Control

I woke up to an empty house the next morning. The eerie silence engulfed me as I made my way into the kitchen and started to make myself a pot of coffee. As the pot started to fill with the dark liquid, I poked around the familiar cabinets, taking inventory of what food was available for the day.

As the realization that I would be here for at least another three weeks started to set in, my brain left the haze it had hid itself in and started to make lists of the things I need and will need when the time comes for me to vanish from New York City.

Cell phone, documents, personal items, and my credit cards.

I had spent hours thinking about the man I lived with. I wondered if he contacted the police. I wondered if he took all of my things and sold them. I thought about my job and my friends. I wondered if my face was plastered across the news.

I wondered if anyone even cared.

A shrill ring filled the kitchen signaling that the coffee was finished brewing. Pulling myself from my thoughts, I walked over to the far cabinet and grabbed a mug. As soon as I turned toward the coffee maker, a loud thud ripped through the air..

Turning toward the hallway, I looked down and watched as a familiar man appeared in front of me. When our eyes met, we both paused, the blacks of our eyes nearly doubling in size.

Antonio was standing in front of me, his big blue eyes wide as he took me in casually holding a mug in the middle of the kitchen of the man that pardoned my life. Swallowing hard, I held out the mug I was holding to him.

“I just brewed some coffee, would you like any?” I pushed a small smile onto my lips as I watched the man standing there, waiting for him to pull out his gun and press it into my temple like he did only a few nights ago.

It took the man a minute before he registered my words. Blinking hard, a small smile surfaced on his lips as he let out a chuckle and held his hand out to me.

“I never formally introduced myself,” Antonio ran his free hand through his hair as I grabbed his hand with my own, “Antonio Mancini, Luca’s little brother.”

“Nice to meet you in a place that’s not an alley with a dead body,” we shared a small laugh after a firm handshake, “Andrea Ricci, current captive.”

The brunette took the mug from my hands and walked over to the cabinet. Grabbing another mug, he set them down on the island and then grabbed the coffee pot. Pouring an even amount in both, he turned to me and parted his lips to speak when his eyes drifted to my shoulder.

“Your old boyfriend give you that?” The bluntness of his words knocked the air from my lungs. I locked my eyes on his, searching them for a hint that he knew, a hint that he knew about anything that I had been through.

Time passed as Antonio grabbed his coffee and sat down at the island across from me. Without a word, he took out his cell phone and started scrolling through whatever app he had open. Casually sipping his coffee, he leaned back and then looked at me, the horror still smothering my features as thoughts and images rushed through my head.

“Antonio’s been doing favors to erase the missing persons that the scumbag put in for the last two days. A lot of loose ends to tie up with you, tesora.” I flinched, but decided to keep my personal issue with the word to myself.

With a nod of my head, I put the mug of coffee to my lips and let my eyes flutter shut as the hot steam hit my skin. Inhaling deeply a few times, I let out a long exhale and took a long sip of coffee. As the warm liquid rushed through my body, I leaned against the counter and let a soft thump resonate through my brain.

“What loose ends?” I looked up at the man, his eyes jerking up to meet mine.

“You know, just covering the tracks. Notices to your job, voiding all of the police reports, getting your stuff, phone, clothes, documents, ya’ know, loose ends.” Antonio waved his hand and then gestured over to the coffee pot. “I hate to ask, but could you top me off? I’m exhausted.”

“Oh!” I gave him a small smile and quickly set my mug down and grabbed the pot of coffee. Walking over to him, I filled up the mug and went to turn around when he called my name.

“Luca told me you cooked for him the other night.”

I shrugged a shoulder and put the coffee pot back into the holder. “I love cooking and I was getting bored sitting in the room.”

“He has a thing for you.” Antonio gave me a pointed look from over his mug.

“Oh, I… I mean, he told me the deal and everything. I don’t think he-“

My heart was racing as I grabbed my mug and looked back up at Antonio. A soft smile was on his lips as he shook his head. “I’ve lived with the man for twenty-four years, he’s got a thing for you. Probably that mouth you got on ya’.”

I couldn’t help but smile as I looked up at the man and shrugged a shoulder. Even though the words he had just said were whirling around in my brain, I didn’t focus on them. I didn’t even believe the idea that someone like Luca could have a thing for someone like me, I was in no position to believe the words of someone.

It had only been a few days.

Antonio and I sat in silence for a while. The company was nice. Not being pressured to talk or think was an amazing break form the last hours of my life. I didn’t want to keep thinking about the knock on the door last night. I didn’t want to keep thinking about who could have knocked on the door when Luca wasn’t here during the day.

I was tired of wondering why I was alive.

Tired of wondering what was going to happen once these days were up.

“Are you going to take the deal?” Antonio asked what felt like hours after I had filled his coffee mug. The sound of his voice smashed through my thoughts, leaving me with a blank stare as I looked up at him, not being able to process what he just asked. “The money, when this is over, are you?”

My eyebrows furrowed. I thought it was already a done deal that as soon as I was able I would be paid and out of everyone’s hair. “Of course, I mean… I thought that was the plan.”

“Well,” Antonio stood up and walked around to my side of the counter. Pouring coffee into his mug, he turned toward me and leaned against the edge of the marble slab, “what if he asks you to stay.”

I laughed again, the ridiculousness of it all getting to me. “He won’t.” I confirmed as I stood up and placed my mug down in the sink. “He’s not an idiot.”

“You’d be surprised, tesora,” Antonio sent me a wink before placing his mug down in the sink and giving me a wide smile. “Sorry about, uh, you know, threatening to kill you.”

“Oh that,” I shrugged a shoulder and watched as the man gave me a big smile, “no worries.”

“I see why he has a thing for you.” Antonio gave me a wink and then walked over to the fridge. Pulling the door open, he lifted his eyebrow, reached in, and then grabbed the container of left overs from the previous night. He asked if it was my famous cooking. When I nodded, he opened the top and quickly started to heat it up.

After Antonio asked me a few questions about the food, he grabbed a fork and went to dig in when the front door of the apartment opened and slammed shut. The familiar rhythm of steps grew louder and louder until the man appeared in front of us. His hair was perfectly pushed back, his eyes were dark and sharp. The tee shirt under his jacket had a few faint red stains on it, and the black jeans he was wearing had a small tear in the thigh.

When his eyes bounced from Antonio eating his leftovers to me, the frown on his face deepened.

“I told you not to answer the door.” He growled at me, his eyes protective and angry as he looked to his little brother.

“Levati dai coglioni, the door was open, she didn’t do shit.” The man hissed as he took a few more bites of food and turned to me, “Damn, Andy, this is great. Invite me over next time you make dinner, yeah?”

“Sure!” I smiled up at the man, my eyes shimmering as the brunette next to me nodded his head and took a huge bite of a meatball. Just as he was about to ask another question, Luca slammed his fist against the counter, silencing the both of us. I felt anger surge through my spine as I looked at the man. I was growing tired of his flip-flop attitude.

His eyes were hard as he looked me dead in the eye. “Go to your room.”

“I’m not a child, Luca.” I snapped as I crossed my arms across my chest and leaned against the counter next to Antonio. I could feel both of their eyes on me as I lifted an eyebrow as if to question ‘and what are you going to do about it?’

“Why can’t you just listen to me, Andrea?” Luca’s voice was tired.

“Because I’m not a fucking child, Luca. Why? Why do I need to go to my room?” I pressed, my attitude never faltering.

“Because I asked?” Luca looked at me, a playfulness entering his hard green eyes. He realized that either he was being ridiculous with his request, or that he wasn’t going to win whatever battle we had started.

“And…” I heard Antonio stifle a laugh from my side. “What are you going to go through all of this to kill me?”

“I wish you’d keep your trap shut.” Luca pinched the bridge of his nose as he walked over to the fridge and let out a long sigh. “You let this fuck eat all of the leftovers?”

“You sound like a child, Luch.” Antonio snickered as he stabbed a few pieces of pasta and stuck them in his mouth. As Luca slammed the fridge shut, he ran a hand through his hair, letting a few strands fall out of place and looked at me, his features softer than before.

The brunette sighed as he tilted his head to the side and motioned me to walk into the next room with him. With a nod, I pushed off of the counter and quietly followed behind Luca, down the hall, and over to my bedroom. When we reached the door, Luca pushed the door open and motioned me inside.

A ball of nerves started to catch fire in the pit of my stomach as he stepped into the room behind me and shut the door. The smell of his cologne mixed with the faint smell of his shampoo was making me dizzy as he walked up to me. My eyes were planted on his strong chest covered by his white v-neck. I thought about what was under it, what colorful designs ran across the muscles in his chest.

“You trying to show off in front of my little brother?” Luca’s tone was soft as he gently placed his fingers under my chin and moved my head so our eyes were aligned. “Low blow.”

Rolling my eyes, I took a step back from him and looked up at him, my arms crossing against my chest again. I wanted to make it seem like he didn’t affect me. I didn’t want him to see how fast my heart was beating from the little interaction. Part of me was embarrassed that I responded like that to him.

“He’s not my type.” I smirked and watched as the brunette smirked back, his eyes darkening as he dropped them down to my lips, and then slowly down my body. When they reached the floor, he paused and snapped them back to mine.

“Good.”

“Was there a reason for this?” I managed to keep the edge to my voice despite the puddle I was turning into.

Luca hummed, his facial features twitching as he tilted his head from side to side and then reached into the pocket on the inside of his jacket. When he pulled out a familiar black and white wallet, I felt my heart speed up in my chest.

“I have the rest of your things in the car. Clothes, electronics, whatever else you had.” Luca’s eyes were bright as they met mine. They darkened when he saw the horror wash over my face.

“You… Were in my apartment?”

“I was.” Luca’s lips turned into a frown. “Are you afraid I hurt him?” He seemed disgusted at the idea of me caring for the man I had left behind. I didn’t blame him, I would have been disgusted if I care about him too. I wasn’t terrified that he had interacted with him, I was terrified that he would find out where I was.

I shook my head, my heart beating so strong in my chest I thought I was going to throw up the two cups of coffee that were sloshing around in my stomach. Swallowing hard, I looked down at the pink marks on his white tee shirt.

Part of me hoped it was his.

“Did you?” I looked up at Luca and watched as his attitude change when he noticed the hope in my eyes. “Does he know… Does he know I’m alive? Does he know… where I am?” The hope changed to terror as I thought about laying in my bed and seeing that man burst through the door, his walking uneven, his eyes hungry.

The brunette standing in front of me frowned and shook his head, his dark eyes tender. Taking a step closer to me, Luca placed his hand down on my cheek and took a shaky inhale as I pressed my face into the palm of his hand.

“I will never let that man lay a hand on you again, Andy.” I felt the weight of the world lift from my shoulders. “Everything’s cleared. You picked up your studies in Italy. Papers are filed, everyone’s notified. The missing person’s are taken care of.”

“How… How did you…”

“I have friends in high places, tesora.” Luca whispered as he leaned forward and placed a soft kiss to my forehead. The way the word fell from his lips was like a xanax dissolving in my bloodstream. Every thought silenced, every muscle relaxed. I believed him. I felt safe.

“Why are you doing all of this for me?” I looked up at the man, my heart nearly exploding in my chest when I noticed how close he was to me.

Luca paused for a moment. By the look in his eyes, I thought he would pull away from me and storm out of the room. I thought he would stay quiet, his normal defense to things he didn’t want to deal with. I quickly ran through the words of his younger brother. I thought about what he told me, the absolutely ridiculous ideas he planted in my head.

And then I looked up at the brunette. I looked at the way his eyes held mine. The way his fingers gently held onto my chin.

“I like the way you cook,” Luca smirked as he leaned into me, my body trembling as I felt his hot breath beat down against my ear, “I want to keep you around for a while.”