Page 31 of The Obsession
Emily
Present day …
“Massimo,” I say as soon as he answers my call. “It’s Emily.”
“Buongiorno, mia bella ragazza(Good morning, my beautiful girl).”
He always says the sweetest things, but never in a creepy way. He’s more like a father figure and, sadly, more present than the one I currently have.
“Do you think you’ll be able to do without me today?” I ask, biting on my thumbnail as I wait for his answer.
He lets out a groan that’s half sigh and half theatrical despair. “Do without you? Impossible! Today is going to be huge. We are catering for over a hundred guests. I’ve been up since 3 am making pastries, and I’m behind. Gino was supposed to be here an hour ago, but he’s having car troubles.”
“Oh.”
“Has something happened,tesoro? Are you sick?”
I glance up at the bathroom mirror and wince as I stare at my reflection. “I … umm?—”
“Please don’t tell me you had a fight with the door again.”
Thankfully, the ice I put on my eye last night and again this morning helped with the swelling, and maybe some heavy makeup can cover the nasty bruise under my eye.
Apart from my appearance and mental state, I’m physically okay, so I can’t let him down. This man has been good to me over the years, and he’s counting on me.
I release a long breath, my mind made up. “How about I come to La Riviera now and give you a hand?”
I’d originally planned to go to the restaurant and hitch a ride with him to the rural property, since public transport wasn’t an option. So going in a few hours earlier is no big deal.
The truth is, I’d rather be anywhere than here. I’m done with Mick’s excuses for putting his hands on me. I can’t do this anymore. His empty promises mean nothing because even when the bruise fades, the shame still lingers.
My only issue about working today is that the Christening we are catering is at Romeo De Luca’s house—the underboss of the Cosa Nostra—and that means Dominic will more than likely be in attendance.
The embarrassment I experience when people notice the marks on my skin is nothing compared to what I feel when Dominic sees them. He doesn’t have to say a word; the look in his eyes does enough damage.
His silence and the tightness in his jaw are like he can’t decide whether to be angry, heartbroken, or maybe both.
He’s been cold and distant towards me since the night he gave me his phone number and offered to help. I kept it, too; I just never dared to call him.
“I’d be forever grateful for your help,bella,” Massimo replies.
My shoulders deflate as realisation sets in, I’m going tobe at that Christening whether I like it or not. “I’ll be there as soon as I can,” I say.
“Sei un angelo(You are an angel).”
Massimo wasn’t lying when he said he was behind. The sheer volume of tasks left unticked on his list when I arrived was enough to make my head spin.
Thankfully, Gino turned up not long after me, and by the time we were ready to transfer everything to the De Luca property, we were pretty much on top of things.
I’m not one to wear a lot of makeup usually; I don’t like how it feels heavy and caked on my skin. But even the concealer I used underneath the foundation wasn’t enough to fully cover the ugly black and purple bruise under my eye.
Massimo noticed the moment I entered the restaurant. “I’m too busy to deal with that right now,” he said, “But mark my words, we’ll be revisiting it later.”
The shame that comes with knowing you allow someone to mistreat you, to put their hands on you, is real. And I’m terrified of what Mick will do if I try to leave. Where would I go? He controls all of my money now and knows where my mother lives.
Even the thought of escaping twists my stomach because I know he’d find me. He has said as much. It’s like being trapped in a cage I built myself, and I’m too afraid of the consequences to even reach for the door.
I’ve heard people say, “Why didn’t she leave?” when someone is in a domestic violence situation. I’ve probably been guilty of saying it myself—or at least thinking it—but the reality is it’s not that simple.
