by Baker, S. L.
She gasped. “Why didn’t you take him to the hospital?”
I had to think fast on my feet. “Because Victor has a doctor that makes house calls. Luke and I had been drinking, and he didn’t want Luke getting a DWI.” Scarlett and I held our breath hoping she was buying this story.
“Are you okay?”
“Yes, just some bruises, but I’ll live. Luke needs to recover for the next few days and when he is stable enough, I’ll drive him home.”
“Ok, love, but I can come there and take care of both of you.”
“It’s such a long trip for you to make alone. Besides we have two nurses looking after us. Don’t worry, he will be just fine.”
“Good, then I can kill him when he gets home for scaring me half to death. He’s been gone overnight before, but not this long. I just had that feeling you get when you know something’s not right.”
I chuckled. “Go easy on him. If he could have called, he would have. I’m sorry I didn’t let you know.”
“It’s okay, sweetheart. Call me later tomorrow and let me know how he is doing.”
“Yes, ma’am,” I said, snapping the phone shut. Luke was sleeping when I peeked my head in his room.
“You look like you’re feeling better, Angelina,” Linda said as she came and opened the door.
“I am, thank you.”
“He is doing fine. I’ll let you know as soon as he regains consciousness.”
“Thanks,” I said and headed back upstairs. I walked through the bathroom door to draw a bath.
Scarlett dropped the towel she was carrying and her mouth fell open.
There, sitting in the bath, was my Italian Adonis’s waiting for me. Victor grabbed my hand as I stepped into the tub and sat with my back facing him. He gently kissed my neck and shoulders. I closed my eyes savoring every second. My sweet spot revved her engine like a Harley. I felt the hot water run down my back as Victor washed every inch. His hands moved to my breasts and my nipples were already standing at attention. He thrust one hand into the water, his finger staking its claim inside my sweet spot. I surrendered to the warmth of the water and to the touch of the man I loved.
Chapter 2
Hey sugar, I just arrived at the cottage. Where you at?
The last three days had passed at warp speed. I was grateful that Nicole had gone to see her parents and her new nephew. The car wreck story worked with Aunt Ella, so I was sticking to that story for now.
At Victor’s. Luke and I were involved in a car accident the other night. I’m okay but Luke got pretty banged up. I texted back.
WTF! Why didn’t you text and tell me? Never mind be there in 10.
Nicole’s arrival was usually known instantly, and this time was no different. I could hear her chewing out both Hawke and Victor before she even got in the house.
It would be a close fight if both Nicole and Victor climbed into a boxing ring together. Scarlett called her bookie to place her bet, her money was on Nicole.
The front door flung open, she grabbed me, hugging me, feeling my arms, and touching my face, making sure I was whole. She shot Hawke an annoyed look and he quietly disappeared.
“You are in big ass trouble for not telling me!”
“I didn’t want to ruin your trip, besides I’m in good hands here,” I said.
“What the hell happened?”
I took a deep breath, trying to keep my voice steady and calm. Trying to conceal the fact that I was lying to her face.
“Luke and I were out to dinner, I didn’t realize that he had been drinking before hand and when he’d gone around a corner wide, we wrecked. I managed to call Victor, he arrived with Hawke before the cops showed up and took care of everything. Luke is pretty banged up and lost a finger.”
“Let me know when he is better so I can kick his ass for drinking and driving, after I kick Hawke’s for not telling me!”
Scarlett Z snapped Nicole, ass kicking was her job and she wasn’t ready for a pink slip yet!
“Don’t be pissed at Hawke. I begged him not to tell you so you wouldn’t leave early and come home,” I said, with my most pathetic look I could muster.
“Where is Luke?” she asked crossing her arms.
“In the rear wing of the house.”
“I want to see him.”
“Ok,” I said, hesitating. “Be nice,” I said shooting her a warning look.
She sighed. “I will. I promise,” she said crossing her heart.
Luke was sitting up and doing much better. The I.V.’s were out and the monitors were long gone. He was up walking around and insisting on going home. He was sitting in chair looking out the window lost in thought when we walked in.
“Yo, loser. I came to bitch slap you for being a complete dumb ass for drinking and driving. But Angelina says I have to be nice.”
Scarlett was standing next to her pounding her fist into her palm.
“What are your talking about?” Luke said confused.
“He’s pretty drugged up still,” I said nervously.
Nicole’s bullshit meter was creeping up to suspicious levels. I had to think fast.
“Nicole, would you do me a favor and go get Victor to help me move Luke back into bed?”
“Yeah I guess.”
“Thanks, sugar.”
“But I don’t want to get—” Luke blurted out as the door shut behind Nicole. “What the fuck, Angelina, is going on?”
“I told Nicole and your mother we were in a car wreck and you had been drinking.”
“Why the fuck did you tell them that?”
“What the hell was I supposed to tell them? The truth? I’m trying to keep them safe.”
“Then give me the fucking book and end this now!” Rage consumed his eyes.
Victor and Nicole walked through the door.
“Victor, can you help Luke into bed?” I said giving him a ‘work with me on this’ look.
“Of course,” he said grabbing Luke’s arm and easing him up.
“Let’s let Luke rest, Nic,” I said, grabbing her hand and walking out.
I led her to the kitchen and poured her a glass of wine. She finished it in two swigs and both Nicole and Scarlett held out their glasses for a refill. I just left the bottle for the two of them to fight over.
“How long is he staying here?”
“Till tomorrow. He is insisting on going back to Rhode Island.”
“Can he travel that far? He still looks pretty rough,” she asked taking a swig of her wine.
“Yea. The doctor gave us the go ahead.”
“I’m going with you.”
“No!” I said with more urgency in my voice than I intended, causing her to raise her eyebrow at me.
“Okay then,” she snapped.
“I appreciate it, and all, but you got work, and I’m sure that between Victor and the goons, I got it covered.”
“Is Hawke part of this entourage?”
“Most likely, but I can ask Victor to have him stay here to take care of Salvatore Disney Land. As long as you promise he will be in one piece when we get back.”
“No promises,” she said flashing that million dollar smile and flipping her blonde hair.
Scarlett gift wrapped a can of whoop ass for Nicole.
“Speaking of work, were they cool with you being gone this long?”
“Yeah, Victor took care of it, but I’m going back on Monday. I’m going bat shit crazy sitting in this house all day.”
Nicole took a last swig of her wine and got up. “I’m going to find Hawke and ‘make up’,” she said, winking and kissing me on the cheek.
“Have fun and go easy on him.”
“Not my style, darling,” she snickered, heading out the front door.
Scarlett was hot on her heels. She wasn’t going to miss this.
***
Victor walked into the house carrying a bouquet of flowers. “Security just intercepted the delivery guy at the gate with these.”
Victor had c
alled to let my new boss, Ashley, know about the accident and that I would be out for a few days. Ashley was a bubbly vivacious little blonde with an infectious laugh. She felt bad for me that I got trapped working for Nelson. She despised him because he’d made moves on her a week before her wedding. She confided in me that Nelson pinned her up against the news van, grabbed her by the back of the head, and tried to make out with her. I was not at all surprised. She was pretty and a woman, his two favorite flavors.
I pulled out the card from the plastic holder:
Get better soon, Angelina! We miss you!
All the best,
Ashely and Channel 6 News
“That is sweet. My new boss is so thoughtful.”
“Better than that last asshole.”
I rolled my eyes at Victor, just as I got a text from Nelson.
Hey heard you were in an accident. What are my chances of getting an interview with you? Miss you, wish you would re-consider coming back to work for me, the new girl is a troll. Let’s have lunch soon.
I ignored the text. Victor was riled up enough with all that happened. Throwing Nelson into the shit storm was too much.
***
Luke was waiting in the Escalade. Victor helped me climb in, his hand in its usual place on my ass. Victor got in the front with Hawke. He was guarded around Luke. I could sense there was something he didn’t trust about him.
“Are you comfortable, Luke?” I asked, gently touching his arm.
He winced and jerked away. “I’m fine,” he snapped, his eyes ablaze.
We both sat silent. My thoughts reverted back to when we were in the backyard and I fell out of a tree and hit my head so hard it knocked me out cold. Luke picked me up and carried me inside to Aunt Ella. He sat next to me nervously chatting all the way to the hospital. I was fine, but he felt responsible because it was his idea to climb the tree. He was very attentive for a few days after that.
Luke just stared out the window. Silent.
“I’m so sorry, Luke.” My voice was barely audible.
“This is on you, Angelina. If you had just given them the fuckin’ book, I wouldn’t be a freak. Every time I look at my left hand, I will blame you,” he snapped, thrusting his left hand in my face.
I had to hold Scarlett back from kicking him in the balls.
“I know,” I whispered.
Victor turned around and glanced at me. At that moment, all I wanted was Victor to be sitting next to me and holding me. It was the longest car ride of my life. Scarlett was trying to pass the time by playing the license plate game. I wasn’t in the mood. My thoughts were consumed with keeping my family, Nicole and Victor safe, and I had no idea how to do that. Scarlett was going through her rolodex to find a guy who could give me a new identity and plastic surgeons who could alter my looks.
It was just after lunch when we pulled up in front of Aunt Ella’s. She came running out of the front door and flung open the Escalade door before Hawke had even shut off the engine. She started fussing over Luke and scolding him for making her worry as she helped him get out. She put her arm around him and walked him up the step onto the porch and inside. I followed behind, Victor firmly holding my hand.
Luke was settled on the couch as Aunt Ella rushed to my side. She gently touched the bruise on my head that had faded considerably.
“Are you okay, darling?”
“Yes. I’m fine.”
“Thank you both for taking such good care of Luke.”
“Sure,” I said, my tone flat.
“Is everything okay, Angelina?” she asked.
“Yup. I’m just tired, it was a long trip.”
“Please stay for dinner.”
“Thank you, but I think we’re going to head back. Victor has to work in the morning.” I kissed Aunt Ella and said goodbye to Luke.
No reply.
Aunt Ella exchanged glances between us both, but didn’t say a word. I was grateful to get back in the Escalade and snuggle next to Victor. I was quiet, consumed by guilt and fear.
“This isn’t your fault, Angelina.”
“Yes it is.”
Victor grabbed my face in between both of his hands, his eyes laser focused on mine. “Stop blaming yourself. He made the choice to get involved with the Mob. That’s on him.”
I nodded, ‘okay’ to pacify him, but I knew it was my fault. I made the choice. Victor over Luke.
Chapter 3
Neither of us spoke for the first half hour of the drive back to Salvatore Disney Land. We were both lost in our thoughts. Mine were consumed with trying to figure out my next move, what I had to do to keep us all safe and most important alive. My experience with the Mob was limited to a few in person interactions, meeting Victor’s father, and gangster movies. That was it. However, with Victor, it was part of his DNA, it coursed through his veins and ran through his core. I knew his struggle had been to distance himself from anything to do with being a gangster and the Mob life, but why?
“Can I ask you something, Victor?” I said, grabbing his hand breaking the silence.
“Of course.”
“Why have you tried so hard to sever all your ties with your father and ‘the life’ that must have been pre-determined for you at birth?”
He turned away from me and looked out the window. I instantly regretted asking the question.
“I’m sorry I didn’t mean to...”
“My mother,” he whispered, interrupting me. His eyes widened, the corners of his mouth turned downward, and he tightened his grip on my hand.
“I was immersed at a young age and knew everyone in the ‘family’ since I was six. They all knew I was being groomed to take over for my father at some point. The day my mother died it made me realize that at any second in this life someone you love can be taken from you and it’s just part of the Mob, something you have to accept. I watched her die and was helpless to save her. I have to live with that my entire life. I don’t want to ever to lose someone I love at the hands of the Mob again, and will protect those that I love at all costs.”
“How old were you when she died?” I asked. Scarlett tore off the top of the box of tissues something told her we might be needing them.
“Fourteen. She was taking me to baseball and the car wouldn’t start so she climbed into one of my father’s cars. I had forgotten my glove in the garage and went back to grab it. When she started the car, it exploded. I ran to her side of the car and struggled to get close enough to open her door and pull her out, but it was fully engulfed. I screamed for help, but no-one came. I was overcome with grief. I just fell to the ground and sobbed. The explosion was meant for my father, but she was collateral damage.”
I gasped and held Victor’s hand tighter, his eyes fully expressed his grief and guilt. Scarlett sniffled and wiped her noses with the back of her hand. My heart felt heavy and that same feeling I had in the pit of my stomach the night my parents both died, retuned. I understood what Victor was feeling. That question of why did I survive and they didn’t? And how could they both be taken from me?
“I’ve resented and blamed my father for her death. If he wasn’t who he was, then she would still be alive. His reaction at her funeral was cold and distant, like he had made peace with the fact that this is a price you must be willing to pay to be in his position. I’m not willing to sacrifice someone I love for the Mob.”
“I understand. When my parents died that night and I survived, the emotions that invade you are overwhelming and the guilt can be debilitating. I feel like you never really can let go of it. It will always be a part of who you are and helps shape your life. When Uncle Sid was murdered the guilt was replaced with rage and confusion. Always wondering, why him? That haunted me until I found that book, and now I know. He was trying to do the right thing and the names in that book were his insurance policy, but it was also his death sentence.”
I pulled Victor into my arms and we just held each other. This was the most emotionally naked and vulnerable side of Victor I’d
ever seen and I understood why he was so overprotective and suffocating at times. I felt for a brief second I thought that just maybe we’d survive this. I had a mobster in my corner. We still faced a daunting, terrifying opponent, but the odds were not impossible. Scarlett snapped the clip into place on the machine gun and gave me two thumbs up. She was ready.
We pulled up through the heavily guarded iron gates to Salvatore Disney Land. Scarlett started drooling when she thought she saw a rocket launcher hidden in the shrubs and she blew kisses to the goons. As we drove the mile and half down the road to Victor’s house I had the urge to go running. It had been such a long time. My body was still sore, but I needed to clear my head and focus. If I stayed on the property, Victor would approve and I wouldn’t be followed by a tank armed with a rocket launcher.
***
“Hey, babe. I’m going for a run.”
Victor raised his eyebrows and gave me a look like perhaps I had lost my mind for a brief second.
“I’m not sure you have recovered enough yet.”
“There is only one way to find out. If it’s too much, I will come back and I will totally be safe on the property.”
“Fine, keep your phone close. If you’re not back in an hour, I will send my men out to find you.”
“I don’t doubt that for an instant,” I said, winking at him.
Scar smiled a devious grin as she imagined Navy Seals repelling out of helicopters to come search for me. She went to find some rope and duct tape to tie me to a tree. She was so in the mood for a visit from hot special ops guys. I saw her lick her lips as she went skipping past me.
I gave a little wave to the goons as I headed down the long driveway out onto the road. My muscles were not happy with me at the moment. My thoughts diverted to Uncle Sid’s book. I was becoming more intrigued by the second about the names in the book and why the Mob was willing to kill anyone in its way to get their hands on it. Names don’t mean much unless those names are linked to corruption and secrets that would bring the Mob to its knees if in the wrong hands. Maybe if I knew what truths were lurking in those pages, it would protect us.
