The Rock Star and The Mafia

Chapter 45

Cheri awoke to an empty bed but she wasn't really that surprised.  Alessio was in the 'work mode' and basically what that meant was, you'll see me, when you see me.  Sighing, she kept replaying over and over the conversation that took place between them last night.

  "Cheri, you are not to ever speak of concern or worry regarding my reputation. I love you and you are mine. End of discussion."  She hadn't meant to piss him off, in fact all she was doing was putting him first but now in retrospect she could see where it sounded like she was going to bolt, which she had planned on doing.

"You dummy" she said to herself.  "There's no way in Hades you would ever leave that man.  You're much too in love with him."  Dragging herself from bed, Cheri realized how loopy those pills the doc gave her, made her feel.

Turning on the shower, Cheri went and grabbed a black thong from her dresser, some blue jean shorts and a summery hippie chic type of halter shirt.  Might as well be comfortable, besides, she really didn't feel up to doing much of anything.

After finishing with the much needed shower, Cheri dressed and then messed with her hair.  She'd straighten it today; it'd been a while since she'd done this.  Applying powder, a little blush, eyeliner, light peach lip gloss and mascara, she was ready.

She was hoping to find Tommaso downstairs and sure enough she heard him in the kitchen on his phone.  "I had a great time too" he said.  He must be talking to Cassidy.  "I know babe" he said laughing.  Aw!  Cheri thought.  She cleared her throat to make her presence known.  "Cas, I gotta go but I'll call you later after your shift.  Okay, you too.  Bye" Tommaso ended the call and smiled at Cheri.

Walking around the counter to where he was standing, Cheri walked straight into his arms for a very much needed brotherly hug.  "Good morning to you too, little sis" he joked.  He was really going to be such a brat now, but she wouldn't have it any other way now.  He was her family.

Slapping him playfully on the arm, she released him and grabbed herself some coffee.  "Well, big brother" she joked back, causing a huge grin to spread across his handsome face.  "I need details.  How was it?" she blew on her coffee and waited for him to spill.

"First off, that was such a cool thing you did with the whole phone call regarding Cassidy's dress.  She looked amazing" he said smiling.  He pulled his phone out and showed her the picture they took in front of the restaurant.

Oh my God!  They looked amazing together!  Her brother was truly handsome and had that mischievous twinkle in his eyes but it wasn't until she saw that picture that she realized he had some awesome dimples going on.  She didn't know why she'd never noticed it before.  Frank had the same dimples.

"Oh Mas!  You guys look really good together" Cheri said handing him back his phone.  "Cher it was amazing" Tommaso said excitedly.  "We weren't uncomfortable at all and we just talked the whole time at the restaurant about anything and everything.  Then I took her on a carriage ride and then we went to a little cafe and had coffee.  We are seeing each other again tomorrow.  She has the next two days off."

She couldn't have been any happier for him.  "I wanna show you something" his whole mood changed as he motioned for her to sit down.  Taking her mug to the table, she sat down in the pulled out chair.  Tommaso picked up a small shoe box from the kitchen counter and sat down next to her and opened the lid.

There were hundreds of pictures and they were all of Tommaso with who Cheri assumed was Carmela.  "This is Carmela?" she asked softly.  Running his thumb across her face, he nodded.  She was about Cheri's height and size, just a little thing to have to handle someone of Tommaso's size.

She had shoulder length black hair and the same Italian dark brown almost black eyes.  Her warm smile made you want to smile and her eyes twinkled and exuded a happy spirit.  "She's really beautiful, Mas" Cheri said to him.

"She really was" he responded.  "God knows how in the hell she dealt with me before Lorenzo and Antonio came along.  Fifteen years is a long time to raise a hot blooded Italian male on your own" he laughed.  She could only imagine the kind of trouble he got into.

"So, you and Lorenzo are close?" she asked sipping her coffee.  He smirked.  "Not at first.  He was not happy that I was invading his family unit.  It took about six months of us picking at and on each other for it to end in a huge fist fight in the backyard.  Antonio told ma to let us at each other, that it would solve everything.  He was right.  We never fought again after that" he said.

"Well, even though I didn't get to grow up with you, I'm glad to have you now" Cheri said squeezing his hand.  "I feel the same way" his face serious now.  "Did I tell you that first night I met you at Chains that I felt there was something about you, but I couldn't put my finger on it.  It was like a familial pull, if that makes any sense at all."

Cheri couldn't help the tears that were forming in the corners of her eyes.  After all these years of just having her mom, then experiencing her death and Paulo's, she had family once again and this family member she didn't actually want to kill.

"Hey" he said softly as he wiped the tear away with his thumb.  "You know" Cheri said holding her brother's hand.  "I went for the longest time thinking it was just me and my mom but when she died I was alone again until I met Paulo.  And when he was murdered I just figured that blood family would never exist for me.  The only good thing Frank ever did for me was to reveal you to me.  And for that I will always be thankful but I am ready for him to die."

Tommaso was a little taken aback by his sister's declaration about their father.  Although he did not disagree at all, this was his life, not hers and he never wanted her to get jaded.  

She was such a sweet thing and such a free spirit, he didn't want her to lose who she was in their dirty, nasty way of life and it would be up to him and Alessio to make sure she didn't get sucked in.  Because once you're in, there's only one way out.

Hey there everyone!  I just wanted to say thank you to those of you that are following The Rock Star and The Mafia.  I have reached 4k reads and 452 votes!  Thank you for your comments and please continue reading, voting and commenting!  Love y'all!