Tempted By The Mafia Boss

CHAPTER SEVENTEEN

Charlotte

I managed to calm myself yesterday.

Much as I wanted to lie, when Cordelia took me home, and tell her the message from Tobias meant nothing, I couldn’t.

His fucking words were pretty clear and creepy enough to alert anybody. If she hadn’t read the message I might have had some edge to work with.

What I ended up telling her was the truth. I just left out the parts about him killing Antonio.

We talked about it as a family and I ended up telling my parents that I planned to get my own place next week.

That talk didn’t go well.

Ma started crying and Pa looked distraught.

When I saw I was getting nowhere with them I went up to my room and just left them to it.

I only ventured back downstairs an hour ago to grab a late lunch Ma had already prepped for me. She made me one of my favorite stir-fry’s and left some cookies on the side. It was her way of setting the stage to talk if I wanted to. I contemplated talking a little more, maybe later.

Tessa, one of the realtors I’d gotten to know well, called to ask me to meet her at five so I ate what I could and made my way to the apartment I’d fallen for from the classy images on the real estate website.

Tessa was going to be here in twenty minutes but had told me it was okay to go inside and look around.

I was only happy to because I felt looking around by myself first would have a different feel to it than being shown around.

I actually wouldn’t know since this was going to be my first place. I lived with my parents prior to Antonio taking me and all the time I was with Antonio we lived in the same place.

I parked my car in the parking complex which was also classy.

As I walked into the elevator I tried to calm myself. I had that feeling of being watched which I didn’t like.

Who would though, and what the hell was I going to do?

Just the mention of Tobias’ name and my parents looked terrified. They knew who he was. I’d never heard of him prior to going to Italy. I knew of the Antonellas but not him specifically.

When I saw their reaction I knew I worse couldn’t tell them any of the other stuff, and I didn’t mean the part about him killing Antonio and the way that he did it too.

His obsession with me made me sick and was the very reason I had to leave and get away from this life.

If normal people had gotten the kind of message I received the answer would be to go to the police.

Mention the name Antonella to my family and everyone looked like they were about to shit themselves and head for the hills. Pa even suggested that, because

there was fuck all anyone could do. My family had no alliances with anyone and the only person I knew who could protect me if shit hit the fan was Gabe. But I’d told him I couldn’t be with him anymore.

My parents and I got into a terrible argument when I put my foot down and told them I wasn’t going to allow anyone to get to me or dictate how I lived my life.

That sounded a lot more ballsy than I truly felt but it was my will and desire to fight and put my life back on track lashing out on survival instinct.

So now I’m here and I’m determined to focus today on good things.

I pull in a steady breath as the elevator door pings open and I actually smile as the breathtaking scene before me lulls me into the anticipation of living here.

I step out into the hallway. It’s wide with a soft pink and champagne coloring that works perfectly with the wrought iron chandeliers that line the walkway. What catches my attention the most is the view of the Chicago skyline mingling with the river.

It’s before me in the floor to ceiling glass windows that gives the pathway that elegant finish.

Excitement takes me as I walk down the hall and I hope the same set up is in the apartment.

I’m looking for number seventeen.

It’s at the end and as I get to the door my smile widens with satisfaction and hope. The door is open and I can see the floor to ceiling windows lining the whole left side of the apartment. I walk onto polished floor boards and over to a grand piano in the center of the room.

“Oh my God. I want this.” I’m having it. It will be mine just for this room

alone. I’d have a field day in here.

I take a step to the left to go into one of the bedrooms but I swear I hear a

weird crunching noise.

I hear it again, and then someone clearing their throat.This content © Nôv/elDr(a)m/a.Org.

I’m not alone.

Tessa said she would be here in twenty minutes, and that cough sounded like a man. So who’s here?

She never said anyone else would be here.

The crunching noise sounds again, like someone chewing through bone. I hate that sound. Antonio was always doing it like the animal he was.

The sound is coming from the dining room.

I walk in there, against my instincts which tell me to run. My instincts which scream at me to run and hide come full force but I’m here and it’s too late to do anything when I get to the door and see Tobias Antonella sitting at the dining table with what looks like a human finger dangling between his thumb and forefinger.

Holy fuck!

Bile rises in my throat and stays there because I’m too afraid to breathe much less vomit.

He smiles at me and crunches on something that sounds an awful lot like … bone.

Until he confirmed it to Father Rosario that he ate people I thought that whole thing was a rumor. I didn’t think it was real. I just thought it was some scare tactic to freak people out.

It freaked me then to hear him say it and it fucking works now, because… the thing in his hands looks like a human finger because it is one.

“Nice place Bellezza,” Tobias grins, slanting his head to the side so his blond locks drift over his shoulder. “This where you chose for us to celebrate? I’m not keen about fucking against glass windows, but I’m game if that’s what you want.”

I’m shaking and the bile starts to burn my stomach when I think of all this man did to me. How I had to let him fuck me with the threat of people I loved dying if I didn’t let him.

That’s what happened and everybody knows this man is one crazy motherfucker. Even Antonio did but it never stopped him, not for two million dollars. That’s how much Tobias paid to be with me.

I’m shaking but I ball my fists at my side and try with everything inside me to stay calm. Stay calm Charlotte… stay calm.

“What do you want from me?” That is the question I must ask. It’s the question of the hour and one I knew I should be asking after he allowed me to live.

Was it really that though?

Him allowing me to live.

He clears his throat.

My heart… God… I swear my heart stops beating as I wait for his answer.

“I want you.” Comes his simple answer accompanied with a smile. “So, it’s not what I want from you per se. I want you, Bellezza, the widow of the late Antonio De Lucca. That is what I want. You to come live with me. Not in this place, it’s far too small. You live with me, teach at your little school and I’ll … do whatever the fuck it is I want to do.”

I steady my breath to keep from crying out.

This can’t be happening, it can’t.

But… what did I expect was going to happen to me?

I’m so stupid.

I didn’t escape.

It wasn’t freedom. Not by a long shot.

Everything was part of his game. Part of his plan. He knew what I would do and he’s just following through on the path of shit.

I’m so very foolish.

I actually allowed myself to hope that leaving Italy would leave him behind with the shit.

“No, you can’t have me,” I protest, choking back tears.

He smiles and runs a hand through his hair. “I beg to differ. I’m noticing how you never asked how it was I managed to kill your late husband.”

“The servants helped you,” I fill in.

He claps, applauding me. “Not just them bellezza, his cousin too. Donachie De Lucca is one mean twisted son of a bitch. Worse than me.” He starts laughing and nods his head. “Your dear late husband had garnered far too much power when he became boss. Was taking it all for himself. Greeeeeedy bastard he was. Fuck, Antonellas are twisted fucks, but even we know to share when it comes to family. We share the wealth, share the load, watch each other’s backs. Shit like that. Him, though wanted to run his family out of business. That’s where I came in.”

Christ there seems to be so much more to this than I ever imagined.

“I was to kill Antonio and my prize was you,” he informs me. “You the wife I’d paid a deposit on my next installment of fucking. Cost me three million this time, with a deposit of one and a half mil. With him dead it’s half price. Bargain.”

He’s talking about me like I’m a thing.

Of course I am, of course that is what I am. A thing.

“No, I will never let you touch me again.” The tears come now and I curse myself. I didn’t want to let him see me cry again.

He walks up to me and pulls out a small case. Inside is a camera. He holds the camera out to me and presses the button on top.

An image of the two of us fills the screen and my hand flies straight to my mouth.

It’s us, me with him. Me on the bed at the villa, on my hands and knees with him behind me pounding into me.

It was filmed.

Antonio did this.

Antonio did this to me.

“It’s a keepsake. A memory I paid to keep of you.” He leers.

Chills race down my spine when he reaches out and touches my cheek.

“How could you be so vile… how could you?” I don’t know why the hell I bother.

Why am I bothering to appeal to his human side. He has none.

No human being would do this to another.

“Charlotte, vile is me. I don’t know any other way.” When he gets closer the smell fills my nose… that smell.

I think I know what it is now – it’s human flesh. It’s the smell of rotting flesh.

“I won’t go with you.” I lash out and back away.

He laughs and makes a show of wiggling his fingers. “Oh yes you will, or guess what? That school will get a copy of this tape. Principal Carson will get a good run down of what a good little slut you are. I’ll let him know about your daily charges and just how much a slut like you costs to fuck.”

“You know that wasn’t my choice!” I scream.

“Does choice really matter here baby? I don’t choose to be this good looking but I fucking am. People make the mistake of thinking I’m a nice guy, that’s not my fault but their choice. Doesn’t change the fact that they choose what the fuck to do and believe. Just like you. So that’s the picture. My plan.”

I shake my head and he nods.

“You’re evil,” I balk.

“Yes I am. I fucking am one evil fucker. I want you but I’ll give you the chance to get yourself out of the situation by repaying the one point five million with interest.”

I start crying harder. “You know I don’t have that kind of money.”

“Yes of course I know that. But at least I offered you the option.”

I back right into the window and he comes for me. He has to sicken me further by reaching out and filling his palms with my breasts.

“No, I don’t want to.” I try to fight back but he holds me against the glass and squeezes harder. “Please… just let me go.”

“No. I don’t think so.” He smiles wider and tears flow from me like a river when he moves closer to my face.

I don’t know how I don’t die. I can barely breathe.

This is a nightmare. I’ve just woken up in a fucking nightmare.

It’s only the shuffle of footsteps in the next room that makes him stop.

He fixes back my top and leans closer to my face. “You will come to me tomorrow night at eight. I’ll send you the address. If you want to keep that job as a teacher or hope to teach ever, you will come to me. You will come to me or I will destroy you and make sure you never teach again in any country. Nobody wants their kids around whoring sluts. Rest assured I will destroy you if you cross me. I hope that’s clear enough for you to understand.”

He’s…attacking my dreams.

Attacking my dreams.

My dreams.

It’s the last thing left of me, the last part of my soul.

I nod just as Tessa appears at the door and he backs away.

She narrows her eyes at him but it’s like she knows not to say anything.

As he walks up to her he places his finger over his lips.

“Shhhh.” He sneers and then leaves us both.

Tessa rushes up to me the minute we hear the front door click shut.

“Oh my God Charlotte, are you okay?”

Okay?

I shake my head. “No.”

No I’m not okay and I don’t know when I ever will be.

Of course Tessa tries to get me to go to the police because it was very clear that Tobias must have done something to me.

I couldn’t tell her that I couldn’t so I left and pretended that was where I was going when I left her.

I pretended.

I walked out the door and continued walking until I got to the edge of the river.

There was a bench nearby that my legs carried me to and there I sat. I sat down there and stayed there, numb.

Numbness is what I feel. Numbness. So numb I can’t answer the phone as it rings repeatedly over the next hour. So numb I can’t think past the situation or how I’m supposed to get myself out of it.

Tobias Antonella wants me and if I refuse and even try to be the ballsy woman I was yesterday to my family, he’ll show Principal Carter the sex tape.

Sex tape…

Jesus Christ, there’s a sex tape of me.

Me.

It feels weird to even say it.

I want that job at Raventhorne. I absolutely do. I wasn’t just talking shit to make myself look good when I told Principal Carson I was in love with the school. I was.

I felt like I belonged there, so I want the job and the chance for the opportunity. So where does that leave me? Am I seriously supposed to go to Tobias and be his? Protect my image and stop him from destroying me?

The thought makes me start whimpering.

I’m so sick of crying. I’m so sick of it and now I’m crying in public, outside for people to see me.

I could turn the job down to screw with Tobias, but he’ll fuck me over with another job. And another. He won’t stop until there’s nothing left of me.

I wouldn’t be able to teach and that’s all I’ve ever wanted to do as a career.

The glimmer of hope I experienced when it looked like I was going to get my life back on track is gone. All the goodness I felt from the job offer at Raventhorne is gone.

Night falls and I start to shake and shiver. My phone must have rang about a hundred times but I haven’t answered once. I can’t talk to anybody and tell them what happened to me today or any other day.

I feel doom take me because I know this is it for me.

I’ll die if I go to Tobias. I can’t relive the last ten years.

That is what it will be. A replay of Antonio. Same game, different man.

Tobias, though was the worse.

He would be worse. I’d live that nightmare again. I can’t.

I can’t do it.

Gabe’s face flashes into my mind and the image makes me stand. I get strength to stand, head back to my car and drive to him. To Gabe.

I’m not thinking… I’m just doing, because I just want to see him.

When he sees me, my tearstained face is all that’s needed to tell him I’m in trouble.

“Charlotte what happened?” He takes hold of my shoulders and I have to steady my racing thoughts to be able to talk and form coherent words.

“Please…help me…” I whisper. My brain doesn’t even register what I’m saying. I’m just talking. This must be what people mean by hitting rock bottom. The thing is I thought that happened already. I guess it did and this is me fearing going back there again. I’m seeking help. “Please… help me.”

I’m seeking help from the one person I know will give it. The one person I wanted to run away from because of who he is. Yet I need him. I need him in so many ways.

He stares at me and pulls me into the safety of his arms. His arms where I want to stay forever.

I know I can’t stay there though.

I can’t just pretend like the other day that nothing is happening.

The shit has just hit the fan and I need to tell him what is happening.

And… to do that I need to tell him all that happened to me.