“I can see if he wants to have dinner.” I pushed my file folders in my backpack, logged out of the computer, and headed out of the library.
“Excuse me,” a voice called out. I turned, and a tall man in a suit held a book in his hand.
“I think you dropped this.”
I glanced at the book in his hand, then gazed up at the smile on his face.
“That’s not my book.”
“Who is that?” Rena questioned on the other line of the phone.
“You caught me. I was thinking of how I could come talk to you.”
“Talk to me?” I pointed at myself.
“I saw you in there and wanted to approach you, but you seemed in work mode.”
“McKayla!” Rena yelled and brought me back to the conversation.
“Sorry, Rena.” My phone got snatched out of my hand and ended the call.
“She’s unavailable.” Savio stepped in front of me.
“Uhm, sorry. I didn’t know,” the guy said.
“Now you do.” Savio stared him down.
The guy looked behind Savio at me. Savio growled.
“I should go.” He headed to leave.
“Take the other exit,” Savio stated.
“Savio!”
“You out here flirting in my men’s face.”
“What!”
“I have work to do. We need to get going.”
“Give me my phone back.”
He held it out, and I reached to take it back. He snatched it away. It started to ring, and I knew it was Rena.
“Keep playing games.”
“I’m not playing games.”
Savio passed the phone back to me.
“Where are you coming from?”
“Eh-Eh.”
I followed him down the stairs to the town car.
“What does that mean?”
“You’re asking too many questions.”
“I’m just asking about your day.”
“Normal day like you, McKayla.”
Ring!
“Rena’s going to kill me.” I climbed into the car.
“She’ll be fine.”
“Did Marilyn cook?” I changed the subject.
“I don’t know.”
“Do your other girlfriends make you jealous?” I gazed into his smoldering, deep-blue eyes.
“If I had girlfriends, they’d behave better than you.”
“How so?”
The car drove into traffic.
Ring!
“You should answer her.”
I caught his grin and smiled back.
Later that evening as I finished work, Savio demanded I come with him to a restaurant that was holding a dinner for a few men associated with the mob.
“Gentlemen, I want to thank you all for coming.” Savio held his glass up for a toast.
Supposedly, this was a business dinner, and wives and girlfriends had to show up, so he made me dress up and stick around a bunch of killers.
“To the Calabresi’s!” A younger man clapped his hands.
“Carmine.” Savio held his hand out for a shake.
“I wondered when you would bring us all together.”
I drank the champagne and smiled.
“Where have you been keeping this one, Savio?”
Carmine smirked at me. Savio didn’t try to hide his glare.
“McKayla,” I said.
“McKayla, beautiful name for a beautiful woman,” Carmine responded.
“Thank you.”
“Would you excuse me, Carmine? I need to talk to McKayla.”
“Of course.” Carmine walked backwards, turned, and headed to a group of men.
Savio wiped his lips.
“You having fun?”
“Mmm… huh.”
“Carmine works for one of the other Five Families.”
“Why am I here?”
“I needed a date.”
“I thought you didn’t date.”
“Change of plans.”
“Is this some kind of mob family get together?” I asked.
Savio looked at the men talking to each other.
“Business.”
“Some of the wives have ignored me.”
“Well, do you blame them?” Savio asked me.
“Rena said it would be perfect for tonight.”
“I like the dress.”
I ran a hand down the silky red short dress that crossed in the front with a low cut in the back.
“Surprised you noticed with the way these women are gawking at you.”
“Let’s dance.” Savio closed the space between us, placed his hand around my waist, and slid his other hand to my waist.
“You smell good.” I extended my arm around his neck.
Savio lingered his fingers across my arm.
“Are you flirting with me, McKayla?”
Renato approached us.
“You two look like you’re about to fuck each other.”
“Shut up, Renato,” we both answered at the same time.
The next day.
I was home listening to music while typing on the computer and eating spicy chicken and rice that Marilyn made. I was relaxed in only my shorts and half t-shirt with my curls out, busting through the notes I had left to go over with Mr. Calabresi.
The front door shut, and Savio stalked in holding a briefcase, looking like a Greek god in a grey double-breasted suit.
“Get dressed.”
“What?’ I dropped the fork on the plate.
“We’re going to dinner.”
“With whom?”
“Our families.”
“What? When?” I jumped out of the chair and followed him upstairs to his bedroom.
“Tonight.”
He removed his jacket, went to the walk-in closet, and shuffled through some dresses. I had a few items in his closet, but not by choice. Whenever I tried to sleep in my bedroom, I’d find myself waking up in his arms in his bedroom. So, I stopped fighting on trying to keep independence. Even when I was mad, he’d still only give me an arm’s length of space.
“I’m not in the family dinner type of mood, Savio.”
“Well, either you can stay here and have my mother send out a team to drag you over, or you can get dressed and pretend to be happy.”
“When did this dinner come about?”
“It doesn’t matter.” He dropped a few dresses on the bed.
I stood my ground near the entrance of the door with my hands on my hips.
“Can I get a smidgen of honestly from you?”
“McKayla, this wasn’t my idea.”
“I’m just getting back good with my parents; I don’t know if this dinner will work.”
“Good thing I was able to make that happen.”
“Cocky much?”
“Just my nature, princess.” He smacked me on the ass.
“How long do I have?”
“Thirty minutes.”
“Thirty minutes! Savio, I need more time.”
“You’re wasting time.”
He grabbed a pair of black slacks and a white shirt.
“Fucking crazy,” I muttered, heading to the bathroom to get dressed.
Thirty minutes later, we piled in the car and headed over to his family home. I thought about how my parents would react to sitting down with a crime family. I put on simple makeup of lip-gloss and blush.
“Rena should be here.”
“How did you make that happen?”
“Thank my mom.”
“Please try to keep the details of our arrangement to yourself.”
I checked my hair in the mirror as the car stopped in front of the gate.
“I need to tell you something,” Savio said.
“What?”
The gate opened, and the car rode up to a stack of cars parked.
“It can wait.” Savio pushed the door opened. I scooted over, and he helped me out of the car. I checked my dress was decent and not revealing. I went with a long, wool, black shirt dress and ankle boots with my hair down in curls.
“Mr. Calabresi, welcome again. Everyone is in the dining room talking,” the butler told us, holding the door open.
“Hello, thank you.” I greeted with a smile.
Savio put his hand on my lower back and escorted me to the dining room. We heard conversation and a little arguing. I prayed it wasn’t my parents.
“Leave me alone,” Rena snapped at Sante.
“What’s going on here?” Savio questioned.
“Your friend is playing a dangerous game,” Sante said.
“Rena.”
“He’s a bigger jerk than you, Savio. Acting like I can’t talk to my friend Renato,” Rena flirted and winked at Renato.
“Sante, leave her alone,” Adelina commanded.
“Tell that to Renato,” Sante fussed.
Rena giggled, switched over to me, and clasped her hand in mine.
“Rena, what are you doing?”
She walked me out of the dining room to the hallway.
“Nothing, just having a little fun.”
“Where are my parents?”
“With Mr. Calabresi.”
“Wait, in his office?”
“Yeah, don’t worry.”
“How can you say don’t worry?” I started to march to his office. Rena jumped in front of me.
“Relax, have a cocktail. I love your hair like this.” Rena ran her hand through my hair.
I drank her martini.
“I need something harder.”
“See, you just need to chill out.”
“You never wear your hair out.”
“Savio mentioned me wearing my hair different.”
“Hhmm.”
“What does that mean?” I jerked my head back.
“Nothing, I just find it interesting.”
“Don’t think anything more than what it is please.”
“I like his brothers, except Sante.”
“I wonder why.”
“McKayla!” Savio called my name.
“Yes.”
“We’re about to eat,” Savio said.
“Okay, I’m coming.”
“McKayla.” I heard my dad’s voice. “I want to talk to you alone,” he said and looked over at Savio. I was curious about that stare but would question Savio later.
“Okay.”
“You can use my office, McKayla,” Mr. Calabresi offered.
“Thank you, Mr. Calabresi.”
“Call me if you need me.” Rena hugged me, then took the glass out of my hands. I followed my father and mother back into Mr. Calabresi’s office.
“How are you?” Missy looked like she wanted to be anywhere but here.
“I’m good.”
“Do they know who’s behind your accident?” Dad asked.
“I have no clue.” I stood near the door, and they sat on the couch.
“We’ll never agree to this marriage.”
“I know.”
“Do you love him?” Mom asked.
“It’s something I can’t explain.”
“He came to my office,” Dad told me.
“When?”
“A while back and basically threatened me,” Dad explained.
I grew hot and flushed in the face. Savio promised he wouldn’t threaten anyone in my life again.
“It was about cutting you off, and how you’ve been upset,” Dad mentioned.
Once I came to understand the actions taken by Savio, my anger dissolved. It was a little annoying when he went overboard with the conversation. Nevertheless, I had to bear in mind that he came from a background of threats.
“I miss you both.”
“You’re our daughter, so tell us what’s going on,” Mom said.
“I saw—”
“McKayla,” Savio cut me off and busted through the door.
“We’ll have lunch and catch up soon,” Mom said.
“I’d like that.”
“Dinner’s ready.” Savio extended his hand, and I smiled in answer.
“Mr. and Mrs. Stanton, how long have you been married?” Adelina asked.
“Over twenty years,” Mom replied.
“Elio and I have over thirty years. We’re in for the long haul,” Adelina commented.
“Adelina, your home is beautiful,” Rena blurted out and cut into her steak.
“Do you see yourself getting married, Rena?”
“God, no. McKayla is the only one who can put up with a husband.” Rena laughed.
I giggled at her statement, then tensed up when I felt Savio’s hand on my exposed thigh.
“Rena.” I cleared my throat.
“I wish all my boys would get married.” Adelina pointed at her sons. All of them groaned in annoyance.
“Leave my wife alone,” Elio Sr. said.
“Control your wife,” Renato quipped.
“Savio, you’re the oldest, right?” Mom probed.
“He’s my first baby boy.” Adelina reached over the table and covered Savio’s hand.
“Stubborn boy,” Elio Sr. joked.
“McKayla is doing a story on your family, correct?” Dad asked.
“She’s going to probably get a Pulitzer for the article,” Rena implied, and I grunted, kicking her leg next to me.
“Fuck!” she blurted.
“Nothing fancy, Dad.”
Savio’s hand gripped my thigh.
“Well, I’m ready for grandbabies, so hopefully, my other boys will hurry up and get married.”
“I’d love to see McKayla as a mom,” Rena cheered and raised her glass.
“You’ve had enough drinks for the night.” I grabbed the martini glass from her hand.
“Maybe I’ll give a baby to Renato.” Rena laughed, and Sante jumped up out of the chair and charged at Renato. All hell broke loose, and dishes went flying across the table as Savio and Elio tried to break them up.
“Sante!” Adelina shouted, and Mr. Calabresi shook his head in disappointment, pulling his wife back.
The car was quiet as we drove home from his parents’ house. Rena sat in the corner, texting angrily on her phone. The way she behaved tonight shocked me. Normally, she was goofy and funny, but tonight, she seemed to be all about antagonizing and overdrinking.
“Rena, is there something you need to talk about?”
“No. Why do you ask?”
“Just curious.”
“I’m fine, McKayla. I just had too many drinks.”
Savio scoffed.
“Savio.”
“McKayla, you can pacify your friend all you want, but she disrespected my family,” Savio argued.
“Can we discuss this later?”
“Look, I apologize. I just had too many drinks,” Rena begged.
We made it to her apartment, the passenger side door opened, and she started to get out.
“Call me later.”
“I will. Be safe.”
“What did your parents say?”
“I was going to ask you the same thing.”
He turned to me.
“Explain.”
“My father said you came to his office.”
“I did my job, normally more or less.”
“What’s your job?”
“The less enemies I have the better.”
“How long will I be an enemy of yours, Savio? I think I’ve proven how loyal I am.”
“McKayla, I’ve had a long day and night.”
“You’re dismissing me again.”
“No, I want a peaceful night without all the questioning.”
“Is Rena sleeping with Sante or Renato?”
“Why would I know that?”
“You know everything, don’t you?”
His eyes narrowed in lust, and he closed the distance between us and slammed his lips on mine.
“The only thing I need to be concerned with is you.”