by AA Lee
She finally stood up and turned the knob on the faucet. The cold water relieved the burning of her face, but water tinged with red dripped back into the sink. No wonder his second slap stung worse than the first. Simon always wore a thick, rigid ring. The sharp point must have cut through her skin.
Ella stood straight up. Her body wanted to lie down, but her mind would not rest. She could only think about her father. He was many things, but he would never condone this treatment of her. She intended to find out what was going on and stormed to the restroom, where she left the emergency phone he had given her.
Ella turned it on. With a stroke of luck, the phone had power. She waited for the phone to load and pressed the only number available—her father’s. She called and then nothing happened. An alerting sound came on and told her the number was no longer available. You have to be kidding me, she thought. She tried repeatedly but still received the same annoying tone. Ella had enough of her father ignoring her and pitched the phone to her bed. If he did not want to speak to her, that was fine. She would just have to go see him.
Ella slid to the floor beside her restroom door. Her body ached more as the adrenaline rush subsided. Tears trickled off her chin. First the restaurant burned and now this. She wondered if it was her body or her heart that hurt more. Nothing was working out how she had planned. Her eyes shut in an attempt to shut out the world.
CHAPTER 21
She felt like only minutes passed when she opened her eyes again. Somebody pounded her front door; then it opened with such urgency that it slammed back shut by itself. She saw a shadow on the wall as the person ran through the family room.
“Ella!” Rafa called. Ella mumbled in return. She never thought she would actually be happy to see Rafa, but she welcomed his familiar face as he lifted her off the floor.
“Rafa,” she said but started to cough. Her throat felt dry and cracked as he laid her on her bed.
“Hey, it’s me,” he hesitated before continuing the call. “I got here five minutes too late after Brett called me about the trouble outside. You need to get down here now. Ella’s hurt,” he said and looked straight into the kitchen. “No, they are all smashed and…” Rafa glared at his phone and then slid it in the pocket of his shirt. His attention immediately focused back on her.
“Who did this?” he asked and walked to the kitchen. Ella heard several drawers open and shut before the water turned on. He came back and started dabbing her cheek with a washcloth. He looked down at her and pulled her to his side as he started pressing the area above her waist. “Do you know who it was?” His voice was calm but his eyes looked irate.
“I…,” Ella started to say and winced. Rafa had pressed the injury a little too hard.
“Just give me a name,” he said again.
“Simon,” she answered. Her voice strained.
“What about a last name?”
“Simon…Simon…I don’t know. I was never told his last name.”
“You knew Merrick,” Rafa reflected, “So if his last name is Turner, he’s with Bonadio.”
“But Simon used to come over to our house all the time.”
Rafa looked at her and continued wiping her cheeks. “Does he have light brown hair and stands a little shorter than me? Blue eyes?”
“Yes, but it can’t be. My father wouldn’t allow him to hurt me like this.”
“Bonadio doesn’t care. If your father screwed him over, Bonadio will use you until your father gives him what he wants. Right now, he wants property.”
“Would Bonadio burn down a restaurant?”
“And more,” Rafa puffed. “Bonadio already doesn’t like Angelo. If he knew Angelo owned the restaurant…”
“Wait,” Ella said remembering. “He did know. Two men came one morning and told me to stay away from Angelo. I told them he owned the restaurant.”
“Why would they tell you to stay away from him?” Rafa asked. His eyes squinted with confusion.
“Because, my father never let me date. He kept me under close watch all of the time.”
“Well, that was probably smart if he was doing business with the wrong people…which it sounds like he did.”
Ella let out a sigh and tried to sit up. “How bad do I look?” she asked.
“Bad enough to lie back down,” he answered and started to push her back to her pillow.
“No, I need to go back to the club.”
“Are you out of your mind? What for?”
“I bet they will be at the casino tonight.”
“Who?” asked Rafa.
Ella ignored Rafa’s question. Whether it was because of her father or Angelo, Bonadio made someone burn down Santiago’s. She wanted answers. “I’ll be ready this time,” she said aloud.
Ella stood to her feet. Her head felt dizzy but she walked to the restroom anyway. Mr. Sullivan had taught her many things. Ella always wondered why, but maybe he knew her father was dealing with the mafia. It was time she put that knowledge to use.
“We will not put you in danger. Angelo will never go for that. You were never supposed to get hurt.” Ella listened to Rafa through the restroom doorway as someone else barged into her house.
“Where is she?” Angelo asked. She heard panic in his voice and opened the door.
“I’m right here,” she answered as he walked straight up to her.
“God almighty,” he said and rested his elbows on her shoulders. He turned her cheek to one side and then the other. She could feel his eyes staring at the bruising marks on her face. “Did you get a name, Rafa?”
“I think it is Simon Turner,” he replied. “I won’t be sure until we see him.”
“Son of a bitch. I’m going to kill the bastard. That’s all there is to it.” Angelo let out a breath and rubbed Ella’s arms up and down. “Are you all right?”
“Ella thinks she is going to the club tonight.”
“The hell you are,” Angelo scoffed. “Look at you. You need to rest.”
“Here.” Rafa handed him a clean washcloth. “Her side is bleeding again.”
“Please, let me go to the casino tonight. I have to go.”
“Why the hell would I do something stupid and deliberately put you in danger?”
“Because they burned down the restaurant and attacked me for wearing your ring. I deserve to know why, Mr. Tomassi. Do you remember those two men who left the morning you came to the restaurant for the reports?”
“I remember.” Angelo’s brows narrowed.
“They were telling me to stay away from you, and I didn’t. I told them I couldn’t because you were the owner.”
“Ella, listen to me. They want you away from me because they know I will protect you, and that will ruin their plan. Bonadio is trying to use you to their advantage.”
“For what? To get something from my father?”
“That’s right,” Angelo said.
“And they burned down the restaurant too?”
“That way you wouldn’t talk to me anymore.”
Ella hung her head. “So Santiago’s is gone because I told them you owned it. It’s my fault.”
“No, it’s not your fault. You have had no part in this war.” Angelo wrapped her to his chest and gently squeezed. “Rafa,” he pointed.
“On it,” Rafa walked straight out of the room as though he read Angelo’s mind.
“Where is he going?” Ella asked.
“To get information we ordered on your father. We need to know exactly how deep he is involved with Bonadio.”
“You can do that?” Ella asked, surprised.
“We can’t, but we know someone who can.” Angelo dabbed the washcloth on her cheeks again and looked around the room. “You can’t stay here anymore.”
“Mr. Tomassi, I can’t just leave. I have nowhere else to go.”
“I’m not asking, Ella. I’m telling you that you won’t be staying here. We will get your belongings later. For now, you will come with me.”
Ella glanced in her ki
tchen with sad reflection. So much happiness in this city lost in a single day. “I need to change my clothes before I go.” She held out the two ends of her button-up nightshirt that blood now stained.
“Show me to your closet.”
Angelo followed her as he pulled out a black pistol from the back of his slacks. These men must have had guns on them at all times. It almost made her uneasy as she pulled an outfit off the hanger and glanced back to see Angelo staring at her. Was he going to watch her change?
“I’m not going to look away,” he said. “I want to see if there are any other injuries on your body.”
Ella turned back around. She was just another body to him anyhow. She doubted he was looking at her for any reason other than what he said. “This is deep.” His thumb moved around the cut on her waist. “I will call Dr. Stefano when we get to my place.”
“Yours?” she asked.
“That’s right. You can’t stay here, and the doctor can’t fix you at the club.”
Ella shook her head when a light flickered off the mirror to the side. Her reflection looked back at her. Bruises appeared. Her pink splotchy cheeks proved that her life had drastically changed in the last few days. Blood was starting to dry on her side. Then she saw Angelo’s expression grow hard as the creases between his brows deepened.
“That man who did this, Simon,” she started.
“Yes.”
“I trusted him. Simon was a welcomed guest in my father’s house. He ate dinner with us. I don’t know how he could do this. He even told me if I did not stay away from you, he would not be so nice the next time. Maybe I should thank him.”
The muscles in Angelo’s jaw tensed. He pulled her against his body again, giving her the comfort of his warmth as he stroked her hair with his hands. “You’re under my care from now on, and I will gladly thank the asshole for you. Are you sure that you never heard anyone mention his last name?”
“I only knew him as Simon.”
“Christ, Ella. You father didn’t tell you a whole hell of a lot. Is there anything you do know?”
“Well, I was never allowed to ask questions he didn’t volunteer to answer. He is a stern man and very serious. If you met my father, you would understand.”
“Hurry up and change Ella, and let’s just go,” Angelo grumbled and gently grabbed her hand. “You’ve been living in a fucking death trap.”
CHAPTER 22
Angelo closed his fingers around hers as he tucked the gun back in the holster around his waist. He could not believe all that had happened in the five minutes between when he left and when Rafa arrived. It was as if Simon waited there all night and looked for the right time to strike. He could not wait to review the information that Rafa had gone to get on her father. How was it possible that somebody like her had ties to Bonadio?
He helped her through the door and walked slowly down each of the stairs as he constantly looked back. Ella’s face had started to bruise as if a professional boxer had hit her. She dragged her feet along but did not complain. Angelo admired her tough front. Ella must have been in pain.
They had just turned on the walkway to where he had parked his car when he stopped mid-step. Two men aimed knives at them, and one had a gun. Bonadio was laying it on her thick. Whatever they wanted from her father, it must have been big for Bonadio to go out of his way and send his men there.
They would not have the chance to touch her. He would not let them. Angelo stepped in front of her and reached his left arm around, holding her directly against his back as one of the men lunged forward and stabbed through his shirt. He felt nothing at first; then the area felt cold, and all at once, the pain hit him. Angelo swallowed and tightened the arm that he had around her. His body twitched but he remained calm despite feeling his head become instantly hot. The two men were going to die.
“You are hurt!” Ella exclaimed and moved her hand to his right forearm. Blood started to ooze through his white sleeved shirt and drip onto the ground.
“Stay behind me, Ella,” he ordered. He would worry about the injury after they got out of here.
“We are taking her back to her father. Give her to us and we will leave you alone.”
“Please.” Angelo shook his head. “I am sure you will bring her to her father, once he gives you what you want. You can have her when you kill my ass,” he said and never broke eye contact with the men. He showed no sign of cowardice but hoped that Rafa would send someone to help him soon.
One of the men charged at him. Angelo took a quick step back when Ella yanked the gun from the back of his pants and pointed it at them. “Why do you want me?” she shouted. “Why are you doing this?”
“Shoot them,” Angelo demanded. His policy was to shoot first and ask questions when they were down.
The man smiled. Angelo did not like his mocking smirk or the way his eyes scanned over her body. By the look in his eyes, Angelo doubted that he would bring her to her father. There was definitely a grander scheme at work.
“Right,” he grunted. “There is no way you are going to pull that trigger. You don’t have it in you to kill anyone.”
As soon as the man reached for his belt, Ella pulled the trigger and shot the gun from his hands. Ella was quicker than he was; he never had a chance. Angelo could not believe that she had aimed and shot with perfect form. It would have been better if she had shot him instead.
“Get back inside, Ella! Now!” Angelo yelled and grabbed the gun from her hands. Ella hobbled to the stairs as quick as her injury would allow when Angelo pulled the trigger on his gun. He had wasted no time. The bullets in their skulls were the only things that brought him satisfaction. He watched their bodies fall and felt absolutely no remorse.
“Mr. Tomassi!” Ella screamed.
Angelo ran fast and then came to an abrupt stop when he saw that two men had Ella. His hands rose in the air as a man held a gun against her head, trailing her hair with the muzzle. They were toying with him. He knew they did not want her dead; but in their moment of glory, he worried they would accidentally shoot. Her body shivered when the cold edge of the gun stopped against her neck.
“One step closer and we will kill her right in front of you.”
Angelo froze. He could feel the burn of his anger heating his skin as he looked in the eyes of the man who held the gun. The man would not live beyond the next few seconds.
“Look at your dilemma,” the man gloated. “We have Ella and the Tomassi boss can’t do anything about it.”
He started to back down the stairs when Brett slithered behind the two men and fired. Brett pulled the trigger with remarkable speed, making both men fall within a fraction of a second. Ella’s body wavered with the drop of the two bodies, shocked by the instant life to death.
“I got back over here as fast as I could after finishing three guys on the beach. I thought you might need backup.” Brett said with a dumb-looking grin, looking down at the two lifeless bodies. “I’m glad I could help – been waiting to use my new gun. No need to thank me, Boss. I love my job.”
Angelo slid his gun back in his pocket and immediately walked up to Ella. His arms wrapped her shaking body close. She was not crying but simply looking ahead, a little disoriented. Maybe she could handle his life after all.
“Brett, get Sammy and clean up this mess. Make sure you get the two around the corner.”
“Really?” Brett looked disappointed. “I missed out on half the fun,” he moped.
“Brett, get to it.” Angelo said pointedly. Death never fazed Brett, but Angelo had no interest in really knowing what went through Brett’s mind at that moment.
***
Ella focused on the ceiling from where she lay on Angelo’s sofa to keep her mind off the needle and constant pressing of Dr. Stefano’s hands. She was glad he gave her some type of local anesthetic. The twinges of pain hurt enough as it was. The tall, aging man’s expression never changed. He must have been used to taking care of Angelo. There was no look of surprise; he merely cl
eaned and stitched her skin unfazed.
While the doctor examined the knife wound on Angelo’s arm next, Ella peered around his family room. A television mounted from the ceiling in front of his dark leather sofas and a laptop lay open on the bar near his kitchen. Not a speck of dust could be seen on any of the end tables. There were no real signs that he even lived here. Ella looked to the edge of the hallway and saw a room with a slightly opened door, the morning sun shining off the most gorgeous wooden piano. Ella wondered why the piano was there, because Angelo did not seem like the type to play.
The door shut and jarred Ella from her musing. She should have wanted to lie down but she was intrigued by his house. She wondered if he wanted to make use of all the rooms one day. Maybe it was a sign that Angelo wanted a family, but that was probably the last thing on his mind right now.
“Come,” Angelo said and helped her to her feet. His gentle assistance made her smile as he led her down the hallway. He was being sweet about making sure she felt comfortable. “Lay down on my bed. I’m going to get some icepacks and the meds that Dr. Stefano left.”
Angelo’s room was double the size of any normal master bedroom. Artwork decorated the walls. An oak dresser with a large mirror stood against one corner, and a tall chest of drawers matched from the other corner. Two nightstands stood on both sides of the bed, looking brilliant next to the king-size frame. This furniture also looked new. Ella had seen many new homes, and Angelo’s house could be in any one of the catalogs she had used.
Angelo came back in and set a bottle of pills next to her; then he carefully placed icepacks on her cheeks. “Hold these,” he said. “The ice won’t make the bruises disappear but they will help.” He lifted up her dress and looked at her waist. His nod seemed satisfied. Dr. Stefano must have done a good job with the wound.
