Marcello
“I shouldn’t have let you see that,” I say. She doesn’t look up at me. She looks lost in her world. There’s an awkward deafening silence for a moment.
“No, I shouldn’t have followed you. It is my fault. I was just curious, you know. I couldn’t help it. I couldn’t stop myself. You looked very scary last night. I couldn’t understand what was wrong with you. Whatever you were saying couldn’t make sense. I knew something was wrong but I just couldn’t put a figure on it. And when you walked out of the house. At that hour of the night, I was afraid you were going to do something really dangerous or end up hurting yourself in some way. I knew I couldn’t stop you that’s why I had to follow at a distance. I didn’t expect you to-to,” the word hung in the air between us. Her eyes meet with mine and I can see the tears in them.
“I didn’t expect you to kill him, Marcello,” she finally gets the air to say.
“He wanted to kill me, Elsa,” I tell her.
“But still. You can’t hold someone’s life in your hands,” she says. A tear rolls down her cheek.
“I know you are kindhearted, Elsa, but my case is different. Maybe I don’t even have a heart, diletto. I died the day my mother was murdered. I lost all humanity when my father was murdered. I can’t hesitate to kill anyone who dares to threaten my life or that of someone precious to me. I kill anyone who betrays me. That’s the way I have been able to reach this far. I started as a young innocent boy just like you are but the world is corrupt. That’s the way of life in the Mafioso. That’s how life is. You said I was a murderer, didn’t you? Well, you should know your father was too. That’s what it is all about being in the Mafioso of Sicily and all over the world. This business is not a joke. It is illegal, dangerous, and bloody. You need to lose your heart and have the courage to lose a lot to gain much more. I am sorry but your father should have told you all this,” I tell her.
Another tear escapes her life and she wipes it away with her thumb.
Dio mio, Elsa! I didn’t know you were this soft.
“But it doesn’t have to be like this. You are the one who chooses the path of your life,” she says, looking so innocent.
“This is the only life I know and it is what I have been brought up in. You still have a lot to learn. You need to know these things when you start working on your businesses. Somehow somewhere there will be people against you and if you show a certain degree of tolerance to their familiarity, that will be the beginning of their success against you. I have something to show you. I had forgotten about it. You should go freshen up now. You can come to my office after breakfast.” I tell her, getting up from the chair.
My body feels like hell. I spent only about three hours in this chair but I feel like crap. I think I should first take a shower.
Elsa stares blankly at me.
“What is it that you want to show me?” she asks.
“You will know once you see it.”
“Is it good or bad?” she insists.
“It’s up to you to decide when you see it,” I tell her. It can’t be good at all.
“I have to go get myself ready for work. I am already running behind my schedule,” I say, checking on my wristwatch. I have important things to accomplish today and I am not about to postpone them. I am still in my clothes from tomorrow. I didn’t even have the sense to change after that eventful evening.” Make sure you clean up quickly and get some breakfast before you get to my office or else you will find when I have already gone. ”
I head for the door and open it.
“Wait, ” she calls out. I turn.
“What is the matter?” I ask, trying to study her worried face. She chews nervously at her lower lip.
“Nothing. I will just go ahead and shower,” she responds after some time of thinking.
That doesn’t seem like anything to me.
I close the four behind me and walk to the bed. I have to keep in my mind that she is naked under these sheets and any wrong move, I will have to cancel all my plans at least for half the day. She pulls her feet closer, her eyes widening.
“What is the matter, Elsa? If there is anything say it,” I tell her.
“Why? Are you going to spank me? I haven’t done anything wrong, have I?” she asks out of the blue.
Whoa!
“You sound like you want me to spank you,” I can’t stop the wicked grin that forms on my face.
“What?” she smiled at me. The kind of smile that gets your palms twitching.
“I thought you would only spank me to punish me,” she says.
“Oh, it goes in two ways. Reward or punishment. I could show you if I wasn’t running late for work,” I tell her. She frowns.
Okay. Now she is diverting me from the matter of concern.
“Why did you call me back?” I ask, my mood turning somber. Her brown eyes Pierce through mine, and I can read the hesitation in them.
“It’s just that. What happened last night? Why were you acting like that? It really got me scared, Marcello. I want to know,” she finally inquires.
Oh.
I take a step backward and thread my fingers through my already messed-up hair.
“That was just nothing. Something happened but now I am fine,” I respond, knowing well I didn’t answer the question.
“You can’t keep giving me such vague answers, Marcello. I am not a child. I need to know. Maybe it is something personal or says it is none of my business but I really want to know. Is it because of the guy you ki-,” She swallows down the word and then continues on another path. “Is it because of that guy in the dungeon? Is Federico going to kill you because you have me here?”
I knew I would have to answer this sooner or later.
“Look, Elsa. I already told you that there will be losses and sacrifices. Don’t worry about Federico. Let me handle this,” I tell her. Hoping she will let the matter go.
“Why? I know you don’t want me to ask you this but you also don’t tell me why I shouldn’t. Why do you let me be this much of a burden to the extent that your life is now at stake because of me? If you would let me go everything would be already. Federico would stop hunting for you,” she says, her eyes beseeching mine. I know where this is heading. She wants to convince me to let her go, but she doesn’t know that when I put my mind to something, I fulfill it.
“I am not going to talk about this again, Elsa. You are not going anywhere. I know you are Roberto’s biggest treasure, Bella. I wouldn’t let anything bad happen to you.”
“This is so frustrating, Marcello. Can’t you see that? You always find a way to not give me the answers I want and always leave room for more questions I can’t stay here any longer. I will run mad. With all these questions in my mind and these walls surrounding me, there is no way I will remain the same. I feel like I have been alienated from the real world.”
I know she’s right but I am not going to make any false promises here. I am working really hard to make sure Roberto recovers as quickly as possible. The good doctor has agreed to come check out on the patient next week. I am having my fingers crossed that this goes well. Roberto is the only one with the ultimate weapon to bring down Federico, corner him, and finally erase him.
My eyes land on the radio alarm clock on the bedside table. It is eight-thirty. Shit!
“Look, Elsa. How about we talk more in my office in ten minutes? I will go freshen up,” I dash out of the room, leaving behind a confused and angry woman.