The Lucky Doberman

Chapter 36: The Pain of Phone Calls

Three days passed and two of those days I spent with Marco. One of them he was was gone all day. The other two we just kept reading over the notebooks and trying to break the message. We hadn't kissed, hugged, or done any other kind of intimacy during that time. It was just work.

Which...

Kind of hurt my feelings.

But I wouldn't bring it up.

He'd gone back home and wasn't sleeping at my place anymore. He'd be here in a few minutes to pick me up for work.
I'd stopped calling him Marco simply because it didn't feel like more than a work relationship. He was really nice, but...I wasn't getting anywhere. And he's so bipolar that I can never tell if he likes me or not. One minute he'll say he thinks I'm pretty and the next I'm basically another employee to boss around.

I received a text and expected it to be Mr. De Luca letting me know he was here.

'Hey..' It was from Josh.
'Hi' I greeted.
'Wyd?'
'About to head to work, wbu?'
'Already in the office lol'
'Wow that's an early start' it was only 7:55am right now.
'Yea, I couldn't sleep well last night anyway so I figured I'd just head in early. Got the janitor to unlock the door for me.'
'Oh okay'

I received another text from someone else. 'I'm here'

I grabbed my purse and headed for the door. As I was sliding my phone in, I heard something ruffle.
I looked inside and it was a bag.
I don't remember putting this in there. And how didn't I notice? Since I'd been inside the past few days, I didn't need my purse, but still. My purse isn't very big. Just big enough to carry my phone, wallet, and inhaler.
I grabbed the bag and looked inside of it.

It was a ring box and...the necklace I liked from the jewelry store we went to. The jewelry store we went to for Viviana. I forgot about Viviana.
But now I remembered.
I guess he put this in here so he wouldn't forget it in the car after the shootout.
I looked back in the bag at the necklace I wanted. I bit my lip to hold back the tears.
I'm wasting my time.

I finally left my apartment and headed to his car. He was driving today.

I hopped in the passenger seat and buckled my seatbelt.

My phone vibrated and I checked to see.
'I was wondering if maybe later you'd want to get lunch or something,' Josh texted.
'Yea. We can do that' I sniffed and hit send.

I looked up and noticed we weren't moving.

I looked at Mr. De Luca.
He was already looking at me.

"You're crying." he stated.
"No, I'm not," I replied. I was trying hard not to cry. I hadn't cried, yet.
"You look like you want to."
"No..." I shook my head.
He just stared at me.
"Can we go please?" I asked and looked back into my lap.
"Are you okay?"
"I'm okay." I lied.
He drove out of the parking garage.

The entire carride was in silence.

'Okay great, when's your lunch break?' Josh texted.
'I typically get to choose if I just ask. So when's yours?'
'1:30. I'll pick you up, just send your work address.'
'Okay'

We made it to the building and I unbuckled my seatbelt.

My arm was grabbed when I reached for my door.

"Why are you about to cry?" he asked.
"I'm not."
"Yes, you are."
I didn't answer. I just looked at him.
"What happened?"
"Nothing." I replied.

I went into my purse and grabbed the bag with a sniff and an attempt to dry my eyes.

"Um, I think you left this in my purse a few days ago." I handed it to him and he looked at it.
"Lucky-..."
"It's okay. They're both very pretty. I hope she likes them." I stated and got out of the car.

I walked inside of the building and towards the elevator to head inside his office.

I wiped my tears and stepped inside.

The minute it opened again on his floor, I walked to the bathroom to dry my eyes.
I knew this wouldn't work out and I still tried. I tried as if I thought the outcome would be something different. Am I insane? He told me the plan and still I liked him. I'm not even allowed to cry. I'm practically a homewrecker.
Which made me cry harder. I never meant to be one.

I fixed my face and walked out of the bathroom to see him exiting the elevator.

"Lucky..." he called.
"Yes?" I replied.
We stood in front of each other and he wasn't saying anything.

I just stared. Confused.

"Is there something you want me to do?" I asked kindly.

His office door opened.

"There you are, boss. Everybody's waitin' inside," said one of his employees.
"I'm comin'. Shut up."
The guy went back inside.
"Tell him I said to hurry." I heard a woman's voice.
"Uh...Viviana said hurry." he stated and walked back inside.
She's here. That's nice.
"I'll wait here I guess." I stated.
He took his phone out and handed it to me. "Answer calls."
Right. Answer calls.
I nodded. He walked inside.
At this point I should just be his personal receptionist.

The phone rang.
"Why does this always happen when I get the phone?" I asked aloud and hoped it wouldn't be another yelling fit.

"Hello?" I answered.
"Hi." It was that man's sexy voice again.
"Hi..." I replied. Smitten.
"This is the assistant again, isn't it?" he asked.
"Yea..."
"Yea, I'd recognize that pretty voice anywhere."
I giggled. I giggled from a man I didn't know and had never seen. His voice is just so smooth and flirty. I never knew I had a thing for voices until now.
"Where's your boss, sweetheart?" he wondered.
"He just stepped into his office for a meeting," I responded.
"Damn. I missed him again."
"Yea, I'm sorry."
"That's alright. I got to talk to you."
I was smiling.
"Can you do me a favor?" he asked.
Anything.
"Sure." I replied.
"Tell your boss I called this time. I don't wanna ring him and miss a third time."
"Okay. Can I have your name?"
"Caio. Tell him it's important. I want a meeting."
"Caio. That's a nice name." I complimented.
"Thank you." I could always hear his smile when he speaks. "What's yours? I'm assuming it isn't Lucky."
"Zoe..."
"Beautiful."
I smiled to myself.
"As much as I like listening to your voice, I have to go, sweetheart. But do deliver my message, please."
"I will."
"Thank you. Bye."
"Bye..." I replied.
We hung up.

Such a lovely voice. It melts my insides. He sounds like if Mr. De Luca was a 'go with the flow' and 'relaxed' kind of guy. They both speak lowly it's just that the tones were different. Caio sounded like a romantic. Mr. De Luca sounds like an interrogator.

I waited patiently for their meeting to be over.

It rang again.
That was quick.

I answered.

"Hello?"
"Who is this?" I recognized that voice too.
"This is Lucky. Mr. De Luca's assistant. He's currently in a meeting and doesn't want to be disturbed."
"Is the meeting with my daughter?" Stefano asked.
"She is present. Yes."
"Will he propose?"
I sighed. "I'm not sure."
"This is the girl who Marco brought into my home, isn't it?"
"Yes sir."
"You tell him I said this, if he wants what he's bargaining for, he'll put you back on the corner he found you at and propose to my daughter. I see how he looks at you and I know you're trying to seduce him with that body for your own gain but you will not strip my family's future away from them, you insolent whore. I will know if you did not relay this message by the quickness of his proposal. If you cared about your boss, you'd quit. Find someone else to whore around for but whatever and whoever my angel wants, she will get." He hung up the phone.
I stood there with a confused expression, watery eyes, and tears leaking down my cheeks without my permission.

I felt worse now that I'd actually slept with him. The words hurt worse after I'd already torn myself down for it.
I wiped my face but the tears continued anyway. Today wasn't a good day.