Chapter 13: Chapter 13
Marissa
Popsie’s are swarming with hungry college students but James and I manage to get a table close to the window. The table is small with only two chairs, but we manage to find an extra chair for Josie. James forces me to sit at the edge, between him and Josie and I agree. I don’t have to make it more uncomfortable for them than lunching together already is. Luca stands right behind James with his arms crossed over his chest, almost breathing down his neck and I can see the uncomfort in James' posture.
“What do you want?” I ask James as I hang my coat on the back of my chair. James shifts in his seat and clears his throat. His eyes dart up to the man behind him ever so often.
“Take whatever vegan they have.” He says quickly. I nod, give Luca a look and make my way to the front. Luca follows behind me.
“Do you really have to scare my friends?” I ask him with irritation coating my voice once we stand in line.
“Boss won't be happy with other men touching you.” Is his clipped answer. I roll my eyes, not so Luca can see, and give a sigh. I decided to ignore his comment and change the subject.
“Antonio said you would buy me whatever I needed.” Luca nods beside me. “Then I need lunch for both me and my friends.” When it’s my turn I order sandwiches and drinks for my friends and me and Luca orders for him. Like a good little guard he carries the tray back to the table and then positions himself behind James again. James groans and gives me a pleading look and I shrug in response.
When Josie enters I wave her over and her face is lit up in a huge smile until she sees James. She stops in her tracks and sends a glare my way. I smirk and shrug and motions to her sandwich and she trudges over to her seat.
“Hi Josie.” James says with blazing cheeks.
“Hi James.” Josie's tone is clipped and forced as she speaks to James. For the first time I realize that it is James that fucked up at their get together. I squint my eyes at James and he quickly looks out the window. “So what's with the prison guard?” Josie asks as she takes a bite from her sandwich. I look at Luca but his facial expression is unmoved by Josie's question.
“Ehm. Just ignore him.”
“Easier said than done when he’s breathing down my neck.” James presses out and then takes a large bite from his sandwich. “Perhaps you should explain instead.” He then says with his mouth full. Josie sends a disgusted look his way.
I lean in over the table and my two friends copy me. “The thing is that I am sort of engaged.” I whisper to them. James choke on his overly large bite and Josie spurts juice all over the table.
“WHAT?!” Josie practically shouts out and I throw a nervous look around the cafe to see if her outburst has anyone looking.
“Please keep your voice down.” I hiss at her. She leans in to whisper over our table instead. James is still coughing a little but he leans in as well.
“What do you mean? Sort of engaged? How are you sort of engaged? And to whom?”
“Do you know the name Antonio Falaguerra?”
“He has some casinos and stuff, right?” James says immediately and I nod. “Isn’t he some kind of big boss in the criminal world as well?” I nod once again and he sends a nervous glance at Luca and Josie does the same.
“My parents owe him a lot of money and now I have to marry him to pay it off. Luca-” I nod in his direction. “-is my bodyguard. But more like my guard.” The last words I mumble out. Both of my friends are staring at me with mouths hanging open in shock of my revelation so I decide to keep going. “That's why I was absent yesterday and why I have a new cell phone. The new one is completely under his control. He can read every message and all calls are recorded.” I see Luca move in my peripheral vision and I look towards him. His arms are crossed over his chest and he has a look of disapproval on his face as he shakes his head in warning at me. I give him a glare as an answer.
“So you are in trouble?” James whispers and I nod.
“But the best would be if you just act as normal and ignore this. I don’t want any of you to get in trouble. And no more kisses on the cheeks.” I look at James when I say the last. “I don’t want Luca to beat you up. Antonio is very possessive.”
“Has he hurt you?” Josie’s face is full of fear and concern.
“No. And I don’t think he will. At least if I behave. I wanted you to know to make my days a bit easier.” I say and look at them both with pleading eyes. James takes my hand and squeezes it, Josie does the same to my other one. Luca makes a sound of disapprovement and I jerk my hand from James’. I feel tears burning behind my eyes and I quickly clear my throat and take a large swing from my coffee.
The rest of the lunch passes as usual. We change the subject from my situation to something easy and stupid like gossip. Josie tells us that professor Stevens dropped his pants in his lecture last Monday and we laugh as if nothing is out of the ordinary.
James has to leave first for his afternoon lecture and soon after Josie and I leave the cafe as well. Outside the cafe she gives me a tight hug. “If there's anything I can do, please tell me.” She whispers in my ear.
“I don’t want you to do anything. It will only put you and your family in danger. He is a dangerous man. But please stay my friend.” I whisper back. She nods and then she’s off to her workshop she has this afternoon.
“Boss won't be happy with what you told your friends.” Luca’s deep voice says from behind me. I turn to him and cross my arms over my chest.
“Boss won't be happy unless I stay at home and never speak to anyone but him ever again!” I sneer at Luca before continuing as normal. “I have to tell my friends what is wrong. They would worry otherwise and perhaps look into it on their own which would put them in danger. James can be very persistent.”
“You should stop seeing him. Boss won't like other men near his fiancée.”
I narrow my eyes at him. “You are near me all the time.”
“I am your bodyguard so I am an exception.” He says matter of factly and with the ghost of a teasing smirk. I am sure that if he was a more laid back person he would probably be shrugging and putting his hands in his pockets. “You should stop acting bratty as well or the Boss will punish you.”
“Only if he finds out.” I send a glare at Luca who only smirks back at me. “James is my friend and I have several classes with him so he stays.” I pick up my phone to double check the hall for the next class.
That I needed my old phone for this was just an excuse to get my hands on it, but that didn’t work out so instead I chose to be pleased with my new phone. At least it doesn’t have a cracked screen and it’s all shiny and new. I turn it over in my hand. The case around it is black, luxurious and boring. “I have to get a prettier case for my phone.” I say to no one in particular. Then I make my way to the next lecture.
Luca’s phone rings and he answers. I can hear that he is irritated but I can’t understand what he says since it is a forigen language. “What time does your last lecture end?” He asks me just out of the blue.
“Uh. Five.” He speaks to the person on the phone again. “What language is it you speak?” I ask him when he’s hung up.
“Italian. Mr. Falaguerra is Italian, as are most of us that work for him.” We enter the lecture hall and when I make a move to sit somewhere in the middle Luca grabs my arm and motions for the back. I sigh but do as he says.
Another peek at Antonio's thoughts coming up.
Please leave a comment and vote if you like my story about Marissa and Antonio.
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