Stretching Bonds

Chapter 5

Silence.

I let out a little groan of frustration. Seriously? It took all her courage just to knock on the door the first time and they didn't answer? How the Hell was I supposed to do it again. Steeling myself and moving the still sleeping Molly to a more comfortable position on my hip I try and gather some more courage but before I can knock again I hear the latch click and the door starts to slowly creak open on its own. Creepy.

I cautiously push the door open further with my foot and cautiously enter the room. I relax a little when I see a butler trying to balance two trays loaded with dishes behind the door, which explains it opening, and hold the door open for the man. He shoots me a grateful smile then leaves. It's then I look around the room and see my father standing stoically beside a large mahogany desk. Strangely though it isn't my dad that immediately radiates power and attracts my gaze, as he usually would be the main prescence in any room but now I'm only saving him a cursory glance and his indifferent expression doesn't hurt my heart nearly as much as it usuallu does. Because there is a man behind the desk, staring at me intently.

I know straight away this man is Il Capo, I mean how couldn't he be? My fifth sense is 300% sure this is the man and this time I don't even need that because both on the physical plain and the plain that only seems to exist in my mind this man radiates power. He is a slightly overweight italian gentleman who looks to be in his late sixties but still has a full head of black hair with frequent grey streaks just making him look more distinguished than his well made and tailored pinstrip suit. There is nothing about his appearance to outwardly suggest it and other than the aura of power he produces you would not consider him much of a threat but I knew differently. This man was not right. There was something inately... Wrong about him. I couldn't put my finger on it and I didn't want to exercise my powers more than neccesary in this room lest I let my guard down but I knew I could never be at ease in his company, even if I wasn't as nervous as I was now.

It was my father who spoke first.

"Allessandra, I trust you had a good flight?" He said, emotionlessly.

"Yes father, Molly found it tiresome and she has slept since we got into the car. Thank you for sending it to pick us up." I answer, hopefully calmy without my vioice shaking too much. After all, it isn't my father who I'm afraid of. he was negligent and uninvolved, not cruel.

"Good, you are welcome. Daughter this is our generous host, Mr Gerraci," he said, gesturing to him with a nod.

Crap. What is the protocol for greating a senior mobstert?

Thankfully Mr Gerraci answers that question for me by standing and extending his hand in my direction, "Pleasure to meet you Miss Laurence."

I steel myself and rearrange Molly so I can extend my hand also, "The pleasure is all mine Signore Gerraci, and please call me Allessandra or Miss Donatelli."

We shake and he smiles at me, but I see no warmth in it. It's like the smile you'd have expected the snake to have shown Eve right before she bit into the apple in the Garden of Eden. I struggle not to shudder and step back away from the desk again.

He continues to look at me so I feel he's waiting for me to say something else, "Thank you Singore Gerraci for your generosity in allowing my sister and myself to be guests at your wonderful estate."

He throws me a more extended version of that smile again, "It is nothing Allessandra, I am sure your sister and yourself will be made to feel very welcome here and I'm sure we will enjoy your prescence greatly."

I give a stiff nod but that smile has really put me on edge. Time to leave.

"If it would be alright with you gentlemen may I take my leave? I'd like to get Molly settled down somewhere to rest for a bit." Ugh, I forgot how I always started talking 'proper english' in my dad's prescence. He thought it was only acceptable that a woman be polite and show the propriety he thinks he has the right to expect due to his wealth.