ELENORA

Rico gnaws on his bottom lip with a look of concentration on his face as he scrolls through multiple phones; there are at least five that he alternates between. His eyes flicker to traffic every now and then but always return to his phones constantly going off; enough to sound like a musical jingle, a really damn annoying one.

Maybe that's why he wears impatient annoyance on his face permanently. From the few encounters dealing with him, the varied looks range from irritation, frustration, boredom, and even amusement, but the underlying impatience is always there.

His cold voice snaps me from my thoughts. "Why don't you take a picture?"

I discover his dark eyes are staring back at me through the visor mirror. How long was he watching me watch him? Of course, knowing his arrogant ass, he probably thinks I'm admiring him.

Even though my face reddens, I give him a scathing glare before I focus my attention on the scenery blurring by in the sunny glow of the morning. The colors are starting to show signs of the season changing.

I love the transitions into a new season; the colors on the leaves fade but give off warmth with a pop of reds, yellows, oranges, and the hint of spice in the air for the incoming fall.

In the winter, I like the crispness and chill in the air that hits you when you walk outside. I can't explain it, but it always gives me a burst of energy. I also love the warmth that seeps into your body after being outside as you sip hot chocolate or curl under mounds of blankets. And there's something magical about everything covered in the pillowy softness of snow.

In the spring, the signs of new life sprouting and fighting through the drabness and dead foliage of the winter gives me hope for what's to come. Finally, there's summer, a feeling of adventure, excitement, and the slight sense of carelessness that sometimes comes with it.

I frown, realizing I didn't enjoy much of that over the last few months because of the depressive mode I've been in after the breakup and not to mention the zombie-like state before that, recovering from what happened.

A sobering thought hits me that the depression I recently experienced felt like a vacation, considering I'm now chained to a new set of problems.

Rico's patronizing voice once again breaks my contemplation. "Since you've gotten that out of your system, there will be an expectation to reign in your lack of propriety and 'whoring' around, as you call it, once we become official."

I gaze back at him slowly as he peruses a folder in his hands. "Excuse me?"

He doesn't bother looking up from whatever he's reviewing. "I can't have a fiancé getting sloppily drunk again to the point where you put yourself in a situation that will end with you getting gang-raped. You realize that's what was going to happen to you, your sister, and your friend, don't you? All three of you would have been fucked up, naked, and dead in a ditch somewhere."

I lean forward in my seat, but the damn seatbelt locks, snapping me back. I grumble under my breath and move the shoulder strap behind me so that I can address the asshole in front of me. "Back the fuck up. Who said anything about being your fiancé? We're supposed to be dating, nothing more. And are you seriously going to lecture me when you were having sex with one of your punch card whores this morning while I was in the same room?"

Jackie gasps next to me and looks between the two of us.

"Angela isn't a whore; we've known each other for years." He snaps the folder shut. "I guess you could say it's the longest relationship I've had." He smirks back at me as I remember teasing him.

I fold my arms and lean back into my seat. "So, you weren't a prison bitch, but you're still someone's bitch, congratulations."

"I guess I can add hard of hearing to the list of all things Elenora. I already told you I didn't fuck her." He turns in his seat, the look on his face deadly. "And I'm no one's bitch, principessa. But you are my bitch until your father's enemies decide they're done fucking with him." (princess)

"What if they don't?" Jackie asks him. He glances over at her briefly before returning his steely gaze to me.

"Then I will eliminate them myself."

"Why don't you save us both the torture of having to see each other, let alone pretend to like each other and do it now?" I question.

"Because, Signorina Borelli, I do not kill unless I'm given a reason to, and right now, helping out your father will benefit my family in the long run; with business expanding, we're always in need of legal counsel."

"My father will be indebted to you forever."

I suppress the chill that runs up my spine from the evil smirk on his face as his eyes move up through the mirror to look back at me. "You're smarter than you look."

"Funny, I was going to say the same about you."

He chuckles as we drive past the gate and slowly make our way to the front of my parents' house. I jump out, slamming the door behind me before the car comes to a complete stop.

The front doors swing open, and Luna runs out; her face is blotchy from crying. "Nora, get back in the car, please! Nonno's been on a rampage all morning; mamma and papa had Ruby take Maya out of the house."

My parents have Ruby, our house cook, take Maya with her to run errands whenever my Nonno is on a warpath, whether with the staff or with me.

"He's been saying he can't wait until you—"

"Elenora!" My Nonno storms out of the house, charging toward me like a raging bull; his face is red with nostrils flaring. My dad and mom follow shortly after, yelling out for me as they make their way down the front stairs. My sisters move away as my grandfather approaches me, and I don't have time to react before he backhands me.

The impact causes my neck to pop, and it surprises me that my head didn't snap off. The pain, mixed with the headache I already have from the hangover, instantly makes me nauseous.

His hand claws towards my head and fists my hair, twisting it painfully. I gasp but force myself not to scream out in pain. "When will you stop bringing shame to this family, you ungrateful Troia?" (whore)

Another slap sends me in the opposite direction, but I miraculously stop myself from falling onto the pavement. My head feels like it's splitting, and I taste blood in my mouth.

My mom and sisters are pleading with my Nonno to stop, but they won't step in to stop him. The only person who ever stood up to my Nonno is gone.

His hand grips me from the back of my neck, and this time he throws me on the ground. Again, the rocks on the asphalt dig into my hands as I catch myself.

"Look at you! Have you no shame? It's one thing for you to put yourself in these situations, but now you're dragging your younger sisters down with you?"

"Nonno, it's not her fault." Jackie attempts to defend me.

"You stay out of this!" He whirls around, shaking his finger at her but then turns back to me. "With everything else going on, you must find ways to make things worse for your family! You're such a disgrace!"

Tears burn my eyes. "Please, Nonno, I didn't do anything."

"Don't you fucking talk back to me!" He slaps me again, and I brace myself for the onslaught to begin, but it doesn't.

I move my hair away from my face, tentatively peering up at him. Rico is holding Nonno's arm back.

"Signor Borelli, if you intend for this act to work, I cannot have her face marked up more than it already is. Pictures will be taken, and I will not have my family's reputation associated with the abuse you inflict within your own family."

"I do not inflict abuse on my family, Signore Barone, but this one is constantly causing problems." My Nonno glares down at me with revulsion. "You've seen for yourself how disrespectful her behavior is."

"I could care less how you discipline your famiglia, Signore, but you will not touch her while we are involved in this arrangement. Capiche?" (do you understand?)

My Nonno yanks his arm out of Rico's grasp. "You cocky son of—"

"Papa! That is enough!" My father decides to step in now, but he focuses on Rico. "Elenora will not be harmed again."

Rico nods and straightens his suit. "I'd like to move the family dinner up to the end of this week rather than next week; to help expedite the gossip, which I'm sure will begin once we are seen together."

My father agrees, thanking him again for helping us. Rico looks down at me. But he doesn't say anything as he steps over me to get back in his car and then drives away.

My Nonno spits on the ground next to me. He proceeds to go on about how proud he is of me. "Ungrateful, degenerate, useless, waste of space."

Alright, obviously not, but that's as close as it gets with him.

My father bends down to help me up. "Dolcezza, are you alright?" (sweetheart)

I spit blood off to the side and then wipe my mouth. "Just peachy, papà."

My mother comes around to my other side. "Figlia mia, come inside; let's clean you up." (my daughter)

I shake my head. "No, I'm going home."

"This is your home." My father's hand cups my face gently.

I stare back at him, a mixture of anger and sadness washing over me. "No, it's not. This hasn't been home for me since he moved in." I start to get up. "Take care of Jackie; she needs to rest and drink water." Jackie gives me a sad smile before she and Luna walk back into the house.

"I'll see you guys later this week for this stupid charade to begin." I turn to walk away from them and Carlo offers to drive me home so I follow him to a car.

My father calls out for me as I keep walking. "Elenora, it won't be for too long. I have several people digging into what I can use as leverage on the people who are after us. In the meantime, please try to be cordial; they are doing this for our family's safety."

I grind my teeth at the nerve he has to ask me to be cordial. "No, papa, he's not doing this for us; he has his own reasons. And it will be too late when you realize you made a deal with the devil."

"If you're this unhappy, maybe we can talk to your sisters and see if one of them is willing to take your place."

I shrug. "Go ahead and ask Jackie or Luna, but when they say no, don't expect me to be happy when I'm not. I'll see you on Friday."

__________________

I've been on pins and needles this week, which has dragged on slower than molasses. As a result, my neck and shoulders are knotted and super tense. I rub the side of my neck, examining pictures I developed from the jobs I've done the last few days.

I smile as I scan the cute newborn photos I did for someone. Then there are a set of Senior pictures I took for a couple of twin brothers starting their last year of high school.

I primarily work with commercial photography, but word of mouth gets around, and I get requests to do other types of pictures, too. It's all fun, though, so I don't mind.

My doorbell rings, and I set the pictures down, walking out of the red room, and head to open the door. I check the peephole and smile.

"Hey girl, hey!" Clara greets me after I open the door.

"I didn't think you were coming until later? Did I lose track of time?" I glance at the clock on the stove, but I still have a few hours before I have to go to purgatory.

"My shift at the clinic ended sooner than expected; it was a slow day." Clara works as an x-ray technician for a Women's clinic.

She walks in, carrying her dress over her shoulder with a bottle of Vodka and her heels in her other hand.

"What time is dickass sending the car over?" She drapes her dress over the back of the couch and then walks to the kitchen to grab a couple of glasses.

"Seven-thirty."

"Good, we have time to get our drink on." She pops the Vodka bottle open and begins pouring it into the glasses.

"I probably should steer clear of any alcohol; my Nonno is coming, and if I embarrass him, I'm sure he won't hesitate to take me out."

"Fuck your Nonno," Clara says. "He's not the one who has to dress up to impress a family he's never met or pretend to be 'in like' with a man who is a sociopath." She hands me a glass and then clinks her glass against mine. "To doing things your way and sticking it to the man, literally!" We both down them, and she refills them.

"Come on." She grabs my hand. "Let's raid your closet and pick a dress that will leave a lasting impression, and maybe they'll be the ones to back out of this ridiculous charade." She starts pulling me out of the kitchen.

I laugh, taking the bottle with us. "You're a genius!"

*****

A/N: I sense trouble....hahaha