A/N:
Things get a little spicy.
The Italian way.
Readers forewarned.
"What were you thinking?" Emmett screamed in Italian, and even through the heavy wooden door, I could make out every word he said. "This is not acceptable, you know that!" My eyebrows crinkled in curiosity as their conversation took a turn that I did not expect. I expected him to be ripping Jacob a new asshole, not his own father! Unfortuantely for me, Mr. Montebello spoke many octaves lower than his boisterous son, so I couldn't make out what his faint response was. But then Emmett's voice boomed in reply. "Not her, papa- I refuse to allow Bella-"
"Hey." Ali said softly and put a gentle on my still healing shoulder, but I jumped in utter surprise that I had been caught eavesdropping in on her family's conversation; given, it included my name and even perhaps the answers I was looking for, I probably looked like a meddlesome broad anyway. "Oh, don't worry! I've been trying to understand their rapid Italian since my Peurto Rican tutor taught me my alleged native language at eight years old." I smiled at her cute attempt to hide my humiliation; she mentioned her Puerto Rican tutor many times in conversation- it seemed Mrs. Hernandez had been around longer than her own mother. "You know, my mama didn't even want me to learn Italian. It wasn't until my papa began to heavily insist upon it, that I actually began my lessons. Even though, I was only taking crash courses to learn the basics." And she still had no idea that I spoke it as fluently as she was able to talk shoe prices.
She gave me a queer look as we walked back up the stone steps to reach the first floor. I truly considered Mr. Montebello study a dungeon of sorts, and he was the fire-breathing dragon. "So, do you wanna elaborate on what happened? All I got was one short, angry call from my stugnad brother demanding that I bring papa home."
Though I was still weary of everyone and everything around me, I knew Alice was still my best friend and confidant. "Well, I'm not too sure what's going on either. Mr. Montebello tells me Jake from the barista section is going to chauffer me to Emmett's, and then he just leaves. Jake retrieves me and we're making our way through what I can only assume was Manhattan to get to your brother's place? I was able to get a hold of Em through texting and he basically talked me through the whole thing; at the soonest red light, I jumped out of the car and ran down endless streets until I was captured and drugged and put out. The next thing I know, I'm waking up to you and Emmett." After they extracted me from that situation, Emmett was called to personal business and Alice barely had enough time to call the Montebellos personal on-call physician before her phone was blowing up from calls. She only left when I practically forced her out of the room- did I find it completely weird that Mr. Montebello wasn't there to dote on me while his wife was? No, he was man of sometimes very little compassion. When hours flew by without his presence, and then an entire day, I did begin to worry.
What if he had been at the root of it all? Shivers went down my spine at that treacherous thought; he certainly had the kind of money to make people appear and disappear as he wished. "Well, I'm just glad you're up moving around and talking again. Those three hours in hell really did a number on you, Bella, as it would anyone." It was shocking when I first learned that I had only been kidnapped for mere hours- it felt like an eternity, honestly! "And I wanted to talk to you about the restaurant-"
"No, I completely understand that I am still accountable to work. I mean, I took a two week vacation already!" No matter how traumatic things had been, I needed to get back to my means of normalcy. Taking orders and collecting tips would be soothing to me after all of this, and I felt so god damn lazy being in bed all day. "All this morning I was tossing and turning in bed; it feels so weird to be doing nothing. I need to go back to work and get my hours back."
Alice shook her head with a grim smile. "Bella, my papa doesn't think its wise for you to continue working for the restaurant." My heart skipped a little beat at that- he didn't think what? Just a few weeks ago he was telling me how much of an asset I was, and how valuable I was to them. "Maybe he's right?" Not too long ago, I would have totally agreed with her. But not now, things were vastly different, and I felt that working as the charming waitress by day and stone cold Mafioso assailant by night was what I wanted to do.
"I've earned my place here, Ali, and I'll be damned if I just get swept under the carpet when things start to get a little tough! I deserve to work in that restaurant, alongside some of the most influential people I have ever met." I ended strongly.
"With a testimony like that, how can we not bring Isabella back on board?" I jumped at the sound of Mr. Montebello's voice behind me, successfully turning my body fully around to face him. Emmett was beside his father, and in the dim light of Montebello Manor's first floor, you could see the striking similarities' in the men's faces. The strong jaw line, the wide shoulders, and that sexy black hair slicked back- except, I could never truly see anything belonging to Mr. Montebello as "sexy" but Emmett sure pulled it off. And Em was twice the size of his leaner father, making for quite site when he walked down the street.
I didn't fully trust Mr. Montebello, and I doubted that anyone that knew him did either, so I kept my eyes locked on him. "Papa, we talked about this." Alice spoke through gritted teeth. "We agreed." My eyes flicked to my best friend, whom was beside me, in a short frenzy. Wasn't she suppose to support me and my decisions, whatever they be? It seemed she was the one that moreover wanted my removal, not anyone else. "Bella's enthusiasm has nothing to do with her safety." She added in a softer tone, most likely because of the flaming eyes he was sending her way.
"Bella can speak for herself." I interjected angrily.
"And you have." Mr. Montebello mused softly, a wry look on his face- he almost looked triumphant as we all stood before him, like we were his army or something. "I own the restaurant that you all are employed at, please don't forget that small fact, and so what I say goes. Isabella wants to start work again and so she will. When and if she decides to no longer work for Montebello Cuisine, that will be her decision- and her decision alone, do I make myself clear?" The crispy tone he was taking with his grown kids made me shrivel away; it was like that moment in your childhood where you run to an adult to tattle, but when your friend gets in trouble you just feel so awful for saying anything. I felt like a huge tattle tale, currently.
"Yes." Ali bit back.
'Yes, sir." Emmett's blue eyes were on fire as he looked away from us.
I stayed silent, refusing to answer the man that could have the composer to my nightmare yesterday. He rose his eyebrows for only a moment, and the stone cold face came back. "Very well, I will see all of you for the 6 PM shift tomorrow evening. Remember, we will have a very special guest to entertain in the private rooms, Room 2." And with that, he nodded to us girls and walked away. There was a very uncomfortable silence as we looked around at each other, me not quite believing everything that just happened. Good God, the first day back was going to be spent in the private rooms?
"How are you feeling?" Emmett raised his eyes up to mine when he asked this, and they had a softer look to them.
"Good." I replied breathlessly. Just looking at him made all kinds of sensations flow through my body- excitement, fear, nervousness, anger… he literally made me a ball of nerves.
"B, I gotta stop by the studio right now and then bring some costumes back to the house- and then I'm going to take my mom to her doctor's appointment, do you want to come along or stay for a nap?" Alice held my sleeve as she spoke.
I shook my head slowly. "I think I'll stay home for now. Wait, is anyone going to be home?"
Ali furrowed her eyebrows. "No, I don't think so. I'm pretty sure papa is going to the restaurant in a few for opening." My eyes widened at that. Not only did I risk being alone with the one man I didn't want to be, but I was also risking being here completely alone. Sure, there were a few maids and gardeners, but they weren't real companions and definitely wouldn't be of any use in the case of a robbery or break-in. It was clear- I didn't feel safe anymore. Ali must have noticed my reaction, for she quickly cleared her sentence up. "But I mean, Em can stay here- you're not busy, are you?" He shook his head at that. "Great! See, you won't be alone now." Her big smile made me feel just the tiniest more reassured. "Em, why don't you take her to get a new phone? Verizon off 7th street should work." She hugged me goodbye before kissing her brother's cheeks and walking in the direction of her mother's room on the second floor.
Emmett brought his hand to the small of my back and directed towards the garage but I stopped him midway. "Em, I don't get paid until next Thursday. Sadly, my bank account is near zero right now- I had some money saved up, but my dad called from back home and he was in kind of a bind… so I lent him everything I had. I can wait for a phone until next week, its no biggie." At the end of my sentence, he gave a small "pff" of air from his mouth and proceeded to take my hand.
"Bella, please hush." He smiled like an idiot at me. "Technically it was my fault for not picking you up early enough, and all of that trouble could have been avoided. So let me pay for your new phone? Think of it," Emmett turned his head back and forth as if trying to find the right way to say it, "as a consolation gift." My eyes shot to him and I stalled in the middle of the house, not caring who saw us. That was what he told me when he placed a wad of cash in my hands after I helped translate for the French man… a consolation gift.
"I don't want any of it. A consolation gift is given to runner ups at beauty pageants and game shows, I don't need to be consoled with money or gifts-" He successfully shut me up by crushing his unforgiving lips to mine- and all of those dreary feelings came flooding back in an instant. For a moment, I stood beneath him, completely frozen and unmoving… but then my brain went fully dead and my hands started moving in his hair and around his neck. I felt possessive of this burly man, as stupid and childish as he sometimes acted, he was one hundred percent man beneath my fingertips. It wasn't until he wrapped his arms around my back and pulled me so close to his body that I felt every single last detail of his arousal that I let go of him. Though still stuck in his arms, I was at a safe distance to gain my thoughts once more. "Okay, I'll shut up." I awkwardly teased, not knowing any other way to follow up something as explosive as that.
"Sounds like a plan." Emmett muttered in reply and pecked my lips once more before directing us to where his black sleek Mercedes sat. He opened my door and penitently waited until I was situated before reaching over and clicking my seat belt for me; I smiled at his over-chivalrous gesture but rolled my eyes when he stole another kiss so unexpectedly that I was still pondering over it when we pulled out of the driveway and started down the road. "I always knew I'd have you in the passenger seat of my Benz." Emmett smiled, all full of himself.
"Too bad you'll never have me in the backseat." I shot back and fought the urge to cover my face when an involuntary blush overtook my white face. This was New York and I was fresh out of college… I needed to start living and flirting and being somebody.
Emmett wagged his finger as he steered and maneuvered us through traffic with only one hand. "Never say never, Bella." I liked him like this- all jokes and laughs, not so serious and somber like when we were working. When we stepped through the doors of Montebello Cuisine, he became a completely different man… he sort of became his father. We went on to talk about a variety of different topics as time went on, and through some loophole, his hand gained territory over my knee through the black leggings I wore. I first noticed it when he laughed- his whole body shook with the sound and his grip would tighten ever so lightly over my knee cap. Emmett was slick, I would admit that, but I really didn't mind it. I guess the contact felt kind of nice, I hadn't been with anyone for over a year.
"I wish there was a way to show thanks to you and Alice. You know, for all you've guys done for me." I said without thinking. At first, we started off regular with them offering me a job and a place to stay- but then things got deeper and they ended up rescuing me. I mean, how could someone ever really repay another for a favor like that?
Em looked over at me with a half-lidded smirk. "Well, I'm sure I can think of a few different ways you could repay me." I groaned loudly at the dirty mind that this man owned, and I realized we were now parked right before the Verizon Wireless store that was our destination. "But they all involve a five day vacation to Bora Bora and one edible string bikini." Just the imagery made me burst out in ugly laughter (seriously, my real laugh was just the ugliest thing ever) as I thought of a tropical island and Emmett in a two piece candy string bikini. I mean, yeah it was kinda sexy, but so hilarious at the same time. Though, if I had to pick any human being to eat a garment off of, it would be Emmett Montebello. "Women don't usually laugh hysterically when I invite them on a whirlwind getaway and add that they will be dressed in a bathing suit made of edibles." His tone bordered on amusement and frustration. Poor you, I thought, you've never been laughed off before.
"Oh…" I said slowly and wiped the little beads of perspiration from beneath my eyes (he really drove my laughter to tears), "I thought you were the one to be dressed in candy underwear!" That roused my laughter all over again, causing him to fuss about himself and slam his door on the way out. I waited patiently for him to open my door, and when he did I surprised him with a small kiss on the lips. Pulling away before he had a chance to make it anything more, I left him with a throaty groan at my teasing ways.
It felt nice to be the one wooing an Italian.
A/N:
SOOOOOOOO I decided to leave the real juicy stuff for next chapter.
I love you all.
Tune in next Wednesday for the next update.
