Page 2 of Doormat
Rushing to her father’s main door, she went to open it, only it was locked.He never locked his door.Slamming her hand against it, she reached for the doorbell and rang it.She kept ringing it until the door finally opened.It wasn’t Pete, his butler, but her father, Enzo Valentino.
“You lied!”she said, glaring at her father.
She hated that her eyes had glazed over as she turned to look at her father.
“Honey?”
“You told me if I was a good girl, if I complied and followed his stupid rules and was amenable, it would make for a good marriage.He hates me.He thinks I am a doormat, and it’s all your damn fault.”
She wanted to scream and hit him.Instead, she ran right past him, throwing off her heels, which she tossed to the side.She took the stairs two at a time, rushing to her old bedroom that she hadn’t seen in two months.The moment she was inside, she slammed the door closed and locked it.
This had been home for twenty-one years, up until six months ago, when she was forced to marry someone she didn’t love—a man she didn’t want anything to do with.
Tears fell down her face as she looked around her bedroom and saw nothing had changed.She didn’t know if that made her happy or sad, considering she felt like a completely different person.
****
Diego left the officeand made his way across the hall.He spotted Liana’s friends huddled together, but he didn’t see his wife.
Taking the final sip of Giovanni’s good brandy, he handed the empty glass to a nearby waiter, who took it away.He looked toward the group of women, as Giovanni, Lorenzo, and Emilio came out to join him.This was supposed to just be an autumnal party.For some reason Giovanni said Mia wanted to celebrate the change of seasons.
The four women they had somehow married were all friends.It was not entirely unheard of within the mafia to not be friends, but it was rare.Most of the women were attempting to get the gossip to rise themselves up between each other, as queen in the mafia.Not his group.He knew other women attempted to hold positions of power against other wives.
He was aware his wife and her three friends had never been controlled, which he didn’t understand.His wife was so agreeable.He was pretty sure if Alessi had told his wife to jump, she would have asked exactly how high, or would just jump.
Alessi was the current wife to the mafia’s head boss, Francesco Colombo.He’d been married three times.His first wife had died in childbirth, along with their son.His second wife had betrayed him, after giving birth to twins.Alessi was a spiteful bitch, but she happened to be a good wife to Francesco, and she liked to keep the women in line.So far, she hadn’t been able to boss around these four.They didn’t succumb to Alessi’s aggression, which didn’t make a lot of sense.
“Is it me, or do our wives look pissed?”Giovanni asked.
“My wife is not there,” Diego said.
He was bored.He had a long day at work, and the truth was, he didn’t want to go to this party but Liana had insisted.She had looked so fucking beautiful in the deep blue dress she had chosen.Her long blonde hair had been spiraled, and she had on minimal makeup.He did notice the tiny details about his wife.
He couldn’t believe Francesco had even agreed to this marriage.He had said it was high time he married.He didn’t want his diablo to live a lonely life.He needed to start making babies, so that when he was too old, he would have heirs to take his place.Francesco was always thinking about the future.
Diego knew the Colombo Mafia would not be what it was today without him.Francesco rewarded him well.He was loyal to the family, to the cause, and would never back down from a fight.He had taken from the Bratva, destroyed the Spanish Mafia that had threatened to come and take their city.He would not allow it to happen.
His friends had walked over to where their wives were waiting, and in the five minutes he had been standing, Liana still hadn’t returned from the bathroom.Each of the men went to their wives.Giovanni went to Mia and put his hands on her shoulders, but Diego watched as she shoved his hands away.He had never seen Mia act that way toward her husband.Next, Lorenzo and Clarissa.She stepped out of his way and didn’t even let him get close.Tatiana turned and slapped Emilio right across the face.All three men were in shock.
“Where’s Liana?”he asked.
All three women turned on him.Okay, this was scary and fucking new.
He was considered one of the scariest men of the mafia.He had men terrified and pissing themselves.He was not prepared for the evil glares directed his way.
“Oh, why don’t you go and ask the doormat?After all, that is a lot funnier than Liana, right?I mean, she is dull and boring, and you hate going home to her.If she is so dull, why not go and find her?I’m sure you know where she is.”Mia glared at him, and then turned to Giovanni with a look of disgust.
All three women turned on their heels, and within seconds were gone.
“How the fuck did they hear that?”Emilio asked.
Diego turned to Giovanni and watched his friend, practically pale.“Shit!”
“You want to tell me how our wives heard our private conversation?”Diego asked.
Emilio had gone quiet.They had said not-so-nice things about their wives.They had all shared a little confession.
“I set cameras up in every room of the house,” Giovanni said.“Including the library.”
