Seven Days: A young black woman makes a deal with a mob boss. (15 page)

That put Victoria a little more at ease. She already felt like she was imposing on Antonio, and she would feel even worse about imposing on Sean since she really didn't know him.
"I just want you to know that this is just until I can get back up on my feet, I promise. Then I'll be out of your way. And I'll be searching for a job first thing tomorrow morning," Victoria promised.
"Nah, don't worry about that...plus I'm sure Sean would love having you here...and would try to persuade you to take his bed...with him in it," Antonio laughed. But then his facial expressions became serious. "But seriously, don't sleep in his bed. Some of the girls he's brought back...have been questionable. I really think one was a dude. He claims it wasn't...but her hands were bigger than mine. I'm just saying," Antonio warned.
Victoria burst out laughing again. Yes, she would be okay now. As long as she was far away from Nic, she would be fine.
Later that night, Antonio had left to grab them some pizza, beer and movies to settle in for the night. Victoria felt horrible that she couldn't contribute any money to the food. She had to laugh at the fact that earlier that morning, she had held seventy thousand dollars, and now she was completely broke. 
During the movie, Antonio kept glancing over at Victoria. Her eyes were still a little puffy, and her nose had a slight red tint, but she seemed interested in the film. But his mind was spinning. He had to ask her. He had to know. Finally, halfway through the second film, he spoke up.
"So, you and Mr. Andretti done for sure?" Antonio asked.
"Yes," she said, while still staring at the TV screen. 
"Do you think he'll come after me, you know, since you were his girl, and now you're back at my place?" Antonio asked, taking a sip of his beer.
Victoria thought about it. Nic was so confusing to her. He ignored her at his party, yet came to drag her away from Antonio's. He cut her out of his life without so much a phone call, but then tried to stop her from leaving. She really had no idea. "Honestly Antonio, I don't know. I don't think he would hurt you though. He's so confusing to me."
Antonio laughed, "Gee, that's comforting."
"I'm sorry. Maybe it would be a good idea if I did go. I don't want to cause any problems for you," Victoria said, turning to Antonio. That's the last thing she would want. 
"Nah, don't. I'm already getting used to you sitting here on my couch," Antonio winked at her. "Besides, my mom always said I didn't have good sense. So, I'll take the chance." Victoria smiled back, but she could tell he wasn't so comfortable about pissing Nic off for the second time.
"Antonio, what did he say to you that night, when he came to take me from here?" she asked. It had been bugging her for a while now.
Antonio leaned back against the couch and sighed. "He said if I didn't want to know what the inside of a body bag looked like, then I better never touch you again."
Victoria's mouth dropped. "He said that to you?" Antonio nodded and took another sip of his drink.
Victoria turned her attention back toward the movie. "I'm sure he said it to try and scare you. He's bluffing."
Antonio shook his head. "See, Victoria...I know you would like to think that, but he's really not bluffing. Guys like him are serious and I'm sure plenty of people have seen a body bag because of Nic."
That sent a chill up Victoria's spine. She thought about the Nic who kept grabbing her ass and kissing her neck while she was staring at paintings at the museum. They way he had started to joke with her. The way he carried her from the shower to the bedroom after their intense kiss. His soft expression when she woke him up the next morning. Nic wasn't all bad. He wasn't this guy that Antonio was making him out to be. But then again, she had seen him switch up his personality on her. Turn completely cold. Maybe he was capable of such things.
"I'm sure it will be alright. I don't think he knows where I am, and I won't be here for long," Victoria assured him while trying to convince herself.
Victoria noticed Antonio turn back to the TV and continue sipping on his beer, but she could tell at this point that he was no longer paying attention. And she wasn't either. Her mind was reeling from everything that had happened over the past two days. How quickly everything had unraveled...and she still wasn't quite sure what had happened. But it was all over with now, and she would wake up in the morning and try to get on with her life, the life she'd been living before Nic became such a significant part of it.

The next morning, Victoria stared up at Antonio's ceiling. On a poster, looking back at her, was a half naked Latina who held the smile of a seductress on her face. She was wearing cut off jean shorts that looked more like panties, and a short wet, white shirt that was torn just right below her nipples. She was sitting on a counter by a cash register counting money and below her the caption read 'Sex sells'. 'It most certainly does,' Victoria thought sadly as she stared at the young woman. She wondered if the girl had a family who would look down on her for taking these photos. Did she have men degrade her for the decisions she had made? Victoria continued to stare at the pretty girl on the poster as she heard a knock on the door.
"Hey Vicky, are you decent?" she heard Antonio ask through the door. Decent. There was that damn word again.
"Yeah," she croaked out and sat up in the bed as Antonio entered.
"Coffee, dear?" he grinned, while handing her a cup.
Victoria smiled, "Thank you. Just what the doctor ordered."
Victoria took a small sip and glanced up at Antonio. He was dressed in tan cargo pants that were a little baggy, and a blue Best Buy shirt with a black long sleeve shirt underneath. His hair was still wet, giving him a little boy look.
"So you work at Best Buy?"
"Yep. Home theater department. It's not much, but it helps pay the bills."
Victoria nodded. "Yeah, I wasn't saying anything bad about it. Hell, it's more than what I have. So what do you do for...him?" She couldn't even say his name just yet.
"Oh, well, I'm...uh, I guess you could call it a runner. I pick up things and drop them off, no questions asked. He pays really well too, it's just that there aren't always drops to be made, so that's where the part-time job comes in handy."
Victoria thought about that while she took another sip of her coffee. 
"But hey, my shift ends at six and I can bring home some dinner. Do you like Thai?" Antonio asked.
Victoria nodded her head. "Hey, if it won't make you too late, can you tell me about some places here that I could waitress at?"
Antonio scratched his head. "Hmm, well your best bet is probably Calamity's Bar and Grill. It's at the corner of Turner and 45th street. It's...well, it's a step up from Hooters, but just barely. I mean, the girls have to wear these short black outfits, but they're not so bad. I used to bartend there and one of the managers is my friend. I can give him a call on my way to work. You're hot, Greg will hire you in a second."
Victoria didn't know if that was good or bad. "Um, thanks. That would be great. I'll just hop in the shower and take the bus over."
"Hey, do you want a ride? It's on my way. If you can get dressed in twenty minutes?" Antonio asked, hopeful.
Victoria hopped up. "Yep," she said grabbing her bag and running to the bathroom. She quickly scrubbed and pulled her hair into a messy, massive ponytail of curls. She wrapped the towel around her body and ran out of the bathroom, crashing into Antonio. He grabbed her as she almost lost her balance. She quickly tightened her hold on the towel. When he released her, she noticed his eyes quickly drink in her appearance before settling on her neck.
"What the fuck?" Antonio said, as he leaned in closer towards her neck. "What happened?"
Victoria touched the small purple bruises that were located at the base of her neck and her left shoulder. Her constant reminder.
"Oh, it's fine. It doesn't hurt."
Antonio lifted an eyebrow. "Are those...bite marks?"
Victoria was so embarrassed. "Uh, yeah. He, um. Yes, they are."
Antonio grinned, "Hehe, someone's a freak!"
"Shut up!" Victoria said, trying to conceal her own smile. "I am not."
"Well, he's Italian, alright. Mark your woman any way you can," Antonio laughed. Victoria swatted him on the shoulder and pushed past him to the room. She walked over to his mirror and looked at the marks. Two small dark purple bruises caressing her neck and shoulder. Suddenly images of Nic's predatory grin and piercing blue eyes came back to her. She thought of the way they always looked right before he would bury his face into her neck, and how she would run her fingers through his soft black hair. That picture seemed burned into her eyes. She shivered and quickly dressed. She would have to remember to put makeup over the bruises.
When they pulled into the parking lot of Calamity's, the outside didn't look so bad. Antonio had called his friend on the short drive over, so at least she had a leg up.
"Hey, I would go in with you, but Greg can talk forever and I'll be late. But see you later tonight with Thai. You're cool getting back by yourself?"
"Yes, daddy," Victoria laughed, getting out of the car. 
"Oooh, she called me daddy. Knew you were a freak!" he laughed, then sped off before she could tell him to shut up again.
'Fucker,' Victoria thought as she walked toward the restaurant. Calamity's definitely had a cluttered atmosphere about it. There were pictures of James Dean and Frank Sinatra everywhere, mixed with football and baseball paraphernalia. A pair of panties hung from one photo of Joe Montana and Betty Boop stickers were plastered on anything that was still.
She walked up to the hostess stand and noticed a guy and a girl arguing. The girl glanced at Victoria then back at the guy. She took off her small black apron, threw it at him and walked out.
The guy sighed and turned to Victoria.
"How many?" he asked, placing the apron behind his back.
"Oh, I'm looking for Greg. Is he here?"
"I'm Greg," he said, giving her a once over. "You must be Veronica."
"Victoria, actually. Nice to meet you," she said.
"Hostess or waitress? Bartender is full"
"Um, waitress, but I'll take whatever is available."
"You're hired. Follow me," Greg said, turning his back and walking quickly through the restaurant.
"So, do you have any experience?"
"Yes. My dad briefly owned a restaurant, but I've been waitressing a long time," Victoria said, trying to keep up.
"Good. Here are the outfits, pick your size. We give you one free, but the other two outfits come out of your paycheck. I know it's black, but keep them clean and no lint."
Victoria leaned over the counter looking for the correct size shirt and shorts...very short shorts.
Greg leaned against the counter drinking in her figure. "So, are you Antonio's girl?"
"No, we're just friends." Victoria pulled the right size from the stack of black clothing and turned to Greg.
"Want to start now? My ex-girlfriend just quit on me and walked out...well, you saw it. And as we speak, she's moving out of my apartment. So I'm staying an extra shift to avoid that headache...so, basically I'll be here all day. I'll place you with Tracy to train. Restroom is on the left so you can change," Greg said, then turned to enter the kitchen.
"Thank you!" Victoria called after him. A small smile formed across her face. Finally, she'd be making her own money again. She wouldn't feel useless. She grabbed her work clothes and walked into the bathroom.
Okay...these shorts were really short. But at least the black shirt was able to be tucked down inside them. The neckline was low, but whatever, it was an honest job and she was grateful. And at least she got to wear her Converse.
When she walked out, she saw Greg standing next to a woman with long brunette hair. She was laughing at something he was saying. He turned his attention toward Victoria.
"Whoa, hot. Good. Alright, this is Tracy, she's going to be your shadow today. But I'm pretty sure you can handle it," Greg said, placing his arm around Tracy's shoulder.
Tracy smiled at her. "Hiya sweetie. Come on, I'll show you the ropes," she said in a thick southern accent.
The day moved by pretty fast. It was basic waitressing 101. The customers were a little rowdy, much different than Victoria was used to. She had several ask for her phone number and one college kid that kept staring at her ass. But all in all, the day went pretty well. And Tracy even shared some of her tips with Victoria, even though, technically, there were supposed to be none during training. When the day was done, she said goodbye to everyone and rode the bus back to Antonio's. On the bus ride, she couldn't help but think of Nic. She wondered what he was doing right that moment. Was he hanging out with that girl Kim? Was there any part of him that missed her? Did he care?
Victoria had reached the house before Antonio, so she grabbed the key from underneath the mat and let herself inside. She quickly changed out of her outfit and into a large shirt and jeans. She came back downstairs and realized how messy his house was. She started picking up different plates and bottles in the living room. She quickly washed dishes and straightened the kitchen. She went back into the living room and picked up his articles of clothing, magazines, and sports equipment. She emptied out ashtrays and organized his dvd's that were piled on the floor. One in particular caught her eye. When she was done cleaning, she placed the disc in the dvd player and sat down.
She was halfway through the movie when Antonio entered. 
"Honey, I'm home," he said, shaking off his hair. "Shit, it's raining hard out there. Oh, hey, you cleaned up. Sweet."
"Hey. You alright?"
"Yeah, just wet and cold. Did you get the job?"
Victoria smiled up at him. "Yep, I certainly did, thanks to you."
Antonio snorted. "Nah. That was thanks to your ass...I know my friend."
Victoria laughed. "Well, he seems nice enough. I already made some tips tonight. So, I can pay you back for the food."
"Vicky, stop trying so hard. Jesus babe, you've only been here for a day. Chill out. I'm not totally broke, you know. It's fine," Antonio said, pulling off his coat and setting the bag of food on the coffee table.
"I know, I'm sorry. I just...I don't know, thank you though."
"You're welcome. What are you watching? Is that Dracula? Fuck, that movie sucks," Antonio said, sitting down. 
"No it doesn't. I love this movie. I had never seen it before. I didn't realize so many stars were in this movie. And Gary Old man is so amazing as the count," Victoria said, barely able to take her eyes from the film.
"He acted like a fucking pansy over a girl. I mean, he's supposed to be the fucking bad ass of them all. Dracula! He should have been killing people left and right, owning shit. Not harping over some girl," Antonio said, stuffing a bunch of noodles in his mouth. "That dvd is Sean's by the way. I would have never bought that shit. Give me Blade or something."
For some reason Antonio's assessment of the movie was unnerving for Victoria. She looked back at the screen and got chills at the way Dracula would stare at Mina. How she tried to struggle away from him in the theater, but he held her tight and she caved to his whim. This invisible power he held over her. Victoria gave a slight uncomfortable laugh.
"What's so funny?" 
"Nothing. I mean, I just always kind of...well, Nic always reminded me of a vampire. Watching this is...never mind. Just strange."
Antonio looked at Victoria. She was picking over her food, obviously thinking about something. He placed his carton of noodles back on the table and wiped his hands. "Did you love him?" At first Victoria was taken aback. She immediately shook her head 'no', but then she slowly nodded and put her face into her hands.
Finally she looked back up at him. "I know you probably think that's loony due to the nature of our relationship. Trust me, I think that myself. I don't know, the whole thing was just crazy."
Antonio nodded his head then asked, "Do you think he loved you?" Victoria shrugged. "Sometimes I thought...just maybe there was something on his side. But in the end, I guess I was wrong. I mean, there was always something in his eyes. Like he was in war mode at all times, but every now and then...I would get that small glimpse of peace. It was usually fleeting, but when I saw it, it was beautiful. It was like catching Dr. Jekyll right after Hyde had disappeared. I don't know. I know it sounds crazy, but that's the only way I know to explain it. And yes, I do think I'm crazy," Victoria laughed and then sighed.
"Did he ever...you know, did he ever force you?" Antonio asked. 
Victoria shook her head. "No."
They both sat there in silence thinking over the conversation as Bram Stoker's Dracula continued to play in the background.
"So, enough about me, why don't you have a girlfriend?" Victoria asked, picking through some cashew chicken.
"Well, I did up until about a month ago. She wanted me to do the whole suit and tie and get a job working at a bank or something. That is sooo not me."
"But at least it's legal, and you don't have to worry about getting arrested with anything illegal in your car, Antonio. Perhaps you should have listened to her."
"Yeah, but getting a job like that, it will be years before I actually start making any dough. Working for Mr. Andretti, I can move up the ranks and retire in no time. I mean, my mom's has been working all of her life, and I'd love to see her just sit back and relax. That would be perfect. And Nic, hell, he could retire tomorrow if he wanted to, and he'd be set for life. So would his kids and grandkids."
Victoria had to admire Antonio's intentions, in a way, but she couldn't imagine him going down Nic's path. She felt there was more hope for him than that.
"You admire him, don't you?" Victoria asked, picking up a dumpling.
"I mean, I don't know. Well, I'm twenty-five, and he's what, thirty-two. That's only seven years older than me, and he's done so much. He's Italian-American like me and when he walks into a room people listen. He commands respect and he always gets what he wants. People just do what he says."