Seven Days: A young black woman makes a deal with a mob boss.

by Diana Hoffman

  "Is this how he treated Amber?" Victoria asked, still looking at the wall, as her mind raced.

  "Oh, cara mia, he didn't love her. He never showed her the affection he shows you. He loves you."

  "I feel so close to him sometimes...then other times I feel like there's a stranger sleeping beside me. I felt that we had made a giant leap forward when he opened up about Bobby, but since we've been here, he's been closed off and stressed. I don't know if something is wrong or if something happened to cause this. He's woken up twice in the middle of the night due to a nightmare, but he won't tell me."

  Marianna sat and listened.

  "This isn't how I imagined our marriage. I guess I should have known it was too good to be true. I really thought living here would make a difference. I never know when Nic the husband or Nic the mob boss will come walking through the front door," Victoria expressed, as she wiped a tear away.

  Marianna grabbed her hand. "Only thing I can tell you is to concentrate on the baby. Nic will come around, eventually."

  "I know you say that Marianna, and no offense, but did your husband come around? Nic said his father was closed off too."

  Marianna nodded her head. "Actually, God rest his soul, he never did. That man died with secrets I probably didn't know about."

  "That's what I thought," Victoria mumbled, as she hopped up from the bed and walked into the closet.

  Marianna slowly ran her hand over the bed covers, smoothing out the lumps, when she suddenly heard Victoria's strained breath. She stood up and was about to go into the closet, when Victoria came barreling out of it with a suitcase in her hands.

  "No! Victoria Andretti, put that down right now!" Marianna ordered, rushing over to her.

  Victoria ignored Marianna and placed the suitcase on the bed. She wasn't permanently moving out, but she wasn't sure what else to do. She was tired of this back and forth with Nic. He had done it with her when she was just his "arrangement", he had done it when she was his girlfriend, constantly saying, "the less she knew the better," and now, even with her being his wife and the mother of his child...he was doing it again. Well, fuck that, Victoria thought. She loved him more than anything, but she could move back home if she wanted to be ignored. She wasn't even sure where she would go—and she was sure she wouldn't stay any longer than a few hours, but she could at least check into a hotel until she could clear her head.

  "Victoria, listen to me! He'll be back in a few minutes, and talk to him then. You don't know what you're doing because you're very emotional right now. I know what I'm talking about," Marianna pleaded, as Victoria walked around her, throwing several articles of clothing into the suitcase. She then walked into the bathroom and quickly grabbed her toiletries.

  When she realized nothing was registering to Victoria, Marianna quickly stepped out of the room and called Nic.

  Nic glanced down at his phone, which was vibrating. It was his mother. He stopped jogging and answered. But before he could even say anything, Marianna started firing off in Italian what was going on. Victoria was packing? What?! He told his mom to calm down and he was on his way. He clicked off his phone and started sprinting back to their house.

  Victoria was in the process of dragging her bag downstairs when the front door flew open. Nic was standing there breathing hard and looking up at her.

  Even though his stare caused her entire body to burn, she ignored him and continued to drag her suitcase further down the steps. But she couldn't help it--the tears started to form and they eventually fell. She knew what she was doing made no sense, but she felt that she had to make a move. Nic was the one who taught her that life is like a chess game. You can't just sit there after your opponent makes a move. You have to move as well. And this was really the only move she ever really had with him. She looked back at him as he quickly ascended the stairs.

  When he reached her, he ripped the bag from her hands as he wrapped his free arm around her waist and hoisted her up. Instead of pushing him away, she held onto him tightly as he reached the last step. He pushed their door open and dropped her bag on the floor, as he held her tightly. Her face was pressed into his neck, and he could feel her warm tears against his skin.

  Neither one said anything for a few moments. Nic gently lowered her so that her feet were touching the ground. He pushed her hair away from her face and tilted it so that she was looking at him. Her big doe eyes were unsure and hurt from how he had treated her. He leaned down to her mouth and whispered into her lips, "Don't ever do that again. Don't leave me," he said, then kissed her deeply, his tongue invading and wrapping around hers.

  Victoria moaned into his mouth. She hated when he cast his spell on her, as she quickly lost all senses. For a brief moment, she had forgotten what she had done, until he said 'don't leave me'.

  When their lips finally parted, both were breathing heavily, as Victoria spoke. "Nic, this is really the only card I have left to play with you. I can't cancel your credit cards, or physically fight you...I don't have anything to stop you, except leaving. It's--it's all I have," she admitted, looking down at her hands, ashamed to admit that she felt so powerless with him. After a few seconds of him not saying anything, she spoke again. "When you hurt, I hurt, Nic. Don't you understand that?" she whispered to him. She wrapped her arms around his waist and breathed in his masculine scent.

  "I know, baby. I know," he quietly admitted, while kissing the top of her head. "I'm going against my better judgment here, but I'll tell you. I just didn't want you upset because of my problems. But I guess it defeats the point if you are upset anyway, and you don't know them."

  Victoria nodded and grabbed his hand to lead him over to the bed.

  Nic exhaled. He didn't really know where to start, but he had to open up.

  "Remember when we were in Bali, and I kept having that feeling that something bad was going to happen?"

  Victoria nodded again.

  "Well, that feeling came back. And I can't shake it. And now...fuck, this is really hard to say to you, but I keep having this recurring dream..." Nic really didn't want to finish that sentence. He didn't want to let Victoria into that dark place.

  "Baby, it's okay. You can tell me anything," Victoria encouraged, as she lightly squeezed his hand.

  "In the dream, someone, um...someone is holding a gun to our baby's head and they pull the trigger."

  Victoria immediately gasped and covered her mouth with both hands.

  "Yeah, I know, and that's not the image I wanted to place in your head."

  Victoria pulled her hands down. He told her, so she needed to pull herself together and not make him feel worse.

  "It's okay baby. It's just shocking, but it's also just a nightmare. That's all."

  "Victoria, I've just done so much bad shit over the years, I can't get off this easy. I can't get the perfect wife, the perfect life...it just doesn't work that way," Nic sighed, lying back onto the bed.

  "First off, I'm nowhere near perfect, Nic," Victoria smiled, trying to lighten his mood. "Actually, some could say being with me is your punishment, you know."

  Nic didn't crack a smile. She leaned back on the bed beside him.

  He began to speak again. "I feel like here I'm unprepared to deal with certain things. At least back home, I had Jimmy and Raymond. I had my gated-in house...I felt like I was on my A game at all times. I felt like I could protect you. Here I feel like my guard is down."

  "Nic, you're in a different occupation here. No one knows the old you. This is a chance for us to start over."

  Nic wasn't so sure. It couldn't be this easy. So far, nothing in his life ever was. But he didn't want to worry Victoria anymore, so for better or worse, he would try to be completely honest with her. Because although he would never admit this to her...talking to her did make him feel better.

  "I love you, you know that?" Nic asked her.

  "So I've been told. I love you too," she whispered back to him.

  "I'll do better about my 'feelings'," Nic said, rolling
his eyes. "But don't expect any Barbara Walters tears or anything. That's not going to happen."

  "Well, I've already seen your tear up, so there," Victoria replied, sticking her tongue out at him.

  "Yeah, well you're the only one, so don't go sharing that with everyone. Not my mom or your new friend, Jackson. Copy that?"

  Victoria swatted at his arm. "Don't be jealous. But Jackson didn't introduce a wife, so maybe he's still single," Victoria contemplated, tapping her finger against her chin as if in deep thought. "He seems like a man in touch with his emotions."

  Nic rolled her on top of him and slapped her ass. "If you don't want him hurt, I suggest you stop all thoughts in that direction."

  "Please, he's a SEAL. Aren't they supposed to be from the school of 'the baddest of the bad', or something?"

  "Yeah, well I'm from the school of, 'you fuck with me, you go missing', so your friend should keep that in mind," Nic stated, as he dodged another playful swat from Victoria.

  "Silly man," she said, hugging him.

  Nic, staying very true to his word, was more open with Victoria. When he was having a down day, he would tell her, and much to his surprise, she usually could brighten his outlook. He had forgotten how sarcastic and funny she could be.

  And their house started to feel more like a home when Victoria and his mom started decorating. He gave them free reign. He knew that Victoria wouldn't go crazy with his credit card, but his mom...that was a different story.

  But there was one room that he did want to help Victoria with and that was the baby's room. This was all new territory for both of them, and two minds were definitely better than one.

  Victoria noticed a significant change in Nic. He was more calm and relaxed now. And he hadn't woken up from a bad dream since the night that had started their argument.

  But, at the moment she was inwardly groaning. She hated these awkward business parties Nic had to attend. And plus she felt a little heavier than normal, for obvious reasons, so she had absolutely nothing to wear. It was just a tiny little paunch she had, but to her, it was still a different body. But Nic loved it. He said it made her look even sexier if that was possible. Of course, he could have just been trying to make her feel good about her changing body, but either way, she needed the boost of confidence. This whole pregnancy thing was all so foreign to her. She never dreamt of being a mom, let alone Nic Andretti being the father.

  She remembered the first time she saw him, when he had walked into her father's restaurant years ago. He looked so young, yet intimidating. She had been cleaning off a table when she looked up at the group of men entering. She couldn't take her eyes off him. He glanced over at her and then turned his attention towards the kitchen.

  Yes, they had definitely come a long way since that day. But she brought her attention back to the task at hand. She needed to figure out what dress to wear.

  Nic had called her earlier that day, and asked her to be ready. Well, since she was forced to go to these lame, stuffy parties she would try something a little different. She grabbed the dress of her choice, and slid it on. Tight...much tighter than she last remembered. But whatever, it would have to do.

  Once she was dressed she sat on the couch until she saw his car lights in the driveway. Showtime.

  Nic was about to get out, when Victoria opened the front door. Goddamn, she...just Goddamn. She looked so fucking good, he wanted to march her ass right back upstairs and put their new bed sheets to good use. She was wearing a short, off the shoulder red dress with thin strapped high heels. The dress was extremely tight, due to her current condition, that turned him on. He could see the slight bulge in the lower section of her stomach. He never thought he'd be one of those men that got turned on even more by their pregnant wife...but he was learning a few new things about himself since Victoria had come into his life. She had her curly thick ringlets swooped into a messy up do and minimal makeup, which is exactly how he loved to see her face.

  Even though his windows were extremely tinted, Victoria knew that he was staring at her. She smirked at him and walked toward his newest toy, which was a Ferrari. This man spent way too much money.

  When she got closer, Nic finally got out and gave his wife a noticeable once-over. He walked over to the passenger side door and opened it for her.

  "You're going to make this very distracting for me, Victoria," Nic growled, as he squeezed his wife's ass as she got in.

  Victoria smiled. She knew she had chosen a more risqué dress, but chalk it up to hormones, because she was feeling frisky tonight. She was definitely going to try to make this party interesting for herself. She turned to look at him when he got in.

  "Okay, let's make a bet then," Victoria said. "If I can distract you at least three times tonight, then we get to leave early, okay?"

  Nic thought about it. "Alright. And how will you know if I'm distracted?"

  "Smile at me."

  "Game," Nic said, squeezing his wife's smooth toned thigh, and then rubbing his hand further up.

  Victoria pushed it back down. "Nope, you have to wait until we get to the party."

  When they finally arrived, Victoria realized this party was just like the previous parties they had attended. She even saw a few familiar faces from the past get-togethers. None who she actually knew their names, though. She held tightly to Nic's hand as he walked through groups of people, shaking hands and introducing her. They finally approached a larger group of men. She recognized one of the men, Sam. He worked for Nic and was his Vice President of Designs. He was a pretty nice guy, but Victoria couldn't stand his wife. From the moment the two were introduced at an office party, his wife Rhonda seemed to look down on her. Victoria wasn't sure if it was because she was much younger...or black, but after their initial greeting, Victoria didn't have two words to say to that snooty bitch.

  "Hello, gentleman, this is my wife, Victoria Andretti," Nic said, as Victoria said hello to the large group of men.

  A thin balding man grabbed Victoria's hand and shook it. "No wonder Nic never seems to be stressed," he joked. "Nice to meet you Victoria."

  Victoria smiled back and surveyed the group. They were all staring at her. It was times like these that she wished she paid more attention to what her husband did. So she'd at least have some talking points. Well, she did have a mission tonight, and she needed to get started, so she could get the hell out of there.

  As Nic stood there speaking with the men, Victoria slowly slid her hand from his waist to his ass and pinched. She heard Nic pause just briefly before she looked up and saw a slight grin from the corner of his mouth. One down, two more to go.

  After a few more minutes, Victoria finally excused herself from the group and went to look at some interesting paintings on the wall. Anything to take her mind off this dull party, until she could think of another distracting trick. But as she was looking over the artwork, she was really drawn in by a painting of a mother holding her child. She was so mesmerized, that she didn't notice her own little audience staring at her.

  "So, who are you here with?" she heard a raspy voice ask. Victoria glanced to the side and noticed a tiny older woman. She was in very good shape with a few thick pieces of perfectly placed white strands through her short dark brown hair.

  "Hi. My husband's Nic Andretti. The tall one with his hands in his pockets," Victoria pointed out. The woman followed her finger until she spotted him.

  "Oh, he's very handsome. I think my husband introduced me to him at the last party. My name is Hilary McCray. Nice to meet you," she said, extending her hand to Victoria.

  "I'm Victoria. Nice to meet you as well."

  Hilary gave her a once-over and then turned back to Nic. "You and your husband make a very handsome couple. You should come to one of our parties. We throw a big bash every month. Spectacular key parties, and I'm sure our regular guests would be thrilled to meet you two."

  "Key party? Is that like a costume party, or something?" Victoria innocently asked.

  Hilary smi
led. "Sort of."

  "Oh, well that sounds nice. We'd love to come. Thank you," Victoria smiled, as she looked over at her husband.

  "Hope you do join," Hilary said, handing Victoria her card.

  Well, at least she had met one nice person. But Victoria still had some distracting to do. She walked over to the bar and asked the bartender for three olives. He handed her a large toothpick with the olives impaled on it. She turned to look at Nic.

  Once she had his attention, she slowly and seductively licked the top olive. He narrowed his eyes at her and tried to rejoin his conversation. But she could tell that curiosity got the better of him, and he glanced in her direction again. She took that opportunity to quickly place the entire toothpick with all three olives in her mouth and slowly pulled them off. She closed her eyes and moaned.