by Kara Hart
“Worried about me? Lady, you're not on my list. I think you're nice. Feisty too. I like that in a woman,” he said, taking a big sip of his latte. “You make a good drink too.”
“Okay. But you have a list?” I asked him, looking out of my peripherals, trying to gauge whether people were still staring or not.
He suddenly stood up from his seat and gripped his palm around my waist. He brought me in close until I could practically feel his lips against mine.
“Maybe you should be worried about me. I look like a risk don't I?”
I slowly nodded my head, feeling my body tense up. He trailed his fingers from my waist down to my ass. He squeezed my right cheek lightly. I felt a sense of pressure swell up inside of me, like a balloon that was about to burst. I had the sudden urge to pull up my dress right then and there, while he wrapped his burly mouth around my soaked panties.
“I know you want me,” he said. “Don't shake your head. Don't do anything, dammit. Just look into my eyes. I know you need me,” he said, staring into my own eyes. His pupils had a fire to them, and an air of mystery that drew me to the flames.
He said “I'll make you mine. Soon enough.” He ran one finger across the lining of my panties. I was dripping wet and shaking. Oh God, what is happening? Is this a dream? I thought. But it was all too real and in the moment.
“Don't you dare nod,” he whispered. He took his lips and lightly pressed them against mine. His beard rubbed against my cheeks and he slowly bit down against my lower lip, pulling back. Then he let go. “See you soon, Dahlia.”
He didn't even stay for his omelet. He simply walked outside, pulled a cigarette out of his pack, and walked away from the café never looking back. “Fuck me,” I whispered to myself.
I turned around and of course, Joel shook his head at me.
150
Lucas
The whole fucking car ride to Detroit was a disaster. I left the restaurant in a hurry, not because I was a badass. Shit, I wanted that omelet more than anything. But as soon as I had her in my grasp, my cock turned solid as a fucking semi-truck. I couldn't just stand there with my dick in my hands.
It had been a long time since anyone had made me feel like that. When was the last time I got laid? I searched my memory for a time that stood out. Well, there was that woman in Brazil, that real dark skinned woman. It was right after I killed that son of a bitch for giving me some false information. But I wasn’t the type of guy to think about fucking after shattering a man’s skull with my 9mm, so I ended up spillin’ my guts to her and paying her extra for it.
No, it had been at least 6 years. Brenda, my ex, most likely. Shit, I didn't even want to think about that woman and what she did to me. Or, better yet, what I did to her heart.
Women weren't a thing to me after her. Too much effort. Too many nights listening to them whine about this and that, promising them a life you know you can't give, and raising some children you didn't give a damn about. That's what “love” was and sex always led up to that, so why even try? But this woman, Dahlia, had to be tamed. She needed some extra time with me.
Coming home was even worse. My brother was on one of his benders again. “You kiss the bitch and then you kill her, he said!” He made a hanging noise, as if a noose had fell around his neck. This was his bit, telling jokes while cocaine residue hung on the edges of his nostril.
I waited for the punchline to his stupid joke. In fact, everyone was waiting for it. But it never came. Ricky just sat there, cackling to himself like a fucking mad man. My father, old enough to get noticeably annoyed by trivial displays like this one, wiped his lips and set his napkin down on the table.
“The punchline?” He asked, taking out a cigar and lighting it. His mansion was a gorgeous mock of old Italian wealth. It might have been the most expensive and well-kept home in Detroit. The chandelier above us flickered against the dark recesses of the room.
“What?” Ricky said wide-eyed and dumb. He had brought some hooker or call girl to dinner. I could just feel my father’s eyes burning through her. A disgrace. He might say to himself.
I tried not to make eye contact with anyone at the table. The tension was too much. I was a solitary type of man. I did my job, collected my money, and slipped back into the cracks until someone summoned my name once again. I didn't like all these family get-togethers. Ricky always made things uncomfortable and dad didn't know how to deal with it properly. There were times I was surprised he didn't take him to the basement and chop his fingers off. It's not like he was above that type of behavior.
Father, The Don as we used to joke, chewed his food angrily. “The punchline! Where's the damn punchline?”
Ricky looked down hard at the table. He was having a hard time deciding what the best way to answer was. “That was the punchline.” He stuttered. And when no one backed him up, not even his call girl, he said “Anyway, it's not your guys’ type of humor, maybe.”
I was barely even listening at this point. I couldn't stop thinking about that Dahlia woman. I looked at the table in front of me and breathed out loudly. I imagined her on the table, bent over for me like a good girl, whispering filthy things to me. Give me that fat cock. Push it inside me. Split me open. Make me yours. She would say. She spread her legs and placed the palms of her hands against her ass, spreading her soaking hole apart for me. Her wet panties lay around her ankles, against her shiny black heels.
“Can you all excuse me for a second. I have to use the bathroom.” I said, nearly sweating with desire. Shit. This isn't good. Calm yourself. You're at family dinner. Just take a deep breath, wash your hands, and come back to the pot roast.
As soon as I got into the bathroom, I realized how dangerous this woman was. She was capable of altering my emotions in a way I didn't need during this trip. My being there was supposed to be simple, but now I'd complicated things. I met this woman who was already controlling me.
I pressed my hand down against the thick bulge in my jeans. My cock had grown solid again and it was bad this time. Of course, there she was in my head again, lowering her body in front of me, pushing against my cock with her ass. Use me. She said, running her tongue against her lips.
She pressed her cheek against the cold concrete floor and I found my hand pressing against her head as I pulled my thickening cock out of my zipper. I don't even waste time taking my pants off. I fuck her like she wants me to. Harder. I know you can fuck me harder than that. Lucas.
And I'm pounding her and pounding her, sliding deep inside her folds. She’s wrapped around my massive cock and there's no way I'm letting go or pulling out.
In reality, I'm propped up against the bathroom wall, spitting on my hand. I shined my cock with my spit and I began rubbing my glistening cock until I'm stroking it. Up and down, swirling my palm against the underside of my head.
Dahlia was right. I’m an asshole. I’m a pig. And I'm staring at the toilet bowl, imagining myself riding her as hard as I fucking can. I'm pulling on her with my belt, like she's wearing a collar. She's mine. All mine.
I moved my hand faster, until I was about to burst. The pressure swelled up inside me, and I could just hear her moan “Shoot your load inside of me.” And I would.
My cock shoots like my 9mm, fast and accurate. Only, I unloaded the whole cartridge. White strings of cum pulsed out of me as I fell against the wall in front of me. The pleasure was too much. My hand scrapes against her back. I stop and squeeze the thick of her ass one more time. And I pull myself out, both of us soaking in our sex.
I cleaned up and flushed the toilet. The red from my cheeks dissipated after some time and I felt ready enough to go back to the hell that was “family dinner.” I wiped my hands clean and exited the bathroom.
“Took you long enough!” Ricky yelled out as I made my way into the room. I was hoping no one would call to attention the fact that I'd been gone for more than ten minutes, but of course I was immediately outted. “What were you doing in there? Playing a little hokey-pokey? Chokin
g that chicken?” No one laughed. “Oh, come on! I'm just messing with you, brother. Relax. You all need to relax a little! Drink some more wine.”
He grabbed a bottle of red wine and attempted to pour me a glass. His hand shook and hit the top of my glass and the bottle came crashing down onto the table. Red wine spilled everywhere. My father got up from the table and walked to the family room. He motioned for me to follow him.
“Your brother is a buffoon,” he said, as he sat down on a leather chair in front of the fireplace. “I don't know what happened to him.”
I shrugged my shoulders. “He was always a hot head, pops. Never could take a hint. Lucy dying seemed to send him over the edge. You know what that can do to a person,” I reasoned.
“He's part of the Luciotti family, dammit. He should have some fucking respect.” He chewed on the end of cigar almost violently now.
“I know. I've tried to tell him. He won't listen,” I said, running my index finger over my gold family ring. Ricky lost his years ago.
“Have you seen our neighborhood? Have you seen how nice it is now? Our family built this district. People depended on us. All the Italian immigrants. Even those fucking micks. They all looked to us for backup. So we helped everyone out, for a small fee. Sure, it was a business. But when it came down to it, we were a respectable family. Ricky, God bless him, is a disgrace. He's putting shame on all of us. How is anybody supposed to respect a man like him? I'm asking you, Luca, how?” He always called me Luca during these meetings. It was an honorable version of my name, he would always say.
I had heard the stories a million times. When Detroit first became a booming city, it was us that created great wealth for other Italian immigrants. And soon enough, it was us that shaped this city. We were the builders of Detroit. I held my tongue, but it was us that created corruption.
The government was no better. The police were even worse. But we didn't do a damn thing to stop it. We were no heroes to the people of this once great city. Slowly but surely, the infrastructure eroded away, until finally it collapsed. We were forced into obscurity, like rats. I always said one day I would get out. But that day came and went. I had my chances. Family was too important. I stayed in the game.
“I hear you, Don,” I said, smiling. I liked giving my dad a hard time.
“Don't call me that.” He sighed, putting his cigar in the fireplace. I watched as the fire peeled away at the tobacco. His real name was Antonio, or Anthony, as he liked to be called. Anthony Luciotti.
“Alright, dad. I hear you. But why did you call me all the way back here? What's on your mind?” I asked him.
“I wanted to hear how that job is going. Has there been any leeway on that yet?” He was always careful enough to talk without mentioning too much. Truth was, he was turning into a very paranoid man. All with good reason, of course.
“It's, uh, going,” I lied. Ever since I met Dahlia, all progress had come to a standstill. I didn't think I'd be called back to the city so quick. I thought I had a lot more time.
“But there's been setbacks? Explain this to me. Explain how you haven't found the man and delivered me his body. Is everyone in this family incompetent?” He slammed his fist on the arm of the chair, choosing to look away from me.
As for me, I couldn’t care less what he had to say for me. I was good at what I did and he knew it. Shit, I was the best in the business.
“My car died on me,” I said, staring right at him. I wanted to say, you want to fight me, old man? But I chose to bite my tongue and be a little more pragmatic.
“So what? You need a new car? I'll get you a new car. Just say the word.” He pulled out a wad of cash and threw it on the floor. It was a laughable display, pathetic in nature. He was grandstanding me, making sure I still knew who was boss. But deep down, I knew the tides were shifting. Soon, he would grow too old to lead. And then I would assume the “throne.” Well, it was either that or Ricky.
“It'll be fixed in two days. Besides, it's good that it happened. I've found a lead,” I said.
My father leaned forward in his chair, excited by the news. “A lead? Come on, let's hear it.”
“Carmelo. Born in Calabria. Moved to Detroit when he was just 12 years old.” I smiled and leaned back in my chair, waiting for his response.
“Hm. Carmelo? Doesn't ring a bell.” He groaned.
“That's because it's not his real name. At least, he never used to answer to that. He used to go by the name of Vinny the Butcher. Does that ring a bell for you, pops?”
A thin smile creased onto his weathered face. “So. You've found old Vincenzo, have you? Good. We’re getting closer. He’ll know some things if you can get to him in the right way. Better be careful. He was a maniac back in his heyday,” he said, pleased with me and the job I had done. That bought me at least an extra week.
“Don't worry about the job, Dad. Have I ever let you down?” I got up from the leather chair and gave him a hug goodbye. He kissed my cheeks, in that Italian way, and grabbed a fresh cigar from his pocket.
“No. No, you haven't.” He sighed. “Forgive me. Your brother has made things very difficult for me. Do you know how much I spend on him?”
“I know. You can always count on me,” I said.
“Time isn't forever, son. Someday soon I won't be here anymore. Our family will need a stronger leader than me. Someone who's going to be able to lead without hasty action. I think it's time you start thinking about all of these things. After this job, take a break. Settle down and find a wife. A leader needs a good woman by their side. Otherwise their ego may get the best of them.”
I shuddered when I heard those words. Settle down and find a wife. The thought of settling down didn't interest me one bit. I understood the idea of continuing a family legacy and all, but a wife? Me? I wasn't husband material and most women annoyed the hell out of me. Still, I nodded politely as he lit up his cigar. He walked me outside.
My mother, faithful in every single way, wrapped up the meat and gravy. “Come home more often,” she said, as all mothers did.
“I will, Ma. See you soon.” I kissed her cheeks and turned to grab my rental car. As soon as I got there, though, I stopped in my tracks.
“Leaving without saying goodbye?” Ricky called out, stumbling out onto the gravel. His words slurred and his eyes were closed shut.
“Yep. See you soon, big brother.” I unlocked the car and hopped in. He tapped on the tinted window wildly.
“Hey! Hey!” He yelled. “I have to say something to you, Lucas.”
I rolled down the window and sighed. “What is it?”
He laughed eagerly. “I know what's going on. You can't fool me,” he said. He was out of his damn mind. I looked around for my parents, but they had already gone back inside. My father had probably locked him outside.
“Call a cab, Ricky. You don't know what you're talking about. You need to go home,” I said. I really didn't want to have to take him home.
“Call yourself a fucking cab!” He slipped onto the gravel, shattering the bottle of wine he was holding. He lay on the ground now, groaning loudly. He turned his head and smiled. “I know what dad is promising you,” he whispered.
I started my car. “Go home, Ricky. You're not well.” His call girl stood near the entrance, probably wondering what the best way to sneak off was.
I left him there. Most likely, he would wake up in a pool of his own vomit. He'd probably find his wallet missing and try to kill “the hooker that took it.” This was my fucked up family, the empire that was clearly crumbling from beneath my father.
I didn't want to end up like Ricky, drunk and alone almost every single night, with no hope of climbing the ranks. Maybe my father had a point. How hard could marriage really be? And kids? God. It sounded awful to me. Changing diapers and going to school plays and PTA meetings wasn't exactly what I planned for. But every time I saw Ricky, he was worse than before. I didn't want to end up like him either.
I heard my father's voice in my
head, “A man needs a good woman by his side.” My mother was a good woman to him. There weren't many like her anymore.
No matter how bad my family got, I had to remember that I took the sacred oath. I heard the words that were read back to me. I saw the burning effigy and they made me the man I was. I could've objected if I wanted to.
But I didn't. If anyone was going to make this family something again, it would have to be me. First on my list, however, was this unfinished business in Monroe.
151
Dahlia
“Morning time” was a strict routine of hitting the snooze button four to five times, waking up way too anxious because I’m late making breakfast, pulling Jen out of bed successfully, and rushing out the door. Today, was different. Today was my day.
I walked into Jen’s room to find her fast asleep, holding her stuffed lamb. She was an angel, despite her daddy being a devil. I gently caressed her hair and slowly lifted her up into my arms. Six years old was no joke, and she still expected me to carry her to the shower every morning!
“Time to wake up, baby.” I whispered soft and sweet.
She groaned, annoyed that I had picked her up and ended her dreams. “Mommy, no. Five more minutes,” she moaned.
I carried her into the bathroom and started the shower. “No, sweetie. You have school this morning. And you have that big math test, remember?”
“I don't want to, Mom!” She rubbed her hazy eyes and opened the shower door angrily. I ran to the kitchen and started scrambling eggs with enough speed to impress the famous Gordon Ramsey himself. I threw bacon down into the hot skillet and breathed in deep as the delicious smell filled the kitchen.
Soon, I found myself dicing fruit and making a “healthy” peanut butter lunch for Jen. I realized long ago that I had no idea what I was doing. Being a young single mother, everything was a guessing game.
When I was nearly done making breakfast, I heard Jen scream from the bathroom. “Mom!” I quickly turned off the pans and ran into the bathroom.
