Sold to Mr. Giordano

Arielle

I’ve been to this restaurant before, it’s owned by the Famiglia. My father has taken us here almost every time we were in Chicago. Antonio is already sitting at a table with Arabella sitting across from him. She’s laughing and I wonder if it was something her cousin said-Antonio doesn’t strike me as the joke type.

“Is that Arielle Ricci?” The owner of the restaurant greets me. “How long has it been, sweetheart?” He pulls me into a hug.

“Too long Fat Mikey, I’ve missed your exquisite lasagna.” I hug him back.

“Rocco! Ciao!” He pulls him into a hard hug and slaps his back. “Let me get you two kids a table.”

“Actually we are meeting someone,” I point over at Antonio.

Fat Mikey grabs my hand and inspects my engagement ring. “Who’s the lucky fella?” He eyes Rocco.

”

Unfortunately, my brother.”

“You’ve hooked yourself the new Capo! Salute! This is a celebration! I will bring over a bottle of my finest wine. Go, sit, eat and enjoy!”

Rocco leads me over to the table and when we reach it, Antonio stands and I notice his eyes widen slightly. His gaze is on my breast and collarbone.

“You look, nice,” he bows his head in respect. “Sit.”

“Thank you, you do too.” I take the seat next to him and admire how handsome he looks in a brown suit.

“Tony!” Fat Mikey approaches with the wine.

“Fat Mikey,” Antonio stands and claps the restaurant owner on the back just like Rocco had done.

“I see a congratulations is in order for you and lovely fiancée. She’s a beauty and a sweetheart, I remember her when she was a little bambina. All the happiness, you two.” He pours us all a glass of wine.

“Thank you,” Antonio picks up his glass and raises it slightly to Fat Mikey and then to me before sipping it.

I do the same, I raise mine and drink to us.

“I already know the little ladies order, what can I get for the rest of ya,” Fat Mikey asks and Antonio orders for his brother, Arabella, and himself.

“Those guys are staring over there,” I whisper.

“No one will mess with us unless they have a death wish,” Rocco says matter-of-factly.

Antonio stands up eyeing the two males who have suddenly gone pale.

“Let’s not cause a scene,” I lightly touch his wrist and he rips his arm away from me.

Antonio walks over and sits down at the gentleman’s table. He looks calm and collect, his hands politely folded on the table in front of him. One of the men smirks and jerks his chin in my direction.

Lightning quick Antonio pulls out a knife from who-knows-where and stabs the man directly between the eyes killing him instantly. The man’s eyes roll back in his head, God, I’m never going to get the sound of his skull cracking and the squishing sounds of his brain being penetrated out of my mind. The body topples and Antonio stands, he grabs one of the white cloth napkins and wipes his face and hand. He throws the tainted napkin down onto the other man’s food and nonchalantly walks back to our table to sit.

I stare long and hard at the other man whose jaw is dropped. He looks shocked, horrified and incredibly sad. Who was that man to him beside him? A coworker? A friend, a life-long best friend, his brother? The endless and heartbreaking options. The man’s eyes water and I have to force myself to look away.

What did he say to make Antonio kill him? What did he do to deserve the death penalty?

Arabella looks pissed as if this has happened many times before. Rocco simply looks amused as if he enjoys seeing his brothers savagery, but I guess why wouldn’t he? He’s a Made Men too-they love violence.

Maybe love isn’t the best word since they’re incapable.

They enjoy violence. They get a thrill.

If I look in the mirror right now, I would most likely look frighten and shocked. Fat Mikey walks out and throws his hands up about to yell when he looks over at Antonio who shrugs.

“Send the bill to me,” he says in that gruff voice that sends my body scattering with goosebumps.

“You can never come in here without stirring up shit, huh?” Fat Mikey shakes his head but doesn’t seem as mad as he was before. “What’d the poor sucker do to deserve it?”

“Staring and insulting what is mine,” he wipes his bottoms lip with his thumb.

Arabella sequels silently putting her hand over her heart, it doesn’t take me long to piece together that Antonio had murdered that man because of whatever he said about me. “Defending her honor. How romantic!”

“Let’s not get ahead of ourselves. I don’t take kindly to other men disrespecting my property.”

“Property?” I curl my lip in disgust. “I am no one’s peppery!” I stand and storm out.

Before I can exit the restaurant, I’m caught by my arm and pulled into a hard, citrus-smelling body. I look up to meet Antonio’s eyes that appear black.

“You are staying and having dinner,” his voice commands.

“You disrespected me by calling me your property in front of all of them. As if I’m cattle to be owned,” I turn my face away from him.

“As my fiancée, I am responsible for your protection and as Capo no one will talk about my fiancée, my brother, my parents, my cousin, without fucking dealing with me. What those men said was not only disrespectful to you, but also me. They should’ve recognized who rules Chicago. This is how men like me earn our respect, got it, sweetheart?” He let’s go of my arm and moves it to the small of my back. “Let’s eat. Our food should be arriving shortly.”

I don’t argue mainly because I am starving.

The waiters brings our food a few minutes after I sit. Rocco cracks a few jokes while I dig into my lasagna that is oozing with extra cheese-just how I like it. Arabella moaned as she shoves a fork full of penne with pesto into her mouth and Rocco shut-up long enough to taste his spinach and cheese ravioli.

Antonio had ordered the gnocchi’s and they look mouthwatering. “Would you like a bite?” He stabs two with his fork and motions it to me.

I couldn’t resist. I lean in close to the fork and open my mouth. Antonio’s eyes look calculating as touches the silverware to my bottom lip. Our eyes meet and him feeding me feels strangely erotic. Stuck in our moment, Rocco clears his throat and mine and Antonio’s moment is ruined. We return back into acquaintances ignoring each other.