by B. B. Hamel
I crouched down in front of Jodie, staring into her eyes. I wanted her to understand how I felt, that none of this was what I wanted and if I could go back and change things, I would.
“It’s going to be okay,” I said. “Just let me do the talking.”
“Don’t worry,” she answered. “I doubt Drago is going to want to hear me talk.”
I cocked my head for a second until her meaning hit me. Anger surged inside of me. “I’m not going to let him touch you.”
“Think you can stop him again?”
“I know I can,” I growled.
“Without blowing our cover?”
“Jodie. Stop.”
“Listen to me, Dante. If Drago wants to . . . do things to me . . . just let him. Okay? I can handle it. That way, our cover won’t be blown, and we can escape.”
I took her by the chin and stared hard into her eyes. “I will kill him and every motherfucker in the mafia before I let anyone touch you. Do you understand?”
She stared back at me, clearly surprised, before finally nodding. “Okay.”
“Don’t ever say that again. You’re mine, Jodie Walsh. You’ll never be touched against your will no matter what happens.”
“I believe you,” she said.
I stood up just as there was a knock at the door. I nodded at her. “Pretend like you hate me,” I said with a small smile. “Hate me, but obey me.”
“That’ll be easy.” She winked at me.
I turned away, smiling on the outside, but filled with white-hot rage on the inside.
What have I done to this girl? Several days ago I couldn’t imagine Jodie offering to let a man like Drago rape her just to keep our secret. But now she was willing to help me do whatever it took at any cost. On the one hand, it made my feelings for her that much stronger, but on the other it made me hate myself, just a little bit, for everything.
It’s all my fault. I was the one that demanded she submit to me. I was the one that kept her locked up. Maybe I unwittingly broke her in the end, and did exactly what Gennaro wanted me to do.
But no, no, I’d never let them take her. I’d never let that happen. Jodie was mine, and I made her submit because I needed her to need me. None of it was done against her will. I never took a thing from her, and instead offered to save her no matter what. She submitted freely.
I couldn’t get her damn words out of my head as I opened the front door. Drago stood there looking hungover and tired, and I wanted to smash his skull in right there and then. I was so angry at myself that I wanted to lash out and hurt someone.
Jodie’s words came back to me. She was willing to do whatever it took to keep this going, and so I had to suck it up and be a man about this shit. As much as I wanted to hurt Drago, I couldn’t let myself give in to that impulse.
“Got any coffee?” he asked.
“I’ll make some.”
He sat down at the table as I made the coffee. When it was dripping, I sat down across from him. “How’s it going?”
“Stayed out too fucking late. Met these two sluts out at Dirty Frank’s.”
“You go to that place? Isn’t it full of hipsters and college kids?”
“Hell yeah, man. College hipster girls are the fucking sexiest.”
I laughed, shaking my head. “Wouldn’t expect that from you.”
“Well, this bitch could drink, and I was so fucked up that I couldn’t get my dick hard.”
I wasn’t exactly surprised. “Too much information, man.”
“Whatever. My head is fucking pounding.”
“Can’t keep up with the college kids anymore.”
“Yeah, I fucking can. I was just drinking all day yesterday. Now I’m paying for it.”
The coffee finished so I got up and poured two mugs. I left some for Jodie though I didn’t tell Drago that. I handed him his mug and sat back down.
“Why’d Gennaro send you?” I asked him.
“Wanted me to check on the girl.” He glanced down the hallway. “She still in there?”
“She’s in there.”
“She alive?”
“She’s alive.”
He grinned at me, sipping his coffee. “You give her a try yet?”
I clenched my fists then relaxed them. “We’re getting there.”
“You fucking kidding me?”
“It’s only been a few days.”
“Shit, man. I would be balls deep in that bitch every night.”
I had a brief moment where I was sure I was going to throw this burning hot coffee in his face, but held back.
“Gennaro wants me to make her compliant and willing, not rape her until she’s useless.”
“What’s the difference?”
“Jesus, Drago. Are you dumb?”
He shrugged, still grinning that stupid smile. I wanted to wipe it off his face.
“I guess we just have different training methods.”
“You don’t have any methods at all.”
“Whatever.” He stood up. “Let me see her.”
“Fine.” I stood and led the way down the hall, heart starting to beat faster. I knew her hair would still be wet, but I wasn’t sure if Drago would even notice. Normally, he’s fairly sharp and observant, since his skills were honed through years of hard work on the streets, but I wasn’t so sure about today. He was hungover and sluggish and looked like he’d rather be doing anything but this.
We stopped in front of the door. I gestured at it and he opened up the eyehole, looking in at Jodie.
“Damn,” he said softly.
I tensed, ready. I was standing close to him and could easily get my hands around his throat, maybe choke him out before he even knows what’s happening.
“She’s fucking sexier than I remembered,” he said.
“Careful,” I grunted.
“Careful?” He looked back at me. “Did you go fucking soft or something?”
“She’s mine,” I said. “Gennaro gave her to me.”
“I fucking know that, man, but she’s pussy. She’s nothing more than pussy.”
I had to take a deep breath as he looked back through the eyehole at Jodie. I didn’t know what she was doing, but I knew she could hear us.
“I’ve put a lot of work into her,” I said. “I can’t have you fucking that up.”
“Fuck that, man. I feel like shit and some pussy is exactly what I need.” He reached for the lock on the door.
I stepped forward. “No, Drago.”
“Fuck that, man. Fuck you being such a fucking pussy.” He unlocked the door and opened it. “I don’t give a fuck if Gennaro is going to be pissed. She needs to get used to this.”
I stepped up behind him, ready to kill him. I needed to take a couple steps into the room where I’d have the space to take him out, since the doorway was tight. As soon as he went to move, though, his phone began to ring.
Jodie was looking up at me, her face calm. She shook her head slightly and I knew what that meant. She wanted me to stop, to let her get fucked by this disgusting piece of shit, but that wasn’t going to happen. As soon as he moved, he was dead.
Drago was oblivious to this, of course, as he took his phone from his pocket. He tapped it and answered it.
“Gennaro,” he said. “I’m with Dante now.”
I tensed and paused, watching Drago.
Drago looked at Jodie then at me. “The girl seems fine,” he said. “Not beat up at all. Yeah, I know. Dante says he knows what he’s doing.” Drago blinked then held the phone out for me. “He wants to talk to you,” he said.
I took the phone. “Yeah?”
“How are things over there?”
“Good,” I said. “I’m working on the girl.”
“That’s good, Dante. Very good. She complaint yet?”
“Almost,” I said. “Although this dumb fuck wants to ruin some of my hard work.”
“What sort of work, exactly?”
I paused, glancing at Jodie. “We’re standing in
front of the girl,” I said.
“Get somewhere you can talk then.”
I nodded at Drago. “Come on, asshole.”
He grunted and left the room. I shut the door, locked it, then closed the eyehole. We walked back into the kitchen where I put Gennaro on speaker.
“I’m breaking her down while gaining her trust,” I said. “It’s a slow process but you said I had three weeks.”
“And you do,” Gennaro confirmed. “Can Drago hear me?”
“Yeah, boss,” Drago said.
“Good. Drago, come back here when we’re off the phone. Keep your dick in your pants. Oh and Dante, you come too. I have a job for you two.”
“Fine,” he grumbled.
“Okay,” I said.
“Keep up the good work, Dante.”
Gennaro hung up.
Drago scooped up his phone then slipped it back into his jeans. “Lucky bitch,” he said. “Well, unlucky, since she won’t get a taste of this dick.” He grinned at me.
“Just fuck off now, asshole.”
“What crawled up your ass?”
“You did. You’re annoying as hell.”
“You’re so damn moody lately.” He headed for the door, shaking his head. “Maybe you’re not up for this.”
“She’ll be ready when this is all over. Now fuck off. I’ll meet you at Gennaro’s. I have to tie the girl up first.”
“Fine, fine. Dickhead. Send my regards to her.” He grinned then left my apartment, shutting the door behind him.
I walked back into the kitchen and took a moment to compose myself.
That was fucking close. So many things could have gone wrong there, and almost did. If Drago weren’t so hungover, he probably would have noticed her wet hair. If he weren’t so intent on fucking her, he might have noticed that I was positioning myself to kill him. Fortunately, Gennaro called at just the right moment, making it so that I wouldn’t have to attack him at all.
That was so fucking close. All because I wanted to let her sleep in my bed and take a shower in the morning like a normal human being.
This was so beyond fucked. I didn’t know how I was going to salvage all this, but it didn’t matter.
I was going to do it one way or another.
I walked down the hall and opened the door. Jodie stood up. “Is he gone?”
I nodded. “He’s gone.”
She ran over to me and threw her arms around me. I hugged her back tightly, pressing her body against mine. I took a deep breath and I felt the tension in my body relax ever so slightly.
“It’s okay,” I said.
“That was so close. I told you just to let him.”
“I told you that I never would.” I took her face and kissed her softly on the lips. “I won’t go back on my word.”
“Okay,” she said softly. “I believe you.”
“I have to get going. Gennaro wants us to go on some job.”
“Okay.”
“You have free reign of the house. But please stay in these clothes, or at least have them ready. Just in case someone comes here to check on you.”
“Think someone will?”
“No. But let’s just be careful.”
“Okay.”
I kissed her again then let her go. We walked together into the kitchen where I slipped my gun into my waistband, grabbed my keys, and paused at the door.
“Don’t go anywhere,” I said to her.
“Where would I go?”
I smiled. “Nowhere better than this.”
She laughed as I left the apartment. I was beyond wondering if she was going to run away or not, and really part of me wished that she would. That way I could just run after her and we could leave together. Or maybe I could help her.
But I knew she’d be waiting when I got home. That thought startled me with its intensity, but I was sure of it. She was going to be waiting right there for me, ready to submit again and again if I told her to. She’d be ready to do whatever I asked.
That thought was going to keep me going.
Chapter 17
Jodie
I was alone in his apartment, free to do whatever I wanted, and it felt really weird.
I sat on his couch with a mug of coffee in my hands, looking around, wondering what the heck I should do with myself. I could feel the warmth seep up through the porcelain, and it felt absolutely luxurious.
I’d been locked in that room with nothing to do but stare out the window or at the blank white wall for days, and suddenly it was like sensory overload to be in the main living room. I put on the television and leaned back into the cushions, feeling comfortable in a way I hadn’t since this all started.
I couldn’t help but wonder where Dante was and what he was doing. I knew it was probably something I wouldn’t like, but I still wanted to feel like I was a part of his life outside of the apartment. I kept seeing that asshole Drago looking in at me through the eyehole, a malicious grin on his face. I could have sworn he knew, but he didn’t do anything or say anything to suggest that.
It was just something in his eyes that made me uncomfortable.
Despite all that, I was amazed at how calm I felt as that all happened. I didn’t freak out or feel worried, I was just resigned to what was happening in front of me. Drago was either going to do what he wanted or Dante was going to stop him, and either way I couldn’t do much about it.
The really scary thing was how willing I felt to let Drago have me for Dante’s sake. That almost terrified me. I’d never been willing to sacrifice myself for someone like that before, but I could tell that Dante was already sacrificing a lot for me. I needed him to know that I felt the same way and was willing to go there for him.
I was thankful that he wouldn’t let me, but still I would have done it. No matter how difficult, degrading, scarring, and horrible it would have been, I would have done it for him.
I didn’t have to, and that was a testament to Dante. He was ready to hurt Drago for me, but fortunately we didn’t have to go there.
We were saved by Gennaro, the man that really started all of this.
I shook my head and forced myself to forget about Drago for a little while. I wasn’t locked up in a dirty room anymore with only a water bottle and a bucket and an awful mattress. I was still stuck inside, but at least I had coffee, a television, and a bathroom. I could escape at any moment if I really wanted to, and didn’t even need to rip open the window. I could just walk out the front door.
I looked at it for a second, briefly wondering why I didn’t.
But it was obvious at this point why I wasn’t running. I wanted Dante and I wanted to see where things went with him.
I got comfortable, watching some crappy TV. Time slowly began to slip past, and before I knew it I was jolted awake by a knock at the door.
I sat there on the couch totally unmoving for a second as I slowly woke up all the way. I must have fallen asleep, because it was around one in the afternoon and the television show I thought I was watching was long gone.
The knock came again and fear came through me. I quickly stood up, trying to figure out what the heck I was going to do. Dante had told me to get into the room, but there was no way I could close the door on myself and lock it.
I crept toward the front door, barely breathing, and slowly moved up toward the peephole. I slowly, so agonizingly slowly, looked outside only to spot an old Italian man looking back at me.
“I know you’re in there,” he croaked. “And I’m guessing you’re not Dante.”
I stood completely still, horrified that he could sense me. I had no clue how, since I was being so careful. Maybe he was bluffing.
“Dante would have just opened the door,” he said. “He’s a lot of things, but sneaky isn’t one of them.” The old man laughed. “I can probably guess who you are, so I’ll just say this: you don’t need to worry about me. I won’t turn you two in.”
I stood there staring at him. The man looked kind, almost gentle, and not at
all like the mobsters I had seen so far. To be fair, he was maybe thirty years older than they are, but still. He also seemed to know about me somehow, which really unnerved me.
He said he wouldn’t tell anyone about us. Did Dante mention me to him? For all I knew, there were ten big, strong guys standing on either side of this old man waiting for me to open the door a crack before they kicked it in and took me away, ruining everything Dante had done for me.
“I know you’re just standing there,” the old man said. “You’re going to keep me waiting? I’m retired, you know. I don’t care one way or the other what you’re up to.”
I wished he would just go away, but he wasn’t moving, and he was talking pretty loudly. I suddenly worried that Dante’s neighbors would hear and know something weird was happening. I didn’t know if his neighbors were in the mafia, or if they were just regular people. I didn’t know who this old man was, though apparently he was retired and didn’t care about what we were doing.
I had to take a chance. I couldn’t just stand here and let him keep talking out there in case he said something really bad and a neighbor heard.
“Who are you?” I asked him
He smiled. “My name is Pagano, dear.”
Pagano. I knew that name. Dante had mentioned it during one of our talks when he told me about his early life in the mob.
“You know Dante?”
“I brought him into this world.” He smiled at his own joke.
I had to make a choice. I could ignore him and hope he went away, or I could trust him and let him in. Dante seemed to suggest that he trusted Pagano and believed in him, but Pagano was supposed to be a big mafia boss. Then again, he did say that he was retired . . .
I took a deep breath and unlocked the door then opened it a crack. He smiled at me, raising his hands. “It’s just us, dear,” he said softly.
I slowly opened the door and looked at him, frowning.
“May I come in?” he asked.
