Chapter 7
Chapter
Seven
Jasmine
P alpable dread filled the car as the crowd of men came into view. Tonight didn’t go as any of us had planned, but that didn’t mean that Rei and Em should suffer at the hands of the famiglia. The dark eyes of most of the men from our Christmas Eve dinner were staring our direction; however, there was only one set of eyes I sought.
I didn’t wait for anyone to come forward to open the door. Instead, I bolted from the car in search of Dario. The sea of bodies parted until I was right in front of him, his arms crossed over his chest, pulling on the seams of his suit coat. I hadn’t seen the expression he wore since the time I showed up at Emerald Club after my attack.
His eyes narrowed as he reached for my shoulders. “Are you hurt? ”
Relief that he wasn’t reprimanding me flooded my emotions. “No.” Salty tears spilled from my eyes, yet I kept my voice strong. “I went with them willingly. They didn’t do anything wrong.”
By Dario’s clenched jaw, darkening expression, and the way my heart raced, I knew that Reinaldo and Emiliano were both out of the car and standing behind me.
Dario released my shoulders. “Go upstairs. Wash your face. Later, we will talk.”
Sniffing, I slowly turned, allowing the other faces to come into view. Dante, Jorge, Aléjandro, Salvatore, Carmine, as well as others from the cartel and guards from both sides. My heart fell as my gaze met Piero’s. “I’m sorry.”
“Jasmine.”
I heard the female voice a second before Dario stepped aside, allowing me to see the open elevator with Catalina inside. She gestured for me to come to her. Instead of moving, I looked back up at Dario. “Please don’t be upset with Reinaldo, Emiliano, or the cartel.” I debated if I should say the rest, and I did. “They saved my life.”
A murmur from the other men broke the looming silence of the underground garage.
With a flick of his chin, Dario wordlessly told me to go to Catalina.
Each step toward the elevator seemed more difficult than the last. It was as if I were walking through quicksand. I worried that it didn’t matter what I said: Dario would do whatever he decided was best. Resisting the urge to take one last look at Reinaldo and Emiliano, I continued. Keeping my chin raised, I concentrated on Catalina’s understanding expression, hoping I was reading it correctly.
She wrapped her arm around my shoulders as I crossed the threshold. It wasn’t until the doors were fully closed that I gave into the emotion bubbling within me. Tears streamed as ragged sobs came from my chest. “What will he do to them?” I spoke into Catalina’s shoulder as she embraced me.
“That’s his decision.”
Shaking my head, I looked up, meeting her green stare. “They didn’t force me. I chose to go out with them.”
She tilted her head. “Why would you do that? You know the dangers.”
“I know the dangers.” Stepping back, my words came out louder than I intended. I wiped my nose and cheeks on my sleeve. Exasperation overtook me. Lifting my arms, I let them fall to my sides. “I’ve spent my entire life surrounded by bodyguards. I thought for once it might be fun to live like other people.”
Catalina pressed her lips together as the elevator stopped at the penthouse. “Dario would like you to go to your room and wait until he sends word.”
“I’m twenty years old.” The doors opened.
Catalina ran her palm over my arm. “I know, honey. I do. You’re an adult, and you wanted to know what that felt like. However, now this situation is in Dario’s hands. If I were you, I would do as he said. There’s no sense in making the situation worse.”
Make it worse—was that even possible ?
What would Dario do?
I’d never encountered his wrath. Perhaps I’d been too afraid that he would send me back to the streets to disappoint him. Rei’s threat of putting me over his knee came back to me. I knew that Dario was capable of bad things, but never had he even threatened corporal punishment.
We stepped into the foyer. My boots echoed on the marble floor. The living room that hours ago was filled with people was empty and dim. The only illumination came from the lights on the tree. Beyond the large windows, darkness reigned.
“Where is everyone?”
“Carmine and Salvatore sent their families home as soon as dinner was done. Anyone left who didn’t go down to the garage is downstairs at Dante and Camila’s apartment waiting for word about you.”
“I’m sure Carmine used me as an example for how Isabella shouldn’t behave.”
Catalina pressed her lips together. “We can’t know what goes on behind closed doors, but you are not an example of a problem. You’re simply growing up. Isabella is only seventeen, I believe. She’s not where you are.”
My mind filled with the young girl with golden hair, striking for a young woman from an Italian family.
I went to the staircase and stared upward. Dario wanted me upstairs in my room like a child waiting for her sentence. A glance in the large mirror in the foyer told me why he said to wash my face. Mascara and eyeliner were smeared beneath my eyes. For some reason, I couldn’t make myself climb the staircase. Instead, I let out a breath and sat on the second step. “This is what it’s like to have Dario upset with you.”
Catalina sat beside me, tucking the skirt of her dress around her legs. “You know that if he didn’t care, he wouldn’t be upset.” She laid her hand on my knee. “You said you thought it would be fun. Was it fun?”
“At first.” I nodded, allowing myself to remember what had only recently happened. “Driving away without Piero or Armando was exhilarating. Have you ever wanted to do it?”
Pressing her lips together, Catalina shook her head. “I think I’m afflicted with an insufferable case of rule following. I have for my whole life.”
Swallowing, I nodded. “I get that. I don’t know about my whole life, but until tonight, I’ve followed the rules.” A chill came to me as I thought about the first snow. A lump formed in the back of my throat as I willed away emotions. “Do you remember your childhood?”
Catalina inhaled. “Bits and pieces only. Nothing big. As a mother I want so much for Ariadna Gia as we can provide. I’m sure my parents wanted the same for me and my siblings.”
“Birthday parties?” I asked.
She shook her head. “Not really. I remember my quinceanera. Do you have childhood memories?”
“I remember my eighth birthday.” I wiped away a rogue tear. “Dario took Josie and me out to dinner.” A smile formed, curling my lips. “I had a new dress and new shoes. We were all dressed up and the people at the restaurant treated me like I was a princess.” My smile dimmed. “Before Dario, I don’t really remember much, but Josie told me that before we got our own apartment, we’d stay with friends who would always end up kicking us out. For a long time, she worried Dario would do the same thing.”
“No.”
“I know he didn’t…” I met her green gaze. “Do you think he will now? I’m old enough. He doesn’t need to be obligated to me any longer.”
Catalina’s eyes opened wide. “Oh, honey, kicking you out isn’t a possibility. He loves you.” She tilted her head. “Do you want to be away from him?”
Inhaling, I tipped my head back and stared up at the ceiling. “Yes and no.”
She smiled. “I remember thinking I was grown up enough to be on my own, but my father would never allow a female to live on her own. You have more freedom at college than I did. I commuted from home.”
“I want freedom, but at the same time, I don’t want to sleep in a car or be cold.”
“That won’t happen. You’re Dario’s family. That makes you part of our family. Right now, he’s disappointed, and there’s Salvatore and Carmine.”
“They hate me.”
“From what I’ve learned, they didn’t care for Josie, and you’re part of her. The fact you’re a reason for a rift with the cartel…they’ll try to take advantage of it.”
“How?”
“Cause problems with the capos on the street. Make Dario look weak for not being able to handle you or soft for watching over you.”
Cradling my head, I put my elbows on my knees and closed my eyes. Each phrase she said was true. I never thought by leaving with Rei and Em I would make Dario look weak. I turned to Catalina. “It was just supposed to be a few hours.”
“Where did you go?” she asked.
I met her gaze. “A place called Green Lady Lounge. It’s a jazz club.” I recalled the atmosphere. “It feels like you’ve walked into some old movie—red velvet walls and live music.”
“I’ve never heard of it.”
“I hadn’t either. It’s north off of 670.”
Catalina’s eyes grew wide. “What neighborhood?”
“I think it was around the Arts District.” I scrunched my nose. “I’m not sure. It wasn’t a great one.”
She closed her eyes and exhaled. “Oh, Em.” She shook her head. “They should have known better.”
The hum of the elevator moving reverberated through the foyer. Catalina squeezed my knee. “They’re coming up. Please go upstairs.”
We both stood. “Will you come with me?” I asked. “So much more happened, and I would like to talk to someone about it.”
“Of course. I’ll check on Ariadna—she’s in her crib—and then I’ll come to your room.”