Cassidy lost her parents, her uncle and inherited a family business. She learned to protect herself. Little did she know she has been watched over the years. She also does not know that her future has been watching her. Lorenzo's job was to keep an eye on her. He fell head over heels for her. His family is out to protect her at all costs. She has the secret to his mothers past.
It has been a little of a year since my uncle passed away. The police say that someone broke into his shop, and he was killed in an attempted robbery. I don't believe them. We never kept money in the office. His two-bedroom apartment, above the shop, had a safe in the kitchen behind the refrigerator. No one knew about it, except for me and my uncle. A month after my uncle's death his attorney showed up with paperwork for me to sign. I was his only beneficiary. He left everything to me. The shop, his properties, my parent's home which I never knew we had.
My name is Cassidy Romano. I just turned twenty-one a month ago. I live in Brooklyn, New York. My parents died when I was thirteen years old. I was sent to live with my uncle, Gino Delvecchio, when I was fourteen years old. I was an only child. No other relatives other than my uncle. My uncle was killed in his ship, supposed in an attempted robbery. The crime scene did not look right. It looked staged. I have been a mechanic for the past five years. My uncle showed me how to work on cars. Everything from tune-ups to transmission rebuilds. I keep this shop clean. I know every tool in this shop.
The night my uncle was killed, there was a black tire iron that had not been here before. Everything we have in this shop is steel, silver. We have everything organized in our tool chests. The scene had looked like there was a scuffle and drag marks by the office. My uncle was shot between the eyes. Another three gunshots to the chest. If I was not mistaken, it looked like a hit. Mafia style. But what ties did my family have to the mafia?
I am busy today. I have several tune-ups scheduled for this morning and a tranny rebuild. I have a new smog testing machine, that I purchased with some of the money my uncle left me. It has brought in a ton of new business. I also extended my hours. I am here at six in the morning and do not leave until eight at night. On Saturdays I am here six in the morning to twelve noon. I knew these hours would help out the working-class people who took their cars to the shops on their own.
There are 4 work trucks coming in for full servicing for Saturday morning. It is Friday seven thirty at night. I am cleaning up for the night. I always double check jack stands and lock up the front then work my way to the back of the shop. I close the front gate and pull the chains together. I put on the double lock. I am about to walk away as a work truck pulls up and blows the horn. I walk back to the gate and the driver jumps out.
"Hey there cutie. My boss, Mister Marchetti, wanted me to drop off the trucks tonight for tomorrow servicing."
"Oh okay, let me open the gate back up. Pull around back and driver into the shop. Park on the right side. There are four scheduled for tomorrow. Are you bringing the other trucks tonight?"
"Yeah, my guys are right behind me. About five minutes out."
"Okay, drive through." I waved him through. Just I turned around, the other trucks were pulling in. I waved to them to follow the first guy.
The guys parked all of the trucks in the back of the shop. The first guy that arrived was walking toward me, "Hey cutie, where is your boss? I need to give the keys to a Cass. The boss told me to see Cass."
"That would be me!" His eyebrows went up. Yeah, that always gets them. I go by Cass and since I'm a woman, a lot a people don't take me seriously. "This is my shop."
He walked up to me, extended his hand, "Well cutie, I am liking my job more and more now." He reached for my hand. I shook his hand firmly. He pulled back with a grin. "Strong grip. I like that. What else can you firmly hold?"
"Do you want to really find out?" as I cracked my knuckles.
"Ooo, sassy. I love it. Cass? Short for?" he asked. "Cassidy. Cassidy Romano. And you are?"
"Marco Martini. Martini like the apple drink. Or M&M, melts in your mouth, not in your hand. You can always order a dirty martini. Hahaha" he says with a shit-eating grin. He is a hunk. But not my type. He's more of a dork, in a handsome way.
"You know the old saying 'the lips are moving, they are lying'?" I said as I walked back to the gate. The other drivers were already walking to a car that had pulled up outside the gate.
"Oh, and I never really like vermouth. I'm more of a tequila girl. Not that silver shit, anejo. Smoother. It slides down the throat smoothly." I said as I was holding out my hand waving him back out of the gate.
"Oh, my heart just stopped. I like you. You're brassy. Be careful, I might have to take you to dinner and let you have your way with me."
"Sorry M&M, I'm not into little chocolate covered nuts. I'm more of a long chocolate bar woman. Have a good evening, gentlemen." I nodded to all of them as they laughed at Marco. He smiled and walked to the car. He waved as he got into the passenger side.
I laughed to myself. Some men are so full of themselves. He was funny though. I locked up the gate again. Walked to the back of the shop, closed the back door and locked it. I walked back to the front of the shop and double checked the front doors and locks. I shut off the neon sign out front. I went to the back to the office and got my clip board.
I always documented mileage, make and model of each car I serviced. I also took pictures and recorded everything around the vehicles. Sometimes you have those customers that say we damaged their vehicles and try to get free service or try to sue you for more money. One of the things my uncle first taught me. I missed him so much.
I recorded everything, took the clipboard back to my office and turned off the lights. I walked through the shop, up the stairs to the apartment. My uncle built an apartment, above the garage. I walked inside and immediately set my security system. The entire property had security cameras and sensors. Two-bedroom, in which one of bedrooms I had my monitors and a safe with my guns. You just never know. My apartment has a small kitchen, single bathroom and a small patio. I had my barbecue grill outside. I loved to grill food. I liked the clean foods, not really a heavy sauce person. I mean I am Italian, love pasta. But my favorites are grilled chicken and grilled veggies. Simple.
I have to admit, the single bath had an old fiberglass shower tub combo. Which I ripped out myself. I had a customer, that does quartz and granite kitchen and bath remodels. I asked him if he would like to exchange a shower pan in exchange for the work on his car. He actually added more to the shower and a glass panel. No need for a show curtain.
I live by myself. No harm, no foul. Right? My customer also exchanged the work for a new countertop in my kitchen and made a small island at the end of the counter. Nice. I put bar stools on both sides. An extra chair, in case I had a guest. I had plants on the patio and a dwarf lemon tree. It was great for my tequila nights. My small living room had my bookshelf. I loved to read on my day off, while doing laundry.
I poured myself an aloe drink and walked out to the patio and plopped down in my chair. I was sitting there thinking about maybe taking a vacation to Italy. I was grilling some chicken and started to walk back into the apartment when I got this strange sense that I was being watched. I was listening to one of my cd's Evelyn "Champagne" King. She's just awesome. I started singing along:
No sleep last night
Been dreaming of you
Please hold me tight
'Cause I can't help the way that I feel
I just can't help the way that I feel
Thief in the night
You took my heart
Now danger's in sight
'Cause I can't help the way that I feel
I just can't help the way that I feel
Do do dit dit dit dit dit dit do do do
Baby you make my love come down
Ooh you make my love come down
Make it come all the way down
Oh you make my love come down
Baby you make my love come down
Ooh you make my love come down
Can't do without
Your tender love
There's no way out
And I can't help the way that I feel
I just can't help the way that I feel
Your love has a force
Got me under your spell
So take me, I'm yours
And I can't help the way the I feel
I just can't help the way that I feel
Shoo, doo, doo, doo, doo, doo, doo, doo, doo, doo, doo, oh
Baby, you make my love come down
Ooh you make my love come down
Make it come all the way down
It is usually quiet out in this area. Another favorite song came on "It's Raining Men" I started singing along with that song as I came back out of the apartment, I got a glimpse of a shadow across the street. A lit cigarette was tossed down. Whoever it was stepped on the cigarette and walked away. What the actual fuck? Who was there and why where they watching me?
After I ate my meal, I walked back inside locked up the sliding door. I did not get this feeling to being afraid. Just warmth and tingles. I thought I smelt cologne. A man's cologne. It smelt like Johnny Depp. Dior. Sauvage. My favorite. Hhuummmm. My knees felt weak. What is wrong with me?
I sometimes dream of Mister Right, saving me from this life. I dream about walking the beaches of California or Mexico. I dream of being on a yacht with a tall handsome Italian man. I have had this same dream over and over before. Tall, chocolate brown eyes, strong hands to hold me. Wide shoulders, muscular with a happy trailer down to my idea of wonderland. Prominent nose, perfectly face with strong cheek bones and kissable lips. I love a man with stubble. I dream of running my hands up and down his chest.
I dreamt of a huge house and a huge family. Dinner with a huge family. I dreamt of having a baby. Beautiful baby boy that looked like my dream husband. I know that is just a dream. I have no one. The hours I work, I may never have the chance to meet anyone.
Sometimes I have a temper. I never show any of my customers. I think it's the Italian in me. I remember my father laughing at my mother when she was angry. She would be yelling and throwing things. She would go in the small back yard we had and throw knives the fence. He used to say that one day she was going to kill someone and just hoped it was not him. I chuckled to myself. She loved my father with everything in her soul. She used to tell me that he was her fire. I hope to have that someday.
Abused by her previous boyfriend, Valeria, soon finds herself in the arms of the Mafia Prince. She has no idea who he really is, but he will protect her from everything. Her uncle has kept a secret about her true identity and then must reveal it to the Mafia godfather to protect her from the enemy. Valeria is an inspired chef that takes back her power that her previous boyfriend took from her. She loves that Salvatore loves everything about her and does not judge.
Autumn finds out about herself more after she is rejected by her wolf mate. She is quickly claimed by the dragon prince. He helps her discover more about herself and her inner strength.
Kara thinks she has no one left in this world until she decides to try and end it. Damian has been searching for her. Their paths finally catch up and Kara finds out who she really is. Little does she know that others are also looking for her.
Kallie, a mute who had been ignored by her husband for five years since their wedding, also suffered the loss of her pregnancy due to her cruel mother-in-law. After the divorce, she learned that her ex-husband had quickly gotten engaged to the woman he truly loved. Holding her slightly rounded belly, she realized that he had never really cared for her. Determined, she left him behind, treating him as a stranger. Yet, after she left, he scoured the globe in search of her. When their paths crossed once more, Kallie had already found new happiness. For the first time, he pleaded humbly, "Please don't leave me..."Ā But Kallie's response was firm and dismissive, cutting through any lingering ties. "Get lost!"
Vanessa was about to get engaged when she discovered that her groom-to-be was cheating on her with her own sister. Instead of creating a scene, she went to the club and hired the most desirable gigolo she found. After a wild night of passion, she gave him a generous check. "Thanks. I may require your services in the future." The gigolo was mad at her for being heartless, but Vanessa dismissed his words as an attempt to get her attention. It was only later, when she had to seek out the renowned Mr. Fuller to help with her business, that she realized the man she had slept with was no gigolo at all.
Katie was forced to marry Dillan, a notorious ruffian. Her younger sister mocked her, "You're just an adopted daughter. Count your blessings for marrying him!" The world anticipated Katie's tribulations, but her married life unfurled with unexpected serenity. She even snagged a lavish mansion in a raffle! Katie jumped into Dillan's arms, credited him as her lucky charm. "No, Katie, it's you who brings me all this luck," Dillan replied. Then, one fateful day, Dillan's childhood friend came to her. "You're not worthy of him. Take this 50 million and leave him!" Katie finally grasped Dillan's true statureāthe wealthiest man on the planet. That night, trembling with trepidation, she broached the subject of divorce with Dillan. However, with a domineering embrace, he told her, "I'd give you everything I have. Divorce is off the table!"
There was only one man in Raegan's heart, and it was Mitchel. In the second year of her marriage to him, she got pregnant. Raegan's joy knew no bounds. But before she could break the news to her husband, he served her divorce papers because he wanted to marry his first love. After an accident, Raegan lay in the pool of her own blood and called out to Mitchel for help. Unfortunately, he left with his first love in his arms. Raegan escaped death by the whiskers. Afterward, she decided to get her life back on track. Her name was everywhere years later. Mitchel became very uncomfortable. For some reason, he began to miss her. His heart ached when he saw her all smiles with another man. He crashed her wedding and fell to his knees while she was at the altar. With bloodshot eyes, he queried, "I thought you said your love for me is unbreakable? How come you are getting married to someone else? Come back to me!"
Madisyn was stunned to discover that she was not her parents' biological child. Due to the real daughter's scheming, she was kicked out and became a laughingstock. Thought to be born to peasants, Madisyn was shocked to find that her real father was the richest man in the city, and her brothers were renowned figures in their respective fields. They showered her with love, only to learn that Madisyn had a thriving business of her own. "Stop pestering me!" said her ex-boyfriend. "My heart only belongs to Jenna." "How dare you think that my woman has feelings for you?" claimed a mysterious bigwig.
I received a pornographic video. "Do you like this?" The man speaking in the video is my husband, Mark, whom I haven't seen for several months. He is naked, his shirt and pants scattered on the ground, thrusting forcefully on a woman whose face I can't see, her plump and round breasts bouncing vigorously. I can clearly hear the slapping sounds in the video, mixed with lustful moans and grunts. "Yes, yes, fuck me hard, baby," the woman screams ecstatically in response. "You naughty girl!" Mark stands up and flips her over, slapping her buttocks as he speaks. "Stick your ass up!" The woman giggles, turns around, sways her buttocks, and kneels on the bed. I feel like someone has poured a bucket of ice water on my head. It's bad enough that my husband is having an affair, but what's worse is that the other woman is my own sister, Bella. ************************************************************************************************************************ āI want to get a divorce, Mark,ā I repeated myself in case he didn't hear me the first timeāeven though I knew he'd heard me clearly. He stared at me with a frown before answering coldly, "It's not up to you! I'm very busy, don't waste my time with such boring topics, or try to attract my attention!" The last thing I was going to do was argue or bicker with him. "I will have the lawyer send you the divorce agreement," was all I said, as calmly as I could muster. He didn't even say another word after that and just went through the door he'd been standing in front of, slamming it harshly behind him. My eyes lingered on the knob of the door a bit absentmindedly before I pulled the wedding ring off my finger and placed it on the table. I grabbed my suitcase, which I'd already had my things packed in and headed out of the house.