Stolen Secrets
Page 20
Vinnie said you looked happy when he dropped you off. I wish I had been the reason behind your happiness and not a fermented grape.
For the first time in my life, I closed my eyes and allowed myself to believe maybe, just maybe, I could have the kind of joy I’d seen in Sophia and Gabby’s eyes when they spoke of their men. To be loved that freely and without worry. To sleep with the assurance tomorrow wouldn’t bring hurt and longing. Being the center of a man’s universe, even a man like Dominick, was akin to a love which fairytales envied and sonnets were written about. To be able to say what I felt inside and not keep the truth locked away, afraid of the ramifications it would bring. To be able to look into Dominick’s eyes, and confess my feelings without having them used against me. And finally, to be the reason behind the glint in his eyes. With tears blurring my vision, I typed what I wanted to be the truth.
You are.
The Santos house was much the same as it had been for Dominick’s birthday, minus the naked girl and stripper dance. The same faces could be found around the room, similar looks of judgment, questioning why a nobody girl stood in this house when she had refused the attention of the ruling King. Their presence the same, different clothing and hairstyles.
Dominick had arrived at the shop with roses in hand. His smile was genuine and his carefree manner had made Gabby giggle. Attentive and kind, he helped us into the black SUV. I questioned why he’d brought this instead of the cute sports car he normally drove.
“For one, I have a driver with this vehicle. Two, I know my sister will want help getting her gifts back to her apartment, and three, Miranda has never seen this car, so she won’t suspect a thing if she sees me get out of it.”
Again, this was a side of Dominick I was certain most didn’t get to experience. The selfless and considerate man, who at this moment, cared more about his family than how he looked to others.
Dominick had the driver pull around back to drop Gabby and myself off as he exited the car inside the massive entry where several of his men awaited his arrival. Sophia stood proudly with open arms, she kissed us both and then ushered us into the chaotic kitchen. There was wait staff everywhere and I watched in awe as Sophia gently, yet firmly, gave instructions to the black tie wearing group.
“Ari, you need to pay attention, it won’t be long before you are the one in charge.”
I wanted to scoff at the delusions of grandeur she projected my way. I would never entertain the thought of one day being married to a man such as Dominick. Confusion grabbed me when my chest tingled at the thought of Dominick moving on to the next challenge. He would, no doubt, bore of me and my cautious ways, my not sinking to my knees at the snap of his fingers. I was counting on that, after all; it would be my second chance at freedom.
Sophia thrust a glass of amber liquid into my hands, tossing the one in her other hand back, swallowing it in one gulp. “Okay, now I think I can survive this thing.”
Dominick’s mother never ceased to amaze me. She always had such grace and poise; I never would have expected her to need a deep breath like the rest of us. Sophia encouraged me to drink the liquid courage in my hand before moving to the refrigerator behind us. “I know you will want to keep your wits about you tonight; however, we still need to keep up appearances.” She filled my glass half full with apple juice and shot me a wink.
With my “drink” in hand, we made our way to the front of the house where the guests awaited. One particular lady was dressed in a golden evening gown, which made her look as if she should be in a beauty pageant instead of at a cocktail party. Her hair was piled high on her head in a whirlwind of thick black curls, maneuvered into a shape Mother Nature never intended. With her color choice for this evening she could have jumped up and took over for the centerpieces I’d made with birds of paradise, calla lilies, and waxed green foliage mixed with a few candles. Surrounded by the plentiful spread of fruit and cheese, and speaking in hushed tones, were two other women who were dressed similar and pointing at the decor in the room. They would glance around themselves every few words, as if searching for something or someone.
Sophia noticed them at the same time I did and leaned in to whisper in my ear. “You have to help me out if those two corner me while this all goes down.”
Examining the two ladies with a sharper eye, I questioned why they would cause such concern for Sophia.
“They’re married to men who work for Dominick and Antonio, but the way they tell it, it’s the other way around.” Sophia remained fixated on the pair, condescension flooding her tone. While she didn’t care for the ladies, she didn’t let them leave her radar either. Keeping her friends close, and her enemies closer, she was living the words most kept printed on a pillow. “Why? Are they making a play for Antonio?” I remembered them both from the restaurant, smiling big and bold, and then, when they’d assumed I couldn’t hear them, discussing whoring off their daughters to warm Dominick’s bed.
Sophia pulled me a few steps back, allowing the crowd to thicken and decrease, but not completely hinder, our view. “Maria and Katheryn are sleeping with each other’s husbands.”
Of course they were, nothing anyone in this room did surprised me. Katheryn was most likely scanning the room looking for me, posing as a lookout for her daughter, ready to give her the signal the enemy was in the room.
“Oh, they think they have each other fooled, but not much gets past me.”
Something in the way she said that caused my breath to hitch. Did she have the same intel on me that she had on the women in the room? Did she know exactly what I was hiding, not only in my closet, but in the past I’d tried to bury? If she did, she’d never gave any indication as she continued to share with me who in the room was sleeping with whom.
Several times I casually glanced in Dominick’s direction. He was either talking with Antonio or Demetri and Karla, but he did flash me his smile a few times, which I never returned—to keep our rouse going. As I listened to Sophia share the tales of sex and seduction, my curiosity got the better of me. “Sophia, I need to ask you something extremely personal. Please don’t hesitate to tell me to go to hell and not answer if you don’t feel it’s my business. But…” I waited until after a lady walked by congratulating Sophia on the engagement of her daughter.
They kissed each other’s cheeks and from this outsider looking in, they appeared to be good friends. Sophia thanked her for attending and her well wishes for the happy couple.
“How do you do it?” I asked, my eyes scanning the room.
“Do what, throw a party?” she returned as she took a drink from her glass, grinning at her cheekiness.
I turned to fully face her. She needed to see the seriousness and severity of my question.
“Look the other way when Antonio wants another woman in his bed.” Sophia’s eyes flashed and I had to take a step back, the penetration of her glare sending a cold chill up my spine.
Sophia Santos needed no gun or men in black, she held more intimidation in those brown eyes of hers than any man I had ever stood before, Dominick included.
“I can see why you would ask,” she said nodding toward the crowded room. “A room full of women who have taken other men to their beds. Even Dominick, decorating his world with nameless, women of convenience. But for me, for Antonio and myself…”
I leaned in closer, captivated by her fierce, but honest words.
“I’ve never allowed that shit to happen in my marriage. Antonio knows if he ever stepped outside of our bed, I would chop up his balls, fry them in butter, and make him eat them.”
Movies and the media depict the men of today as being the driving force behind how the world revolves. Making deals and decisions which affect us all, using their skills and masculinity to navigate their decisions. We are led to believe these modern day crusaders have shed their shining armor and gilded swords for business suits and handguns. What they fail to show us, or perhaps it is with a purpose, are the hundreds of women warriors taking their posts beh
ind the curtain, acting as the puppet masters pulling the strings of the men who appear to rule us.
“Trust me, Ari. The women who stand in this room feel like it’s a tradeoff. Having a husband who does what theirs do, it’s expected. I call bullshit. I told Antonio a very long time ago, it didn’t matter to me what his occupation was, the rules for being in my life were the same. That when he vowed to love only me before God and my family, he had better be certain I was his choice.”
Sophia held the crown for queen of the puppet masters, directing the head of this Family as she felt it should go. Keeping his eyes and his heart focused on her with her resolute strength.
“Dominick knows where he stands with you as far as fidelity. He won’t risk losing you over the need for an easy fuck. But, let me give you some advice.” The seriousness of the moment was too great to find a secluded area where private words could be exchanged, yet I ignored everything and everyone around us.
“Sit him down and explain the conditions for being in a relationship with you. Define the ramifications he will face if he chooses to violate them. Don’t let who he is dictate what happens in your bedroom and, more importantly, in your heart.”
Another couple came over addressing Sophia. As always, she made them feel important, even though I suspected she wished they’d never attended. It gave me another moment to absorb what she had told me.
“One other thing you might find interesting,” Sophia motioned for me to follow her, “The men in the family believe they have this code they live by. Part of the code is you don’t sleep around with one another’s wife or girlfriend. How many of the men in this room do you think honor that code?”
My thoughts went to the conversation I’d had with Marissa. She’d admitted to sleeping with Dominick and his Uncle. My deduction, with the exception of Antonio, was an overwhelming zero.
I FELT MORE LIKE A voyeur than a proud boyfriend while attempting to be discreet in watching Ari stroll around the room with my mother. The grace they both exuded was effortless, timeless, and classic. Ari’s tender smile, and no doubt kind words, would take her far. I both yearned, and hated, to know what true words they whispered between them. Soft confession of a fire I suspected was more a layer of embers than anything, waiting for the right moment, the necessary elements to spark it into a raging inferno.
“You know, it was an evening much like this one that I watched Sophia with the same look you have right now.” My father, who had been putting out fires of a different kind, came to stand beside me. He had been working overtime setting everything up.
“She’s breathtaking, like a candle in the darkness.” The words fell from my mouth of their own accord.
“Yes, and Ari’s not bad either.”
I turned to my father shooting him a quizzical look, and he playfully nudged my arm. There’d never been a question as to how much he loved and treasured Mom. For the longest time I’d considered him a sellout, trading the mobster lifestyle for monogamy, something I would have never considered.
My problem settling down with one girl—I’d had issues finding a girl who had more than one good quality. Most had no problem shutting their mouths when it came to who I was and what I did, but then felt entitled to some higher level of power since they’d sucked my dick from time to time. Some girls came in beautiful packages, able to turn the head of a Priest, and yet, when they opened their mouths all I wanted to do was shove my dick into it; anything to shut them the fuck up.
Marissa was a firecracker in bed. She let me put her in any situation I had the particular need for, whether it was watching her as she got herself off or going at it with a group of girls so I could watch. She was willing to do anything I wanted. Which, as it turned out, was the problem. In my line of work my men were expected to follow my every command, and be at my beck and call when I needed something. I had allowed this philosophy to carry over to the women in my life, expecting them to be like a foot soldier, dressed and ready for any mission I assigned them.
Ari was not going to allow me to place her in the same mold as the others. Marissa had twisted her life to fit the way I lived mine. Ari already had her act together and was confident in her ability to take care of herself. Her confidence called to me, like my next breath, involuntary and necessary. Stimulated my desire for her on a level no act any other woman had ever created for me.
“Miranda just arrived.”
Demetri’s observation turned my attention in the direction of the blonde with the bright, shiny, red dress. Her hair, which she’d started coloring after complaining all her friends looked alike, was curled and had feathers placed throughout it. She’d worn them once before, to a party she’d hosted for a friend of hers. The feathers were held in place by a roach clip, one she used to pass around a joint she charged a premium for. Her dress was its usual tightness, her lack of panties a guarantee; she’d once bragged she didn’t own any. Knowing the plans she had for me, this was smart on her part. Her dress could be hiked up and her assets displayed in an attempt to distract me.
I shifted my gaze back to Ari in time to admire how she took in a deep breath, her eyes fixed and shoulders straight. Ari was a survivor; she would meet this situation with the same determination she’d used to avoid me. Her strength was inspiration for what I needed to do.
London was playing her part to perfection, standing beside Miranda and encouraging her to have a drink at the bar. Knowing her, later, when this was over, London would tell the story as if she’d performed for an Academy Award. Her mother had spent tons of money for acting classes, all in hopes of London heading off to Hollywood and becoming a movie star. However, when rocks and stones interested her more than leading men, they begrudgingly allowed her to pursue her dream.
Miranda couldn’t take her eyes off my Ari, or control the level of hatred she was shooting in her direction. Her eyes were so cold they could freeze the desert in the middle of the day; so black they would swallow the sun. I felt like such an idiot forever believing she was someone I could trust. Looking at her now, knowing what I did about her, made me want to scrub my dick until it bled. The memory of her on her knees sucking me off which was once enough to make me come, now sickened me.
I scanned the room; it was time to make my way over to Miranda. Sophia had worried it would look suspicious if, one, I was standing near Ari, and two; I didn’t acknowledge Miranda’s arrival. With one last glance at the lady who was my future, my heart stopped when I took in her features. Ari’s face was white as a ghost and her wide eyes were fixed on Miranda. Looking back over in the direction of Miranda, nothing seemed unusual. She was sipping on whatever was in her glass and looking at London. There was nothing out of the ordinary going on with her. I was clueless as to what was going on with Ari. Sophia must’ve also noticed, wrapping an arm around her and ushering her off to the guest bathroom. As much as I wanted to run after her and find out what had spooked her, our plans had to be followed through.
“Hey, you,” Miranda greeted me, her tits in the air and seduction dripping from her red lips. “Haven’t seen you in a while. You’re looking a little tense.”
I swallowed hard to keep myself from vomiting while allowing her to run her fingers under the buttons of my shirt. Unlike the hot trail her touch had once left behind, tonight it took everything I had not to snap her fingers in half.
“Yes, well, business has been very active lately, but you’re right… I am tense.”
Miranda shifted her body closer to mine. Her tongue sliding out to touch the bow of her lips. For years I’d thought it was sexy as fuck when she did this. Now, watching the exact same action, reminded me how much of a snake she really was. Watching Ari reapply her deep red lipstick was way more entertaining than the lack of Miranda’s gag reflex.
“Well, you know we can sneak out of here anytime you’re ready.”
I replaced Miranda’s face with Ari’s as I leaned over to her ear and whispered, “Get me a Jack straight and come find me in the solarium.”
After my father announced it was time for me to settle down and get serious about a relationship, my mother had begun redesigning the solarium. She wanted to turn it into a child’s play area. I’d wanted to say something along the lines of how the room would go unused for several years, but Dad stopped me, saying it was easier to agree with the woman in your life than to argue with her. For now, the room would bring me an immense amount of pleasure. Then perhaps someday, if God listened to the prayers my mother spoke to him, a handful of dark haired children with my good looks and Ari’s green eyes would run around playing games, and forming memories for all of us.
“Everyone ready?” I called into the empty room.
We were using the security features my father had installed in the house. Not a single room was unmonitored. The system was so sensitive you could hear a fly fart. Slipping out of my jacket, I crossed the room and locked the door leading out to the pool. There would be no escape for Miranda once the shit hit the fan. Tossing my jacket onto an empty chair, I sat back and waited for her to bring me my drink.
I knew she was up to something; she should have been there before my shoe hit the tile floor. She was being careful, covering her tracks. Too bad her plan was over before it began. Leaning my head against the back of the couch, a smile crept across my face as I thought of exactly how I would be spending the remaining hours tonight. With my eyes still closed, I could smell her perfume when she silently crept into the room. I didn’t bother opening them when I felt the dip in the cushion beside me. The ice clinked the sides of the glass, her fingers skimming up my arm leaving disgust in their wake.