the bathtub and would not answer him. Anthony pounded on the door and began swearing at her in Sicilian. She waited it out until she heard him go downstairs.
Ten minutes later, she heard his car engine start up. She slowly dressed and went down to the kitchen. She saw that Anthony had brought her flowers, and obviously had second thoughts, because he had thrown them on the floor before he left.
He was so angry at her, and she couldn’t understand how he found out about Karl! She looked at the settings on her phone and wondered if he had a GPS tracker on it. But that wouldn’t make sense, because she didn’t take it with her yesterday. Maybe he didn’t know about her afternoon. She did not like being treated like she was his incorrigible teen-age daughter. She had to tell him today that she wanted to move out.
As Kristen sat at the table, she noticed a black sedan pull up with four men in it. They sat in the driveway with the engine running. She could see them watching her through the window.
She quickly went to turn the house security system on. One of the men opened the back door of the car and walked up to the side of the house.
He knocked on the window, “Where is Tony?”
Kristen held up her hands and mouthed, “I don’t know.” She then yelled loud enough for him to hear her, “Who are you? What do you want?”
The man said nothing and returned to the car. It sat for about fifteen minutes, when Anthony came roaring up in his car. There was another car following behind him, that contained two large men.
They blocked the other car, and Anthony quickly walked up the driveway. The first car lowered the window, and Kristen watched, as Anthony leaned in and angrily talked to the driver.
The two men in the other car came up to join him, and protectively surrounded him. Kristen looked closer, they all had guns! She wondered if they were the security for his chemical company.
Kristen reached for her phone and thought she should call the police. This just didn’t look good. She considered running upstairs and hiding. There was nowhere else to go.
Anthony walked away from the car, and up to the front door. He turned around and began yelling in Sicilian. His men returned to the car, and both vehicles left and headed back toward town.
Anthony walked in the door, and Kristen stood there nervously. He did not say a word and went upstairs.
She could hear him rummaging through his closet. When he came back down, he had changed out of his suit, and was now wearing black jeans and a dark t-shirt. In his hand was a large gun.
Kristen asked, “Anthony. What is going on?”
He growled at her, “Don’t worry about it. It’s nothing!”
She was mad now, and scared.
She yelled, “YOU NEED TO TELL ME! WHO ARE THEY?”
Anthony put the gun in his waistband and pushed her down onto the living room couch.
“STAY OUT OF MY BUSINESS. YOU DON’T NEED TO KNOW ANYTHING!”
Then he slightly calmed down, “I am going back to New York until tomorrow. Do not leave this house until I call you. I am serious.”
He started texting on his cell and ran out the door. The car with his two men had returned. Anthony grabbed some things from his own car, and then left with them.
On the drive to the airport, Anthony angrily called his brother in New York.
“Marco, what the hell did you and Vincente do with that Bandini car dealer? Why are those lugs after me now? Are you two trying get me killed? You know that I am out of this! I am on my way back to NYC right now. You and Vincente better be waiting for me at the hangar.”
Back at the house, Kristen started to cry. Anthony was being so awful to her. She thought about Karl’s proposition. It wouldn’t hurt to get away for a little while. It would be a vacation, and she needed to think. She called his phone and left him a message.
She went upstairs to pack her suitcases. As she piled the clothes in, she thought more about how Anthony was treating her. She needed to make a major gesture, so she took off her engagement ring and left it on the bed table.
An hour later, she heard a car pull up in the driveway. Karl had sent a white limousine for her. She was surprised this was happening so quickly. It was too easy, and she knew he would take care of her. She hurriedly packed another suitcase for all of her shoes.
The driver came to the door, and she had him fetch her luggage upstairs. She sat in the back of the limo feeling very proud of herself, and very independent.
She said to herself, “There, Anthony. That will teach you!”
The limo delivered her to the airport, and Kristen jumped out when she saw Karl standing next to a private jet.
He immediately noticed she was not wearing her ring. He rubbed her finger and took her hand. He was sure now that Kristen finally belonged to him!
17 BLACK SUN
When Karl and Kristen landed, the mist cast a pall of gray over the morning. Kristen was happy to be with Karl and the weather did not bother her. It suited England very well. She loved this side of the ocean too!
Karl’s driver picked them up at the airport and they embarked on a long and scenic drive to his estate, which was located in the suburbs outside of London.
Kristen was in awe as they proceeded down a dense tree-lined street to his outer gate. As they went up the driveway, Kristen stared ahead at Karl’s mansion. It was gothic and oppressive, with beastly gargoyles lined up along the stone roof’s edge.
Karl followed her gaze and laughed,
“Ahh, my sweet home. How grand to be back!”
They continued up to the stately front door. It was very fitting for Karl. It looked just like Dracula’s castle. Kristen looked up the grand staircase as they entered,
“Wow, you live in a museum!”
She laughed when she saw a large bronze statue in his foyer of Aleister Crowley, wearing Mickey Mouse ears.
She nervously looked at it, and then realized who it was.
“You’re not into the occult, are you?”
Karl pretended not to hear and led her on a short tour of the house. As they entered his kitchen, he went to the refrigerator and handed her a small glass of orange juice. She drank it right down. Everything seemed cheerful in there, except for a large rusty iron door at the end of it. It had an old-fashioned keyhole, and no doorknob.
Kristen was curious, “Where does that lead to?”
“It goes to the basement. You might call it my playroom,” he looked very serious now.
Kristen thought of Chicago. “Another one of those? I don’t think I want to see that.”
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br /> Karl said curtly, “You’re not invited.”
Kristen was surprised at his abrupt answer and was no longer feeling comfortable being alone with him.
Karl reached for her hand, “Let’s go upstairs and I will show you your quarters.”
They went up the creaky back steps to the next level and walked down the long hallway, passing several rooms. Many of them had large padlocks on them.
Karl stopped and pointed, “This is your suite Kristen, I hope it is to your taste.”
“Aren’t I staying with you?”
“I feel you would be better off in here. When I desire you in my bed, I will summon you.”
Kristen felt like this was getting really creepy.
“Karl, I have changed my mind, and I am now just going to stay here for a few days. I have some events to attend and other things that I need to do back home.”
Unaffected, he answered, “That is fine Miss Kenworth, as you wish. Just say the word and I will charter you a jet back.”
Then he slowly put his arms around her waist, “Now, you don’t really want that? Do you Kristi?”
He gave her a hard kiss, and his eyes controlled her as they blackened. It was like he was two people. Again, that feeling came over her, and fear now filled her with desire. She was powerless to resist.
Karl quickly stood back, “Kristen, I will leave you now, so that you may bathe and get unpacked. You need to catch up with this time zone or you will become ill.” He walked downstairs.
Kristen took a long shower. As she was drying her hair with a small towel, she sat down on the bed and started thinking about Anthony. She felt strange being in another country and wondered how he had reacted when he found out that she had left him. He had not even bothered calling her yet.
She reached for her cell phone and held it up to dial. It would not go through. “That’s strange. Why can’t I get a signal?” She tried it again.
She called out, “Karl, why won’t my phone work?” There was no answer.
She walked downstairs and did not see him anywhere. She walked outside and observed that all of his cars were still there. She still could not get any reception, so she walked to the front gate.