I nod but don’t comment. Alicianna and I know each other well, and sweet is not the word I would use to describe her. She’s more of a cutthroat, shark kinda girl. Ambitious to a fault, and conniving as hell.
Her parents raised her to be a mob wife, but Alicianna definitely wants to be the Donna. She has no intention of sitting idly by while her husband runs her family. That’s probably whyshe isn’t married. If she finally settled down, then her father could retire.
The Amano family is a prominent Italian family that is based in Louisiana. Their organization is smaller and less powerful than ours. However, they don’t have territory in Texas, so we are friendly. I wouldn’t call us allies, but we’re not enemies either.
“Hi, Luca. It’s good to see you.” Alicianna seductively smiles.
I’m not sure what she thinks she’s doing, but I don’t like it. The last time I saw her, she was doing her best impression of a hoover on my cousin’s dick. Paolo isn’t the most discreet motherfucker, but even he didn’t claim Alicianna.
“Hmmm,” I respond with a nod.
“Luciano! I’m surprised to see you figlio,” my papa sings, coming into the kitchen.
“Papa,” I reply.
My papa engulfs me in a hug like he always does, and it almost brings a smile to my face. It’s not that I don’t love my papa, I’ve just never been one for affection. My entire family knows this, but it doesn’t stop my papa from showing me love. It doesn’t bother me as much as it used to. However, I still struggle with a lot of physical contact.
People would assume something traumatic happened in my childhood, but nothing happened. There wasn’t a time in my childhood that I was exposed to any trauma. It’s just the way my brain is wired. My parents have always tried their best to understand my needs and my wishes for solitude.
They get me as much as they can, and that’s why I don’t hold it against them when they insist on physical affection, knowing I hate it. I don’t know why I hate the touch of another person, it’s just the way that I am.
I can honestly say that I don’t like people in general, so touching someone else isn’t high on my list. However, there are exceptions to everything. I love to slice a motherfucker up,someone deserving, of course. And although I don’t particularly like women touching me, I love to touch them.
I guess it’s like they say, there’s exceptions to every rule.
“Where’s Ro? He’s usually here by now.” I look around for my brother.
He’s the older, dutiful son who always does the right thing. You would think we had some type of sibling rivalry, but we don’t. I love and trust my brother. He understands me better than most, even though he takes his older sibling role too far at times.
“I saw him at lunch today, so I know he’s coming. He should be here…”
Before my papa can finish his sentence, we hear the front door open and shut. Ro comes sauntering in with a bright smile.
“Mi familia!” His voice booms through the large kitchen. “It smells delici— what the fuck are you doing here?”
“Roman Dalonzo!” Mama shouts, putting her hands on her hips.
The stern look she gives my brother doesn’t wipe the deep scowl from his face. I’m glad to know I’m not the only one suspicious of Alicianna’s presence. To be fair, I’m suspicious of most people, but for some reason, her being here feels dangerous. And I don’t like danger; it makes my silent killer stand up and take notes.
CHAPTER
TWO
TRAPPED
MINDY
“So how are you wearing your hair tonight? I’m sad that I won’t be able to come. But my boo is supposed to come by later, and I want to be rested,” Talia says with a dreamy sigh.
Talia is one of the only friends that I still have, so I do my best to act as normally as possible. I answer her phone calls and listen to her chatter about her problems and all of her different boyfriends. I do all of this, so she won’t know that my husband is abusive.
I’m not excited about how I will wear my hair, getting dressed up, or going to some club. My husband Ross makes it a point to embarrass me every time we go somewhere. It’s like he gets joy out of humiliating me. As a matter of fact, I know he relishes the hell out of it. It’s the smug glint in his eyes or the condescending smirk that graces his face after he says something to crush my spirit. My husband is a sick man, but he’s made it almost impossible for me to leave.
“Mindy? Are you still there?” Talia questions, breaking into my thoughts.
“Yeah, I’m here.”
“You’re so lucky to have a husband like Ross. He treats you so well, taking you everywhere with him, and buying you anything you want. My new boo is wining and dining me too. Every woman needs a man like Ross.”
