Page 57 of The Mafia's Captive

“He’ll call you.” Nico leaves before I can ask any more questions. I wander around the house after he’s gone, feeling restless. Calming down is difficult when you know that your sex trafficking father is out looking for you. Maybe if I call Jesse and ask her to come over. She certainly enjoyed being here last time. She sounds more than happy to come over when I ask her and, in a few minutes, the doorbell rings. Rob, who's sitting with me in the living room while I watch tv, looks up from his phone. “Did you order room service?”

“It’s probably a friend of mine,” I say, getting up. He does the same. “You weren’t supposed to call anyone.”

“I don’t think Jesse is a threat. She’s been here before.” Rob stares at me, unsure of what to do. He looks like he’s trapped and I hate that I put him in this position. “I’m bored, and I need someone else to talk to. Are you going to be that person?” His face falls at the idea of chatting up with me. “Fine,” he puts a hand to his gun tucked in at his back. “But I’m the one who opens the door.” He marches over to the foyer with me right behind him. Jesse is standing there when he opens it. He looks out behind her and when he sees that she’s alone, his posture melts and he ushers her in. Jesse is surprised by this and immediately says, “What is going on?”

“He’s being a little cautious, that’s all.” I take her hand and lead her to my room.

“Shouldn’t you be at some super exclusive rich people's wedding in Tuscany or whatever?”

“I was. Now I’m back. Wait? How did you know I was in Tuscany?” She’s in the middle of picking at the dresser, picks up a bottle of perfume, and shrugs. “Isn’t it common knowledge?”

“I don’t think so.”

She shrugs. “Maybe not to you. He probably wanted to keep it a surprise, a romantic gesture of some sorts. But the entire casino knew. Well, the top floor, at least. How was it?”

I called her here, wanting to tell her about my father and who he was, but as she stands there now, a niggling part of me is saying I shouldn’t. “It was okay.”

“Okay? It had to be more than that, I’m sure. I heard that the who’s who of the,” she leans in and whispers, “underground mafia world,” then raises her voice again, “was there.”

“Well, not exactly the who’s who, but a lot of people were there.”

“And is it true about the whole arranged marriage thing? I think it’s a little archaic, don’t you think?”

“You seem to know a lot about this?”

“Uh. Sal told me about it.”

“Sal?” She looks like she’s said something she shouldn’t have said and puts down the perfume bottle she’s been playing with. “Are you dating Sal?”

Her shock says more than I need to know. “Why would you say that?”

“I’m right, am I?”

Her face falls. “Who told you? Did Dante tell you?”

“No one said anything to me, I’m just wondering why you never said anything about it.”

“What about you? You hid a lot more from me.”

“You hid your money from me! I got in trouble because of you!”

“Oh come on, I doubt your boyfriend cared that much.” I wish now that I had told her about the true nature of my relationship with Dante and not created this facade. “He did care,” I tell her.

“And did he punish you? You’re still alive.”

“Doesn’t matter. I think you should have told me about Sal, that’s all.” Now why am I feeling like I’m the one in the wrong? She’s the one who hasn’t been forthcoming about anything at all. However, her mood changes and she marches over to me. “You’re right. I should have told you. What should my penance be? Coffee at the cafe downstairs? I could tell you all about it?”

“I don’t think I can leave right now.”

“Oh. Come on, why not? It’ll only be a few minutes.”

I’m still thinking of a way of telling her no without making her suspicious when I hear voices coming from the living room. They sound like they’re arguing. They sound familiar. “Wait? Did Sal follow you here?” I ask Jesse.

“No,” she looks away from me, “Why would he?”

“Isn’t that him arguing with Rob?” I say.

She shrugs. Something is off. Off with her. Off with her mannerisms and the way she’s speaking.

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