The Mafia's Mom

Chapter 3. Meeting Marcel

-Grace-

A man who is more muscular than Peter steps inside. He is also taller than Peter. Like me he has blonde hair, his eyes are blue, mine green. The man is wearing a dark blue business suit, a white button-down, and beautiful shoes that shine.

He has keys and a phone in his hand. He puts the phone in the pocket of his suit jacket and shakes Peter's hand.

"The flight was good, it took longer this time." He laughs and Peter smirks that awful smirk.

"I can imagine that. You had something to look forward to." Then Peter turns to me.

"This is Grace."

The man's eyes go my way and he looks at me from head to toe. Slowly a smile forms around his mouth.

"You didn't say anything too much Peter."

He steps forward and I have to force myself to keep standing, I want to take a step back. The man is really big compared to me. I'm just getting to his shoulders. He's intimidatingly big. His eyes intense, taking me in.

But I understand what the women of the club are saying. He's very handsome. Maybe even sexy, even though he is way older than me.

"Grace." He extends his hand to me and I shake his hand. He holds me longer than I'm used to.

"The pictures I received don't do you justice. You are more beautiful." He kisses my hand.

His other hand grabs my chin, gently, and he makes me look at him. I want to turn away, hide the color on my cheeks. I don't know this feeling and I want to hide from him and from the feeling I get from him. He is not the sneaky dirty guy that I expected.

But he is neat and he looks handsome. As Lorena had promised.

"Let's eat." Peter interrupts the silence.

Marcel lets go of my chin, but not my hand.

"Yes, let's go."

Marcel pulls me next to him and then lets go of my hand. His hand lands on my lower back and he guides me to the car.

Not in the front, but he opens the rear door and lets me get in first, then he steps in next to me.

"That's William, he's my driver."

"Good evening miss Tucker."

The man greets me, I want to correct him. My name is not Tucker, Peter is not my father. But I don't want to offend the man and I politely greet the man back.

"Good evening William, my name is Grace."

The man nods and then he starts the car.

"We'll see your father and his girlfriend in the restaurant."

I look up at Marcel.

"I didn't know he was coming too." He's not my father.

He puts a hand on my bare knee, my dress has been pushed up a bit when I sat down in the car. I put it down again, but my knees are visible and a piece of my thighs are.

He caresses my knee.

"The idea was also that we went alone, but in the end, I thought it might be nice for you if your father and his girlfriend also went with us. As you don't know me that well yet."

He smiles kindly when I look up at him.

I smile back. Lorena did not say at all that she would also be at the restaurant.

Maybe she was changing clothes when Peter sent her away.

"How old are you Grace?"

"Fifteen."

"Do you want to finish school?"

"If that's possible, I'd really like that, but if that's not possible-"

He puts a finger against my mouth.

"You don't have to talk that much. It's possible. But not here in Las Vegas."

I look at the man with big eyes.

"Didn't your father tell you?"

"What?"

"I don't live in Las Vegas, I live in New York."

I nod. "He didn't tell me, but that's okay." I smile.

The whole way to the restaurant his hand stays on my knee, and he gently caresses my skin. It doesn't feel strange, it feels comforting.

At the restaurant, Marcel gets out and helps me out of the car. He stays for a moment so that I can put my dress down again and with my hand, in his, we walk to the restaurant.

He opens the door for me and inside he lets me walk very slightly in front of him, with his hand on my lower back.

At the table, I have to do my very best not to look surprised.

Not Peter and Lorena are waiting for me, but Peter and Myrrh are sitting at the table.

Myrrh works in the club and she also wears such an outfit, as if she's about to climb a pole. She gets up and hugs me as if she always does. Not.

"Lorena called me, I'll help you." She whispers in my ear.

And if I thought my surprise couldn't be bigger, Peter also gets up and hugs me.

"Sweetheart."

I quickly hold on to the chair. It's a play. This is not real. He never ever called me that.

Marcel slides the chair out and when I sit down he slides the chair back on and takes a seat next to me.

I get a menu, but when the waitress comes and I want to say what I want to eat, Marcel has already ordered for me and himself.

A steak. Not my favorite. But I don't dare say that now. I wanted to go for a salad.

During dinner, Marcel and Peter talk about business. I don't say anything.

Myrrh and I hardly talk. After dinner, Myrrh and I go to the bathroom together.

Where she tells me to update my makeup and she tells me it looks good for me. She tells me that we women are not meant to talk while the men are talking, so we are doing well. She tells me that she sees Marcel looking at me and nodding to Peter about it. I also taste the fear of Peter's anger with her.

When we come back Peter gets up and walks to Myrrh. I walk to the table and sit next to Marcel again. His eyes go over my body. He takes my hand to kiss me on my knuckles.

"Tell me Grace, what did Peter tell you, about me, about this?"

I look over my shoulder at Peter, but then feel a hand on my chin.

"Look at me when I talk to you." Marcel's voice is soft but demanding.

"Always. When we talk, we look at each other." He lets go of my chin and I nod.

"Peter has told me that you will take good care of me, that I am ready to go with you if you want that," I answer.

Peter comes back to sit at the table.

"And do you want to come with me?" he asks.

No, not really. I don't want to go with Marcel, but the alternative is much worse. The alternative I know. But I can't say that. So I nod.

Marcel laughs.

"I want to hear your beautiful voice, Grace."

"Yes," I answer and he nods.

"So you want to come with me?" he asks again.

"Yes."

"Do you want me to take good care of you Grace?"

"Yes."

He smiles. "The whole sentence Grace, tell me what you want me to do."

I swallow and look into his blue eyes.

Completely focused on me. I know how to answer, Peter does this all the time.

"Yes Marcel, I want you to take care of me," I answer and he smirks. A better and more handsome one than Peter.

"If I take good care of you Grace, are you going to take good care of me?"

"Yes, I will," I answer

"Good Girl." Answers Peter.

Marcel smiles and turns to Peter.

"Sign the papers, and then we'll go."

Peter pulls out some documents and signs them. Marcel takes the documents from Peter. After that Marcel takes my hand and kisses it.

"Just say bye to your father, I'm waiting in the car." He answers. He lets go of my hand and gets up.

I look at Peter. Who is NOT my father.

"Well done Grace. Enjoy your stay in NY." Peter gets up and he pulls me up.

"I don't do an emotional goodbye." He pulls me by my arm to the exit of the restaurant. Not at all loving, or caring. Just as he had always done. Harsh.

"all your new clothes are in suitcases and have been brought to Marcel's plane. Your pink bag is now in Marcel's car, with stuff for the plane." He squeezes my shoulder.

"Don't disappoint Grace. He has paid a large amount of money for you as his wife. Behave accordingly."

He pushes me out of the restaurant.