by JM Darhower
“You don’t have to be nervous,” Salvatore said. “I'm just curious how you’re finding life here with Vincent. I’ve heard a lot about you over the years. As hidden away as you were, I almost wondered if you were a figment of the imagination.”
“The DeMarco’s are kind to me, sir. They treat me fairly.”
Salvatore nodded. “That’s great to hear. It must be a vast improvement from where you were before. If I’d have known earlier the Antonelli’s treated you so harsh, I would’ve stepped in myself. By the time Vincent informed me, it was too complicated to intervene without causing you harm.”
Before Haven had the chance to make sense of what he’d said, Carmine interjected and expressed her very thought. “What the fuck are you talking about?”
Dr. DeMarco groaned. “Watch your language at the table, son.”
Salvatore shrugged. “Perhaps I’ve said too much. Forget I brought it up. Just know I’m glad her situation has improved.”
“You can’t say some shit like that and just say, ‘forget about it’,” Carmine said. “If you knew one of your own was abusing a kid, why didn’t you do anything?”
Salvatore glanced at Dr. DeMarco, who subtly shook his head.
“Michael Antonelli is hardly one of our own,” Salvatore said. “He's sworn no loyalty to us. There are certain rules that govern this life, Carmine, rules you can’t disregard because you don’t like something that's going on. Personal feelings have no place in business.”
A strained silence overtook the table as Carmine glared at Salvatore and his father. They seemed oblivious to the looks, both of them instead focusing on Haven. She attempted to ignore the attention as she glanced at Dominic, but he just stared down at his plate.
She cleared her throat, unable to take it. “Thank you for your concern, sir.”
Salvatore smiled. “Of course.”
* * * *
“Hey, bro, can I talk to you?”
Carmine hesitated in the darkened library, glancing between his brother and Haven’s bedroom door. “Yeah, I guess.”
“I was just wondering if you know where Haven came from.”
“Uh, some place called Blackburn.”
“I mean more like who she came from.”
The conversation felt pointless to Carmine as he looked at Haven’s door again. “Yeah, some dickhead named Michael Antonelli.”
“And that name hasn’t struck you as familiar yet?”
Carmine’s brow furrowed as he contemplated it. “It does sound familiar. I figured I just heard someone say it at some point.”
Dominic nodded. “We have heard someone say it. Would it help if you knew his wife’s name was Katrina?”
“Katrina Antonelli,” Carmine said, trying to place the name.
“Maiden name Moretti,” Dominic hinted.
The last name made Carmine’s blood run cold. “No way.”
“Yes.”
Without even thinking, Carmine turned around and headed straight for his bedroom. He snatched his phone off of his desk and started scrolling through his contacts. “That son of a bitch!”
Dominic grabbed the phone from Carmine’s hand. “What are you doing? You can’t call him!"
Carmine glared at his brother. “I wanna know if he knew what his demented sister was doing!”
“You can’t do that. Do you want to get in trouble, Carmine?”
Carmine groaned. “You can’t tell me Corrado’s sister is the one who tortured Haven and expect me to let it roll off my back.”
“Well, it needs to,” Dominic said. “Even I know you can’t ask questions like that, especially not to Uncle Corrado.”
Carmine stood there for a moment silently before holding out his hand. “Give me my phone back.”
Dominic eyed him warily. “Why?”
“Because I want it,” he said. “I’m not gonna call him.”
Dominic handed it to Carmine, and he headed toward Haven’s bedroom without another word. Haven stared at him when he walked in, her eyes fixated on his chest. Glancing down, he remembered he was only wearing a pair of sweat pants. “Would you rather I wear a shirt? I do have a clean one, considering you did my laundry today.”
Haven shook her head. “It’s fine. You don’t have to.”
He smiled. “You know, you don’t have to wear one either.”
Her cheeks reddened, and she averted her eyes, flustered. “Uh…”
“Relax, tesoro,” he said, climbing into bed beside her. “You can keep your shirt on if you want.”
She snuggled up against him. “Do you not like my cooking anymore, Carmine?”
“Of course I do,” he said. “Why do you ask that?”
“You didn’t eat much tonight.”
“I just didn’t have an appetite,” he said. “Has nothing to do with your cooking. It’s just that they’re hiding something and it bothers me.”
She sighed. “I don’t know what it could be.”
Carmine stroked her cheek with the back of his fingers. “Me, either, but I wish I did.”
* * * *
Déjà vu hit Haven at eight the next morning when she crawled out of bed and found Dominic blocking her doorway. He held a DVD and a bowl of popcorn, some bottles of water in the crook of his arm. “About time you wake up, twinkle toes.”
“Uh, good morning.”
“Yep,” he said. “Now turn around and head back into the room.”
“Excuse me?”
“I said back into the bedroom you go.”
Dominic took a step forward, and Haven instinctively took one back. He found it amusing and did it again, continuing until they were both inside the room. He shut the door and set the bowl on the table before putting in the DVD.
Grabbing the remote, he flopped down on the couch and kicked his feet up on the table. He started the movie, chewing noisily as he munched on the popcorn. “You just gonna stand there? Your feet might get tired.”
Haven sat down beside him, her brow furrowing when she realized he’d put in a cartoon. She was about to ask him what they were watching when he thrust the bowl of popcorn into her face.
The sudden movement made her cower away, and he froze. “Snakes don’t scare you, but popcorn does?”
“No,” she said as he pushed the bowl further toward her. She took a small handful and turned back to the television. “What are we watching?”
“Shrek!” He smiled brightly, throwing a handful of popcorn into his mouth. “I love this shit.”
She watched for a bit. After getting to know Dominic, she wasn’t surprised he enjoyed such a movie. “It makes sense we’re watching cartoons. Isn’t that what people do when they babysit?”
He laughed, startling Haven when he playfully tossed a piece of popcorn at her. “Look at you making a joke! You’re funny. No wonder Carmine fell in love with you.”
She stared at him. “Uh, I don’t know if I’d say he was… in love.” She whispered the last part, having a hard time even getting the word to leave her lips.
“Please, girl. He’s given up all of his puttani and that’s something I never thought I’d see. His favorite pastime was always busting a nut.”
“A nut?”
Dominic glanced at her, noticing her puzzled expression, and ruffled her hair. “Oh so innocent. Ask Carmine what a nut is when he gets home. I wanna see him try to explain it to you.”
She nodded hesitantly, not sure she wanted to know anymore.
When the movie was over, Dominic said he was going to take a shower. Haven got up after he was gone and headed out of the bedroom, intending to go downstairs to clean up. A foot or so from the top of the steps, she froze when she saw someone heading toward her. Fear ripped through her, so powerful she lost her breath when she realized it was Nunzio.
What she saw in his eyes alarmed her, hatred and lust and excitement all thrown into a big frenzy of emotion. Her heart pounded fiercely, that voice in the back of her head telling her to get away. She took a few steps bac
k and turned, sprinting to her room. She could hear him running behind her as she swung the door closed, but his foot blocked it before it had a chance to latch.
She backed away, looking around for some way to protect herself when he stepped into the room. He closed the door, and her knees nearly buckled when she heard the lock click into place.
His movements were relaxed as he pulled off his coat and tossed it on the table. The nonchalance when he spoke made it sound as if they were old friends. “Alone at last.”
Loosening his tie, he pulled his shirt from his pants and let it hang. Haven started hyperventilating as he moved toward her, and she screamed, but he backhanded her before it could echo from the room. The hit stunned her into silence. “You behave, and I’ll make it worth it for you. You can know what it feels like to be with a real man, a powerful one.”
Tears flowed down her cheeks as she stepped back once more, her legs colliding with the footboard of the bed. “Don’t touch me.”
“Aw, don’t be like that,” he said, smiling vindictively. “Don’t you like making people happy, pleasing them by doing a good job? That’s all you gotta do now. Be a good girl and please me.”
“No,” she said through her tears. “I can't.”
“Yes, you can.”
He closed the distance between them as he unbuckled his belt. She fought back the urge to heave, her body trembling. Stepping to the side, she tried to go around him, but he blocked her path.
“Don’t bite me, or I’ll knock your teeth out,” he said, his voice gritty. Grabbing her head, he tried to force her to her knees as his other hand snaked into his pants. Haven realized she was out of time and didn’t even think about what she was doing as she snatched his gun from his waistband. Using every ounce of strength she could muster, she swung and smacked him across the face with the butt of the gun. Nunzio stumbled, letting go of her, and it was all she needed to slip away from him.
Throwing the gun across the room, she sprinted for the door. Nunzio recovered and started after her, holding his pants up and yelling. Her hand grasped the knob as she unlocked the door, but he grabbed her before she could open it. She screamed Dominic’s name as he turned them around, pushing her roughly back toward the bed.
She fell and tried to scurry away as he stalked toward her. There was a bang then as the door was forced open. Out of nowhere, a red high heel appeared between Nunzio’s legs from behind. The strike was so loud Haven could’ve sworn she heard it, and Nunzio collapsed to the ground, grasping himself.
Getting to her feet, Haven was stunned to see Tess scowling at Nunzio. “No means no, asshole!”
Dominic ran up, dripping water from his shower. “Are you okay? I’m sorry! Tess showed up, so it took me longer than I thought to get back to you.”
“It’s fine.” Haven wiped her tears. “I’m fine.”
“He didn’t hurt you, right?”
She shook her head as Nunzio sat up. “Me, hurt her? That bitch attacked me!”
Dominic’s face twisted with rage. “Haven, leave. Tess, you might want to go with her.”
Haven took a few steps away as Tess picked up Nunzio’s gun from the floor. “I’m not going anywhere.”
Haven ran out and hesitated in the library before darting for Carmine’s room. Locking herself in there, she sat on the edge of the bed and covered her ears to drown out the sound of yelling.
* * * *
Carmine slid out of his seat and strolled up to the teacher’s desk, holding his test. Mrs. Anderson looked at him with surprise because he’d finished so fast, but she took the paper from him.
As soon as he sat back down, his phone vibrated in his pocket. Stealthily, he pulled it out and saw a message from his brother.
There was an incident, but it’s all okay.
He stared at it for a moment, a bad feeling settling in the pit of his stomach. He got back up and went to the teacher’s desk again. “Can I go to the bathroom?”
She shook her head. “You know the rules. No one leaves the room until every test has been collected.”
“Please?” He knew it would take the whole hour for Lisa to finish. “I really have to go.”
“No,” she said again. Irritated, he took a step back from her desk and debated before heading for the door. “Carmine!”
He ignored her, slipping into the hallway and heading to the bathroom as he dialed Dominic’s number. It rang twice before he picked up. “Shouldn’t you be in class, bro?”
Carmine paced the bathroom floor. “What sorta incident?”
Dominic hesitated. “It was just an incident, you know…”
“What's going on?” he asked. “Tell me.”
“Don’t worry about it right now. I should’ve waited to tell you.”
“Come on, Dom. What happened?”
He hadn’t been in there for more than a minute, trying to get a straight answer from his brother, when Principal Rutledge walked in. “DeMarco, I’d appreciate an explanation.”
Dominic said he had to go at the sound of the principal’s voice, and Carmine cursed as the line went dead. “And I’d love to give you one, Principal Rutledge. There’s nothing I’d rather do than stand here and try to explain shit to you, but I have to get home.”
He slipped his phone into his pocket and started out of the bathroom. Principal Rutledge gaped at his display of blatant disrespect but said nothing as Carmine stormed past.
Sprinting down the hallway, he was out the door in a matter of seconds with no regard for his books still sitting in the classroom. He sped home as fast as possible, skidding to a stop behind his father’s Mercedes. He flung the front door open and heard yelling from the kitchen. Pausing in the doorway, he saw Nunzio was leaning against the counter and glaring at Vincent, who was sewing a cut on his face.
Dominic walked up behind Carmine, eyeing him warily. “I should’ve watched her better. Nunzio cornered her.”
Carmine fought to keep his composure, not wanting to make the situation worse. “Where is she?”
“Up in your room,” Dominic said. “She said she was okay.”
Sighing, Carmine glanced back at his father in the kitchen. Nunzio was snickering and pulled away from Vincent after a moment. “That bitch was begging for it.”
Carmine’s control slipped when those words hit him. “What did you just say?”
Nunzio glanced at him. “I said she wanted me.”
Carmine leapt right for him, and Vincent blocked the path when Nunzio tried to move out of the way. Swinging, Carmine’s fist barely connected with the man’s nose when Salvatore intervened and pulled him away.
“You’re sick!” Carmine yelled as Vincent shoved Nunzio into the counter to continue sewing him back up. Salvatore pulled Carmine into the foyer, not letting go of him until they were near the stairs. “This isn’t right.”
Salvatore shook his head. “I know it’s not, Principe, but didn’t we have a conversation yesterday about how personal feelings have no place in business? He'll face the consequences for disrespecting your father, but this isn’t a major violation.”
Carmine stared at him hard. “So she’s worth nothing to you people? Is that what you’re telling me? Oh, who gives a fuck if he hurts a girl? She’s no one special, because she wasn’t lucky enough to be born into a powerful family!”
Salvatore’s expression twisted with anger, the sight of it silencing Carmine instantly. “That girl means more than you understand, but things are black and white to la famiglia. You need to learn how to distinguish between what’s personal and what’s business. You need to learn to follow the code of conduct here...” He smacked him in the back of the head. “...and quit following this so much.” He punched Carmine in the chest, over his heart. “The moment you cursed at me yesterday, I knew she'd gotten to you here...” Another punch in the chest. “...and you’re going to cause problems if you don’t start using this.”
A final smack to the head sent Carmine over the edge. “Quit hitting me! And what
do you mean the girl means more than I understand?”
Salvatore shook his head, refusing to elaborate. “You know I think of you as a son, Carmine. I’ve always treated you like you were my own, and I want what's best for you. I want you to succeed, to have a good life, the life you’re supposed to have. I’m not telling you not to let the girl in here...” He tapped him lightly on the chest. “...but I am telling you not to let those feelings override everything else. It’s okay to let your heart lead when you’re alone with her, but in the presence of others, you need to let this take the lead...” He tapped his forehead with his pointer finger. “Do you understand what I’m saying? You need balance.”
Carmine ran his hands down his face, frustrated. “I get it.”
Salvatore smiled, clapping him on the shoulder. “You’re enamored. These things happen, but it’s a fragile situation that shouldn't be flaunted. Trust me when I say it’s not the time to ignore reason. It'll benefit you in the long run.”
“I just… I didn’t realize how obvious I was being.”
“Side effect of love,” Salvatore said. “It’s a complicated situation.”
Carmine felt relieved that Salvatore seemed so understanding. “It’s hard not doing anything.”
“Would it surprise you to know your father still has that problem? I’ve spent years trying to get him to recognize boundaries, but he still finds himself blurring lines.” There was a loud bang in the kitchen then as Vincent yelled, and Salvatore sighed. “Now likely being one of those times.”
* * * *
Haven stared at the clock in silence, counting the minutes as they flew by. Three. Five. Eight. Twelve. Sixteen. Twenty-two.
After nearly thirty minutes passed, there were frantic footsteps in the library. Someone tried to turn the locked doorknob, but there was no way Haven was getting up to open it. Keys jingled as the door was pushed open, and Carmine rushed into the room.
