The Agreement (Complete)

~ Chapter 12 ~

                “Are you allowed to go?”  Val rolled her eyes at her friend.

                “I’m his fiancée Claire, not a lap dog or anything.”

                “So, you’re free to go after class?”

                “Yes.”  Valentina looked up at her friend and classmate.  Claire was one of those people who didn’t know about her world, and that’s how Val wanted to keep it.  She didn’t hang out much with her outside of class, so when she asked, she was quick to say yes to get away from that mafia world.

                And all they knew was that she was engaged, and to whom, but all they knew about Giovanni was that he was some type of business man.  And that because of that, that he might keep her under lock and key.  But truth be told, she never got that vibe from him.   

                “Great, because you have some amazing taste and I value your opinion.”

                “I see Claire.  You are using me just for that.”  They shared a laugh and gathered up their stuff as they left.  Valentina lead Claire down to her Porsche and put their stuff in her trunk.

                “Damn, business must be good for your dad.”  Valentina rolled her eyes behind her shades.  Yes, if she could say the truth, business was great.  In fact, they just had a great gun deal do gown with no problems, but that was something she couldn’t say.

                “When he listens to me, yes.”  She laughed at the truth of it and tore off to the mall.  “Okay, you are having dinner with Jericho and his family and you need an amazing cocktail dress.”

                “Yes, something to wow him and his family.”     

                “I have some ideas.  And if not, well, I have some friends.”  She linked her arm through Claire’s as they headed into the mall. 

                “You must have some amazing connections.”  Val left Claire to look at a couple of racks and frowned.  No, she really didn’t.  She had dealings with only a select few and even that was slim.  And it was only those who didn’t question where half her money came from.  After all, spending thousands on dresses while going to school and having no job did cause people to raise eyebrows from time to time.  And it’s not like she always used the tailor her dad or mom went to.

                “Trust me Claire; my life isn’t all that glamorous.”  She didn’t want to get into the gang of people she needed at all times, the men who were always supposed to be watching her, the constant need of her dad to keep her home if he could; no, there were many down sides to being a princess in this world.  “Oh look,” Val said, holding up a short blue dress and Claire nodded.

                “Yes, I like it!”  Val held it over her arm and started to look for another dress when someone walked up behind her.

                  “Personally, red matches the bitchy side of you rather then the blue.”

            “Celeste,” Val mumbled as she turned around and looked at the woman.  “What do you want?”

            “Pensi di potermi mettere in imbarazzo come hai fatto tu e non ci saranno ripercussioni (you think you can embarrass me like you did and there won’t be any repercussions)?”  Valentina eyed Celeste and then the men that were closing in, one quickly grabbing Claire. 

            “What are you doing?  Leave her alone!”  Valentina reached into her purse to grab her knife and took a step to help Claire but she was quickly grabbed by the two other men.  “Puttana (you b***h)!” Val cried.

               “Pensi che solo perché sei una dannata principessa, sei special (you think just because you are some God damn princess, you are special)?  You pissed off the wrong woman.  And you stole my man!”

                “He was not yours!”  Valentina braced herself for the slap and felt the cut on her lip.  She licked the wound and spit the blood out, her eyes blazing at Celeste.

                “Pagherai per questo (you will pay for that),” her threat silent and deadly.

                “You hold no power over me, Val.  And no matter what you think, that man will never be happy with you.”  Valentina grit her teeth, knowing she would always hate Celeste.  “Tienila (hold her),” she told the men who held her arms and she flicked open her own knife and raised it enough to slice Val’s arm a few times and she only grunted at the pain.  But before she could get another swipe in, Val looked up as someone grabbed Celeste’s arm and pulled her back.  Val grinned as Dante came back over and punched one of the guys, the other quickly releasing her.

            “Andiamo (let’s go).”  He grabbed her uninjured arm as Claire called her.

            “Grab my bag and take my car Claire.”  Dante took Val to his car and helped her in.  Val looked over at Dante, surprised and yet not by his reaction.  She held the rag he gave her to the cut and sighed.  “Thank you.”

            “No problem.”

            “What were you doing there?”

                “I was trying to find a dress for my sister for her birthday as a present.  I saw Celeste and I saw you and I know that was going too led to no good.”

                “How?”

                “I heard about the club, Val.  And everyone knew how badly Celeste wanted Vinny.”

                “I’m sorry Dante.”  After all, she knew Dante had wanted her and yet Vinny got her instead.

                “No need, we can still be friends, right?”

                “Of course.”  Val offered him a small smile, hoping that Dante really was okay with everything.

                “Where are your men?”  At that, Val hung her head.  She really didn’t have to ask for permission to go anywhere, but she did have to let her men know so they could watch her.  And in this case, she hadn’t.  She just didn’t think Claire would understand, but now this was even more f****d up and she had no clue how to explain it.  “Ah, they didn’t know.”

                “This wasn’t their fault; the blame lies with me.”

                “I know.  But, will he?” he asked as he pulled up to the front of the hose, and nodded his head at her dad who was standing outside on the front steps.  Yeah, this wasn’t going to be good.

                “Thank you Dante,” Rafael said as he helped his daughter out of the car.

                “Sir…”

                “You may go,” her dad said, cutting him off.  Good deed or not, and crush or not, Dante was from a rival family and could easily have done something to her.

                “Yes sir,” Dante said, climbing back in the car and took off.  Val watched the lights fade away, not wanting to look into the glare of her dad’s eyes, which she felt loud and clear.

                “Go to my office, now,” he spoke low and in a controlled voice and Val knew she was in for it; not that she didn’t know that, of course.  She let out a sigh and walked back, hearing her dad’s shoes against the tile as he walked behind her.  She sat down in front of his desk and he knelled down, removing the rag and checked the wound.  “It looks a little deeper than I like.”  Rafael looked behind him and called for the doctor and stood up to look at her.

                “I’m sorry; I didn’t think anything would happen.”

                “You know better than that.”  Better to hear everything than explain she had friends who didn’t know about her life that would only piss him off even more, she kept her mouth shut while he glared.

                “I didn’t think…” she started but he cut her off just as quick.

                “You don’t get to use that.  You have a double target on your back now.  Questa non è la figlia che ho cresciuto (this is not the daughter I raised).”

                “Dad, I’m sorry, I just…”

                “Please, let’s hear your excuse for this dumb mistake, bella (beautiful).”  Valentina cringed as she heard Giovanni’s voice.  Sure, she might be able to fandangle her way out of her dad’s anger, but she knew next to nothing about Vinny’s and had no clue how to act or what to say.