The Red Shoe Chronicles : A Fantasy Romance Anthology

by N. R. Larry

  Then a voice stopped me in my tracks.

  "Told ya she couldn't cut it," I heard one of his henchmen say.

  Were they betting how long I would last?

  Those men were despicable, in my opinion, so I didn't know why I cared what he thought of me, but that fire from earlier blazed hotter, and it wanted to convince him he was wrong. I wasn't a quitter. I had endured the worst of days, being evicted repeatedly because I couldn't afford my rent, but I was still determined to make New York City work for me. Because it was my dream to make it in the big apple, yes, I could cut it. I just needed a better plan.

  So, whiskey it was. I went over to the bar and poured the drinks myself and brought them back to the table with a smile on my face. "Anything else I can get you, gentlemen?"

  The Capo studied me again, trailing his eyes down the length of me. They widened once he caught a glimpse of my stilettos from underneath the table. His eyes then rested back on mine, still wearing that infamous smirk on his flawlessly handsome face I so desperately wanted to smack away. That smirk was a Vincenzo trademark. "Do you have anything to go with those stilettos?"

  "No." Now it was time to see if there was indeed magic to the shoes or if the lady in red was a liar.

  "Unacceptable." He grimaced, gesturing for his men to move. Quickly they obeyed him and slid out of the booth to stand on either side as if they were royal guards standing in front of a castle.

  He towered over me, drowning me in his cologne, and stealing my breath. Not only did he look like power, but he reeked of it, too. Grabbing my wrist, he walked me over to my boss, who was preparing our specialty cocktail of the day, the Garibaldi. I wish I had one right now because Capo Vincenzo had my emotions jumbled into a ball, and I couldn't tell where one ended and where another began.

  "Marco," he growled. "Today will be Rosalie's last day."

  "I beg your pardon?" I twisted my face into a scowl. Now he's done it.

  Marco looked around with wide eyes but didn't protest. "Okay, sir."

  "What?! No! I need this job."

  "You work for me now. Better compensation." Capo Vincenzo snatched me by my wrist as he dragged me behind him and out the door. His henchmen followed suit.

  I managed to wrangle my wrist free once we were outside. "You may control other people's lives, but I'll be damned if I will allow you to control mine." I was even surprised by myself. The boost of confidence was a force to be reckoned with wearing these shoes. I glared at Capo Vincenzo straight in the eyes, feeling as untouchable as he presented himself to be.

  He smirked with a gaze that made ice trickle down my spine and a volcano erupt in my pussy. I was tempted to shove his head between my legs so he would stop staring at me like a wolf about to rip apart his prey. "Oh, Bellissima. I'll let that one slide, but from now on, you better watch how you talk to me. Whether you like it or not, I own you. Today. Tomorrow. Forever. The only way out is death. So, either you do what I say and get in the limo, or I'll shoot you right between those pretty little eyes. What's it going to be?"

  Well, fuck. That was quite the ultimatum. Submit or die. Decisions, decisions. Sure, I would submit. If there was one thing, I knew for sure about the Vincenzos, it was they always followed up on their death threats, and today wasn't the day to tempt fate, so... "Fine. I'll go."

  "Good girl." One of his men held the door open for us; I slid across the luxurious leather seats. Capo sat next to me, leaving no room for me to escape if I had second thoughts. The realization of my impending doom punched me square in the gut so hard bile rose in my throat. At that moment, I knew I was never getting out of New York unless it was in a body bag.

  Man, it’s incredible how quickly your life could change. One moment I was a waitress, next I was the Capo's bitch.

  Were the shoes a blessing in disguise or a curse?

  Chapter 2

  Most of the drive he didn't so much as look in my direction. He had been arguing with someone on the phone in Italian. So, imagine my surprise when we pulled over on Fifth Avenue. Capo slipped out of the limo and didn't hesitate to offer me his hand. Maybe I wasn't invisible to him after all. Again, I thanked the shoes because I had imagined things going a lot different without them with how I had mouthed off to him at the restaurant. I'd be dead for sure.

  Glancing around, my heart jumped into my throat. This man was crazier than I thought. "Aren't we in Giamatti territory?"

  "You let me worry about that." The streetlights came on one by one as we walked toward a high-end boutique. One I had fantasized about but never thought I'd ever step foot in. We were still in New York, but being in his presence, riding in a stretch limo, I felt worlds away from home.

  "Bellissima, after you."

  Crazy but still a gentleman. "Thank you."

  All the saleswomen on the floor scattered to the back when they caught sight of the tyrant walking through the door. The clerk behind the counter seemed unfazed by his holy presence and busied herself hanging clothes back on the racks before even coming over to greet us.

  "How can I help you?" the middle-aged woman said with a forced smile.

  "No help needed. I know my way around."

  "Okay, sir." She quickly pivoted on her red bottoms and went back to tending the racks.

  He jerked me along by my wrist through the plush carpeted aisles.

  "Why are we here?"

  "I am going to a surprise party tonight. You're my date." He led me to the new arrivals section.

  I skimmed my fingers along the silk and chiffon dresses. The dresses were draped in real diamonds. When he relinquished his hold, I snapped out of my clothes-induced daze. "What if I already have plans?" I didn't, but he didn't need to know that.

  "They've just been canceled."

  I rolled my eyes. "Okay, your majesty."

  He stopped mid-search for whatever he was looking for. "I'm serious."

  I put my hands up in defeat. "All right." I went combing through the racks beside him, stumbling upon a red silk dress.

  But of course, Capo had another in mind. "No, this one." He held up the plainest black dress I'd ever seen.

  I snorted. "But it's so...stiff."

  "C'mon, it's Prada. Plus, It's my mother's surprise party. You need to make a la bella figure."

  "A what?" Mother fucker, speak English! "Hold up. I'm meeting your mother?"

  "Yeah, if I don't kill you first. Now, try it on."

  He has to be joking. "No." I glared in defiance. This was a surprise party, not a freaking funeral. I wouldn't be caught dead meeting his mother in that expensive bedsheet.

  Capo growled, backing me into a dressing room as he gripped me around my jaw, the flames of hell burning in his eyes. "Listen, little girl, you're testing my fucking patience. Do what I say, or I promise you won't live to see another day. Capire?"

  My whole body went numb from the intensity in his eyes. So, I nodded like the good girl he expected me to be. C'mon, shoes, work your charm.

  "Good. Now, undress."

  "Can I at least have some privacy?"

  There was a knock on the door. "Is everything okay in there?" I recognized the voice of the store clerk that greeted us.

  He looked at me expectantly.

  "I'm fine. Thanks for asking." We watched her feet disappear from underneath the door before continuing our little spat.

  "No." He folded his arms, pinning me with a don't-test-me-again glare.

  And with a gulp, I did as I was told, careful not to remove the shoes as I undid my skirt and slipped them off. I reached for my shirt, but he stopped me, grabbing my wrist. "Panties next."

  "What?"

  "You heard me. You can't wear any with that dress."

  Fuck me. I began to tremble; I had never felt so humiliated in my life, and he was only getting started.

  "Don't make me repeat myself."

  "Okay, okay. The panties are coming off." Suddenly, I was regretting the day I canceled my wax appointment. I didn't want the next Don of New York t
o see my untamed bush. Slowly but surely, I slid my black satin panties down my legs and stepped out of them, covering my privates with my hands.

  Capo raised an eyebrow, raking his eyes over my exposed skin. "Don't be shy, nothing I haven't seen before."

  Squeezing my eyelids shut, I removed my hand, and even though I couldn't see his reaction, I could feel his penetrating gaze on me, on my pussy. It mortified me just as much as it made me wet.

  The next minute, he was hovering above me, his whiskey-laced breath hot against my forehead. "We don't have all day." In a quick swoop, he ripped my shirt open, yanking it off me with a grunt. My pussy throbbed in response, betraying me, and it irritated me that my body was so receptive to him.

  Capo's hand trailed down between my breasts to in between my legs. He pressed against my thighs, attempting to part them.

  When I wouldn't give, I felt his warm hand wrap around my throat. "Open up," he demanded.

  "Please, don't do this." Tears escaped my closed eyelids.

  "Don't act like you don't want it. You're dripping all over my hand, and I've barely touched you. Now, open up and look at me."

  He shoved his hand further up my thigh until his fingertips were teasing my entrance. I shuddered to exhale a breath. This man had me feeling things I didn't want to feel, yet part of me craved his darkness. His expert touches.

  So, I let the darkness into me, spreading my legs, offering a piece of myself I no longer seemed to own. He had gained possession of my body and my soul.

  "Bellissima, look at me." His voice was soft yet commanding. Hesitantly, I opened them, afraid of the truth I might find in there. No matter how much I resisted, would he always win?

  Still, I was the kind of girl that didn't go down without a fight. Fine, I'd be his Barbie doll, his plaything, for now, but I planned to milk this asshole for everything he was worth. Shoes or no shoes. I wasn't going to bust my ass working as a waitress to get the money I needed. No. Looking into his disturbingly sharp eyes, I saw my end as much as I saw a way out. With that thought, I straightened my shoulders because, little did he know, I had declared a war of my own.

  I spread my legs wider. "So, what the hell are you waiting for?" I shot him a challenging glance.

  He laughed. "Oh, you have no idea who you're dealing with, do you?" With that, his hold around my neck tightened as he slipped two fingers inside my pussy, removing them only to shove back in further.

  Harder.

  A yelp left my lips as my core trembled below, my legs turning into the consistency of jelly. His pace was punishing as his thumb rubbed against my clit, coaxing a strangled moan to leave my throat. I knew everyone in the boutique heard me. He had my body in a death grip; my mind was begging him to stop while my pussy was screaming for more. Unfortunately, my pussy won this round.

  "Yes, come all over my fingers so I can taste you."

  "Oh, fuck."

  "Oh, little girl, I'll have to punish that filthy mouth later."

  Yes, please!

  He finger-fucked me even harder, his cock stabbing into me. I bit my lip, reaching out to stroke him through his dress pants.

  "Is that what you want, Bellissima? My cock inside you?" Capo ground against my hand.

  I didn't answer; my mind was spiraling from the heat consuming me. The urge to feel his thick, throbbing cock inside me overrode any rational thought. And with another finger added to his sweet torture, I shook uncontrollably, screaming as I came. On my next tattered breath, the evidence of my sin was leaving my body in a sticky puddle.

  "For you not wanting me to touch you, you left quite a mess." The sight of him licking my arousal off each finger was the sexiest thing I'd ever seen a man do. I came all over again. "Now that you're less tense. Try on the fucking dress."

  Did he just try to manipulate me with a finger-fuck? "Fine." I didn't know what I had expected; this was a criminal mastermind, after all. Reluctantly, I slipped into the dull fabric he called a dress with a huff and eye roll, and he zipped up the back for me. It glued to my skin in all the right places, accentuating my small waist and hourglass hips.

  "See, Bellissima. The dress doesn't make the woman; the woman makes the dress. I expect you to flaunt a trash bag just as good."

  Capo disclosed his high expectations of me, and I was forced to fall in line with them because he owned me. I hated to admit he was right and did have a valid point. The dress was sexy yet elegant, and I had to make it work for me because I was sure his mother would appreciate a woman with some class and dignity. "It is beautiful, but can I still get the other dress, too?" I pouted, shifting back and forth in the mirror. I flipped my hair over my shoulder to seal the deal.

  His eyes widened before resuming his usual glare. "Ah, what the fuck. I'm feeling generous today. Now, hurry up and get dressed. I got somewhere to be." Without another glance, he stepped out of the dressing room and left me alone with my thoughts.

  Who's manipulating who now, asshole? I modeled in front of the mirror a few more minutes before slipping off the dress and putting back on my work uniform.

  He was waiting by the counter outside the dressing room, tapping his foot while on the phone again.

  The store clerk looked at me, and her gaze softened as if she was relieved to see me. "Are you ready to check out, ma'am?"

  "Um…" I glanced around, looking for the other dress before noticing the red silk material clutched in his hand.

  "This too." He tossed the dress and his credit card onto the counter before going back to cursing someone out on the other line.

  The store clerk and I shared a knowing glance as I warily stepped up to the counter beside him. I handed her the black dress. "This one, too, please. Thank you."

  "At least someone has some manners." She curled her lip up at him, but he was too engulfed in his heated conversation to notice. She leaned over the counter. "I would get out while you can. I've heard what happens to girls like you."

  Her words had the hair on the back of my neck standing at attention. Dread infected my core. How many girls had he brought here? I was foolish to think I'd been the only one. What had happened to them, and when would I be handed the same fate if I didn't take her advice? Was it already too late? "I will." I gave her a reassuring smile, not fully feeling convinced myself.

  She nodded, the look on her face grim. The clerk rang up the tags, after that placing the dresses in a fancy garment bag. Then she reached down, opening a cabinet, and deposited something small into the bag before handing it to me. "For your protection," she mouthed. She ran the card through the system and gave me the receipt.

  The curiosity of what she hid in the bag immediately left my brain when my eyes scrolled across the number on the receipt. My jaw went slack. Fifteen thousand dollars. Unable to tear my eyes away, I said, "Yes. Yes, thank you very much." Do you know what a girl like me could do with fifteen thousand dollars? That was six months' worth of rent for me. A used car. New furniture. And this amount was probably pocket change to a made man like him. This is utterly ridiculous. For two dresses!

  "Have a nice day." She winked at me.

  Capo gripped my wrist before I could say another word. Soon he was shoving me back into the limo, the store clerk's warning floating around inside my head. Would I be able to survive this night?

  Chapter 3

  Back in Little Italy, we pulled up outside my sorry excuse for an apartment on Mott Street, where my bathtub and kitchen occupied the same space.

  Capo pointed to the building. "You live in that dump?"

  "Yep, not everyone can use dirty money to buy a mansion like you."

  He pinched the bridge of his nose, blowing out a breath. "Oh, Bellissima. This won't do." His face reddened a shade, and I squeezed my eyes shut, anticipating him to lash out and rip me a new one.

  But he didn't.

  "Mateo, stay with her and make sure she's ready by eight."

  "Got it, sir."

  "Huh?"

  Mateo helped me out of the limo, and
Capo and his men didn't hesitate to tear down the street and whip around the corner, leaving me standing there awkwardly next to Mateo. Who, by the way, had to be at least seven feet tall. Jesus. I looked up at him. Well, I better hop to it, or his majesty will throw a mantrum.

  We climbed the five flights of stairs, and I opened the doors to my apartment with a nice view of the city but not much else to it. I didn't even have cable or a working stove. The landlord was two months overdue getting it fixed, and I told him I wasn't paying until he did. Mostly to bargain more time to come up with the rent.

  Lately, I had been surviving on Insta-Noodles, free meals from Marco's, and TV dinners.

  Mateo glanced around from the doorway in disgust. "Um. I'll be outside the door." After that, he nodded, closing me in.

  "At least Mateo understands the meaning of privacy." I walked over to the bathtub, hung the garment bag up on the curtain rod, and filled the bathtub with water instead of taking a shower, reminding myself I couldn't take off the shoes because I was guaranteed to slip and bust my ass standing up in the tub with them on. Now the question was, how did I go about not getting them wet? I carefully maneuvered myself into the tub, hanging my legs over the edge, then carefully shifted so my legs were on either side. So far, so good. Getting out was going to be its own challenge, but I would cross that bridge when I got to it.

  Closing my eyes, I inhaled a much-needed breath. Usually, the water was lukewarm, but today, it was piping hot. I reveled in the steam and warmth caressing my skin. Who knew when I would get to take another bath like this.

  Knock! Knock!

  I was snapped out of my bliss back into my crazy and twisted reality. I needed to get dressed to the nines for his mother's surprise party. The annoying thought of ‘what if she didn't like me’ plagued my brain. What would he do then? Punish me? Kill me? The best alternative; set me free? The unknown drowned my confidence into a dark abyss. As much as I didn't like him and what he stood for, I found myself still wanting to please him.

  "You got thirty minutes, gorgeous. I recommend putting an extra pep in your step. Capo doesn't like to be late."