Devious Little Lies (3 page)

As he looked at her, she noticed that his eyes had darkened in color. Rena found herself wondering if the color changed based on his mood like hers did.

Her voice was a whisper. “I don’t remember the last time my husband looked at me the way you just did.”

His mouth opened, but he said nothing. Perhaps he was at a loss for words and who could blame him? A total stranger had just put him on the spot by revealing that she and her husband had issues.
Way to go, Rena, you sappy, pathetic twit.
This time her inner voice was right.

“I…I…” He dropped his hand from her face.

“It’s alright. You don’t have to say anything.” Rena offered him a smile she just didn’t feel.

“No, I do. You just caught me off guard.”

“Forget it. I shouldn’t have said anything.”

She reached for the cellphone that was tucked away inside her suitcase as a distraction, but he leaned around the side of the table and stopped her, by grabbing her hand. Their eyes met as they rearranged themselves in their seats. He didn’t let go of her hand.

“Listen, I don’t know anything about you other than what you’ve shown me since we’ve been having hot chocolate together. One thing I can say is that any man, especially your husband, who does not look at you all the time like you are the only woman in the world that matters, has real problems.”

She wanted to tell him that he was being too presumptuous. That he had no right to say something so personal. But she also wanted to thank him and cry because even as she felt the truth of his words there was no point in dwelling on them. Her life was what it was and it would not be changing anytime soon.

“Thank you. Thank you very much,” she said, battling to get herself under control.

“You’re welcome.”

“Your girlfriend is very lucky to have you. I hope she knows just how much.”

“She and I are lucky to have each other.”

“Indeed you are.”

“And your husband is lucky to have you. I hope that he realizes that soon.”

“So do I.”

Silence engulfed them again for a moment as Rena simply enjoyed the feeling of her hand in his. Then her phone rang.

“Excuse me.”

She pulled her hand away to get her phone. She glanced at him beneath her lashes. He was watching her, but she couldn’t decipher the look on his face.

“Rena.”

“We’re outside.”

She hung up the phone without another word. The party was over and it was time to head back to lockdown. Putting her phone away, she stared at her companion.

“Rena. Is that short for Serena?”

She shook her head. “No. It’s just Rena.”

“It suits you.”

“Thank you and thank you again for the hot chocolate. As much as I’ve enjoyed talking with you, my ride is waiting outside so I really have to be going.”

She rose from the table and he followed suit.

“It was a real pleasure, Rena. Maybe we’ll meet again someday.”

She shrugged. “Maybe.”

And before either of them could say another word, she walked away. There was no need for a long, drawn out goodbye. They were just two ships passing in the night. Her path was set in stone and his whole life was like an open oyster. She was grateful for his kindness and caring. She knew it would carry her through the days, weeks, and months ahead.

Her steps were unhurried as she navigated her way through the airport and outside. Even more people were entering. Rena looked to her left and saw her ride waiting. Standing in front of a black limousine was a tall, heavily muscled man wearing a black suit. His black hair was slicked away from his face and his eyes were dark. Hard. His hands were crossed in front of him in a relaxed manner, but Rena knew better. He could go from zero to sixty with the force of a crocodile. His name was Cesare and he was her bodyguard.

Seeing her, he moved quickly from his post to take her luggage. She offered it to him without a word. He led the way to the limo, but though he walked ahead of her she knew that he was aware of everything around them. Nothing got past Cesare. Opening the trunk of the car, he put the suitcase inside before he opened the back passenger door.

“Good to have you back, ma’am.”

“Thank you, Cesare.”

He nodded and Rena climbed inside the car as he shut the door. Less than a minute later, they were leaving the airport and leaving behind the happy moments of freedom she’d enjoyed with a handsome stranger she’d never see again. She frowned because she’d never bothered to learn his name. But now it was too late. She was no longer just a woman with the freedom to enjoy a cup of hot chocolate with a stranger. No. Once again she was Rena Rosetti, business owner, mob wife, and prisoner of a hell of her own making.
Welcome back, bitch.

* * * * *

What a woman.

He could still smell her perfume, a soft sweet mix of vanilla and something else he couldn’t identify. Sitting back down at the table, Shane finished his hot chocolate and half-heartedly observed the people around him, but his mind wasn’t really on them. It was on the very beautiful, very married woman that he’d just connected with on a deeper level than he had with a woman in a long time.

Rena Rosetti.

Any man in his right mind would be knocked off his feet by her hypnotizing gray eyes, and curves that wouldn’t quit, but only a stupid man would stop there. She wasn’t just a pretty face. He’d known that from the moment her eyes had flashed with fire when she thought he was hitting on her.

If only.

If only they’d met sooner and under different circumstances perhaps they could have explored the surprising chemistry between them. He’d wanted to kiss her more than once as they’d sat across from one another. The impulse had been almost too strong to ignore but he’d fought against it. He was seeing someone and Rena…was sadly married to a man that didn’t appreciate her. No woman should ever have to feel that way.

Shane mentally scolded himself. Why was he spending all this time obsessing over a woman who was already taken? There was nothing to be gained from it, but still he couldn’t help himself.

The way she’d looked at him.

The way it had felt to touch her hand.

He couldn’t remember the last time a woman had aroused such a strong reaction in him from simple conversation. Too bad conversation was all that could ever happen between them. Life would go on for the both of them, but Shane was certain that every now and then thoughts of her would cross his mind.

Rena Rosetti was a woman you didn’t forget.

Chapter Five

Sleep eluded Rena most of the night. Every time she tossed and turned falling into an uneasy slumber, she woke not long afterwards. Her dreams were disoriented streams of unconsciousness that allowed her no peace. Tony’s face haunted her. She could see the maniacal look in his eyes as he called her a whore and choked the breath from her body. Just when she was sure it was her final curtain call, he disappeared and she was alone…with the young man from the airport.

He looked at her now with fire in his eyes and she was certain about what would happen. In fact, she anticipated it with every fiber of her being as he stepped closer. But too soon, he disappeared and once again she was alone in a place she never wanted to be…Hell. The flames encircled her and she was trapped with no escape. As she sweated and the hot flames started to lick her body, she mercifully came awake for the last time.

There would be no going back to sleep. Her psyche was wrapped up tighter than a strait jacket. There was no telling what further torments her mind would conjure up if she went back to sleep.
That’s that good old Catholicism you married into ripping you a new one.
Rena wasn’t a fool. She knew why her psyche was tormenting her. A pair of hazel eyes and a winsome smile came to mind. The handsome young stranger in the airport. On the drive home she’d thought about him in a less than appropriate manner. After all, a little fantasizing had never hurt anyone. At least that’s what she’d thought until she’d had torturous nightmares reminding her that she had no business entertaining thoughts of another man. Period. Especially one she would never see again.

She looked at the black, digital clock by her bedside. It was a quarter after eight and she could smell the scent of coffee brewing. She wasn’t alone, but that didn’t worry her. There were only two possible people who would dare to be inside her home and at this time of the morning, they no doubt had good reason to be. Throwing off the covers, she grabbed her black silk robe before crossing the length of her large master suite to her bathroom.

Turning on the lights, she gazed at herself in the mirror. The faintest of circles were beginning under her eyes and they would no doubt turn to horrendous bags if she didn’t make up for all the sleep that she’d lost. Her eyes were too large in her face.
Who knew one restlessness night could fuck you up so badly?
Shaking her head, she completed her morning ritual before making her way down the white and onyx spiral staircase to the first floor of her home.

She could hear deep voices talking as she followed the white tiled hallway to the kitchen. Opening the swinging white door, she found two men sitting down at the large onyx island in the kitchen. One of them was Cesare, clad in his favorite all-black attire. He looked down at his gold Rolex as she entered. The other was her husband’s
consigliori
, Mario Grazil.

“Sleeping Beauty awakes…finally.”

“Shove it up your ass, Mario,” she said to the man with salt and pepper hair sitting next to Cesare.

Rena smiled at him.

“Why do you insist on antagonizing her so early?” Cesare asked.

“Because he knows he’s the only man who can get away with it,” Rena answered.

She placed a pot of white mocha flavored coffee in her Keurig and set her favorite Marilyn Monroe mug beneath the spout.

“I prefer to call it teasing with love,” Mario said. His brown eyes were warm and the skin crinkled around them as he smiled at Rena.

Rolling her eyes, she grabbed her coffee from the machine and took a sip. Her mouth and throat came alive as the sweetness hit her taste buds. With a cup of coffee she could face the day.

“Now what makes you think I want to see anyone before ten?” Rena asked the two men.

“I was just doing my usual security check when Mario stopped by,” Cesare said.

His eyes silently pleaded with her for forgiveness. Cesare had been her bodyguard long enough to know that she was not a morning person. If it was not life threatening, she did not like to be bothered.

“Okay. Mario, what’s your excuse?”

The smile disappeared from his face and a furrow appeared between his brows. “Business waits for nothing and no one.”

Rena took another sip of her coffee, sizing up the situation. “That bad huh?”

“Tony is not going to be happy.”

Shaking her head, she took a seat next to the two men before she spoke. “Tony’s already not fucking happy so before you tell me what the current crisis is let me share my husband’s words with you.”

Cesare and Mario exchanged glances before they turned back to face her, waiting to see what she would have to say. Rena loved Mario. As a girl who’d never known her father, since her marriage, Mario had become a father figure of sorts for her. And while she did love him, when it came to business there was no room for love or feelings. She’d learned that the hard way.

“Tony thinks you’re all acting like a bunch of incompetent fucks and if you guys can’t get your shit together, he’s ready to replace all of you.”

Mario and Cesare exchanged wary glances again.

“All of us?” Cesare asked.

“Yes. All of you,” Rena lied. Sometimes you had to spread a little fear to remain in control.

“Tony knows that overturning all of his convictions or even getting him an early release for good behavior is a stretch at best.”

“Tony’s not a stupid man, but he made you his
consigliori
for a reason, Mario. He trusts that you will use the vast resources you have available to you as well as your brilliant mind to send him home to his wife. He misses me.”

“I’m sure he does. Any man would,” Mario said.

Rena finished the rest of her coffee before she spoke. “I’m glad you think so. Now, see to it that you give it another shot at getting him out. Cost is no object.”

“It shall be so.”

“Good. And since you two thought it was a good idea to have a meeting this bright and damn early, you should’ve brought Giorgio, Alfonso, and Victor because all of their asses are on the line. Where are the fucks anyway?”

“I haven’t talked to Giorgio or Alfonso this morning. I wanted to speak with you first.”

“Tony is ready to blow a fucking gasket. If Giorgio or Alfonso can’t come up with the missing money, then losing their positions as
capos
will be the last thing they have to worry about.
Capiche
?”

Cesare laughed until she glared at him. Then he quickly stopped. Rena was in no mood for games. Every moment Tony rotted away in prison was another day his jerk off
capos
had to fuck up his hard-earned money and take down his business. And while she was angry about her husband being “away,” she was not about to let everything he’d built crumble.

“I’ll handle them.”

“See that you do, Mario, because you know I’d have no problem shooting any of them in the kneecaps to get the point across.”

“We are well aware that you’re not afraid to pull the trigger. Your reputation is legendary.”

“Good see that none of you forget it. Now what about Victor?” Rena asked.

Mario shook his head. “His father’s dying. End stage cancer. The poor bastard hasn’t been taking it well.”

Cancer. The beast that no one escaped from. It didn’t matter how much money or how important you thought you were, cancer gave less than a damn. It would eat away your body and then your soul. In the end you would welcome death with open arms. Rena wouldn’t wish cancer on anyone, much less her husband’s underboss.

She cleared her throat. “I’m sorry to hear that. Very sorry, but Tony still wants to see Victor as soon as possible. See to it that he gets the message.”

“Yes, ma’am. Is there anything else?”

“That’s all the news that I have. Now what news has you so upset?” Rena pressed.

“Someone’s trying to take over Tony’s territory.”

Rena rose from her seat. “Who would dare?”

For over twenty years Tony had held his territory. Others around him had fallen to rival mobs and the Feds, but Tony’s empire had flourished without a serious challenge. Until now.

“I don’t know, Rena.”

“What do you mean, you don’t know, Mario? That’s unacceptable. Is it the Apreas, the Valazzios?”

“Right now all our informants have told us is that someone has decided that now is finally the time to strike. They think they have a chance of taking down the Rosetti Crime Family.”

“Well, they are sadly mistaken. Tony may be out of commission, so to speak, but I will not let his empire fall. No fucking way. Get to the bottom of this, Mario.
Now
.”

“Yes.”

“I want a full report in three days.”

“Rena, it might…”

“I don’t want to hear any excuses. If none of you is prepared to do what my husband expects of you, then it looks like it’s up to me to have the balls in this organization.”

Without another word Rena left the kitchen.
And here I thought I was going to have a stress-free day.
Obviously she was having another one of her bullshit fantasies. She didn’t know what had happened to the men her husband trusted. To the men he relied on to hold things together until he had served his time. But now she was beginning to think that perhaps he had trusted the wrong people. It was time he stopped putting all his trust in men and put his trust in someone much more reliable…her. Perhaps her days as just an unfulfilled housewife were over. Perhaps it was time to take over her husband’s business.