I didn’t challenge him on the big things anymore. He would never confess to anything of value to me anyway. But that didn’t stop us from bickering relentlessly as we continued along the long winding roads of the countryside.
3
Alberto
I had no idea where I was going or what I was doing as I shuffled Alicia into my car and started driving, and her incessant raging didn’t make it any easier to decide. I wasn’t used to being caught off guard, to act without a plan. Frivolous, impulsive actions were what led to mistakes...they led to getting caught. And when you built your fortune on the fringe of what was legal, you couldn’t afford to behave that way.
I was surprised by myself and the situation I had gotten myself into, but even more so surprised by Alicia’s tongue. She was bold and sassy, maybe more so than any woman I had ever encountered. It was why the thought of her had always stuck with me since the day eight years ago when she and her father stormed my new property, making demands and accusations so flippantly.
The spark I saw in her that day hadn’t faded a bit, even though she found herself knocked up and alone being sold off in the market. She had some nerve to criticize my way of life, but then that was the way of Don Martino. It shouldn’t have surprised me at all, but it did.
I should have been able to throw her to the wolves, or even to the side of the road like she asked, but I couldn’t. For as tough as she seemed to think she was, I felt this strange overwhelming need to protect her...at least for now. She had a way of drawing a fury out of me, one that made it tempting to see to her lowly fate myself. Maybe that was it. Maybe I just saw it fit that if anyone was going to teach her a lesson, it should be me. Surely I had earned such a right after feuding with her high and mighty father all these years.
The only thing I knew for certain was that I couldn’t let her go running back to him and tell him what happened. I doubted the story would be painted in the proper light, which was that I saved her life. She would probably spin it to make the whole deal my fault. Don Martino was waiting on the slightest misstep to bring me and my entire empire down, and this would be all the ammunition he needed to strike.
At the very least, I needed more time to figure out what to do with this mess I had found myself in. At some point in the drive, my muscle memory took over and started heading for my estate. I decided that was the best I could do for now. I’d have to figure the rest out later.
My main property was settled in the middle of nowhere down a long, winding dirt road. It was the kind of road that you’d assume nothing could be found on, and any unsuspecting person would continue to believe that if they drove past the clump of barely manicured shrubs that the driveway was hidden behind. They would drive right past, not noticing the gate that rested behind them. They also wouldn’t notice the men I kept on watch behind them, carefully hidden. As my car pulled up, they’d emerge from behind the bushes and open the gate for me to drive through. Anyone else snooping around would be interrogated and likely sent on their way. No one came to see me without an appointment.
Should an unsuspecting visitor ever find their way through, they’d have to navigate their way down another long driveway lined with tall, thick trees. I had it constructed so that it didn’t lead all the way up to the house. It stopped abruptly a few yards away, and the manor was without a courtyard in the front as well. The stone path to the door was narrow and discreet.
The manor itself was a giant square cream-colored building with black shutters, usually kept shut. The front of it was lined with big trees and hedges all the way around the circular entryway. To a stranger, it would be hard to see where exactly you entered the mansion at all. That was intentional. The point of the entire design was to make the place seem uninviting. I wanted visitors to feel off and at a disadvantage. It helped me keep the upper hand in whatever their business was there.
Alicia would find herself in the same position as I pulled her from the passenger seat, once again keeping a firm grip on her arm, ensuring she didn’t have a chance to run off back to her father before I was ready. She was in awe of the big sprawling mansion and the property surrounding it, and of course, seemed nervous not knowing what would happen next. At the very least, the whole sight made her shut her mouth for once.
The staff knew better than to question me on why I was returning with a strange, pregnant woman in my possession. But my brothers, Felix and Pablo, didn’t feel the need to be so polite. They likely heard the others inside whispering about our guest’s arrival and were quick to meet us on the lawn, staring me down questioningly.
“Find a souvenir at the market, did you?” Felix quipped.
My brothers and I were born into a rich Argentinian family with Italian ancestry. Under my lead, we manage one of the largest operations of our family’s empire. We owned real estate in a number of cities including vineyards, bakeries, and dairy farms, just to name a few. We are a good looking group of men, but each of us harsh in our own ways.
I didn’t answer and kept marching right past them, but they followed closely behind. I motioned to several of my men to walk along with us, leading everyone to one of the side parlors - one with sliding doors that could be locked from the outside. I shoved Alicia inside, commanded two men to go in with her, and two men to wait right outside. She would be no match for their big stature, much less the giant rifles they kept perched on their shoulders.
With Alicia stowed away and under close watch, I stormed into the parlor next door and immediately went to the bar cart. I prepared myself for my brothers’ questioning as I poured a glass of fernet and coke over ice.
“Whoever that is and whatever she’s doing here…,” Pablo started slowly. “Please tell me she didn’t distract you from the guy we were tracking.”
I grunted, wanting to smack him for even thinking I would be so easily detoured. But any great leader has to know when to explode and when to keep it all simmering beneath the surface.
“No, of course not. I found him. He’s taken care of. We don’t have to worry about him anymore.”
They both let a soft sigh of relief escape their lips, and we went back to discussing regular business. Soon we were settled into chairs, sipping drinks, and smoking cigars. But there was an elephant in the room. The entire time I was mulling over this whole ordeal with Alicia in the back of my head, and they were trying to decide on the best time to ask what the hell had happened.
One of the kitchen staff workers gave them their opportunity. The older woman appeared in the doorway after a gentle knock.
“Sorry to interrupt, Mr. Milano. I just wanted to inform you that dinner will be served in one hour. Asados with mollejas and chinchulines,” she paused for a moment, choosing her next words carefully as she knew they were founded purely on gossip - something I didn’t take kindly to around my house. “Forgive me, sir. But...will the lady be joining us?”
I considered it for a moment, then made a quick decision as I had been forced to do a lot that day. “No, not joining. I’ll have her put up in a room. You may serve her there. Take note that she’s with child and adjust the meal accordingly, if necessary.”
“Yes, of course,” she nodded with a subtle, polite bow and showed herself out. With that, I whistled to call in one of the men outside. “See to it that the girl is settled into a room.”
“One of the guest rooms?” he asked.
“No, but not the basement either. One of the smaller rooms in the west wing. And put several men on watch both in and outside her room. I want you to keep a close eye on her.”
I wouldn’t have a pregnant woman in the dripping stone walls of the basement where we usually took men for interrogations or to scare them into doing what we wanted. But I wasn’t about to have her be treated like a queen either. The row of rooms in that part of the manor was suitable but scarce - usually reserved for house staff.
The door kept ajar as he went to go see about the arrangements. I watched as they carted Alicia off. She was struggling with t
hem as much as she had me, but she was still in nothing but a shirt and panties. I caught sight of a maid scrambling behind them with fresh sheets in hand.
“Hey!” I called out to her. “See to it that she gets some proper clothes put on.”
Once they were gone and the pounding of their boots had vanished, Felix and Pablo turned back to me with the same shocked expressions.
“Who is she?” they asked, almost in unison.
“Don Martino’s daughter,” I sighed through a puff of my cigar. They gaffed at my response, not sure how to reply. I decided to clear it up before they could. “She was at the black market being tormented by guards. I bought her at a steal of a price,” I lied to save face. “I’m sure we will find some way to use her to our advantage. A hostage deal perhaps...to keep Don Martino off our backs for a while. He can’t be bought with money, but maybe with the life of his daughter on the line he’ll be more cooperative.”
“Like hell,” Felix scoffed. “You know Don Martino would never submit to any threats or intimidation. He wouldn’t negotiate. He’d follow the law to a T and likely get us shot or thrown in jail. Anyway, you know how they all protect their own. It’d be like waging war against the police force.”
“Or would it?” I raised a brow, propping my boots up on the edge of my desk. “We do own the rest of the police force, after all. It would be interesting to see how it played out. And that disgrace of a woman is sadly all that Martino has left. I’m sure he would be very careful in how he chose to respond.”
“Not interesting enough in face of the risks we’d be taking,” Pablo crossed his arms.
He looked me over with confusion. He knew this wasn’t like me. Why would I have even taken the risk of bringing her here at all? Felix shifted in his seat and took note of our brother’s stance, following suit. I wasn’t about to have them start questioning me, especially not while I was in the midst of questioning myself.
“Even still, it’s a reminder to Don Martino that he doesn’t control us...regardless of how we handle it. Rest assured I have it all under control. Now, don’t you two have business to tend to?” I shot them a stern look, letting them know that any more skepticism wouldn’t be tolerated.
They were quick to obey. They finished their drinks and took their leave, finally giving me some peace and quiet to think straight...something I hadn’t had from the moment I spotted Alicia in that cage, and it was the thing I needed the most.
But with everyone gone and me locked away in the privacy of my study, it seemed the silence only confused me more. What permeated through my thoughts more than any practical solutions or ideas were completely useless flashes of memories from the morning. The vivid image of Alicia being tossed around by the guards with her fleshy thighs exposed, leading all the way up to the shadows under the hem of her shirt. The way her daring eyes sparkled at me with such hatred and rage. And the sound of her sharp tongue as she attempted to talk down to me in the car.
It all came together to stir something up inside. I didn’t know what it was, but I could only assume the unfamiliar feeling was what struck me in the market, and it was the very thing causing me to act so impulsively. It was dangerous to be off-kilter like this, and if Alicia was the reason for it, then I needed to stay away from her.
I decided I would let the staff tend to her and leave her hidden off somewhere, out of sight and out of mind. Maybe by the time I cared enough to make a decision about her, I’d be thinking more clearly. They would take decent enough care of her that if she ever did return to her beloved papa, she couldn’t say we had treated her too poorly at least.
I breathed a little lighter at my decision, and I had plenty of other things to worry about instead. I ignored the way it excited me to know she was dwelling within the walls of my estate, probably cursing my name with every breath.
4
Alicia
I didn’t know what to expect when I was left alone in the small, empty room furnished with nothing but necessities. Even those accommodations were nicer than I would have expected. The wooden floors had a rougher stain than the polished mahogany in the rest of the manor. The old pinstriped wallpaper was faded and torn in some places. There was a four-post bed, a small bedside table, and a wardrobe. The adjoined tiny bathroom was without windows or any doors aside from the one connected to the bedroom.
The most startling thing in the room was the two guards with big guns that stayed firmly planted, preventing me from even thinking about going anywhere. They also made it difficult for me to know how to act. I was grateful for the door in the bathroom because without it I had a feeling they wouldn’t flinch to keep standing there as I went about my private business.
It did afford me the chance to sneak away long enough to remove my prosthetic belly long enough to air out my sweaty skin. I hated to put the cumbersome thing back on. It definitely made me question any longing I might ever have to be a mother. I was sure the real thing would be uncomfortable, but not in the same way as having that big bulky thing strapped on underneath your clothes.
An hour or so after I had been delivered to the room, I guessed since the guards removed the only clock upon my arrival, the staff brought in fresh linens and a change of clothes. So much had happened I had somehow nearly forgotten I had been without pants this entire time. I managed to keep my head held high despite the fact that I was basically being held prisoner in nothing but a shirt and panties.
Once I had washed up and put on decent clothing, a flowing gown to fit over my falsely pregnant body, I was served dinner. It was a traditional Argentinian meal, but I could tell it had been prepared by a very talented chef. It was a wonder Alberto hadn’t ordered them to serve me scraps or some equivalent of prison food.
The setup was almost too kind to be believable, and I knew things wouldn’t stay like this forever. Alberto would have no motivation to keep me hidden away in a corner of his house, draining their food and board - not to mention manpower for the total of four guards he kept on watch over me. Sooner or later, he would make other uses of me. I knew if I didn’t play my cards right, the outcome would likely not be in my favor.
The next morning I was served a good breakfast, comparable to dinner from the night before. I was given another clean gown, and just after eleven, the guards gave me leave to take a bath and dress for the day. Of course, after that, there was nothing for me to do but sit and stare at the walls, or else stare at the two big burly men staring blankly ahead from their post in front of the door. But I was safe and comfortable...as much as I could be within the walls of the Milano estate.
The unexpected hospitality got me to thinking...If he cared enough to provide these accommodations for me, maybe I could take things a step further. The number of staff members I had seen so far were plentiful, not to mention the number of men on the property working for Alberto directly. Then there were his partners who carried their weapons more discreetly and wore expensive suits. There were probably a lot of people needed to maintain the property and all of its functions. If I was going to be here for the time being anyway, why not make myself of some use?
My plans and mission at the black market may have been foiled or at least detoured for the time being, but it did give me another unique opportunity. If I had even just a little more freedom on the grounds, I could keep an eye on the Milanos. Who knew what kind of information I could find on their underground business dealings.
Some time after lunch, I stood to address one of the men in my room. “Excuse me, sir. I request to speak to Alberto Milano, please.”
He blinked, but didn’t turn his head toward me in the slightest, much less speak. So, I tried again.
“I am sorry to interrupt your...busy workday. I just...well, as I said, it is very important for me to speak to Mr. Milano. Could you please let him know that I would like to see him?”
Finally, he responded in a brisk and irritated tone. “Mr. Milano has ordered for you to stay here. If he sees it fit to speak with you, he will come. Until t
hen, you sit. You wait. You leave me alone.”
I straightened and lifted my chin. “I respect your duties to your boss, but you must not understand who I am. I am Alicia Martino. Don Martino’s daughter. My father is a very important man. Mr. Milano is aware of this, and I assure you...If you inform him that I want to speak to him in regards to my father, he would humor my request.”
“Alberto is a very thorough man,” he retorted snidely. “If he wanted us to take heed to such requests, he would have said so.”
“Or perhaps he trusts his men to use common sense and their own good judgment.”
“We do as we’re told. As should you. Now, go sit and stare out the window or something.” The other guard laughed a little under his breath, apparently amused by his co-worker’s treatment of me.
“Even still...would you really want to risk not meeting an expectation of Mr. Milano? Especially when it involves another important man such as my father?”
I watched him weigh the consequences before finally groaning and rolling his eyes. The whole effort seemed to be a waste of time to him, but nonetheless, he turned to open the door and murmur something to one of the guards outside. I heard boots trailing off down the hall, and I knew at least my message would reach Alberto, even if he didn’t see me. Which is exactly what I thought he had decided by the next afternoon when I still hadn’t heard from him. But finally, after the sun had set again, an hour or so after dinner, I heard a woman’s voice outside followed by a knock on the door. One of the women working in the house exchanged a few words with the guards in my room, then was given entry to step inside and address me.
“Ms. Martino,” she waved for me to follow. “Mr. Milano is requesting your presence.”
I followed along anxiously through the dark halls of the manor. I figured Alberto had been considering my message ever since it reached him, and maybe only after sleeping on it and having a few drinks after dinner did his curiosity finally get the better of him.
Sold To Mr. Milano (Evil Empires Book 1) Page 3