by M. K. Moore
What the fuck is wrong with me?
After he gathers all of his tools for the trade, we get into his car and head off into the night. His taste in music leaves a lot to be desired though.
“What the hell are you listening to?” I ask, trying not to laugh.
“I don’t really know. It’s soothing though. It wouldn’t do to be hyped up when I get there. I save that for after.”
“Oh, that makes sense,” I say. It takes forever to get where we are going.
Coming to a stop in what was once a parking lot, an abandoned warehouse looms before us. I climb out of the car and help Albie get his gear. I take a deep breath. I'm about to knowingly and willingly commit a crime.
Before meeting him, I never would have put myself out there like that. I walk behind him into the surprisingly well-lit open space. It must be in use often as it is clean except the center of the room. The dead body and splashes of blood look out of place in the otherwise sterile environment. Though, I guess something like this would be out of place anywhere. Near the body, which is face down on the ground, stands a tan man in his tight boxer briefs.
Talk about weird.
“What the fuck, Lo?” Albie demands.
“Sorry. I was just trying to save time. You always have me ditch my clothes. I didn't know the woman Ma chewed my ear off about for twenty minutes was coming with you. Wait, this is the girl, right?”
“Of course, it is,” he says, shaking his head. “Lorenzo, this is my girl, Autumn. Autumn, my older brother, Lorenzo.
Albie gets to work. He easily lifts the giant man onto the tarp he just spread out.
My mind takes a minute to catch up with what I am seeing.
“Holy shit,” I say.
“I know baby. Dead bodies can be a lot to take in,” Albie says placatingly.
“Oh my God, no. This is New York, of course I’ve seen dead bodies, I just never expected to see this one.”
“You know this guy?” Lorenzo asks.
“Yeah, he’s my stepdad. Well, I guess he was. You have no idea what a huge relief this is.” Without thinking, I hug Lorenzo, simultaneously jumping up and down. “Holy shit. You are my fucking hero, Lorenzo.” Is it wrong to be glad that a man is dead? Definitely, but the world is a better place now for sure.
The hug is short lived. Albie rips me from Lorenzo, but to be fair, he didn’t touch me or hug me back in any way.
“Don't touch other men, Lolita. I don't like what it does to me.”
“I'm sorry,” I say, turning in his arms and kissing him. I really kiss him to keep from laughing like Lorenzo is doing right now.
“Get the fuck out of here, Lo. There are clothes in the backseat of my car,” he growls, looking over my head at his brother.
“Fine. I'm going. I'll see you two lovebirds tomorrow. I'm ready to get my turkey on.” Once he is gone, the look in Albie’s eye intensifies to something I've never seen before.
“I was going to kill my brother. You can't do shit like that,” he says before kissing me soundly.
I break the kiss first, though I really don't want to.
“Don't worry, Albie. This is it for me,” I say honestly.
“It better be, because I won’t be letting you go. Your virgin blood is still on my cock Lolita, that makes you mine. Now, I’ve got to get this body cleaned up. Are you sure you are okay with this? After all, he was your stepfather,” he asks, looking concerned.
“You’re a bossy bastard, Albie, but trust me when I say that I'm more than good. I'm barely restraining myself from kicking his dead ass. Out of curiosity, what did he do?”
“He owed my father a lot of money. Lorenzo takes out guys who, no matter how long you give them, will never pay up.”
“That sounds legit. I wonder what he spent the money on? It certainly wasn't his family,” I say, cinching the zip ties I'm putting around his wrists harder than I need to. Albie is doing up his ankles. Sal is starting to look like a hogtied calf at this point.
“He liked the horses if I'm not mistaken.” You’ve got to be fucking kidding me. My mom and I have been working our asses off keeping the boys fed and in damn diapers and this jackal was borrowing money just to lose it.
I give in to my pissed off nature and kick him in the calf. “Piece of shit. I hope the devil knows your name,” I say, crossing myself.
“You’re vicious, Lolita,” he says, chuckling as he begins to roll Sal up in the tarp.
“What are we doing with him?”
“What do you think? We can drop him into the Hudson, or I got a vat of acid at another location.”
“Acid,” I say without hesitation. Jesus, I am a little bit vicious.
“Damn, woman. You’re making my cock hard again,” he says, adjusting himself.
“Sorry, not sorry,” I say, smiling and shrugging.
Not for the first time, I am wondering who I am right now. I really don’t understand how I am okay with all this, Albie, his job, everything that has happened in the last few hours. I just know that I am. I crave him as if he the world’s most addictive drug.
A few minutes later, I start cleaning up the blood while he loads Sal into the trunk of the car. I am more than a little excited to tell my mom the good news, but honestly, I don’t think I will. While I know she will be happy to be free of him, I am not sure that I want to tell my mom everything that happened here tonight.
“Use the bleach, Lolita,” he says when he comes back in.
“Bleach isn’t as effective as peroxide. Plus, the stench is a tell-tale sign that something happened here,” I say spraying peroxide on the stain. He picks up all the gear and loads the car.
“How do you know that?” he asks, amused.
“I'm obsessed with ‘Heloise Hints’ from old copies of Good Housekeeping Magazine.”
“So, you're the one who kept your apartment clean?” he asks.
“It was a joint effort,” I admit.
Once I am satisfied it’s clean, we head out of the building hand in hand. We get in the car and head off to the next location.
I gotta admit, this cloak and dagger criminal activity is fun.
Chapter Six
Alberto
Autumn surprised the fuck out me by actually wanting to go on this job with me. Then she further surprised me by wanting to help me. She didn’t bat an eye at cleaning up her piece of shit stepfather’s blood. I lucked out with this beautiful girl. I feel like a bastard for taking her, keeping her. But not bad enough to stop. She brings out feelings in me that I didn’t know I had. I look over at her in the passenger seat. She is staring out the window. It’s a moonless night due to the clouds and we are on a dark stretch of road.
“What are you thinking about over there, Lolita?” I ask, hoping she isn’t doubting herself for what she just participated in. She turns away from the window.
“That was pretty badass. I definitely want to do more of that,” she says grinning.
“Who are you? Where the fuck have you been all my life?”
“I am Autumn Cara Deluca and I was made for you.”
“Fuck, Lolita. Saying shit like that is going to get you wifed real quick.” She smiles and drags her fingernails across my thigh.
“So, the cleanups?” she asks, looking for some information.
“I do that about six times a month. Sometimes more depending on people's moods.”
“They deserve it?” she questions. “Not that it matters to me, but I am super interested in the details.”
“Sometimes,” I begin. “Other times accidents happen, or they are crimes of passion. We Italians are a passionate bunch, as you know.”
She giggles. “I know that now.”
We arrive at the storage unit company that I own. Ninety-nine percent of the units are legitimate and above board. I have one hidden inside of another. Inside there are five oil drums full of acid. Two of which are currently occupied. In one vat is Amato Delatorre. He bilked my family of three million dollars and tried to s
tart his own family. That is a huge no-no. My father killed him personally. It was a big deal because he hasn’t gotten his hands dirty for years. The other is occupied by the former mayor, Hall Smith. He shouldn't have slept with Lorenzo's ex while they were still married. I'm honestly surprised Kat isn't in the other one. The pair had only been married for two months. Lorenzo thought he loved her, but from the outside looking in, there is no way. Kat was selfish and cold.
She didn't care about the family business, except for what it could buy her. I know he will find his one, but I'm afraid of him killing a bunch of people before he does. This is the thirteenth body of his that I’ve cleaned this month, but thankfully this month is almost over.
“This is seriously cool,” she says in awe.
Where did this woman come from? She is everything I ever could have hoped for.
“I'm glad you like it,” I say, wrestling Sal from the trunk. Removing the tarp, I dump him unceremoniously into the closest vat, though I'm careful not to splash. Hydrofluoric Acid is no joke. It dissolves pretty much anything. Once that is done, I strip my shirt, shorts, socks, and shoes off, dumping them in the vat as well.
Autumn is wandering around the room, looking at the various implements of disposal I have scattered around the room.
Her pert little ass is staring me in the face. I have to fuck her now. Trust me, I know how fucked up this is, but I can't help it.
“Strip,” I order. She turns, wide-eyed.
“I don't do that,” she says, putting her hands on her hips.
“You'll do it for me, won't you, Lolita?”
“Why should I?”
“Because you love me,” I state matter-of-factly.
“How do you know that?” she says, kicking her shoes off.
My grin is surely lecherous. I shrug.
“A man knows these things.”
“Do they?” she asks, sliding her skin-tight jeans down her legs and kicking them away as well. Standing there in just her black shirt and panties, she is the most beautiful woman in the world. I am certain she could be wearing a potato sack and she’d still be the most beautiful woman in the fucking world.
“Fuck yes,” I growl.
“Tell me how you know,” she says, playing with the hem of her shirt, teasing me.
“Show me,” I demand quietly.
“Tell me,” she says, her voice low and mocking. I sigh long and loud.
“Your eyes.”
“My eyes?”
“They tell me everything. The way you look at me, it’s there in them. Also, the way you gave me your cherry. The writings on the wall, babe.”
She looks shocked, but nods. Then takes her shirt off, then her bra. She tosses them in the pile she’s made, and I pounce on her. I lift her petite body in my arms and slide her pussy over my hard cock.
“Oh God, Alberto, please. Don’t tease me. Not now,” she says.
“I won’t tease you,” I say, sliding into her wet cunt.
“Mmm. Thank God,” she moans, bouncing on my cock. I maneuver us to the closest closed vat and set her on it. Leaning down, I pull her tight nipple into my mouth, while my cock slides in and out of her. Giving her no warning, I pull out of her and flip her, so she is face down, ass up in the air. Slamming back inside of her, I grip her hips tightly. I know I’m leaving marks on her olive skin.
“So much tighter this way,” I grit out through clenched teeth. Her screams get louder as I continue to smash her cunt.
“Yes. Please. Give it to me. I need it.”
“Need that seed? Need my babies?” I ask, continuing to dominate her little body. When she says nothing, I slam into her harder and grip her hips harder. “Answer me,” I demand.
“Yes. I need your babies,” she finally answers, coming around my cock. Her pussy muscles squeezing my cock triggers my own release and I fill her to the brim again.
I pull out of her and toss her discarded clothes into the open vat and seal it up. I grab a T-shirt and a pair of sweats from the shelf and hand it to her. I pull some on myself.
Once we are back home, I pull her into the shower and love her again before falling exhausted into bed, pulling her close to me.
Chapter Seven
Autumn
The next morning, I get dressed in my only dress. I am not a dress girl, but luckily, I have this one dress. Thankfully, it happens to be a dark maroon color, so it’s perfect for Thanksgiving. I finish the look with a pair of black knee-high boots that I got on sale at a big fancy department store on 34th Street. Alright, my friend who works there stole them and I bought them off of her for fifty bucks. Geez, I’m a terrible person, but with Alberto by my side, I don’t give a flying fuck. I am exactly who he needs me to be. A little while later, we walk back over to Mom's. She called me this morning panicking. This was the first time I wasn't there to help her get the boys fed and ready for the day.
Some would say that it's not my responsibility, but I’d tell them to fuck the fuck right off. She's my mom. Sal was never any help and I don't know anyone who could do this alone. Three under four is no fucking joke. I help my mom dress the boys while she gets some food going. Albie beelines for Santino, sitting on the couch next to him.
“Who you?” Santino asks in his tiny voice.
“Al.” Santino climbs into his lap. Albie looks good holding him.
“I be Santy,” he says, holding his hand out to shake like I taught him.
“Nice to meet you, Santy.” Albie shakes his little hand and my heart melts into a puddle.
A few minutes later we get into a souped-up minivan, equipped with the proper car seats for the boys, and drive up the driveway to another part of the estate. If I thought Albie's house was huge, this looks like a friggin’ castle. We park in front and Albie gives my mom the keys. She is sitting right behind us in the first row.
“I'll just hold these until you are ready to leave then,” she says tucking them into her dress pocket.
“Oh no, they're your keys,” he says nonchalantly, getting out of the van and opening the side door. He helps Santino out then climbs in unbuckling the other two handing Gio to my mom and he carries Sal out himself. Santino tugs on Albie's arm so I smile and take Sal from him. Sal likes to walk, so I hold his hand as we start up the many steps to the front door.
“Up,” Santino says when we reach the base of the steps and I grin like a fucking loon when Albie complies.
I'm nervous as hell to meet his parents, but at least I have something to occupy my hands. Before we can get all the way up the steps, the front door opens, and a plump older woman comes out onto the porch.
“Alberto, introduce us,” she says, straightening out her flour-covered apron.
“Mama, this is Betty and the boys, Santino, Sal, and Gio,” he says as he gestures to each boy. “And this is my girl, Autumn. Everyone this is my mama, Maria.” A man comes out to stand behind Maria. “And this is my father, Alberto.”
“It's nice to meet you,” I say. They both pull me into a hug. Lorenzo comes outside too.
“You're letting all the heat out,” he says smirking.
“Hush up. Let's get these babies inside,” Maria says. We start to follow her when Lorenzo stops us.
“Betty?’’ he questions. My mom looks up and her eyes widen.
“Lolo?” she questions, handing me Gio before she runs into his arms. Okay, so they know each other.
“Lorenzo? Is this Berry Betty? From P.S. 195 in Brooklyn?”
“Yes, Mama. My first kiss in fifth grade. Then she moved to the Bronx. What a small world.”
“How did you know it was me?” Mom asks.
“I stalk you on Facebook, among other things.”
“I have four kids and a missing ex-husband,” my mom blurts out and her cheeks flush.
“I know, BB. We should talk about that,” Lorenzo says. Alberto, SR picks up on that too.
“Let's go inside. Here, Autumn. Let me take Gio.” I nod and hand him over, following him in the house.<
br />
I'm overwhelmed by the decor.
“You have a lovely home, Mrs. Diaz,” I say.
“None of that, everybody calls me Mama or Maria. I'd like you to call me Mama.”
“Sure, Mama,” I respond, smiling.
“Tony will hold the baby. Come help me and Angelina in the kitchen,” she says walking away. Tony holds his arms out and takes the baby from me. Smiling, I thank him.
“You forgetting something, Lolita?” Albie asks.
“I don't think so,” I say confused.
“My fucking kiss,” he growls.
“Oooh you say bad word,” Santino says. I burst out laughing then kiss him before following Mama into the kitchen where two beautiful girls are. One is slender while the other is chubby, but they are gorgeous.
“I’ll let you deal with that, Albie.”
“This is my daughter, Tesoro. She's single, so if you know any nice Italian boys send them her way.” I laugh, but I don’t think Maria is joking. She looks serious as a heart attack.
“Mama, please. I don't want a boy,” the slender one says. “I need a man to set me straight. One old enough to set me on fire. Like Papa's associate, Mr. Ventaglimia. It's real nice to meet you, Autumn. My cousin told me nothing about you except you made AJ lose his shit at the strip club.” She looks young and innocent until she smirks. I bet she gives Mr. Ventaglimia heart palpitations just by breathing.
“Nice to meet you too, Tesoro. I guess I did do that,” I say laughing.
“I'm Angelina, Tony's fiancée. I heard you worked at the club until AJ made you quit. Do I have anything to worry about when it comes to Tony?” she asks quietly.
My heart breaks for her that she thinks she needs to ask me this.
“Angie? Can I call you Angie?” When she nods, I continue. “If last night was any indication, you have nothing to worry about. He looked uncomfortable as hell and stared at his phone all night.”
“He was texting me,” she says smiling.
“See no worries. He loves you,” I reassure her. I don't really know for certain, but it sure seems like he does.
