Hard Earned Cash: A Dark Mafia Romance

by K. L. Hiers

  Jimmy frowned when his phone rang again. It was still Dario, and Jimmy felt a peculiar lurch in his stomach. It wasn’t often that Dario called as opposed to texting. He excused himself from the table, hastily answering on the way to the bathroom for some privacy. “Hey, Dario! What’s up?”

  “Where are you?” Dario immediately demanded.

  “At Ingrid’s with Rowena and Charlie. We’re doing this tasting thing for the wedding—”

  “You’ve gotta get out of there, right now!”

  “What are you talking about?” Jimmy gulped, letting himself into the handicapped stall and sitting down. “What’s going on?”

  “Are you somewhere safe?” Dario demanded. “Are you with Charlie right now? Can he hear you? Oh, shit—can he hear me? Am I on speaker?”

  “Huh?” Jimmy’s heart began to thud uncomfortably. “No, I’m freakin’ hiding in the bathroom. What’s wrong? You’re starting to freak me out.”

  “Charlie is a fuckin’ federal agent!” Dario exclaimed. “He’s a plant! A snitch! A narc! Whatever!”

  “I knew it, I knew it, I fuckin’ knew it!” Jimmy hissed triumphantly. He shouldn’t have been so excited, but he had been wary of Charlie for so long that having his suspicions confirmed was very satisfying. “Shit, how did you figure it out? Do you have proof?”

  “Hell, yes, I do,” Dario declared. “I knew I had seen that doofus somewhere before, and I’d been racking my brain like crazy trying to remember! I was re-alphabetizing my VHS tapes and then it just freakin’ hit me! Space Demon Dog Number Four in Curse of the Alien Death Woof!”

  “Huh?”

  “Okay, it’s this super awful science fiction movie that’s been out of print for like twenty years. I got a copy as part of a trade ‘cause this guy really wanted my Star Wars tapes, you know, the old ones that aren’t all that special edition crap—”

  “Dario,” Jimmy pleaded.

  “Right! Sorry! In the movie, there’s this one dude who yells out ‘Cheerio, chaps!’ right before he becomes an alien chew toy. It’s Charlie. Like, baby-faced Charlie, but it’s totally him. I check the credits and it says his name is Thomas Eastwick.”

  “Charlie isn’t even his real name?”

  “No! Listen, there’s more. I started searching Eastwick like super hardcore Matrix-style and after acting apparently didn’t pan out, he became a freakin’ federal agent. He got some big time commendation a few years ago for his work in Perry City. For his work with a drug sting. Like, undercover work. Huge blow to the Luchesis and—”

  “We have to tell Rod! We have to tell everyone!” Jimmy hissed frantically.

  “I tried calling Cold, he didn’t answer. You’ve gotta get the hell out of there! He could be listening to everything you’re saying, like recording it and reporting it all back to his superiors!”

  “Okay, okay, okay!” Jimmy dragged his fingers through his hair. “I’ve gotta get back to Rod. Like, stat. I’ll try calling him. Maybe Jules. Somebody!”

  “Hurry up, man. This rat has gotta be dealt with.”

  “Wait, what do you mean?” Jimmy gasped. “Isn’t that mafia talk for, you know, permanently depriving someone of oxygen?”

  “I dunno!” Dario squealed. “Look! I don’t wanna know! I’m just, ugh, I’m saying we have to do something!”

  “Rod will know what to do,” Jimmy said confidently. “If he doesn’t answer his phone, I’ll just go back to the house and find him.”

  “Don’t let Charlie Eastwick whatever his name is know that you’re onto him or he’s gonna run. Or like, arrest you or something.”

  “I haven’t done anything wrong!” Jimmy griped. “Come on!”

  “I don’t freakin’ know! He could plant something!”

  “Okay, just keep cool and I’ll call you later.”

  “And don’t tell Rowena yet,” Dario added quickly. “She might stab him.”

  “She’s wearing flats today.”

  “You’re in a restaurant. There are knives.”

  “Good point.”

  “Remember. Just play it cool. Call me as soon as possible!”

  “Thank you, Dario,” Jimmy sighed. “You’re the best.”

  “I know.” Dario managed a weak laugh. “Team Jimmy, man. Talk to you soon.”

  “Bye!” Jimmy hung up, taking a deep breath and trying to steel his nerves. While it still felt good to know that he had been right, he felt sick to his stomach. He didn’t know what Cold would do to an undercover federal agent, but it probably wouldn’t be anything good.

  He had to tell him, he knew, before this situation got out of control.

  Head held high, he hurried back out to their table. He did his best to remain confident and calm, but Rowena zeroed in on his obvious discomfort the moment she saw him.

  “Jimmy?” she asked. “What’s wrong?”

  “I think I ate too much,” Jimmy lied weakly, hating how her intense stare made him feel two inches tall. “It’s starting to get late. I mean, not really but I need to go. I need to be getting back to Rod.”

  “Aww, you poor thing,” Rowena cooed sweetly. She obviously didn’t believe him, but she wasn’t going to call him out. “Are you sure? We’re almost done!”

  “We can finish later,” Jimmy said hastily. “Rowena, do you wanna come with me?” He all but nudged her with his elbow. “Come see Rod with me?”

  “I’ll be fine here,” Rowena assured him. “After all, what Rod has planned for you is just for the two of you. I can finish up here if you’d like.”

  “We can always reschedule,” Charlie offered, his expression curiously blank. “We don’t have to confirm anything now—”

  “No, go ahead!” Jimmy insisted. “We don’t have a whole lot of time left, and there’s so much to order and confirm and all of that. Rowena knows what I want, so, yeah, go right ahead. Please, seriously, it’s fine.”

  “Of course, sweetie,” Rowena said, standing up to kiss Jimmy’s cheek. “I do hope you get to feeling better. Call me when you get home?”

  “You bet.” Jimmy knew that was a demand for information as soon as possible, and he would happily oblige after he told Cold what was happening. Right now, the fewer people who knew, the better. “Thanks so much for everything.”

  Charlie rose from his seat and shook Jimmy’s hand, holding on a few moments too long. “I do hope whatever you have isn’t catching. Feel better, Mr. Poe.”

  Jimmy could barely bring himself to look Charlie in the eye. He forced himself to smile as he graciously said, “Thank you, Charlie. We’ll be in touch soon.”

  “Whenever you have need of me, I’m at your disposal.”

  “Great. Yup. Thanks!” Jimmy turned and had to resist the urge to sprint outside. He had to remain calm, cool, and collected. He had his phone back out as soon as he hit the sidewalk, waving frantically at Jerry.

  Jerry was standing beside the limo, ever ready, blinking in surprise at seeing Jimmy. He glanced at his watch. “Monsieur, it is not time to go home yet. It’s too early.”

  “Jerry, it’s a matter of life and freakin’ death! We have to go now!” Jimmy exclaimed, opening his own door. “Home, please!”

  Jerry didn’t question him further, shrugging and moving to take his place in the driver’s seat.

  Jimmy couldn’t bear the thought of telling Jerry that his sweetheart was a snitch. He dialed Cold’s number repeatedly, but he got nothing but voicemail. Frustrated, he kept trying up until the very moment he was running out of the limo and through the front door of Cold’s mansion.

  He started calling for Cold, racing upstairs to find their bedroom empty. He groaned, hurrying back down the steps and nearly smacking into Jerry. “Shit! Sorry!”

  “Monsieur Legrand is outside,” Jerry said, lightly patting Jimmy’s shoulder. “By the pool is where you will find him.”

  “Thanks, Jerry!” Jimmy said, his guts turning. There was a part of him that wanted to apologize to Jerry for what was about to happen, but he couldn’
t bring himself to say anything. He could only hope that Jerry would understand and forgive him for ratting Charlie out.

  His heart heavy, he hurried to the patio doors.

  Jimmy couldn’t believe his eyes when he walked outside. The entire patio and poolside had been completely transformed into a tropical paradise. There were colorful hanging lanterns everywhere, freshly planted hibiscus flowers, and it even smelled like the beach.

  Clusters of bright seashells decorated all the furniture and the faint sound of Caribbean music caught Jimmy’s ear. He felt completely transported, and he’d actually forgotten for a few moments why he was looking so frantically for Cold.

  Cold turned, surprised to see Jimmy standing there. He’d been in the middle of pouring champagne and smiled. “You’re early, Jimmy. I’m not quite ready...”

  “Rod,” Jimmy said, quickly approaching and trying to break the spell of the romantic setup. “This is incredible, really, I love it, but I need to talk to you. Right now.”

  “Just a moment,” Cold said firmly, finishing off his pouring and setting the bottle aside in a bucket to chill.

  “Rod, wait—”

  “James David Poe,” Cold said, reaching into his pocket and dipping down to one knee, “you’re the love of my life; a love I never thought I would have—”

  “You have to listen to me!” Jimmy insisted, groaning loudly when he saw the ring in Cold’s hand. “I know you’re proposing, but this is life and death!”

  “Will you please marry me?” Cold asked politely, as sincere and genuine as Jimmy had ever heard him.

  Jimmy had waited so long for a proposal like this, sweet and romantic and totally perfect, but he couldn’t take it. This information was far too important. Desperate, he exclaimed “Dammit, Rod! Charlie is a fucking fed! Our wedding planner is an undercover federal agent!”

  He waited for Cold’s response: rage, fury, very angry promises to murder Charlie as soon as possible.

  Instead, Cold only looked mildly annoyed. He sighed, bowing his head as he tucked the ring away. He stood up, brushing off his pants with a scowl.

  “Rod?” Jimmy demanded. “Did you hear what I said? Me telling you that Charlie is a federal agent?”

  “Yes,” Cold replied curtly, “I already know.”

  Chapter Eleven

  “What?” Jimmy’s breath was stolen away by pure shock, and he gawked at Cold in confusion. “You already knew?”

  “Why is everyone always so surprised when I say that?” Cold mumbled to himself, snatching one of the champagne glasses and chugging it back.

  “Huh?” Jimmy’s mind was still reeling, and he was having trouble making sense of what was happening.

  “Yes,” Cold confirmed impatiently. “I already knew.”

  “What, what do you mean? How did you know?”

  “Charlie Swenson, also known as Thomas Eastwick, is a federal agent who I went to great lengths to ensure personally received this assignment,” Cold replied. “I have been preparing for this investigation for almost twenty years, if you recall. I always knew that a federal presence was a possibility.”

  “So, you... you just what?” Jimmy scoffed. “Found some freakin’ federal agent to stick in your pocket until you needed him?”

  “I made sure that I had the proper connections in place to protect myself should the need arise,” Cold corrected.

  “You lied to me,” Jimmy accused, his shock fading as his anger took over. “You told me there was nothing going on with Charlie! You said he’s just planning our wedding!”

  “I did not lie,” Cold said firmly. “Charlie is planning our wedding.”

  “Federal investigator and wedding planner?” Jimmy dragged his fingers through his hair exasperatedly. “Do you have any idea how fuckin’ nuts that sounds?”

  “Before the academy, I believe his background was in event planning and hospitality.”

  “Good for him!” Jimmy shouted. “You still fucking lied to me! Fuck, I’m so fucking mad at you right now!” He grabbed the other champagne glass, guzzled it down, and refilled it again.

  “You’re such an unbelievable jerk!”

  “So, I take it you’re not accepting my proposal?” Cold asked dryly.

  “Fuck, no!” Jimmy snapped bitterly, his shoulders sagging as he looked around the pool again. His heart sank knowing how much of an effort Cold had made for him, but his anger would not be dissuaded. “This really is wonderful, Rod. It’s absolutely beautiful. This is the perfect proposal I always wanted. But it’s just...” He floundered for the right words. “Just...”

  “Just what?”

  “It’s tainted,” Jimmy replied finally. He swallowed back the bile creeping into his mouth, trying to wash it back with a gulp of champagne. “You still don’t trust me, and you’re still keeping things from me.”

  “I’m providing Mr. Eastwick with a very specific service,” Cold said curtly. “In return, he is controlling the flow of information to the investigation and giving me insight into the authorities’ recent activities. Happy now?”

  “The raid,” Jimmy realized. “That’s how you knew about the DEA raid on Holliford. Charlie told you. But why, why was he there?”

  “He was asked to step in and assist with the task force,” Cold replied. “When he saw you go into the building on the surveillance feed, he tried to get you to leave to avoid any unnecessary complications. Obviously, he failed.”

  “Why couldn’t you just tell me?” Jimmy asked, setting his glass aside and hugging himself awkwardly. “Why keep all of this from me?”

  “Because I don’t know when and if Mr. Eastwick is wearing a wire,” Cold explained flatly. “The SSPD and his superiors at the FBI cannot know that he is working with me or he will face certain incarceration.”

  “You think I’d give it away?” Jimmy was instantly stung.

  “I think you would have tried your best, but yes, your honest nature does not make for a very good liar.” Cold poured himself another glass of champagne, sitting back down in one of the patio chairs with a languid sigh. “Now, there is no choice.”

  “Well, good!” Jimmy snapped indignantly. “I can prove to you that I can do this! I can help you! Withholding the truth is just as good as lying and I can totally do that.”

  “Oh?” Cold arched a skeptical brow.

  “Learned it from you,” Jimmy said with a venomously sweet smile.

  “Cute,” Cold drawled, clearly not amused. He tilted his head after a long pause and asked carefully, “How did you find out Mr. Eastwick was an agent?”

  Jimmy grimaced. “Dario.”

  “Dario? Dario Romero?” Cold was surprised, and if Jimmy was really honest, he sounded almost disappointed. “Really?”

  “Recognized him from some super obscure sci-fi movie,” Jimmy sighed, wishing he had a more daring explanation. “He did some googling on the internet and found out he was an agent who got big investigating the Luchesis—who, by the way, you invited to the wedding?”

  “Yes,” Cold said simply.

  “The gangsters who are trying to kill us are coming to our wedding?” Jimmy wanted to scream. “Do you understand how fucked up that sounds?”

  “All part of the plan.”

  “The plan that you won’t tell me anything about?” Jimmy growled, his hands dropping down to clench into tight fists. “That fucking plan?”

  “That would be the one.”

  “For fuck’s sake!” Jimmy groaned. “I’m so sick of this! Rod! You’ve been arrested for murder, there are people trying to kill you, and our wedding planner is a fuckin’ fed!”

  “I’m telling you everything that I can,” Cold said evenly, but his jaw was getting tight. The rest of his body followed suit, tensing as if to strike. His patience was clearly running thin. “This is only going to work if you trust me—”

  “Trust you?” Jimmy snapped. “How can I trust you when you’re lying to me?”

  “Everything that I can,” Cold repeated, his voice start
ing to rise. He stood up from his seat, and he stalked purposely toward Jimmy. “I am giving you everything that I can to keep you informed and as safe as possible. If I must make a choice, your safety trumps satisfying your ego—”

  “My fuckin’ ego?” Jimmy balked indignantly. “Your ego is the size of this fuckin’ house!”

  “I tried to give you the romantic proposal that you wanted, and you’re too busy trying to outsmart me and interfere in my affairs—”

  “Your affairs?” Jimmy didn’t even care that he was yelling now. He stood up to his full height, daring to shout back, “This is our life, Rod! Our life! Our fucking future is at stake here! You’re goddamn right I’m interfering!”

  “Jimmy,” Cold hissed, his tone low and dangerous. “That is quite enough.”

  “Fuck you!” Jimmy snarled as he got right in Cold’s face. “If this is how it’s always gonna be, then I’m fucking done! I’m fucking done with all of this! The shooting, the lying, the murders, all of it! And most of fuckin’ all, I’m done with you!”

  Something broke in Cold, his hands shaking as he grabbed Jimmy by the back of his neck and held him tightly. “Oh, no. We’re not done until I fucking say we are!”

  “Fuck you, you stupid stubborn fucking son of a—!” Jimmy was silenced by a fierce kiss, crying out as Cold’s teeth nicked his lip in his haste. He tried to push away, but Cold wouldn’t let go, and Jimmy couldn’t resist his possessive embrace.

  Cold was kissing him like he wanted to devour him, squeezing and clawing ferociously. He had torn Jimmy’s shirt, and the way he grabbed Jimmy’s hips made him ache all over with a savage need.

  Jimmy kissed back passionately and grabbed a hold of Cold’s jacket, curling his hands into tight fists. He gasped as Cold broke away to roughly bite at his neck, and he helplessly squirmed as he moaned, “God, you are such a bastard! I fuckin’ hate you!”

  “Hate me all you want,” Cold grunted in response, savagely dragging his teeth along Jimmy’s jaw and pinning both of his arms behind his back. “You’re not leaving.”