Chapter 4 Welcome To The Family

CASSANDRA His head was down, and the fedora he wore dipped down just far enough so that I couldn’t see his eyes. What I could see of him was more than enough. His shoulders were broad, and his body was built sturdy, as he wrote something down, I could see the veins in his hands working. His suit was perfect, even though his body wasn’t straight the lines on his suit appeared to be. The perfectly shaped white triangles of his dress shirt hung loosely around his throat. While I couldn’t see his eyes, I could see the square jawline, rugged, and prickled with a five o'clock shape. There was an indent on his chin that was simply adorable and seemed improper in an otherwise stern character. He didn’t say anything, didn’t look up, merely just continued what he was doing. The shirtless man who had shown me went forward into the room and whispered something into his ear. His hand stopped moving, and when the shirtless man laid my phone down on the desk, he laid his pen gently down. Finally, he looked up. He had deep-set brown eyes, big with surprisingly long lashes. They again seemed improper with his otherwise stone-cold gaze. The inner half of his brow slanted down slightly creating a mischievous expression. The dangerous look was mixed with just a touch of mystery. It was terrifying. I fussed with my corset, pulling it up to cover my bosom then down to cover my stomach, and repeating the action. Finally, he stood from behind the large wooden desk he sat at and walked around to the front. He pulled a lighter and cigar in his mouth as he lit it and perfectly puffed at it. His eyes studied me for a moment. I crossed my arm over my chest self-consciously as he sized me up, “Leave us.” He waved the nameless man out of the room and I heard the door shut behind me. He crossed his arms as well and watched me still in silence, occasionally, he would put his hand to the cigar after taking a long drag and pull it from his mouth to blow smoke to the side. In the background I could hear a clock ticking, I fought to keep my gaze on him and not study the room. I could guess that he was the man in charge, and if he suspected I didn’t belong here, I’d be fish food. The silence was deafening. He smoked his entire cigar before uncrossing his arms and coming closer to me, he walked circles around me twice and then stepped in front of me again. Arms crossed, he shook his head. “I don’t remember you.” “I’m new.” I croaked. I tried to clear my throat after hearing how rough my voice sounded. He nodded, “Do you know,” He began, he talked so slowly, emphasizing each one of his words, “I approve of every. Single. Girl. Here before buying any.” ‘Buying?’ I repeated in my head. “And yet,” He shook his head again, “I don’t remember you.” I didn’t know what to say, so I did the only sensible thing. I stayed quiet. I was shaking though, and I couldn’t decide if it was due to the skimpy outfit and the climate, or my fear of my surely impending death. He studied me for another few moments then walked back beside the desk, he picked up my cell phone, waving it around as he walked back to me. “And this?” I took my best to stop my body’s convulsions, my best amounting to little. He dropped it onto the ground, quickly pulled out a gun, and shot it at the cell phone three times. Instinctively, I jumped backward and covered my ears as a shriek escaped my parched throat. He paused, locked eyes with me, and shot a fourth time. “This is no more.” He finished and lowered the gun onto the desk. I slowly lowered my hands from my ears. “I’m-“ “Sorry? Of course, won’t happen again, I know.” He waved his hand around with a dull expression on his face. “You’re right. It won’t.” I was taken aback by how frightened I was compared to the calmness in his voice. “Name?” “Joy-“ “Real name.” He narrowed his eyes sharply. “Cassandra.” My voice shook as I spoke. He nodded, “And this is the name you go by?” “Cassie,” He nodded again. He moved closer to me again, this time not stopping until he was practically on top of me, with only centimeters between us and I could not bring myself to make eye contact with him. He caught my chin between his thumb and index finger, and the smell of gunpowder and metal rose to my nose as he forced me to look up at him. I surrendered, letting our gazes connect. Very sternly, and slowly, he spoke to me. “I will be watching you, Cassandra.” He glanced down momentarily to take me in then looked back to my eyes, “Very closely.” He let go of my chin and smiled condescendingly. “Benvenuto nella famiglia.” (Welcome to the family.) ~*~ My skin was still prickled with goosebumps from head to toe as I made my way through the underground world. I was numb with fear, but alert with curiosity. A dangerous combination for a girl with everything to lose. I was alive, even after meeting the leader of this… well, whatever this was I still hadn’t decided, but I had met him and lived. My poor phone, on the other hand, was a different story, but I had somehow gotten over the worst hurdle already. Theoretically, I would just have to make it through the day now. Pose as a worker for one day and then at the end of the day, leave and never come back. Aside from needing a new phone and likely wanting to change my name, I was given a golden opportunity here. Right? Scoop of a lifetime… you know… if I didn’t die getting it. I was careful in capturing every detail in my mind, when someone handed me a silver tray with drinks on it, I didn’t hesitate in taking them. “I’m sorry, but I’m new here. Where do I go?” The girl who had handed them to me rolled her eyes, “Don’t they tell you new girls anything anymore?” She sighed heavily and pulled a napkin from her bra, she beckoned me over to a Long Island bar and began scribbling on the napkin drawing me a diagram. “This is where we will be until Christiano decides otherwise. This particular wing just holds your basic crew. Drop men, bag men, that sort of thing. You know, the guys down here-“ “Ella.” I heard a voice from behind us. The voice was already permanently etched into my mind under a tab titled ‘Oh sh*t’ and filed into my worst nightmares. My teeth clamped down on the inside of my cheek. She turned to him and smiled an Ernest smile. How anyone could be so happy to see someone like him, I had no clue. “Hey baby, I was just showing my little new sister around, explaining the ropes and all.” He nodded. “How very kind of you.” He glanced at me then at her. “But, I believe Cassandra will be working with me.” “It’s Cassie,” I interjected to deaf ears. She looked stricken, I could see the fight she had with herself to keep the smile plastered on her face. “Of course Christiano.” She nodded, glancing at me then picking up the drink platter and moving away.