15. Margot
Chapter 15
Margot
U nblinking, I stare at the ceiling, my temples damp from the tears I couldn’t hold back when I first read Ethan’s message. His words were like a stab to the heart and severed any hope of me ever earning his forgiveness.
I guess he couldn’t keep that promise, after all.
A sob lodges itself in my throat, choking me as tears stream down into my hairline. This can’t be real . A heaviness settles into the pit of my stomach and nausea washes through me.
I close my eyes, biting down on my bottom lip to keep quiet. Hours have passed and I haven’t been able to move, paralyzed by my grief. The loss of him feels both gut-wrenching and numbing at the same time and yet I knew this would happen. That eventually I would lose him. I just didn’t think it would be this soon.
Sitting up, I rest against the headboard and bring my knees to my chest. With my cheek resting on them, I stare out of the window, watching as the breeze ruffles the leaves and a lone bird sweeps through the darkened sky. I haven’t been able to bring myself to respond to him yet. What would I even say?
A knock at the door cuts through the silence but I don’t move. I can’t . At my lack of answering, the door opens, the china rattling on a tray an indication of who it is.
“Margot,” Maria, Massimo’s head housekeeper, calls tentatively. When I don’t move or respond, she continues, “Alma said you hadn’t been down for breakfast. We thought it might be a good idea to bring you something to eat.”
She places the tray on the nightstand, before smoothing her hand over my head. I close my eyes to ease the stinging sensation brought on by her tenderness. Josephine would never have shown such a maternal gesture. Hell, it’s because of her—and Alvin—that I’m in this situation.
“Please eat something. Alma and I will be downstairs if you need us.” She hesitates for a moment, as if she knows her next words will be ones I won’t care for. “Massimo called to say he won’t be back for dinner.”
Good .
I have no doubt that my husband is behind Ethan’s message in some way or another. Whether that is because he invaded my privacy and went through my phone or because his reputation precedes him, it doesn’t matter. I have no desire to see him or breathe the same air as him.
When Maria leaves, I unfurl myself and shuffle further under the covers. Inhaling sharply, I unlock my phone and type out a short and to the point message.
MARGOT
Did he get to you?
God, I sound paranoid. Deleting the text, I try again.
MARGOT
What’s happened?
I press send, biting the skin on the side of my thumb as I wait for it to deliver. Nerves flutter in my stomach like a kaleidoscope of butterflies. It feels like an eternity before a red X appears next to the message with two little words, not delivered , tipping my world on its axis. Has he blocked me?
There isn’t a world in this universe where my Ethan would block me. This is all on Massimo. It has to be. He made his threats and I was foolish enough to think he wouldn’t find out that we were still communicating. But if I’m the reason that something has happened to Ethan, I don’t know how I’ll ever live with myself.
Fuck Massimo.
Fuck him and Alvin for dragging me into this mess.
Throwing the covers off, I march into the bathroom and switch on the shower. If Massimo thinks he has control over me, maybe it’s about time that I showed him how little control he actually has.
As I wait for the water to get hot, I bring up the group chat with my best friends, Reagan and Cece. We’ve known each other since we were in diapers. They’re my ride or die.
MARGOT
I need to get drunk. Are you in?
Putting my phone on the sink unit, I undress, throwing my pajamas into the laundry basket. Even if Reagan and Cece aren’t up for getting drunk, I’m still going out. Besides, who knows what Massimo is up to. For all I know, he could be out there screwing another woman. He said our marriage wouldn’t be a sexless one and yet he hasn’t touched me in a week, and I’m not naive enough to think that he isn’t beyond getting his needs satisfied elsewhere.
I shower quickly, wrapping a towel around my body and checking my phone to see if I’ve had a response when I step out of the cubicle. A smile pulls at the corner of my mouth when I read through their messages.
REAGAN
You don’t need to ask me twice.
CECE
Bitch, you ghosted us, so drinks are on you!
REAGAN
I don’t think she had a choice in that…
CECE
She’s still paying.
REAGAN
Duh! It’s the least she can do.
Are you reading this, Margs? You owe us.
You would have thought I’d ghosted them for years and that they weren’t in my bridal party a week ago.
MARGOT
I’ve kinda had other things to deal with…
REAGAN
We forgive you but you need to fill us in tonight. Preferably before we get sloppy drunk!
CECE
Pick you up at eight. We’ll grab a hotel in the city for tonight but be ready to go straight to the club.
P.S. We missed you.
Returning to the bedroom, I throw my phone onto the bed before flopping down onto it. I have five hours until we leave, which is plenty of time to eat and get ready. I might be angry at Massimo but I’m not going to punish myself with the hangover of hell tomorrow because I didn’t want to eat his food.
* * *
It turns out, five hours was not a lot of time. I’m late and still have to get to the end of the driveway to meet the girls. Not forgetting the fact that I have to sneak out of this place because I’m fairly certain that Massimo would have wanted to send someone to babysit me and I don’t need that ruining my night.
Creeping down the hallway, I flinch with every creak of the floorboards under my feet. For all I know, someone could be watching my every move on hidden cameras, but I will not be stopped. The house is quiet but somehow it feels too loud and every shadow has the potential to expose me.
I reach the top of the staircase and with my hand on the banister for support, I navigate the steps in my six-inch sparkly silver stilettos. It doesn’t help that I started drinking double rum and cokes as I was getting ready. Here’s hoping Massimo doesn’t mind that I stole it from the bar in the lounge, but I figured a little Dutch courage would help with the whole ‘breaking out of a mafia mansion’ thing, but it’s probably just going to hinder me. Especially as with every step I take closer to the front door, it seeps further into my blood.
When I reach the bottom step, I blow out a relieved breath before straightening the twin slits of my flowing black skirt and making sure nothing else is on show in the revealing dress.
I’ve had to forgo underwear for fashion tonight, but I feel sexy and like I might just cause a riot, so it’s worth it. The daring cutouts, high slits on the front and back, and the plunging halter neckline leave little to the imagination. I’m sure it will piss Massimo off and that makes goosebumps of anticipation form on the exposed skin at my waist.
“Going somewhere?” Daniele asks, his voice low and calm, slicing through the quiet.
I whip around, my heart pounding as I watch him emerge from the shadows, an apple in his hand and a smirk on his face.
Damn it .
“You scared me.” My brain works a mile a minute to formulate a plan, but I give up, instead blurting out, “I’m going out. Don’t wait up.”
He cocks a brow, biting into his apple and slowly chewing on it. “Yeah?” he asks around a mouthful of fruit.
“Yes.” I widen my eyes, before tossing my perfectly curled hair over my shoulder, and marching across the entryway toward the front door. Maybe if I give off an air of self-importance, he won’t question my plans. At least that’s what I tell myself.
“I take it Massimo knows you’re going? And he’s arranged security for you?”
I freeze mid-stride, my body tensing before I exhale. Pulling open the door, I call over my shoulder, “Of course.”
Liar .
“One last question, before you leave.” It feels like a trap . Keeping my back to him, I ignore the pounding of my pulse in my ears and wait. “Where are you going? And who has he sent with you?”
Okay. This is easy . Turning, I fix a serene smile on my lips and say, “That’s two questions.” I throw him a wink, my hand ready to open the closed door and be on my way. “I’m going to Aces.” The lies are really flowing freely tonight . I know that Massimo owns Aces and I really hope that Daniele will let me leave without any more questions because I have no intention of stepping foot in his club.
He studies me down his nose, his eyes narrowed and assessing. The weight of his stare is heavy and makes me feel uncomfortable.
When he doesn’t speak, I take a step, opening the door. “Okay.” I drag out the word. “Well, this has been fun.”
As I go to leave, Daniele moves, and on the periphery of my vision, I see his hand grab the edge of the door and pull it back. I stumble back, moving with the door where I hold the handle, my reflexes too slow to react and release it. The sound of my hand slapping against the wood to keep myself upright echoes around the entryway. I hiss through clenched teeth at the pain that travels the length of my arm.
Unfazed, Daniele cups my elbow, waiting for me to straighten before he releases me and holds the door open wider. Waving his hand in front of himself, he says, “After you.”
Panic flares in my chest, blowing my eyes wide and I rasp, “Where are we going?” My mind races to figure out a plan to get away from him.
Daniele looks at me expectantly, before sighing heavily and replying, “To Aces. I have a meeting with Massimo. Your friends.” He looks in the direction of the main gate. “Have been told to meet you there.”
I exhale, relief seeping into my bones. God, is everyone so dramatic around here? Shaking my head, I turn and walk down the steps to the SUV parked at the bottom.
“I don’t appreciate you contacting my friends and changing my plans. How exactly did you know they were waiting for me?” I demand when we’re seated in the car.
Daniele starts the engine, his focus on the driveway as he navigates the vehicle. “We have very vigilant security and your friends are not so great at flying under the radar. Besides, Massimo told me to meet you in the lobby.”
How did he even know? I stare down at my clutch, picturing the cellphone nestled inside. Has he been reading my messages? Does he know about Ethan? Is that why I can’t reach him?
Questions swirl in my mind, fueling my anger toward Massimo. If he thinks he can stop me from living my life, he has another thing coming.