STEFANO {Published/Sample Only}

29

Fuck! I whipped my head around, searching the pitch black streets, following the streetlights illuminating only pockets of pedestrians at a time- all fucking looking the same- dark coats, hats.

"Stefano!"

Straight ahead. The voice clear as fucking day, the voice that'd been at my ear since the day I was born- Luca.

Everything slowed, my head up, scanning the crowds shuffling in front of us, squinting to make out the hundred different faces- finally seeing his- right across the block. He, fuck, they, were waiting to cross on the other side, heading right for me. Luca, Scott, and James. This wasn't fucking happening.

Fear was something I never felt, Romano's were never afraid- but I was suffocating, heart racing, the world closing in on me. I was scared shitless.

"Is that Luca?"

The voice sent a chill down my spine, my palms clamming, my body reacting before my brain, whipping my face down, Mark! And my arm still draped around his back. Holy. Fuck. Holy fuck!

I flew back, stumbling, ripping my arm away from him. Mark, fuck, fuck, Fuck! Luca never travelled past 5th! This was not his fucking part of town! How was I supposed to explain Mark- I wasn't! He needed to go!

My eyes were on the group ahead but I could feel Mark stepping closer.

"Stefano?"

"Shh!" I snapped, throwing my hand out, slamming it to a stop, palm in his face, silencing him as I took another step away. "Don't say anything!"

Fuck. This wasn't happening. I needed to bolt, hail a cab and disappear- but the light had changed, Luca's voice growing closer and closer, drowning out all the others around him. It was too late.

The crowds thinned, Luca and the guys now front and center, Luca smiling wide, his arms up just as wide. "What the fuck you doing out here?"

Me? "Was gonna ask you the same thing."

"I didn't have a fucking choice," he laughed. "Your ass bailed and your client wanted a night out."

"My client? Che cazzo stai parlando?"

"Giamatti's in town." He waved behind him. "Tony Giamatti."

"Tony? There was no..." The guys parted, waving another forward while Luca gestured from me to... oh fuck... I recognized him immediately... fuck! Fuck! Tony. He looked just as he did that night, same suit and all.

"Tony Giamatti," Luca smiled, oblivious to the nightmare he was stirring. "My brother Stefano, who you met at..."

"The bar!" He gasped. So he fucking remembered me too. "And here I thought I hadn't met you yet."

"No!" I shook my head, staring him down. "We haven't met. Stefano Romano." I struck out my hand and he more than happily took it. "You weren't at the meeting."

"No," he shrugged. "I missed it." He had no discretion, blatantly fucking looking me up and down while he smiled. "I decided to just go watch the game instead."

And you didn't bother to tell me you were a Giamatti- fucker.

Luca was already bored, getting antsy, checking his watch. "Are we heading to Tavern 22 of what?" He roared before charging away to the curb, arm up for a taxi.

I could see my world imploding, the scene breaking out right here. Tony running his mouth- fuck! I needed to talk with him. Jesus, the tiniest fucking slip could destroy me. I rolled my eyes from Luca back to him, finding his curious eyes on Mark. Fuck... Mark.

"Alright!" Luca yelled. "Cabs, now!" He waved Tony over, but Tony wasn't paying him any attention so he followed his gaze to Mark. "Hey, you look familiar... You work in my building?"

Mark shook his head, looking between us all. "No, I..."

"He's..." I stepped forward, walking to take my place at Luca's side. "Sadie's friend- from Cali.... she called me up, he was lost, she wanted me to help him..." Help him... what... fuck... I did a quick scan, seeing the hotel on the opposite corner. "... Get him to his hotel." I pointed over to the Hilton.

I could barely breathe, the fear bricking me, turning me to stone, ready to crumble at any moment.

"Great," Luca huffed, not giving a damn. "Now let's get the fuck out of here. You can come with us Sadie's friend."

No! I was standing in front of a firing squad just waiting to see who'd pull the trigger first. "No!" My mouth was running, driving with nobody behind the wheel. "I don't wanna fucking babysit Sadie's friends." I waved Luca away, shooing him back towards Scott and James who were waiting with the cabs.

"Whatever." Luca started for the taxi but Giamatti stayed put.

"I'm Tony by the way." He stretched his hand for Mark's while turning his head towards me. "Is this your I can't?"

"Excuse me?" Mark looked from him to me but my eyes were on the hand reaching for Mark's. I already had to watch him staring- I'd be damned if I let him touch.

"No!" I spat, stepping over in front of Tony, blocking his hand, pushing him towards the cabs and away from Mark. "He's nothing. Now can we just get the fuck out of here! I've wasted enough of my night."

Giamatti shrugged, finally turning, walking away to join Luca.

"Let me just get him over to the hotel so Sadie doesn't bitch at me!" I yelled over. "Hold the cabs." I turned back towards Mark, his face pale, almost colorless, his eyes up on mine- wide, sunken. "Let's go!"

I started across the street, looking back over my shoulder quickly, seeing him slowly following behind, his head down. And I continued until I hit the hotel's front steps, partially blocking us out of view before turning back around.

"Stefano.." Mark's voice cracked, almost whispering. "Why did he ask if I was 'your I can't'?"

"Fuck, he was the guy I met at that Jersey bar."

"You met... Jersey? Oh... The guy that wanted to take you back to his place... the forward one? Tops of top guy..."

"Yeah, when we were leaving I told him 'I can't'. Jesus, can you fucking believe this!" This time it had been too close.

"Let me go out with you guys..."

"What? No fucking way!" I pulled my keys from my pants, looking over my shoulder before tossing them over to him. "Go to my place, give me an hour to handle this."

"You want me to leave? While he gets to..."

I looked back, seeing the top of Tony and Luca's heads. "I knew if I did something stupid that this would fucking happen." I knew I should have never gone into that bar! I should have gone straight to the train after the meeting. "Biggest fucking mistake."

"Stefano..." Mark suddenly stepped over, his hand out, reaching for mine.

"Don't fucking touch me!" I jerked back, looking across the street, thanking God for the cabs blocking our view. "I'll be back in an hour." I took off, weaving across the street, joining them up on the curb- my heart beating out of my chest, my head throbbing, the adrenaline so strong I was shaking.

So this was fear.

"Shall we!" Luca grabbed the door of the first cab. This was my chance- I needed to talk to Giamatti- alone. Let him know I walked into that bar on accident- that I wasn't that guy.

"I'll ride with Tony," I insisted, waving the guys off. "You three goons lead the way."

Scott and James followed Luca into the first cab while I grabbed the door of the second, nodding for Tony to get into the car before I climbed in after him.

"Follow the cab in front." I sank back, rolling my face towards Tony's, only to see Mark in the distance, still standing at the curb, watching us drive away.