Chapter Twenty-Three
“Elizabeth,” Antonio shouted from his seat behind one of the cameras. “Why is your acting crappy today?”
The old Antonio was back and I wasn’t thrilled about it. We were filming outside on Vegas’s main strip at three in the morning. You’d have thought it would have been quieter on an early Friday morning, but sadly no. We had a ton of onlookers who would shout drunken slurs as we tried to film.
“Gee, Antonio,” I shot back, throwing my hands out to the sides at the spectators. “I wonder why when I keep getting interrupted.”
“Again with your bitching.” He sighed loudly. “Will you ever just stop and do your job?”
I stepped off my marker on the sidewalk, stomped towards him, and aggressively came nose to nose with him. I had once again had enough of him, he had been a complete ass towards me the entire night shoot.
“What the fuck is with you tonight?” I hissed through my teeth. “You were acting civil yesterday, what the hell happened?”
“You mean besides the kidnapping and imprisonment?” he asked sarcastically so only I could hear.
“Oh, muffin.” I made a pouty face. “Is the five-star hotel suite with a Jacuzzi, satellite television, and free room service not up to your liking? I’m thinking you’re not very hard done by.”
“Everyone,” Antonio shouted to the cast and crew. “Let’s take a ten-minute break so I can deal with the princess.”
I balled my fists at my sides. I was seriously considering punching him in the face right there in front of the entire street.
“Come with me,” Antonio instructed.
“Where are we going?” I didn’t move from my spot.
“Follow me, now.” He demanded as he walked away.
I followed him to the side of the street in front of a closed store where he had a mobile office setup inside a small canopy tent. This was used for him to check filmed scenes and decide if they needed to be redone or use a different angle.
“Why did you drag me in here?” I angrily asked.
“Shut up and listen to me,” he whispered. “Elena has been in contact with several members of the crew.”
“Who?” I asked, suspicious of his truthfulness.
“I’m not going to tell you that, but I cannot make her think anything is amiss by suddenly being nice to you.”
“How do you know she’s been in contact with someone?”
“They approached me and asked me why my cell phone was shut off as Elena has been trying to get a hold of me. They also wanted to know where I was staying. She somehow knows I’m not at my hotel.” He had a serious and nervous expression on his face.
“What you’re telling me is that, besides you, she has another snitch on the inside now?”
“Yes, that’s exactly what I’m telling you.”
“Why didn’t you tell Billy earlier when he was here?” Billy had gone to a late night meeting with the Micheletti brothers regarding this weekend’s upcoming event with Elena and Cal.
“He was too preoccupied.” Antonio answered, a little quickly, which made me suspect.
“Okay, well thanks for the info. I’ll let Billy know when I see him later,” I absently said, not believing a word he said. “In the meantime, try not to be too much of an asshole to me.” I started to walk back to the set.
“The problem is Elena is getting pretty suspicious about me not having my phone turned on.”
I turned and faced him, but said nothing, already knowing full well where he was headed.
“I think,” Antonio quickly continued, “it would be best if you asked Tony and Vince to give me back my phone and allow me to answer her calls.”
I raised a suspicious eyebrow as he continued. Did he really think I was that stupid?
“She would be less worried if my phone was turned on and I would pick it up.”
“Wow.” He really did think I was that stupid. I began to laugh.
“What’s so funny?”
“You actually expected me to believe this crap?”
Antonio took a step back and removed the fake worried expression from his face.
“That was good, Suarez.” I continued to laugh.
He didn’t say anything, he just stared at me, presumably pissed off that I figured out his lie.
“You really think I’m going to give you your phone so you can call and warn her who the meeting is really with on Sunday?”
“I wouldn’t do that.”
“Of course, you wouldn’t, liar,” I sarcastically shot back. “What made you think you could get away with that asinine story with me?”
“To be honest…” He conceded defeat. “I figured you were the most gullible. You may hang out with tough, scary men, but we all know it’s only because of Billy. They are his friends. You are just along for the ride.”
“Is that so?” I questioned, sarcastically.
“Absolutely, we all know that Billy is the brains of your little crew and the Micheletti brothers and their goons are the brawn.” Antonio dug deeper with his perception. “You’re the damsel in distress that hooked onto Billy and his powerful friends and because of that you now get whatever you want.”
“You think I’m weak?” I dangerously asked.
“Without a doubt.”
“You realize I almost nailed you in the face on set earlier.”
Antonio laughed. I tried not to let my anger get the better of me so I could keep control during the conversation.
“You wouldn’t have punched me.”
“No? You don’t think so?” I challenged.
“No.” He devilishly smiled. “There are too many people around and you certainly wouldn’t tarnish your perfectly restored halo by taking out the director in front of all those people. Especially the director that you swore up and down that you didn’t fight with or have fired from your last movie. You wouldn’t dare let your fans see that side of you, would you?”
He had me there.
“Keep pushing me and you’re going to see what I’m really capable of,” I threatened as Antonio’s eyebrows shot up. “Everyone is coming back to the set, we need to get back.” I ended the conversation.
“Yes, let’s get this scene done so I can go back to my confinement faster.” His sarcasm was getting on my nerves.
As I followed Antonio back, Tony grabbed my arm and made me stop.
“What was that all about?” he gently asked. For one of the toughest guys I knew Tony was very soft spoken and considerate.
I relayed the entire conversation, the lie about spies and wanting his phone.
“He really is stupid, isn’t he?” Tony asked, sounding almost like Sonny and Benny in tone.
“Yes, he is,” I answered as we both watched Antonio settle in behind the camera.
“He’s right, though,” I continued. “I wouldn’t punch him in front of all the fans, crew, and cast.”
“Want me to?”
I thought about his offer.
“Yes,” I decided, resolutely. “But not in front of anyone.”
***
We finished filming at five Friday morning and had to be back on the set twelve hours later.
Billy and I arrived just before five that afternoon to find Antonio going over film footage with one hell of a shiner on his face.
“Woah,” Billy commented as he stared at Antonio. “Who did you piss off?”
Antonio glared at me.
“Sometimes, Antonio needs to watch what he says,” I answered coldly.
“You did that?” Billy sounded shocked.
“No,” Antonio whined. “She had one of Sonny’s cronies do it after I got back to my room last night.”
“Maybe,” I started, “you should not try to screw me over with your lies. Next time I may not be so nice.”
Billy laughed while Antonio glowered.
“You really shouldn’t continue to piss her off,” Billy warned Antonio. “She’s not as innocent or defenseless as she looks.”
“Whatever.” Antonio blew us off. “I need to talk to the second director about tonight’s shoot. Make sure you’re both on set in thirty minutes.”
“He’s such an asshole,” I commented after Antonio had walked away.
“Be careful with what you say,” Billy cautioned.
We were still filming on the main strip and there were tons of onlookers.
“Too many people around right now,” he warned.
I took his advice and buttoned my mouth closed.
***
Filming wrapped up at eleven that night with Antonio addressing the cast and crew.
“Great work, everyone. Have a good weekend off and I will see you all here Monday morning for our last week of filming.”
The cast and crew quickly started to disappear for the weekend. As Billy and I started to leave, Antonio caught up to us.
“Will I be here Monday morning?” he asked, tension clear in his voice.
“If it was up to me, you wouldn’t be here now,” I answered truthfully.
“Good thing it isn’t up to you then,” Antonio snarled.
“Let’s see how Sunday’s meeting goes,” as Billy answered, he wrapped his arm around my waist and pulled me into him. “Right now, all I can think about is getting something to eat and then taking you to bed.”
“Billy.” I pulled away from him slightly. No one other than the Micheletti brothers were aware of our relationship—especially Antonio and the onlookers that were still on the street.
“You two are together?” Antonio asked.
I caught Billy’s glance as the realization of what he had said crossed his face.
“The thing is—” I began to explain, but Antonio cut me off.
“I’m not surprised. In fact, it was only a matter of time before you two ended up together.”
“Explain what you mean by that,” I harshly accused.
Antonio stared at me before responding, as if he was carefully calculating what to say next.
“I meant nothing by it. Just that you two are made for each other.”
Another sarcastic comment.
“Try again,” I demanded, he was such an ass, I knew what he was thinking but I wanted him to say it. That way I wouldn’t feel guilty for having Tony hit him again.
Antonio and I had a glare-down before he spoke again.
“Fine,” he spat out. “It’s clear to me, and everyone else in Hollywood, that you can’t get anywhere on your own without Billy. Therefore, it isn’t surprising that you are now sleeping with him. How else are you going to keep his interest?”
Without warning, Billy nailed Antonio in the face with a hard right hook. The shot was so powerful it sent Antonio to the ground and had Tony and Vince scrambling to get across the set to us.
Billy leaned down on one knee over Antonio. “Don’t you ever talk to her like that again, understood?” he hissed through clenched teeth.
Antonio, holding his jaw, icily stared at Billy, apparently shocked at Billy’s maneuver.
“Not that it’s any of your business,” Billy continued in a dangerous undertone, “I’ve been in love with her since the moment I met her, and for you to say shit like that is not only insulting to her, but it offends me as well. I don’t think you are in any position to be giving us your opinion on our relationship. Now, get your ass up and back to your room until we come get you Sunday morning for our little plane ride to Los Angeles.”
Billy stood up and flexed his hand.
“I can get up on my own,” Antonio snapped as Tony and Vince tried to pick him up.
“Take him back to his room,” Billy ordered. “Don’t let him out until Sunday when we leave.”
“Yes, sir, Billy,” Tony answered, taking Antonio by the arm to lead him away.
“Another thing, Antonio,” Billy continued, before they walked away. “Now that you seriously pissed me off, your attendance here Monday morning is definitely not guaranteed.”
Without another word, Antonio left with his two captors.
“You seriously just cold-cocked him in the face, in front of all those people standing over there.” I was impressed, I knew Al was going to have a hissy fit once the videos started appearing online but still impressed.
“Yes, I did.” Billy shook the hand he had used, looking a little pained.
“I’m jealous, I would’ve loved to have taken him down like that.”
“Next time you hit him then. Christ, that really hurt. I hit him harder than I meant to.”
I took his hand in mine and I lightly kissed the purple bruising that had already started to form.
“Does that make it better?” I asked in a sultry voice.
“It’s a good start, but you realize we are still in public and people are watching.”
“Oops.” I dropped his hand and pushed him playfully, hoping people would think we were just joking around.
***
“Chicken parmigiana,” Sonny commented as he joined Billy and me at the hotel restaurant table. “Must have been a good day on set.”
“Just at the end of the day,” I slyly answered, smiling at Billy.
“Oh God,” Sonny complained, scrunching up his face. “This isn’t a sex thing, is it?”
“No,” Billy and I said at the same time.
“I cracked Antonio in the face.” Billy explained what had happened, shaking out his bruised hand.
“Well deserved,” Sonny commented, and then changed the subject. “We need to meet the plane on the tarmac at six Sunday morning. I want us to fly out of here under the radar. We fly into a private airfield outside of L.A., where a private car will be waiting for us to take us to the studio.”
“Good, that gives me enough time to go home and check things out,” I added, taking a bite of my chicken.
“No, you can’t,” Billy quickly responded. “No one can know that we are there.”
“Exactly,” Sonny agreed. “We will be ghosts on Sunday. Private planes, airfields, and cars with tinted, blacked out windows. Nobody can see us.”
“It sounds like we are doing a special CIA mission,” I complained. “Which one of you is James Bond?”
Both men looked at me with a disgusted look on each of their faces.
“James Bond didn’t work for the CIA,” Billy told me with disdain.
“Yeah,” Sonny agreed in the same scandalized tone.
“Holy geez, forgive me, I had no idea,” I responded, in a sarcastic, defensive tone. My phone began to ring.
“You guys have been so good lately,” Al started after I had answered the phone. “I was actually getting other work done.”
“What did you hear?” I desperately asked, afraid Billy and mine’s relationship had been publicized. We weren’t ready for the press and public to know yet.
“There’s a video of Billy punching the director in the face, currently going viral, online.”
“Already?” I was astounded, I knew it would happen but I didn’t think it would get out there that fast.
“Welcome to the twenty-first century.”
Chapter Twenty-Four
Bright and early Sunday morning we were all whisked to a private airfield outside of Las Vegas, no where near the International Airport.
In attendance were Sonny, Benny, Tony, Vince, a severely bruised Antonio, Billy, myself, and two pilots. The pilots were apparently either good friends with the Micheletti brothers or on their payroll.
“Nice face,” I sarcastically teased Antonio.
“Thanks, it’s all your work.”
“No, sweetheart.” I rounded on him as he climbed the plane stairs behind me. “Both times you did it to yourself with that mouth of yours.”
“Don’t talk to her anymore.” The normally silent Tony smacked Antonio on the back of the head. “I don’t want to have to blacken your face anymore than it already is.”
Antonio brooded as I turned around and finished ascending into the plane.
The private plane was a plush, glamorous perk of being a movie star, and a friend of the Micheletti’s. It was elegantly decorated in tans and creams with oversized La-Z-Boy chairs and soft leather sofas.
Sonny and Benny were already seated in a couple of the chairs, Sonny reading a newspaper and Benny with his head back and his eyes closed.
“What? No breakfast?” I asked, I was starving and had expected them to provide breakfast.
Sonny looked up from his paper. “It’s a forty-minute flight.”
“Yeah, so? I’m still hungry.”
“You’re always hungry,” Sonny shot back.
“Okay, enough, you two,” Billy chided as he came through the door behind Vince.
Tony shoved Antonio down on the couch and then sat beside him.
I took a chair across from the couch and Billy took the chair beside me.
“Frank,” Sonny yelled towards the cockpit.
“Yes, sir, Mr. Micheletti.” A tall gentleman, professionally dressed as a pilot, came out of the front of the plane.
“We’re all here. We can go any time you are ready.”
“Yes, sir.” Frank, tipped his hat and closed the outside plane door. “Just a couple of more checks and we will be off.”
“Thanks, Frank,” Sonny answered, but never once had he looked up from his newspaper.
The disdain I felt about Sonny’s arrogant, flippant attitude towards the pilot and how he treated him must have shown on my face.
“Don’t start,” Billy quietly warned.
“But, he’s so rude—” I started to protest.
“I don’t care, it’s too early to be listening to you and him bickering.” Billy cut me off. “Plus, you’re hungry, so you’re extra cranky.”
I rolled my eyes at him, but didn’t say another word. I didn’t want to admit that he was right about me being more cantankerous when I was hungry.
After the pilots finished their pre-flight checks we were finally off.
An hour later, we landed in a private airfield outside of Los Angeles, about forty minutes away from the studio.
“Good,” I excitedly said as we moved quickly from the plane into a black SUV with black-tinted windows. A very formidable-looking vehicle.
“What are you so happy about?” Sonny questioned as the truck doors closed and we slowly began to drive off the tarmac.
“We have enough time to get some food. I’m starving.”
“Elizabeth, we don’t have time to stop and eat,” Sonny scolded.
“Why not?” I challenged. “We don’t have to be at the studio for a while yet.”
“Elizabeth.” Billy gently took my hand in his. “Can you please have some patience? We have a lot to get done before the meeting.”
“Oh.” I finally understood. “I guess I can wait.” I smiled at Billy as we laced our fingers together and kissed.
“I always knew you two would end up together,” Benny began to say. “But the PDA is too much.”
“PDA?” I asked, confused.
“Public Display of Affection,” Benny explained. “Now, stop it.”
“One kiss? Really? That’s too much?” I inquired.
“If that bugs you,” Billy added, “good thing you didn’t see what I did to her last night.”
I laughed as Benny scrunched up his face and Sonny shook his head, this was beginning to be a fun game to play, just to see their reactions.
“How much longer until we get there?” I asked after we had been on the road a while.
“Almost there, Miss. Stanfield,” the driver pleasantly called back.
“Not that I’m questioning your methods or intentions.” Antonio spoke for the first time since we had left Las Vegas. “But what is your plan for today?”
Sonny, who was sitting directly behind Antonio, stared at the back of his head for a few beats before responding.
“Why do you ask?”
“I’m just wondering what your plan is. Are you just going to go in there and start shooting or at least give them a chance to explain?” Antonio asked.
“Shooting? What do you think this is?” Sonny questioned.
“A mob hit, or are you telling me that you don’t plan on killing them?” Antonio honestly questioned without any hesitation.
“The thought never entered my mind,” Sonny replied with a fake innocent tone.
I almost laughed at the scene, but held it in, trying not to piss off Sonny. I knew Sonny well enough to know that he had every intention of someone getting hurt for falsely accusing his family of organizing a hit.
“Yeah, okay,” Antonio said, sounding as if he didn’t believe Sonny either.
A little while later, we entered the studio lot. The guard on the main gate was clearly on Sonny’s payroll as we didn’t have to slow down. He opened the gate and waved us through as soon as he saw us approaching.
Our car rounded the main office building and slunk around to the back entrance to where deliveries were made. There were two more black SUVs with tinted windows parked there and six more men that resembled Tony and Vince in size and clothing style.
“More friends of yours?” I asked Sonny after we had all gotten out of the car.
“It never hurts to have extra insurance,” he answered with a wink.
The six men joined us on the walkway near the back door.
“What’s the situation?” Sonny asked one of the new members of our crew.
“Security guard at the front door reception area is one of our guys. Elena had asked only one guard to be present today. We made sure it was our guy,” the largest of the six men explained. “The security cameras have all been turned off, as are all the alarms. We did a body heat scan of the building and there is no one else in there except for our guard out front.”
“Elena and Cal aren’t here yet?” Billy asked.
“Not yet,” the largest man answered. I figured he must have been the leader. “The guard at the front desk will let us know when they get here.”
“Here’s the deal,” Sonny began to instruct the group. “Get these cars out of here.” He pointed to the drivers then turned to the six newbies, whose names we were not told. It was probably for the best that way. “I want two of you back here, one out front with the guard, but stay out of sight. Everyone else, we go up to Elena’s office and wait for them.”
Two men stayed at the back door but hid themselves as the rest of us went inside the building. All of us put gloves on before going through the door, except for Antonio. Once inside, one more guy left us and went to his station at the front of the building. The rest of us piled into one of the service elevators.
“You guys really don’t fuck around, do you?” Antonio commented after the elevator doors closed. “Have I told you how much I respect and admire all of you? I hope we can remain friends after today.”
Antonio stood at the back of the elevator crunched between his constant captors.
Billy, Sonny, Benny, and I all turned around to him.
“I’m serious,” Antonio continued. “I never realized you guys were the real deal. I thought you were just screwing around and acting like tough guys, but this is seriously an impressive mission.”
None of us responded. We just turned back to facing the doors of the elevator, and watched the numbers climb to the twenty-first floor. If he thought flattery was going to change his fate, he was surly mistaken.
We reached Elena’s office floor. The only noise that could be heard was the ticking of a clock on the wall. We moved soundlessly from the elevator down the hall. Once inside her office, the three look-a-likes began checking every nook and cranny.
“What are they doing?” Antonio asked.
I realized Antonio was sweating and fidgety. He must have been nervous.
“They are searching for listening devices,” Sonny answered after the men gave the okay sign that everything was clear.
“Do you really think Elena is smart enough to plant listening devices?” Antonio questioned.
“I don’t really know what she’s capable of,” Sonny answered sharply. “She’s proven she’s intelligent enough to pull off an attempted murder and almost pin it on us.”
“She wasn’t smart enough to know we would figure it all out, though,” I quickly added.
Sonny’s phone vibrated. He picked it up, but said nothing and shut it off again.
“They’re on their way up, and they are alone,” he said as he put the phone back in his pocket.
Vince closed the office door again as we took our positions.
Tony and Vince stood on either side of Antonio to the right of the door so they were the first to be seen by Elena and Cal.
The three look-a-likes stood to the left of the door, making them invisible when the door was opened. Billy and I stood in front of Elena’s desk with Sonny and Benny on Billy’s right-hand side.
I heard the ding of the elevator arriving at our floor; my stomach clenched with nerves. Not because I feared what was going to happen, but because I wasn’t sure how I would react when I saw them. I wanted to smash Cal’s face with a brick, and I wanted to rip Elena’s eyes out. However, I had to control my anger and let Sonny take the lead.
Elena and Cal were quietly talking as Elena opened the door.
“Oh,” she said, startled. “Antonio, I didn’t know you were here already and I see you have friends.” She was looking at Tony and Vince, seemingly unaware of our presence further in the room.
Antonio’s eyes flickered in our direction, which tipped Elena off to look our way.
“What are you doing here?” Cal angrily queried.
With both Elena and Cal in the room, one of the look-a-likes closed the door and stood guard across it, with his arms over his massive chest.
Cal looked around at all of us. “I see the whole gang is here.”
“To what do we owe the pleasure of having all of you here?” Elena arrogantly asked.
“We want to ask you a few questions.” Sonny took the lead in responding.
“Questions for what?” Cal angrily inquired.
“Really?” I bitterly burst out. “You really can’t figure that out?” Just the sight of him made me feel a homicidal rage, but his snarky tone and pompous attitude put me over the edge.
“Elizabeth,” Sonny calmly interjected. “Let me handle this, please.” He turned to Elena and Cal. “At what point did you think we would allow you to get away with the little prank you tried to pull?”
“What prank?” Cal irritably reacted. “You tried to kill my girlfriend, and successfully killed my unborn child,” he accused stupidly.
Billy put his head down and began to laugh quietly.
“That’s a very serious accusation that I don’t take lightly.” Sonny’s calm tone turned dangerous.
“Well, it’s true,” Cal was losing but he kept trying. “What are you laughing at?” he directed at Billy.
“I knew you were an imbecile,” Billy smiled as he spoke. “But I didn’t realize until just now how incredibly stupid you really are. Only a true idiot would, first, publicly accuse the Micheletti family for a crime they didn’t commit, then when confronted about it, actually try and blame them to their faces.” Billy laughed. “Boy, you are a loser.”
“Fuck you, Billy,” Cal shot back. “If I’m a loser then you’re an even bigger one.”
“How’s that?” Billy’s laugh was gone and his jaw clenched.
“You use these guys to get you things you want or need,” Cal spat out. “You don’t realize that for every favor they do for you that you are indebted to them. You’re in so deep you have no way of ever getting out. Now, you’ve pulled Elizabeth in and she too is stuck in the trap. No, my friend, I’m not the loser here. At least I’m free, and owe nothing to anybody.”
“Really?” Billy challenged. “What did you promise Elena for her help in Brianna’s accident?”
Cal took a step back at Billy’s question, like Billy had hit a nerve.
“He owes me nothing,” Elena responded for Cal.
“You’re saying he owes you absolutely nothing for your help in his crazy plan?” Billy questioned Elena directly.
“To get back at you was my only reward.” Elena glared at Billy as she spoke. “For the way, you strung me along and then dropped me as soon as she had a meltdown about something.”
“I didn’t have a meltdown,” I cut in. “I was having a hard time, and my friend wanted to help me.”
“Yes, at my expense.” Elena stabbed me with a fierce stare. “You always get what you want so easily. I had to work hard to get to where I am today. You wouldn’t know how to do that.”
Billy and I laughed together; the Micheletti brothers joined in as well, leaving Elena, Cal, and Antonio gaping at us all.
“You think you got the studio head job on your own merits?” I snickered.
“Of course I did,” Elena shot back.
“No, you didn’t,” Billy answered, shaking his head. “You got the job because Elizabeth thought you could be easily manipulated into giving us anything we wanted. I put in a request with the Micheletti brothers here, who used their influence to get you hired.”
Elena turned to Billy with wide eyes and her mouth open in shock.
“You used me?” she stumbled, realization coming across her face that she was duped.
“Yes,” Billy coldly answered. “Elizabeth knew you had a thing for me and that we could use it to our advantage. So, we did.”
“We didn’t know that you were a complete bitch, though,” I added.
Elena looked to the floor for a moment and seemed to falter, but then raised her head and put her shoulders back. She looked from Billy to me. “Now I’m even happier that I helped Cal with his plan. It would’ve worked too if Sonny didn’t have friends inside the Los Angeles police force.”
“I don’t have any friends, informants, or anyone on the inside of any police force,” Sonny informed her. “It’s far too risky.”
“Then how did they not arrest any of you?” Elena asked, clearly no longer making any qualms that they had tried to kill Brianna.
“Because we all had strong, confirmable alibis,” I answered sharply. “You really should’ve done your homework and made sure none of us could be accounted for at the time of the accident.”
“What alibis?” Cal asked, sounding like he was taking mental notes.
“For one,” I explained. “There was a major boxing fight in Vegas that night. Obviously, two casino owners would be in attendance. Secondly, there are cameras everywhere. Unquestionably one of them would have caught both Billy and me at the time in question. Really, you two need to smarten up with these things,” I sarcastically finished.
“Oh, right, like you’re any better,” Cal came back angrily. “You wouldn’t be able to pull anything like that off, or like this for that matter, without the Micheletti’s. You’re nothing but a brainless, spineless, bad in bed princess.”
My anger flared, but before I lunged across the room to smash his face, Billy put his arm around my waist to keep me in place.
“Bad in bed?” Billy asked. “She rocks my world. Maybe it was you that sucked and she was just going through the motions. How many times did you fake it with him?” he asked me as he kissed me tenderly on the lips.
“Every single time,” I responded, nose to nose with Billy, and I kissed him again. “But with you-”
“We don’t need to hear the rest of that,” Benny cut me off.
“You two are together?” Elena and Cal asked at the same time.
“Yes.” Billy kissed me again. “Finally.”
“Okay, enough,” Sonny broke in. “I’m done with all this chit chat. What do you want to do here?” he asked me and Billy who were still nose to nose about to kiss again.
“Enough of that already.” Benny came around behind the desk and smacked Billy on the back of the head.
“What do you mean, what you are going to do?” Cal stammered. “You aren’t planning on hurting us, are you?”
“Cal, you really are stupid,” Elena chastised him. “Why else would they be here? The only way these people, know how to fight is to corner their prey and then torture them.”
I moved away from the desk and stood in front of Elena and Cal.
“Don’t worry, Elena, there won’t be any torturing,” I menacingly said.
“Elizabeth,” Sonny inquired behind me. “What do you want us to do?”
“Why are you asking her?” Elena cross-examined. “She’s not in charge, Billy is, and he won’t hurt me. Billy, I promise, if you spare me, I will do anything you want. Anything.”
“Sorry, darling, I’m not in charge.” Billy nodded in my direction.
Elena locked eyes with me. “You can’t possibly oversee all this, you’re too weak.”
I smiled—not just a normal run-of-the-mill smile. A grin even the devil himself would have been afraid of.
“You see me as weak?”
Neither Elena nor Cal responded.
“Good,” I continued. “I’m glad you both, and Antonio, underestimated me.” I looked towards our very silent director, then faced Cal. “This means the veil is working, if even you didn’t know for the two years we were together.”
“Didn’t know what?” Cal asked, sounding genuinely confused.
“Elena, Cal, Antonio,” Billy said in a calm, almost friendly voice. “I’d like to you to meet the real Elizabeth.” He paused briefly. “Elizabeth Micheletti.”