"Gia... get the fuck outta there.. The house ain't safe..."
My brother's voice echoed through the phone, sounding as though he was gasping for breath. Before I could respond, I heard two sounds: a final double tap, and a stomping sound before silence.
My heart pounded for Gio, my twin brother. Sure, being born into a family comes with certain expectations... and the expectation is that the Boss' kids make tempting targets. Shit. If he says to run, I run. The problem is where to go? If I'm not safe at home, then where the hell can I find any sanctuary which drops me off the map?
Fuck it. There's one place. One place no one will look for me. And if I fail, it's no worse than what Gio got. Shit didn't have to be this way and man; it pisses me off that it did.
Not taking take my cell, but I send a text to myself. Gio told me to get out, the house isn't safe. I'll be back.They check my phone, they'll see that notification without having to unlock it. Laying my keys atop my cell is code. Things are hot, duckin' out until things cool down.
Didn't take my purse. Just my driver's license, my car keys, and a wad of cash. It's when one disappears with their wallet and keys in hand that one is supposed to worry.
Digging through my closet, I find a boring button up blouse over a camisole. Jeans. Nothing flashy. Put my hair up in a ponytail. Then I grab my topaz ring out of my jewelry box and slip it on my middle finger.
I call out while I march down the stairs. "Ma, I'm goin' shoppin'. Be back later."
But it was Daddy who answered, with his characteristic bellow and no negotiation voice. "Take Benny with you."
I looked to Nicodemus "Tall Nic" Massario and frowned. He's over six foot four, a wall of responsibility. He don't fuck around. Daddy tolerates me lippin' off because I'm his daughter: big mouth and a backbone to reinforce it. "I'm not taking Benny if I'm buying fuckin' underwear, Dad. Gross, like I want your fuckin' Guido standing over me as I pick out my shit. Fuck that. They don't need to know what I got on under my clothes."
Dad gives a quick frown before a wry smile. "You're not going alone, Giana."
"I'm twenty frickin three, punch like a truck, kick like a mule, swear like a sailor denied shore leave, and I take after you but with less trigger control. Who the fuck is dumb enough to even fuckin' try me?" It was bravado of the finest kind, since that sound of the gunshot echoing through the phone echoes through my mind on a loop. I did not want to be here when Dad finds out about Gio.
"Anything happens to you, I'll kick your ass myself. And the rule still applies. I know you can fuck shit up, but things are getting crazy."
"Just one last taste of freedom? Besides, you know it's gonna be Carmine and Gio takin' the heat way before anyone would come lookin' for me. You kept me outta the fuckin business." Can't have a tail. If the house isn't safe, the family isn't safe. Dad's already wary, but I'm hopin' that pointing out certain facts will buy me time. When they find out about Gio, when I don't come back, they'll check my room and see the message. Or at least I hoped.
He narrows his eyes and lowers his chin-- that intimidating look that says I dare you to fuck up this golden opportunity. "Don't stay out long and keep your head on a swivel. You're a grown ass woman but you're my baby. And I ain't jokin'... there's some fuckin' clowning in the ranks and shit's gonna get ugly sooner than later." He jerked his head to the side. "Go. Get outta here and do your thing and be quick about it. Might send you to the Catskills soon. Probably need to go off grid a while."
Shit. If it's come to livin' in a cabin, then I gotta make sure I'm successful. "So you tellin' me to get some fuckin' camping supplies while I'm shoppin' or somethin'?"
"Just fucking get ready, Giana. You're wasting time by lippin' off. You ain't out of here in thirty seconds, you ain't going at all." The Voice of Finality spoke.
I throw my hands up in the air. "Fine, fine, I'm goin'."
The car I got for my sweet 16, a quality car but nothin' flashy awaits in the garage. I back out and head off, the garage door closing as I look in my rear view mirror.
Just in case there's a tail, I park in the mall's parking structure, and try to get lost in the crowd, ducking into the ladies bathroom and into a stall. I kiss my topaz ring and make some fuckin' magic, shifting my appearance to a thirty-something soccer mom with a wide ass and preference for flowing cheetah print blouses over leather leggings. Leaving the restroom, I head out to the street and hail a cab to take me to my goal.
Dario "The Wolf" Rossi.
My family's enemy.
I mean, it's not like the Massario and Rossi have always been at each other's throats, but turf is turf, and men are men. Nature? Nurture? I don't know. Just some stories are older than time. While the Massario are way more blue collar than the Rossi, we aren't shitheels or nothin'. Some keep power under wraps and wear a modest mask to help filter out potential issues. Some live big and bold.
Girls aren't supposed to be involved in the business, but sometime a girl overhears things said in outbursts of anger or glee when a lieutenant reports to his boss. What I know of Rossi isn't much: my Dad doesn't hate him like he does the Graziano's, but holds a grudging respect. The man doesn't deal in human trafficking and runs his outfit with surgical precision. There's been turf war at the docks, and blood spilled. Wasn't sure how my gambit would play out, but when all is said and done, at least I fuckin' tried.
The cab drops me off at the closed wrought iron gates of the Rossi estate outside the city. Took all my cash on hand. I duck behind a bush and remove my glamour before stalking up to the big, wrought iron gates of The Wolf's Den.
In a shit mood, I slam the buzzer a bit too hard, hyped up on adrenaline. A bored male voice answers on the intercom. "What?"
"I wanna talk to The Wolf. Tell him it's Giana Massario." I hold my ID up to the camera over the intercom's speaker for a good long moment before pulling it back, holding it next to my face.
A click sounded before the voice responded. "Go away."
Like Hell. "Listen. I need to talk to him. I ain't here to stir up shit and I bring a gift of goodwill on no one's behalf but mine. Open the gate and let me see him or I'm gonna climb the fuckin' thing like a coked out spider monkey and make a big fuckin' scene. I know your Boss prefers discretion which is why I'm asking nicely first. I'm not fucking unreasonable."
A different voice comes on the intercom. Deep, steely, irritated. "What do you want with him?"
"I wanna make a deal with him. I'm alone, unarmed, and just this side of crazy before losing my shit. The moment I act out of line, fuckin' drop me, I don't care. I'm mouthy but I don't bite unless forced. And I sure as fuck don't bite the hand that feeds me."
After a long minute, the iron gates swing open and three men come out to greet me, all in crisp suits and ties. Two are older, one balding and the other in a high and tight hair cut. One, young and trying to look polished.
I put my hands on my head. "Pat me down, boys. I got nothin' but the clothes on my back and my car keys in my right pocket."
I know I can't fuck this up. Whoever took down Gio probably saw I was his last call. If shit doesn't go further south, I'll let my parents know where I am. But if things don't work out and I get booted outta here, there'll probably be a hit out on me from whoever killed Gio. I'm flatass broke, so I'll be on the streets. I gotta make this work. Some people sell their souls, some their bodies... and I'm about do both if it keeps me alive.
Rossi's men pat me down efficiently before flanking, and walking with me in their midst into the expansive mansion, down a long hallway into a study. Wasn't quite an office or a library, but there were a lot of books lining the walls and a massive desk, two leather seats on one side, and a huge throne-like desk chair on the other. Sitting in the throne, the Wolf. Turns out, the Wolf is a silver fox. Stern, square jaw firmly set, no-nonsense golden amber eyes, silver hair with the slightest touch of brown sprinkled throughout, brushed away from his face to fall in gentle waves to his shoulders like a lion's mane. I knew he was older than me and younger than my father, so maybe mid-forties? He leaned forward in his seat, arms on the desk, fingers steepled. With a nod, he dismisses his men, leaving me and him alone in the leather scented room, his men on the other side of the door. I stand between the two chairs across from him, noting the freshly oiled pistol resting on the desk.
His deep, commanding voice demands attention. "Pretty fuckin' ballsy to show up here, uninvited. You have ten minutes to get to the point, then get the fuck outta of here. Best make the most of your time." His jaw, tight, muscles twitching in irritation.
I grew up around men like him. Give 'em respect. Give 'em truth. Give 'em loyalty. Give 'em something they find useful. That's the ticket in the door. Dead weight isn't welcome, but usefulness? Open arms. "I'm not lookin' to stir shit or cause problems. I want to make a deal."
His skepticism burned like ice. "What deal could you possibly want? You aren't representing Massario interests."
"I represent my own interests. We both lost a bunch of folk. If I could bring 'em back with my will power or magic, I would, but that's beyond my ability. But the Massario and Rossi don't need to keep fuckin' shit up and piling bodies."
"I'm waiting for the fucking point."
"I want sanctuary. My brother Gio was killed today. I was his last call and heard the execution. His last words to me were to get out, the house isn't safe. If my own home isn't safe, there's no safehouse or bolt hole belonging to the Massario that'll keep me alive. The one place they won't look for me is here."
His golden eyes widen for a moment before a predatory look takes over, darkening the gold.
"Giving you sanctuary isn't the problem. Who you are, is."
I look him in the eye. "My house ain't safe and like fuck do I want to be sent to some fuckin' cabin up in the Catskills-- which, if the fucker who killed my twin brother knows about, means it's basically a trap. Right now, you're my safest bet because no one will look for me here. I got no where else to go."
"Why me, though? There's other outfits you could run to... not your family's enemy."
"Two reasons. One, you got clout. That fucking matters. No one will strong-arm you trying to get to me. Second, they say you're a gentleman. You might be The Wolf, but you're not a beast. Or so I've heard. I could go to other outfits, but if I'm seeking sanctuary, no one would be better than you. We both know it. You irritate the ever-loving shit out of my dad, but he respects you."
His eyes narrows as he tilts his chin up a fraction as he considers my words. "You said you had a token of goodwill. You might want to start with that."
If I fuck this up, I'm dead. I know it. Gotta lay it all out on the table, even if I sound crazy. "Gonna sound fucking nuts, but every word is the truth. I'm Strega. A natural born witch. I offer you use of my magic. Enchantments, shields, charms. My family told me long ago to fuck off with my magic and now a whole lot of 'em are dead. I'm fuckin' tired of burying people." I pause and take a cleansing breath, the sound of Gio gasping then bam bam doubletap, fresh in my mind. "Good people. My magic works on consent. Shit won't work for 'em if they don't want it. Can't force it on 'em. I'm willing to give you a demonstration right now if you want me to put money where my mouth is. You will find that I don't fuck around or bullshit. You give me sanctuary and I make you the biggest, baddest wolf this city ever saw."
The first break in his dour demeanor were his brows raising and a look of amusement twitching his lips. "Sleight of hand isn't magic, sweetheart."
"Give me something to enchant. A coin, a piece of jewelry. I'll make it so whoever carries the fuckin' thing is bullet proof, better than Kevlar at stopping rounds." I nod at the gun laying on the desk. "That looks like a .45. Shoot me. Two rounds, center mass. They'll never touch me, or any person who carries the enchantment. This gift of protection I offer as goodwill to show that I mean you no harm. Those hollow points will fucking fade away like a fart in a breeze." I hold up a hand and wiggle my pinkie. "Pinkie swear."
He grins, amused at my boastful claim, and opens a desk drawer to pull out a golden double eagle coin. "Make this the lucky charm, then." He spun the coin across the table where I caught it before it fell off the edge. I held the heavy coin to my lips and whispered the magic into its fabric of being. Air distorted around me for a moment. All the while I stare him in the eye as I see him take out the gun's magazine and remove all but two rounds. Reloading the magazine, he pulls back the slide and chambers one.
I breathe deep. "Do it. If I'm bullshitting you, you just got rid of another Massario pain in the ass. If I'm tellin' the truth, maybe we can work out a deal that benefits us both. Now pull the fuckin' trigger and shoot me."
"Just remember, you asked for it." He grins at my audacity, raises the gun, takes aim and without hesitation, fires both rounds. The sound echoes around the room. The Wolf's eyes widen in surprise for a moment as the bullets turn into dust, disappearing from view as it drifts to the floor, while a huge spray of gold confetti wafts around the room like silent, mocking applause at the success of my spell.
"Taa fuckin' daaa." I say with sarcastic understatement as I spin the coin across the desk back to him. "Now it's yours." He slams his palm down, capturing it. Fingers curl around the metal before he lifts it up and studies it.
"Shit, that's one fucking hell of a party trick, Witch, I'll grant you that. I am impressed. Fine. You back your words up with action, I respect that."
"In case you still think I'm bullshittin' you, have one of your lesser-liked men hold it and pop off another couple of rounds at him. It's fuckin' bullet proof. Even if you melt it down and make it into something else... it'll remain bullet proof. Keep it on you."
"May save that idea for new recruits." He gave a small laugh at the thought of it. "So you offer me this... and you want sanctuary?"
"Yeah. I do have a few conditions, though."
He leans back in his seat, crosses his arms over his chest, tilts his chin up a notch and gives me a long look. "What conditions?"
"Keep me the fuck alive, number one. Number two: I'll work my magic for you, but I cannot act against the Massario. I'll make you the biggest dog, or Wolf, as the case may be, while the Massario hold onto their territory and you claim everything else. You want magic to directly harm them, then you're shit out of luck. My magic doesn't work like that." I pause. God, it's mortifying. Shocking. I know I was shocked when told about the consequences of my abilities. Nothing's free in the world, after all. "Number three, I require male companionship during the three days of the full moon. I'll leave it to your discretion. Just...decently built, not a greasy sleazeball, and hopefully gentlemanly with excellent hygiene. I'm not to be handed out like a party favor, either."
Now that brought a look of incredulous amusement to his face. "What's with you, men, and the full moon? If there's some catch to your magic, you best tell me now."
"I can manifest enchantments during the month, but I need to recharge during the full moon. As my Nonna explained it, the energy, the life-giving ability of people fuckin is the fuel that gives me power. If I don't get refilled, there's a price to pay in blood." I hold his golden gaze as I unbutton my blouse and turn around, shrugging it off and tossing it onto a chair, before pulling off my camisole to show him my back: covered in a handful of scars crisscrossing my skin, deep weals the result of using magic without adequate energy.
After a long, terse moment, he arises, plucks my shirt from the chair and pulls it on me, silently buttoning it up as I hold my wadded-up camisole in my fist. He turns me around slowly to face him before he leans back against his desk, muscled arms crossed in anger and amber eyes blazing. The look carved into his face lacked any warmth. Just simmering rage. "How do those appear? Someone do that to you?"
I shook my head. "They appear of their own volition. They started appearing when I was around seventeen. A reminder that irresponsible use of magic comes with a price. Getting railed for three days straight should hurt much less, hence why I want that as part of the deal. I'm no whore and I'm not shopping for a boytoy. It's simply a need if you want access to my magic without interruption. I can run low on my energy and it can lead to complications. Such as scars on my back and a shitload of severe fatigue. Using my magic when I'm supposed to be recharging is extra draining, so be aware."
A nod of understanding and then an awkward question. "You are legally an adult, correct?"
I frown. Do I really look like some kid? "I'm twenty-three. Will be twenty-four in November. Don't worry, I'm not jailbait. I got my ID on me, if you wanna verify. That said, I got nothing else but the clothes on my back. Left my purse and cell phone at home. Although my car is at the parking structure off Broadway and Nash." I toss him the keys from my pocket. "Blue Jetta, third level on the west side."
His assessing gaze sharpened. "Smart." Then another nod. "Fine. You have sanctuary, but on my terms. You stay under my roof, then your loyalty is to me. If Massarios come looking for you, you're mine. When things cool down with the Massarios, you're still mine. No switching loyalties back to those you run from. No bullshit. No lies. You need something, you tell me. Keep your head down, stay out of the way, don't seek out my men. You're not a prisoner or hostage, but my personal asset. You see or hear anything shady, you report to me. Don't use your magic for anyone but me. It is mine."
I nod and square my shoulders. "Tell me straight up what you want from me, if anything beyond being eyes and ears around here and your personal enchantress. When a witch makes a deal, it's a contract. To violate it would cost me way more than you could ever squeeze outta my corpse, so don't worry about my loyalty. You'll see it verified time and again. It's my guarantee. Just like how I stopped those bullets. I don't bullshit and I don't fuck around."
He smirks and his eyes narrow. "Right now, you know my expectations."
A knock sounds at the door and the balding head of a brawny man pops in, surveying the room littered in fanfare. "Everything okay, Boss?"
The Wolf nods toward me. "Luca, prepare her a suite upstairs, East Wing, Emerald suite. She's an asset, not a prisoner. Send Carla and Nico in here. Make sure no Massarios within a mile of here for the time being and keep an ear to the ground about their situation. Things are getting interesting."
The door shuts again and he turns to me. "The moment you betray me is the moment I throw your ass to the wolves with a steak around your throat. Loyalty is absolute."
I nod. "I understand that very well." It goes without saying that when in Rome, do as the Romans do, thus when in the home of a Mafia don, you better fucking obey his rules. It's the same way at home. God, Dad is gonna be pissed if he found out I'm here. Hoping me staying alive helps nullify his rage, but honestly, I'm not gonna hold my breath. Seeking out the enemy when the Family is in crisis isn't a good look and I know it.
"Good. Carla will get your clothing situation handled. She's housekeeper. Any daily needs, just ask her, she'll get you squared away."
I felt a tremor of relief wash over me. "Thank you."
That evokes a brief smile he quickly hides. "Don't thank me. You're on my payroll now. You earn your keep. Bulletproofing me is a good start."
"Got a roll of dimes? I'll enchant it so your men can have the same benefit. They can tuck the coin in their wallet or something... just they better not treat it like pocket change. They lose it, it's on them. And I'll leave off the confetti flourish for discretion's sake."
His gaze assessed me with a hawk-like intensity and a widening smirk. "I like that initiative. You get any more ideas, you tell me."
I can't stop the frown on my face. "You know how it is... you wanna protect those around you. It fuckin' infuriates me they didn't want my kind of protection, though."
The smirk falls from his lips and he speaks softly. "You know why it was refused, right?"
I narrowed my eyes. "Because Daddy didn't want his little princess getting railed three days a month or scarred up to ensure his success. Or something like that."
He smirked. "Something like that. I'm not your father. If that's what it takes to keep you in commission and earning your keep, so be it. Could be worse."
I tilt my chin up, determined to make the best fuckin' impression I can. "I have more ideas." Useful people are kept. Those failing to be useful, discarded.
He gestured for me to take a seat across from him. "Do tell."
"I can enchant a lot of things... make mundane things usable. Like making listening devices literally hiding in plain sight."
His eyebrows arch as he considers my words. "Having ears not only in pockets, but places... that could prove very handy... a definite edge."
With a nod I reply. "Especially when it's something commonplace, lost in the noise. Place mats, coins, clocks. I can pretty much enchant things, not so much people, beyond myself, and that's pretty damn limited because it's exceptionally draining."
"Good to know." He stands and pours two glasses of scotch, sliding one across the table to me. I pick it up, cradling the crystal glassware.
He says, "I don't trust you. I'm putting eyes on you. One slip up in loyalty, and that's the end. I don't do second chances."
I slip the platinum and topaz ring I got for my Sweet 16 across the table. "That's my leash. It's in your hands."
He doesn't pick up the ring. Instead he locks eyes and demands in a single word. "Explain."
"That ring is my personal protection. It keeps me safe, helps me get out of tight spots. I fuckin hated the all-girls Catholic high school I went to. That ring helped make it bearable. It's also why I got the scars on my back, Got them for making that into my little lucky charm and fine tuning it, and I was dumb enough to think flickin' the bean would be enough energy to make shit manifest." It wasn't, and when the nuns saw my freshly scarred back, they thought I was self-harming and I got kicked out... so I guess it kinda worked even better than anticipated.
"What all is it enchanted with? There's more than a handful of scars on your back."
"Changing my appearance, disappearing, fading into the shadows, mostly. No footprints, scent, or anything to track."
He looks at me with a cool appraisal. "Keep it. Either you're trustworthy or you aren't. You know what happens if you aren't. Go, get settled in your room. Carla will be up to get you fitted for your new wardrobe. Tomorrow, we get you appraised and outfitted, and find something for you to do... so make a list of ideas tonight. Understood?"
I give him a sharp nod as I speak. "Yes, sir."
And that's how my ten minutes with him turned into a new career path.