Lani

I woke up in the middle of the night, well morning, at around 3 and saw that the menu screen for RENT was on and Justin was lying on his stomach, peacefully, fast asleep, I guess I was more tired than I thought because I usually make it to the scene where Angel first comes in as a Drag Queen… Damn. I climbed out of bed and trekked my way into the kitchen lazily to grab a drink when I heard a noise behind me that made me turn around, dropping the cup of iced tea I had just poured.

“Who the fuck are you?” I couldn’t make out who was sitting at the kitchen table but it initially looked like the asshole from my door the other day.

“How come your dad hasn’t called me Melania?”

“Do I look like I get involved with the shit my dad does? I’m sure you have someone’s number to get in contact with him, pick up the phone. Wait, you look like a dumb one, let me do it for you.” I reached for the cordless phone hanging on the wall next to me when I felt him hovering over me.

“Stop trying to play some tough bitch. I will tear you apart little girl, don’t get it twisted. I told you to tell your father and apparently you didn’t so now you’re going to have to pay.” He grabbed a fistful of my hair before I could reach for Rae’s gun that I knew she kept behind the refrigerator. I completely forgot Justin was in the house until he yanked hard on the hair he was holding and I screamed out in terror when he started to grope all over me.

“Let her go.” The both of us turned from fighting against each other to look towards the doorway at Justin, who just happened to have my Glock at eye level with himself. If it weren’t for the fact that I thought I was about to die I would have let him know how fucking sexy he looked, but there was no time for that.

The both of them exchanged weird glances before the mystery dickhead let g of my hair and glared at me.

“Tell Gio I’m looking for him this time bitch.” He whispered and then looked towards Justin who still held the gun in position and aimed it at him as he stomped his way out of the apartment. As soon as I heard the door slam shut I broke down where I was standing and bawled like I was 7 and just saw my dog get hit by a car.

“Are you okay?” I heard the gun make contact with the table as he ran over lock the door and make his way back over to me.

“Just a little shook up, I’ll be fine.”

“Who the fuck was that and what the hell did you do to piss him off?” He picked me up and carried me back to my bedroom and tucked me in bed before getting in after. I’m a horrible liar, so I don’t know how I managed to weasel my way out of answering his question; I just stared at the TV with the tears still flowing not saying a word and he let it go. I had never imagined Justin to be the sympathetic type, but I was proven wrong when he left my room and came back with a glass of water, Tylenol, and a warm wash cloth to wipe my tear stained face with.

“You should sleep Justin, you have to work in a few hours.”

“It’s alright, I can just work from here.”

“Here?”

“Do you think I’m leaving you after that shit just happened. You should really call the cops Lani. What if that asshole decides to come back when you’re home alone? How did he get in anyway?”

“I forgot to lock the door when we came back from my dad’s. It’s fine, really.” I wish that were true; I wish I knew for sure that everything was okay…

That day, and many days after, Justin spent the majority of the day in his makeshift office that he set up in the living room working on a rough draft of a building design while I did some last minute finishing touches around the apartment. Overall it was a pretty peaceful day despite what had happened during the night and we got along well and I was kept together. But at around 2 that afternoon I was getting my ‘Passions’ fix in the living room while Justin worked next to me when my cell phone started ringing.

“Ciao.”

“Melania it’s Daddy.”

“Hey what’s going on Babbo?” He couldn’t have landed in Italy yet so why was he calling me?

“I got a phone call early this morning when I was on my way to JFK from Mrs. Esposito…” God damn why did my dad have to know people everywhere I went. While the whole fiasco was going down I forgot that my dad’s good friend lived next door and most likely heard everything that went on, right down to me crying my eyes out while Justin pretty much rocked me back to sleep.

“And?”

“What happened last night Melania? She called me a week or two ago and said she saw a man with his hands around your throat out in the hallway and I figured I’d give you time to tell me but I’ve heard nothing about it. And then at 5 in the morning I get a call from her saying she heard a lot of screaming coming from next door and then she heard you crying all night. I’ve given you enough time to spill, now tell me what the hell is going on.” I looked at Justin who was staring intensely at the drafting he was doing before getting up and walking out onto the fire escape and closing the window behind me. I told my dad everything that happened in those two days, right down to me calling Carmine and telling him what happened. If it were anyone else that I spoke to I wouldn’t have ratted them out, but my dad trusted Carmine and he knew that there was a good reason for not telling him, the reason being the second I took a breath from telling everything my dad was irate. I’ve heard him say some pretty vulgar things that he plans on doing to people who fuck with him, but I’ve never heard him get that bad before.

“Dad I have to go, I have company.” This calmed him down and I could imagine his ears perking up like one of the dog’s that we have.

“Did Justin stay the night?”

“Not that it’s any of your business yes, he did.”

“Ah, so he was the other male voice she heard in your apartment. Well he doesn’t know anything right?”

“Si, he’s clueless. Hey shouldn’t you be on a plane now?”

“I sent Nonno back with Uncle Tony instead. I’ve got some investigating to get into. Listen I gotta go, Gianni and I were going to go play a game of golf. Be careful Melania and do me a favor and only leave that apartment when you have to.”

“You got it, and tell your nosy ass friend to mind her damn business once in a while.” I was hoping he couldn’t hear the eye roll and sarcasm in my voice.

“I’m going to ignore that vulgar language coming from your mouth. Ti amo principessa.”

“Oh yeah right, don’t think I didn’t hear you mumbling all that crazy shit under your breath before Daddy. Ti amo Babbo, tell my boy I say hey.”

I knew at that point things were about to get complicated. For some reason I was beginning to actually like the idea of Justin being around, but I was missing the fact that I hadn’t really spoken to Dom in weeks (when I was so used to speaking to him everyday). Not only were things about to get complicated in my love life (or lack thereof), I knew that shit was about to hit in the fan in the secret world my dad lived in; you don’t fuck with someone’s kid when you have a problem with them, that’s a big no-no in the mafia world. Whoever was behind the stunt that was pulled was about to be in for a rude awakening and I didn’t want to be around when that happened.

Justin

I was livid at the fact that my dad had my Uncle Connor just barge into her house like that and man handle her in the way he did; yeah that’s right, the guy who basically broke into Lani’s house and attempted to make an example out of her was my Uncle Connor. I was hoping that she didn’t noticed the looks we exchanged when I first got to the kitchen, I had no idea that my dad was being so serious about using her as bait. The moment I could get away from my designs and make sure that Lani was cool to be alone for an hour or two I drove my ass over to 5th Ave where my dad lived and stormed up to the penthouse.

“Justin, just the man I was looking for.” My dad stood up to pull me in a hug but I pushed him away and shot daggers with my eyes over at his men who sat in the corner.

“Don’t touch me.”

“Uncle Connor here tells me that he walked in on you and a lady friend the other night. How come we weren’t aware that you were dating again Jay?”

“Didn’t think it was important, and I’m not dating her.”

“So you just walk around with barely any clothes on at random girl’s houses?” How the hell did he know I was barely dressed? Again I looked over at the idiots in the corner and gave my uncle the finger; I never liked him anyway.

“Number one, who the hell sleeps with all of their clothes on and number two why the fuck was he even there?”

“Listen son, I know you’re probably happy with Melania and everything, I don’t doubt that she’s treating you right, but you shouldn’t get anywhere near this; don’t get involved with her right now Justin.”

“Do you know what he was doing to her when I walked in there?” My dad just stared and didn’t say a word. “From what it looked like from where I was standing it looked like your brother was about to try to rape her, I mean with the way his dirty hands were all over her body and whatnot. Was I supposed to let that shit happen just because you and her father don’t get along? Get real Dad, that’s a 23 year old girl, not woman, you guys are scaring shitless all because your idiot goons fucked with her father’s business first. Call me when you get a grip.” And with that I left the penthouse without saying anything else to anyone in the house.

For the first time in a few days I went back to my condo to just relax while I knew Lani was calm; I still had an hour until I told her I would be back so I cleaned up a bit and laid in my own bed. Just as I was dozing off I heard Trace’s annoying ass whistling fill our silent abode so I got up out of bed and made my way down the stairs and into the entry way.

“What the hell happened to you?” The good thing about best friends is that they’ll always tell you when you look like shit.

“It’s been a rough week man. I’ve gotten like 10 hours of sleep, tops, in the past 4 nights.” We both sat down on opposite couches while we talked.

“What happened?”

“Just some shit with Lani so I’ve been staying there. Someone broke in there the other night after we had gotten back from dinner at her dad’s and I walked in on him roughing her up a bit. She’s basically not leaving their apartment and if she does she won’t go alone. And I’ve been working out of their house getting my drafts done for that new hotel project down in DC I got assigned to. I’m supposed to be back there in a little while but if Rae’s home I’ll just get my shit later.”

“Wait, someone broke in there? Who was it, did you guys call the cops?”

“Yeah everything is cool now.”

“And dude, Rae’s not there, I dropped her off at the train station on my way back here. But when we swung by her apartment so she could bring all of her bags up she mentioned that Dominic’s truck was parked out front.” It was definitely only…oh shit I hadn’t even realized it was Friday.

“Well then I should be getting over there to pick up my shit then.”

“Someone’s a little jealous.”

“Me? What is there to be jealous of, Lani and I are only friends.”

“Yeah but you want to hit that. We’ve been friends since diapers Justin, I know when you want someone, and you my friend want Lani.”

“Whatever.”

So maybe I did want her, and if Trace knew it maybe it was obvious to her too…I did end up going over to her apartment to pick up my stuff and Dominic was there when I walked in, holding her as she cried to him.

“Hey Justin.” I heard her sob as I walked through the door.

“Hey, I’m just here to get my stuff.” I looked over at Dominic and forced a smile and then looked down at Lani who was lying with her head on his chest.

“You’re leaving?” I don’t see why it was a big deal if I were leaving or not, she had company.

“Yeah, I got called into my office. A deal fell through with one of my colleagues and I need to go handle damage control with my boss. I’ll bring you to work later if you still want me to.”

“Thanks. I’ll give you a call in a little while.”

“Alright, you two have fun.” And with that I walked out of her apartment. I shouldn’t have cared that he was there; I shouldn’t have cared that I just had the best week of my life with this girl and now I was nothing the second Dominic came around, but I did.