Melinda
As soon as I got back to my room, I grabbed my phone from the nightstand and called Cassandra.
“Hey,” she said, sounding sleepy. “What’s up?” Cassandra yawned.
I wrinkled my nose. “God, were you still asleep?”
“Melinda, it’s like ten in the morning,” Cassandra said dramatically. “I was out until three. Don’t you think I need my beauty rest?”
I rolled my eyes. “You have to come over,” I said. “There’s something really important we need to talk about.”
“Yeah,” Cassandra said, smacking her lips. “Like why you disappeared from the club last night?”
I bit my lip. “Sort of,” I mumbled. “Just come over, okay? Dad even made breakfast.”
“What’s going on, Melinda?” Cassandra’s voice was suspicious.
“Just come over,” I repeated. “I promise, I’ll tell you everything once you’re here.”
Twenty minutes later, I heard the front door open and slam shut, followed by Cassandra’s quick footsteps up the carpeted staircase. Then she burst into my room holding a plate loaded with bacon and eggs.
“This is good,” Cassandra said, flopping down on my bed. “And there’s a really hot guy downstairs!” She fanned herself, rolling her eyes back in her head. Cassandra’s face was almost as pale as the white-blonde hair that was piled on top of her head in a messy chignon. She wore a loose sweatshirt, which hung off one skinny shoulder, and black leggings. I knew she probably had a killer hangover.
“Hey, thanks for coming,” I said. The siren song of the bacon was too much – after a few moments, I reached for a piece and started crunching away.
Cassandra waved her strip of bacon through the air. “No problem,” she said. “So what’s up?”
I sighed and flopped back, staring at the ceiling. “Well, last night, I was dancing with this guy,” I said. “And he started getting really handsy with me.”
“You slut,” Cassandra said approvingly. She crunched through another piece of bacon. “So you went home with him?”
I laughed drily, thinking of how different my situation would be today if I’d done just that. “No,” I said. “I kept trying to push him off, but he was really persistent.”
Cassandra’s eyes got wide and she made a face. “Oh my god, Melinda, are you okay?”
I nodded impatiently. “Yeah, it wasn’t that bad. I mean, someone else punched him out.”
Cassandra smiled.
“Don’t get too excited,” I said quickly. “It was Alexander.”
“Oh, fuck,” Cassandra groaned. She wrinkled her nose. “Are you kidding me with that shit?”
I shook my head tersely. “God, I wish,” I mumbled. I reached for another piece of bacon and ate it in three bites. “It was definitely him.”
Cassandra frowned. “He’s, um….” She trailed off, looking slightly nervous. “He’s like, your dad’s rival’s son, right?”
I nodded. “Yeah,” I said. For a moment, the air in my bedroom felt thick and awkward. I didn’t like talking about Dad’s…business with people outside of the family. Then again, Cassandra practically was family. We’d been best friends since elementary school, and she knew almost all of my secrets.
“So,” Cassandra said, puffing out her cheeks. “That couldn’t have been fun for you.”
I shook my head. I didn’t want to tell her about Alexander’s nasty little threat, or the way he’d slapped my ass when I’d finally gotten out of his car. But I still felt the need to vent. “He’s awful,” I said. “He’s arrogant, and selfish, and the biggest prick I ever met! He thinks he’s so hot.”
“Well, he is hot,” Cassandra said. “I mean, objectively speaking. But I know he’s a complete tool.” She wrinkled her nose. “And he treats girls like shit. You know he used to date Catarina Covagara?”
I nodded.
“Well, he dumped her because she was on her period on his birthday,” Cassandra said. We groaned in unison. “He’s a fucking pig,” she added. “No woman should have to tolerate that asshole.”
I nodded. “And it’s tough because I know my dad would hurt him if he ever hurt me,” I said. “But that would cause a lot of problems for Dad, and I’d feel really guilty having to put him in that position.”
Cassandra nodded.
“Dad owns like half of Wilmington,” I said. “Especially the ports. And Alexander’s father has been angling for that territory for a long Samuele.” I sighed, resting my chin on my fist. “I feel like something’s gotta give soon. Dad’s really tense about it. He’s barely sleeping.”
Cassandra nodded again. There was a distant look in her eyes, and I knew I should take it as a warning to cut the mafia talk. For as good of a friend as Cassandra was, I never wanted to put her in danger.
“So,” Cassandra said. “Did you call me over here to talk about Alexander?”
I shook my head. “That guy downstairs,” I said. “He’s going to be my new bodyguard.”
Cassandra shrieked so loudly that I had to plug my ears. “You’re kidding!” She covered her mouth with both hands and giggled. “Oh my god, Melinda, that’s wild!”
I nodded.
“How the hell did your dad break that news?”
I rolled my eyes. “He caught me when I was sneaking back inside last night after Alexander drove me home,” I explained. “And we got in a fight. When I went downstairs this morning, he was all nice and smiley. But he said that unless I accept Antonio as my bodyguard, I won’t ever be allowed to go out again.”
Cassandra raised her eyebrows. “Damn,” she said. “Girl, that’s a hell of a deal.”
I narrowed my eyes at her. “And why would you say that?”
“Because he’s gorgeous!” Cassandra said. “Come on, it’s not like your dad is making one of his friends squire you around. At least he picked someone young…and sexy.”
I sighed. “But it’s not like I’m going to date him,” I said. “After all…he’s watching over me. He’s like a bodyguard. I mean, that’s exactly what he is.”
Cassandra and I stared at each other for a few seconds. I knew she was probably thinking everything I couldn’t say out loud. Sure, I was still young. And Dad was being more than reasonable by allowing me to have fun like this.
But I wasn’t going to spend the rest of my life going to clubs.
An unfortunate part of being my father’s daughter is that I knew from a pretty young age what my fate would be. It wasn’t college or a high-powered career, but rather an inherited role.
Almost like a princess.
“Well, he looks like a good guard,” Cassandra said cautiously. She looked down at her lap and picked her cuticle. “I mean, he’s not going to let anything bad happen to you.”
I blew a stream of air at the ceiling. “Yeah,” I said, “like he’s going to make sure that no asshole rapes me.” I rolled my eyes. “Because heaven forbid I lose my virginity before I get married!”
Cassandra frowned. “Well….” She trailed off, blushing. “I mean, you know.”
I gulped. I did know. I knew if I lost my virginity, or if I were raped, Dad would have a harder Samuele marrying me off. Being Melinda Cantonneli wasn’t all it was cracked up to be. Someday I’d have to grow up – which unfortunately, in my case, meant making a good marriage that would benefit my father and his empire.
“I wish I could just, I don’t know,” I said, feeling frustrated as resentment bubbled up in me like boiling water, “leave. Or be someone else. Why can’t I be you, Cassandra?”
Cassandra wrinkled her nose. “Come on,” she said. “You wouldn’t give up those boobs.”
I rolled my eyes. “Be serious,” I told her. “I just wish my life was different. I wish I didn’t have to do everything Dad tells me. I wish….” I sighed, knowing it was futile and hopeless. “I just wish things were different,” I said softly.
Cassandra reached over and pulled me into a hug. “I know, babe,” she said, “but your life is gonna be great. Come on – your dad wouldn’t marry you to an ogre, would he?”
I couldn’t answer. There was only a troubling feeling in the pit of my stomach, and I didn’t want to think about it anymore.
I stood and marched out of my room and down the stairs. Dad was still sitting in the kitchen, reading a thick paperback. To my alarm, Antonio was cleaning a gun. The shiny parts were spread out all over the table like little toys. A shiver of fear went through me when I realized, suddenly, that this was real. This was my life.
“Yes, Melinda?” Dad didn’t look up from the pages of his book. “I assume you’ve consulted with Cassandra.”
I bit my lip. “Yes,” I said stiffly.
“And?”
“Fine,” I said, gesturing towards Antonio. “He’s fine.”
“Say it, Melinda,” Dad said slowly. He put his book down, marking his place with a chubby finger loaded with gold rings.
“Yes, I want Antonio as my bodyguard,” I said. His name felt odd in my mouth, the way my tongue rolled over the syllables like they were made of marble. “I want to continue to have a private life that includes shopping and going to clubs.”
Dad nodded. “Good girl,” he said approvingly. He reached over and slapped Antonio on the shoulder. “You’ll have to watch out for my princess,” Dad said fondly to Antonio. “She’s a real little spitfire when she chooses to be.”
Antonio glanced up at me. When his dark eyes met my own, I felt a shiver of arousal and fear run down my spine.
“Yes,” Antonio said stiffly, not taking his eyes off me. “I bet she is.”