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I could hardly believe my ears, I didn't know what the heck was happening.
Yet, the only thing I could manage to feel was relief.
This Bruno guy was saving me from the devil himself. I felt like I owed him my life at that moment.
“What kind of business?” my father inquired.
“You still haven't paid off your debt to me, Travine.”
My father reached into his pocket. “I told you I'm good for it. I'll write you a check right now.”
Bruno waved his hand. “I don't want your money anymore. I need a personal favor.”
My father made a face. “What kind of personal favor?”
“I need you to befriend a woman for me. A widow of a police officer. I think you know whom I'm referring to.”
My father nodded, while I stood there confused.
“I already have a wife. What do you mean befriend?”
Bruno tossed his head back and let out a bone-chilling laugh. “It's rather fu
My father had no argument for that, so Bruno continued, “I want you to start a relationship with this widow and slowly sink your hooks into her.”
“Why?”
“Because I want someone on the inside for me. I want to make sure that both mother and daughter are suffering.”
I swallowed hard, on second thought maybe this Bruno character wasn't such a good guy after all.
Bruno took another step forward. “I want you to make their lives a living hell. Little by little, until they don't know what hit them.”
My father shook his head. “What's in it for me?”
I grew disgusted all over again. What he should have said was 'no.'
“I know you're looking to run for mayor in a few years.”
That's when I tried to pry myself away from the hold Bruno still had on me. “I don't want to go with you anymore. I don't like the things you're asking him to do. What's the matter with you? That's an i
Bruno backed up until he stood directly behind me. He lowered his lips to my ear. “Everything I do has a purpose. It's not for you to decide what that purpose is, little girl. It's for me to decide. You'll find I can be very generous if you don't fight me. I can make you feel like a goddamned princess. However, if you do fight me, you'll know what true fear will feel like. And believe me, what I can do to you will have nothing on all the years you've suffered at your father's hand. Understood?”
I gave him a small nod. This was about self-preservation, I had to play along.
It was the only way to save myself.
But more than that?
I vowed that I wouldn't let anyone break me.
I was resilient..indestructible even because I had no choice but to be that way. Every night I survived the most horrible, unspeakable acts over and over again.
“Now, where were we?” Bruno continued, “That's right. Mayor. Do you want my support in a few years or not?”
My father nodded so hard I'm surprised his head stayed attached to his body. “Yes. Of course. Consider it done.”
Bruno smirked. “Very well, then.” His eyes cut to mine. “Say goodbye to your father, Lucia
I flipped my father off instead and Bruno snickered. “So feisty.”
We began walking across the front lawn but Bruno turned around at the last minute.
“Oh and John. Two more things.”
“Yes?”
“One―the widow has a daughter around Lucia
He stroked my cheek. “Although not quite as beautiful.” I raised my eyebrow at him, but he ignored me. “Feel free to make her your new little plaything.” He lifted a finger. “But be forewarned, she's still very close with a certain FBI agent, and if she tells him―I'm not bailing your ass out of jail and you can kiss your future candidacy for Mayor goodbye. I'm not in the mood to clean up that kind of scandal.”
My father shuffled his feet nervously. “Fair enough. What's the second thing?”
Bruno's gaze turned dark. “If you ever touch or talk to Lucia
My father trembled and his mouth hung open. Mine as well.
I'd never had a person protect me before.
Was it possible that someone so dark had a little bit of light in them after all?
For over 2 years, Bruno treated me like the princess he promised he would. He wasn't home much, always out conducting business, but I never had to want for anything.
He only had one rule- Never leave the house without him.
And house was a bit of an undersell. His home was more like a mansion, located all the way out in the Hampton's.
During those rare time that he was home, he showered me with attention.
He told me that I didn't look at him the way everyone else did. He said I didn't look at him like I was petrified of him...and for some odd reason he liked that about me. He said it proved how strong I was.
Bruno also talked a lot about his son, Ricardo. I'd never met him, but he said he was a disappointment...or rather, he used to be until very recently.
Bruno's favorite thing to talk about was his undercover fight club. His eyes would sparkle and his smile would light up the room.
I was astounded when I heard that his very own son was fighting in the club. Apparently, he was more than halfway through whatever contract Bruno had made him sign and he was amazed he lasted so long.
When I made the mistake of questioning why he would have his son sign a contract that set out to hurt him in the first place, Bruno snapped at me and said it was none of my damn business.
I shut my mouth after that and never brought it up again.
The dynamic of our relationship shifted somewhat during the last 3 months leading up to my 18th birthday.
In addition to the admiration he had in his eyes for me, I started to see something else brewing in those dark orbs...lust.
I quickly dismissed the idea, though. Bruno was 50 years old, I was only about to turn 18. I knew there was no way he could be in love with me.
Despite his own looks which were more along the lines of dark, brooding and intimidating, rather than handsome...I saw the women he brought home from time to time.
They all looked like what real women should look like. They had curves, ample breasts, and they were all tall and beautiful.
My appearance hardly changed from when I was 15, the exception being the one inch of height I accrued, making me just slightly over 5 feet tall. Well, that and my breasts, but they barely even filled a B cup on a good day.
No, I didn't remotely resemble the women that Bruno seemed to adore.
And yet, he did tell me things he never told anyone else. There was an unmistakable bond between us.
Not only did he protect and provide for me, he let me see a side of him that I slowly found myself falling in love with.
I could never tell him that, though. He told me time and time again that romance and love were for the weak. If I told him how I felt, he would probably laugh at me and kick me out, it would ruin our relationship forever.
And even though I knew this man wasn't my knight in shining armor, I couldn't deny that he was my savior either.