Fratelli: The Awakening (The Vampire Cartel #1)

20. Why Choose?

Chapter 20

Why Choose?

H ouse of Draca - New Orleans, LA

April 14, 2018

(8 Days Before Death)

“Dolly?!”

“Hey, why are you yelling?” Dolly chuckled. She glanced up at the stylist who had skillfully styled her hair beautifully. Her makeup was done to perfection. She placed her phone down, turning on the speaker mode to keep the conversation going with her friend, all while enjoying the pampering without interruption.

“Where are you? Oh, thank God! I’ve been trying to reach you all night. You turned your phone off!” Charmaine exclaimed. “I even went to your place, and Russell told me you headed to New Orleans. I was worried something might have happened to you.”

“I’m fine—better than fine!” Dolly insisted. “Just wait until I tell you about last night.”

“Come home!” Charmaine shouted.

“What is wrong with you—?” Dolly asked.

“Girl, be quiet. That man, the one you met? Lucio Di Salvo. Him! Are you still with him?” Charmaine asked.

“Yes? I’m with him. I sent you a text last night with his?—.”

“What text? I never got a text. Never mind, it. He’s dangerous. It’s dangerous to be near him. You need to get back here now.” Charmaine warned.

Dolly double-blinked in surprise. She caught the stylist’s hard stare at her in the mirror. Then, the stylist lowered her gaze and continued to curl her hair extensions.

“Can you give me a minute?” Dolly asked the young woman. She nodded and exited the room. Once alone, Dolly left her chair to ensure the door was securely shut. With privacy secured, she finally addressed her friend. “What do you mean, dangerous?”

“You know how we say people are connected. Like Sonya’s cousin Dean? And we always talk about how far the connection goes. Like what happened to Tyrone?” Charmaine asked.

“Yeah?” Dolly answered.

“Well, he is where the connection goes. He’s into some heavy stuff—bad stuff, Dolly,” Charmaine said.

“He’s Mafia, I know that” Dolly shrugged.

“No. You don’t know. It’s not like the movies. It’s not the Mafia. He’s into everything. Everyone. I asked around about him, but most people didn’t know him by name. I couldn’t find much on him, on the internet, anywhere. Not even pictures of him. Some photos captured him leaving or surrounded by men, sheltered by an umbrella. I found stuff on his company. If you think the Lords of London is old, you have to see what I found.”

“Lords of what?” Dolly mumbled.

The origins of this company can be traced back to the Vatican. Did you hear me? The Vatican! Anyways, Sonya's cousin called me and said he’s big game. Dean was surprised I even knew his name. He didn’t believe me when I told him you hooked up with him.”

“Which cousin?” Dolly rolled her eyes.

“I told you. Dean!”

“Sorry, I’m just confused?—.”

“Pay attention, Dolly. Don’t flake on me, girl. Dean said Di Salvo is part of a brotherhood, and it’s called Fratelli. Four brothers make up the order. He said he had a homie who got in deep, and really close to this brotherhood, took an oath but then freaked out when he learned he’d have to give up his soul. The guy told him all about the dark secrets, and… stuff, I don’t believe. Anyways, he warned him to stay clear of it.”

“Okay, Teak is lying. That doesn’t even sound legit,” Dolly half-chuckled.

“It is!” Charmaine shouted into the phone. “Name any big organization, and they will roll up under these men, the Di Salvo’s. Dolly. Listen. That man is not someone you need to be friends with. Get your stuff and find a way to get the fuck out of there.”

“But he offered me a job. Lucio offered to help Russell with his streaming. He hasn’t done anything to me.”

“Are you listening? Dean is scared of him. I said he wouldn’t talk on the phone long about it. The last thing he said to me…. he said that Lucio Di Salvo was the devil. Dean said this! As dirty as Sonya’s connections are, her cousin is the dirtiest, as many times he’s faced jail, escaped death, and turf wars. Have you ever known him to be scared? Then he hung up the phone. He hung up and wouldn’t answer any more of my calls.”

Dolly frowned.

“I know you were depressed, and you need a job. I’ll talk to my boss to see if we can get you something down at the clinic as a helper or cleaner. I dunno. Just get the hell out of there,” Charmaine pleaded. “Tell him no. Tell him to his face and leave.”

“He was with me all night. Nothing he did was strange or—” Dolly reasoned.

“Dolly, go home! Now!” The line clicked off.

Dolly chewed the inside of her jaw. Her stomach tightened and soured with worry. There was a knock at the door, and she nearly jumped out of her skin. Mel entered. The smile Mel wore didn’t evoke the calmness it had before. It was immensely discomforting.

“How are we doing in here? We need to make some decisions about your wardrobe. You look like you’re ready?”

“Oh, yeah, about that,” Dolly said. “I, um, I might need to just leave. My brother called, and, umm, he’s not feeling well. He’s waiting for me. Going to Vegas might not be a good idea. I don’t think I can leave him behind. I don’t know. I need to take care of home.”

“Oh, that’s terrible. What’s wrong? What can we do to help?” Mel asked.

Dolly was never a good liar. Mel looked extremely concerned. She chewed on her bottom lip. “Can I ask you a question?”

Mel nodded. “Sure.”

“It’s about Lucio?”

When Mel did not react, Dolly continued, “Do you know him? Like, as a businessperson, he’s legit, but is there something I should be worried about? What I’m asking is if he’s dangerous?”

Mel only smiled.

“I mean, there’s like… I think he’s the Mafia. His driver calls him a Don. And he’s got all of this, and he hired you guys for me. I don’t even know him. I just met him. Um, I heard he might be into some dangerous things. I know he has people calling him Don. I guess, oh, never mind. I sound crazy. It’s just that, it’s weird, I’m here, and I don’t want this thing with us to get out of hand.”

“He’s a good businessman, from what I know,” Mel began. “He supports black business. He helped my salon tremendously. He supports all the re-development of Central City and the Treme. I mean, he’s generous. Maybe that’s why he pampers the women he dates.” Mel shrugged. “Is he a dangerous man, too? Most with money like him are.”

They shared a laugh. Mel gave her a pat on the shoulder. “Girl, who cares? Look at you?”

Mel directed Dolly towards the mirror, forcing her to take in her transformation. While Dolly was naturally attractive, makeup had the effect of aging her, so she despised wearing too much of it. However, under Mel’s and her team’s expertise, she emerged stunningly beautiful. “A man investing this much effort into a woman isn’t seeking your average kind of friendship, now, is he?”

“I guess not,” Dolly said.

“So, you better ask yourself if average is what you need.” Mel winked. “Because Lucio Di Salvo doesn’t come knocking twice.”

“Can I ask you how you landed this job? Did you have to do this, for Lucio?” Dolly inquired, battling her jealousy. “Did he date you this way, too?”

Mel chuckled. “Lucio? Me? No. But Tristan... let’s just say befriending him was a good decision.”

Dolly’s laughter mingled with Mel’s. “Tristan is definitely hot.”

Mel’s laughter continued. “Alright, I’ll give you thirty minutes to decide, then we need to start working. Deal?”

“Yeah, thanks,” she responded, settling back into her chair. Dolly chewed on her bottom lip before dialing her brother.

“Russ?”

“Hey, you, okay? I called, and it went to voicemail,” her brother asked.

“Yea. I’m good,” she said.

“Where are you?” he asked.

“I sent you the address and the license plate. Remember?” she asked.

“No. I never got your text. And Charmaine came here. Freaked me out, been calling you but it goes to voicemail each time I try,” Russell said. “You coming home?”

“He invited me to Vegas, brought in a glam squad, and bought me all the designer clothes I could dream of. It’s been amazing. But--.”

“But what?” Russell asked.

“Charmaine said he’s dangerous and I should leave. I think she’s right. I mean, it’s obvious this man is out of my league.”

“Forget his league! You’re the prize,” said Russell.

She smiled. “Thanks.”

“But Charmaine is right. You don’t need to associate with criminals to get a job. My streams are up. We can find you something. If he is connected to anything dirty, then you get out of there!”said Russell.

“I don’t think he is,” she reasoned.

“But you just said?—”

“He has done nothing but be nice to me. I just?—”

“Dolly. Don’t do this. Not again,” Russ pleaded.

“He’s not Tyrone!” Dolly snapped.

“Sorry, I know that. I’m just being protective of you,” he replied.

“Don’t be. Let me trust my own instincts,” she said.

“What do they tell you?” Russell mumbled.

“That he is kind, and sweet, and a good guy,” she replied.

She could hear the groan from Russell without him releasing one. She braced for what he would say next and resolved herself to the fact that she could be doing it again. Seeing what she wanted to see.

“You know me,” Russell began. “I’d say come home. We could sit and eat cereal together and see about getting your job back at Kroger. But I’m not that big of a dick to make you doubt yourself. Not everything you’ve been through. Tyrone was the worst, most evil man. You wouldn’t invite that into your life again. Right?”

“Right?” she agreed.

“It’s been a rough year,” he conceded.

“It’s been a rough decade!” she said.

“He’s different from Tyrone? You sure?” Her brother asked, and the question stung. Tyrone’s abuse of her was one thing, but his abuse of Russell was the worst of it.

“Yes! I mean, I would never date another Tyrone,” she said.

“You sure, cause Tyrone was into some dark stuff,” Russell reminded her,

“Please Russ, don’t start. That was a long time ago.”

“That was two years ago,” Russell said.

“So, what you are saying? I can’t make good decisions. I make the same mistakes?” She huffed.

“No. I trust your decision. You’re dating. That’s not a crime,” said Russell.

“Thank you. I’m dating. Charmaine trippin,” she said.

“You want to go to Vegas?” Russell asked.

Dolly smiled. “Yea. I do.”

“Then go. I’ll call Jeff to see if I can hang with him and Ava for a few days and you go. I’m good here. Okay?”

“Two days, at the most, then I’m home. Promise.”

“I’m a big boy, sis. Twenty-three years old. I can handle it.” Russell said. She felt a pang of guilt. Tyrone at his worst, made her evict her brother. He had to stay with Jeff then. She vowed never to leave him behind again for a man.

“I love you,” Dolly said. “Why are you being so cool about this?”

“Call me when you land. Okay? We’ll see how cool I’ll be if you don’t!” Russell said and hung up.

Her smile faded. Had she chosen a stranger over her brother? How was Lucio different from Tyrone?

“Bye,” she said to the empty phone line.

Dolly set her phone down and eased out of the studio chair to walk over to the mirror. Her reflection drew her in. As she turned her head, a slight scratch on her neck caught her eye. She leaned closer, lightly touching the scar, and noted that it appeared faint, as if it were almost a week old and on the verge of fading. Unable to recall how it got there, she figured it might have resulted from scratching herself in her sleep. Dismissing the puzzlement, a resolve crystallized within her: she wanted both the job and the man. Why should she have to choose between the two?