Lorena
While standing in front of the big house - no - of the huge estate, I try to regulate my breathing. My mother wanted me to bring her, her work key, which she had left at home again. Today she said she had to do an extra cleaning shift because there was a big party going on, that's why she couldn't pick up the key on her own.
While I look around, I brush my wet hair out of my face. I had to run from home because I didn't have enough money for a bus ticket. I never thought my life would be like this one day. But before I sink too deep into my thoughts, I take out my phone to see if my mother has finally written me back. She should have been out over 15 minutes ago so that I could hand her the key.
As more minutes passed, I decided to ring the bell at the house. I'm sure someone can tell me where I can find my mother. I walked to the front gate, which was surprisingly open. They were probably expecting a lot of guests for the party and didn't want to cause them any trouble.
While walking, I looked around. The front yard alone is as big as my home and the grass looks almost too green to be true. If I had that much money, I wouldn't even know what to do with it. Actually, that's a lie. I would know exactly what to do with the money. When I got to the front door, I rang the bell and waited. A few minutes passed and no one came. Where is everyone? I tried my luck and turned the doorknob and it really opened. I would never have thought of myself as a housebreaker, but all that waiting really made me impatient.
"Hello, is anyone home?" But before I could take a step into the house, several men with guns came towards me.
I started screaming like any normal person would do. "Please don't hurt me."
"What are you doing in my house?", a deep voice asked me. Confused, I looked around. The men, who by the way were still pointing guns at me, just looked at me and didn't talk. So, where was the voice coming from?
"Are you deaf? I asked what you are doing in my house."
"Hello person I can't see. I am looking for my mother." Suddenly I heard loud footsteps and then it became clear to me that the person was most likely standing on the upper floor.
Dark. Tall. Handsome.
I think I'm dreaming! How can a person look so good?
"Who is your mother? Are you coming to spy on me? Did Callum send you?" Before I can answer, I hear my mother's voice.
"Lorena, what are you doing here? That's my daughter. Mr. Russo please excuse the inconvenience. Lorena just wanted to bring me the keys." My mother quickly ran up to me and took me aside. Slowly, the men around us dropped their weapons.
"Andrea, I don't care if it's your daughter or not. I have one rule. No strangers in my house, capito!" he yelled.
"Hey, who gives you the right to yell at my mother like that. Who do you think you are?" Maybe I shouldn't have yelled in a house with armed men, but there's nothing I hate more than when someone yells at my mother.
"Lorena!" my mother hissed. "As I said Mr. Russo I feel terribly sorry, it won't happen again. We'll go outside for a minute and then I'll get right back to work."
"Yeah, better get that brat out of my house before I forget myself." I was about to say something before my mother put her hand over my mouth and led me out.
"Lorena, didn't I tell you to wait for me outside?"
"Mom, what kind of people do you work for? You're yelling at me even though there are men with guns running around. Where have we ended up here?", frustrated, I run my hand through my hair.
"Lorena, sweetheart. You know I can't afford to choose who I work for. They pay me well as long as I don't ask questions and do my job."
"But mom, that's not normal. They could be from the mafia."
Suddenly it became very quiet around us, and I started laughing hysterically. "I hope you're not serious. They're from the mafia."
"Lorena, be quiet. You can't shout that around so loudly. Give me the key and go home." She holds out her hand and looks at me impatiently.
"Alright, but we're not done yet." Reluctantly, I handed her the key.
"I love you, don't forget that my dear. Now be a good girl and go home." I gave her a kiss on the cheek and headed home.
How could I be so clueless about my mother's job. We both always work so much. She does a lot of night shifts and I usually work early mornings and afternoons, and in the evenings, I catch up on classes at night school. We have to save every cent so I can afford a train ticket to Connecticut at least once a month. There are months when I almost can't afford a train ticket, however, this always breaks my heart.
No matter what my mother thinks I will come back here after her shift to escort her home safely. I don't trust these men.
Dante
"You almost gave her a heart attack!" says my security boss and best friend Mauro.
"I haven't laughed that hard in a long time, but you know I hate strangers in my house."
"It's not your house, it's your father's house," I rolled my eyes in annoyance before sitting down in my chair.
"You know that's just a matter of formality. My old man will bite the dust soon and then I'll be the head of the mafia." I said.
"You know that is conditional. If you don't fulfil it, Carlo will become the head of the mafia." I hate that Mauro always must bring up this subject.
"I just don't understand how having a wife is going to get me anywhere. I don't want to be tied down to one woman for the rest of my life," I sigh and pour myself a glass of scotch.
"Your father is old-fashioned and wants a grandson. Who said you have to marry for love? Find a woman who happens to be not bad-looking and doesn't get on your nerves. And who said you only have to have sex with her." I don't like this idea. Even though I don't think much of marriage, I think a lot of loyalty. Just the thought of my wife cheating on me sends me into rapid and I am sure that if I cheat on her, nothing will stop her from cheating on me, except maybe death.
"I don't feel like talking about this subject anymore. You'd better tell me how things are going with the deliveries," I said.
"The Irish are giving us hell. Since Callum took over, he's been getting closer and closer to our turf. Our men are getting nervous. They finally want to go into attack mode." Annoyed, I run my hand over my face. Ever since Callum's father, Liam, died, he's been going crazy. We've always had a good relationship with the Irish, but Callum is obsessed with the fact that we killed his father. We didn't kill him, though.
"Tell the men to keep their feet still. If I see or hear them attacking without my permission, not only the Irish will die. Now go and leave me alone. I still have to get ready for the party later."
It's hard to believe. My father is planning a party to pick out a woman for me. He has cancer and doesn't have long to live, but since he doesn't want to appear weak in front of the others, he's holed up and only comes out now and then.
As I finish the last sip of my scotch, my mind wanders to the red-haired girl. Lorena. She is refreshing. However, I don't like the way she spoke to me. But my friend down there liked it just fine. Shaking my head, I go to my room and get ready for the party.
---
"Since when does your father know so many people?" asks Mauro.
I just shrug my shoulders and continue to look around. He has invited the whole Costa Nostra and surely a lot of other Italian families. I can feel the stares on me and just as I'm about to go out for a smoke, someone approaches me.
"Dante, how long has it been since we've seen each other? You look good." Nadia runs her fake nails down my shirt. Just as her hand goes down too low, I grab her hand.
"Careful Nadia, you don't want to go home hurt."
"You would never hurt me." she says while fluttering her eyelashes. ¨
"Keep testing me and you'll see. Get out!" Annoyed, I let go of her. Women are so annoying. Once you have sex with them, they want a ring on their finger. I would rather poke my eyes out with a fork than marry Nadia.
I walk through the front door and have to stifle a laugh when I see her. "Didn't I say I didn't want strangers in my house?"
"Holy shit, you scared me," Lorena says while putting her hand to her chest. I light my cigarette as I look at her waiting.
"Well?"
"To be exact, I'm only in your front yard and not in your house. And I'm pretty sure you don't know all the people in your house either, which is why your statement doesn't make sense," she said quickly. "But to answer your question I am waiting for my mother. She should be done with her shift soon."
"You've never picked up your mother before. Why are you starting now?"
"Ah, I guess you mean you would have noticed me sooner if I had," she says with a grin.
"I definitely would have noticed your smart mouth." Her grin disappears as quickly as it appeared.
"Ha, ha. You're so funny." She crosses her arms in front of her chest and sits down on the steps. Even though she's wearing a rancid sweater and faded jeans, my body is giving me clear signals of how hot it thinks she is.
"You haven't answered my question yet. Why are you picking her up now?"
"I don't see why that's any of your business," she says, annoyed.
I quickly walk up to her and grab her chin. "Careful. I told you before to watch your mouth."
"Or what? Are your bad guys going to shoot me?" She looks at me challengingly.
"As a matter of fact, I have my own gun and it would be too bad about your beautiful face if I had to make use of it." Her eyes widen and I see her swallow. I would love to see her swallow something else.
"I never knew where my mother worked. I worry about her. Working in a house full of guns is not the ideal working environment," she said quietly.
"Don't worry under my roof nothing will happen to her." Slowly, I let go of her chin and sit down next to her. I would rather talk to her and her smart mouth than go back to the party.
"Shouldn't you go inside? There's a party going on right now."
"No, I don't want to go back inside. My dad wants to find me a wife and thinks one of those cheap hookers might be one of them." I said before I could think why I was telling her anything at all.
"Maybe you shouldn't call women hookers, then you might have more luck finding a woman for yourself." Laughing, I shake my head. I don't think anyone has ever spoken to me like that before. Just as I'm about to say something, loud shots ring out.
"What was that?" screams Lorena and jumps up.
She is about to run to the door when I grab her. "Are you crazy? Didn't anyone ever tell you not to run inside when there's gunfire?"
"Get the fuck off me. My mom's in there. I have to go in and see if-" More gunshots rang out.
"Mia cara, I'll tell you this. If you go in there without knowing what's going on, you're going to die. My men can handle it." She just opens her mouth and I said, "Follow me and stay close. We're going in from the back."
I take out my gun and hold it in front of me. With my left hand I grab Lorena's hand because I can't trust her in this situation. She would not only kill herself, but me as well. We walk around the house and I look in the window.
"Oh my God," Lorena whispers.
I would not have expected that.