Page 220 of Marcello

I only saw it come out once, and when it did, it was terrifying.

I’m ashamed to admit it, but…

I also thought it was incredibly hot.

It was about 10:30 at night. We had just left a restaurant and were walking down a mostly deserted street when two assholes started catcalling me.

It was weird. They were talking in something that sounded like garbled Italian. Some of the words made sense, but half of them didn’t.

The intent was very clear, though.

“Hey, pretty baby, come ‘n gimme some of that pussy.”

“Come on, sweet tits, I’ll show you what it’s like to fuck a real man.”

I glanced back to see a couple of tattooed assholes in track suits sitting on a stoop. Stereotypical Italian thugs. They looked like drug dealers out of a gritty indie movie.

If my father had heard them talking that way about me, he would have ordered his men to break every bone in their bodies.

Romeo just stared straight ahead and ignored them.

I hate to say it, but I was incredibly disappointed in him.

I wanted to ask, Are you going to let them talk to me like that?

Are you going to let them talk about YOU like that?!

For the first time ever, Romeo grew smaller in my eyes. Weaker.

I didn’t like that I felt that way. I hated feeling like I was being a bitch, so I came up with excuses for him.

There are two of them and one of him.

They’re thugs who probably have knives or guns.

He’s just being smart.

But I still felt a deep unease.

If Romeo would tolerate disrespect like that, especially towards me, what else would he tolerate?

How bad would it have to get before he stepped up?

And when it got bad, would he be able to protect me?

Then I found out –

Because things got worse.

Once I glanced back and made eye contact with the two thugs – and once they saw Romeo wasn’t going to do anything – it emboldened them.

They stood up, started following us, and began to say even more vile things, although I only understood about half of it.

“Hey, little girl, I’ll bet you suck a mean dick,” said the pimply one.

“Hey, puta – how many men you fuck a night, huh?” yelled the greasy one. “How much to fuck you in the ass?”

Romeo wasn’t the only cowardly person. Other regular people quickly crossed the street, averting their eyes.