Page 92 of The Mob: Shio Cuppacio
Holding my breath, I waited until he struck her down. He was the Don, or so I assumed from all my observations tonight. Like all men in charge, no one spoke to the leader of an organization with disrespect, especially a woman. My father wasn't abusive, but there had been times when he’d struck Maura for going too far with her tongue. He’d even roughed me up a time or two when I was way out of line in the way I’d spoken or when he felt I’d been disobedient. I began to feel lightheaded from how I was restricting my air flow, and since his hand remained at her waist while a lazy smile sat on his face, I exhaled.
“Stop fucking playing with me, Mrs. Rinaldi, before I turn this bitch out,” he stated not so discreetly in her ear.
I’d begun breathing again, but was still on edge. No one else seemed to be worried as they all started engaging in side conversations amongst each other. When he kissed the side of her face, I accepted this was their normal banter. This wasn’t an abusive man; this was one who loved his wife. I was still lost on him allowing her to lash at him, especially in public. Maybe this was the American way or the Rinaldi way? Either way, I was just relieved that this hadn’t gone left as I’d seen time and time again in Mexico.
A big, burly man, who almost looked like the driver who had taken me to Shio’s house, came over and whispered in Demise’s ear. He planted a kiss on his wife’s cheek, slapped her ass as she cursed at him about it stinging, and then he was gone. Things were a lot different here. My father had never shown any public affection toward Maura, and my husband-to-be wouldn’t be doing it to me either. In fact, I probably wouldn’t be seen with him in public at all unless I was summoned for some reason, such as a public engagement or some type of trade-off.
“I thought you weren’t coming! Look at youuuu! Not yo’ new in-laws took ya braids out. I love it!”
“Ohh! You looking fine!”
“Pretty as fuuuuck.”
The women dished out compliments and smiles to a woman who walked up. The compliments weren't exaggerated; she washermosa (beautiful).Just as the men were, the women were all extremely attractive. Sticking to what seemed to be a black dress code, a short silk number clung to her petite frame, while highlighted curls framed her slender face, and a heavenly scent invaded my space from her walk-up air. I wasn’t familiar with the designer of her dress, and while it was pretty and fit her perfectly, the material was not expensive. Looking from her light-skinned complexion to the women who praised her appearance in different shades of brown and black, I felt a sliverof peace. I’d never been around this many women who looked like me. Mexico had very different feelings regarding people who had our skin color, but here, no one had batted an eyelash at my deep-colored skin.
A wide grin stretched across the newcomer’s face at the latest compliment from Jisei. When her orbs landed on me, her smile stayed in place. Everyone saw that she was looking at me, so the smiles fell and chatter ceased. I didn’t know what was going on, but I held my hand out.
“Hola. I’m Solana,” I greeted.
She took my hand in hers, and I didn’t miss her dazzling ring. “Solana? That’s pretty. Fitting too. I’m Glow.”
One of the ladies cleared their throat, and I saw Mocha nudging Jisei. My hand fell back to my side as she cleared her throat. “Friend… Solana… She came with Shio.”
All of the ladies seemed to hold their breath, as I had when I thought their Don was going to hit Dasani. As they waited for Glow’s reaction, I waited for them to speak. I’d been around long enough to know what this was. Cultural differences or not, I knew when a woman had held the interest of a man. Still, I kept my head high. I’d come with Shio and would be leaving with him, but as I explained earlier, I was engaged, and it wasn’t to him. She had no reason to feel threatened by me. Plus, she was wearing a rock on her finger, and last I checked, Shio was a single man.
Glow’s smile didn’t falter. Either she was a hell of an actress, or she simply wasn’t bothered. Either way, I kept my eyes on her.
“Oh, okay.”
We all stood around in silence after Glow’s and my exchange. The women were communicating with their eyes when Scarlett grabbed Glow’s hand.
“Wait, bitch!”
The rest of the ladies looked on in astonishment as they noticed her ring for the first time. They must have been too familiar because I’d seen it as soon as she presented herself.
“What the fuck is this?” Mocha screamed in excitement.
Glow’s entire face had flushed red, yet she said nothing.
“More than braids done went down in the M. What the fuck you got going on?” Jisei squealed.
I could feel my heart accelerating in my chest. I didn’t know if it was because I was starting to feel anxious about being in the mix of people I didn’t know, or because it was finally hitting me that I was really in America, all alone, with no word yet from my father. Talking to these ladies had been a nice distraction, and even to the glam team earlier this evening. But the fact remained that I had no idea what I was doing. Being sent here to be “trained” was a load of bullshit. I knew it. Shio knew it. My papa knew it, but he was the only one who could reveal what my true reason for being here was.
While all the women were balancing nervously on their tippy toes, waiting for Glow to reveal what she was going to tell them, I felt myself fighting sweat that was threatening to erupt from my hairline and the mucus attempting to slide out of my nose. I wasn’t trying to ruin my hair, my makeup, or my composure in front of these ladies.
Pia yelled, “Spill it bitch, damn!”
I scanned the room to see if I could spot the man I’d come with. I needed a reprieve. To my dismay, he was nowhere to be found.
“Okay, so I may or may not have gotten… married?”
A tight knot within me begged for release as my breath was trapped inside my lungs. My head was deprived of oxygen as I didn’t know how to stop the oncoming panic attack brewing.
“To Shio?” Scarlett asked.
“I—”
“Excuse me, ladies!” I said, interrupting Glow. “I have to make a call.”
