Mafia King's Obsession

FRAN'S POV

I thought I wouldn't be able to sleep when I returned home, but it turns out when you're trying to avoid the consequences of your actions and forget how foolish you've been, you can do just anything - sleeping being one of them. 

In the midst of the sounds of the waking city, I closed my eyes to sleep, forcing thoughts about Luca Castello out of my mind. I even had to push thoughts of my sister to an unexplorable corner of my mind, not because I didn't love my sister but because thoughts of Luca kept poking through my concern for my sister. After all, she was the reason I had gone to him in the first place. 

When I finally woke up from the most uneventful sleep of my life, I dragged myself out of bed and went to stand before the mirror in the bathroom. 

Who was the stranger looking back at me? 

I didn't recognize her. Would my mother or father recognize the woman I have become? Would they understand the things I've had to do to survive without them? Were they disappointed in my inability to protect my sister? 

The urge to cry was strong, but my tears were dried up. So many years have passed, so many tears shed. Now was not the time to be weak. I had to stand strong for my sister. Whatever trouble she's gotten herself into, she's still my little sister. Whatever I do, I do for her. She's my only family. 

I sucked in a breath and released it slowly. I would have to face the day and doing so meant that I could not escape Keith and the questions he would ask. I wasn't prepared, but I was ready to let him know that his judgments, whatever they were, were insignificant. If I had to sell my soul to the devil to keep my sister safe and alive, I would. 

I moved into LA as a naive girl of 15. I avoided the girls who lined the streets at all hours of the day and ignored the DMs of predators who promised better living conditions if I joined what they called their "modeling agencies".

I know you're not as naive as I was, so you know as well as I do that they didn't belong to no modeling agencies. They were escorts. Girls who served wealthy men with every hole and inch of their bodies in exchange for a lavish lifestyle. I'm not one to judge anymore, but I'm not stupid either. I understand that greed plays a big role in the choices we make, but I'm also very much aware that choices are limited when your means of survival is threatened. 

My sister is my life, my only surviving family. If I would be judged for trying to save her, then so be it. 

I heaved a sigh at my reflection in the mirror, the action caused my breasts to swell above the heart-shaped neckline of my night chemise, bringing the darker brown spot on my right breast to view. I touched it, instantly taken back to Luca's hard sucking on it when he woke me up again in the early hours of the morning. 

My heart beat quickened beneath my fingers. 

"No," I chuckled bitterly to myself, shaking my head as I took my eyes off my reflection in the mirror. "You're not going to think about that. Last night was a necessity. You've paid the price, now is the time to move on and hope for the best."

I ended up washing my face in the kitchen. Here the only reminder of what happened last night was the dull ache between my legs, but even that was ignored when I made coffee, drank the first cup and made myself another before turning toward my tiny fridge for some eggs for breakfast. 

I had just placed the eggs on the cracked slab when my phone began to ring. Crossing the small hallway between the kitchen and the living room, I retrieved my phone from my purse and swallowed a groan when I saw who it was calling. 

A video call at 9 in the morning. 

"Hmm, if you are up this early then you didn't do it then?" Were Daniela's first words. 

I started to reply when she looked up from whatever she was doing, looked at my face and squealed. 

"My God, you look like hell! What did Luca do to you?" She laughed. 

"Nothing," I bit out through my teeth. 

"Don't tell me nothing. Your eyes are swollen baby, you look like you've barely gotten any sleep today. And is that a hickey I see on your neck?"

I fought the urge to pull the strap of my chemise to my neck. Not that it was any good. It wouldn't hide anything, but it would confirm that there was indeed a hickey on my neck. Guess I'll have to put a spoon in the fridge later. 

"Why are you calling so early, Danny. Shouldn't you be sleeping? I know you worked late last night."

"Yeah, well, I called you over and over, but you weren't answering. I had to make sure my best friend was safe, you know. Now tell me, what happened?"

Nothing that I wanted to tell her, that's for sure. And it wasn't because she thought I was uptight or virtuous, but I just didn't want to talk about it because I didn't want to be delusional.

What happened last night was a business transaction. Sure, it awakened things I thought were long dead and dry, but that's it. It cannot repeat itself. The last thing I wanted was my mind making up scenarios of what might be when Luca could be in bed with another helpless woman fucking every hole in her until she cried his name and her voice turned hoarse. 

Limerence is what they call it. 

Nope, I will not go down that path. 

"Come on," My best friend pouted, "Don't keep the juicy details to yourself."

"Stop it!" I snapped, my voice harder than I intended for it to be. "Last night with Mr. Castello was not a ride in the park, Daniela, you know why I had to do it. This is not about me. My sister is missing!"

I felt a twinge of regret for being so snappy with her, but she needed the reminder just as much as I did about why I had gone to Castello in the first place. 

Daniela was a little contrite, she sucked air through her teeth. 

"You're right. You're right."

I sighed. For now, she won't ask, but the wicked glint in her eyes indicated that the topic wasn't over yet. I suppressed a smile, rubbing a hand over my face to relax my facial muscles. 

Just then, there was a knock on my door. Hard and forceful. 

I held my breath. I wasn't expecting anyone. I barely had any visitors since I didn't have time for a social life and Faith knew better than to invite her friends here. It wasn't just that I wouldn't approve of them, I didn't want them turning my house into some kind of den. 

So, as I stood there looking at the door, I breathed slowly to slow my heart beat. 

"Who's it?" Daniela whispered, leaning close to her phone as if she could see past the borders of our call to my door. 

"I don't know," I whispered back. "Let me go see." For safety's sake, I grabbed my new cup of coffee. It was still hot. 

"Be careful," Daniela called. 

I stopped a few feet away from the door and called out, "Who is there?"

"Fran open the door. It's me!"

"Keith?"

"Yeah."

Dropping the mug carefully on the floor, I made my way to the door and opened it. He breezed in even before I could open it wide enough for him to come through, his eyes darting around my apartment like he was looking for something. 

I stood with my hands on my waist and waited until his gaze returned to me. 

"Well, good morning to you too," I muttered sassily. 

Frowning, his eyes narrowed on my face and then very predictably drifted down to the sheer material of my chemise, his brown eyes darkening with desire until he saw the hard raise of my brow. 

He cleared his throat, his eyes now at the hickey on my neck. He looked like he was going to spurt some angry words and I dared him with my eyes to go ahead.

Clearing his throat again he eventually settled for, "You look like hell."

"I already said good morning, you don't have to repeat it," I said crisply, moving away from the closed door to walk past him. 

At least he had the grace to look remorseful. "I'm sorry. Good morning. You look like... You didn't sleep." His jaw tightened. "You went to him, didn't you? You went with Luca Castello."

"I already told you I would," I shot back at him, angry that he was taking such a tone on me. 

"To talk, to beg for his help. You don't go to a man's house overnight to talk unless you're on your knees. And you know damn well you weren't on your knees to beg him!"

I slapped him. Hard across the face that my palm stung. 

"Don't you dare, Keith. You're like family to me and that's the reason I'm not throwing you out on your ass right now but, I will not tolerate insults from you. Faith's been missing for two weeks. You've done nothing to help me find her. Now don't stand there and judge me."

The slap barely moved him even though he held his face in his hand. He dropped his hand, his voice softer now. "You don't know what you're doing, Fran."

"I know what I'm doing!"

"No you don't! The powers at play are more than you think they are! I talked to a friend last night and he..."

My eyes flew to the table where my phone sat. "Excuse me."

I walked over to grab the phone, hitting the cup of coffee on the way. The mug landed with a sharp sound on the floor, spilling black coffee that burned my foot when I stepped in it. Wincing, I hopped over and grabbed my phone. 

"Hey, are you alright?" Daniela asked. 

"Yes it was just Keith. Listen, let me call you later."

"Daniela?" Keith called out, hoping over the spilled coffee. "Did you know she was going to sleep with Castello? Did you tell her to do that?"

I shot Keith a dark look. Daniela made a face. 

"What's his problem?"

I sighed. "Look, I'll call you back, okay?"

"Yeah sure."

I cut the call and threw my phone on the couch. "Keith enough."

"Fran, you need someone to talk to you. Daniela is not that person. I know her. I see the way she eyes the patrons at the club."

"She's employed to entice them, to tempt them to stay and keep drinking, that's her job. She had nothing to do with my decisions or actions last night!"

"So you're saying you came up with the idea yourself? I don't believe you. That's not the Francesca I know."

"Maybe you didn't know me at all."

"You're different, Fran."

I rubbed the space between my brows because I could feel a headache coming on. I didn't want to talk. I didn't want to be questioned by anyone, least of all Keith. The last thing I wanted was someone questioning my actions when they were doing nothing to find my sister. 

"Why are you here Keith? You said you talked to someone."

He took a step toward me, his hands reaching out for me. 

"You're my responsibility, Fran. I promised Jay I would look after you. I can't let anyone take advantage of you."

His hands went around me. It wasn't uncomfortable, but I didn't want to encourage him either. I've seen how he looks at me, how he looked at me even when Jay was still here. Men are simple. A pretty face, a sweet smile and a supple body were all they needed. Give them a chance and they will think they owned you. 

I stepped out of Keith's embrace. "Jay's dead," I said flatly. Sadness covered his eyes but I didn't care. Crossing my arms in front of my chest, I added, "You said you talked to someone."

He sighed but he too stepped back. "I did."

"And? Did you find something?"

"It's not good news."