Tentative Engagements

Chapter 3:“Girl talk and shit.”

Abby

“I did.”

“Why would you try to kill yourself?” Gabriel half asks, half growls at me. But wait, what did he say?

“I didn’t try to harm myself.”

“You had a hand towel stuffed into your mouth, and I found you passed out on the shower floor. What else am I supposed to think?”

“I must have passed out. I apologize for the misunderstanding.” What a way to introduce yourself to your new employer? They might fire me right before I even begin working.

“And the towel?” Christian, the younger of the brothers, asks me. Uhh, I was hoping not to go into detail about the whole towel thing.

“That is how I relieve stress.” There, that should do it.

“You like to be choked and gagged to relieve stress? Man, you are one lucky son of a bitch.” Christian is a p*****t!

“Christian!”

“Shut it, Christian.” Both Gabriel and his mother talk at once. “Please leave us now. All of you.” When everyone leaves, it is just Gabriel, and I.

“Are you aware as to why you are here?”

“Yes, I was traded. I’m not sure if that is the correct word.” I was traded in for another maid. I've seen this happen before. It is not like we can go work outside the Morretti’s Cosa Nostra. Once you work for a family as close as guards or maids do, you can be considered a safety risk if you leave.

“You are ok with this arrangement? Because it sure as hell doesn’t appear so.” He tilts his head towards the restroom, making me blush with embarrassment.

“I am ok with the arrangement. I will not lie and say I won’t miss my old life, but I know how it works. The hand towel, well, what can I say. My emotions were all over the place. I almost lost my life.” The only family I have left chose for me to die. I don’t say that last part aloud. My eyes water at the rawness of it still, so I turn my head so as not to face him.

Despite Gabriel’s large size, he is pretty stealthy because I didn’t hear him move until his large hand touches my chin. He pushes my head to face him. Gabriel Russo is not a pretty man like Dominic Amato. No, Gabriel has solid facial features that go with his muscular physique. Both of these characteristics add to his masculine attraction.

“I was there when Maximiliano picked Noelle. I saved your life. I own your life, do you understand?” I nod my head, not that I agree with him, but to get him to back off. “Rest. Dr. Durell will come and check on you. Angela has been calling. She wants to visit you. Do you want to see her? It’s up to you.”

“I don’t mind at all. Thank you, Mr. Russo.” Thankfully, Gabriel leaves. I am mortified. I am not supposed to be seen or heard. That is how it was at Maximiliano’s house. I was a ghost. I need to get better soon. I don’t want them to regret taking me in.

◆◆◆

“Oh Angela, please don’t cry. I am fine.” I soothe my crying best friend in my arms. Angela and I have become very close since she moved in with her sister Noelle and Maximiliano. We are only a few months apart and share common interests, such as cooking and baking.

“How can you say that? Look at you, Abby. You took a freaking bullet for my sister. You could have died.” This only makes her cry more.

“But I didn’t die. Please change topics, ok? Now tell me how you are feeling; how is your wrist doing?” A couple of weeks ago, Angela returned home to reunite with her mother. She and her mother had always had a close relationship until Victor, her father, came to pick up the three sisters for Noelle’s wedding. Her mother, Sabrina, never forgave them for keeping their interaction with their father a secret from her. When Angela showed up at her aunt’s house looking for her mother, she was greeted with a vicious attack. That attack left her with a head concussion, bruises, and a broken wrist.

“I am doing fine. Only a couple of more weeks and I can get the cast removed.”

“Have you told Belen what happened?” Belen is the middle sister. She is a bit more wild and violent than Noelle and Angela.

“No. I know that I should be, but I am scared that she might do something harsh to our mother. They already don’t have a great relationship.”

“If you were in Belen’s shoes, how would you take it if you were not told that one of your sisters was attacked and hurt?”

“It would upset me. But Belen will not ignore our mother’s existence as I plan to from now on. Belen would kill her, Abby. I can’t live with that.” Angela stopped crying and was pacing in the room. I prefer the pacing to seeing my friend cry. “I will talk to Noelle about Belen. Talking about Noelle, how do you feel about taking her place?”

“There is nothing to talk about. I would do it again.” I can tell Angela wanted to discuss it further, but it was a sore subject. Yes, I would take a bullet for my friend, but that doesn’t mean that my feelings were not hurt when Maximiliano picked me to die. “The Russo family have been great and very attentive. I hope they don’t regret their choice.” Because if they did, where else would I work? I guess I would be transferred again to another family, but who knows how they would treat me.

“So you are ok with the arrangement?” Angela eyes me with concern.

“I understand why.” I could not keep Noelle safe. “I need time to get used to it. Thank you for bringing my belongings.”

“No problem. So is this going to be your room? I’m surprised they didn’t just give you Noelle’s old room. Here let me help you organize.” Why would I get Noelle’s old room? She was going to be part of the Russo family. I’m just their new maid.

“This room is more than what I expected. I know my room at Marino’s residence was not typical for someone in my station.” My room was not your typical maid's room. It was nicer than Dulce’s room, but I was also secluded.

“Girl, I still can’t believe that your cousin is Maximiliano Marino.”

“Angela, please let's not talk about him.”

“Ok, no problem. Here is your cell. Sorry, it’s dead. Ok, so tell me, where do I put your underwear?” I smile at how quickly my friend was able to drop the touchy subject of my cousin. I do not care about what Dr. Durell said earlier about taking it easy and resting. I will make sure I am the best maid ever for the Russos. I don’t want to expose myself to Maximiliano. I won’t allow his actions to hurt me ever again.

◆◆◆

Gabriel

“Christian, have you spoken to your sister Maria recently? I am worried about her. I told her about your brother’s engagement a week ago, and when I bring it up, she won’t confirm if she is coming. You get along with her; has she told you anything?” I half-listened to my mother’s conversation with Christian. I mindlessly eat my lunch without tasting it. My mind has been preoccupied with Abrianna, and I don’t know how I feel about it. It’s been two days since Abby has woken up, and I stayed away.

“Ma, you make it sound like Maria, and I are girlfriends. We don’t call each other and b***h about our periods and shit.”

“You know what your mother meant, smartass.” My father coughs up some of his wine at the mention of periods.

“Yeah, I know. Mom, I send her funny memes or videos and she sends some back. That is as deep as our relationship goes. Abraham De Luca and his brother are in town that same week for business. I am sure Abraham will bring Maria along.”

“You see, this is exactly what I mean. Why wouldn’t she tell me that Abraham was going to be here? She never mentions him.”

“They are newlyweds. It’s going to take some time for them to be in each other's business, Ma.”

“Eloquently spoken,” I add. “Moving on, I got a call from Fyn Murphy. He wants to talk.”

“Murphy? What does he want to talk about? We invited Maverick Murphy to your engagement party this Saturday.”

“He knows. He is joining his cousin. He wanted to meet with me prior. I will see him this Friday.”

“Well, whatever he wants, make sure to say yes to him. We need to have strong alliances now more than ever. Maximiliano asked me to give him the bill for the medical expenses for Abrianna. The f*****g nerve. He tried to make it sound like he didn’t give a s**t about her. He almost got me too, if it wasn’t for Angela’s visit. The girl stayed all day with Abrianna the other day. They never mention anything important about Maximiliano.” My father informs me, but I already know.

“You made sure only to bug her room, correct? There is no need to bug her restroom or closet.”

“Hmm, I should know. For a little thing, she sure as hell has some appetizing assets.”

“What the hell are you talking about? Dad, please tell me you are not bugging her restroom. I don’t need my brother jacking off to the footage of her.”

“Of course I am not, Gabriel. Jesus Christian, why the hell did you say that?”

“Why? Why the hell not? It is not like I did it on purpose.”

“What the hell are you talking about?” God help Christian if I find out he is peeping at Abrianna.

“I couldn’t help it. Remember when you asked me to hold her up? You were removing her top to check her wound. Well, I could not help it. My hand ended up with a handful of one of her ….”

“Do not finish that sentence, Christian!”

“Hey, it was not my fault. But let me tell you, brother, I was pleasantly surprised. I hope that one day, you get to enjoy your fiancee this time.” His serious tone lets me know that he noticed Elena’s recent persistence.

“I know what you are referring to. Have you also observed that I had not seen Elena since I brought Abrianna home?”

“Oh, no! Not that girl again. I never trusted Elena. Gabriel, mark my words; Elena is obsessed with you. She will ruin this engagement the same way she ruined your other.”

“Your mother is not wrong, son.”

“I am not an i***t. There is no way I trust Elena anywhere near Abrianna. I am going to marry Abrianna. Nothing or no one will stop me.”

“Not even your d**k?” Christian earned a swat on the back of his head from mom.

“Not even my d**k. Nothing or no one will stop this engagement from going through to the end.” I mean every word I say.