I wore a dust pink slip dress for the dinner with Alyssa.
Angelo assured me, Alberto had Coco for the night.
I feel as if the man set to be my security turned into my doggie sitter.
The car halted in front of a small villa, with a fountain as the center piece of the exterior.
The house had separate space for car parks on the right but they were closed, so Angelo killed the engine of the white Porsche on the driveway.
It had cherry leather interior and equally luxurious in feeling as it looked.
"Wait." He ordered when my hand reached toward the door handle.
I looked at the man, sporting a steel grey three piece suit with a white shirt.
"You're missing something." He said as a mater or fact.
"What?" I asked with a frown forming between my eyebrows.
I knew I wasn't carrying a purse because there was no point so I knew I wasn't missing anything.
"I am not missing anything." I said with a smile lingering on the corner of my lips.
"You are." He said with a slight nod of his head hand palming the inside of his suit jacket pocket.
From inside he pulled out a string of stones and handed it to me.
Tiny pink in color diamonds sat side by side to make a string with a white gold base.
"I missed your birthday." He stated. "I hope it makes up."
I heard pink diamonds were rare and expensive.
"Angelo-" I say with a sigh.
He needn't do this. I thought
"Let me put it on you." He offered holding out his hand for the necklace.
I placed it on his palm and turned to give him access.
He put the hook fairly quick and the string of diamonds graced my neck like a choker.
"It's beautiful." I said running my finger tips around the diamond strip on my neck.
"I know." He says placing a kiss on my temple before he exists the car and opens the door for me to get out, with his hand held put for me to take.
A maid awaits us dressed in a formal black dress and shows us in, where Alyssa was waiting by the sitting room of the nineteen century villa house, insides as rustic.
Newly refurbished but still holding that vibe.
"Angelo." She hugged her son who hugged his mother back, before pulling away and cupping her cheeks and asking if she was okay.
Alyssa replied in affirmative as she moved toward me and gave me a hug as well.
"How are you, darling?" She asked.
"I am fine, Miss Giovanni." I reply with a smile. "How're you?"
"Just fine, lovely." She said with a wave of her hand. "You look lovely, by the way."
Awe. "Thank you, you look rather gorgeous yourself."
She was wearing a knee length half sleeved lace blue dress with Sapphire earrings to match.
"Don't make me feel good about my wrinkles." She admonished examining me at arms length.
"Are you well? I hear you fell sick." She added.
"I am fine, Miss Giovanni." I replied reassuringly.
"Call me Alyssa." She said, with a motherly glaze on her eyes.
I smiled at her.
"Right." She exhaled. "I have to talk to you, in the parlour, shall we?"
"Ovviamente." Angelo said, popping the button of his suit jacket open and walked behind his mother while leading me along with a his hand pressed against the small of my back.
(Of course)
Angelo took his seat on a single sofa whole I shared the couch with Alyssa facing the man in the room.
His hands resting on the armrest.
"So, what did you want to talk about?" Angelo asked looking pensive yet rapt.
There was a moment of silence.
Almost two minutes of very pregnant silence in the room, the only sound from the grandfather clock's pendulum moving.
"Okay." Alyssa sighs.
"Okay." Angelo replies, his right pointer finger pressed to his mouth.
"What is it, mama?" He urged.
"I'm getting married." Alyssa blurts.
Angelo sits up straight, popping his suit button close. "What?"
"I am getting married." She repeats in a smaller tone.
I automatically glance at her hands placed one on top of the other on her lap.
There was a rock on her ring finger.
You better be nice, Angelo. I think to myself as I watch the reaction of the women.
"I thought of letting Lorenzo officially declare it over dinner tonight, but I just wanted you to know first. In private."
Angelo nods.
"So-" She presses, as if wanting some kind if reaction from Angelo.
Maybe a response.
A yell. Or throwing the vase.
Maybe a congratulations.
But the man stays silent.
It was maddening silence around the room.
Angelo looked at his mother intently while she found everything else to look at but him while I just sat there silent and watched the pair freak out on the inside.
"Show me your ring." I said enthusiastically, unable to bare the uncomfortable silence, shuffling closer to the older women who looked happy till Angelo decided he'd act like an insolent asshole and not even give the women a positive reaction.
Alyssa smiled at me, even though still distraught and heavy on the heart, she showed me her hand.
The diamond was huge.
"It's huge." I said as I took her hand to examine the obviously expensive and rare ring.
"It's so very gorgeous, Alyssa!" I exclaimed.
"Thank you, darling." She said.
"Are you happy?" I asked. "Do you feel happy?"
"Yes. I do." She nods. "I've been seeing Lorenzo for years now-"
"That's so sweet." I say giving her a side hug. "Were you together for long?"
"Ages." She smiles. "Never thought of selling down, the either of us, really-"
Angelo was yet to utter a word when Donna Coralyn joined us with her husband who Angelo hugged and gave Coralyn the same cheek cupping treatment as he did to his mother.
And then another man joined us.
He was sporting a navy blue suit with a white shirt and looked nothing like Angelo, but they gave each other a firm handshake and the man hugged Don Marcus, like a brother and shared some inside talk, with smiles in their faces.
I was introduced to the man as Lorenzo.
"Ariel, Sir." I smiled, shaking the older man's hand.
"Sí." The man nodded. "I've heard about you, how do you do, Ariel?"
"Fine, sir." I said. "Thank you."
We reseated on the parlour after the men excused themselves into Lorenzo's office, as a maid served us aperitivo and some bite sized appetizers for while we talked.
(Idk, how to explain aperitivo in English, it's basically a drink. A punch whatever with like snacks? Sorry.)
"Are we waiting for Roman?" Coralyn asked picking up her glass of pre dinner punch drink.
"Sí." Alyssa replied.
"Did you talk to the brat?" She whispered sipping her drink.
Alyssa nodded nervously while twirling her engagement ring around her finger.
"Sí, he didn't utter a word."
"He's probably a little shocked." Coralyn said. "Just a little. Give him time."
I somewhat agreed with the former boss lady but also at the same time felt like Angelo should've at least cracked a smile for the sake of his nervous mother.
"I hope." Alyssa says. "I thought- I mean, Lorenzo's been there for him since he learned how to walk, Cora, I-"
Coralyn placed a hand on her friend's shoulder. "He'll come around biscuit."
"Don't worry." I said taking her hand in mine. "He is probably still processing."
Alyssa nods covering my hand with her free one.
I could tell that Angelo's opinion and reaction mattered to the lady.
I find it quiet natural, because if I was in her place, it would matter to me too.
Excusing myself, I let myself out of the parlour and texted Angelo, to meet me in the garden, when two tick marks appear under my text, I walk out of the house into the front lawn by the fountain, where Angelo had parked the Porsche momentarily.
It wasn't there anymore.
I suppose someone else has parked it somewhere else.
Nervously, fingering the ornament on my neck I sighed.
Maybe Angelo just needs a nudge to express himself to his mother. Positively.
The women looked happy yet torn somehow and that's heart wrenching.
"Tadpole." I heard.
Turning on my heels, I faced Angelo, his hands in his slacks pocket, hair long but yet somehow set in a way that made it tamed.
"Mind telling me why are you acting like an insolent asshole?" I asked, my voice barely decibels up from a whisper.
"An insolent asshole." He tested the word on his lips.
I kept staring at him while he started back.
"What gave you the idea I was acting like an insolent asshole?" He asked taking measured steps closer to me.
"I don't know." I said, my voice getting slightly louder.
"Let's start with how you're acting toward your mama since she said she was getting married."
He looks at me, his dark eyes telling me to step away from where it was his marked territory and not to push him farther.
"The woman is on the verge of an emotional breakdown." I state.
"The least you could say is you're happy or congratulations?" I asked. "It bothers her."
"Don't talk about things that don't concern you, Ariel." Angelo said in a composed tone, his posture the same, straight more dynamic.
Oozing power and screaming respect
Things that don't concern me.
This was Capo Bestone Giovanni standing in front of me, not my Angelo.
Not the Angelo I've been with all day, lazing in bed, having slow sex, laughing, laying in bed, playing with our intertwined hands still we regained some more energy to go another round of our lustrous activities.
This is not the Angelo who just got me a gift, that gave me a tiny hope of progress between us.
There was no hope.
This was Capo Bestone Giovanni ready ruin every possible thing that stood between him and his goal.
This version of him scared me.
I looked down at my heels.
"As much as I love that you feel concerned about my mother and gauge her tension, I'd equally hate if you question me, Ariel." He said.
"Never question me." He said. "Or talk above me, Ariel."
"Ever." He emphasizes.
We stood there in silence.
Ten seconds.
Fifteen seconds.
Angelo turns and leaves, a lone tear trickles down my cheek.
Maybe it's my fault after all. I think, wiping away the tear without creating an eyeliner smudge.
Maybe I was stepping out of line.
Inside the family, this is how it works.
No outsider is allowed to question the Don or the Capo Bestone or anybody.
And I was just that.
An outsider.
Somebody who was some sort of possession for the under boss.
Heavy lights blinded me momentarily before I saw the car.
Stepping out from it's way, I waited on the front steps, a fake smile slapped on my face as I see Blaire step out of the car, elegant in a rose gold satin body con dress, falling under her knees, feet clad in nude stiletto.
Seeing me waiting on the steps, her face lights up as she almost bolts toward me.
"Hey!" I sigh as we do hug cuddle before pulling away. Blaire examines me at her arms length.
"You look well." She said. "But not really, what did he do?"
I shake my head. "Nothing. Come on inside."
"Are you going to tell me or be difficult?" She asks.
I shake my head as Roman approaches us.
"I'll be at the office." He declares before leaving us alone by the fountain and entering.
"Now spit." Blaire orders. "Or I'll kill Devil-o."
I sigh. "Nothing, really."
"Ariel." She warned grabbing my hand.
"He did nothing." I said with finality.
"I stepped out of the line and he put me back to my place, Blaire, that's all."
Blaire didn't like the sound of that. Her expression said it all.
"What do you mean put you back to your place?" She asked tilting her head.
"It's nothing, Blaire." I say with a smile but she wasn't content.
"I think everybody is waiting for us, inside." I state, wanting for this discussion between her and me be over. "Come."
Blaire reluctantly follows me inside as I lead her to the parlour were Coralyn and Alyssa was seated rather comfortably, their feet pulled up and tucked under while they chatted animatedly, a catalogue open on the space between them.
Blaire hugs and kisses both the women before settles herself in the floor so she has a clear view of the venue catalogue.
I follow her suite.
"This is lovely." Coralyn points at a flower arrangement.
Minimalistic but rather gorgeous white and pink flower combination.
"It is." Blaire pipes us. "How big wedding are we talking about?"
"Just the family." Alyssa says. "In the chapel, a signed marriage. That's all-"
"I call VETO!" Coralyn shrikes. "No way. Nope. Nope. Nope."
"I'm old Cora." Alyssa reasons.
"I don't care." She muses. "I'll decorate the whole damn church with flowers! And you'll wear white!"
Alyssa sighs. "Biscuit-"
"Nope!" The smaller women puts a pointer finger at her.
"It might be a small celebration, but it should be grand, biscuit. Grand!"
Blaire nodded. "I agree. Bring them alcohol down the fountain!"
"Whoa easy there, horse." Coralyn pouted at her.
"We go cake testing, okay? We get big cake." She adds. "Big."
"I have no idea why I even refuse you sometime, biscuit." Alyssa shakes her head leaning back against the couch.
"Big cake!" Coralyn yells laughing. "Big cake!"
"Hell yeah!" Blaire squeals. "Can we have different flavour, different layer?" She asks.
"Hell yes!" Coralyn nods vigorously.
"Chocolate, red velvet, caramel apple, orange, dark Forrest! We get all!"
"Right." Alyssa scoffs shaking her head.
I sit behind and watch the three of them converse about everything and laughing about at Blaire's bizarre ideas.
"Ariel?" Donna Coralyn asks, a concerned look on her face.
"Yes?" I asked pulling a smile across my face. "Sorry, did you say something?"
"Where were you, sweets?" Coralyn asks.
"Right here." I said.
She still looks concerned.
Alyssa places a hand on my shoulder making me look up at her.
"What happened?" She asked gently.
"Nothing." I shake my head. "I was just thinking about the flowers."
She nods patting my shoulder.
Five minutes later, a maid comes in and tells us the men will be ready for dinner in a minute.
We walk to the long dining table set out for eight people as we sit keeping one gap for the men while the maids turn the plates for us and fills the water glass and places bottles of wine in an ice bucket on the table to keep them chilled.
Angelo occupies the seat beside me, his guard still up.
I don't understand the reason of him acting so stiff and cold.
He's not usually in this mode around the family, and I frankly fail to come at any logical conclusion about his behaviour and attitude.
We skip appetizer and move to the main course, when Lorenzo taps his wine glass with a fork making our attention turn at him.
Very cordially he declares his and Alyssa engagement and a wedding date set out two weeks from today.
We all toast to their happy life and say a prayer before going back to the food.
The dinner goes on fairly silent and just as the maids clear off out food plates to make space for dessert Angelo taps his form against his wine glass.
"I have some thing to say." He clears his throat.
"To say when I arrived here, I did not expect the news of my mother's engagement, it did however throw me off guard and I felt unprepared and for my behaviour, mama, Lorenzo, I apologize."
Alyssa nods with a smile.
Lorenzo shakes his head.
"With that, I'd like to congratulate, mama and Lorenzo and hope all the very best for their future ahead."
Alyssa was almost crying.
Under the table, I reached for his hand giving it a reassuring squeeze.
He pulled his hand away from mine ams intertwined our fingers as the desert plates with a thick slice of chocolate cake and ice cream arrived.
After the fairly normal desert and coffee and some friendly bickering later it was time to say goodbye to the family.
Angelo had a palm pressed on the small of my back as I hugged and air kissed Alyssa and Donna Coralyn saying goodnight.
Blaire hugged me and reminded that we had spa day tomorrow and Donna Coralyn said we were to go cake and wine testing the day after.
"If you forget, I'll put you in a luggage and throw you away." She promised pointing an admonishing finger at me while she repeated the time for me and Blaire. "To the ocean."
"Okay." I exclaimed. "I won't forget!"
"Don't you dare, and you too Blaire, you're so forgetful I swear to God!"
"I never forgot one single thing!" She argues back.
Saying a final round of goodbyes, I waved them off, before slipping into the passenger seat of the Porsche as Angelo started the engine slowly pulling out of the driveway in back gear.
We passed the suburban portion of the city, there were olive grooves and grape vines on either aide of the road, wooden warehouse for each little field.
"Ariel?" Angelo called.
"Hmm?" I responded, my eyes still focused on the scenery outside.
"Are we okay?" He asks taking my hand from my lap.
I feel his lips press against my knuckles.
"Yeah-" I say my voice small. "It's okay-"
"Look at me, baby." He urges gently.
I turn my head to look at the man, who alternated his gaze between the road and at me.
"Hmm?"
Angelo brings out intertwined fingers to his lips again, placing a kiss on my wrist.
"What I said, baby-" He focused his eyes on the road.
"Angelo." I sighed. "I said it was okay, you made up for it to Alyssa, it doesn't matter-"
"It matters to me, tadpole." He says.
"It doesn't, Angelo." I whispered pulling my hand away from his grasp, looking out of the window once again.
"And it's fine, with me." I add.
The rest of the ride to the pent house is silent.
The car stops at the entrance, I get out, close the door of the car and make my way to the elevator, aware of Angelo's presence close behind me.
We step into the elevator, silently as I scroll throw daily news on my phone, when the elevator pings open, and I step out, stilettos clicking against the marble floor as I make my way to the bedroom, Angelo still close behind me, not uttering a word.
"Ariel." He urges grabbing my arm when I was about to sit on the circular mini ottoman placed before the dressing table.
Gently turning me toward him, he cups my cheek in his palm.
"You're hurt." He states.
This man is mentally, emotionally exhausting and overall tiring sometimes.
Most of the times.
"I am not." I sigh.
Turning and taking my seat on the ottoman, Angelo stays motionless behind me, his eyes focused on my actions.
The minute I think we're doing okay, everything gets pulled back and then we're back at point zero.
It makes no sense.
Us makes no sense.
There is no progress but only deterioration.
I undo the clasp of the necklace and place it on my crystal jewelry box, before undoing my hair, it falls around my shoulders in waves.
"You're beautiful." He states.
I stay silent using a baby wipe to remove the velvety lipstick from my lips and the minimal make up I did.
"Tadople." He sighs.
"You aren't going to say sorry, Angelo." I state. "What's the point?" I ask abruptly turning toward him.
"What's the point?" I ask again.
"Are you waiting for me to yell, scream, cry and fight, till I can not but need you to fix me? Fuck me to sleep?" I add.
He doesn't answer.
"If you're waiting for that to happen, then you're in for a long wait, Capo Bestone Giovanni." I say.
"You've unambiguously showed me my position." I whisper in return of his silence.
"I am going to act my worth, Capo Bestone."
"Ariel." He warns.
I shake my head. "I'm sorry that I stepped out of the line Capo Bestone. Forgive me."
"That's enough of it." He hisses grabbing my arm and pulling me closer to him.
"Snap out of it." He snaps.
I don't answer him, but his hold on my skin hurts.
"Snap out of this, Ariel." He orders, his eyes dangerously shining and his voice precariously low.
It quickens my heartbeat.
He sounds like he sounded that night.
Cold. Emotionless.
Scary.
Please.
"Fucking drink it!" He was yelling.
No.
No, I didn't want to.
No.
"You think I want a kid?" He asked, roughly. "With you?"
What's wrong with me?
"We were just fucking, Ariel." He snapped at me.
I was crying.
"And you fucked up, so you fucking deal with it, whore!"
He called me a whore.
"No." I whisper out, I feel light.
My heart rate won't stop.
Stop it. I yelled in my head.
"Stop this." I whispered desperate for the pain to go away from my chest.
Desperately to claw the piece of flesh that makes me feel.
"Make it go away!" I yell.
He was saying something.
I couldn't hear.
My vision was hazy, blurred.
"Take it away!" I screamed but it was barely audible.
Make it go away.
Take the memory away. I begged to whoever would listen.
Nobody did.
I fell.
It hurt.
I wished I would forget, but I kept on remembering.
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AUTHOR'S NOTE:
I've been a little bit sick lately. Lol. But it's okay. I feel relatively fine today.
So update and all. Also I updated earlier then said hour. Hehe.
I hope y'all enjoy cause shit just went down again. This book is exhausting and whatever.
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Tell me your theories of what you think will happen next?
-November.