Hidden

[musicankane]

Jake shrugged and finished his glass. "Well if you ever need me you know how to get me. Im usually very close." He told her and set the glass on the table. "You shouldnt have to put up with him especially if he is exhibiting unstable behavior. Stalking you from New York is pretty unstable if you ask me."

He stood and streched, "Anyway i am going to get going. Call if you need me, and thanks for the meal." He felt every muscle in his body pull with tension as if it wanted to really get back into the game of beating people. Jake was disappointed Dani didnt just outright give him permission to talk to Carlo. Not that it was going to stop him.

 

[AngelofDeath]

"I will," Dani walked him to the door and then threw every lock on it. After cleaning up she poured herself into bed. She was really hoping she was right about Carlo. She really was.

Early the next morning over coffee, Dani called home.

"Donnatelli residence." No surprise that her father's housekeeper picked up the phone.

Dani smiled softly, "Gina, its Daniella, could you put my father on please?"

"Of course, Dani." A fw seconds later her father's thick voice came over the line.

"Daniella, what a pleasant surprise. How's California treating my favorite daughter?"

"Better if Carlo wasn't here like a dog on a bone. Do I have you to thank for this?"

"Now Dani, you know the boy loves you."

"Not enough to keep his dick in his pants. I didn't ask anything of you before I left New York other than for you to not tell him where I was going or to give him my address. Why couldn't you do this one simple thing Daddy?"

Vincenzo sighed heavily on the other line, "Darling I know you're upset, but what was I supposed to do? He came here practically on his knees wanting to make amends and get you back."

"No he wanted to get back in your good graces and save his neck. You wouldn't expect Mama to put up with something like that from you. Or Nicolette. Or Maria." She rubbed her temple slowly. "Look I know you meant, well, but this is too much. Once I was willing to forgive, but not twice or even three times. I am never going to marry him and if he keeps this up my new neighbor might just play white knight and kick his ass."

"New neighbor? You've got some man you barely know defending you?"

"Its not like that. Jake was over for dinner and Carlo showed up on my doorstep wanting to talk." That got a non-committal grunt from her father. "Look I don't care what you do, but get him to back the fuck off."

"Daniella!"

"Sorry," she muttered. "I need to head to the cafe now. Give Mama and the others my love ok?"

"Ok. I love you Dani."

"Love you too dad." She hung up and fought the urge to throw her phone. What was with this old school mob hold over about having a wive and a mistress that never went away? Even if he father had never broken his vows, he didn't begrudge other men who did.

Grumbling about pig headed men, Dani left for work.

 

[musicankane]

Jake was busy that night after he went home. He turned on his computer and logged in a certain special site he used to visit. Before doing so he activated a peer block to keep his IP from being traced and did a search for the license plate of Carlo's car. His search gave him a full name Carlo Cavallo.

The name gave him everything about him. Credit card numbers, address, criminal record, family history. Jake dug online a bit deeper and pulled out the last month worth of transactions from Carlo's bank account. From that he traced a credit card bill to where Carlo had to be stayed in town while he harassed Dani. Jake smirked and logged off the computer before heading to bed.

"Got you punk." Jake said.

The next day Jake sat around the house, enjoying his Sunday. Though he made a point to keep his distance from Dani when she was home. Instead he went about his day though he kept a careful eye out for Carlo. Already he was planning to go visit Calro tonight despite what Dani had asked him to do. In searching through Carlo's records, Jake had good idea of the kind of spoiled shit faced prick Carlo was. Privilaged and unable to take no for an answer. Carlo was probably going crazy that Dani had left him, he couldn't handle being rejected. Luckily Jake had a cure for that.

 

[AngelofDeath]

After making sure the shop was in good hands and the menu for next week was set, Dani went around running errands. A little grocery shopping with a side trip to the salon for a wash and cut. From there Dani went to the gym to change her membership around and then went to relax in the park for a bit. It was nothing fancy, but she did like the open air and space to clear her head. Carlo was still in the back her mind.

So was Jake for that matter. It hadn't really hit her last night, but looking back on it she remembered that his southern drawl had faded away in his anger. It wasn't the first time it had happened, but last night had been in a big way. Just who was he? Dani could hear her father mentioning the fact that she barely knew the guy. That was true, but she had no reason to suspect him of anything bad.

 

[musicankane]

That night Jake drove to the hotel where Carlo was staying. When he arrived Carlo was not around, as the car that Jake had seen at Dani's house was not in the parking lot. Jake parked in the corner and waited patiently for his friend to get back to the hotel room.

It was almost midnight when Jake saw Carlo's car pull into the parking lot. Carlo parked and walked into his room, looking angry about something. Jake reached into the glove compartment and put on a set of brass knuckles. Then he got out of his car whistling a marry jingle.


He walked up to the door and knocked. Carlo cursed from behind the door and jerked it wide open, "It is the middle of the fucking night!" He spat even though he himself had just walked into the room.

Jake smiled and with his thick accent he said, "Hello there, I was wondering if you have heard the voice of our lord and savior Jesus Christ."

Carlo looked him up and down and narrowed his eyes, "What the fuck?"

"HIs message is clear and rains upon us with a heavenly voice."

"Get out of here you fucking weirdo, before I beat your ass."

"Oh young non believer. Hear his grace." Jake winked, "Sounds kind like this." Then his fist came out and smacked Carlo right between the eyes, the brace knuckles making a metal thunk sound on his head.

Carlo fell back surprised and stunned for a moment. By the time he recovered Jake hit him again. "What's a matter you dont like it?" JAke asked.

Carlo jerked back and jake grabbed him by the collar and jerked him back toward him as his fist jerked forward to crack Carlo again. This time Carlo's nose burst open causing blood to pour down his face. "Stop it fuck man." Carlo screamed trying to shove Jake away.

Jake hit him four more times, quick and rapid and breaking open more of his face. "You want em to leave you alone? Huh? Doesn't feel good when someone doesn't stop when you want them to does it."

Jake uppercutted Carlo and spent him sprawling to the floor. Carlo tried to roll over but Jake stomped a foot on his chest and forced him to stay on his back. He bent over and grabbed Carlo by the hair, making sure the prick looked at him. "Now that you've have a taste of this lesson let me get to the point. Fuck off. Go back to New York and leave Dani alone for good. She aint interested. If I so much as hear a rumor that you were ever near her I'll find you and hang you from a ceiling fan by your tiny prick, do I make myself clear?"

 

[AngelofDeath]

Carlo let out a small laugh before he turned his head to spit out some blood, "You want the little whore? Fine. I was starting to think her father's money and connections weren't worth the aggravation anyways." He looked Jake up and down with a smirk, "Some advice, don't even bother. Daniella isn't one to spread those sexy legs for a goon."


-------------------------

Back at her place Dani had turned her sprinklers on and was out on her porch with a glass of ice tea while she flipped through her mail. Carlo hadn't left another gift, thank God. Putting the mail aside her mind went back to Jake. After last night he seemed like two different people in one. On the one hand you had Jake, the soft spoke country boy, who was nice, but also liked his privacy. Well unless she was butting into it. On the other you had the loud and so not southern Jake who was ready to pound the face in of some guy he didn't know just because he had bothered Dani. Last night version of him had reminded her of her brothers and to an extent some of her father's men. His accent, the real one didn't peg him for a New Yorker though. Chicago maybe?

She shook her head. Dani was putting way too much thought into this. So what if he wasn't actually southern? They weren't dating so its not like his past before he moved was really any of her business.

 

[musicankane]

Jake smirked and wiped his hands with the end of the bedspread at Carlo's taunt. "You think it's about that? No wonder you are just a little punk. You think women are property, nothing more than a warm hole to put your dick. Until you realize differently you are in for a sad life. I pity you."

He took off the brass knuckles and tucked them into his pocket. Then he walked over to Carlo and kicked him hard in the chest, then he pressed his foot onto Carlo's throat. "You better disappear, go back home to New York and never show your face in town again. If I so much as see you buying toliet paper at Dani's grocery store I will bury your body where no one will ever find you, and believe me when I say I am very very good and making people disappear."

Then Jake left.

* * * *

Days later Jake ordered a pizza too big for him to eat alone. He took the big pizza box over to Dani's place and knocked on the door. When she opened it he grinned, "They gave me a extra large on accident. Please help me eat it."

 

[AngelofDeath]

With no further gifts or drop ins from Carlo, Dani had assumed her father had leaned hard enough on the young man to get him to reconsider trying to win he back. As for her and Jake, the pair over the next few days had settled into a routine of sorts. Jake would stop by her cafe for breakfast and to talk and after they were both off work if they were home at the same time, they'd have dinner or just relax and enjoy some music over a glass or two of wine.

Finding Jake on her doorstep with pizza was a surprise though. She looked at the box, seeing had had picked one of the few places in town that made really good pizza. "As long as its deep dish, sure." Dani let him in and then went to the fridge and pulled out the bottle of apple flavored ale she had picked up earlier. There was more than enough for the two glasses she poured.

"So how's work coming along?," she asked as she grabbed two plates for them.

 

[musicankane]

Jake set the box on the dining room table and flipped open the lid, letting the pure smell of the pizza fill the room. "Work is going along, we've finished the skeletons of about fifteen houses. Skeletons are houses built completely, but lack like drywall and wallpaper and other stuff to make them homes. WE've got about thirty or so homes to go, so plenty of work left to do." He told her as she brought the drink and the glasses.

He moved into the kitchen to grab them napkins. Having been to her place enough to know where everything was, he grabbed napkins and a couple of plates for them to chow down.

"How about you? That Carl's Jr. guy been leaving you alone?" He asked.

 

[AngelofDeath]

"Carlo," she took a sip of her ale, "and thankfully no. He either grew a working brain or my father put the fear of God into him." Dani slid a slice of pizza onto her plate and then sat back as she brought the plate into her lap. In between bites she took a chance and asked, "When you aren't working or spending time with me, what do you do for fun?"

Even with all the time they had spent together, Dani had yet to really get a bead on Jake, or find out more about him, the real him. She'd been in his place a couple of times, but it never gave her a sense of the real him. There were no family pics and everything seemed so, staged.

 

[musicankane]

Jake sat back and took a big bite out of his pizza slice, "Well I play a little guitar, I watch TV, what else am I to do? I guess I should start going out and trying to get laid. That's been a while for me." He said with a smirk. "Say you look like you would be popular with the fellas, what's a good night spot around here?" His eye told her completely that he was teasing her.

 

[AngelofDeath]

"There are a couple places downtown. The cafe keeps me busy most of the time, so I really haven't been out for a while." She took another bite of her pizza. "And I would think you'd want to get out for more reasons than just getting laid. I mean all tail and no brains is going to get boring eventually. Unless you like your semi hermit lifestyle?"

Dani had a sneaking suspicion she was going to be escorting Jake to his first L.A. club. The change in scenery might actually widen that crack in his mask a bit more. It might not be such a bad idea after all.

 

[musicankane]

Jake spread his arms and grinned, "Hey if I don't get out I might as well be a hermit anyway." He said, "And i can't think of a better reason to go out then trying to get some." He sat forward and smirked at her, "Unless you really wanna keep me in doors."

He wanted to get to know Dani better, mostly he was really starting to want to get to know her naked. She was definately a conservative woman and getting into her pants was a journey. But Jake thought that there might be something more to Dani. Dani wasn't a girl you'd just fuck and forget, Dani was a girl you married. She could cook, she was gorgeous, smart and fun to be around. If only she had shown any interest in him. If it weren't for Carlo's appearance he might have thought she was just a lesbian.

 

[AngelofDeath]

Dani shook her head at him as she took a sip and sighed. "Getting laid isn't everything you know." She picked up another slice of pizza. "I suppose there is a place or tow I could show you if your intent is to get laid. You already know you're good looking enough to get housewives all worked up, so you shouldn't have any trouble with some less desperate women."

She gave him a grin, "I hope you've got more than just blue jeans to wear. If I'm going to be your stand in wing man, I can at least insist you dress up a little."

 

[musicankane]

Jake smirked at her, "I have black jeans if you think that will be any better." He took another slice of pizza and powered it down. "Why dont we do that then. Make a plan of it Friday." He said mentally counting the days. "Tomorrow I will go get a haircut, seeing as how I am feeling a bit on the shaggy side anyway. How does Friday at like nine fit for you?"

 

[AngelofDeath]

"I'm pretty sure I can pencil you in," Dani joked. Looking at his hair she had to agree, "You do look like you could do with a trim and yes black jeans will be fine. Construction chic so won't do." Dani poured the last of the ale into both their glasses. "By the way, thanks for not being put off by the other day. Carlo is part of the reason why for the moment I've sworn of men."

She picked up the piece of crust on her plate and took a bite out of it. "You know I really don't want much. Just a nice guy who isn't going to fuck me over. That and on who doesn't make me want to find a good place to hide a body."

 

[musicankane]

Jake listened to her joke and smiled knowingly. Oh the things he could teach her about hidding bodies. He leaned forward and gave her a serious look, "Such a shame to swear off mwn Dani. Because I am finger licking good." He said putting as much heat into his voice as he could.

Jake liked Dani a lot. They got along very very well ever since he moved in. All this time he had hoped to win her affections but it was becoming more and more obvious that winning her wasnt going to happen. He had his needs and if Dani wasnt going to bite the hook then he could get another fish elsewhere.

When he showed up on her doorstep Friday night he looked like a million bucks. He wore black slacks and a button up sleek silk black shirt. His hair cut super short and gave him a look similar to his old military look. He knocked on her door and stood with his hands clasped in front of him.

When Dani opened the door he smiled, "Is Dani here? Im here date for the prom tonight."

 

[AngelofDeath]

The rest of the night had passed with idle chit chat until Jake headed home with what was left of the pizza. The rest of the week passed like the other days had. Routine and very normal.

Come Friday,Jake was at her door on the dot. She looked him over with a grin, "Yeah I doubt my father would let a guy looking like you take me to the prom." She let him in with a laugh. She was still in her green silk robe. "Make yourself comfortable. I'll be right out.

She headed off into her room to finish her make up and hair and find some shoes to go with the red dress laid out on her bed. When she was done she came out, "How do I look?" Jake's stare and silence was as good as a verbal answer.

 

[musicankane]

Jake looked her up and down and shook his head, "Nope that will never work, go back and change into something else." He told her pointing back toward her bedroom. When she gave him a huff and a look he shook his head again, "No you can't go out looking better than me. That will chase the girls away and the wingman should never look better than the umm me." He said.

He stood and headed toward the door, "Let's go, maybe you'll get luck and I will only have beat nine or ten guys off of you."

 

[AngelofDeath]

Dani shook her head. As they slipped into her car she said, "You don't know women well do you? You know how Kathy ignore me when you first met you? Trust me they will know we aren't together. And those that don't will try much harder to outdo me."

"Hold on," she said as he buckled his seat belt. Dani was somewhat of a speed demon. With no kids in the way she was able to gun her lil sports car out of their neighborhood. "And don't worry Jake. I can beat my own guys off." The double meaning was intentional.

 

[musicankane]

Jake tightened his grip on the door handle as she sped off down the street. He let out a 'shit' as she took a turn insanely quick. They got to the club and Jake found himself overwhelmed for a moment with the damn volume of the music. He had used to have to go into places like this all the time, but it had been so long that the shock of returning to the scene.

After a moment though he adjusted and moved with Dani to the bar. He ordered a couple of beers and slid one toward Dani as he turned to scan the crowd. "Well I feel old." He smiled.

 

[AngelofDeath]

"Out of practice? Hopefully its just with club music and nothing else." Dani sipped her beer and looked around. Rain was about the same as the last time she'd set foot in the club. Same set up, same overpriced beer and the same sea of bodies all looking for a good time at minimum and maybe something more at the end of the night as best.

"Don't worry, once you're back in the saddle, it'll come back to you. And hey some women like being in charge too."

 

[musicankane]

Jake looked around and spied some girls he would like to get to know in that bend over the bed kind of way. He clapped and rubbed his hands together. "Wish me luck." He made his way on the dance floor and tried his luck.

It seemed like he was having some luck out there. Pretty girls danced with him and flirted, but he never got them off the floor. One blonde was all over him like white on rice, grinding and moving with him. She rubbed his ass against him so much that he ended the song with a raving hardon. Then she just smiled and ditched him.

He came back to Dani defeated. "I think I left my game at home."

 

[AngelofDeath]

Dani had to stop herself from laughing into her drink as Jake came back solo. "Well you have to do more than dance all hot and bothered with them." She pointed towards one of the women he'd danced with at the other end of the bar. "Go buy her a drink and make with the small talk." Setting her empty drink down Dani headed for the bathroom, to check her lipstick and to give Jake some space to work his charm.

As she washed her hands she realized how fun this was. Even if she was helping him try to get laid.

 

[musicankane]

Jake took Dani's advice and went over with a drink. It turned out that the girl was named Maria, and she was a receptionist for a hotel downtown. She was very cute, tits were a little small for his tastes, but still very doable. It also turned out that she had a boyfriend at the club with her and was in the bathroom at the time of Jake's dance with her. He arrived in time to chase Jake away with an angry look.

Jake knocked over the drink he had bought her as he walked away though, "Whoops."

He headed back to the bar and was just about to reach Dani when he felt the boyfriend come up behind him. Jake sidestepped the punch, spinning quickly and jabbed two fingers into the guys throat causing him to double over choking. He bent over and put an arm around the guy to hide any sign of a fight.

"Back off man, you don't want no trouble with this. She dance and flirted with me first. So don't bring her out to places where she can dance around on you pal." He said patting the guys back.

Once the boyfriend was staggering back to his girlfriend, Jake walked up to Dani. "Swing and a miss."