“Go sit.” Ross pushes me slightly towards an empty table.
I swear I hate him. Commanding me like I’m his dog. How the hell did I get trapped with this devil?
I don’t let the hate for my husband show on my face. I don’t even look at him as I stride toward the table. I don’t look at anyone. I take my seat and stare out into the crowd. I do my best to relax, but there’s no use. I’ll be on edge until Ross is gone and I’m left alone.
I’m bored to tears, but I know not to pull out my phone. If Ross thinks I’m texting anyone, he will freak out. Even when I don’t think he’s watching me, he is. I learned that valuable lesson a few months ago when I was watching videos and laughing to pass the time, only to be left sitting alone.
Ross told me not to move, then proceeded to ignore me, so I figured I’d watch a few reels and send a few memes to Talia. I didn’t realize Ross was watching me until we got home. He attacked me as soon as we got in the house, snatching my purse and rummaging through it until he found my phone.
I was so confused as he scrolled through my phone. When he didn’t find what he was looking for, he accused me of cheating on him. When I denied it, he slapped me so hard that my nose bled and bruised my eye.
It wasn’t the first time he’d hit me, but it was the first time he didn’t pretend to be sorry. It was the first time that a gift didn’t come the next day. However, it was the first time that I realized I needed to find a way out of this fucked up relationship.
The loud music and the flashing lights should distract me. However, my mind refuses to cooperate. I sit here trying to figure out how the hell I got here and how the hell I can get away. But I can’t stop thinking about how bad the abuse has gotten, and how anything can trigger him. I can only pray that he will find someone else to go home with tonight.
I feel crazy praying that my husband cheats, but it’s the only time I know for sure he will leave me alone. Ross used to hidehis cheating, but I guess he knows that I can’t leave him. I have so much shame that he knows I won’t call my family and ask for help, and he’s isolated me from all of my friends except Talia. I don’t have much money saved because I stupidly thought I could trust him to support me.
Ross got me to quit work, and because I believed in being a housewife, I didn’t put up a fight. He wanted me to be like his mother and eventually be a stay-at-home mom. A lot of women don’t work after marriage and kids, but now I know it was another form of control. After meeting Sonya Stewart, I had a better understanding of how her son became the devil. She raised him in her image. I’m just glad I never got pregnant, it’ll make it easier to get away from him forever.
Ross may not know this, but I refuse to be trapped. I’m getting out of this sham of a marriage one way or another.
CHAPTER
THREE
POSSESIVE
LUCA
Dinner turned out to be more than I bargained for, especially after Paolo showed up. Everyone knows that he is callous when dealing with people. But when he’s forced to tolerate someone, he can be downright despicable.
The hostility that clouded the room should’ve made Alicianna want to flee as quickly as humanly possible. But she sat at the dinner table, making flirtatious remarks to anyone who gave her the slightest attention. She made it clear that intimidation wouldn’t make her leave.
So, following my lead, my brother and Paolo decided to just ignore her. My Mama is pissed, but she didn’t comment in front of Alicianna. I’m sure we’ll get an earful when she gets us alone, but it won’t be tonight. Roman got a call about important business, and we left.
Mama may not have believed him, but she wouldn’t make a scene about us having to handle business. I am thankful that we could get away from Alicianna before I could delve too deeply into her actions. She didn’t do anything too outlandish, but Alicianna doesn’t do things for no reason.
She showed up here for a reason, and I want to know what it is. The families here in Dallas have been up to no good lately. We had a shipment of guns hijacked, and a brawl had broken out at one of Roman’s clubs. I want to ensure that the Amano family had nothing to do with any of it. They need to stay in Louisiana and out of our business.
When we show up at Club Obsession, we have a meeting with Roman’s club security. And unfortunately, we have a rat in our business somewhere. It makes me even more suspicious of Alicianna and her sudden appearance.
The meeting lasted two hours, and they came to the conclusion that the Giuliani family was causing trouble. They just didn’t know why they had a sudden urge to upset the balance of the families. We are the most powerful mob family in Texas, and that will never change. No matter how many snakes are in the garden or rats in the house.
We sat around in the club’s VIP section before Roman took off behind some woman. I have to admit she is gorgeous, but I am surprised by my brother’s reaction to her. Roman never chased a woman, but it looked as if things are changing.
“Looks like Ro is on a mission. How about we get out of here and go meet up with some models?”
Paolo posed his words as a question, but I knew they weren’t. He wanted to leave Club Obsession because Ro warned him to stop fucking his dancers. I don’t know why he wanted me to go with him, but my cousin always has his reasons, so I just nod and follow him outside.
“Did you valet?” Paolo questions, absently scrolling on his phone.
“Doesn’t matter. You’re driving,” I dryly respond.
“Come on, Luc. I know you’re not gonna drink, and you’ll leave as soon as I turn my back.”
Paolo has a point, even though I won’t tell him that. I planned on leaving as soon as he was distracted. I haven’t figured out why Paolo insists on hitching rides everywhere when he has more cars than any of us. I’m clearly not the only one with quirks in the family. Paolo has been in America for years, but for some reason, he hates driving here.
“Fine. But when I’m ready, I’m leaving. So, don’t give me any shit.”
