◽INTOXICATED◽
◽MARIAN'S POV◽
I never imagined I would say this, but I had actually started enjoying my time here. Most of the people around me were nice, and even those who used to ignore me started managing a 'good morning'
I haven't seen Carmello since my tongue had gotten the best of me.
Honestly, their current attitude was much better than their usual gruff one. At first, I hated being here, but now my feelings were a tangled mess. I knew if I stepped outside, I might be kidnapped by someone looking for the secrets i held but they would be making a big mistake because I wasn't Mathilda and I was as clueless as a day old baby.
Whatever Mathilda did must be wild, every body that came to the house had this loathing expression and when they eventually figured out I wasn't Mathilda, they look even more angry at me.
I don't have the tiniest idea what secrets my sister held or how damaging it could be to the Angelini. I couldn’t help but wonder: Where was my sister? Did she know about the danger she had placed me in?
And most of all, who killed my parent?
I despised being confined indoors. They told me I couldn’t go outside or even near the window. I wasn’t a clueless teenager; I understood that stepping out might get me shot. As much as I hated being controlled by others, I didn’t have a choice in this situation.
Even an Angelini could.
As usual, I wandered the perimeter of the house, with BJ trailing behind me. I wished they would stop following me everywhere within the compound. I wasn’t stupid enough to attempt an escape after my first 'delectable' experience.
But I had gotten used to him and he seemed to be the only guard around the house that I was comfortable with.
In the parlor, six guys were lounging around. Four of them were familiar faces.
Lorenzo and Jay were the ever pleasant ones, but I was still more comfortable with Lorenzo as he visited more often than the rest did.
The other two guys were strangers to me but strikingly handsome. One had shaggy brown hair, brooding good looks, nose shaped by a god, and full, heart-shaped lips. If I saw these two outside, I would never have associated them with the mafia.
The other one looked similar but had blond hair and downturned eyes.
I smiled, hoping to greet Jay, Blade, Nat, and Lorenzo without seeming too eager.
Lorenzo seemed to sense my careful approach because he walked over and pulled me into a warm hug. “Oh, my pretty puppy,” he teased. I almost laughed but managed to keep it in. They introduced the newcomers to me, Rika and Riko, who were twins and Carmello’s cousins too, how many cousins does he have?
That explained their striking appearance. It seemed there wasn’t a single bad gene in this family. How could everyone with the last name Angelini look like they’d been crafted by a guru?
After exchanging greetings, Jay didn’t waste time letting me settle in. He fetched the board game we played the last time they visited. “Ready to get your ass kicked?” he challenged, and I rolled my eyes. “Oh, please, that one flimsy win doesn’t count. You’ve had years to perfect your cheating skills.”
He pulled me along, laughing, as we sat at the table. The game board he brought out had three different games on it. Last time, we played chess. “Do you want to play Snakes and Ladders or checkers?” he asked.
Honestly, I was good at all the games, so I didn’t mind which one we played. I was just glad to have someone to play with so freely. Yes, I liked this place. It was an introvert’s dream. But I wasn’t exactly an introvert. Sometimes, I craved solitude without human interaction, and other times, I longed for company.
This week, I wanted company, but everyone around me seemed to view me as a threat, a ticking time bomb. They’d been tiptoeing around me since I managed to escape successfully.
Carmello had even gone so far as to assign me a personal bodyguard, BJ. The only thing he hadn’t done was put me in chains.
I shook my head to push away the unsettling thought of being locked in a basement, only to be let out for interrogation and torture.
I chose Snakes and Ladders because it was the easiest game to catch them cheating at, and I could focus on watching for any tricks. My first dice roll was a six, which sent me straight to a snake. Groaning, I frowned as I rolled my eyes at their loud cheers. Off to a bad start.
Jay rolled his dice and landed on a six, just like I had. I kept my expression neutral, refusing to show how pleased I was.
Eventually, I couldn’t maintain my poker face and ended up cheering by myself, not expecting anyone to join in but they did.
I rolled again, landing on a three, which put me on a ladder that took me straight to 92.
Jay’s expression made me snicker.
I just hoped I wouldn’t roll a two next, which would send me back to 52. But even so, I was still ahead.
The game went on for about two hours. Jay was unwilling to accept defeat, and Lorenzo, Rika, and Riko became my personal cheerleaders.
.........
The Last week had been fun, but today was even better.
I haven't had a decent conversation with Carmello since our last conversation, when I told him about the surrogacy. I am still very scared of his promise. I am trying as much as I could to avoid him.
Just as I was thinking about him, he walked into the kitchen, reeking of gin. I grimaced but took generous drag of the surrounding air.
“What happened?” I dared to ask, my hands trembling from a mix of curiosity and anxiety.
“Nothing,” he replied in an unsteady voice, his eyes unfocused.
“What happened to you?” I pressed on, intrigued, as I’d never seen him in this state before.
He was disheveled but keeping himself surprisingly sober.
“Something was in the drink,” he mumbled incoherently, avoiding eye contact with me. I quickly realized he’d been drugged. He went to a cartel, what did he expect? He shouldn’t have let his guard down.
I am guilty of eaves dropping even though most of their conversations were in Italian and I have heard Marco speaking Spanish.
His gaze drifted over my nightwear-clad body, avoiding my face.
“I wanted to bring up the surrogacy, but how can I do that now?” I muttered to myself.
“cossi fottutamente stupido,” {so fucking stupid} he warned, leaving no room for argument.
I pouted, frustrated that I couldn’t trick him into giving me a positive answer.
“Damn you,” I groaned. He chuckled “you really have a death wish?” he was amused?
I quickly diverted.
“Where’s Martini and the others?” The house was unusually quiet, lacking the usual hustle and bustle of testosterone-filled activity.
I had gone to bed early because I was exhausted from playing games all day. I knew Lorenzo and co came here for their 'business' and they all left as soon as night fell.
I’d learned that in this world, they often disguised their conflicts as parties.
“Cleaning up,” he grunted. Carmello was always grumpy, but his mood worsened with whatever drugs were in his system.
“Let me help you up the stairs,” I offered. I could have asked BJ to help, but I’d sent him on an errand. I’d unexpectedly gotten my period, and they hadn’t planned for that. They didn’t think I’d need any lady products, so they didn’t buy any.
I made sure I was incredibly sarcastic telling him, especially since I felt uncomfortable telling him to get me some lady care.
He nodded, and I felt oddly pleased that he was at my mercy. I put his arm around my shoulder. Dear Lord, he was so heavy. We took the stairs one step at a time, and I groaned with each one.
“Damn, you’re heavy,” I said, placing his hand on the fingerprint scanner, which unlocked the door immediately.
“What’s the password?” I asked innocently, trying to satisfy my curiosity.
“You think you can trick me just because I’m high?” he chuckled.
“Worth a try,” I played along. “So, what is it?”
“My mother’s birthday,” he replied. That explained the figurine. He was a mama’s boy, after all.
“I didn’t know you had a soft spot for anyone,” I said, chuckling with him.
“I do have one. You’re touching me right now, aren’t you?” he joked.
“Seriously, I don’t know why I haven’t killed you yet,” he deadpanned, removing his suit jacket, leaving him in his shirt and suit pants.
I let my eyes wander over his chiseled body. He was left only in his suit pants, and I didn’t want to intrude on his privacy by helping him with those.
“You’ll have to handle that yourself,” I pointed at his trousers.
“Yeah, right,” he said, clearing his throat as he unzipped them.
“What the hell? My virgin eyes!” I exclaimed in mock horror. He shook his head, as if suddenly remembering I was there.
“Let me help you to the bathroom first. You can take them off in there,” I suggested. He nodded and leaned heavily on me again, putting his arm over my shoulder.
I aimed the shower head at his face, hoping it might help sober him up.
“Why did you do that?” he whined.
Honestly, I didn’t think it was a bad thing that he got drugged. Why was I wishing for this to happen more often?
“I like you like this,” I said quietly.
“si?, you do?” {yes?} he teased, pulling me closer until I landed on his chest with a loud thump. “You look so beautiful right now.” he muttered. A drunk Carmello is a honest one.
“really?“ I asked playfully.
“Tuu tentatrice,” {You temptress} he chuckled, before I left him to bath. I felt he was sober enough to manage without falling in the shower.
I sat on a chair, waiting for him to come out.
When he did, he went straight to bed.
I stayed for a moment, watching him sleep before heading to my own room. Yes, it was creepy to stare. I know.
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