Chapter 40
The plane ride from Arizona to Illinois was quiet.
Using my brother’s jet plane, Emilio and I sat across from one another in a dead eye lock as the plane made its way down the lane and into the sky.
The silence felt deadly, and I turned my focus to look outside the window hoping it would clear my mind.
Never in all my time have I ever wanted something so badly and couldn’t have it at the same time.
I thought it was one of those ‘you want what you can’t have phases,’ but that was far from it.
Somehow, I managed to catch feelings for a man who not only I can’t have but also doesn’t want me in return.
My mouth was still red from the intense mouth-to-mouth back in the house, and I felt noticeably disheveled while Emilio appeared calm and collected.
Not a piece of clothing out of place. With his elbow propped onto the armrest, he held his jaw with his thumb and pointer, appearing to be in deep thought; his knee brushed against mine, grabbing my attention.
When our eyes met, a lump in my throat formed. How was I ever going to be able to look at Emilio with a normal face? The tears bunched in my eyes, causing me to look away again.
“A pretty lady like you shouldn’t be crying.”
I felt something placed in my hands that I had held together on my lap. Looking down, I was a handkerchief, which only made this sting more.
“How are you still carrying these?”
“I’m old, remember?” he smiled.
Taking it from him, Emilio brushed his finger against my skin.
“You’re going to taunt me forever?”
“That’s not what I’m trying to do,” Emilio replied.
I looked at him as he leaned forward with each elbow on his knees.
“Then stop being nice,” I said.
“I’ve always been kind to you. That doesn’t need to change.”
“I can’t just go back to how things were with you. How do you expect me just to forget the nights we spent together and pretend they never existed? To erase all of it from my memory? How?”
“You just do.” Emilio exhaled a deep breath as he sat up straight.
“My brother is holding you back.”
“He should be holding you back as well.”
“That’s how you’re going to live your life?”
“There are limits, Bethany. No one gets everything without facing the consequences.”
“At least I had the courage to lose myself in something I wanted.”
I got to my feet and sat in another seat so that he was out of sight for the remainder of the flight.
Waking up to the plane landing, Emilio was already on the phone before the plane door opened. When he got off, he looked at me with a grave face.
“Your brother wants me to take you to him.”
There was a knot in my stomach. The entire flight, I could only focus on my anger with Emilio for not choosing me.
I didn’t even think about the wrath that Luca would bestow on me.
Remaining silent, we both sat in the back of the Escalade.
Looking out the window, it seemed we were headed away from the city.
“Where are you taking us?” Emilio asked.
The driver looked at him through the rearview mirror, “Mr. DeCarlo wants me to take you both to the spot.”
I didn’t have any clue as to where this spot was, but Emilio seemed annoyed. Everything was fine until there was no road, and the car was driving onto a dirt pathway. We arrive in the middle of who knows where and find my brother with Alfie and another man.
“What the fuck is going on?” Emilio asked out loud to himself as he exited the car.
Slowly, I get out and walk up to them, confused.
Luca looked livid, as expected. Alfie looked concerned.
The man beside them seemed amused. It was humid out, my clothes sticking to my body.
How they were able to wear suits in this weather was insane.
Behind them was an old 1970 Chevelle SS that had dirt and dust all over it.
“Cahill,” Emilio shakes the man’s hand.
“Emilio,” he smiles, “Good to see you.” He had a thick Irish accent.
“What brings you to Chicago?” Emilio glances at Luca.
My brother clears his throat, “You know Riley likes to make surprise visits.” Luca makes eye contact with me. “Bethany. Glad you’re back. Are you done with your little stunt?”
I could feel this strange tension, and the attention on me made me nervous. “I’m done.”
The focus then went to Emilio. “Emilio, you’ve been slipping up on me,” Luca told him.
Hiding any kind of panic that I could imagine he was feeling, Emilio replied, “How so?”
“I’ve asked you to keep closer tabs on Bethany lately.”
It felt like the air escaped my lungs; in its place was the humidity, making me lightheaded.
“Which I have been,” Emilio confessed.
“Bethany,” Luca said. “Where have you been spending your free time?”
His question almost had me faint. The beads of sweat formed on my forehead as I struggled to find something to say.
“Home mostly,” I answer.
“That’s not what I heard.”
In full panic mode, I remained silent, unsure how to respond. Luca snapped his finger, which made Alfie pop open the trunk and pull out a man tied up, letting him fall to the ground.
The man’s face was bloody, so I couldn’t make out who it was, but he was begging for help through the cloth shoved into his mouth. Alfie kicks him in the which causes him to wince in pain.
“Bethany,” Luca said, “Do you remember his man?”
“No,” I was nervous.
“I thought you’d have more class than this,” Luca spat out. “Alfie’s friend Mark works at the mayor’s office. This prick was bragging about landing some hot blonde at a sex party. If it weren’t for Alfie's birthday picture on his desk, it wouldn’t have gotten out that he was referring to you.”
It felt as though I was burning at the stake. The man on the floor was Dillan from the sex party, but I didn’t go home with him or do anything sexual. It was the night Emilio dragged me out.
Luca said, “Emilio have you heard of those sex parties?”
“I have,” again he confessed.
“Have you gone to any?”
“Once or twice.”
“Have you ever seen Bethany at any of them?”
Emilio paused before answering, “I have.”
There was no way Emilio would lie to my brother. That’s the number one rule to being a Consigliere. Luca looked ready to rip his head off. Countless times, Emilio has saved my ass without expecting anything in return. This was my turn. So, I had to cut in.
“I didn’t fuck the guy if that’s what you’re getting at.” I held my breath, hoping to distract my brother from focusing on Emilio.
“That’s supposed to make me feel better?” Luca replied to me, then turned his focus back to Emilio. “Why wouldn’t you tell me something like that, Emilio?”
“You had a lot on your plate. Hosting a Cassariano, dealing with the Appollo brothers—the last thing you needed to worry about was Bethany at a party she didn’t belong. Like all the other things, I handled it without further problems.”
Luca stepped closer to him, “You should have said something at some point.”
I cut in to take away the tension from Emilio, “I begged him not to. I was embarrassed, and I promised not to do it again.”
“I’m supposed to believe it didn’t happen again?” Luca wasn’t convinced.
“I learned my lesson,” I plead. “After he spiked my drink, I– “
“Spiked your drink?” Luca repeated.
I gulp, “Yes. Emilio saw me just in time.”
Luca looked to Emilio, who nodded in agreement.
“It wasn’t worth the stress,” Emilio added, “But it won’t happen again. You have my word—regardless of what it is, I’ll inform you immediately.”
Luca took a deep breath. “You made a judgment call. I respect that. But don’t let something like that slip again.” He turned to Dillon, who was on the floor. “The prick drugged her; what do you think we should do?”
“We should teach him a lesson,” Emilio encouraged.
Luca smiled, “That we should.”
Riley Cahill had a smirk on his face, “Ah, you Chicago fellas know how to make me smile.”
“Tie him up, Alfie,” Luca commanded.
We watch as Dillon gets tied up to the back bumper of the car. Alfie then gets into the vehicle and drives off, dragging the man behind him. His screams gave me goosebumps. The look of horror was all over my face. I tense as Luca walks toward me.
He whispers, “Just know you’re responsible for that. Your reckless behavior put that person in this position. He’s lucky Emilio came in before something worse happened.”
“I’m sorry,” I whisper back.
“Your sorries become less meaningful each time you need to say them. And if you ever think of running away again, I’ll put you in the damn box and lock you in there for just as long as you’ve been away for.”