His Sicilian Cinderella

by Carol Marinelli

  Bella looked at the tears on her mother’s cheeks. She had never seen Maria cry, she was the strongest woman Bella knew.

  ‘Did he dump you?’ Bella asked.

  ‘Worse than that, or at least I thought so at the time—he suggested that I come back to France with him. He had no intention of leaving his wife but said that I could be his mistress. I’d have my own apartment and he would visit us when he could. Do you know what I said? I told him that I would never be a kept woman.’ Maria let out a hollow laugh at the irony of it all. ‘I told him I would never share a man and that it was her or me. He chose her and then I had you, Bella. You were the best thing that ever happened in my life but I couldn’t support you. My parents would have nothing to do with me and I was sleeping on the floor at Gina’s. Malvolio would often visit her and suggested that I could earn some money... I’m sure you can guess the rest,’ Maria said, and Bella nodded.

  ‘You haven’t guessed it, though,’ Maria said, and Bella frowned. ‘I had been working a few months for Malvolio when Pierre came back. He had left his wife and had decided that he was going to come and live here and build the hotel. Malvolio didn’t own everything back then and Pierre had it pretty much worked out. We would be together, he said, but then he found out how I had survived that year without him. Bella, I’ll never forget the look on his face, he was completely disgusted.’

  ‘He was cheating...’

  ‘Different standards,’ Maria said. ‘I lost the love of my life and I don’t want the same thing happening to you.’

  ‘I understand, but I don’t have a lover to lose,’ Bella said.

  ‘You will one day and when you do, how will you tell him about your past?’

  Bella didn’t answer, she simply couldn’t think that far ahead.

  ‘And what about Matteo Santini? You’ve had a thing for him for ages.’

  ‘There’s nothing between us. I have liked him for a long time, yes, but word has it that he is now Malvolio’s second in charge. He’s busy arranging Malvolio’s party tonight. I thought he was different but I guess I was wrong about him—he’s just as bad as Malvolio or he will be soon.’

  ‘You don’t know that,’ Maria said. ‘I remember his father. He was a kind man and then when he died and that brute moved in...’ Maria shook her head as she recalled those times. ‘I was only young but I can still remember everyone talking about how he made Matteo’s life hell. Matteo started going around to Luka’s—he got food there, I guess, and time with his friend, but he paid the price with his friend’s father. I’ve told you what Matteo did for Talia?’

  ‘Many times.’ Bella smiled because her mother knew all the town secrets.

  ‘Get out while you can, Bella.’

  ‘I shall get out when I can,’ Bella said, and she was honest. ‘I’m here for as long as you are and then I’m done.’

  ‘Promise me that much,’ Maria said.

  ‘I do. One day I’ll be in Rome with Sophie and all of this I’ll leave behind, but I really do have to go now,’ she said.

  She didn’t want to sit and dwell on Matteo and neither did she want to hear any more about her father who had left them both to this fate.

  She gave her mother a kiss, and, not having to worry about being heard now, she strapped on her high sandals and then headed out into the night, painted and ready to do what she had to do.

  CHAPTER EIGHT

  THE FOYER HAD been rapidly dressed with pungent flowers and their scent was so sweet and sickly that it reminded Matteo of impending death.

  He walked into the bar, to cheers, handshakes and backslaps, and they were not just for Malvolio but also for his new prodigy.

  ‘Tonight we drink, we eat and then we...’ Malvolio said. ‘I see that Pino has delivered my message.’

  Matteo glanced over to where Malvolio was looking and his rapidly beating heart was suddenly still.

  Bella was dressed in a small black dress, her tiny bust was jacked up and she had a lot of make-up on. Her thick black hair had been teased and was worn up and he could see her shaking hands as she overfilled a glass.

  As she went to get a cloth to mop up her mess she caught his eye and he saw the fear there, but she pushed out a professional smile.

  She was working for the first time tonight, Matteo realised, and he looked over at Malvolio and saw his leer.

  Gina said something to her and Bella filled two glasses and then handed them both a drink. Instead of taking a seat at his usual table, which was waiting for the guest of honour, Malvolio went behind the bar and checked the CCTV cameras that were in the elevators. They also ran the length of the hotel corridors and out to the foyer and pool, and as he flicked through them he asked for the books to be brought to him.

  ‘I thought we partied tonight,’ Matteo said.

  ‘We shall, but first I want to see how well you have taken care of things.’ Malvolio frowned as he saw that the staff now kept their tips.

  ‘They work harder,’ Matteo said.

  ‘They don’t need money to work harder,’ Malvolio said. ‘You are too soft with them.’

  ‘Look at the return guests,’ Matteo said. ‘Look at—’

  ‘You think you do better than me?’

  Bella glanced over—she could hear the warning in Malvolio’s voice. He would loathe it that Matteo had done better at running the hotel than him. Malvolio would detest it that the hotel was thriving without his stranglehold on the place.

  ‘I don’t see your girlfriend here tonight.’ Malvolio looked around at the bar.

  ‘Tina and I broke up,’ Matteo said. Tina had been a vague constant, an excuse Matteo had kept up so that he could go home at night and a reason he could use not to attend Malvolio’s more twisted parties.

  With Malvolio safely behind bars, Matteo had ended things.

  ‘Good,’ Malvolio said. ‘Tonight, finally we might see Matteo party.’ He snapped his fingers and Bella brought over some more drinks and Matteo knew that he had better think fast.

  ‘I always wanted Bella,’ Matteo said, as she walked off, and he knew she must have heard because he watched her falter for a brief second and her already tense shoulders pull back a touch.

  Malvolio just laughed. ‘Tough.’

  They took their seats and sambuca was brought over. Gina served the drinks.

  ‘I missed you, Malvolio,’ she lied. ‘It’s good to have you back.’

  Tonight she joined the whole of Bordo Del Cielo in lying just to survive.

  * * *

  Bella felt sick. She had since the verdict had come in but now, since Malvolio had walked in, she felt dizzy with fear.

  For close to a year she had dreaded this night. With Malvolio’s arrest she had been brought a reprieve but that had run out.

  That he was here with Matteo, his new right-hand man, hurt terribly too. Her heart ached as to how the man she had adored from afar was turning out.

  Always dark and brooding, some said that Matteo had no emotion. Some said he had been born bad, just like his brother.

  Bella had thought she’d known different.

  She had adored him but on hearing his lewd comment about her to Malvolio she had actually fought with herself not to turn around and give him a sharp-mouthed response.

  She glanced over as Malvolio said something and Matteo did not laugh or smile. Instead, he stood up and walked back in her direction and came over to the bar.

  ‘See that the drinks keep coming.’

  ‘Of course.’

  ‘Mine is at midday,’ Matteo said, and Bella frowned and looked down at the tray as he picked up the drink that was on it and then downed it in one.

  ‘I want to keep a clear head,’ Matteo said as she went to refill it, and he gestured his head towards the iced water. Bella nodded her underst
anding—she would give him water from now on.

  ‘Bella...’ he said, and he didn’t continue. He just gave her a look, a long slow look that Bella didn’t understand.

  Matteo couldn’t tell her his thoughts and what he was planning but with his eyes he implored her to listen to him, to somehow know that he was on her side.

  She gave a rapid blink she was confused by the looks she was getting tonight and then looked away.

  It was the first time she had heard him say her name.

  It killed that it was tonight.

  The bar noise grew louder.

  Bella, who had never set foot inside one, loathed it. The noise jarred her already shot nerves, the looks from the men she served made her feel ill, but hardest of all were the constant reminders from Gina to smile.

  ‘At least look as if you’re enjoying yourself,’ Gina said.

  ‘Why?’ Bella retorted. ‘Do you think any of them care if I am?’

  ‘Lose the smart mouth, Bella,’ Gina warned. ‘Take them over another tray of drinks and tell them that the food is on its way. Given how he was starved in prison, strange he didn’t lose any weight,’ Gina scoffed, and even Bella managed a small laugh.

  She poured the tray of drinks and took them over. Matteo took the prearranged drink but as soon as he replaced his glass Malvolio handed him another.

  ‘Here,’ said Malvolio, and without missing a beat Matteo took it.

  Malvolio was testing him, Bella was sure.

  ‘Suddenly I’m hungry,’ Malvolio said, with his eyes on Bella as she bent over to retrieve the tray.

  ‘And me,’ Matteo said, and Bella froze as his hand slid over her bottom.

  Please let it be an accident, she thought, but his hand did not lift and she felt his fingers dig in.

  Her instinct was to turn and slap him. She had been as prepared as she could be to take it from Malvolio but to have Matteo treat her like this had temper rather than repulsion building in her.

  ‘No, no,’ Malvolio said. ‘She’s for me, aren’t you, Bella?’

  She pushed out that smile. ‘I hope so...’

  ‘So where are the perks?’ Matteo asked, and not just his words had Bella’s heart sink but the feel of his hand now running up the inside of her skirt. She closed her eyes but his hand went no higher than the top of her stocking, just hovered at the lace on her thigh.

  Malvolio looked at Matteo, the one man who had dared to tell him he expected perks and be treated better than the rest.

  Gina placed a huge plate of food in front of him—shrimp, fried cheese, steak and chicken wings.

  ‘You know what I like,’ Malvolio said, licking his lips, and then he looked from Gina to Bella.

  He could not be bothered with drama and fear tonight, he was tired, he wanted the familiar, not that he would ever admit it.

  ‘Take her now,’ Malvolio said to Matteo. ‘Now, before I change my mind...’ He picked up his fork and Matteo removed his hand from up Bella’s skirt and stood.

  Not Matteo, she silently pleaded as he took her arm.

  Not like this.

  He was leading her out of the bar, towards the back exit and the stinking alley, and then she heard Malvolio call to him. ‘Where are you going?’

  ‘Out the back...’ Matteo said.

  ‘You are my second man.’ He snapped his fingers to Gina and she nodded for them to come to her and she handed Matteo a room card.

  ‘No.’ It was the first time Bella had said it but it fell on deaf ears. Without a word Matteo led her out of the bar and through the foyer and into the elevator.

  ‘Matteo, no...’

  It was like the worst nightmare colliding with the best dream; it was worse than anything she had imagined, because it was a man she had cared about who was treating her like this.

  ‘Bella, just go with it,’ Matteo said. ‘I’ll explain soon. You’re going to have to trust me for now.’

  ‘Never.’

  Malvolio came to the bar and watched the CCTV and saw Bella dragging her feet, and at one point she broke free and ran...

  ‘Bella!’ Matteo grabbed her and she fought him.

  She swore at him.

  Matteo knew, he was positive, in fact, that they were being watched, and so he laughed and sneered at her.

  He kissed her hard against the wall, he muffled her cries and ran his hand again over her skirt, and she fought him but there was no chance against his strength.

  He dragged her down the hall and into the elevators and Bella went to bite him in the hope of running again, but Matteo slapped her cheek.

  It was a stinging slap, a hard slap that left her shocked and stunned that he could ever do this. Not just to her. That the man she had held a torch for could turn into a monster before her eyes. He was nothing like she had imagined.

  Tears rose in her eyes and she let out a silent sob as they spilled out. Not that he cared, his rough kisses took her all the way up to the top floor.

  ‘Good boy,’ Malvolio said, and then headed back to his steak and shrimp. ‘You know, I always thought he was a bit soft. It would seem that I had him wrong.’

  Bella, as Matteo pushed her into the hotel room, was thinking exactly the same.

  CHAPTER NINE

  ‘IT’S OKAY...’

  She was still fighting him but he pulled her right into him the moment the door closed on them, just so she wouldn’t run.

  ‘We’re alone now.’

  His words did not soothe Bella.

  She had dreamt of being alone with Matteo, only it had never, ever been anything like this.

  Her cheek was stinging from his slap, her arm was sore where he had grabbed her roughly, and now he was trying to calm her.

  ‘I thought better of you...!’ Bella shouted, trying to push him off.

  ‘We’re not going to do anything,’ Matteo said. ‘I knew that Malvolio would be watching on the cameras so I had to be rough, but I’m telling you now that I’m not going to hurt you, Bella, I’m not going to touch you.’

  He was rough for the last time with her. He practically peeled a raging Bella off him and pushed her onto the bed, where she sat for a long moment.

  Her breathing was starting to slow down, his words were filtering in and starting to make sense. She knew that there were cameras in all of the corridors— Malvolio watched his staff like a hawk—but here in the hotel rooms there were none.

  The long look that Matteo had given her downstairs was starting to make sense, along with the restraint in his fingers. He had been trying to get her away from Malvolio.

  ‘You could have told me.’

  ‘I tried to.’

  ‘You could have tried harder,’ she hurled at him—her heart was still beating too fast and her veins pumped with adrenaline. ‘You should have explained.’

  ‘What, and walk up to the suite holding hands?’ Matteo scorned. ‘I’m sorry I hit you, that it came to that, but had you run back down there...’

  Bella nodded, she got it now.

  She looked at the surroundings. At the time she had paid no attention to where Matteo had been taking her but, from working here, she knew the room.

  ‘I guess Malvolio gets the presidential suite?’ Bella said.

  It was a cheap hotel but, still, it was far more luxury than she was used to.

  The French windows were open but it was a hot and sultry night and there was only the occasional breeze. The ceiling fan above the bed was turned off and she glanced up at it.

  ‘Do you want it on?’ he asked.

  ‘Isn’t it supposed to be about what you want?’ Bella asked, as he flicked the switch and the fan whirred into life, but Matteo just went back to resting against the wall.

  ‘So we just wait here?’
Bella asked.

  ‘Yes.’

  He expected her to be relieved, for thanks even, but instead his eyes narrowed as she gave a mocking laugh.

  ‘Oh, Matteo the big saviour,’ Bella said. ‘Don’t you see that all you’ve done is delay the inevitable? How can that possibly help me?’

  ‘You don’t have to...’ He stopped. In this town, all too often, there was no choice. ‘You could leave tonight.’

  She didn’t deign a response but he pushed on.

  ‘I hear that Sophie is following her father to Rome. You could go with her tonight. I might have fallen asleep after sex...’

  ‘So I can be homeless and poor in Rome.’

  ‘Not for long,’ Matteo said. ‘You would find your feet, I am sure.’

  ‘Thanks but, no thanks, for the reprieve,’ she said, and he went and sat in a chair as she got up from the bed and roamed the room.

  She saw a bottle of wine and picked it up.

  ‘Open it,’ Matteo said.

  ‘I thought you said that you wanted a clear head.’

  ‘It’s the last thing I want now.’ He felt ill seeing the mark on her cheek. Her cheap dress was torn and the fear he had heard in her voice had Matteo’s heart still pounding.

  Not that he showed it.

  She poured two glasses, though with far steadier hands than she had downstairs, and as she passed one to him their fingers met, and so did their eyes. Bella gave him a small nod, perhaps of thanks, because she knew he had only been trying to help.

  There was no help to be had, though.

  She wandered out to the balcony and stood there, gazing at the darkening night, and after a few moments he joined her. She turned just a little and gave him a pale smile before returning to the view she loved so. ‘Africa is less than a hundred miles away...’ Bella said. ‘Right there...’ she pointed into the darkness, knowing the exact direction ‘...is Kelibia. I used to practise swimming, thinking I could escape to there if I had to.’