DMH Fiction: Ysabella
She was jailbait. Pure and simple. She was a worm, dangling on a hook, enticing the fish to jump and take a bite, get hooked, and that’d be it.
But dammit, Lido couldn’t stay away from her. Ysabella Hernandez. Only the daughter of one of the city’s mob bosses. Gorgeously blonde, with innocent blue eyes that loved to dance with laughter.
Everyone loved her. Even the gay guys lusted for her.
When it came to someone like Ysabella Hernandez, though, only one man would ever have her. Gabriel.
She’d been promised to him young, an alliance between families. Like the obedient child she’d been raised to be, she didn’t look twice at another guy. Ever. She was going to be Gabriel’s, and that was all there was to it.
That’s why Lido didn’t know why she would be downstairs every day when he delivered the flowers for his father. Why she’d always say hi and ask how he was.
“Just delivering the flowers,” he said to her that one particular day.
“Surely you do more than that?”
Lido jumped as her father entered the front hall. “Our flowers,” he said, his voice so icy, Lido was convinced he was about to be turned into gourmet fish bait. Mr. Hernandez did that sort of thing — and for lesser offenses than talking to his daughter.
“Yes, sir,” he said, tearing his eyes from Ysabella. Before she left his field of vision, he noticed the way she bit back a smile. He couldn’t react. For one, if he blew this account for his dad, he’d be worse than fish bait. For another, he’d sooner never return to this house than turn himself into one of Mr. Hernandez’ victims.
Even if it meant never seeing Ysabella again.
“You’re lucky your father grows the best flowers in a three-hundred mile radius,” Ysabella’s father said, his face turning dark.
Lido nodded, trying not to be rude as he stared at the darkening face. But he’d never seen a face turn black before. He should have been scared, he knew.
It wasn’t his smartest move.
Ysabella came to his rescue. “Dad, my day’s not complete if I don’t say hi to Lido. You’re the one who says a woman’s job is to make any visitor feel special and welcome.”
Behind her back, right at the edge of Lido’s peripheral vision, he saw the hand gesture she made. Telling him she was blowing smoke up her dad’s scary ass.
Still, Lido swallowed audibly. “I just deliver the flowers, Mr. Hernandez. That’s my business. It’s all I care about. Doing my dad proud.”
Mr. Hernandez nodded, as if satisfied by what he was hearing. Lido didn’t believe he really was. Rather, the man was calculating, weighing, figuring. When the best time to snatch Lido would be. How much concrete would be needed to make sure he didn’t float.
“I need to be going,” Lido said into the silence. “I have other deliveries to make and a schedule to keep to. Always nice to see you again, Mr. Hernandez. Miss Hernandez.”
As Ysabella held the door for him, she mouthed, “Meet me in the park at nine tonight.”
Maybe a smart man would have listened, but Lido wasn’t necessarily a smart man. Not when it came to Ysabella Hernandez.
***
DMH stands for Deadly Metal Hatchet, a small, up-and-coming band who sometimes populates these pages. This piece is set before the band; this situation with Ysabella is the eventual reason why Lido joins the guys and tries to get out of town.
This was inspired by this week’s Three Word Wednesday prompt, and I’m including it as a #FridayFlash piece, and posting it at Weekend Writer’s Retreat, too. That’s a lot of bang for one buck!
Great piece! I want to be Ysabella Hernandez!
July 23rd, 2010 at 2:49 pmDarcia Helle´s last blog ..Ghost Attack!
Oh what a wonderful debut to share with the #fridayflash community. Welcome!
Poor Lido.
July 23rd, 2010 at 2:50 pmMarisa Birns´s last blog ..Memento Mori
Really? But her dad’s a mobster!
July 23rd, 2010 at 3:02 pm[...] This post was mentioned on Twitter by Darcia Helle, Susan H Gottfried. Susan H Gottfried said: My first #FridayFlash! http://bit.ly/c48Uyc [...]
July 23rd, 2010 at 3:07 pmGuys always do dumb stuff for pretty girls. This was a good story!
July 23rd, 2010 at 3:08 pmEric J. Krause´s last blog ..3 Sci-Fi Podcast Stories
Welcome to #Fridayflash interesting story. I’m hooked and waiting for more.
July 23rd, 2010 at 3:24 pmRachel Blackbirdsong´s last blog ..Sunday
Wait. Is he too smart to meet her, or not?
July 23rd, 2010 at 5:27 pmAlice Audrey´s last blog ..Suzie’s House 174- His Call
good back story. Chics like that always seem to get guys in trouble!
July 23rd, 2010 at 5:49 pmDee´s last blog ..July 23
Wow, Lido is about to be in real trouble. Ysabella must be something else to make a man risk his life for…
Nice story.
July 23rd, 2010 at 6:34 pmNone of the guys in DMH strike me as terribly bright, so Lido’s adventures are going to make some fun reading.
July 23rd, 2010 at 6:59 pmAnn (bunnygirl)´s last blog ..New Fiction
Well done. Very atmospheric. This guy is in sooo much trouble, no matter what he does.
July 23rd, 2010 at 7:39 pm~jon
J. M. Strother´s last undefined ..If you register your site for free at
‘How much concrete would be needed to make sure he didn’t float.’
LOL! Wickedly funny. This was one of my favorite backstory posts ever. Love the sense of danger.
July 23rd, 2010 at 8:16 pmJulia Smith´s last blog ..Thursday Thirteen – 168 – 13 International Folk Dances For Male Dancers
Women can get me to do anything, too. You certainly plugged this cable into a lot of outlets. Glad you’re enjoying the responses.
July 23rd, 2010 at 11:41 pmJohn Wiswell´s last blog ..Bathroom Monologue- Fates of the Stepdaughter
Young toughs in love. Way cool. He’ll be an interesting character for an ongoing story.
………dhole
July 24th, 2010 at 4:45 amDonna Hole´s last blog ..THREE WORD WEDNESDAY
She’s trouble, he’s in trouble and the tension in this is great.
July 24th, 2010 at 8:58 amThomG´s last blog ..Guest Writer- Garasamo Maccagnone
How to get into trouble- Lido’s way!
July 24th, 2010 at 5:48 pmVivek´s last blog ..Prelude
Amusing tale with interesting characters. Nice debut FridayFlash post.
July 25th, 2010 at 1:33 pmOh, poor guy, either way he’s in quite a bit of trouble
Loved it, welcome to #fridayflash!
July 27th, 2010 at 5:05 amEstrella Azul´s last blog ..Recipes of the month- Raspberry Muffins and Cheese Cookies
A lot of bang for the buck indeed! Great story! Welcome to flash!
July 28th, 2010 at 10:17 amCathy Olliffe´s last blog ..How To Find A Man
I’m late but I’m here. Welcome to Friday Flash dear!
This Lido guy seems to be very brave to go up against a dangerous mobster like Mr. Hernandez. Is Ysabella’s heart to be broken?
I hope you’ll feed our curiosity.
July 30th, 2010 at 4:09 pmMari Juniper´s last blog ..Book Review – The Ainu and the Bear- by Ryo Michico