I arrive at work as excited as a flea.
I start printing out the files and brochures we've been making for months now. Henry joins me and puts an arm around my shoulders in greeting. He quickly removes the jacket from his midnight blue suit and loosens his black tie, rolling up his sleeves. "Okay, Lulu. Tell me what I can do to make it go faster." I push him away with one hand as he begins to lean over the pile of freshly printed papers: "You're not touching anything! You'll ruin my organization. Instead, open the folder on my computer and go through the documents and statistics!" Henry gives me a big smile and runs to stand behind my desk. I hear him furiously clicking, then silence. I look up at him as I bind the last few sheets of paper together. Henry is as excited as I am. His concentration is at its peak, and I know his photographic memory is taking over by the way his pupils start to move. I finally put the documents on my table and08: 00 PM. Merda. (Shit*) I'm late for work. What a day! Late this afternoon, Matteo called me to come in for a blood test. He's worried about the seizure I had the other day and wants to do a checkup because of the tranquilizers he gave me. Of course, I went quickly. He's the family doctor. If he tells me to come, there must be a perfect reason. I was so angry all day that I fell asleep as soon as I got home. Dio mio! I grab my cell phone and quickly press the screen to warn Henry. I grit my teeth when I realize he left me about twenty voicemails and texts. * 05: 45 PM Jones has reserved a table at Solar. We'll meet downstairs at 8:00 pm. * 06: 00 PM Lulu, I don't know if I should wear my blue or gray suit. What will you wear? * 06: 10 PM I'll wear a grey suit. * 06: 15 PM Lulu, change of plan. My car has a problem. Jones sent a driver for you. Be ready at 7:30. * 07: 30 PM
Solar, one of the most exclusive restaurants in town. I wrinkle my nose as I realize what the place's name means before glancing at my driver. "Does the restaurant belong to your brother?" Santo lights a cigar before freezing for a moment. Then he rolls down the window and tosses it onto the pavement. "Not Elio's." I frown. "Questo ristorante è mio," (This restaurant is mine*)he replies almost shyly. I think I raise my eyebrows so high that they touch my hairline. "And you called it Solar?" "Si." (Yes*) "Come mai?" (Why?*) his fascination with his big brother is even crazier than I thought. "E perchè no? (And why not?)," he replies without looking at me. He seems to have seen someone further away and doesn't take his eyes off her. I quickly get out of the car, but I turn around and point in his direction. "This conversation isn't over, Santo." He merely makes a sweeping gesture with his hand to signal me to g
I start to answer, but a ringing cell phone interrupts me. Jones pulls out the phone and gets up, apologizing. He goes away from the table and goes to answer it further away. "Damn it, Lucia! You've known Jones personally all this time, and you kept quiet! Speak up, woman!" he says in a voice of mixed excitement and curiosity. I let out a sigh and am so annoyed that I down my mojito in one gulp. Then I signal to a waiter, "The same. Double the rum, please." Henry gives me the stink eye but doesn't dare say anything. "I told you this man is dangerous, Henry. The less you know, the better," I reply, shaking my head. Henry starts to protest but stops immediately. Jones is back and takes his place beside us. He leaves the screen of his cell phone turned up and what I see there tears my heart. "Do you have children, Mr. Jones? May I see them?" asks Henry, giving him a big smile. Jones just grins back at him and swallows his bourbon hard.
"Speak, woman," Henry suddenly orders me. I roll my eyes and signal the waiter to give me the same drink. However, Henry grabs my forearm and makes a cleaver gesture below his throat at the waiter. "I think we'll start with some proper explanations before you end up rolling under the table, Lulu!" he tells me, concern shining in his eyes. "There's nothing more to say. I know Jones, and Jones knows me. Period," I reply, making an exaggerated sucking noise with my straw. "All right. And can I ask how you even know him?" "No." "Did you go to school together?" he asks me, amused. "No." "Yes... he looks much older. Oh, I know! You were friends with his wife!" I nearly choke on my gulp and quickly grab my white napkin and come to rest it against my lips. I let out a sigh and lean my back firmly against my chair. "That's it. I'm friends with his wife." Henry suddenly frowns and straightens up, looking in the direction Jones has ta
I didn't see the return trip pass by. My situation took over my mind. My stilettos pounded the pavement, and I gritted my teeth as I saw men in black suits standing guard outside the doors of the building where I lived. The two gorillas standing at the bottom of the stairs bow their heads slightly when they recognize me. I walk furiously and stop at their level without a glance at them. "Cosa si fai qui? (What are you doing here?)," I ask through gritted teeth. I try to keep my annoyance aside. These men are not responsible for the actions of their Don. "Facciamo la guardia, Signora Lucia."(We are on guard*) "Perché? (Why?)" However, I am grabbed by the arm and have to make monstrous efforts not to let out a scream. I know who it is just by the pungent smell of cigars and Cologne. "Let me go, Santo. I don't want to cause a scene," I ordered him with falsely calm air. "Don't talk with the minions, Lulu," he replies, pulling me toward the buildi
Santo freezes, and I see the bitterness gradually creep over his features. "Yes, Lulu. And, instead of leaning on Matteo and me, you wanted the most dangerous of us. The only Ganovese who remains in the shadows. Elio Ganovese, the man in absolute control of his emotions. The man always in control of everything. Do you know how it felt the day he called you 'Luce dei miei occhi' (Light of my eyes*) without realizing it?" I slowly nod. Santo, Matteo, and I had a big fight the day they learned I was in a relationship with their brother. Since then, I hated Santo, who had been the most virulent against me. "You brought fucking light to a man who lives in fucking darkness all the time. We warned you that you would never be free again if you let Elio's love grow for you. We told you to stay away. You know our family's saying: Mangiare bene, ridere spesso, amare molto. (Eat well, laugh often, love a lot. *) We warned you that we would never oppose him, that we co
As soon as he says these words, I literally jump on his neck. I clutch the fabric of his black turtleneck in my hands and start kissing him passionately. I can't help but sigh as his hand slides down the back of my neck to pull me a little closer to him. Elio. My Elio. Merda. (Shit*) At the point where I am now, there's no need to think anymore. He starts walking towards the living room without ever leaving my lips. His hand stays firmly against my neck, and he almost throws his glass of bourbon on the impressive glass coffee table. "Show me, Amore mio," he says against my lips as my hands slip under his black top. I push him to sit on his oversized black leather corner couch. He spreads his legs so I stand right in front of him. I begin to unbutton my jacket without taking my eyes off him. Elio smiles at me and leans comfortably against the backrest. The way he looks at me h
Elio steps back and lets me get up. I bend down to grab my clothes, thrown carelessly to the side, and I start to get dressed. He beckons me to come closer, and then he helps me to pull up the zipper of my white pencil skirt. "You could spend the night here," he says, watching me calmly. I look up at him for a moment as I button my jacket. "I could, yes," I whisper to him. And it breaks my heart to see the hope shining in his eyes. Elio runs his hands down my back and pulls me back to him. He spreads my legs enough so I'm kneeling on the couch right before him. Then he puts his hands on my cheeks and comes to press our foreheads together. "What more do I have to do to make you stay?" I frown slightly. I try to pull my head back, but Elio holds my neck firmly. "Sign the divorce papers." Elio lets out a sigh. "I refuse. You are mine. You agreed to be mine. You can't abandon me again. Especially not today. I can leave you your apartment, your business, amore mio. But I will neve
Cazzo. Of course, Elio knows! But who told him? Which of our men hastened to tell him... and if. What if Elio goes after Didi? What if Elio drags her down here and forces her to be with me? I'm such an idiot. Elio would never do that. My brother's far too cautious. It's not like him to act this way. The proof is that he still hasn't gone looking for Lucia. "There is no girl. Everything you've been told is bullshit," I reply at last. Elio wobbles, and I can see that he's struggling to stay on his feet before me. The dampness of the air over the last few days must be reawakening the pain in his leg. However, he's still coming closer to me, and I can smell the rancid odor of alcohol on his breath. I nervously start banging my knees. "The famous prostitute everyone's talking about?" asks Elio. His expression is icy. There's been no humanity left in my older brother for almost three years now. Elio loses his balance, and I rush forward to pick him up. He reeks of alcohol and tob
Santo : I finally arrive at Villa Ganovese. Eduardo, our old butler, rushes up to me and grabs my leather jacket as I furiously throw it towards the coat rack. Cazzo. I've got to break something. I've got to... I grab the coat rack and rip it from the wall where it was hung last month. Eduardo looks at me, annoyed, but withdraws without saying anything. Besides, this isn't my first crisis. So he knows it's never a good idea to stand too close to me when this happens. Cazzo. Cazzo. Cazzo. I've got to calm down. I nervously run my hands through my hair as I head straight for the kitchen. I take a moment to glance at the large clock, a veritable jewel of goldsmith's art, steel, and craftsmanship, hanging on the wall. I don't know how Lulu managed to find something like this. Only the hands are visible, and there's nothing to indicate the presence of a plug or motor. Cazzo! It's not yet time for me to eat when I'm in Vill
I look at him and start yawning without even putting my hand in front of my mouth. I start laughing the moment he grabs a handful of my hair. I take advantage of this and immediately pull his ponytail in the opposite direction. We look perfectly stupid with our heads tilted to one side, challenging each other with our eyes. "Let go," Salvatore articulates slowly. "Only if you let go first, Sali," I reply, also gritting my teeth. "Stop being childish," Vincenzo orders with a sigh. Salvatore and I let go at the same time, raising our hands. Then he finally comes out, shaking my hair to annoy me. "I want cannoli for breakfast tomorrow," Salvatore declares. "You can stick them wherever I think," I reply, giving him a masterful middle finger under the disapproving gaze of my eldest brother. I hear Salvatore laugh and can't help smiling back. Of course, I'll give him all the cannoli in the universe. Cazzo. He's a bastard, but I love him. Ha! I'll put thos
(Didi) "Let go of me, Vin," I say, trying to free my arm from my older brother's grip. He doesn't let go until the black doors of his armored car open. Vincenzo almost throws me inside, and I immediately find myself seated between Salvatore and Terzo. "We've found her, Don Vincenzo," declares one of our men. I hear Salvatore and Terzo stifle a laugh, then they both put an arm around my shoulders. "In the other car. I've got urgent family business to attend to," replies my eldest brother. I frown, realizing that my brothers have come to pick up a woman. Who is she? "A target," I ask. But Terzo presses his index finger against my temple. "Stai zitto (shut up*), Didi," he orders me. I cross my arms over my chest and just stare into the central rearview mirror so I can observe the expression on Vincenzo's face. But that's a waste of time. The Bonanis aren't known for being very expressive. Salvatore's furious gaze doesn't escape me, and I end up looking
"How much do I take?" I repeat. Santo suddenly pulls me into a hug, and I'm wondering whether I'm dreaming or not. I realize I'm sitting right on his... the Madonna! He looks thrilled to see me there! If I'm dreaming... really, it would be great if I could avoid waking up too quickly. I try to sit up, leaning on his shoulders, but he holds me firmly and starts laughing. Oh, dear. The things his laughter does to my body. "Kiss me, Didi," he commands, sliding his hands just under my chest. "Wh...what?" I reply, pulling my head back. Damn, this dream sounds too real to be true. I know. What I'm saying doesn't make sense, but wow. Santo grabs my jaw with one hand, his eyes are locked on my mouth, and he's looking at me like I'm a white chocolate pana cotta with raspberry coulis. "I want you to kiss me, Didi," he says seriously. Santo straightens up to kiss me. Hey. SANTO GETS UP TO KISS ME!? I'm frozen in place. What should I do? A) let him do it. B
(Didi) Santo presses me against him with a sharp gesture. Wini gives me a big smile before releasing my hands and winking away. Great, sister! She abandons me as soon as a slightly attractive guy touches me. Well, okay. He's not just any guy. Yes. I also agree that it's THE good-looking guy who gropes me, but still! You can't say you're the sister who's looking out for me and abandoning me to the first frotter who comes along... even if that frotter is a living god on whom I'd rather rub myself indecently, but... Hey. I don't know if he's got a flashlight in his pants or if it's... oh. A shiver runs down my spine. Santo's hand moves up under my crop top and stops where my bra is. "It's Santo," he whispers in my ear in a husky voice. To say my panties are soaked at this precise moment is an understatement. It's a fucking tidal wave, and I have to squeeze my legs. I feel like if I breathe or move a millimeter, my thighs will get soaked too. It's the sexies
One of the bartenders waves me over - I know from memory that he's the one in charge of the bar - and he nods towards Wini: "Go get her," he orders me. I nod quickly and feel a warmth gradually building in my chest. Wow. This is the first time I've felt "safe" as a woman among ordinary citizens. Wini was right when she said the employees here were one big family. I quickly put down my tray and move through the crowd to put a hand on Wini's shoulder: "Hey. We need reinforcements. Big order on the way, and I need arms." I don't glance at Wini, but I observe the stronzo standing before her. He's ogling me from head to toe. Moron thinks he's at the top of the food chain in his little striped shirt and gold chains. I just want to jam my pen into his jugular when I see him licking his lips. Wini is completely tense, but she pulls me toward the bar. However, I don't know why, but my eyes land behind the stronzo. And now I'm terrified too. Vincenzo is there. Behind him are my
(Didi-a little before the events in the nightclub.) I got home last night and had to sneak through Villa Bonani to avoid being intercepted by my brothers. There is no way I would let any of them ask me questions and start looking through my things. I'm lying in my room, dressed simply in a large black knit and panties, as I take out my pay for the evening. Between my fingers, I manipulate the sum I've collected in a single night. I'm amazed by the ease with which I've been able to gather so much money so quickly. "So much money?" I say aloud with irony and bitterness. I'm not even close. Merda. At this rate, I'm going to have to take on contracts if I want to get the hell out of this house as soon as possible. No, no, no, Didi. You've done everything you can to become an ordinary citizen. Keep your goal in mind, I can't help but scold myself. I need money. I've got a newspaper spread out in front of me, and I'm horrified by the rent prices. If I take into accoun
(Santo) Did I listen to Matteo and go home to change? Absolutely. Did I scour the net for "total boyfriend" chick mags to find out what to wear? Absolutely. Did I nag our employees for THE outfit for tonight? Yes, I did. So here I am, surrounded by my bodyguards, as we walk past everyone into the strip club-turned-nightclub. No sooner had I arrived than Alvize, the manager, ran up to me and nodded towards the VIP section of the nightclub. Cazzo. My five cousins are all here already. I can tell by the number of girls in skimpy dresses climbing the steps leading up to the room. I can hear them shouting my name when these stronzi notice me. Cazzo. I wanted to go to the "office" first, ask for Didi to serve me, and then I would have joined them. "Saaaaaantooooo" scream my cousins when I arrive. I find myself having to hug each one of them. But I'm livid because their presence ruins all my plans for tonight. One of them stares me up and down and runs his hands