Tentative Engagements

Chapter 4: “The little sister’s woes.”

Angela

“Angela, you made it for dinner! Good, good, take a seat. Dulce, can you please serve Angela a plate?” Darn, I’m spotted. I was hoping to have missed dinner. I just wanted to hide in my room. I know it’s immature, but that is what I have been doing since I came home, hiding out. After hearing Dominic say that he wanted to marry Abby, I haven't spoken to him. That was until the day we were attacked—nothing since then. I have tried, but he has ignored me.

“Hi, everyone.” I take a seat next to Noelle, which is right across from Dominic. He glances at me but says nothing. It’s like I’m a stranger. I need to leave this house. I need to get away from this man. “Abby is doing fine. She is well taken care of. She was moving around her room, trying to help me put away her clothes, but I forced her back to bed.” At that exact moment, a persistent ache on my wrist spikes with pain. It reminds me that my wrist is still injured. Maybe I should not have done as much as I did with my wrist today.

“What room is she staying in?”

“That’s the odd part. I think she would be staying in your old room, but she isn’t. She is staying right next door to Gabriel.” Despite having this conversation with Noelle, I know that Maximiliano is intently listening to my every word. “I’m guessing he wants to keep a close eye on her. The Russos, including Gabriel, were very polite to me. They gave us complete privacy and never came in to interrupt us. Only Abby’s nurse and their maid came in to check on Abby a couple of times.”

“Oh, that is good. They are taking good care of her.” Noelle grips Maximiliano’s hand as she speaks. “Now how about emotionally? Is Abby ok? Does she hate us?” I take a moment to think about her question. I don’t want to lie, but I don’t want to hurt Maximiliano’s feelings.

“I asked, and Abby said she was fine. She said that she understood the arrangement and asked to change the topic. Abby seemed very guarded.” It was like she was waiting for the other shoe to drop.

“Hmm. Well, we will get to see her this Saturday. We received an invitation to their engagement party.”

“I don’t know how I feel about you attending. We still do not know who is responsible for the attacks against us.” Maximiliano expresses his concern for Noelle’s safety.

“I know. But what are we to do? Last time, hired guns with no affiliation attacked Romano's residence. Poor Mrs. Romano was shot. Thank god she wasn’t killed.”

“That was only a distraction. Their real target was you, Noelle.” Dominic adds.

“Yes, precisely Dominic. They attack us at gatherings or even alone. We can’t live our lives in hiding.”

“Now that you brought it up. I am moving back home. The remodel is nearly completed.” I stopped breathing. Dominic is leaving. I won’t get to see him anymore. I won’t be able to steal glances at my cold prince.

“What? No way Dominic, not with all these attacks. Maximiliano told him. Tell him not to go.” Noelle pleads the words that I can’t say aloud.

“Ah, my little wife, what do you think was going to happen? We can’t keep Dominic and Angela hostage indefinitely. They both need to live their own lives. Dominic is a capo and has business to take care of. Angela is welcome to stay as long as she wants, but there will be a time when she will also have to leave the nest.” Maximiliano pulls Noelle towards him and picks her up from her seat to his lap.

“But, I like a full house. We lost Abby, and now Dominic too? Angela is leaving next week. ”

“What?” Dominic asks. He stares at me for the first time in days. “Did you not learn your lesson last time?” Ouch, that hurts. Luckily, I don’t have to answer because Noelle answers for me.

“Don’t even bother trying, Dominic. That was one of the ultimatums she gave me before coming back home. She will be living in her little apartment next to campus. She said she would still visit us during the weekends, but yeah, right. Oh Max, what am I going to do? I am used to taking care of people. That is it. We need to start making our own family as soon as possible.” Maximiliano, without warning, stands up and throws Noelle over his shoulder.

“Oh my God! What are you doing, Max?” Noelle happily shrieks.

“Going to our bedroom. You want this house filled with our children. You got it.” Maximiliano takes off without saying goodbye to us. Good for them. I hope one day I can have someone that cares for me as Maximiliano does for my sister.

“Good night, Dominic,” I say and walk away from the man that I crave. I don’t wait for a response back, and he doesn’t give me one.

◆◆◆

Maria Russo

“What the f**k!” I gave up trying to get Belen to settle down. This is the first time I have seen her since moving to Texas. She was under the impression that I was still in Chicago. “That motherfucker. I have seen Abraham and Alonzo at least once a week, and never did the sleazeballs tell me that you were here in Texas. I am going to kill them.”

It’s sad but not surprising to hear Belen has seen and spent time with my husband, Abraham. Their fathers are business partners.

“Belen, he never wanted to marry me. He was not expecting me for another year. This was sudden.”

“You better not be defending him, Maria.”

“What can I say, Belen? Yeah, it sucks that my husband hates me. But I have seen worse. I have seen women beaten by their husbands. So yeah, it sucks that he dumped me in an apartment with no money or food. But it could have been worse.”

“What do you mean, no money or food?” Oh, f**k! I look around my empty apartment, looking for a reverse button.

“Ugo! Ugo, come here, you son of a b***h!” Belen is yelling at the top of her lungs as she makes her way to the front door, where Ugo is undoubtedly going to appear.

“Belen, please. Just drop it.” I beg her to stop.

“You called,” Ugo says as he walks in and closes the door behind him. He crosses his massive arms across his chest. He is annoyed with being called on by Belen in such a manner.

“What kind of man are you working for? As a matter of fact, what kind of f*****g man are you, Ugo?”

“Excuse me. I follow my orders and don’t question them.”

“Oh, so you were told to pick Maria up and drop her off at his old bachelor's pad, not at his actual residence, as she should be considering she is his wife?”

“Exactly,” Ugo answers back.

“So, you just dropped her off with no money or food? Wow, you should be proud.”

“Her finances are between her and her husband.” He answers back, but not with as much attitude as before.

“He is right, Belen. That is why I didn’t use the credit card that my father pays for. It’s not anyone’s responsibility to support or feed me. Not even Abraham. This experience made me grow up. I had some cash when I arrived, and it held me over for a while.” Belen’s cell phone rings, making me mentally sigh with relief. I love Belen, and I understand why she is mad. I was also furious and hurt in the beginning.

“Crap, it’s Angela. Let me take this call.” She goes into the balcony, leaving me alone with Ugo.

“Is that true? That you had no food.” His soft voice surprised me. His face is facing down and won’t look me in the eyes.

“Yeah, but God knows that I need to lose a few pounds.” I am trying to make us feel better about this messed-up situation. “No worries, Ugo, I sold one of my purses, which turned out to be for the best. That’s how I met Mia, and she hooked me up with a job. Now I have my job and money for food and my meds.” s**t, why did I say meds?

“Meds? You mean medication. I was not told you need medication.” Yeah, because no one knows except my family.

“Nothing important. You know, like Midol and allergy medications. No biggie.” Gosh, I hope he drops it.

“Now it all makes more sense. I didn’t understand why you wanted to work. I thought it was a rebellious thing, not a necessary thing. I could try talking to Mr. Deluca. I don’t think he is aware of this situation.”

“Uhh, no offense, but don’t you report to him already. I figured you both knew about my finances.”

“He has given me strict orders regarding you.”

“Let me guess. He doesn't want to know anything about me. He needs you to make sure I stay alive and don’t run away. Yeah, my brother Gabe did that same spiel with his old fiancee. No worries, Ugo. In the end, I am all I have got.”

“I’m so sorry you went hungry, Mrs. DeLuca.”

“Please call me Maria. Calling me, Mrs. DeLuca feels like I’m being mocked. At least when it’s just us, call me Maria.” I know he didn’t want to call me Maria, but I meant what I said. I am Abraham’s wife by name only.

“Maria, can you please promise me this one thing.” His light brown eyes now look right into my clear blue ones.

“Sure, Ugo, what is it?”

“If you ever need anything. Food, medicine, clothes, s**t, even conditioner, please tell me? It kills me to know that I let you go hungry. Please.” I stare at him dumbfounded. How can this enormous killer care about me but my actual husband, not?

“Ok, Ugo.” I wipe my tears. Those silly tears make the big bad Ugo swift his weight with awkwardness. Jesus, what a mess my life has turned out to be.