Page 13 of Pain and Pleasure
“He has been...easier to deal with, yes. Did you say something to him?”
He shrugs as he begins to dress the chicken with butter and seasonings.
“I may have mentioned a thing or two, though I was hoping his actions have changed more because of his self-realization and not my scolding.”
I set my knife down and laugh, my head going back as an eruption of giggles leaves my throat. Javier scolding Dante is a sight that I would love to see. I turn to look at him, love in my eyes as he stares back. I barely know this man, but he’s been looking out for me since day one. I turn to hug him, my arms wrapping around his shoulders as he freezes in surprise.
“Thank you for looking out for me, Javi. It means more than you could ever know.”
His face softens and he hugs me back before pulling away and grabbing the cutting board full of potatoes.
“You’re a bright and loving woman, Emmie. You deserve the world and nothing short of it. Go set up the dining hall for tonight, there’s a tub of event decor by the table.”
I nod as I walk in the direction of the hall, but his voice stops me once more.
“I hear tomorrow is the start of your last semester. I’m here to help if you need to make a restaurant model for your business portfolio. I may know a thing or two.”
He winks at me and I laugh, telling him thank you as I walk into the dining hall. I open the tub by the table and am bewildered by the contents. Apparently, the event decor is just gold trinkets, flatware and candles. I’m pretty sure all of it is real due to the weight of it. I lay out a burgundy table runner on the dining room table and set places with black linens, setting the gold plates and candles all around each setting.
Something is missing and I realize that there is a large, gold vase still left in the tub. I walk out into the garden and cut red roses from the bushes before walking them back inside to place them in the vase, setting it in the middle of the large dining table. I step back and admire my work. It makes me smile with pride and I realize that I can’t wait to open my own restaurant someday. It is all I ever dreamed of, and I’ll be damned if anyone tries to take that away from me. Even if it is members of a drug cartel. I would die for this dream. I’m just hoping I won’t have to.
* * *
I’m touching up my make up in my bedroom when a knock sounds at my door.
Ricky and Marianne enter together and the sight of them next to each other makes me smile. Ricky is in a dark red and velvet suit. His hair is slicked back and he wears a gold chain that hangs over his crisp, white shirt. He looks like a runway model and I just know that him working with Marianne will do wonders for his future. He beams back at me as Marianne lets go of his arm and walks to me.
Her hair is tied up in an elegant bun, some grey peeking through her light brown strands. She wears a simple, dark grey dress, and the diamonds lining her throat and earlobes are unmistakable. She grabs my hands and rubs them softly.
“I’m so glad you’re here, Emmie. I was worried about you after you disappeared the other night. Is everything...are you okay?” She sounds genuinely concerned and it makes my heart melt. These people that I barely know are so watchful of me that it makes me forget about all the times Dante wasn’t. Their empathy was almost enough, even though I still crave it from him.
“Yes, Marianne. I am fine. I appreciate your concern and I’m so sorry I left you the other night. I wasn’t feeling well at all, and I think it's from the stress of school starting tomorrow.”
It’s only a half lie, but she takes it anyway, picking my dress up from the bed and bringing it over to me.
“Great choice for tonight, though I wouldn’t wear those shoes with it, the shade of black doesn’t quite match this. There’s a pair of red bottoms in your closet that would look great with this.”
She smiles at me and Ricky agrees from behind us. Here I was thinking that I actually knew a thing or two about fashion now. I suppose I’ll just leave it to the experts. I go to my closet and dress quickly, pulling the heels she recommends out and stepping into them. They add about a few inches to my height and I wonder if I’ll ever be good at walking in heels. I give myself a once over in the mirror and smile at my reflection.
Ricky and Marianne approve as I walk back into my bedroom. Ricky grabs my arms and ushers me towards the door.
“You look great, baby girl. Now let’s go, I’m fucking starving and in need of a stiff drink.”
Marianne and I laugh and we walk out of my bedroom and towards the dining hall. Once we near it, I see Dante sitting at the far end of the table in his usual spot. Sergio sits next to him and I notice that they are in deep conversation with the others seated at the table. As we get closer, I am able to get a view of the men at the table. I realize that they are the same men I saw at Dante’s party the other night, the same ones that made the hair stand on the back of my neck with their intense stares. I immediately tense and Ricky notices it, raising an eyebrow at me, but I shrug him off so that I don’t appear off in front of them. They’re terrifying men and anyone can feel their power when in their presence.
Their eyes meet us at the same time Dante’s meets us. He eyes me up and down, lust filling his amber irises.
“Glad you could finally join us. Esmeralda, come sit next to me and enjoy some wine.”
The men stare me down as I take my place next to Dante, their gazes causing the hairs to stand on the back of my neck once more.
7
Esmeralda
I sitto the left of Dante, and Marianne takes her spot next to me.
The men Dante was speaking with sat at the far end of the table, their stares dispersing as they chatter amongst themselves. Dante's knee brushes mine and when I look at him, I see that his eyes have a serious tone to them. He looks stern and I know it's about the men at the end of the table.
