by Christina OW
He raised an eyebrow daringly. “You like your hair all neat and swanky?”
She rolled her eyes. “If you don’t tie it too tight it won’t chock you and no one has gotten beaten up for wearing one. It’s not just geek fashion you know. A bowtie and a tux is just how the fashion is. How many times do we have to go through this?”
“Until you get it that I’m never ever going to wear one. And where I grew up, I saw enough guys get beat up for being fashionable.”
She stared at him thoughtfully still fussing with the handkerchief and he could tell that she wanted to ask him something, but she wasn’t sure how he would take it.
“By the time I hit twelve, I had been kicked out by so many private schools the others already knew to say no before I even applied. Clarissa thought it would be a fitting punishment for me to attend public school for the year. And not just any public school, the worst one she could find in the city, so that I would learn to appreciate what I had. Except, she didn’t tell me that. She just surprised me by dropping me off at the gate and driving away after her big speech. She also surprised me that morning by picking out my clothes.” He tilted his head to the side. “You see where I’m going with this?”
She nodded keeping her eyes leveled with his chest. As she ironed the lapels flat with her hands she said, “You wore a bowtie to school.”
“And got my ass beat right there on the curb. It’s a good thing I was good with my fists then. They were impressed a dandy could hold up his own…and then a few months later they branded me.”
Her head shot up then, her eyes filled with worry. “That’s how you met them?” Her eyes darted and she lightly ran her tongue over her red lip. It amused him how subconsciously aware she always was of not ruining her makeup or clothes. “I want to ask, but I’m not sure if I should,” she said full of uncertainty.
Well, it was about time he came clean about his past, all of it, except, it wasn’t the right moment for that conversation. He took her hands and kissed her knuckles, lingering on her left hand where his ring sat next to her mother’s diamond.
“You can ask, just not yet.”
She nodded with understanding that amazed him. Not many wives would be so patient especially with a past like his. He expected her to freak out, to always worry if he would harm her because of the monster he used to be, but Melody…she was an enigma.
“Come on, I want to see what the others are wearing,” she said excitedly, pulling him out of the room.
“Are they themed too?” Ruiz teased.
“Yes, apparently we all are,” Reno responded dryly as he stared down his wife who had one hand on her hip and the other held out to him with what looked suspiciously like a bow tie, a purple one to match her dress and his handkerchief.
“What’s the matter bro, don’t want to be fashionable?” Ruiz jeered laughingly. Melody smacked his chest, but her suppressed laugh gave her away.
Reno glared at him, “You don’t have one on.”
“Well, if I was given an option right now between that purple and my red, I would wear the red.”
“It’s not purple, it’s eggplant!” Loraine half yelled.
“Eish! Even worse. Didn’t you tell her you hate eggplant Reno?”
Melody pinched his fleshy side and he jumped with a yelp. “If she starts crying you are staying back with her,” she whispered harshly.
Crying? Oh yeah, hormones.
“Loraine, he looks great like that and hey, we match!”
“Yeah, very Don Juan sexy. I think he looks better without it, unlike the two clichés standing over there,” Melody added her support.
“Hey!” Allan and Matthew protested.
Loraine took a step back and stared at Reno from head to toe. Ruiz hated to admit it, but his brother did rock the black suit and shirt better than he did. Then she turned to Allan and Matthew who had the traditional tuxes with white and black handkerchiefs respectively to match their wives dresses.
“Yeah, you’re right. Definitely better than the two penguins.” She tossed the bow tie onto the couch and took Reno’s offered arm. He looked so relieved now that the bowtie had been discarded. “Aren’t our Albury men so hot!” she squealed.
Melody took his arm, smiling sweetly up at him. “Most definitely.”
“Allan, do you all of a sudden feel like the ugly stepbrother?” Matthew asked his hand already reaching to untie the bow tie.
“Definitely.” Allan had his off with one jerk of his hand.
“One more thing.” Riana stepped in front of Allan and once she’d stepped back, she had the two top buttons undone like Reno and Ruiz did. “Now you’re done.”
“Fashionable,” Matthew snorted undoing his own buttons. “More like peer pressure!”
“Stop your whining and let’s go.” Amy took his arm then added, “You look very hot yourself babe.”
Matthew beamed. “Thanks doll.”
“Okay, enough of that. Time to get to work,” Allan announced leading Riana out of the suite and the rest followed.
Ruiz hadn’t seen the ballroom yet and he was glad he waited till now to experience the complete effect. It was magnificent. The winter wonderland theme was straight out of the fairytale books he taken to reading Esme each night.
“This is great Melody!”
“You really like it?”
He looked around again, at the white drapes and the string of white lights hung on the walls of the room and the ice sculpture of the Eiffel Tower in the middle of the room. “I love it. I’m so proud of you,” he said giving her hand a little squeeze.
“Thanks Ruiz. That means a lot coming from you.”
He turned to her a little surprised. “Why is that?”
She shrugged a bare shoulder. “You’re my husband and I like to know I’m doing you proud, making you happy and raising your daughter right.”
He pinched her chin and tilted her head up higher to trap her gaze with his as he said, “You are doing a great job as Esme’s mother, my wife and my best friend. Talking to you and being with you has made me a happier man, happier than I’ve ever been in my entire life. You are what makes me tick Melody Sinclair hyphenate Albury. Don’t ever forget that.”
Tears gleamed in her eyes as she chuckled. She quickly blinked to keep them from spilling. “You almost ruined my makeup with that speech—and don’t tease my hyphenate!”
“I would say I’m sorry, but I wouldn’t really mean it.”
“I love you too, Ruiz, now come on let’s mingle. The others have already started.”
Ruiz wasn’t a real fan of this part of the business, but he had learned to handle it and do it well. The hours went by and the family—something Ruiz had taken to calling them all including the Bakhursts—were doing a great job from what he could see. Soon, they would have the three and the four roomed suites half booked by the time the holidays came around. At least he hoped so. They needed the money to cover the restructuring and remodeling the hotel had gone through over the past two months. As a board they decided to give the hotel a year to pick up or close it permanently. They also hoped they would weather the money laundering ordeal well once the media caught a whiff of it. It helped that Allan and Matthew had called all their European business associates to attend the launch party, offering three days and nights all expenses paid in any suite they wanted at the Red Roses Paris hotel. When Ruiz asked why only three days, Allan responded with ‘these type of people they don’t stay in one place for more than three days. To them every hour spent not carrying out business is one less zero in their profit margins’. Yeah, Allan rolled with those kind of people and he was some kind of member to their exclusive club. It was a tad bit intimidating. Even Jon Luc and Dante Vittorio had joined them, bringing along their six figure client list.
Ruiz was just about to take a breather when he spotted Melody rushing towards him, a worried look on her face. Something was wrong. With quick strides, he met her half way, grabbing hold of her arms to steady her when
she stopped too fast for her six inch heels.
“Ruiz, your mother is here,” she blurted out breathlessly.
Ruiz felt his entire body go tight as a bow string with apprehension. What the hell is she doing here?
“That’s not the worst part mon ami,” Jon Luc spoke coming up from behind him. With a clenched jaw Ruiz waited for the other shoe to drop. “She’s escorted by a suspicious looking gentleman and Antonio is leading their way here.”
Ruiz rubbed his fist over his mouth to keep from cursing out loud. He didn’t need this, the family didn’t and the hotel didn’t need their kind of drama right now.
“Where?” he asked with barely controlled anger.
Jon Luc pointed to their direction with his chin. Ruiz turned and as sure as the moon was full that night, Antonio was strutting into the ballroom with an air of importance. Behind him was his mother on the arm of—
“Holly hell!”
“Ruiz, what’s wrong, you’re shaking!” Melody’s frantic voice sounded so distant in his ringing ears, his eye riveted on the face of the man he hadn’t seen in a dozen years.
Holly hell, he’s spotted me! This can’t be happening, not now!
“Ruiz…”
“Stand beside me Melody. Jon Luc, get my brother.” His voice sounded so foreign, so shaky. He was exposing his weakness. He couldn’t allow that, not in front of him!
“I don’t know Ruiz. He looks like he’s restraining Allan from charging Antonio. He and Matthew are having a hard time of it.”
Ruiz forced air into his lungs and pushed the panic down. “Take my wife and sister out of here. Now!”
“No! I’m staying with you,” Melody re-enforced her words by placing her hand in his and holding tightly to his wrist with her other hand. Ruiz was grateful for the support, but he wasn’t ready for her to meet his past or exhibit her as his biggest weakness.
The sound of glass shattering caught his attention. He turned to see Antonio next to Riana, running his finger down her arm. He could see the smug look on his face as he whispered close to her ear. Riana’s back was to Ruiz, but he could see her hands shake at her sides. He wanted to go to her, rid her of the pest, but he couldn’t avoid the storm coming towards him.
“Jon Luc, my sister,” his voice cracked with his plea. He couldn’t allow that to happen again, not in front of him.
“Allan,” he responded pointing to him.
Ruiz was relieved to see the mask of control on Allan’s face as he approached the two. Matthew flanked him to the right and Dante to his left. Ruiz turned to see Reno come his way and he wasn’t ashamed to admit he was relieved. He needed his brother to have his back now more than ever. He quietly urged him to walk faster, to get to him before his mother and her date.
She brought him here on purpose, just to spit me! Did she not understand the risk she was putting my family and herself in? The worst part was, she probably did and that was the whole point. God the woman was evil!
“Ruiz, son. It’s been a while. Twelve long years and some weeks,” he greeted with a broad smile.
His voice had gotten rougher since the last time Ruiz saw him. Chain smoking for years would do that.
The moment Reno came to a stop next to Melody, Ruiz got a boost of confidence. With complete lack of emotion he said, “I’m not your son.”
The man now grey and leaner and no longer the scary giant Ruiz had seen him as for five years scoffed. “You always were ballzy.”
“He must get it from my side of the family,” Reno commented making his presence known.
Clarissa sneered at Reno then turned her head away in rebuff. “Melody dear, it’s nice to see you again.”
“Clarissa,” Melody responded strongly. Good. He squeezed her hand to show his approval.
“Ruiz, how about a proper introduction?”
That voice really grated at his nerves! Ruiz just stared at him, not saying a word.
“Reno Albury, his big brother.”
“Jon Luc Absalom, his friend and attorney.”
“Mel—” Ruiz squeezed her hand painfully tight effectively cutting her off and silencing her.
“What are you doing here and with my mother?” he demanded keeping his voice controlled.
“Son, you didn’t let her introduce herself,” he said, reaching his hand for Melody’s around Ruiz’s wrist.
Before he could touch her, Ruiz tugged on Melody’s hand, pulling her behind him, but still keeping their hands clutched together. He needed to feel her safe, make sure no one will come from behind and grab her while he spoke to the devil’s protégé. Reno stepped into her spot, effectively shielding her.
“She’s none of your concern and I asked you a question,” Ruiz demanded with a voice as hard as granite.
Ruiz saw the glare of rage in his eyes for a second before he hid it. He was good at hiding his emotions. Ruiz had learnt from the best.
“Step aside son, I want to see your wife.”
He smiled like he was saying yes, I know who she is. Ruiz glared at his mother wishing her the damns of hell at that moment before he turned back to stare him down.
“I’m not your son and that’s never going to happen.” Then Ruiz took a step forward until he was looking down at him. Yes, this time Ruiz was the bigger one and at the moment he was coiled like a lethal snake ready to attack. “I’m not going to ask you again, so listen well. Take yourself and your goons—I know they are hiding around here somewhere, waiting for your instructions. I still remember how you operate, too well for my liking. Get them and get lost Angelo. Right. Now!”
Angelo held his glare. Ruiz made sure not to blink, to only show what he needed Angelo to see, to know he was serious and prepared to do anything.
The eyes are the portal to a man’s soul, son, never let anyone see more than you want them to or you’re dead.
Angelo chuckled softly taking a step back. His smile told Ruiz he’d won that round, but his eyes told him, he may not be as lucky in the next round.
“Does the same go for your mother?”
He wanted to say no, for the first time in his life Ruiz wanted to protect her from herself and the evil she’d tangled herself with this time, but claiming her would give Angelo leverage and he would take her to use her against Ruiz.
“She’s a big girl. She knows what she’s doing, what she wants. She came here with you, didn’t she?”
Angelo nodded, “Esta bien. See you seen boludo.” With Ruiz’s mother still on his arm, Angelo turned around and walked away.
Left standing there, Ruiz could feel his body begin to shake with adrenaline.
“Ruiz, what was that about?” Reno demanded.
His eyes trailing on the two retreating figures he asked, “Does Allan still travel with a pose?”
“Yes.”
“Tell him to get them. We’ll need them to—” He drew in a sharp breath as his whole body turned to ice. “Esme!”
He released Melody’s hand and took off in a dead run for the elevator. Once inside he pushed the top floor dial several times and paced like a caged lion as the lift went up, too slowly. Once he was at their floor, he squeezed through the partially opened elevator doors and ran to one of the only three doors on the floor. he fumbled with his key card before he finally managed to get the door open.
“Ruiz!” Jackie exclaimed jumping to he feet.
“Esme, where is she?”
“Sh! She’s asleep along with the other children in their room. Why? What is it?”
Ruiz ran into the middle room on the opposite side of his and Matthew’s rooms. He spared each of the three beds a quick glance to make sure the older kids were still tucked in their beds. Aurora, Mark, Tyler all accounted for. Then the cribs: AJ, Ethan, Esme. They were all there, safe and asleep. He sagged against Esme’s crib, his heart still running a mile a minute in his chest.
“Ruiz, what is it?” Melody called from the door.
He stood up straight and looked into her worried eyes. “I think
it’s time we had that talk about my past.”
* * * *
Scared wasn’t enough of a word to describe what Melody felt at that moment as Ruiz took her hand and led her out of the children’s room, closing the door behind them. Just when Ruiz turned her to face him, the main door flew open and Allan came through like a raging bull, Reno and Matthew hot on his heels. He paced the living room, cursing and throwing his fist in the air.
“Allan, you need to calm down,” Reno implored calmly. Allan responded by yanking his jacket off and throwing it across the room. It landed on the dining table.
“Where is Riana?” he bellowed.
“Here, I have her,” Amy responded coming through the door with a shell shocked Riana in her arms. Loraine brought up the rear, locking the door behind her.
“What’s going on?” Melody half yelled.
“Anthony, Anthony Torino is alive,” Riana spoke unconsciously, her eyes glazed over. She sounded like she couldn’t believe it, like she wasn’t even sure and might have imagined it.
Melody hoped she had. She hadn’t seen the man herself but his deeds had left a permanent mark in their lives. At least Allan had the scars removed. Riana said they used to give her nightmares of Allan burning on the yacht as she stood there helplessly and watched. It gave her the chills.
“Are you sure?” she found herself asking.
“Of course she’s sure! I saw him with my own two eyes…just like I saw him die. What the hell is going on!” The torment in Allan’s eyes made her want to cry.
“It’s a full moon and all the monsters have come out from the closet to haunt us,” Ruiz commented dryly next to her.
She looked up at him. “What?”
But he went on talking like he hadn’t heard her. “Anthony, was he the man who was…”
He didn’t need to finish. He didn’t have to. Melody got a sickening feeling at the pit of her stomach. “Anthony is…Antonio?”
Ruiz sighed heavily. “And we didn’t even know it.”
“How could you not?” Allan accused still pacing.