Bloodlines (The First Draw)

I frutti proibiti sono i più dolci. (Arianna)

(Italian: 'Forbidden fruit is sweetest.')

Arianna

"Baby Girl! Damn, I missed your fine ass. Get the fuck over here," Cruz yells once we make it outside and he begins to get into his black BMW, his mile-wide smile showing his bright white teeth. I quickly climb into the passenger side and give him a hug over the center console. He pulls away and gives me a sweet smile before driving away from the curb.

I met Cruz in High School when I lived with the D'Agostinos in the Monterey Peninsula for a few years. He was a friend of Adriano and soon became one of my closest friends. No matter where we are he and I always make the time for each other and are a shoulder to lean on for the other. After we graduated Alessandro decided to move the family business into a bigger city. It seemed like an interesting coincidence that Adriano was planning on going to UCLA to play football and suddenly the whole family decided to move. Not to mention that Gianni was signed by the Los Angeles Chargers as a Wide Receiver.

"Ok Baby Girl, you sounded off when you called. What did you need help with?" he asked as he glanced at me from time to time while driving.

"Ok Cruz, don't judge me. Basically, it started two months ago..." I explain everything to him. Every so often his normally tanned skin on his knuckles would turn white as he gripped the steering wheel tighter. His slender but muscular build seemed to tense even more when I explained the most recent part of my story. Once I've finished the car is enveloped in a very uncomfortable silence. Pulling onto Adriano's street, I decide I can't leave with this awkwardness.

"Cruzer, you haven't said anything in about fifteen minutes," I look over and catch his soft brown eyes looking over at me with a coldness I've never seen before in him.

"What the fuck is there to say?! I didn't realize you turned into a fuckin whore! What the fuck do you want from me? Money...Dick...what advice should I give you," he screams at me. A sudden fear runs through my veins, Cruz is not someone you want against you. He's never shown me his murderous side, but I know it's there. I know the things he's done and the work he does, but I never expected this. As I try to plan an escape from him and press the tiny emergency button on my earring in my cartilage, he suddenly accelerates and jumps the curb. Parked at a weird angle I take the opportunity to jump out of the car and run for the front door.

"Where the fuck you think you're goin?! Nope, we're not done," before I can make it off the walkway Cruz grabs me from behind and holds my back against his chest. I can feel his tensed muscles from his chest and stomach pushing hard into me. Both of his hands encircle my biceps and control my arm movements so I can't break free. He presses his head into my neck, and I begin to panic, this is not the Cruz I know.

"Baby Girl, I've been here for years, and you spread your legs for some mother fucker you just met! I've been there through everything, he barely spared you a few words! You call me to give you advice about another mother fucker that's taking what's mine? You got me fucked up..." Before he can finish his sentence, I throw my head back as hard as possible making sure to connect with his. He lifts his head and I repeat the movement until I hear a loud crack. He releases me and I run for the door, scanning my thumb over the lock, and trying to push it closed behind me.

"Baby Girl, you thought you could get away from me that easy?! Don't fuck around," he screams as he pushes against the door. Holding it closed with my back proves to be more than I can handle, he's much stronger than me. Deciding I only have one option left, I release the door and step into the dark corner behind it. Cruz falls in and catches himself quickly on the wood floor. Looking around he slowly moves toward the area I'm heading in. Preparing myself as he approaches, I wait until he's close enough and punch him as hard as I can.