"But of course she had to run her mouth, and I just couldn't let her go after that," Nic admitted with a smile, remembering that night vividly.
Antonio gave a nervous laugh also. "Well, hopefully after all of this blows over, everything can go back to normal. She's had a very crazy year. And can you believe her dad? What an asshole, huh?"
"What do you mean?" Nic asked, placing his spoon back in the bowl.
"You know, with the way he treated her and everything," Antonio said, taking another large bite. He looked over at Nic and stopped mid chew. Fuck! He quickly swallowed. "Oh man, I thought she told you. You probably don't want to hear about all that stuff now."
"Told me what? What did her father do?" Nic asked, sliding his bowl away and sitting straight up.
Antonio shook his head. He just HAD to open his big, fat mouth. "Nic, she should probably be the one to tell you this," he said trying his best to back his way out of this admission.
"I'm asking you. What did her father say?"
Antonio knew he had no option now. Shit. "He...um, he called her some names and then kicked her out of their apartment."
"Like what?" Nic continued.
Antonio really didn't want to tell Nic. Victoria was going to kill him for even bringing this up. What a big fucking mouth he had.
Antonio exhaled. "Well basically he called her a whore and a slut and said he didn't want her staying in their apartment because she had...um, well slept with you to clear their debt. And then he kicked her out," Antonio answered, lowering his head. This was all a personal matter, and really none of his business.
"So then she went to your house," Nic said, staring at the side of Antonio's face. Nic wasn't sure if it was the fact that his girlfriend's life had been threatened and now he was separated from her, and hearing Antonio tell that story on top of it all, but he was furious. He wanted to fucking break something...or shoot something. After all this blew over, he was paying her father a visit.
Nic stood up and stretched. His body hurt, even up to his teeth. He walked out of the kitchen without another word to Antonio. He had to get rid of this energy. It wasn't a nervous energy, but more of an adrenaline rush he kept feeling. Anticipating when the shit was going to hit the fan. He walked up to his bedroom and changed into a loose shirt and workout pants. He had to run...anything to keep from getting in his car and fucking up Sonny Marconi.
The next morning, Victoria awoke with sunlight streaming down on her. She wiped her eyes and walked to the window and peered through. Her mouth dropped wide open. All she could see was plush green land, a creek and several horses. She saw a stable in the distance and a few other animals. This was a ranch. She had never been to a ranch before. She ran into the bathroom to take a quick shower.
When she was done, she finally opened her suitcase. 'Damn Mina,' Victoria thought, as she rummaged through all of the short, tight designer clothes Mina had picked out for her. Nothing in her bag even remotely looked comfortable. But at least she had packed her Converse for her. She put on a cute shirt and skirt, and pulled her hair back into a ponytail.
Victoria walked downstairs, to find Jimmy and Marianna sitting at the kitchen table laughing and sipping coffee.
"Good morning!" Marianna said in a cheery tone, getting up to give Victoria another bone crushing hug and kiss. "Did you sleep well? Tell me the truth? If you were not comfortable, I can get another mattress."
'Another thing Nic gets from his mother,' Victoria thought with a smile. "No, I slept wonderfully. I guess too well, since you guys were up way before me," Victoria said, pulling her hair back into a ponytail.
"Nonsense! You had a very difficult day yesterday. You deserved your rest. Did you miss Nic?"
"Um, yes, I did."
"You are so in love with him?" Marianna asked, with a huge smile on her face.
Victoria looked over at Jimmy, who was trying to hide his smile behind his coffee cup raised to his lips.
"Yes. I am." Victoria simply stated, as she grabbed a cup of coffee. "Marianna, do you mind if I look at some of the photos you have in the living room?"
"Go ahead. I have a beautiful family," Marianna said, filling Jimmy's plate with what was easily two pounds of food.
Victoria smiled as she grabbed her cup and walked into the living room. Modesty didn't run in the Andretti family either. She walked over to a stand where she saw some black and white pictures of Marianna when she was younger. She was absolutely stunning. Her hair was pinned back in a prim and proper way and she was wearing a floral dress with what now would be considered vintage high heels. She had a huge smile on her face as she stood holding a tall man's hand. Victoria could only assume that this was Nic's father, Nicolas Andretti III. He was definitely handsome. Actually, other than Nic's eye color, which he took from his mother, Nic looked just like his dad, including the cold stare and lack of expression.
"That's my late husband," Marianna said behind Victoria. "Good business man. Not the best husband and father, but he tried. Some men are good family men, some aren't. But he always made sure we were provided for."
"And you have five kids?" Victoria asked, turning around to look at Marianna.
"Yes, four boys and one girl. She's the baby," Marianna said, as she grabbed a picture of her children when they were all young. She handed it to Victoria. She spotted four different young men and a young girl. They all had jet black hair. Only Nic and the younger girl shared the same eye color as Marianna. The other boys had darker, brown eyes. In the picture two of the boys and the girl were standing on steps in front of a house, and two other boys, one being Nic, were sitting on the steps.
"This one is Marcus, he's the oldest," Marianna said. Victoria stared at the young man that Marianna had pointed at. He was just a tad overweight and he looked miserable, even though he was smiling. He wasn't as handsome as Nic, but he could be more pleasing to the eye, if he didn't look like it was killing him to smile.
"He's a police officer in Chicago. He divorced a few years back, and is now married to his job."
"He's a cop? How does that work with, well--Nic and his occupation?" Victoria asked, trying to tiptoe around the sensitive subject.
Marianna laughed. "It doesn't, that's the problem. Those two barely have a civil word to say to each other. Anyway, this is Vincent, he's two years older than Nic. He's a principal at a high school and married. He's the only child of mine that's given me grandchildren. Two girls, seven and four. I don't get to see them much," Mariana said with a sigh. "They live so far away and don't make it up here to see me, but I get pictures all the time." Vincent was much shorter than his older brother, Marcus, but at least his smile was pleasant.
"Two grandchildren, that must be nice," Victoria added.
Marianna elbowed Victoria. "You and Nic could give me more," she said, staring at the next child in her photo. Victoria started to say something, but then decided against it. Marianna was definitely more forward than she was used to. Nic never opened up about anything, yet his mother couldn't stop talking. But she enjoyed someone who could finally give her some more insight into Nic's personality.
"Um, how old was Nic in this picture?" Victoria asked, looking at Nic and the other young boy who was sitting on the steps with him.
"Hmm, I think he was seventeen or eighteen in that picture. I think that was the last time I had all of my children in the same place. Now I can barely get two of them in the same room together."
Nic was an extremely handsome teenager. Not as physically overpowering as he was now, but the same handsome face and long limbs. He was the only one in the picture not smiling, but the young boy beside him was grinning brightly and had his arm resting on Nic's shoulder. He was handsome too. Probably the second best looking of the boys, Victoria thought, secretly rating her man next to his brothers. Nic being first, of course.
"And who's the one sitting with Nic?"
"That is Bobby," Marianna said, with a sadness laced in her voice. "He was killed shortly after his twenty-firs
t birthday."
Victoria sucked in a gasp. "What? Oh, I'm so sorry!"
"It was hard on all of us. Bobby was so charming and friendly to everyone. He and Nic were really close since they were only a year apart. I guess it was the whole, opposites attract. He and Bobby's personalities were nothing alike, but they got along the best."
"Do you mind if I ask what happened?" Victoria asked.
"Bobby had a gambling problem. He would borrow money, gamble it away and then try to talk his way out of it. He borrowed from the wrong people one day, and...well, he went missing."
"Oh my God, I know that must have been torture," Victoria said, as they both walked over the couch and sat down.
"It was. He was missing for two months. I remember my Nic saying, 'Don't worry mama, I'll find him'. You see, we didn't know if something had happened to him, or if it was the drugs. He had gotten hooked on some bad things and would disappear. He didn't want us to see him like that. But he'd always come back clean and sober with a big smile on his face. I miss that smile," Marianna said, staring at Bobby's picture. "But then I got a call from my husband saying that his body had been found. Actually, his head had been found, but the rest of his body didn't wash ashore until weeks later."
Victoria thought she was going to be sick. She had heard of several missing people's stories that ended in tragedy like this. Even the ones that made national TV, but to know of someone who actually went through it--a mother who had to know her child's body was dismembered, is something quite different. She didn't even know what to say. She felt tears rush to the corners of her eyes.
"Nic went with my husband to identify what was left of the body. Neither one would talk about it. But I was a complete mess after that."
"God, I can't even imagine," Victoria whispered.
"About a month after we buried Bobby, the guy that Bobby had borrowed the money from went missing. And that's when the police came snooping around here. But in my husband and son's business, I don't ask questions. And a part of me was relieved that some justice had come from my son's death. I know it's not right, but when you lose a child, you don't think rationally."
Victoria thought about the fact that Nic could make people disappear. It sent a shiver up her spine. And not because of what he could do, but the fact that he could be caught. And that was a new line of thinking for her.
"And this is Juliet, my baby girl. She's a spunky one," Marianna said with a smile. "She travels a lot. She never spends more than a few months to a year in any place. Right now she's backpacking through Europe for the third time with her new boyfriend. And from there she said they plan to settle down for a year somewhere in Australia," Marianna said, rolling her eyes. "I love her to death, but I told her to settle down and find a husband. I'm not getting any younger...and speaking of that, do you want babies?" Marianna asked.
Victoria almost choked on her coffee. "Um, I would like to have children some day. I'm not sure--"
"—how many do you want?" Marianna interrupted.
"Oh, well I'm an only child, so I guess one."
"What?! One! No, Nic's Italian...he's not going to do just 'one'. Nope. You need four or five to have a good size family, you know," Marianna said.
"Well, I don't think Nic wants kids in his line of work," Victoria said.
"Oh, tush, he'll want babies. They all do in the end—to pass on their genes or seed or whatever. I can just imagine! You two will have beautiful children! I can't wait," Marianna said, hopping up and walking to the kitchen. Victoria just smiled and shook her head. She continued looking at the photos around the house. She spotted several of Jimmy, Nic and Bobby when they were young. The three of them together looked so devilish. Jimmy was handsome as well and about fifty pounds lighter. Isabelle's cooking must have gotten to him right after they married.
Victoria walked back into the kitchen and almost dropped her cup when she saw Jimmy cleaning his gun on the kitchen table.
"Hey, Vicky. I'm going to run into town for a few things, I'll be back in about thirty minutes, okay?" He asked, spinning the cylinder and then locking it.
"Uh, su-sure.," Victoria stuttered. Jimmy smiled, placed the gun behind his back and walked out of the kitchen.
"Okay, I don't think I'll ever get used to that," Victoria admitted to Marianna.
"Unfortunately it's a necessary evil in their business. So--are you opposed to having a traditional Catholic wedding? Oh, are you Catholic?" Marianna asked, sitting down at the table.
"Um, no. I'm...uh, my folks didn't attend church regularly, but I think we were Methodist."
"I told my children that when I become a grandmother, I want only two things. One, I'd like for my grandchildren to be Catholic. And two, I'd like for my grandchildren to learn Italian. Are you opposed to either of those things when you and Nic have children?" Marianna asked hopefully.
Victoria quickly shook her head. It didn't matter to her, just as long as they were healthy.
"Good! You are amazing, you know that? I'm so glad he got rid of Amber. I only met her twice, and that was too much. She was loud and obnoxious and I have no idea why Nic married her. But I see he came to his senses."
Victoria laughed. Marianna was just too much. How was she so open and playful when Nic was so serious all the time? He must have taken after his father in that respect. But Victoria didn't want to disappoint Marianna. She obviously thought her relationship with Nic was at the level of marriage and kids, but Nic had made it obvious that he wasn't ready for either of those things. So Victoria changed the subject.
"You have beautiful horses, Marianna," Victoria said, walking to the sliding glass doors that led to the back yard from the kitchen.
"Thank you. Want to meet them?" she asked, wiping her hands off.
"Sure. I'd love to," Victoria said. She had never actually touched a horse before...or seen one up close. She was definitely experiencing a lot of new things with the Andretti family.
They walked outside to the stables and Marianna pointed out each horse, giving her their name and a brief history. When they came to the last stall, a huge pitch-black horse came to the door and stuck its head out.
Marianna reached out to touch it. "And this beautiful horse is Victoria."
Victoria giggled at the fact that they shared the same name. But the horse was absolutely beautiful. She may not have known much about horses, but this one seemed special. Unique among the others.
"You can touch her, she's very kind," Marianna said.
Victoria reached out to rub the side of the horse's face. She was incredibly soft, and had long eyelashes that lined dark, soulful eyes.
"She's stunning," Victoria whispered, almost in a trance. "When did you get her?"
"Nic bought her for me a few months ago. And she's named after you."
Victoria glanced over at Marianna, who was beaming from ear to ear. "What?"
"A few months ago, he bought her for me, and I just thought she was the most beautiful horse I had ever seen. But he made me promise that I would name her Victoria. I didn't ask any questions, but I knew something was different."
"Nic can be—very surprising at times," Victoria said, shaking her head. She thought Nic had hated her months ago.
"Yes he can be. You know...he told me how you two met," Marianna said, feeding the horse pieces of hay.
Victoria's head jerked up. What?! No...he didn't. "He told you what?"
"I know the whole story. The arrangement...everything," Marianna said, glancing over at Victoria.
Victoria outwardly groaned and dropped to the ground. "Oh God, you must think the absolute worst of me. Oh my God, how embarrassing," Victoria whispered. She covered her face and cursed.
Marianna dropped down in front of her and gently pulled her hands away from her face. "Don't you dare cover your face in shame. If anyone should be ashamed it's my Nic...and believe me, I told him so."
Victoria stared at Marianna's kind eyes. "I didn't do it just because of the money. A lot of it was because
I didn't want my mother hurt. She's a good person who was just dealt a raw hand...the hand being my father. I just didn't want her hurt, and I wanted a new start for her," Victoria admitted.
"You don't have to explain anything to me or anyone else about your decision. We do strange things for those we love. When I was younger, if someone would have threatened my kids that way, I would be on my back in a second. I mean, legs up, ready to hand him a cigarette afterward...wrong or not."
Victoria burst into laughter at Marianna's overly honest and funny admission. She laughed so hard that she fell backwards from her squatting position and pulled Marianna with her. The two of them lay among the dirt and hay, until their laughter were no more than light giggles. Victoria had to grab her side to ease the pain in her stomach from laughing so hard. Then they both collectively exhaled.
Seven Days: A young black woman makes a deal with a mob boss. Page 27