Page 3 of Something New

I won’t ignore what I want any longer.

Nerissa belongs to me, and I always get what I want - no matter what I have to do. No matter who I have to step on. She is mine. She will always be mine.

CHAPTER TWO

Nerissa

It’s late at night and luckily my mother is fast asleep when the small, folded piece of paper slips in through the open window of our bedroom. I grin, my heart fluttering with excitement. I climb out of bed, tip toeing across the wooden floors, avoiding the boards that squeak.

I peek out of the window, but Tuomo is nowhere to be seen outside. It’s too dark. He’s probably already run back around the front of the house, or up the back terrace stairs to avoid getting caught.

I pick up the secret note, tuck it into my shirt, and go back to bed.

I pull the blankets up over my body, making sure my mother doesn’t stir. I wait to see if I have woken her. After a few minutes, when she’s still snoring lightly, I unfold the note, squinting at his messy boy-handwriting. I only have the dim moonlight filtering through the window, making it hard to read the words.

Beautiful Nerissa, meet me behind the orange tree just before sunrise tomorrow. I can’t wait to kiss you again. X

The butterflies in my stomach are fluttering so fast they could be mistaken for birds. Tuo is this thrill in my life, something exciting and forbidden, and so tempting.

He’s a lot older than me and the thrill of having him chase me is like a drug. He is the first man I’ve ever kissed. I can’t call him a boy. The guys at school are boys, Tuo is all man. I have a crush on him. It’s dangerous and sexy, and I’m not going to deny it.

I shove the note under my pillow, closing my eyes tight as I try to fall asleep again, but I am too wound up.

He likes me. We kissed under the stairs, and my heart stopped and started just from the taste of his lips.

It’s so thrilling, and dangerous, a forbidden love. We might even be a real-life Romeo and Juliette.

I was terrified when his father shouted at me earlier today, and I got so angry when he threatened my mother. I should know better than to challenge that old man. He’s disgusting. She didn’t deserve that. She works so hard every day. This job sucks the life out of her, but she still gets up and does it every day, so I can go to an excellent school and do better with my life. Her children have always come first.

I’ve got two older brothers, Jackson, and Blake, and both of them live here in the mansion, too. But they live a very differentlife than mine. Tuomo’s father likes my brothers. They’re useful, unlike me.

I guess, if I wanted his approval, I would’ve had to be a boy. To impress the old man, you need a penis, and to want to be a part of the sick, twisted mafia world he rules over. I don’t have a dick, and I detest everything he stands for, so I will never be in his good graces.

I don’t even want to be.

And I can’t smile and be fake at parties like my brothers do. Rub shoulders with criminals and savages. Besides, I am not popular, or pretty, or strong, or athletic, or the life ofanyparty. If I was, then the boys at school would chase me, like Tuo does.

I am nothing like my brothers. I love them dearly, but I’m not following in their footsteps. I don’t want to be in the mafia or joining this sick and twisted family. I don’t want my life to go down that slippery slope. I saw what Tuo’s sister’s life was like, what his brothers are like with women. This is fun, and forbidden, but I will not be a Vece.

I avoided Antonio Vece and all of his children pretty effectively until recently. All I ever used to do was focus on my schoolwork, sport and getting good grades. The things that can get me far away from here. But then Tuomo started playing this game, chasing me, distracting me with his charm and sex appeal. He’s older than me. And I’ve never had such a good-looking man even glance in my direction, never mind chase me.

He’s my first crush — it’s a crush. A forbidden fling. That is fun and thrilling, but nothing more than that.

I take ages to fall asleep because I am so excited to meet Tuomo before sunrise. I dream of a knight in shining armor, a man of mystery and magic.

Iwake up with a fright. For a second, I think I’ve overslept and missed the sunrise, but it’s still dark. I slip out of bed and rush to the window. The sky is just lightening. I am just in time.

I pull off the giant tee shirt I sleep in and throw it onto the bed. Then I pull on my jeans and a black hoodie. The whole idea is not to be conspicuous, to seem like I’m just going to school early. I need to be unseen - it’s a secret mission and I can’t get caught.

I rush into the tiny bathroom my mother and I share and check my face, splashing water over my eyes to wake up. I brush my teeth, hoping the sound won’t wake my mom.

When I am done, I sneak out of our room with my heart beating so hard against my ribs that it might break right through the bones.

The house is still silent. Most of the staff only start work at sunrise. The only ones who would be up now are the chefs, preparing breakfast and one cleaner to make sure everything is spotless before the master of the house gets up.

I tip toe down the passage to the back door that leads out past the washing lines. Only the staff ever come out here. I won’t run into a lost Vece child here. I duck below the laundry that was hung up last night and creep along the side wall of the house towards the orange trees right at the back of the garden.

In spring, when all the citrus trees flower, it is one of my favorite smells in the entire world. All of those little white flowers smell like magic and freedom. It’s sweet, intoxicating and beautiful.

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