Late Night Uber Lover: A Mafia Romance

I’m looking at the screenshot from his phone that I took last night. I just needed to see it one more time before I walk into the club myself. He had sent her a message saying, “See you at the club; we’re going to party all night. Don’t wear panties.” Steve, my boyfriend of 3 years, had sent this to Liz, my friend of 10 years. The betrayal was visceral but somehow, I still want to see if this is true. That's why I'm here outside the club. Did they really think I would never know? It really hurts me to know that a heartbreak can feel so bad. I don’t even feel my feet on the ground, I’m floating in a cloud of confusion… Looking around like a shark in water. I'm lost in the sea of frolicking faces. It's a storm brewing in my heart causing a whirlwind of emotions that makes me spin when I see them laughing and dancing on each other. They're at the table on the other side of the room, she's grinding her ass on his d**k in a tiny skirt while he squeezes her breasts from behind. In the thumping music, I use all my strength to fight through the crowd. "What's going on Steve?" I say shaking him by the collar. She laughs and steps forward to protect him. "Hey girl... You should know how to act if you want to keep a man." Liz says. "Baby... I'm sorry... Listen to me." Steve starts to plead with me, his breath heavy with the smell of alcohol. “I paid your tuition for you when you were broke.” I say, tears welling. “I sacrificed so much for us and I’m even broke because of your accounting degree.” With my heartfelt emotions, misplaced in the middle of the club… I couldn’t take it anymore. I just had to get out there. The crowd, the smell, the betrayal, it was all coming at me like a train to my nervous system. "I never want to see your face again." I say, walking out as the small crowd that formed around us makes way. I'm frantically tapping my phone to order an Uber. I hadn’t planned the escape smoothly, I hadn’t planned anything really. I just knew I had to see if it was real. Steve of all people? I’d bent by back saving up money from my photo shoots to scrape together money for him when he was short. He graduated three months ago. I guess he doesn’t need me anymore. Something in me just told myself to check his phone. As if by fate, he just left it on my table when he came home drunk on another weekend. I couldn’t help it, he was smelling of perfume, he didn’t want to touch me… he’d been acting strange so… I looked at his phone and I saw his texts to her… That b***h. I’m both happy and sad that I found out. I'm trying to cover my face because of the tears. I’m hoping nobody can see this mess. It’s my lowest moment and I’m out of breath. I tap my screen for the Uber, trying to get out of here as fast as possible. The car in front of me is already idling. Patiently waiting for me. I slip into the sleek black car parked outside. Thank God it came quickly. I get into the car, the guy in the front seat on his phone. I closed the door right on time. Steve was running after me... Trying to catch up to me and talk to me. I'm hiding behind the window tint and the Uber driver is smiling. "Crazy boyfriend hey?" He says and begins to say something again. "Th--" I cut him off. "Just drive." All the while Steve is shouting out my name. “Fey!” "Um..." He ponders for a while and opens the glove compartment. That's when I realize that he's not on his phone, but he's holding a large envelope full of money that he shuts in the glove compartment. He switches on the car and drives off as Steve helplessly calls out my name in the busy street. "Where are you headed?" He asks. "I already gave you an address... 54 Gladwell Street." “So is that your man?” He says as he drives like he owns the street, his seat leaned back. “Do you really think it’s appropriate? I’d prefer it if you’d just drive.” I say as I see the flood of messages from Steve. He thinks he can explain his way out of this. The Uber starts to slow down below the fast food sign, he's already turning the wheel with one hand, he says, “Do you mind if I go through the drive through?” “Let’s just go, I need to get home,” I say, “I’ll give you your tip anyway!” "It’ll only be two minutes… I promise,” he says. I keep getting messages on my phone in the back of the Uber. I'm barely holding on, all I want to do is cry. I say, “What sort of Uber driver are you? Just take me home.” “Oh please," he says. “You know I'm not an Uber driver right?" “What? Are you–” I say, at a loss of words. I look at his Armani suit, his gleaming gold watch and the regal gems on his rings; it's all expensive. I also see the tattoo on his neck and fingers. What have I done? I got into the wrong car thinking it was an Uber. "Where are you taking me?" I say, hoping I'm not stuck with a maniac. He laughs. "Don't worry, I'm not kidnapping you sweetheart," he says. "I'm just doing you a favour because I saw you trying to get away from that guy. I couldn't leave a beautiful woman in distress." "Thank you. I appreciate it." I say, “But you didn’t have to do that.” “I’m sorry. I can leave you anywhere you want, I don’t mind dropping you home.” He says slowing down into the drive-thru. “I can still pay you.” I say. “No payment… If you let me just get a burger, we’re good.” “Fine, two minutes.” I say as I put my phone on silent. The slow pace of the drive-thru seems to calm my senses and normalize my heartbeat. He speaks through the intercom of the drive-thru from his rolled down window and orders a burger. In that moment, everything changes when he moves his whole body to look at me. It’s the first time I catch a full glimpse of his handsome face and dreamy eyes. I’m feeling relaxed and his face and smile just dazzles me at that moment. He says; “Do you want something?” “No thanks,” I say. “I don’t have an appetite.” I gather my thoughts and tame my feelings. He takes a crisp note from the envelope of money in his dashboard and tells her to keep the change. He gets a juicy burger with fries and chips and we drive-off. He’s still looking at me as he drives. I honestly love the attention, especially since I know it’s not going further than this ride. He’s very good-looking, but… young. Probably too young to be attracted to me, I say to myself. The sweet smell of food makes me forget about my cheating boyfriend for the moment. Do you want to have a bite?” He says, I’m shocked by the offer. Placing my mouth on his food would be too intimate for me. “No thanks.” I say, with a smile curving on my lips. He’s young and playful, it seems he’s not intimidated by me at all. “You can have some of my fries.” He passes them while he looks at me through the tiny view mirror as he drives. I see a tattoo on his hand when he places the food on my lap. I take a couple of fries and have some. They’re still warm and lightly salted. “You know, I'll kill myself if I don't say something. I think you're gorgeous and I'd like go out on a date some time,” he says. “Would you like that?” The question catches me off-guard and I start coughing and choking on a French fry. It catches on my throat, it feels like it's in the wrong pipe. Every time I cough, it hurts a little. He's slowing down the car, looking at me trying to figure out if he should stop. “Are you okay?” he says, as he hands me his iced drink. I take a sip. It seems to do the trick instantly. “Thank you… I’m much better.” He keeps driving and keeps looking at me as he drives but by now, I'm a little embarrassed from almost being killed by a French fry. I see his eyes darting between my lips and the road as I put on lip balm in the back seat. He loves what he sees. The tension is almost tangible in the car as he drives. “So you and that guy–” He mentions Steve as he chews a chip. “I don't really want to talk about that.” I say, “I just caught him cheating on me with my friend.” "I'm sorry to hear that." He says his eyes looking at me through the rear view mirror. "A beautiful woman like you should never cry for a cheater." He drives and I remain silent. We arrive at my address and he stops the car. "We're here..." He says as I open the door. "So please let me just give you--" I try to pay something but he cuts me off. "Hey... Listen," he begins, trying to find the right words. "I know you don't know me and I'm... a stranger to you, but I think you're really beautiful and I'd like to take you out some time. Can I get your number?" The question makes me smile automatically and uncontrollably. He's asking me out on a date. I'm just recovering from seeing Steve cheating on me and now he wants to take me out? Should I move on this quickly? "I... uhm..." I'm trying to figure out what to say. As I'm trying to find the words I see Steve banging on my door and shouting like a rowdy hooligan. "I know you're in there..." He says "I'm not going anywhere. I can explain everything! I'll be here all day and night if I have to." I quickly get in the car and shut the door. "Oh no..." I say, hiding in the backseat. "That’s him… he’s here at my house." "The one who was playing on you?" What's he doing here?" He asks, visibly getting angry. "He's so possessive," I say. "And I think he's a bit drunk. I don't want to deal with him tonight." He smiles relishing the opportunity to be my hero. "You can just let me take care of it." He doesn't wait for me to say anything, his hand has already unlocked the door. I quickly put my hand on his shoulder, it seems to sedate him. "No!" I say, "He's just drunk. Let's go. I just don't want to be here." "Alright... I'll get you out of here.” He drives me off into the night, farther away from my problems. His car, and his presence has been my safe place... It all seems to soothe me. But does he think I'm crazy?