“Who knows? Hector has never been one to plan, which is why his so called Cartel is a big joke.”
“When are you expected in New York?”
“In a week.”
“Then I should warn you of some changes. Your little girlfriend has been promoted.”
Davide’s heart stopped. He couldn’t mean Lori. Could he? This was bad. It had Raffaele written all over it. And Raffaele having his sights on Lori could only mean he didn’t trust that she’d keep her mouth shut. For the first time ever he truly wished Lori had forgotten him. Because if she did anything to alert Raffaele, that would be the end of her.
“Girlfriend? I wasn’t aware I had any,” he said, hoping that the tremor he felt was not present in his voice.
“You’re such a bad liar Davide. Don’t worry, apparently it’s just a promotion for now.”
Davide decided to ignore the whole conversation and changed tactics.
“So what exactly has been happening to Hector’s girls?” he asked.
“If they remember where they were gotten from, then they’re taken back, if not, they’re dumped in whichever country is closest, Mexico, Colombia or Venezuela.”
“Alright then. I just wanted to let you know I’ll be there soon.”
“Will the girl be a problem?”
“If you mean Lori then no. I haven’t heard from her in almost a month. I’m sure she’s moved on.”
“Let’s hope for her sake she has.” And with that the line went dead.
CHAPTER TWENTY
It was Friday and I still hadn’t gotten over the fact that Davide was Raffaele’s adopted son. I’d searched online and there was no mention of a son or daughter. But the information on the firm’s intranet seemed authentic. Right down to the multiple photos showing Raffaele, Davide and the girl.
But why work for a different gang and not his adopted father’s? Nothing made sense to me. And unfortunately I’d hit a roadblock when it came to information. Work was busy so I hardly had time to think about everything. I still didn’t know how to reach Davide, and more importantly, whether I wanted to reach him. He was the son of a drug lord or Mafia Don or whatever you wanted to call it. Plus, he was also the second in command in a Spanish Cartel. It didn’t get much worse than that.
Luckily, I had not heard anything about Raffaele and my promotion. I still wondered why he’d want me promoted. Did he find out that I’d slept with his son? Was he trying to use me to hurt Davide? I had more questions than answers and I was driving myself insane.
I had done some more research and I’d found out that Hector’s Cartel dealt in everything, but most importantly, drugs. I’d also read of suspicions that he was also involved in human trafficking but they were only rumors. To think that I’d been kidnapped by that man! I shivered. I tended to do that every time I thought of my time in Barcelona. I didn’t think I’d suffered trauma but I had more nightmares than before and woke up some nights drenched in sweat. But most nights when I dreamt of my time in captivity it was always in Davide’s arms, and those nights I’d wake up drenched in tears.
“Earth to Lori!”
“Oh, hey Macy, what’s up?”
“John is in Connecticut for a business thing and he’ll be back very late tonight. I thought you and I could go out. Dancing for a change.”
“I’m in!” I said enthusiastically, and from the look on Macy’s face, too enthusiastically. “What? I love dancing, and all work and no play makes Lori a dull girl,” I said smiling.
“Oh-kay. So dancing it is. There’s a new club at the Meatpacking District that I’m dying to try out. I could get a cab and come by your place to pick you up.”
We decided on the time and she was gone. Macy loved going out. Now that she had mended things with her husband, she’d calmed down a bit. But for Macy calming down meant she now only went out one night on the weekend as opposed to all three starting Friday.
The day passed by too fast. Now that I’d settled in after the promotion, it seemed the bosses were keen to prove that a promotion meant more money and more work. It was 7 pm and I was keen to get out of the office. It was the earliest I’d left all week.
I got home and realized I hadn’t eaten anything all day but countless cups of coffee. I made myself my famous vegetable stir fry and gobbled it down. I showered soon after and started getting ready. It was one of those nights where I felt excited to let lose. I chose a short, red Herve Leger bandage dress and paired it with my faithful Louboutins pumps. I held my hair up in a high ponytail and put on some bright red lipstick. Definitely in the mood to have some fun.
Macy arrived a short while later in high wasted black shorts and a white crop tank top. I wondered what her husband would say about the outfit. He’d tried to get Macy to dress down if he wasn’t around but she always did what she wanted.
“Time to par-tay!” she announced and we headed off.
The club was packed to the brim. Girls everywhere. But with a married Macy and a heartbroken me, we weren’t on the lookout for men, whatever our outfits screamed. We headed to the bar and got two Coronas. The DJ had just switched up the music to some up tempo beat and I was dying to dance. Macy and I gulped down our drinks and raced to the dance floor.
The best thing about going out with your best friend was that you could let loose and just be. The worst thing being that every man in the club thought you were out looking to hook up. It was frustrating, but to be honest I always took it as what I’d signed up for before leaving the house.
This turned out to be what I had been needing. I hardly thought about Davide the entire night. I even danced with a couple of guys while Macy stood at the bar glaring at me.
After three more drinks and a gazillion calories burnt on the dance floor, I decided to call it a night. One of the guys I had danced with came to escort me out. He was kinda cute. Tall, brown hair and chocolate brown eyes, he looked like a sweetheart. Once we got outside, he made his move.
“I’d love to see you again.”
“I’d love that,” I smiled. You seem like a good guy and I could always use a dance partner. As you probably noticed my friend Macy here is a bit on the boring side,” I said noticing the scowl on Macy’s face. “But I should warn you, I’m not really looking to date anyone right now.”
“I just might change your mind.” He winked then insisted on giving me his number once I’d refused to give him mine. Leaning in, he dropped a sweet kiss on my cheek and asked me to call him.
I waved at him smiling. He really was cute.
“Looking to adopt a puppy are you?” asked Macy smirking.
I got why she’d call him a puppy. He looked downright cuddly. If I wasn’t weighted down by thoughts of Davide, I’d have taken cute guy up on his ‘change my mind’ offer. I decided to keep the card though. I was almost sure that this thing with Davide was a dead end. If I thought it was time to move on, I’d call up cute guy.
Macy and I took different cabs home. I stumbled up my steps and was checking my handbag for my keys when I felt a prickling sensation on the back of my neck. I turned around but there was no one in sight. My neighborhood was a safe one so I dismissed it as having read too much about gangs and cartels. I got in, cleaned out my make-up, brushed my teeth, removed my clothes and jumped into bed. I had no idea where my pajamas were but this was the best thing about living alone, the possibility of sleeping in the nude.
I was asleep before my head had hit the pillow.
“So why did you move from Italy to Spain? And how come you have such an American accent?” I was lying on the beach watching the sun set with Davide.
“Has anyone ever told you you’re too inquisitive?”
“No, but that’s because I’m inquisitive just right. So tell me, what’s with the American accent?”
“I studied in an American school.”
“In the US?”
“No, in Naples. Now, if you’re finished with 21 questions, I’d like to take you to bed, I know just the right way to
shut you up,” he said with a wink.
“That’s all you think about.” I replied laughing. “But wait, why did you move to Spain?”
“Has anyone ever told you you’re too inquisitive?” This time it was a raspy voice. Hector’s voice. “I’ve warned you once, next time I’ll show you what I do to inquisitive girls.”
I woke up with a loud scream. Nightmares again. They were always the same. I’d be with Davide and he’d change into Hector. I wasn’t sure what to do about them. I couldn’t talk to anyone and risk Hector finding out.
I sighed and swung my legs to the side of the bed seeking my slippers. That’s when I saw it. A shadow at the corner of my bedroom, near the door, seated on my settee. I let out a blood curdling scream.
CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE
I must have momentarily blacked out because I woke up on the bed again. For a brief moment I thought it was a nightmare again until I opened up my eyes and saw him.
Davide.
“I’m sorry to scare you, I was just waiting for you to wake up.”
“You broke into my house and almost gave me a heart attack!”
“Again I’m sorry. I just…” he ran his hands through his hair as if trying to shake the words out. It was such a familiar gesture I softened immediately. “What are you doing here Davide?”
“I only intended to check up on you from afar. I saw you when you left the house with Macy and you looked so good I followed you. Spent hours outside that club trying to convince myself to drive off. Then you came out with this …motherfucker…” he stopped then.
“He was just a guy I met at the club. And anyway, what’s it to you? You left me that night and didn’t bother to even say goodbye.”
“I wanted to, but Hector – “
“It’s always Hector this and Hector that with you. I know what you do Davide, And I know about Raffaele.”
He sucked in a breath and stared at me. “What about Raffaele?”
“Don’t play me for a fool Davide. I know he’s your father.”
“Who told you that?”
“Are you denying it?”
He didn’t answer me, instead, he opted to pace around my tiny room.
“Look, you can’t go to anyone with that information. It’s dangerous Lori. I thought I told you to forget all this?”
“You told me yourself you couldn’t keep away from me. Evidently you know where I live. So the staying away rule applies to just me?”
“IT’S DANGEROUS! Don’t you get it?” he rushed to me then and knelt beside my bed, “It’s dangerous. I’m just trying to keep you safe,” he said, eyes pleading with me to understand.
“Look, I need some water.” I pulled down the duvet and felt a cold rush of wind. Shit! I’d slept naked. And from the look in Davide’s eyes, he’d seen me in all my nude glory.
“Get that look out of your face. You’re not going to distract me with sex again.” I covered myself up.
Eyes twinkling, he looked at me, “You’re right. We need to talk first. But it’s 4am. Catch some sleep first and we’ll talk.”
I didn’t know how I was meant to sleep with him in my room but I let him tuck me in. I closed my eyes but I could still feel his gaze on me, his presence surrounding me. I wanted to say fuck it all and run to him, hold him, but something held me back. I wanted him to trust me. To tell me everything about him and to trust that I’d love him anyway. Love. I loved him.
Everything about him called to me. I wanted to erase that tortured look from his eyes. Release him from whatever held him back. Make him love me. I had to make him love me.
***
I woke up later to find him gone. As if everything that had happened last night was just another dream. A figment of my imagination. I searched high and low but he hadn’t left a note. This was it. He couldn’t keep doing this to me. Appearing in and out of my life at his pleasure. Messing with my already messed up head. It was time to admit to myself that I couldn’t save him from whatever plagued him. He didn’t trust me enough to tell me. And there was only so much I could do.
CHAPTER TWENTY - TWO
Stupid! Stupid! Stupid! That was the most stupid thing he’d ever done. He’d just wanted to get a glimpse of her. He’d tried to fight it but something had pulled him towards her. Of course he knew where she lived. He knew everything about her. It was an unhealthy habit that he couldn’t seem to fight. An addiction. Certainly not love. He didn’t know a thing about love. He’d spent too long caught between anger and indifference. Yet there she was. An addiction.
When he’d seen her dressed in that short, tight, red dress, his heart had stopped. She was going out and would be fair game for every man out there. Especially if Macy had anything to do with it.
So against his better judgment, he’d followed her and sat in his car for hours. He told himself that he was just trying to make sure she’d be safe. But she’d been fine without him for weeks now… that was what bothered him. She looked fine when he was going through his own personal hell trying to erase her from his mind… and his heart.
Then she’d come out glowing and laughing followed by a fucking guy. He’d felt his heart explode, especially when the soon-to-be-dead idiot had leaned in to kiss her. God. He’d fought with all his might not to get out of the car and strangle the shithead. But he’d reined himself in and thankfully, Lori had left on her own.
Sitting in his car like some fucking stalker, he knew the only way he would feel better was if he saw her one last time. And so like the stalker he was quickly becoming, he’d picked her lock and followed her scent to her bedroom. He only intended to watch her for some time and leave, but just as he was about to leave she’d let out a scream to wake up the dead.
The scream could only mean one thing, she was having nightmares and it didn’t take a wise guy to determine the cause. Then she’d opened those beautiful eyes and stared at him. And he couldn’t do anything but move towards her. She was naked and he hated himself for noticing the swell of her breasts and the pink tautness of her nipples. Then she’d shocked him by revealing that she knew about Raffaele. He felt like an asshole, but he had to leave. She was too close to the truth for comfort. And he could just imagine Raffaele and Hector’s reactions if they found out. So for her sake, he’d left.
He got into his rental, headed Northeast towards Broadway and an hour or so later he was exiting towards the Turnpike. Raffaele had a house in New York but he spent most of his time at his home at Upper Saddle River. It was funny how well he fit in with the doctors and the Wall Street professionals who were his neighbors. Davide often wondered if they knew what Raffaele did for a living, because make no mistake, Raffaele got his hands dirty.
In no time, he was standing outside the door. He was just about to ring the doorbell when the door swung open. Raffaele himself. For the umpteenth time Davide wondered why Raffaele needed such a humongous home, when he had no one to share it with. But he kept his observations to himself. He wasn’t sure how he’d be received by his stepfather.
He was immediately pulled into a hug. “Come in son.” While Davide had worked to get rid of his New York accent, Raffaele’s was as deep as ever. “Let’s go to the garden and have a talk.” The garden, the only place Raffaele ever talked business. Davide followed him like a faithful soldier.
“So, what do you intend to tell Hector about his shipments?” asked Raffaele as soon as he closed the basement door.
“I have to meet with Nico and pretend to discuss something.”
“He asked you to meet with that filthy Dominican? He must be really desperate. Crazy motherfucker. It disgusts me that even after what happened, he continues with this business.”
“How many shipments have you intercepted?”
“About fifteen so far. The stronzo doesn’t even bother with good ventilation. It’s a wonder no one has died in those containers yet. We’ve sent them all back, most of them are from Colombia. But we need a more permanent solution. Intercepting and returning them is only goin
g to work for so long. And we can’t trust that he won’t just find another route, one that I can’t intercept.”
“You’re right. I’m as close to him now as I’ll ever be.”
“What about the rest of his people?”
“They’re all half wits. No one is clever enough to take over. They’ll be needing guidance once Hector is gone. Ignacio, the computer guy, is the only intelligent one amongst them but he likes me, and I can tell he doesn’t think very highly of Hector. Pedro might be a problem though. He’s stupid enough to think he could take over.”
“So he has to be silenced.”
“That won’t be a problem.”
“And the girl?”
Davide sighed. He’d hoped Raffaele wouldn’t bring up Lori. But he should have known better. His stepfather liked to cover all his bases.
“I told you in all our countless conversations that she isn’t a problem.”
“Speaking of our conversations, what have you done with the untraceable phone?”
“I’m not an idiot, dad. I destroyed it. I’ll have to get a new one before going back to Barcelona.”
“So about this girl…” Raffaele was never one to leave a conversation unfinished.
“I told you – “
“I know what you said, but I know you son. You have feelings for this girl. So far she hasn’t said a word, but what happens when she realizes you can’t be together?”
Davide couldn’t answer.
“Fucking Christ! Are you in love with her now?” For a man who never lost his shit, he seemed to do more of that lately. He calmed himself with some effort and went back to being the man Davide knew. “Listen, we’ve been planning this for years. You lost Isabelle just like I did. You want to tell me you’re done with vengeance? You want to go and live happily ever after with a girl you barely even know? You loved Isabelle once. And I remember the exact words you said to me when we found out about her death.”
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