I surveyed the room. It was nice, luxurious, even. Soft dove gray walls, big dark wood furniture, lots of leather, exposed beam ceilings with ceiling fans. The room was decorated in gray and black. It didn’t really match the hacienda theme outside and I wouldn’t say it was my taste, really, but it was nice. There was a big difference from this room to the kind of room I was used to. The small room I’d shared with Bethany with our two twin loft beds with desks underneath and drawers for stairs was small but we’d made it our own. Here was a room I was expected to share with a man. I cringed, looking at the bed, fearing what I’d be expected to do. I knew nothing about this Tommy. All I knew was that I was in a pickle of a situation and I didn’t know how I’d get myself out.
Rose, Cal, and everyone must’ve been worried about me right now. Or had my Dad made up an excuse? They’d probably report me missing if they didn’t hear from me in a few hours. They knew how stoked I was about this party. Rose had made me my favorite artichoke and spinach dip as well as mozzarella sticks plus a plethora of appetizers that the other girls had requested. There was a huge cake for us, two thirds vanilla and a third chocolate because me and Mia preferred vanilla and Beth preferred chocolate. Cal had suggested three separate cakes or cupcakes with icing slathered all over to hold them all together but we were all so close we wanted the same cake. Rose had said she had our photos put on in icing. I never saw my cake. A tear slid down my cheek. Then I heard the doorknob turn and I dashed it away and held the others back. I put my lips together and stood still, back straight, took a deep breath, and waited.
Tommy
When I opened the door and saw her standing there, I wanted to capture the moment in time. It went from her being stoic, trying to hide her fear, standing tall and rigid in a gorgeous clingy black dress, high heels, her hair up in a sophisticated style, to the flash of recognition that led to her forehead crinkling and her eyes staring at me accusingly.
I stepped in, closed the door behind myself, and I stood there, waiting for her to say something.
Tia
Oh my God. OH MY GOD!! The hottie from the ice cream parlor. I couldn’t believe this! I’d told my friends about him and how gorgeous he was to the point that the subject had been banned because they’d gotten sick of my going on and on about him. I’d fricking dreamt about him, about him and his cherry stem-tying tongue. And here he was. This was him!
He’s tall. Like really tall, six foot three, six foot four, maybe. Caramel brown kind of curly, kind of messy-on-purpose hair, chiseled face, light brown, sort of whiskey-colored, eyes. He resembles his father. His mouth? Drool-worthy. He had a bit of a five o’clock shadow just like the other day. He was standing in a suit, a black suit with a dark blue dress shirt and no tie. That suit fit him very well. He looked like a million dollars. Five million dollars. He had to be close to ten years older than me. He has to be the sexiest fricking man I’ve ever laid eyes on. Ever. But What.The.Fuck?
If this were ancient times or whenever arranged marriages were common and I’d been brought up to know that I’d someday have an arranged marriage I’d have been thrilled at what was standing in front of me. Obviously, I’d been betrothed to a wealthy gorgeous man. It could be worse. A lot worse. But this wasn’t ancient times. I’m not thrilled. I’m freaked right the heck out. Not only are my choices being taken away and not only am I under threat but this is a fricking mafia family. What the heck?
“Athena,” he said, a little smirk on his face. That meeting at the ice cream parlor was so obviously no accident.
I stood there, still in shock.
“Tommy Ferrano,” he said, “Nice to officially meet you.” He extended a hand.
I snickered and folded my arms. He gave me a little smile and pulled his hand back without reacting, then proceeded to circle me. Circle me! Fear prickled my scalp because I suddenly felt like prey, like a piece of meat. That’s exactly how he circled me.
“So, I’m told you’re missing a party right now, one that’s important to you,” he said, meeting my eyes with his and stopping directly in front of me. Close to me. Too close. In my personal space, really.
I nodded slightly, feeling my skin heat up under his appraisal. Damn, he was tall, broad, and authoritative. I felt like I was at a huge disadvantage. I was, of course I was; I was standing here in his space. Not just his space, his fricking bedroom.
“Come; I’ll drive you.”
He stepped back and opened the door and then with a sweep of his hand, he motioned for me to go on ahead of him. Confused, I walked ahead of him. When I got to the bottom of the stairs I saw my purse on a table beside a big brass bowl that had multiple sets of keys in it. He grabbed a set of keys and passed me my purse. He reached into his front pants pocket and pulled out my phone and passed it to me, his finger brushing my hand as he did. He gave me a little smile. His eyes were sparkling with what looked like mischief. I swallowed hard.
Once outside, he hit a button on his keychain and one of four garage doors opened. He put his hand on the small of my back and led me toward it. I flinched at the contact but let him lead me there. Then he opened the passenger door to a black convertible sports car for me and closed it after I was in then then got into the driver’s seat and proceeded to back out of the garage, turning around and then driving forward down the driveway, through the now opened gate.
Talk about uncomfortable! He was so nonchalant and I knew this wasn’t a situation that called for nonchalance. The brother had locked me up, took my phone, treated me like a prisoner. The father had threatened me. I’d been surrounded by burly goons up until now. But Ice Cream Parlor Hottie, err Tommy, was being the exact opposite. Even still, I was more uncomfortable than even before because this was him. This was the guy who’s going to decide my fate. And he was going to mess with my head; I knew it. He’d already come in to my work and flirted with me, which was obviously no coincidence, and now he was here, with all the power, and dropping me off at my house with my phone, like it was nothing, like it was no big deal.
I just sat there, frozen, with my hands in my lap, absorbing the fact that suddenly the control over my own life had been snatched away from me. He was inches away from me, of course, and I could smell his cologne, which smelled leathery and spicy, a bit musky. He smelled good, not like the guys I knew who practically bathed in Axe. This man wore just a little cologne or aftershave or whatever and just enough. He had this presence, this masculinity and authority I couldn’t put my fi
nger on. I had no idea what to say, where to even start. So I just sat there.
Around fifteen minutes later we were in front of Rose and Cal’s. He finally broke the silence, “Say nothing about any of this to the Crenshaws or anyone else,” he said, leaning over close, uncomfortably close, looking in my eyes, “I’ll pick you up here in 3 hours. And so you know, Tia, obedience is rewarded. Defiance is punished. Remember that.” He winked at me and flashed his watch at me so I’d see what time it was.
I’m sure I must’ve looked at him like he’d lost his mind. I didn’t know what to say so I got out of the car, feeling like something slowly crawled up my spine. I felt his eyes on me, watching me, until I entered the house. I looked back before entering and the way he was staring at me made my blood run cold. Gorgeous or not, he was obviously a very dangerous man and I had no frame of reference for this situation. I needed to think. How could I get a chance to think, though? I had three hours in a house that was a bustle of activity; people everywhere. Kids that live here, graduating kids, their family members, Rose, Cal, the grandparents. I heard my name being shouted. It was Ruby. I couldn’t tell any of them what was going on with me, no way.
“Where were you?!” She cried out, running to me, her dark ringlets bouncing. Rose was behind her, looking expectantly and cautiously at me.
“I’m sorry, I…” I didn’t know how to finish; I almost started to cry.
Rose rushed over and threw her arms around me, “It’s okay darling, come; let’s get something to eat.” She directed me to the dining room table, which was covered with dishes of food, people swarming it. She just probably assumed my father had disappointed me. She didn’t push for answers. God, but I loved this family. I didn’t know what to say. I had no idea what awaited me in three hours’ time but I knew one thing for sure --- I was afraid.
Mia bounded over to us, “Did you find your hottie and take off on us for a romp?” She and Bethany laughed but Ruby was eyeing me suspiciously. If they only knew.
Tommy Ferrano had come into my work and had checked me out, made himself known to me, had flirted with me, even. How long had this been planned for? Where was my Dad now? I didn’t even have a phone number to call and ask him what was going on. The look on his face as I pulled away was of defeat but then two seconds later it was as if nothing happened. Drinking coffee, talking on the phone, not looking devastated. Was it all for show? And Mr. Ferrano had acted like the whole marker thing was just a ploy by my Dad. What was the real story here? Who was I dealing with, really?
I excused myself to the bathroom and sent Dad a Facebook message from my phone demanding he call or text me immediately. I wrote,
“Dad! What on earth? These guys say I have to marry the mafia guy’s son to clear your debt. MARRY! And if I don’t do it, we could be dead. And if he doesn’t like me, I still don’t get to go home, they have ‘other’ options. WTF? Please tell me this is a prank, Dad. Write ASAP, come to the house (I’ll be here 3 hrs.) or call my cell! After that I guess I’m back at Tommy Ferrano’s house (but they may take my phone again). It’s on the corner of Jane St. and River Rd.”