I owe it to her after tonight.
I brush her hair away from her nape and I place a kiss on her warm skin.
“Sleep well, dolcezza.”
The next day I get up early and I head to the kitchen to make breakfast. I bring everything upstairs and I spoil her with breakfast in bed. It’s the least I can do to make up for what happened last night.
She stirs in bed when she smells the food.
“What’s all this?”
I notice bruising starting to come through on her body from that fucker. I try to keep the rage inside as I think of all the torture I wish he could’ve endured. We went too easy on him.
“I thought today we could get an early start. We have a busy day ahead of us.”
She sips her coffee from the tray and gets comfortable leaning on the headboard.
“Busy? With what?”
“We are going to your apartment to get your things. I was going to have one of my soldiers do it but I figured you’d like to sort through everything yourself.”
I notice her face fall.
I don’t say anything. I know what she’s probably thinking. She doesn’t want to move in here. Well, that’s too fucking bad.
“Eat,” I order her.
She’s fuckin’ moody as hell as she eats her breakfast. I don’t know why I bother going through the trouble of cooking for her.
She gets ready quickly and we head out. I don’t want to be gone all day. It’s a decent drive away and I’d rather spend as less time as possible on the border of the territories.
When we pull up to her apartment I walk closely behind her. I don’t think she will try to run but her apartment is familiar to her, so I could see her using her knowledge of it to try and pull a stunt on me.
When she opens the door it’s not at all what I was expecting.
There’s about four cardboard boxes stacked in the front room. Nothing’s been unpacked.
“I thought you moved here last week?”
“I did.”
“Do you have more boxes coming or is this it?”
She looks down and I can see a blush creeping up her neck. She moves into the bedroom and I follow her.
The closet contains about five items and I watch her as she stuffs them into a duffel bag. I help her take the bedding off the bed and we put it in a large garbage bag.
I can’t believe this is all she has. I think the clothes Caterina brought over are more than what she had here in this apartment. I leave her up there as I bring the boxes down to the car and I am pleasantly surprised when I return upstairs and she’s still there waiting for me.
My little witness is definitely on her best behavior today, albeit moody as fuck. We grab the last few things and head to the car.
“What do I do about the rent? Do I cancel the lease?”
“I’ve already taken care of it.” She doesn’t know it yet, but I also got her a full refund.
She’s still being quiet on the way back. I’ve never initiated talking so much in my life.
“Do you want to go to any stores? Is there anything you need?”
I cannot believe I just offered to go shopping. What the fuck has gotten into me? That’s a job I can send Caterina to do; not me.
She shrugs. Clearly something is wrong. I’ve had it.
“Is everything okay?”
“Yes.” I can tell she’s lying. Why the fuck do chicks always do this stuff?
“Okay.” I leave it at that. I’m not falling for her crap.
We get back to the house and I leave her to unpack. Although, as I realize later, she keeps everything still in the boxes like at her apartment. I guess she feels no need to settle in.
I loosen my slack with her and let her walk around the house. I notice her pulling a book off my bookshelf and I take this opportunity to duck into my office. If she wants to go to college I need to make a few phone calls.
It’s quiet for a while and occasionally I hear her pattering around the rooms. She can snoop all she wants. This is her house now and she’s not going to find anything anyway.
I hear the doorbell ring and I try to get there before Violet. I have no idea who it is and I don’t want her getting hurt.
“I’ll get it, dolcezza.”
She doesn’t respond but I hear pots and pans in the kitchen. She must be cooking.
If she even knows how, that is.
I open the door and I’m greeted with someone who is a bigger pain in the ass than my little witness.
“Megan.” I let her in.
“Hi, Nells.” I cringe inwardly at the annoying nickname. She leans forward and pecks me on the lips.
“What do you need?” I am losing patience already.
“I heard you had a rough night last night. I knew you’d need to de-stress.”
She leans forward and grabs my package. This fuckin’ whore.
She should know better than to come here. I bet this is all because she saw me with Violet last night. At least I know my plan must be working. Megan would only be here if she was jealous. Her and everyone else must truly believe I have a real girlfriend.
I don’t respond. My face is stoic and it’s my way of saying no.
But Lord, fuck me, she leans forward and starts kissing my neck. Megan’s good with her mouth. That’s about it, though.
Our entire outfit can attest to that.
“Megan,” I try to tell her to stop, but her name comes out like a groan.
I don’t need Violet to hear this and think it’s something it’s not. Not like it should fucking matter anyway.
I put my hands on her hips to try and pry her off me.
I can only imagine what this must look like when I hear the floor creak behind me.
I lock eyes with Violet, which is insanely uncomfortable as Megan’s tongue is still connected to my neck.
I push Megan off me and she almost loses her balance in her stripper heels.
“Out.” My voice is low, but stern.
Megan purses her lips and slowly saunters out the front door, but not before turning back and giving one last wink in my direction.
“Bye, Nells.”
I turn to look at Violet. She’s got what looks like flour dusted on her shirt and it’s only now that I smell a blueberry pie which must be in the oven.
I can’t read her. She’s still just standing there, staring at me. For someone whose mouth gets her in trouble so easily, she’s been quiet today.
I don’t know what to say, so I say nothing.
She looks like she’s about to have an angry outburst.
It’s then that’s when I see her bottom lip quiver.
Oh, fuck.
She bursts into tears and runs out of the room.
I hear her stomp up the stairs.
The door slams.
I wince.
I feel something deep inside me I don’t know if I’ve ever felt before.
Is this what guilt feels like?
Suddenly, I feel sick.
Chapter 5
Violet
“So, I have some news for you.”
“Mmm.” I hum in response. I’m standing at the kitchen counter attempting to cook us dinner. When we got back from my apartment earlier I realized I have no choice anymore but to give in to this stupid deal.
It finally sunk in that there is no more escaping.
I felt like my life is over.
I still feel that way.
But I decided to make the best of it. I’ve never really cooked or baked before, but I found a cookbook. It looks like it’s never been opened.
I got through the blueberry pie, somehow by the grace of God. I really gave it my best effort.
Either that or something in my southern roots saved me.
I had just gotten the chicken started when I heard the doorbell ring.
I wish I never walked out of the kitchen.
Seeing Nello and Megan all over each other crushed me inside. I wish I didn’t feel this way, but I
do.
It’s my own fault for forgetting for a minute this is all pretend. He doesn’t care about me. He’s just going to keep going about his life and being with whoever he wants while I’m stuck here as his fucking prisoner.
I had no choice but to come back and finish the cooking before it all spoiled.
I wish he’d just go in another room.
“No, really. I want to talk to you.”
I avoid his eyes because I don’t want him to watch mine well with tears again.
He must think I’m weak.
He reaches forward and grabs my hands in his.
“You’re going to college.”
“Huh?”
“I got you in. You’re going to college.”
“What? What do you mean? When? How? The semester already started.” I start blurting out all my questions.
“You start Monday. Caterina too.”
I am thrown for a curve here.
“Caterina too?”
“She’s been very sheltered, as I’m sure you’ve caught on. She’s never had the opportunity to go. I had a feeling you two would enjoy getting to do this together.”
I feel myself starting to smile.
“Before you get too excited, let me clarify some things.”
My smile fades. I knew this was too good to be true.
“Your classes are online. You will have a laptop that only accesses your schoolwork and relevant websites. While I am at work you may do all your schoolwork here and Caterina can come over and study with you if you’d like. If Caterina is here, Dominick will be here. Any time I am not here, your new bodyguard, Piero, will be here.”
I stare back at him. Actually, this sounds awesome. I’m afraid to smile.
“You will not ask anyone for help. You will not ask Piero to set you free. Nobody will help you, your Professors included. I’ll also give you a cell phone but the only numbers in it will be myself, Caterina, and Piero. It won’t work for any other numbers unless I add them in.”
I nod my head slowly.
“If you want to go shopping with Caterina, you may. Dominick and Piero must go with you both everywhere.”
“But I don’t have any money,” I counter.
He opens up his wallet and hands me a credit card.
I look down and see ‘Violet Taylor’ printed on the front.
“What is this? I don’t have any credit cards. I don’t want any.”
“It’s connected to a special account I have for you. It’s yours.”
I go to put it in my pocket and he snatches it back and places it back in his wallet.
“What are you doing? You just said that’s mine.”
“You’ll have to earn this one, dolcezza.”
I roll my eyes and try to turn back to the dish I’m making.
“Why are you rolling your eyes at me? I just went through all this trouble to get you in late term and you’re giving me a hard time. I don’t like it.”
That was pretty amazing.
And thoughtful.
I can’t bring myself to admit it, though.
“I’m happy about school. Thank you.”
He retreats to the kitchen table and I continue buzzing around the kitchen. I have no clue what I’m doing but thankfully he either doesn’t notice or doesn’t comment on it.
He’s typing into his phone like crazy.
I bet it’s his little blonde slut.
The thought crosses my mind a few times and I want to throw something.
Now he’s smirking at his phone.
I seriously contemplate tossing a zucchini at him.
I huff and try and focus.
I get confused when I go to grab the oil bottle and it’s actually the vinegar bottle. I put it back too quickly and it hits a glass apothecary jar on the counter.
Glass breaks and ground coffee spills everywhere.
Why am I destined to be covered in coffee?
While I am making this mental joke apparently Nello is plotting my death.
He’s next to me with rage in his eyes.
“I’m sorry--”
“Are you fucking kidding me?” He cuts me off.
“I’m trying to apologize!” I start to raise my voice.
“Look at this fucking mess!” He raises back at me.
“I said I was sorry! I’ll clean it if you’ll just back the fuck off!” Now I’m screaming back.
At a mobster.
A very dangerous mobster.
Clearly, I’ll never learn.
“This coffee is specially imported from a family farm in Italy. It’s not easy to get!”
“Well, if it’s family owned then I don’t see why they can’t just send you some more!” My voice is sounding shrill.
“You just seem to have the answer to everything. Don’t you, dolcezza?” He gets a dish towel and starts to push the grinds into the garbage. “Let me tell you. If there’s one thing you know, it’s how to be nothing more than a pain in my ass!”
His words sting. They hit me in a tender place. I do the only thing I know how to do when I’m hurt.
I mouth off.
“If I’m such a nuisance then I don’t know why you’re keeping me around! If you can’t stand me then maybe you should go call your slut girlfriend! Go ahead, Nells!” I see more anger flash in his eyes at the nickname. “Why hold me here as a prisoner if you hate me so much?”
“Because I don’t want her, Violet!” He throws the dish towel on the counter and I hear a crash as more things knock over. “I want you!”
My heart drops. It’s one of the first times he’s actually used my real name.
And I think he just said he wants me. I’m not sure. My brain won’t process the words.
“Why?” I blurt out the only thing I can think.
Can this be the moment where he tells me he feels something for me?
I wish my heart would stop beating so fast.
My breathing is uneven.
I wait for his response to come.
“Because you’re a witness!”
Wrong answer.
I knew it. I should’ve never thought for one minute he could feel something for me.
What a dick.
His words sting.
And boy, does this fucking hurt.
I flip out.
“I hate you. I HATE YOU!”
I scream and throw the dish towel I’m holding to the floor. I stomp on it like a petulant child.
“I thought you were happy with the new situation here! I thought you were happy about college!” He retorts.
“Happy?” I’m laughing now. I sound like a fucking kleptomaniac.
“Happy?” I repeat myself. “College? Great! Your sister? Great! But happy?”
I round him and get in his face. I realize just how much taller he is than me and I hope I don’t look like an angry little elf right now.
“Happy? You know what would make me happy, Nello? Letting me go! Letting me go back to my old life. The one where I didn’t have to pretend to be with someone!”
He closes the gap between us and presses me up against the island.
“Well, too fucking bad, dolcezza, because that wasn’t the deal.” He growls at me.
He lifts off me and turns his back to me.
“You’re just a gangster. You’re a goddamn, lowlife gangster and that’s all you’ll ever be!”
He turns and comes toward me.
“I have fucking had it with you and that smart mouth!”
For the first time since my first hour here, I’m actually really scared. I knew my mouth was going to get me killed someday.
I scream and run as fast as I can to the front of the house. If I can make it to the front door I might be able to spare my life.
Antonello (Mob Men Book 1) Page 6