Elio, p.5
Elio, page 5
“Four years.”
Enrique laced his hands in front of him. “If you don’t mind me asking, are you married?”
I checked Princess's eyes and ears. “Single.” I wiggled my hand in the air and then rubbed Princess's stomach. She licked my hand again.
“Princess likes you.”
“She’s a good girl,” I cooed.
“Have dinner with me.”
I looked up in surprise.”
“You're a beautiful woman, Cora.”
I shook my head. “I’m sorry. I can’t.”
He walked around the examination table to face me. “Boyfriend?”
“No.”
“No husband. No boyfriend. I have a crazy ex.”
He placed a hand on top of mine. “Nothing scares me, hermosa.”
“Um, I should finish the examination.” I removed my hand and picked up the chart to take notes on Princess.
We were interrupted by a knock at the door, and I opened it to see Julia holding a piece of paper. “Sorry to interrupt, but a gentleman just stopped by and said he’d like to buy the building.”
“This is the second time. He needs to take a hint.” I grabbed the card from Julia’s hand and tossed it in the trash.
“Business troubles?” Enrique asked.
“Some guy wants to buy my clinic. I have a pretty good idea why.”
Enrique glanced around the room. “It’s a small clinic. You get much traffic?”
“I do okay, but better would be nice.” I wrapped up my notes on Princess and passed them to Julia to add to the computer system.
“The neighborhood’s not the most exciting.”
“Yeah. I wanted a place accessible to everyone, no matter their finances. Princess is all set to go home. Julia will give you the notes and advise encouraging her to eat.”
Enrique lifted Princess off the table, and we left the room.
“Have dinner with me,” Enrique repeated.
“You don’t give up, do you?” I looked at him.
“Not when it’s a beautiful woman.”
“Nice to meet you, Princess. You too, Enrique.” I stuck my hand out for him to shake.
He lifted it to his lips, kissing the back of my hand. “Maybe I’ll have two princesses in my life.”
I shook my head and watched Julia check him out before returning to my office to finish some paperwork.
“You’ve reached Elio Calabresi Jr. Please leave a message.”
The same message repeated. I knew EJ would be screening my calls to teach me a lesson for ignoring him. It was childish, but that was how EJ handled things when they didn’t go the way he wanted.
I drank the rest of my wine and curled up on the couch, watching Love Story for the millionth time. Work had been busy, so I came home, took a long bath, and popped the leftovers from last night in the oven.
My phone rang, and I lifted it to see my mom’s name on the screen. “Hi, Mom,” I answered with a smile.
“She remembers her mother,” Mom teased.
“Sorry. I forgot to call you when I got back.”
“Adelina wants you to come over to the house.”
“When?”
“Now. Family dinner.”
“I can’t. I’m slammed with work.”
“Cora, you’ve missed the last three family dinners,” Mom pointed out.
I sighed. It seemed my time of ignoring the Calabresi family was over. I’d wanted to distance myself, but it had only made things more complicated and put a wedge between EJ’s parents and me. “Okay. I’ll be there.”
“Good. A driver is outside.”
“Is EJ there?”
“No.”
“Mom!”
“He’s on his way, Cora.”
I groaned, listening to Mom describe what she’d cooked for dinner as I stood and turned the movie off.
The doorbell rang. “Mom, I have to go. I’ll see you soon.”
Ending the call, I went to open the front door. “Hi, Freddie.”
Freddie’s expression settled into a frown. “Cora.”
“Are you still mad about New York?”
“No.” Freddie stepped inside and closed the door behind him. “Just means I need to keep an even closer eye on you.”
“My life is none of EJ’s business.” I poked Freddie in the chest.
He lifted his hands placatingly. “He only wants to talk.”
I shook my head in disbelief. “He kidnapped me! I’m not falling for his lies anymore. Take me to this dinner and back, Freddie. Don’t try to take me anywhere else, or I swear I’ll call the police.”
I pushed my feet into my sandals and pulled my hair into a bun. Grabbing my purse, I paused by the door. “Is he in the car?”
“No.”
I relaxed and locked my door, following Freddie to the elevator.
The thirty-minute drive gave me time to clear my head. I wouldn’t engage with EJ if he tried to start an argument. My goal was to catch up with his mother and father, then return home and prepare for work the next day.
Freddie parked in front of the house before climbing out and opening my door. I approached the house to see Adelina waiting for me with her hands on her hips.
I felt like a fourteen-year-old again. “Hi, Adelina.”
“Is that all I get, mi amore?” Adelina extended her arms and pulled me into a tight hug. She drew back and linked our hands together. “That’s better. Let me look at you.”
“You're acting like it’s been years.” I laughed.
SJ came barreling down the hallway and stretched out his arms. I picked him up and hugged him.
“Ragazzino, you're too heavy for Cora to pick you up.” Mckayla appeared and took him from my arms.
“I’m not that heavy, Mommy.” Savio Jr. laughed at his mom and poked his lips out for a kiss.
“Come in and see everybody.” Adelina interlocked her arm with mine and led me to the living room, where the kids and Vincenzo were playing. “Look who finally showed up.” Adelina beamed.
I waved to the kids.
“Where have you been, Cora?” Rena pushed a Monopoly toy around the board.
“Working.”
“Come help in the kitchen, Rena,” Adelina demanded, pulling me along.
“Who’s coming for dinner?” I asked.
“Just family.” Adelina released me.
Mom was in the kitchen, and I hugged her before stealing a piece of the celery she was chopping. “Where’s Elio Sr.?”
“Working in his office, even though he’s retired,” Adelina muttered.
I giggled at her annoyance with her husband.
“So, spill the beans.” Rena sat next to me on the stool.
“Nothing to spill.”
“EJ almost killed a guy on Christmas Eve.”
“What do you expect? He’s a Calabresi.”
Rena chortled as Adelina’s brows drew together.
“We know EJ took you to New York, and you left him.” Mckayla stepped up to the counter and picked up a piece of chicken, taking a bite. “We’ve all had our share of Calabresi men doing something crazy.”
I sighed. “He wanted to talk, and I wasn’t interested.”
“How much longer are you going to hide from him?” Mom asked.
“I’d like to know the answer to that question,” EJ said, appearing behind me.
Chapter 6
Elio Jr
All eyes except Cora’s were on me. Instead, she pulled out her phone and pretended to scroll through her messages. She’d ignored all my calls and the flowers I’d had delivered to apologize for New York.
Savio wanted more information on the Vargas brothers and set a meeting to make sure all parties understood that no blood should be shed. Cora forced me to act up when she got this way. I promised never to put our business before family and friends, but ignoring me was the last straw.
A chill ran through the room. “Cora.”
“Not now, EJ.”
“You ignored my calls.”
“EJ,” Mother interrupted.
I shook my head, indicating she should stay out of things. “If Cora can ditch her bodyguards and worry everyone, she’s capable of speaking for herself.”
Cora swiveled in her seat, her nostrils flared and her eyes shooting daggers at me. Cora was always reserved and calm in front of the family, but I knew how to push her buttons to get a reaction.
“EJ, come and talk to me in the other room.” Mother removed her apron and pulled me out of the kitchen. “I raised you better than this,” she hissed once we were in the dining room.
“Madre, you don't understand—”
She raised her hand to stop me. “You have no authority over Cora. I want you to apologize and leave her alone.”
“No.”
“That wasn’t a request.”
“She’s behaving childishly.” My blood boiled at being ignored.
“If you want any chance with her, you need to back off and let her decide when she’s ready to talk.”
I frowned. “She’s not the only one who was hurt.”
“EJ, as my son, I will always have your back, but what you did was wrong. Sending Freddie to put her on a plane without letting her mother or me know.” Mother chided me for my arrogance.
“Pops would do the same if it came to you.”
She smiled. “He would, and I’d give him a piece of my mind.” She drew me in close for a hug. “Come and sit so we can eat.”
“I promise to behave for dinner.”
Mother cupped my chin. “Thank you.”
“Did she tell you about the robbery?”
“No, but tonight we leave it alone, son.”
The women and kids piled into the dining room with the food. Savio and Sante arrived, and Pops slipped in behind my mother. He kissed her on the cheek and took his seat at the head of the table. Renato sat next to his wife.
I grabbed Cora’s hand as she went to sit next to Mckayla. She tried to snatch it away, but I tugged her into the seat beside me.
Cora yanked her hand out of my hold and turned her attention to my mother and father.
I stretched my arm along the back of her chair and leaned in close. “Playing games will get you punished.”
“Marilyn's dinner looks wonderful,” Mckayla said as Marilyn placed the baked chicken on the table.
“Cora finally came, so we wanted to celebrate.” Marilyn squeezed her daughter's hand.
Laughter and conversation spread around the table, but I only wanted Cora's attention on me. It was time she came home and realized we were meant to be together.
“EJ, how is business going?” Pop wiped his mouth with the napkin.
“Great, nothing to concern the board about. We’re keeping an eye on things.”
“What’s going on with your business, Cora?” Mckayla asked.
“No business talk tonight.” Mother hushed.
“Some people are trying to step on our toes,” I blurted.
“Not tonight, EJ!” Mother fussed.
“Since we can’t talk about business, let's discuss Cora’s accident.” Renato gulped his water.
Cora glared at Renato, and he winked. She hunched her shoulders. “Nothing to tell.”
“Someone tried to rob you.” Pops frowned.
“Yes, Mr. Calabresi, but I’m fine,” Cora answered.
“Until we catch them, you're not fine,” I said, draining my glass of cognac.
Cora shifted in her seat. “The police will handle my case.”
“Cora, you're one of us. We can handle it way better,” Renato commented.
“Not in front of the kids, Renato,” Sonya groaned.
I nodded. “Renato’s right. Until they're caught, you’ll need to be watched.”
“Once again, you're trying to barge into my life.” Cora’s frustration was clear as she dropped the napkin on the table and jumped out of her chair.
“Cora.” Marilyn stood and tried to calm her down.
“No. He’s pigheaded and rude. I don't need your help.” Cora stormed out of the room.I chased after her, following her up to the guest room she used when she stayed over.
She paced back and forth in front of the window. “EJ, I want you to leave me alone.”
“Give me one good reason.”
“Because I don’t love you.”
My usual reaction would be to take her over my knee and spank her ass for speaking lies, but I knew Cora was keeping something from me. I intended to find out what. “If you believed that, you wouldn’t be here.”
Cora cocked her head to the side. “What?”
“Here, in my home.”
“It’s your parent’s home, and I love them as much as you.”
I stepped away from the door and stalked toward her.
She backed up against the window, and her eyes shifted from left to right. “I have to go.”
“What are you hiding, Cora?” I asked, moving close.
She placed both hands on my chest to shove me away. “What makes you think I’m hiding something?”
I grabbed her hands and pinned them against the wall above her head. “Tell me the truth.”
“That is the truth. We dated, we broke up, and now you're stalking me.” She paused and then mumbled. “I met someone.”
Her words made my heart stop. “Who?”
She turned her face away. “You don’t know him.”
I gripped her chin and turned her face back to mine. “Tell me before I tear this city apart.”
“You no longer control my life or emotions, EJ.”
“Did you get my flowers?”
Cora twisted free of my grasp and put some distance between us. “Yes. Julia loved them.”
If I didn’t know her better, I'd suspect she liked it when I was riled up. I watched her pluck the photo of her mom from the dresser with shaky hands. “I remember that day.”
“My eighteenth birthday.” Cora smiled wistfully.
I stepped behind her. “My parents threw you a party, and I took you to the park for a picnic afterward.”
“Unlike your other women, I liked you for you.”
“No other woman could ever measure up to you, baby.”
Cora paused for a long moment before whispering, “All I can recall is coming out of my clinic, some guy putting a gun to my head and demanding money.”
It took me a few seconds to realize Cora was talking about the mugging. Her information would allow me to get video coverage of that day.
“I guess I was too slow because he hit me over the head, snatched what he could, and ran off.”
“Did you see if he got in a car?”
“No.” Cora put the picture back on the dresser.
“I’ll have my team grab the footage.”
“He needed the money more than me. I’m not worried.”
“Doesn’t matter. He touched you.”
“We’ll never be together again, EJ,” Cora said with conviction.
“Cora—”
“EJ, listen. Our time together was wonderful, but we’ve grown up. I can’t wait and wonder if you’re going to just up and decide to leave me again.”
My jaw clenched at her confession. “I never left you, Cora. I had obligations to my family.”
“I can’t compete with that, EJ. I won’t.” Cora kissed my cheek and walked out of the room.
All night, I replayed Cora’s words in my head. I worked out until five in the morning, finally snatching an hour of sleep before the alarm went off and I headed to the office. My brothers wanted to discuss the meeting with the Vargas Cartel. Sante got word they would meet us on neutral ground at Discotech Nightclub. Our guys would be planted outside as a precaution.
“You didn’t stay for dinner last night.” Sante inclined in his chair.
“Not up for dinner.”
“Cora looked pissed.”
“I came in early to talk business, not about my love life.”
Savio’s eyes darkened at my bluntness. “Do we have people in place before we head to the meeting?”
“Yeah, I got the place covered,” Renato answered.
“I expect you to control your temper,” Savio said, standing and buttoning his jacket.
I ground my teeth. “Of all of us, I’m the least likely to lose my temper.”
“Not judging by what we saw at Christmas. You were ready to kill a man right in front of your family,” Renato said, rising from his chair.
“Cora told me there was only one guy who robbed her.”
“Look at him, changing the subject.” Renato chuckled.
“Fuck you, Renato.”
“Tell Cora to do that.”
Sante got between us as I charged toward Renato. “Calm down and get your fucking shit together.”
A beat of tension passed before I nodded to let him know I was okay.
We headed to the elevator as Vincenzo came out of his office. “Do you need me there?”
“No. Keep things running here,” Savio responded.
We took the elevator to the lobby and out to the waiting cars. The forty-minute drive passed quickly while my brothers spoke to their wives on the phone. My mind strayed to how I could get back in Cora’s good graces. I needed to prove I’d changed and was no longer the immature boy who’d hurt her years ago. The family’s legacy was cemented. I was a Calabresi, but I had to show her I would make her a priority.
The car stopped in front of the nightclub, and Renato gave directions to Savio and his shooters. Sante climbed out of the car after me. Savio shook hands with the guard outside the club, who opened the door for us to enter.
Darkness settled in the hallway. The guards lining both sides of the wall worked for our family and the Vargas Cartel. Savio took the lead, followed by Sante and Renato, and I brought up the rear. We entered a private room where two men were already seated. One had dark curly hair with a patch on his right eye.
“Mr. Vargas,” Savio said.
“Cacho. And this is my brother, Enrique,” the man said.
“Renato, Sante, Elio Jr., and you know I’m Savio.” My brother introduced us, and we all took a seat.
Enrique smirked, his eyes on me as if he knew me.
“Why are you in Chicago?” Sante got right to the point.
