Thanks again for all the wonderful comments and feedback. Emailing with some of you has been very entertaining and enlightening! Please comment and continue to give me more feedback! <3 -I.M
*****
The party was winding down and Gianni made sure to avoid Leona at all cost. He had to hurry and give the Chief his gift so he could get the hell out of there. It seemed like an impossible feat since his two pigheaded friends were drinking like fish and mingled as if they had never seen women before. He nursed his third drink as he surveyed the room. Everyone looked beautiful almost out of a magazine or off a runway. He was approached by two very attractive women but couldn't even hold a decent conversation because his mind constantly went back to the Chief's daughter. If the Chief found out what he did to his little girl he would make his life a living hell.
"Got a lot on your mind Prenelli?"
Prenelli jumped and turned to see the Chief behind him with a cocktail in hand. His heart nearly stopped and he found himself unable to make eye contact.
"Yes, just family problems. I was actually looking for you to give you this." Prenelli reached into his pocket and pulled out a card. The Chief took it opening it and a huge grin graced his face.
"Prenelli my boy! You sure know how to kiss ass."
Both men laughed as the Chief ogled the tickets. It was no secret that he was a fan of football and with Prenelli's family having the connections they had he was able to get him preordered super bowl tickets. The Chief wrapped his arm around his shoulder squeezing him.
"You know you've always been my favorite. Even when you came into the force I knew that one day you could take my job. But that will be when I'm long gone of course."
Both men shared a laugh. Conversation flowed freely between the two and Prenelli relaxed almost forgetting about today's earlier events. Almost. When a sultry voice broke through their discussion he couldn't help tensing.
"Am I interrupting?"
"No baby girl not at all."
Leona sidled up next to her dad with a sweet smile and cut her eyes at Prenelli. He gulped down his drink and tried to inch away but the chief continued talking as if the discussion never stopped. He watched as Leona looked up at her father hanging onto his every word with admiration. He could tell she really loved and cherished him. And it made him feel even more like shit.
"Robert you old fart! Get your ass over here!"
Chief stopped talking and looked over at one of his army brothers that just arrived. He broke out into a huge grin and excused himself as he left leaving Leona and Prenelli alone. There was a tense few seconds as the two made penetrating eye contact.
"It's nice to put a first name to my assailant."
"Listen I apologize for earlier. I didn't know you were the Chief's daughter and even if you weren't his daughter it was an inappropriate thing for me to do especially being an officer of the law."
"How many others have you done that to?"
"Only you."
Her eyes unbelievingly glared at him. He knew that if the shoe was on the other foot he wouldn't have believed himself. But it was true and he couldn't prove it. He couldn't help the anger that welled up inside of him at the realization.
"I can't make you believe me. But trust me you're the first, last, and only."
"Well why me? Were you having a rough day mister officer? Or maybe you just wanted to get your dick wet? Or maybe power went straight to your fucking head and youβ"
Before she could finish cutting into his ass, his boy Gary cut in. For the first time in a while he was actually glad to have his big head butting in.
"Well, well, well Miss Leona you sure look magnificent tonight."
Leona in a flash went from angry to cute and giggled at Gary. The act infuriated Gianni. He knew Gary was an attractive older guy. At only 31 he could still pass for being in his 20s. He was an inch or two shorter than Gianni and was a very light brown color. He had hazel eyes that always entrapped women and had their legs splayed open to him before nightfall. He was a player and a womanizer and had no plans of settling down any time soon. The thought of him trying to run game on Leona made him angrier.
"Thanks Gary. You look handsome as well."
"Care to dance?"
Gary lightly grabbed Leona's hand kissing it and she nodded smiling at him prettily. Gianni was not about to let this happen.
"Gary let's go."
Both pairs of eyes looked at him. Sharp browns and lazy hazels assessed him.
"Okay after this dance."
He pulled Leona to the dance floor where couples slow-danced to some old R&B song. He watched with disdain as Gary put his hands on Leona's waist and she put her arms around his neck. They started to sway and he couldn't help the jealousy that engulfed him at the sight of Gary whispering something probably dirty in her ear and her sultry laugh dancing across the room.
"Why are you looking like a sour puss over here?"
Gianni ignored Will as he had his eyes glued to Gary and Leona. Will followed his eyes to the two and smiled.
"Hey don't worry. Gary knows better. It's the Chief's daughter. He wouldn't be stupid enough to try anything."
He was right because Gianni felt like the stupid one. She had his life in her hands and he hated feeling this hopeless. The song ended and the two pulled apart. Gary finished talking with her and he hated the way she looked up at him with almost the same admiration she did her father. He turned and walked away searching for the nearest bathroom. All on the main level were occupied and he bumped into the Chief's wife.
"Oh honey sorry everyone's drinking like fish and hogging the bathrooms! I had to go upstairs myself. You're welcome to go up there just don't tell anyone."
She winked and he thanked her as he made his way upstairs. He opened the first door he could find and luckily it was a bathroom. He stepped inside and splashed cold water on his face. He had to calm the fuck down. It didn't seem as if she was going to tell her father because she hadn't said anything yet but he still was unsure. He didn't understand where all this anger was coming from watching her interact with other men but he needed to cut the shit out. He summed it up to being his guilt for taking advantage of her. He fixed his tie and his slacks and barged out of the bathroom ready to drag Gary and Will's ass out. He charged into someone and hurriedly grabbed onto them before they fell.
Leona was jarred out of her thoughts as a moving wall slammed into her. Warm hands encircled her waist holding her up and she looked up into Gianni's eyes which looked just as startled as she was. She felt heat warm her as she became aware of their proximity. He hurried and released her backing away.