Page 39 of The Diávolos: Part One
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A little while later,Niko and I are in his car on our way to the venue, located in the Heights, the most ‘neutral’ territory in the city. The ride is quiet. He attempts to break the silence with small talk, but the conversation is fragmented and awkward. My arms are crossed, and my body language is tense. I’ve never been this uncomfortable around him, and I know it has to do with a certain someone.
Niko has been around my family for almost as long as Gianis. They were best friends, which meant wherever G was, Niko was. He doesn’t work for us, but he’s always been mybaba’s first pick as my future husband. I was barely legal, and he would talk about us getting married. It never happened, as we broke up a year before I moved away. It’s not that I don’t find Niko attractive or worthy, I just don’t see the point. I’m not in love with him and the marriage would only benefit our fathers.
We dated for several months during my junior year of high school. He was cute and quiet, and definitely not like the other guys. I was drawn to him for the simple fact that he was different. We lost our virginity to each other, but our relationship didn’t last long after that. If our families had found out we’d had premarital sex, my head would’ve been on a chopping block, or we would’ve been married at eighteen. Thankfully, Niko never told anyone. He never bragged. Not even to Gianis, who secretly loathed seeing us together.
Either way, I prefer the friendship we have now. I still feel the tenderness he’s always had toward me.
I knew he would jump at the opportunity to go to the charity ball with me. He probably knows nothing is going to come of this, but he still agreed to come. I think a part of him still hangs on to a sliver of hope that I’ll marry him one day. I have no doubt he would treat me with the utmost respect, but out of spite toward my father, I refuse to tie myself down to him, or anyone.Call me petty.
I fiddle with my dress, nervous at the thought of my secret admirer finding out I’m going on a date with another man. I don’t owe him anything but, for some reason, I feel uneasy. I know he’s always watching. Then, there’s Evan. I’ve spent a lot of time with him recently, and my attachment to him is growing. As much as I try to shove all thoughts of him away, it’s useless. His face always comes to the forefront of my mind. I don’t know how to handle my feelings. He seems to be equally interested in me, but I don’t want to get my hopes up. I barely know him. The bonds I have with both men are so different, but so alike at the same time. I have no idea who one of them is, but the tingles that travel through my body and land right in the pit of my stomach when I get his gifts and read his poems make me feel like he truly sees me, knows me. A rush of adrenaline courses through my veins when I think of him watching me.
The other is mysterious, and I feel like he may be hiding his true self from me. I yearn to peel away his many layers. I want to uncover him and learn everything there is to know. His touch, feel, and smell are branded on my skin. My core flutters just at the thought of him.
The two are a perfect match for me. I wish I could blend them together and call them both mine.
I push those thoughts aside and focus on my date. We catch up during the ride, talk about his family, his work, and he tells me about the horses he’s been betting on. Several minutes later, we arrive at the venue, where a valet attendant waits for us at the entrance. Niko gets out of the car and rushes to my side to help me out of my seat, then we walk into the building holding hands.
The Ballroom At the Ben is beautifully decorated. The folks at the Mouths2Feed Foundation really outdid themselves this year. I can’t help but stare at the gorgeous gardenias and baby’s breath covering the balconies looking over the hall. The beautiful golden chiavari chairs are covered with magnificent bows. The stunning backdrop of flowers behind the dais is sure to be a crowd pleaser. Wealthy people want to see that their money will be well-spent and appreciated before they donate hundreds of thousands of dollars.
We find our table and take a seat. My father paid a hefty price for our tickets, so we are seated near the front stage in the VIP section. The guests are all in ball gowns and tuxedos. Even though everyone is wearing masquerade masks, I can recognize most people. The individuals at our table are long-time friends of my family, so no one looks twice at the sight of Niko and I arriving together. I make my rounds and indulge each of them with polite conversation. After all, that's what my father sent me here to do, kiss ass and look better than everyone else doing it. Given this event is mainly attended by high-profile mobsters and business moguls, we are acquainted with most of the guests. It’s a fairly small pool of individuals. Plus, being the only daughter of a well-known mafia boss guarantees that everyone knows your name.
I start planning my next moves and look around to see who I’ll interrogate first. My eyes narrow in on Mrs. Cirillo. Her husband, Homer, is the Godfather of the Cirillo family, and they control the Lower District.Bingo. She loves to dish the dirt and gets really chatty when she’s had one drink too many. When I was younger, I’d always hear stories of the rumors Gloria would spread around the city. She was everyone’s personal gossip channel. Hopefully she’s kept up with the same habits while I was away. I’ll wait until she’s slightly intoxicated, and I’ll make my move.
A jazz band plays in the background while people mingle, have drinks, and schmooze. Niko and I decide to go to the bar to escape the loud noise. He grabs my hand and holds on tight as we wind our way through the crowd. I feel a presence to my right and notice from the corner of my eye someone staring directly at me. I let go of Niko, but he keeps walking, not bothered by the empty void left by my hand. I turn back and see a man wearing a full ornate black mask with devil horns. Unlike everyone else, his entire face is covered, which means he sticks out like a sore thumb, but nobody else seems to notice him. He’s hidden, but I can still see the intensity of his eyes through the gaps in the mask. He’s at the opposite end of the ballroom, leaning against a cocktail table, drink in hand, absently participating in a conversation with two other men I don’t recognize, but his eyes remain laser-focused onme.
I can’t help but mumble out loud, “Who is that?”
The way his gaze never leaves me fills my body with a sense of familiarity, but I can’t point out why. I take a long look at him from head to toe and it's impossible to ignore how delectable this stranger looks in a tuxedo. When I lock eyes with him again, I feel a tightness in my throat and I try to swallow, keeping my eyes on the way the suit hugs his tall and muscular frame. His bow tie is snug at his throat and his Adam’s apple bobs underneath. I shudder at the sight.Who is he?
I shake my head to get rid of the sudden heat I feel creeping up my skin. For some godforsaken reason, I feel guilty for having these thoughts because of some deranged man who has made it his life's mission to stalk me, and because of Evan, who simply waltzed into my life and turned it upside down.
The distraction causes me to trip over my dress and I stumble into Niko’s back. I dismiss his concern and quickly gather myself to continue following him to the bar. As we approach the bartender at the back of the ballroom, I can still feel the stranger’s eyes on me, and I look back at him.
Despite still being in the middle of a conversation, he doesn’t take his gaze off me for a second. There is a fire brewing behind his eyes. He only moves to take sips of his drink. His eyes seem to pierce the depths of my soul. I feel like I recognize the unique color of his irises. My bones rattle at the hunger in them and the way he looks at me through his dark, thick lashes, but I feel myself getting hot and bothered.What is wrong with me?I jerk my head back toward the bartender and order a double gin, neat.
I need something strong if I’m going to survive tonight.
For a while, I focus on my date. Niko is a gentleman and initiates most of our conversations, while taking care of me and ensuring I always have a drink in hand, with sips of water in between. He leans close to my ear to ask if I’m comfortable or if I need anything, gently touching my arms whenever he wants to get my attention. I try so hard to ignore the stranger’s presence, but I catch myself looking over at him on multiple occasions, making eye contact each time. He doesn’t flinch.
As time goes by, I start feeling more guilty for being here with Niko.But why? Is it because of Evan? Or my guardian angel?Either option is preposterous. I’m single. Yet, I feel bad for being here with a friend, because a man I’ve never met is looking at me like he’s about to claim me as a prize, and the two other men I daydream about, I don’t actually owe anything to, and they aren’t even here.
I’m annoyed with myself for turning what I expected to be an already pitiful night into something full of misery. I’ve lost focus. I’m supposed to get information out of Mrs. Cirillo in the hopes of uncovering my father’s operation, but instead, I’m here, drowning in my drink like a coward. The masked stranger threw me off my game and ruined my plans. All he’s done is stare at me all evening without uttering a word. What is his problem? I need to figure out who he is.
Frustration starts bubbling inside of me amid my conversation with Niko, and I spill some of my drink on my dress as I try to take a sip with shaky hands. I reach over the bar to grab a napkin and the spaghetti strap of my dress slips off my shoulder. Niko reaches for the tissue first.
“May I?” he asks, and I nod. He dabs the serviette on the corner of my lips to wipe off the droplets of liquid and then gently pats my chest to clean up the spill. Heat rises to my cheeks. When he’s done cleaning me up, he sweeps his hand up my arm and places my strap back on my shoulder.Nope. That’s it.If I turn any redder or get any hotter, I’ll probably burst into flames. I need to exit this situation now. The awareness of being watched while Niko touches me is eating at my skin. I excuse myself and make haste,awayfrom him.
I walk through the large crowd to the ladies room. I just need a moment alone without Niko’s hands on me, the masked stranger’s eyes following me, and the thoughts of Evan and my stalker plaguing me. I can’t think straight right now.
I walk into the bathroom and rest my hands on the counter on each side of the sink, and I let my head fall between my shoulders. I release a large pent-up breath just as the door swings open, startling me when it hits the wall. I whirl around and the man who’s been eyeing me all night marches in. I stare up at him with wide eyes.
“What the hell? Are you crazy? You just barged into the woman’s washroom like a Neanderthal!” I yell. “And you almost scared me to death!”
“You should be scared, Angelica,” he murmurs dangerously. His voice is low, full of bass, like the deep thunder of a storm. I don’t recognize it, it shakes me to the core, but I’m not afraid.
“And I don’t give a fuck. If anyone is in here, they can leave.” His chest visibly expands with each breath. Why isheangry right now?
