Page 62 of Powerful Deception
“Why there? Of all the fucking laundromats that this damn city has to offer, why that one?” His voice raises a bit, his anger is starting to seep out.
I feel my lips tremble as I start to form words. “I don’t know. It was just a place that my dad used to go to.”
The lie flows off easily. So easily that it causes Dante to stand up from his seat and stack over to me.
“I don’t believe you.” He says through his teeth, his face hard and his eyes filled with so much anger that I have to take a step away from him. In all my time being here under his roof, I have never seen so much anger swimming in his light brown orbs.
Make him believe you, Arianna.
“It’s the truth. I swear to you, I only went there because my dad used to go there occasionally. His birthday was a few days ago and I wanted to feel close to him, so I did things that he would do on Sundays.”
Not a complete lie but it’s still hurts to use my dad’s death like that. As far as I know Dante doesn’t know about my dad and how died, so by me bring it up, it could open up a bigger can of worms.
Dante scuffs and rolls his eyes at my statement. He looks like he’s about to say something but then he stops himself before speaking again.
“Pack your shit. You’re fucking fired.” He spits out before shoving past me toward the door.
Instantly I react. “What? No. You can’t fire me, especially not over where I went to do laundry. I need this job!” I yell, letting the tears that were brewing fall.
“Give me one fucking reason why the fuck not. Give me one good fucking reason as to why you need this job!” He yells back, a vein in his neck popping out. “I know you’re here for something, so you might as well come out and say it. That way firing you would be worth it.”
Make him believe you, Arianna. Make him believe you. This is your chance. This is your chance to gain his trust.
“Okay! I will give you the truth.” I say through the tears, trying to calm myself down as much as I possibly can. “My dad died almost three months ago, and when it came to his funeral, I had to pay for everything. He wasn’t retired, so there was no pension yet and the life insurance isn’t going to come in until next year sometime. I used all the money that I had and took out loans to pay for the funeral and I’ve been trying to pay them off.”
The truth, it’s stretched and lies are sprinkled everywhere but it’s still the truth. And I’m about to give him more of it. All to gain this man’s trust.
“My dad was a police officer, a detective, and because of that I use my mother’s maiden name as my last name. I didn’t want my father’s enemies, if he had any, to come after me. My name is Arianna, but my name at birth last is Vitale. I’m Arianna Vitale.”
His eyes go wide when I tell him my real name, like he wasn’t expecting me to reveal that detail. I wasn’t either, but if I want to gain this man’s trust, if I want him to let me in so I can get information, I need to give him everything, even if everything is sandwiched between lies.
When he doesn’t say anything, I continue. More lies coming out.
“I’m here because I needed money. I’d heard how much you were paying your dancer and about the tips they earn, so I thought I’d give it a shot and interview. We both know that went to shit. That’s why I took this job, because I knew you were rich and that you could help me get out of the hole I dug for myself financially. I was here just for the money. As for the laundromat, yes, I’ve been there a few times. To be close to my dad, like I said. I didn’t even know it was owned by whoever Roberto Gallo is. I never even heard that name. But if he’s who you say he is then maybe that’s why the washing machine at dad’s house always broken. I never interact with anyone while I’m there. I go in, do my laundry and get out. That’s it. That’s the truth. Please believe me. Please believe me and please don’t fire me. I love working for you and I really love working with the kids. Please, I need this job.”
I beg.
I let the tears continue to stream down my face and I beg this big, bad man to believe my words and to let me keep this job.
If he doesn’t, then me even taking this job would be for nothing.
Dante doesn’t say anything. He just continues to stand there, looking more pissed off than before.
He’s going to tell me to get out. He doesn’t believe me, and he’s going to fire me and tell me to get out. And he has every right to.
But even with his stance, and how unapproachable he looks, I step closer to him, just one step closer.
“Please, believe me.” I beg again, trying to meet his eyes as best as I can, but he won’t budge. So, I step even closer.
“Please, Dante.” I say, making a bold move and stepping closing the distance between us.
This time he meets my pleading gaze with a hard stare of his own. His eyes don’t convey any of the emotions that were swinging in them before.
This man is an enigma, a beautiful enigma that I wish I could crack. A beautiful man that I wish I had met under different circumstances, because maybe then I wouldn’t feel guilty about closing the last bit of distance between us and placing my hand against his chest.
“I promise you, Dante, you can trust me. I will never betray you.” My hand starts to move as I say the words, rubbing methodical circles against his shirt.
I wish I was doing this under different circumstances.