Chapter 20
I walked into Slava, one of Chicago’s upscale restaurants, and was escorted to a table surrounded by people in the center of the dining area.
Wearing my sleeveless charmeuse sheath dress with bluebell print with silk satin lining, a straight neckline that tied around the neck paired with black, red bottoms, I was looking to make a decent impression.
It was playful but elegant. Luca was supposed to accompany me, but Gabe wanted a one-on-one only. It was odd my brother agreed to it.
“Bethany,” he pulled out my chair.
“Gabe,” I smile. “Nice to finally meet you.”
Once seated, Gabe sat right next to me fairly close, which I found odd, being it was a round table.
“I heard you were beautiful, but that was an understatement,” he smiled, and I felt his hand on my knee under the table.
“Thank you,” I smile and gently push his hand off me.
The waiter came to announce their specials and take our order.
“We’ll have a bottle of wine,” Gabe ordered. “I’ll have the tomahawk steak well done, and she will have the salmon salad.”
I look up from the menu, trying to understand. Did he order for me?
I smile at the waiter, saying, “I’ll have the 6lb Maine Lobster.”
I didn’t mind lobster; I just chose the most expensive item on the menu to be spiteful.
Gabe smiles, “Honey, we are getting married in a few days. Maybe you should go light on your meal.”
The waiter looked uncomfortable and awkwardly stood there.
“I’m hungry tonight.” I turn to the waiter to kindly dismiss him, “Thank you.”
Gabe looked like he was holding back as his eye seemed to twitch. “Don’t tell me you plan to lose your figure once married. The ladies in Vegas are hard to keep up with.”
I let out a laugh, “You’re already thinking about infidelity. You know how to make a girl feel special.”
“I know how to make you feel a lot of things.” Once again, his hand on my knee slid up my thigh, giving it a tight squeeze.
Squirming in my seat, I tried to get his hand off me, but he held a firm grip this time. “I think you made your point.”
Looking around the place, I saw no familiar face. Gabe was making me uncomfortable. I had my hair pin-straight, but I felt the sweat on my head begin to undo it.
“Ms. DeCarlo,” one of the hostesses approaches the table. “You have a call. Your cell phone is going to voicemail. Did you want to take it?”
Although odd, I took it as a chance to escape. “Yes, please.”
As I follow her, she grabs my arm. “So that you know, if something like that happens again, be sure to order an angel shot. At least in here, it means you need help.”
“Thank you,” I reply, shocked. She picked up on how uncomfortable I was and decided to help. “So, no real phone call?”
“No,” she smiled, “it was written all over your face you didn’t want to be there.”
Walking through the kitchen area, she led me to the back door. “Need a ride?”
“No, I drove.”
“Hey, it’s not my place, but you need to run away from guys like that. That’s coming from someone who knows firsthand what domestic violence looks like.”
I nod my head, “Thank you.”
I was shaking from head to toe as I walked to my car. It felt as though I just escaped death. I can’t do this. There shouldn’t be anything the Appollo brothers have on my brother to make me go through with this. This ends tonight. Driving straight to Luca’s lounge, I storm right in.
Everyone looked at me as I entered.
“Can I help you?” the bartender says as I walk to the bar.
“Luca. Where is he?”
The bartender laughs, “Wrong place, honey.”
I laugh in return, sounding delirious. “Get me my brother. Now.”
“Eddie, I got it.” Emilio walks up from behind me. “This is Luca’s sister, Bethany.”
Eddie’s face turned white with embarrassment. “My apologies.”
“Don’t worry about it.” After Eddie walks away, Emilio turns to me. “What are you doing here?”
“I need to see Luca,” I said.
“Shouldn’t you be at dinner?”
“I’m not marrying that thing.”
“That’s not your call.” Emilio pulls out a cigarette to light.
Pulling it right out of his mouth, “I’m making it my call. Emilio, that man is horrible.”
“Did he put his hands on you?”
I looked away, not wanting even to discuss it. “Please.”
After a pause, Emilio replied, “He’s in the back. Go past the red door over there.”
I storm through the red door, where I find Luca puffing a cigar on a sofa while flirting with a woman. I couldn’t see her face as her auburn hair covered it as she leaned toward Luca, and they both laughed.
“Luca.” I stood in front of them.
Turning his head to look at me. “Ah, B. You remember Veronica, don’t you?”
“Bethany? Oh my god, it’s been so long. You’re all grown up!”
I realized who it was: Veronica Miller, one of Luca’s childhood friends. She handles a lot of real estate in Arizona for my brother. I hadn’t seen her in years.
“Hey,” I tried to smile but wasn’t here to be social.
“Veronica, why don’t you go see where Emilio is.”
Right as she left, I was going to dig right in, but Luca spoke first. Puffing on the cigar, “You will marry him.”
“I had a hostess pull me from the table to save my ass. How can a stranger be more concerned about me than my brother?!”
“Emilio will speak to him.”
It was clear that Luca wasn’t going to budge.
“What is that going to do?”
“He will send a clear message,” Luca replied.
“You think that will prevent him from beating me to a bloody pulp?!” I fall to my knees, “Luca, please. Don’t let me go through with this.”
“Why don’t you get some rest? Tomorrow is a new day.”
My brother didn’t seem phased at all by my pleas. I get to my feet and leave with tears streaming down my face. As I drive home, I dial my mother.
“Bethany,” she sounded as though she was sleeping.
“Hey, sorry to wake you.”
“No, no. Is everything okay?”
“Luca wants me to marry an awful man, momma. Please talk to him,” I begged.
I hear her pause and take a deep breath. “I’ll see what I can do.”
That wasn’t a good enough answer. My mother’s ‘I’ll see what I can do’ says she will bring it up because she said she would not because it was a real concern.
Did she want the same thing? Although siding with Luca wasn’t out of the norm, I would have thought my plea for help on something life-changing would get her to speak up for me.
“Momma, please.”
“I will talk to him.”
Although it didn’t sound reassuring, there was nothing else I could do about it.
Pulling into the parking garage, I get out of my car and lock it.
As I walk toward the door, I hear an extra set of footsteps behind me.
Looking over my shoulder, I see a shadow.
Picking up my pace, the footsteps behind me did the same.
I panicked, but I was so close to the door—just a few more steps.
“Ending the night without a kiss goodbye?” a voice echoed in the garage.
Turning around, I didn’t see anyone. As I walk backward, I bump into a body.
Instantly scared, I turned around and find Gabe looking furious.
I couldn’t even scream. My voice was lost. As he stepped toward me, I stepped back.
He reached to grab me with one hand, and once he had a good grip on my arm, his other hand lifted over his head, ready to swing right into my face.
Terrified was an understatement. Right as his hand was coming down, I closed my eyes.
I’ve never been hit before, but I knew this would hurt.
Ready for the impact, I brace myself. Suddenly, there was a loud sound, and I felt my face get wet.
The grip on my arm loosened. Opening my eyes, I see blood spilling onto the floor and Gabe screaming. What was going on?
“Bethany! Go inside!”
Emilio pushes me toward the door. He had a gun in hand and was pointing it to Gabe’s head. Gabe sat on the floor, holding his bloody hand. Everything felt as though it was going in slow motion.
“Bethany!” Emilio shouts. “Inside. Now.”
I ran to the door inside the building but didn’t go to my condo.
Instead, I looked through the little glass window and watched as Emilio began to use the bottom of the gun to punch Gabe repeatedly.
Emilio didn’t hold back for a second; each hit harder than the last. Gabe was resilient and somehow managed to overthrow Emilio and throw a punch.
Seeing them go at one another as blood from Gabe’s hand-wound got everywhere.
When I heard another gunshot and was unable to make out which one of them pulled the trigger, I turned and ran to my condo, locking myself inside.
Looking in the mirror, I had above a console right when I walked in.
I take a look at myself–there was a splatter of blood on my face. The red against my blonde hair popped.
What just happened? Suddenly, I had shortness of breath, and I fell onto the floor.
Sobbing as I lay scrunched up in a ball, I felt helpless.
Who knows how long I was there, but eventually, I managed to stop sobbing.
There were footsteps outside my door, making me panic again.
I could see the shadow of the person’s feet while I lay on the floor as they stood there for a minute.
Eventually, there was a knock, and I covered my mouth not to make a sound.
“It’s me, Bethany.”
Emilio’s voice was soft, but I was still trembling from the incident just moments ago.
I slowly got off the floor to open the door, and there he stood as though nothing had happened.
This was Emilio. You never know where he comes from or what he does, but he always looks put together and is never stressed.
“Can I come in?” he asked.
I opened the door without an answer, inviting him in as I stepped back. Watching him watch me, I could tell he was uncomfortable, which was new. He shuts the door behind him in silence.
“You watched?”
“A little,” I whispered in a shaky voice.
“He was going–”
“I know.”
He didn’t need to justify it—I was thankful. My eyes teared up. If he didn’t show up, then who knows what Gabe would have done aside from beating me to a bloody pulp.
“Are you okay?” he asked, noticing I was shaking.
I nod my head but avoid eye contact.
Unexpectedly, he lifts me off my feet, carrying me to the shower.
I remained silent. We didn’t say a word as he undressed me and wiped the blood off my face.
He took off his shoes and suit jacket. Under the jacket, he had on a gun holster that held a gun on each side.
He rolled his sleeves and washed me while I stood in the shower.
He was being so gentle with me, a completely different person than moments ago.
“Is he dead?” I whispered.
“No,” Emilio replied. “Just needed a reminder of who he was dealing with.” He winked at me.
After washing me down, he wraps me in a towel and takes me to bed. As Emilio pulls the covers over me, I grab his arm.
“Stay. Please.”