Mafia Desire (Erotica)

Once he’d left the room Lily glared at her mother “How can you treat Mr. Shepherd like that? That wasn’t very nice!” she complained.

“He offered!” Joanne hissed.

“After he generously freed you from finding me a place to live!” Lily admonished.

“He offered.” she said weakly.

Lily just scowled at her mother and went back to knitting.

Ten minutes later Ben returned and went over his findings. Again, the house was in pretty good shape but the furnace and water heater were in need of replacing and electrical panel was full. It would need replacing if Ben were to do any renovations. He explained his finding and described the showers he’d install and intended to install in Trish’s place. Lily’s eyes lit up then she heard what she’d get to use living there.

“So, I’d be willing to spend 1. 15 million on your home.” Ben said.

“That’s your final offer?” Joanne asked.

“MOM!” Lily cried incredulously.

Ben smiled at the young woman. “No it’s fine. Yes Joanne, that’s my final offer. If you believe you can get more please go ahead. The Miller’s home sold for 1. 25 million so you might find someone willing to go at least that high, but their place has that big pool in the backyard with all that landscaping. You’ll also be on the hook for paying the realtor commission. Let me know when you can.”

With that Ben said his goodbyes and went home.

He was looking at the bank paperwork for Tina and thinking of all the calls he’d have to make.

Ben called his lawyer and left a message with James’ lawyer’s details and asked for a call back to discuss a way to salvage Tina Lee’s legal rights to her home and any funds her husband had before the bank took it away.

He thought about the bank and the money he’d need to withdraw tomorrow for the gambling debt. He was a little concerned the Selleni brothers might try to keep extorting money from them. While he didn’t really want to involve their older and smarter brother, Ben needed his advice on how to deal with his brothers. He’d shared classes with Dominic and had kept him from being included in the expulsions when the Selleni’s poker ring was busted. Ben knew Dominic had nothing to do with his brother’s dirty little game and had gone to the Dean to clear Dominic’s name. Angelo and Michael were kicked out and never went back to school. They opened the restaurant instead and it seemed they reopened their crooked game as well.

Ben looked up Dominic’s number and called him up.

“Selleni residence.”

“Hi, may I speak with Dominic Selleni?” Ben asked.

“Speaking. Who’s this?”

“It’s Ben Shepherd.”

“Ben? How ya doing man! God! It’s been years!” the man boomed in the phone. Ben smiled. Dominic always had been a little larger than life.

“I’m doing very well. Keeping myself busy. How about you?” Ben admitted.

“Fantastic! My third grandchild will be arriving any day now!” Dominic said proudly.

“Congratulations! That’s wonderful!” Ben said.

“Hey! I heard through the grape vine that you found yourself a woman. God we thought you’d never speak to a girl much less marry one! Hahahahaha!” The laughter thundered from the phone.

“Yeah, I married one but it… didn’t work out.” Ben said a little stiffly.

“Oh, I’m so sorry.” He heard the sincere regret in the man’s voice.

“That’s life. I’m really glad your life is treating you so well! You really deserve it!” Ben said trying to change the conversation. He was getting more and more uncomfortable about bringing the issue with man’s brothers up but there was that potential threat to Trish.

“Thanks man!” Dominic said.

“Listen, do you keep in touch with Angelo and Michael? Do they still run the Celestial?” Ben asked.

Dominic’s tone became worried. “Yeah, they do. I try to keep my distance from those bozos. Why?”

“I think they’ve started up that poker game of theirs again.”

“WHAT? Those fucking losers! They didn’t get you, did they? Wait a minute, stupid question, of course not.” Dominic rumbled.

“The husband of a friend of mine was into them for $40K. He died months ago and the widow is getting threats. I told them I’d pay the debt and it went up to $60K. I just want to make sure if I pay Angelo that’s the last I’ll hear from them. I’m supposed to pay them tomorrow.”

“Don’t you pay them one fucking cent! Promise me you won’t!” Dominic pleaded.

“Dominic, I don’t want to get you involved. I just wanted your advice. You know them better than me. The widow doesn’t need the grief. I’m willing to pay to make them go away as long as stay away.”

“Oh, I’m not going to get involved. Not at all. I’m taking my wife and kids out for a very public dinner tonight. But don’t you pay a cent to those low life scum. Promise me! I’m sorry to call them my brothers. Listen I got to make some calls. You have a great night! Don’t be a stranger! Come visit and I’ll let you bounce a grandkid on your knee! Does wonders for your soul!”

“Thanks Dominic!” Ben said a little shaken.Content protected by Nôv/el(D)rama.Org.

“You take care now! Bye!” The man hung up and Ben wondered what he had just started. He hoped he didn’t cause trouble for Dominic.

Ben recalled that Hannah and Beth would be coming over tonight after dinner to have an informal group therapy session. He thought maybe they could sit in his living room or for a more intimate setting there was the media room in the basement. The chairs and couches were a little more comfortable and the lighting more soothing downstairs. He’d play it by ear based on how Beth felt.

Ben looked around and realized that until recently very few people had ever been in his house. Yet within the past few days four of neighbors had visited. He wondered why none of them ever visited before. Was it him?

There was one call he could make today. He looked up the number and called the shop where he’d bought his California King pillow top mattress and ordered a new one with a mattress protector. Having learned his lesson he also ordered some protectors for the other mattresses in the house. The salesman said that they had only one of the extra-large mattresses in stock and could get it to him before the dinner hour if he paid the extra $100 for rush delivery. He gave them his credit card number and they said it would arrive before 6PM and they’d dispose of the old one no charge.

That taken care of he moved the queen mattress from his room back to the first guest room and replaced the sheets. He made himself busy baking some cookies for Beth and Hannah (but mostly for Beth who needed to put some mass back on her bones). Once the cookies were in the oven he grabbed his tablet and checked out his favorite Engineering forums and Trade Papers. He saw a few projects he might be interested in tackling and book marked them. That done he wrote up the rental agreement for Trish. He’d get her to sign it to tomorrow. He spent the rest of the afternoon baking and reading and before he knew it the truck arrived with his new mattress.

His bed was back to normal and had fresh sheets for tonight’s sleep. He wondered how he’d sleep considering how well he’d slept with Tina at his side. He’d see.

He made himself dinner and was cleaning up when the doorbell rang. He wiped his hands and let Hannah and Beth in. He took their coats and gave them both hugs.

“Do I smell… peanut butter cookies?” Beth smiled.

“Yes, I made them especially for you! You like them right?” Ben asked.

“I LOVE peanut butter cookies! How did you know?” she asked.

“I was out for a walk one day when you and the kids were getting back from school and I overheard you mentioning it to Jane when she gave you some she baked at school.” he said

Beth stared at Ben. “That- that was… what, three years ago!”

“Seemed like an important thing to remember.” Ben smiled at her.

Beth looked at Hannah with tears in her eyes and a frustrated look on her face. “Jesus, Larry couldn’t remember the color of my hair and Ben remembers what kind of cookie I like from a single comment he overheard years ago.”

“It just proves Larry wasn’t the yardstick to measure good men by. Men who deserve your attention. Ben, where shall we sit?” Hannah said.

“I was thinking it might be nice to sit down in the media room. It’s cozy and more conducive to conversation.” Ben suggested.

“Lead the way! You have a beautiful home by the way!” Hannah said looking into the living room.

“Would you two like a tour? Trish was over earlier today looking at the renovations I did on mine to see what I will do on her house after I buy it. She quite liked it.” he said.

“That would be very nice, yes!” Hannah said.

Ben showed them the living room, through to the dining room and the updated kitchen which was a big hit. They couldn’t really see the deck well but liked his French doors which led out to it. They made appreciative noises in the guest bedrooms and when he led them into the master bedroom Beth was stunned by the size of the bed. She looked at him and back to the bed.

“Ben, I know you’re a big man but do you really need a bed that large?” she exclaimed.

He shrugged and frowned. “Wendy needed her space on the bed and I just got used to having a bed this size.”

“Looks like it could sleep three with room to spare!” Beth gushed then the three of them looked at each other suddenly aware of the implication. Beth giggled nervously.

“Through here is the master bath.” Ben said to change the topic to safer grounds.

They entered and Hannah took one look at the oversized shower stall with surround jets. She looked at Beth. “Looks like the shower could fit three as well.” she said with a grin and Beth’s giggles just got worse.

Ben led them out and down the hall to the stairs to the basement. They did the tour downstairs and ended up on the couches Ben had arranged in a circle in the media room. Each of them had a couch facing the other two. There was a plate of cookies sitting on the table in the center. Ben picked one up and handed it to Beth. When she just opened her mouth Ben picked up her hand and put it in her palm with a grin.