Entangled with the Mafia Don

Four

CHAPTER FOUR

Melissa looked hard at Laura, shaking her head a little to clear the cobwebs out of her brain. She most definitely didn't hear what Laura said and so she asked again, "What did you just say?"

Laura sighed and leaned back, drumming her manicured nails on the table as she licked her lips. "La'capan would pay you to spend a night with a rich man." She gave a pause, her head tilting to the side, "Well, the rich dude would pay you and a little cut would get to the club."

"What the actual f**k, Laura?! Why would you suggest something like that to me? You are really selling prostitution to me right now and it's making me think you're part of the train of traffickers."

Melissa gasped immediately and covered her mouth, staring at Laura as she buried her face in her hands, shaking her head. "Is that what you do at your work? Is that why you're paid so much?"

Laura's head whipped up at that. "Don't be vulgar, Mel. And forget I said anything. I just wanted to help your stupid ass which is in a pickle because of a stupid boyfriend. You need a whole six thousand euro in a few days time and you're searching for honest work. Grow up, Amiga."

Melissa was shocked to see Laura gather her things and stand. She didn't throw a single glance at her as she headed for the doors, only stopping to say, "I'll text you their address because I know that your morality won't stand when you're thinking about saving Marcus's life."

She walked out, banging the door against it's hinges and making the whole place give a subtle shake.

Melissa thought deeply long after Laura was gone. Sure, it was going to damn her soul to hell for having a boyfriend and doing what she was about to do, but it had to count for something in the holy book? Saving someone no matter the cause. Marcus would forgive, he had to. She was doing all this for him so he wouldn't be mad, she hoped.

She knew that she was a bit rash with Laura who was only trying to help. And she was right, she wouldn't find a decent job that pays that much in a matter of days. So La'capan it is.

She hurriedly finished her lunch and fired a swift apology to Laura, her face heating when Laura sent the club's address as well as other instructions on beautifications. Oh Damn! Waxing would hurt like hell. Maybe this was her punishment for what she was about to do.

"Boss wants to see you." Melissa turned and watched as Lucinda, one of the cleaners, walked around her to get towels from her locker. She then remembered what Luce had said and stood up with a start.

"He's in his office now or?"

Luce stopped what she was doing and stared at her, a smile on her lips. "Rest assured, he's not in his PA's office. So that's a save from seeing sweaty genitals interlocking."

Melissa sent a small prayer up and left the room, running a hand over her face, her hair and her uniform before making for Mr. Russo's office. She knocked and after his grumbled 'get in,' she pushed the door open.

And came to a stop immediately, flinching hard and making a U-turn, her back towards the debauchery going on behind her. Of course, he wasn't with his PA but a new maid. "Seriously, Matilda."

She got a reply of gags and so she blocked out her hearing for a while, till she saw Matilda strut by her, throwing her a self indulgent smirk and walking out of the door. She willed herself to not throw up when she turned to face him and that willpower disappeared when she saw him tucking himself back into his slacks.

He looked up at her and smirked. "I can see that you're a little green around the edges. Imagine going down on me till you can't breathe?" He made it sound like it was a joke, but knowing him and his series of unwanted advances, she knew that his words were in earnest.

She moved forward and sat on a seat, making sure that her uniform didn't ride up her thighs. "You sent for me."

Melissa desperately hoped that she was here because of the letter she turned in this morning. There was a position that needed filling and she wanted it. And the salary increase that came with it. The matron position was not a small feat, seeing as how large the hotel was, but she was determined to get it.

"I know I sent for you." He brought out his box of cigars and after selecting one, spent the better part of two minutes just sniffing the brown smoothness and staring at her. Melissa tried to look away from his puffy fingers running under his lips, the chapped skin of his mouth looking so different from his sweaty and meaty hands.

She shivered internally and somehow, that got a smile out of Ross. She shivered again, immediately knowing what he thought from her body's reaction to his repulsion. Ew.

"You're taking up a lot of time that should be used to make your floors pristine." Melissa knew now that he called her in for nothing and she needed to leave before she did something like a wave the bird in his face. When next he made a silly innuendo.

Ross shifted on his seat and looked down, opening his drawers and searching for something. He stood up, his fat ass peeling from the leather with a disgusting sound, and he wobbled towards his shelf. Melissa watched as he looked around for a bit and then came back to his seat, a large manila folder in hand as he struggled to reseat himself.

The folder landed with a thud on his desk and he didn't hesitate in shuffling through the papers within. Melissa knew the contents of the paper immediately. She could spot the hotel's emblem on the center front, followed by the words 'Application letter for the position of Matron.'

She looked up at Ross slowly, just as he came to a stop and lifted a paper. She didn't need a psychic to tell her that it was hers. She had a bad feeling and knew that Ross could very well use this as a way to extort the s*x he'd been wanting from her.

She didn't want to show panic in her mood and instead, went for jokes. "Without even an interview, Ross. You decided to pick me on looks alone." She purred, leaning forward and furiously trying to remember if she did up the button on her uniform while coming to his office. She hoped she didn't and her question was answered when Ross's eyes fell to her decolletage. Bull's eye.

"Seriously, Ross. Thank you." She placed her hand on his and squeezed. "I hope I'm here to discuss the increase in my pay, though." That seemed to jerk him out of whatever spell she had on him. He pulled his hand out of hers and cleared his throat, shifting on his seat as his fat fingers worried with his tie.

"You're not here for that, Mel. In fact, you're here because of a complaint." Melissa's eyes narrowed as she tried to find out what exactly she was being reported for. It most definitely couldn't be her pickpocketing, because she never brought that life into the hotel with her.

She didn't want to jump to any conclusion, so she asked, "I don't understand, what was the complaint? Why am I here?"

"One of our specials said she saw you running from some men a few days ago. That she doesn't want you here while she's here because you have ties with dangerous people."

Everything froze for her and she found it hard to take her next breath. Let alone, speak her next words. "So what exactly are you saying?" She whispered. She could feel her hope drift away. She had planned to take out an advance once she got the position and this didn't seem like anything good.

"I'm saying that you should make yourself scarce while she's with us. Don't show up here, get your things, and don't come back till two weeks are up."

Melissa could hear white noise. At least, what she thought it was. Her eyes rang sharply with silence and she could imagine how the sirens I'm her favorite vampire show felt when they were being captured. White, hot, intense pain playing hoops in her brain.

"I'm fired?" Her words caught on a sob and she had to squeeze her lips tight to hold back the wail that was coming. How was she ever going to pay Marcus's bills? What was going to happen to Marcus? She didn't want him to ever leave her alone and if she didn't get the funds, she'd have to loose him as well as everyone that ever mattered in her life.

"Don't be dramatic, Mel. You're getting suspended. Get your stuff and get out." Ross acted like he was done with her and arranged the papers back into the file, but not before setting hers aside and slamming it shut in his drawer. Mel knew what that meant. She wasn't going to get the promotion.

She stood up and left his office, walking back to the changing rooms like a zombie. She didn't notice when all the other girls shuffled in, excitedly talking about their day as they changed out of their uniforms and into their casual wear. She didn't notice as Luce called out to her, waving from the other side of the lockers. She didn't even notice that she had changed and collected her stuff, only coming to be when she stood at the side of the road, Williams, the valet offering to call a cab for her.

She told him that she'd walk and began the long trek home, wanting to clear her head before she gets home and head for the hospital. What was she going to tell Marcus? Was she really going to pay a visit to La'capan?

The tears came then. Making a messy line on her face as they fell in fat drops. Her nose started watering and her face became so hot. Melissa ignored the worried looks that people threw at her as she ambled on, constantly sniffing and wiping her tears.

She had just passed an alley when a man in a richly cut suit staggered past her, his grip tight on his briefcase. Melissa watched after him, her brows squinting when she saw him fall near the alley.

Melissa knew opportunity and this was it. Calling out to her in all its beauty. She wasn't going to let us pass.