Mafia Protection (Sample)

Chapter 3

"I don't know what to say." Ella stepped off the last step and walked back to the Escalade. Inside, she pulled out a stack of paperwork with company letterhead and handed it to Angelo.

He looked through the sheets and then again. "What the hell do you mean it isn't for sale?" He pinched the bridge of his nose and practically threw the papers at Rafa. Ella flinched at his reaction and stared ahead, avoiding eye contact with either man. Her arms protectively moved around her chest. It made Angelo inhale slowly, filling his lungs full of ocean air. He turned his attention back to Ella, redirecting her focus as he gently grabbed her upper arm.

"Come." He led her to the back seat of the Escalade and opened the door, lifting her hand to help her inside. "I know you had nothing to do with this mishap. Stay here with Brett while I call your company and sort out this mess."

The closed doors on the vehicle did little to shield Ella from Angelo's growling voice as he shouted at the person on the other end of the phone. He paced one way and then the other. His hand flew up in the air and took the phone away from his ear as if he would throw it to the middle of the sea. Then he talked some more, finally saying little and letting the other end speak.

When he was through, Angelo clicked off his phone and dropped it to the inside pocket of his coat. His arms crossed as his temper raged in silence. Rafa did not say a word to him and waited. It took minutes. They finally exchanged some words and Angelo pointed at the Escalade, walking back to the opposite door of Ella. His glaring eyes earned no words from her. She had already given up on leasing out the property.

"The company you work for switched the details of this property with another a mile down. Tell me why I should trust your company when they fucked up like this? That's not good business."

"I don't know what to tell you. This hasn't happened before." Ella started to smooth her wind-blown hair, looking for something to divert her attention from him.

"Why aren't you looking at me when I talk? I'm the client. Don't you want to talk about the property?"

"What? You're still interested?" Ella was shocked. After all of that anger, she figured he would take her back to Santiago's and be done.

"Your company is selling the property for nine million. I'm going to need a week to crunch some numbers together, but I want to close on it next week."

"For sale," she mumbled. Now she would not have the twenty percent down payment for the restaurant. "Not for lease—now what?"

"What's the problem with the property being for sale instead of lease?" Angelo slid to the seat and shut the door as she looked away.

"There's no problem." She tried to make light of the subject but her voice sounded sad.

"Do you get a cut in the sale?" he asked. Ella shook her head and laid her hands in her lap. "Why not?" he questioned further.

"Because I'm the leasing agent. Somebody else handles sales," she answered.

"That makes sense," Rafa added as he stepped into the front seat.

"Rafa." Angelo pointed at him. "Don't," he warned and then looked at Ella again. "So now you're upset because you won't see a dime out of this?"

"Well, yes. I would've been promoting the other property instead of this one. It's not only my time today that I wasted. I guess mistakes happen, though." Ella felt out of sorts as she buckled her seatbelt. "You'll be negotiating the price with someone else, Mr. Tomassi."

"You seem pretty upset about this. What were you going to use your commission for? Vacations? Cars? Jewelry?"

Ella shook her head as her eyes lit up but then looked sad again. "No, nothing like that. I would've used the money to put a down payment on Santiago's, but I need twenty percent of the sale price and I don't have enough right now. You know that restaurant where you ate? Well, the old owner is selling it, and I've been going there since I was young. The buyers who are looking at it will turn it into a gift shop—another pointless gift shop."

Angelo gave her a peculiar look. He never expected her to want to invest the money. "Santiago's," he repeated.

"Yes." She smiled, reflecting on the restaurant. "I've always wanted to have it. It's perfect where it sets on the ocean. I have ideas for the menu and the interior, and the wine cellar is gorgeous—the attraction of the place. They take their customers inside and let them choose their own bottle if they'd like. When I found out Mr. Santiago was retiring, I knew it was mine. I could only hope that someone else wouldn't buy it before I leased that hotel."

Ella was animated in her goals, completely forgetting about her nerves as she talked of Santiago's. Her love of the restaurant was easy for Angelo to see—almost contagious. He could not resist what he was going to ask next.

"All right, you've convinced me. Why don't you give me a tour of Santiago's next week after I finish signing the paperwork on the hotel?"

Wondering what Angelo was up to and how much money it would cost, Rafa half-turned from the front seat and glared. Angelo did not usually act on impulse, but something about Ella caught his attention. She knew he had money yet showed no care for his wealth. If nothing else, he was curious.

"Of course I'll show you around. Mr. Santiago won't mind. I'd like to look around a last time too."

"Good." Angelo pulled out his wallet and handed Ella his card. "My information is on there. Unless you hear something else..." Angelo looked at Rafa.

"He's free next Tuesday," Rafa said as the Escalade stopped outside of Santiago's again.

"Got that?"

"Okay," Ella agreed.

"Good." Angelo opened his door and stepped out, holding out his hand to her. With all of the talk, she took his hand without thinking, taking in a quiet breath when they touched. Angelo made no notice and spoke again unfazed. "We'll be back next week, Ms. Collins."

"What time do you plan to come?"

"I'll give you a call Tuesday morning to confirm. Unless something comes up, I'll see you around six," Angelo said and stepped back inside the Escalade, waiting to leave until she reached the front door.