Page 29 of Mafia’s Dirty Secret

“How’s your mother?” the text asked.

“She’s asleep, her fever’s gone, and she’s peaceful,” Marie added a smiling emoji and sent the text. She leaned back against the counter as she waited for his reply.

“Meet you at the café?” Matteo sent.

“I’ll be there.” She gave a laugh of happiness and sent the text.

Her mother spent the morning and early afternoon asleep. She hated to think it, but Marie was relieved. Her mother had been a holy terror to everyone throughout this latest illness, and they all needed a break from her. Marie was supposed to get a break now, Matteo had generously seen to that, but she was too devoted to leave Regina alone with Ruby. Marie wasn’t quite sure if that devotion was to Regina or her mother.

Since she’d met Matteo, she’d spent a lot of time thinking about the last few years of her life. About her entire life, really. It had not been easy, some would say it was even Hell, but it was all she’d known. She’d put up with a lot, fought back when she could, and had learned to pick her battles. If nothing else, her mother taught her to know which battles were worth fighting for.

By the time Jane arrived, Marie was ready to head out the door. She greeted the other woman, asked about her health, and then quietly slipped out of the door. There were no medicines to pick up today, she didn’t need any shopping, and all she wanted was to see Matteo. She drove to the café with the radio off, it jangled her nerves too much, so she turned it off to have some peace.

Over the last few days, her mother had spent her days screaming about demons, and how Marie was the daughter of Satan and not really Ruby’s child. She’d ignored most of it when she was alone with Ruby, but if Jane or Regina was present, her mother’s raving caused her shame. What must these nice ladies think of her, if her own mother talked about her like that?

It was hard. Ruby made it harder, but she’d got through it. Matteo’s memory, his phone calls, and texts had helped her immensely, and she planned to tell him that when she saw him. She pulled into the parking lot, got out, and looked around.

He hadn’t arrived yet, so she ordered her usual coffee and beignets, and found a table towards the back of the sitting area. She’d finished her snack when he pulled into the parking lot, the engine of his classic car a vibrating roar that made her grin. She wanted to take a ride in it, sometime. She’d have to remember to ask him.

He got out of the car, a cocky smile on that face of his as he loped towards her. His stride ate up the distance and instead of sitting down with her, he pulled her up out of her seat and towards the side of the building, where trees would block anyone from spotting them.

He pushed his glasses up, and the hunger in his eyes set her on fire. Before she could say a word, his lips were fused to hers, and his hands were on her ass. The press of his fingers there tilted her hips towards him, and she felt him, hard and ready for her. He broke away, and she felt the heat of his skin as his lips slid to her left ear.

“I’d fuck you right here, against this wall, but you deserve better than that, Marie. But, you need to know, I want you more than I’ve ever wanted any other woman on this planet.” He pressed his erection into her and all she could do was whimper as she looked up into eyes that burned for only her.

“I might be able to come to your house tonight,” she said after a moment, even though her lips felt oddly numb and her brain could barely churn out a coherent thought. He was too close, too aroused, and it made her brain scatter. All she knew was she wanted whatever he wanted, and she’d let him have her against this wall if that’s what he wanted.

“Fuck, I hope you do, Marie. I need you so much.” His fingers tensed on her ass again, and she moaned into his mouth. He inhaled the sound as if it was the most wonderful nectar he’d ever tasted. “I can’t take too much more of this.”

“I…,” she started to speak but he pulled away, his self-assured grin back in place. She wanted to trace the outline of his lips with her fingers but held herself still. This was a man on the edge, and she didn’t want to push him, not here, anyway. “Want some coffee?”

“No, but I’ll take some.” His laugh soothed the frantic beat of her heart, and the way he clasped her hand in his as he took her back to her seat made her feel warm. It was a nice kind of warm, the kind that came from somewhere inside and might be called happiness.

They had 30 minutes. It was enough for now. At least he hadn’t mentioned the bruise on her face. For a little while, she even forgot about it being there.

17

“I can deal with her, Marie. This is my job, remember? I’m trained to handle cases like this. Now, it’s been at least a week since you’ve had a good night’s sleep with that friend of yours, I suggest you go see, ahem, them.” Regina glared at Marie across the kitchen table and sealed her lips together.

Marie knew that meant she wasn’t going to say another word, and she’d just have to do as Regina said. The woman was stubborn, that’s for sure, Marie thought as she stood up from the table, her face doubtful.

“Fine. She’s nicer to you anyway.” Marie turned to leave but then turned back. “If you need me…”

“I have your number. Now, go, get out of here.” Regina waved her hands around until Marie moved towards the door.

Marie got in the car and drove down the road. When she was halfway into town, she pulled into a gas station that also served food and sent Matteo a text. The afternoon had been hell and she kind of dreaded seeing him.

She glanced up in the rearview mirror, and with the help of the overhead lights of the gas station looked at her face. A bruise, and a cut. She hadn’t been able to get the nail scissors off the table fast enough. She’d cut her mother’s nails while she was asleep, but Ruby woke up before Marie could put them away. She’d immediately complained that she was wet, and Marie had instantly got up to change the pads and clean her mother up.

“Where have you been, Marie? I can smell a man on you. What have you been up to you, you little slut?” Ruby’s angry voice and her words stopped Marie cold. Ruby had obviously forgotten the night Marie told her a man was interested in her. Marie had been happy that her mother forgot, but somehow, she sensed Matteo on her now. How?

Marie went back to rolling her mother around and decided to lie. “There’s no man, Momma. It’s just the cologne from the pharmacy. Netty was spraying it around again.”

“Bullshit. That’s expensive cologne I smell on you. And something else. Sweat? What have you been doing? Tell me, dammit!” Ruby pushed herself up, her eyes full of righteous anger, and Marie pulled back. She wasn’t fast enough, and she felt the sharp slice of the nails scissors before she even saw her mother’s hand move. “That’s what sluts get!”

Instead of running off screaming like she wanted to, Marie controlled herself. She’d learned the technique a long time ago. Stay calm, don’t overreact, don’t be defensive, just deflect until you can get the weapon and get out of the way.

“Momma, there’s no man, now calm down.” Marie stood tall over her mother, reached for the scissors with one hand, and held her mother down gently with the other. The sick woman was so weak, it didn’t take much.