Diavolo (Devil’s Playground #1)

4. Chapter 4

4

Two months after he left, shit took an abysmal nosedive. Money, as always, plagued Elyse, trapping her anxiety in a nightmarish loop. Elyse could barely sleep even though exhaustion clung to her like a soul-sucking parasite. She ate very little and spent even less on day-to-day expenses, skimping and saving whenever possible.

Before Elyse lost her job at Sawyer Memorial, she was bringing home five figures a month from her six-figure salary. But five figures didn't amount to much after taxes carved out their sizable share. The monthly rent for her shoddy one-bedroom apartment in Queens was nearly $3,000. Bills and expenses averaged out to be $1,000 to $2,000 a month. Elyse owed almost $150,000 of debt in student loans, and the monthly payments ate away another sizable amount of her earnings. Whatever remained of her paycheck always went to Stefano and Mikey. Elyse had only paid off half of her father’s debts so far, and it’d take another four to five years before she was in the clear. The Mancinis were growing impatient, demanding everything within the year. A few months ago, Elyse managed to negotiate a longer grace period. The Mancinis agreed to give her more time to pay back what was owed in exchange for free round-the-clock medical services.

Papá remained in a coma.

For the past year, machines kept Robbie Romero alive, but his mind was dead to the world. Costs to keep him on life support were astronomical even with insurance. The facility prevented him from dying, but maintaining status quo was the best case scenario. As a surgeon, Elyse recognized the harshness of this reality. Papáwasn't going to wake up . She rejected these facts, however, as a daughter. Elyse hadn't pulled the plug because she didn't want to say goodbye. Her heart wasn't ready. Right before his accident, father and daughter had shared one last, gut-wrenching conversation before everything went to hell.

Cree en los milagros, mija.Believe in miracles, my daughter.

Papá always spoke to her in Spanish.

Cambiaré, lo prometo. I will change, I promise.

Robbie had been a professional poker player. In the beginning, he played for himself. Then, he started playing for the mafia. Her father had been a man of contradictions. A devout Catholic and a hopeless gambler. He idolized poker more than anything. Yet, he'd feared for the sanctity of his soul as well.

Planeo expiar todos mis pecados. I plan to atone for all of my sins.

In many ways, Papá had been a terrible parent. His vices controlled him. Evictions and unpaid bills were the norm throughout her childhood. There were many nights when Elyse went to bed hungry. Once she became a teenager, her father would occasionally disappear for a day or two. But he never abandoned her. He always came back. Unlike her mother. From the moment Elyse was born, the woman hadn't wanted any part in their struggle. Papá had been the only one to care for her, and she clung to him because, for years, they depended on each other like the only survivors in a never-ending shipwreck. Guilt plagued Elyse every time she considered letting him go. Excuses kept emerging to delay the inevitable, and hope compelled her to believe in miracles. Maybe Papá just needed one more day. Or one more week. If she waited a little longer, maybe, just maybe, God might open Papá's eyes again and let him fulfill his promises to her.

Before her father's final breath, Elyse vowed to pay back every cent of his debts. This felt like the only way his sins could be cleansed before he met his maker. It wasn't like Stefano and Mikey were giving her a choice in the matter, anyway. Back in the day, Papá borrowed a lot of money from the Mancinis to fuel his gambling addiction and, without Elyse's knowledge, used a portion of it to help pay for her medical school expenses. He lied and told her the money had come from his winnings in various tournaments. In this awful way, Elyse also owed the Mancinis for her career as a surgeon. A fact they never let her forget.

In her younger years, Elyse tried to go to the police. Blindly seeking assistance. Naively begging for protection. Desperate to find a safe way out. Right away, Stefano had destroyed this lifeline by threatening to kill her if authorities got involved. Mikey terrorized his victims through violence, but Stefano preferred mind games. Elyse's pet cat went missing around this time. A few days later, poor Dulce arrived back on Elyse's doorstep. In nine different pieces. Attached to the feline corpse was a note.

From then on, Elyse never adopted another pet and cut ties with friends. She became painfully self-reliant and deeply withdrawn.

After Dr. Schwartz fired her ass, it took two stressful months to secure a new position at the New York Mercy Medical Center. Elyse fell behind on the Mancinis' payments, and Stefano's tolerance thinned by the day. As a coping mechanism, Elyse refused to dwell on what might happen once Stefano lost his patience. Easier said than done. On nights when sleep alluded her, fear overtook everything. Would Stefano order Mikey to make her disappear? Or maybe he preferred doing the dirty work himself. Without Mikey .

Interestingly enough, Elyse noticed that Stefano had been operating as a one-man show as of late. She hadn't caught a glimpse of Mikey since, well, the last time he laid hands on her. His absence was disconcerting even though Elyse didn't miss him at all. On Tuesday, when Stefano dropped by Elyse's apartment for the sixth time that month, alone and Mikey-less, her concern turned into an ominous kind of panic. Something didn’t feel right.

Uneasily, she dared to ask, "You came alone… again?"

Stefano coughed. "Yeah."

"Is Mikey okay? Haven't seen him in a while."

"Mikey, uh, wanted to take some time off," Stefano grunted with a strained look on his face. "Don't worry about him."

Elyse frowned but chose not to stay silent. For a moment, the brown-and-blue-gray-eyed man's words floated through her mind.

I could remove them for you.

Did he have something to do with Mikey's disappearance?

If you wish.

But she hadn't asked him to do anything. And he hadn't reached out to her in the past two months. They became strangers again the moment he left her apartment. He probably already forgot about her. Feeling foolish, Elyse quickly shoved the possibility of his involvement aside. Even though Stefano seemed to be lying about Mikey, the promise of a criminal with two-toned eyes wasn't meant to be taken seriously. Mikey's little vacation, she assured herself, had nothing to do with him. Besides, more important problems needed to be addressed, and the Pendejito's vanishing act was one less thing to worry about. It was, perhaps, the only silver lining to this fucked up cloud that had become her life.

Stefano continued to exploit her day after day. He took and took and took until Elyse felt as though she had nothing left to give. In this cycle of never-ending dread, she carried on with her days. She was teetering on the edge of a breakdown. Elyse acknowledged that her present state of being was too fucked up to be sustainable, but she didn't know how to escape Stefano's clutches. In the past, she'd tried to run from the mafia, moving to three different states and five separate cities, but the Mancinis were too well-connected around the country. Stefano and Mikey always found her in the end.

Despair seized Elyse's spirit. Her mettle was being tested to the point of defeat. No matter how much she wanted to persevere, the cynical realist in Elyse couldn't help recognizing what she had become. A dead woman walking. Right as Elyse was about to give up hope, however, fate intervened unexpectedly. On a hot, humid summer morning in August, she started receiving a slew of calls, voicemails, and emails from a stranger named Elias Schmid. His English carried a distinct German accent. He claimed to be a lawyer based in Geneva. Mr. Schmid told her that he was representing a very wealthy client in need of a private physician.

His client was, supposedly, a prominent shareholder in the Glauser Development Group. GDG for short. GDG was a multimillion-dollar global conglomerate founded in Switzerland. Their companies operated mainly in real estate and pharmaceuticals and had, more recently, expanded into wind energy.

Initially, Elyse ignored the Swiss lawyer and his suspicious job offer. She wrote him off as a nuisance. But Mr. Schmid refused to give up. He kept contacting her every couple of days or so as though it was his life's mission. Fully convinced that he couldn't be trusted, she started digging into his background, expecting to find dozens of red flags. Elyse was shocked when a quick online search revealed Mr. Schmid to be a well-known and respected lawyer in his field. Ten years ago, he graduated top of his class from the University of Zurich. Since then, he'd been specializing in financial law at several elite firms across Europe.

This knowledge lowered her sky-high defenses to a tempered curiosity. In time, Elyse relented and picked up one of his calls. As they spoke on the phone, she quickly discovered that Mr. Schmid was a sharp and savvy man. Elyse kept looking for reasons to hang up on him, but he was persuasive enough to keep her on the line for almost an hour. To her surprise, he didn't waste a second of her time. The lawyer explained that his client was looking for a primary care physician who could perform surgeries on demand. For the most part, the job description fell far below Elyse's level of expertise and training as a trauma surgeon, but the salary was lucrative and, therefore, very enticing. Only one question gnawed at Elyse. Why did Mr. Schmid's client want her , specifically?

At the first opportunity, she addressed the elephant in the room, "Mr. Schmid, I appreciate your confidence in me, but I'm sure there are far more qualified candidates in Europe. I'm only licensed to practice medicine in the US. Why are you reaching out to me?"

Mr. Schmid paused for a moment before answering, "You came highly recommended."

"By who?"

"A close friend of my client."

"May I ask," Elyse demanded, "who recommended me?"

"Such information is confidential," Mr. Schmid replied cryptically, "until you accept the job and sign a non-disclosure agreement."

"I see."

She doubted that Dr. Schwartz had anything nice to say about her. Elyse could only assume this nameless, glowing reference had come from one of her mentors from medical school. Dr. Liu had been fond of her. Or maybe it had been Dr. Notrica? She'd liked her, too.

Mr. Schmid's voice interrupted Elyse's skeptical train of thought. "Please think this through carefully, Dr. Romero. What I am offering you could change your life. All for the better."

A quiet alarm bell sounded in her head. "Sounds too good to be true."

"You will never have to worry about money again."

She couldn't shake the feeling that Mr. Schmid knew more about her financial troubles than he was letting on. With distrust laced in her voice, Elyse requested, "At least, tell me the name of your client. How can I work for someone if I don't know anything about the person?"

"He insists on remaining anonymous until your in-person meeting."

?Qué chingados? What the fuck? She muttered, "Your client doesn't seem suspicious at all."

"I hope you are not being sarcastic."

"Of course not.”

The bite in her tone did nothing to sway Mr. Schmid's resolve. He stood firm. "I sense that you are displeased with me. While your concerns are valid, this matter remains non-negotiable. My client made his expectations very clear to me. If you choose to accept the position, it will, naturally, require a leap of faith on your end. No pressure, though. The ball is entirely in your court."

"I see," Elyse grumbled again. No pressure, her ass. A lawyer of Mr. Schmid's caliber wouldn't be hounding her from halfway across the world if he wasn't trying to strongarm her into accepting his client's offer.

One week later, he sent Elyse a legitimate-looking job offer outlining the strict terms of her employment. Elyse read the contract carefully. She even reached out to an old college friend who was now working as an international corporate lawyer. He reviewed the documents for her, and everything seemed to check out.

Per the terms of employment, Elyse would need to relocate to Zurich, Switzerland. Mr. Schmid promised to help her obtain a work permit and reimburse her travel costs as well as the move overseas.

As a private physician, she would be on call twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week. Elyse wouldn't be allowed to live independently. She'd be required to reside with her new employer.But the location wouldn't be fixed. Apparently, the man owned multiple properties around the world and traveled extensively for business. She'd need to be willing to travel alongside him.

A mandatory medical examination would be scheduled to ensure that she was healthy enough to perform her duties.

Elyse would also be expected to sign an iron-clad NDA. Mr. Schmid informed Elyse that his client was an insanely private man. He wished to shield every aspect of his personal life from the public eye, and his employees were legally bound to protect his privacy no matter what.

The salary tripled what the Mercy Medical Center was offering her, which would be enough to cover her monthly expenses with extra on the side to pay off her father's debts. For the first time in years, Elyse's heart glimmered with hope. She began to feel cautiously optimistic about Mr. Schmid and his enigmatic client. Maybe she could escape from Stefano once and for all. Surely, the Mancinis didn't have eyes and ears in Switzerland as well?

Like a woman possessed, Elyse weighed the pros and cons from every angle. Red flags fluttered along the edges of her conscience, but she ignored each and every one of them. Desperation made her blind. Perhaps, she rationalized, God had finally heard her prayers. Even if He was answering through a devil, the offer from Mr. Schmid was too tempting to turn down.

All she had to do was sign her name on the dotted line.

When Elyse was a child, Papá used to warn her, "No todo lo que brilla es oro, mija."Not everything that shines is gold, my daughter.

Against his advice, Elyse decided to take a leap of faith. There wasn't much to lose. Her life in the States was hell. Papá was a vegetable. The mafia was out for her blood. Shit couldn't get any shittier in Switzerland, right?

Elyse accepted the job offer. Once she sent the signed documents back to Mr. Schmid, the lawyer didn't waste a single second. He secured her passport, visa, work permit, and one-way plane ticket from JFK to ZRH in a matter of weeks. It felt shockingly easy to quit her job and walk away from New York City.

In early September, Elyse prepared to relocate across the pond in a big, scary way. She took care to keep her mouth shut about moving overseas. Mikey was still missing, but Stefano was very much alive. The Pendejo would definitely try to stop her. Elyse only packed the essentials and left behind everything else. Furniture. Kitchen appliances. Most of her clothes and shoes. Just in case Stefano barged in at random and noticed that her apartment was becoming a bit too empty. Material goods were replaceable, but a fresh start was priceless.

The flight from New York City to Zurich spanned nine hours. Elyse landed in Zurich Airport on a crisp, sun-kissed afternoon. The welcoming weather felt like a favorable omen. Nothing but blues skies ahead. Again and again, Elyse assured herself that she made the right decision to come here. An entire ocean now separated her from the Mancinis. Already, Elyse's heart felt lighter, her mood— happier .

A driver came to pick her up in a sleek black Benz. Shortly after Elyse collected her suitcases from baggage claim, they left the airport. Mr. Schmid rang her up around this time. The lawyer informed Elyse that his client was awaiting her arrival at his house, "Nils will take you to him."

"Thank you, Mr. Schmid, for all of your help."

"You are welcome, Dr. Romero."

As Elyse ended the call, the thought of meeting her employer face to face at last sent butterflies flitting through her stomach. From the backseat of the Benz, excitement mounted within. Or was it anxiety? Elyse couldn't be sure. She'd yet to learn of her reclusive employer's actual name. Regardless, Elyse hoped to make a good first impression.

While the vehicle drove toward her destination, Elyse couldn't help peering outside the tinted windows with hope-filled eyes. Zurich was a breathtaking city. Fairytale-like. A land that possessed the best of old-world charm and modern-day niceties. At a distance, the majestic snow-capped peaks of the Swiss Alps to greet her. Lush green meadows and forests rolled alongside the speeding car. Soon, they passed by the city center. Rows upon rows of quaint buildings and houses, inspired by Art Nouveau and neoclassical architecture, lined the banks of the Sihl River.

Half an hour later, they were still driving on the A1 motorway. Not toward Zurich, though. She'd been tracking her location through GPS. According to her phone, she was heading in a completely different direction. A wave of confusion ballooned in Elyse.

"Sorry to bother you, Nils," she addressed her blonde, mustached driver, "but it looks like we're driving away from Zurich. I thought my employer was waiting for me in Zurich?"

"Dr. Romero, we must leave the city," Nils explained, "because he is waiting for you at his chalet. It is in Crans-Montana, which is located about three hours from here."

Green eyes shot wide open. "What?"

The address provided in her employment contract clearly stated that she was supposed to be working out of Zurich for the first month. Not Crans-Montana. Until this very moment, she'd assumed that her employer's house was located in Zurich.

"You may call Mr. Schmid and ask him to clarify," Nils offered, "if you like."

Elyse immediately pulled out her phone and did exactly as the driver suggested. A prickle of alarm crept across her skin, but it seemed too early to panic. There was no need to overreact. Surely, this was a misunderstanding?

Mr. Schmid picked up on the third ring. "What can I do for you, Dr. Romero?"

In a tight voice, she asked, "Why's your driver taking me to Crans-Montana instead of Zurich?"

"Do not fret. My client owns properties in both Zurich and Crans-Montana. He wanted to go skiing this weekend, so he instructed me to send you to the chalet in Crans-Montana instead of his villa in Zurich. I apologize if this caused any confusion."

"You should've told me," Elyse growled softly. "I don't like surprises."

"Once again, apologies for the miscommunication. I assure you, Nils is taking you exactly where you need to go."

With an annoyed expression, Elyse hung up on Mr. Schmid. She tucked her phone back inside her purse only to find herself retrieving it again two seconds later. She messaged the lawyer and requested the address for her employer's second property in Crans-Montana. Mr. Schmid replied within the same minute. Elyse entered the Crans-Montana address into her GPS, tracking every mile as her life depended on it.

Ten minutes later, the car remained on course. Elyse relaxed somewhat, slumping against her seat. Little by little, jet lag descended upon her as they zipped past a large lake through winding mountainous roads. But she didn't dare fall asleep. Elyse knew she needed to stay awake and make sure that Nils was, indeed, driving to the right address and not delivering her to some shady, undisclosed location in the backwoods of the Swiss Alps. To prevent from nodding off, she decided to engage in some small talk with her driver.

"That's a beautiful lake," Elyse remarked as she glanced out the window. "What is it called?"

Nils let out a wry laugh. Her brow furrowed in confusion. Elyse prompted, "What's so funny?"

"Depends on who you ask," he replied. "It is a contentious debate around here. English speakers like to call it Lake Geneva. But you might offend fewer locals if you refer to it by the original French name, Lac Léman ."

Elyse winced slightly. There was so much to learn about Switzerland and its people. She didn't want to be an ignorant foreigner, unknowingly committing faux pas left and right, in this unfamiliar country.

"I'll be sure to remember what you've told me," she murmured. "Thank you, Nils."

Thirty more minutes drifted by before they finally pulled into a long private driveway. A massive house loomed up ahead. Even in a fog of exhaustion, the property's magnificence managed to jolt Elyse from her stupor. Standing three stories high, the chalet sported a traditional and rustic design with richly hued cedar siding panels that stretched horizontally across the exterior. It was topped with a gabled roof and wide eaves. Wooden balconies and large white-framed windows wrapped around each of the three levels while ornate carvings and exposed beams added touches of interest here and there.

Nils parked the car in the garage and got out to assist Elyse with her luggage. They went inside the house together. Upon entry, Elyse felt as though she'd stepped into a luxurious hunting lodge of sorts. Exposed beams ran across a high vaulted ceiling. Beautifully stained wood panels continued to line the walls and the floors. A massive wall-to-ceiling stone fireplace flanked one of the living room walls. Throughout the space, heavy, dark-toned furniture and pieces of contemporary art decorated the bright, airy interior.

An elderly woman with graying blonde hair emerged from the hallway. She looked old enough to be someone's abuela . Grandmother. She introduced herself as Malina, the housekeeper. The older woman's English carried a colorful concoction of British and German and Italian accents. The housekeeper's speech sounded quite worldly to Elyse's ears even though, at times, it was tricky to understand her pronunciation. Malina's demeanor was polite and warm, and she soon led Elyse to one of the guest rooms on the second floor.

The room came equipped with an en suite bathroom as though it was a master bedroom. An ornate king-sized four-poster canopied bed stood at the center of the room. All of the bedding, pillows, and curtains consisted of soft, luxurious linens in varying shades of ivory and white. There was even a small sitting nook with two massive cream-colored armchairs and a fireplace tucked into one of the corners. Elyse had never stayed in such a beautiful, serene space before. It seemed too lovely to house a mere guest.

"Please take a few minutes to settle in and freshen up, Dr. Romero," Malina instructed kindly, "I will return shortly to check on you."

Elyse tilted her head to the side. "Will I get to meet my employer later?"

Malina nodded. "Yes, Signor Vitale is excited to see you."

Her Spanish bridged the gap between Italian and English. Elyse quickly connected the dots. Signor Vitale sounded like Se?or Vitale, which meant Mr. Vitale . At last, Elyse learned of her employer's name. Gratefully, she said, "Thank you, Malina."

Once Malina took her leave, Elyse went about unpacking her bags. Right as she started sorting through her bras and panties, a light knock sounded at her door. Elyse's eyebrows rose slightly. Was Malina back already?

"Come in," she called out.

The door swung open. Elyse's head turned toward the doorway. Gasping, her mouth parted as a tall, dark-haired figure stepped inside. He was dressed in all black. A well-fitting dress shirt and tailored trousers. The sleeves on his shirt were rolled up to reveal a few tattoos along his tanned, brawny forearms. Instantly, she recognized the Roman numerals on the back of his hands. The Latin, the serpent, and the roses were hidden under his clothes, but Elyse could make out a portion of the impaled skull running up his exposed arm.

Only one small change about him threw her off. Engraved on his wrist, there was a pair of black feathered wings cradling a deadly sword. It certainly wasn't there before.

In deep, melting tones, he murmured, "It appears our paths have crossed again, angelo ."