7.
I couldn't even believe I was doing this!
I had been prepared to approach Summer Lester and ask her out today at school. I had even been prepared for her acceptance or her refusal. But somehow, I wasn't all that prepared for the date itself. It suddenly dawned on me that I would have to spend a whole evening with her.
Turning up the volume of the Def Leppard song, I sped down the streets of the luxurious neighborhood. With one hand on the wheel, I tugged at the collar of my tuxedo. If I thought my school uniform was constricting, I had forgotten the life of tuxedos. Granted, I've worn plenty of the damn things before, but I always tried my best to tailor them to my own tastes. This one was being particularly stiff and stubborn.
When I had gotten home from school, my mother had been waiting for me in the foyer.
If I had known she was friends with Summer's mother, I would have never asked the redhead out. Kara had gushed about how proud she was and how handsome I would look in a tuxedo. She even took the liberty of booking us a reservation at the fancy Italian restaurant downtown. From what I had been able to decipher from my mother, Summer had been the one to suggest the restaurant.
What the hell was wrong with pizza?
I was perfectly fine with a slice of pizza and a movie. Really, that was what normal teenagers did. Eating at extravagant restaurants had definitely not been on my agenda for tonight. I just wanted to sit in a dark room and steal glances at her, wondering if I could muster up the same hormonal urge other boys had my age.
Could I kiss her? Put my arm around her shoulders?
"Can't I just be attracted to a girl? For once?" I mumbled to myself, tapping my fingers against the steering wheel. Not just attracted, but intrigued. Summer was an attractive girl, she was beautiful, but I still didn't feel the urge to get closer to her. In fact, it was quite the opposite.
I drove into her driveway, sulking.
In my rearview mirror, I watched a familiar car pass slowly by. Usually, I never paid much attention to the two mafia men standing guard, but tonight, they weren't working very hard to remain hidden and nonchalant.
Stepping out into the humid night, I could almost feel my hair gel begin to bead on my scalp. I only ever wore hair gel in order to manipulate my messy hair into a side-part. I had to admit, I kind of copied Lucian on his hair. I thought it looked better on me anyway.
Rather moodily, I climbed the brick stairs to the front door. Before I could ring the doorbell, the door was almost ripped off the hinges from the inside. Frowning, I took a step backward as a brute-like man stepped out, peering down his nose at me. If I wasn't intimidated by the underboss of the mafia, this seven-foot man definitely didn't make me squirm.
"Hello, sir," I greeted warmly, perhaps a tad too warmly. "I'm here to pick up Summer for our date tonight."
He glared at me and I blinked innocently.
"Come on, daddy, it's just Afton Conti."
When the feminine voice intoned my name, it seemed to carry a tone of dry humor. It was if she didn't think very seriously of me. Though, to be fair, I guess I didn't think very highly of her either. Still, it made me wonder why she had agreed to go out with me in the first place.
Summer performed the unfeasible feat of physically moving her father's body to the side. She then passed off her accomplishment by offering me a wide grin. I had to admit, she looked very beautiful in a strapless black dress. Her red hair was pinned up with diamond-studded bobby pins or whatever girls used for their hair. I felt my own mouth twitch in a returning smile. Maybe tonight wouldn't be so bad after all.
Wait. Was she wearing heels?
Why?
"Ugh," I started ineloquently, "this is for you." I handed her the single rose I picked from the garden at home. Before I left, my mother told me I should stop by a flower shop. But why waste a good chunk of pocket change when I could get a perfect rose at home for free? "You look...nice," I finished lamely with a half-grimaced smile.
My eyes jumped from Summer back to her father.
"Hello sir, I'm Afton Conti." I held out my hand toward the man, figuring I had better introduce myself to him.
Obviously, no one ever schooled him on manners. I was standing there like an idiot, with my arm outstretched, waiting for him to relieve me of my humiliation. He seemed to take pleasure in the situation, for he smirked darkly and kept his own arms folded over his chest. Summer rolled her eyes before stepping out of her house. She tugged my outstretched arm away from her father and led me toward the car.
"Have her home by ten o'clock, Conti," the father grunted before slamming the door shut.
Summer cradled my arm to her chest as we walked down the driveway. "Ignore him, Afton. We can be out all night. It's Friday night." With her sweet and simpered smile, I vaguely wondered how many other dates she manipulated like this to get on her father's bad side.
"Ten actually sounds good to me. I don't want your father to get upset." Ten o'clock sounded a lot later than I intended to stay out. Maybe I could get this over with by nine or eight, depending on how quick we ate.
I made a mental note to order light.
She paused, forcing me to stop with her. "Are you serious? Ten?" She obviously hadn't heard her father bark out the word 'ten'. "Whatever, let's just go to the restaurant." At the mention of the restaurant, she seemed to brighten considerably. I couldn't share her enthusiasm, even if it was for food.
Like the gentlemen I was, I opened her door, waiting for her to slide inside. She did so perfectly, bred to enter and exit a car with lady-like elegance. Her knees remained closed and I wondered how she was able to balance on those heels.
After realizing I was beginning to ponder on a high-heels and Summer's exquisite feminine posture, I quickly slammed her door shut and dragged my feet to the other side of the car. On the way there, I tried to build back my masculinity.
"So," Summer started throatily, rotating her body toward me as I sat down. "I heard your father, Marcello Conti, is one of the most reputable lawyers in New Jersey." As soon as I backed out of her driveway, and away from her father's intimidating stare, her hand found my thigh. At the bold contact, I swallowed, almost swerving. "I guess I should have realized your parents are good at what they do. Your house is huge. I'm so jealous!"
It took a bit of self-control, but I managed not to groan in exasperation.
She was one of those people. The ones that only got close and played nice to those who were on a higher status. It wasn't unusual, I suppose. While the community we lived in consisted of high-income earners, my family was considered to be particularly well-off. There were people in the past who had tried to get close to me just because of my family. That's why Tony and I worked so well together. The boy didn't give a damn about money and I could always trust him.
My stomach clenched as I remembered snapping at him earlier today.
I should probably text or call him.
Nonchalantly, I tried to move my leg in order to shake off her wandering hand. "I suppose my father is a decent lawyer," I acknowledged dully. "I never really follow any of that legal stuff. Besides, our home is pretty average for our neighborhood. It's pretty boring, actually. I think I'd rather live in an apartment in New York."
She laughed, her fingernails almost clutching onto my pant leg. "Don't be so modest, Afton." She sniffed and turned the classical rock station. "And I totally agree with you about an apartment. I could see myself living there someday as well."
"Really?" I asked in disbelief, unsure if I heard her correctly.
Summer pressed a hand to her hair, making sure the strands fell in perfect order. "Yeah, I heard there are some really luxury penthouses in New York City. The elite live there."
Oh.
On the way to the restaurant I tried to keep my speed five miles above the speed limit. Any slower and I think I'd be too tempted to turn around and drop her back off at home. I was reminded again why I didn't date.
This was simply torture.
And then it suddenly hit me. Maybe my fears of being gay had no substance. Maybe I just wasn't into any of the girls in my school because I didn't fit in here, in this lavish community. I had never cared about the things my peers had cared about. And the people who did make a big deal about all the materialistic things had bored me.
I suddenly felt better with those realizations.
M.R.
Pressing the menu as close to my face as possible, I tried to drown out her nonstop chatter. She was going on about all the dishes they had here and the benefits of each and every fucking entrée. She was just on the salads. The list of chicken entrées was the next section she would scrutinize.
Summer suddenly laughed, reached forward and pulling the menu away from my face.
"Why are you reading your menu like that, Afton? I really like your glasses, they suit you, but if they aren't really real, then maybe you should think about getting prescription lenses." She flashed a smile and considered me. "You are so cute. Have you ever thought about modeling? You would be too lithe for underwear modeling, but with your face, I could definitely see you in publications."
I wondered what I was more bothered by. The fact she pictured me in my underwear or the fact that she kept calling me cute. If I heard it again, I wouldn't have any qualms about walking out of here, her father be damned. "No, I've never considered modeling," I muttered distractedly, waving the menu at her. "What are you going to order?" She was a girl. Didn't they usually just order soup or salad? Something fast and easy and—
"Probably the sautéed chicken basil with fresh tomatoes and the side dish of creamy alfredo." She sighed dreamily. "I wish I was old enough to have a glass of their best white wine. That would set the mood, wouldn't it, Afton?"
"I wish I was old enough to have a couple of beers," I grumbled out, clutching the menu closer.
"What was that?" Summer leaned over and curled her hand around my wrist. She batted her eyelashes as soon as I looked at her. She did it slowly, almost seductively, and I wasn't impressed. "Is your tuxedo tailored?" She played with my cufflink, a pleased air about her. "You're a bit shorter than average, but not too short. Still, it would be nice if you could grow a few inches, wouldn't it? Did your doctor say you were still growing?"
"Actually," I drawled, setting my menu down and grasping her hand. I looked her in the eye deeply, seriously. "I have a condition that affects my stature. Each year, I'm predicted to lose an inch of height."
Her smile faded and a look of utmost horror crossed her face.
We pulled apart when the waiter set down the chilled glasses of water and beverages. "Are you ready to order?" The man asked, his snooty expression almost making it difficult to look away from. With his white gloves, he pressed down the area of creased tablecloth I had disturbed when pulling away from Summer.
"I'll have the sautéed chicken basil and the creamy alfredo side, please." Summer smiled prettily up at the waiter.
The man sniffed, turning an expectant eye on me. I eyed the basket of breadsticks sitting in the middle of the table. "I'll have the soup of the day." Whatever the hell that was. The waiter gave me a sweeping glance, as if waiting for more. When he realized there was nothing left to say, he took our menus promptly and disappeared.
Summer appeared miserable. "You know you can eat more than that, Afton. You're already as thin as a rail."
Honestly, she was worse than Nick's first girlfriend.
"Summer," I hedged, changing the subject entirely, "where are you planning to attend college?"
Her eyes widened comically and she flicked her head in disgust. "Why would I need to attend college?" She played with her silk napkin as she looked around the restaurant, appearing bored out of her mind.
Resting my elbow on the table, I gazed out the window.
As my eyes raked the pedestrians walking outside the restaurant window, my attention landed on a motionless figure. Amongst the hustle and bustle, he stood lifelessly in the midst of it all, surely, confidently. I sat up, taking note of the superiority in his stance. The figure stood across the street and seemingly gazed inside the restaurant, more specifically, near our end of the room. As he inhaled his cigarette, the ashes cast a warm glow across his face, highlighting the sharp and aristocratic features.
It was him!
That smug bastard.
I quickly looked away, taking the dessert menu from the middle of the table. Like the menu before it, I placed it near my face in order to hide my grin. Romano was a bastard, but he was so arrogant that I couldn't help but to find a small bit of admiration and affection for his efforts.
"What's so funny?" Summer asked, leaning toward me to look out at the street. She wouldn't see Lucian, not when it was so dark and because Romano wouldn't want her to see him.
As I glanced above the menu, I examined him. It was too dark to see his expression, but he certainly looked as if he wasn't leaving. There was no way the underboss of the mafia would be able to stand on the public streets so securely like that. There must have been countless of guards roaming the streets, mingling with the ordinary citizens. They would appear nondescript that even I wouldn't be able to identify them.
"It's nothing," I muttered, sighing. Next to Summer, Romano was a welcoming sight. Still, I was uncomfortable with his presence and surveillance. Why did he have to be here? I felt like I was on display for his own enjoyment. It was light inside the restaurant, completely visible from the streets, but I was blind to the outside world.
"Afton," Summer called, drawing me back to the present. "You don't really have a condition like that, do you?"
"What condition?" I asked, confused. Suddenly, I realized she was asking about that shitload story I gave her about losing an inch of height every year. "What gave it away?" I asked sarcastically, eyeing the chocolate-drizzle cake on the menu. Now that looked delicious.
A hand clamped down on my own, tugging me toward her.
"You're so funny." She flashed a smile. "I'm such a blonde sometimes, I'm sorry for taking you seriously when you were only trying to be funny." She looked at me from beneath her lashes, giving me one of her seductive stares. I started to sweat around my collar and I tried to pull away, but her grip was strong. "What are you getting into after college? What are your dreams?"
I was saved by the waiter.
The man placed our dishes in front of us, revealing some sort of red-orange fluid as the soup-of-the-day. My stomach growled and I realized I should have just thrown out my stubbornness and ordered something heavier.
"Mr. Conti," the man suddenly addressed, seeming more animated, more alive than before. "I am to relay a message for you." Abruptly, he dropped on his knees next to my chair. I flushed as he leaned closer, much to the dismay of Summer as she tried to butt in. "Mr. Romano would like to invite you to a gallery tonight."
Holding my breath, I watched as his white glove pulled out a ticket from his pocket. It was a laminated card with gold leaf. I could easily read it from where I was sitting.
"Donna Cobalt?" I exclaimed.
Donna was a local artist, perhaps one of the most elite in my book. I had always wanted to visit her open galleries. She never sold her work, only opened her gallery to the public every once and a great while.
"Yes." The waiter adjusted his glasses with his free hand. "Mr. Romano claims he has the pair to this ticket and the invite does not extend to redheads."
My cheeks were probably brick red, judging from how hot they felt. I couldn't believe this. I gave a quick glance at the dark window and then back at the waiter's expectant stare. Lucian was luring me out of the restaurant and away from Summer Lester for a chance at seeing Donna Cobalt's work.
He was good. He was fucking good. Despite my best efforts at keeping a distance from Romano, I found myself taking captive of the ticket. How could I possibly turn down an invitation like this? I was such a pushover.
"What are you talking about?" Summer demanded, leaning even closer to catch wind of the conversation.
"Don't worry," the waiter murmured quietly, casting a pointed look over my shoulder at Summer. "Mr. Romano has already paid for the dinner and then the ride home."
"Right, thank you." I stood up, almost toppling over my chair in the process. "I had a good time tonight, Summer, it was really enjoyable, but something very bad has happened to my brother. I have to go. I'm so sorry for ditching you like this, but I ordered you a car home."
"What?" Summer exclaimed sharply, standing up in a rage.
Her face was growing red and I backed up, quickly grabbing a breadstick to sate my growling stomach. With one last glance at her, I all but ran out the restaurant. It took only seconds until I spotted him in the same position as before. Trying to act nonchalant, I approached him slowly, putting my free hand in my pocket.
He was putting out his cigarette, having eyes only for me as I crossed the street toward him. "I see you accepted my invitation," he murmured, grinding the half-smoked cigarette underneath the heel of his shoe.
"You did it on purpose, didn't you?" I demanded, cocking my head to the side to study him more closely. "Why?"
Onyx eyes glittered pleasantly. "I'm too nice. You are the only one responsible for the hell you just put yourself through. I should have let you suffer." He turned to look at the restaurant. At that moment, Summer stormed out the door, looking every which way.
I easily pivoted on my heel and stood with my back to Lucian's, letting the taller man's stature shield me from her searching. "That may be the case, but you still went out of your way to rescue me." I began to eat the only breadstick I had managed to snatch from the restaurant, more than aware of the heat Lucian emitted at my back. "I'm sure you didn't have Donna Cobalt's tickets on hand like this."
I finished the breadstick, glaring at the underboss as soon as I noticed the man looking at me from over his shoulder.
Lucian scoffed, turning his attention back around. "I received the tickets earlier this week, before I traveled to Italy. It must have slipped my mind earlier today to inform you about them." He cocked a grin. "You seemed rather intent to avoid me earlier. Are you sure you don't mind if I sprung this on you?"
"You are so full of yourself." I snorted at his innocent tone. "The only reason I'm standing next to you is because you bribed me, not because I find you irresistible." Peering around his shoulder, I watched as Summer clomped down the sidewalk, her cell phone up to her ear. I could hear her yelling to her father from here.
"My, my, and you two made such an adorable couple." Lucian stepped away from me, no longer needing to shield me now that Summer had left. "She seemed rather intent on you. I wonder why you couldn't share her fervor. To know you left her for me..."
"Only because, in your business, you have to excel in blackmail."
"Is it truly blackmail?" Lucian inquired, looking at me in curiosity. "I wasn't aware I was making you do anything against your will with incriminating dirt as motive."
"Bribery, then. There isn't really much of a difference between the two." I narrowed my eyes. "Your car or mine?"
Romano laughed deeply, flashing me a satisfied smile before he waved his hand toward the street. Rather swiftly, a Bentley purred to a stop in front of us. I couldn't believe it. The man really did have a Bentley for a car. The windows were completely tinted and the black paint was sleek and flawless.
"I think we should take my car this time." Lucian placed a hand on the small of my back, ushering me toward the car. As he opened the back door, I was greeted with the strong smell of cigarettes and leather. Flashing the egotistical man a look, I slid inside with not as much reluctance as I should have had.
He slid in right after me and slammed the door closed.
We wasted no idle time before we took off down the street. On the outside, the car appeared like a sleek Bentley, but on the inside, it appeared custom-made. The back was separated from the front by a tinted window. The window was likely soundproof and it was blacked out to the other side.
I tried to keep my gaze forward when I felt the shift in atmosphere. The teasing and dry comments were now gone, and in its place was grim tension. Despite Lucian getting me to close the distance between us, there were still issues we had to discuss. I trusted him enough to bring me to Donna Cobalt's gallery, but I was still angry with what he had done to my father. And I still had doubts about how close he intended to be with me after Nick's discussion the other day.
"What's on your mind?" he asked, leaning a lazy hand against his chin.
I slumped further against the leather seats, offering him steely stare. "What you did to my father—"
"For hitting you." An ice-like anger crossed the man's features. "A father should never lift his hand against his children, especially after I warned him against it."
Lucian suddenly leaned forward and pressed a button. The glass between the front and the back slid down, revealing Nick in the passenger seat. His jaw was clenched as he remained looking forward.
"Conti, did you see who was inside?" Lucian grinned unkindly. "It's a family affair, isn't it?"
"Stop," I ordered weakly.
My brother must be disappointed in me, knowing I threw our conversation away just for a ticket to an art gallery.
"I was asking Niccolo about the conversation you and he shared two days ago. He didn't seem very eager to tell me about the things you two discussed." Lucian leaned forward, closer to my brother's turned head. "Any other man would face severe punishment for withholding information like that. But considering you're Afton's brother, I'll let it slide. Just this once."
Nick always clenched his jaw when he was angry or embarrassed. Seeing as it was probably both, I decided to spare him a cracked tooth by leaning across Lucian's lap to shut the separator. The man placed a hand on my waist, easily pushing me further against his lap. The touch was too personal for me and I immediately struggled against it.
"You're an asshole," I hissed, glaring at him when the window was back in place. "Nick was just trying to protect me." His hand was still holding me down and it made my stomach do an unnatural flip. And not in an unpleasant way. If I couldn't lash out physically, I would lash out verbally. "You just want to get in my pants and then abandon me."
His grin completely disappeared and he quickly removed his hand from my waist.
"That isn't at all true." His tone darkened. "I do not fuck and dump." Onyx eyes narrowed on me. "Is that what you think of me?" Lucian pressed coldly. "Or did your brother bring that to your attention?"
Before I could answer, Lucian continued.
"It was your brother, obviously," he mused. "You attempted to distance yourself from me after he had his little conversation with you the other night. And you tried to make me back off by dating that redhead, isn't that right?" The underboss leaned towards me, his lips hovering close to my ear. "Just as a little FYI, Afton, I do not give up on my pursuits that easily."
My throat grew dry and I did my best to remain unaffected.
He leaned back away, taking his gun out. The man must have had about twenty guns and ammunition packed in his dark suit. Lucian then motioned toward the window that sat between him and my brother.
I heaved sharply, the subtle action causing my stomach to spasm tightly. "No, you wouldn't dare."
"He put such vial words in your ear about me," Lucian muttered softly, unfazed. "Any other man in the Family, who spoke out against the underboss and betrayed him, would never walk away so easily." My body was stiff, completely motionless. I half-expected Lucian to raise the gun and point it at Nick, but instead, he calmly set it down on his lap.
I couldn't relax my posture.
When I looked at Lucian, I saw him, for the first time, as someone capable of something horrific.
The man turned to look at me. He took in my frozen form with unimpressed eyes. "You are finally scared of me," he murmured, his gaze narrowing. "All it took was one insinuation about your brother and his lies."
"Don't..." I started levelly, using a tone that surprised even me. I realized, suddenly, he was greatly offended by what I said earlier. How I assumed he 'fucked' and 'dropped'. "I should have never assumed those things of you, and I apologize for saying them, but don't threaten my family."
"It wasn't a threat," Lucian retorted heatedly. "If it was a threat, you and he would know. It was merely a consideration for how lenient I am with your family." He took a controlled, deep breath. "I wanted you to learn to trust me. To give me a chance without hearing vile gossip about my reputation."
I watched as he put away his gun.
His face was crafted from stone and he appeared far more unreadable than I ever remembered seeing before.
"I am giving you a chance," I admitted. "I'm here, aren't I?"
"I never wanted you to hear those things." Lucian looked out the window before turning and finding me with his gaze. "You're so far removed from the rest of my world, I wanted a chance at something different. Something genuine." There was a hint of vulnerability in his tone that he cleared away with a reinforced resiliency.
"Aside from the whimsical gun waving, you've so far been a decent guy."
Lucian stared at me silently before a small grin moved across his face. "That's a start, I suppose. I will take 'decent guy'." He paused. "I will try to tame down the whimsical gun waving, even though I believe you enjoyed it immensely the last time it was out."
I tried not to think about the way the cold metal had trailed across my jaw and throat, otherwise, I knew I'd lose face under his intense scrutiny.
Since the conversation was already heavy and dark, I decided to take my chances. "Lucian?"
A dark eyebrow rose. "What do you want? You have never addressed me by name."
It dawned on me that he was right. I had never addressed him by his name before. And I did want something.
"No, I will not employ your father again."
I was speechless. "How did you—"
"Perhaps you can ask me about your father later tonight. I may be in a better mood." He sent me a sly glance as the car came to a stop. "But for now, I'm sure you want to accompany me to the gallery." He opened the door and reached for me to take his hand.
I only hesitated a second before accepting his offered help.