by L. M. Heidle
“I’ll call you.”
He put his hand up for a pinky promise. He remembered. That simple action made my heart soften. “Promise me.”
I wrapped my pinky around his and kissed them. “I promise.” He put his hand around my neck and pulled me over until our lips met. Like usual, the world disappeared when our lips touched. We could have kissed for five seconds or five minutes, the only thing I knew was his lips felt right against mine. When he pulled away, I whimpered. I didn’t want this moment to end. I finally opened my eyes to stare into the deepest blue eyes I’d ever seen. At that moment, everything was so clear, so precise. I saw my future with him, but the longer our lips were separated, the more real life seeped in. I leaned in for one more quick peck before getting out. I closed the door, leaning slightly through the open window. “Bye, Tray.” I didn’t give him a chance to say anything as I spun on my heel.
When I reached the door, I turned around to find him watching me. My heart broke as I studied his face for possibly the last time. Why couldn’t life ever be easy?
TRAYTON
I thumped my head hard against the steering wheel after she’d walked inside. It was incredibly hard for me to let her go, not knowing if I’d get her back. I hated it and it absolutely terrified me, but I had to let her make her choice. You never truly know what the future holds, but every moment with her made it harder to imagine one without her in it. I wouldn’t give my family up, though. They were as much a part of me as I hoped she’d be one day.
I knew she’d never ask me to choose. If it came down to that, I’d bet all my money she’d walk away or at least try to. I said I’d give her time, and I would, but she’s going to be in my life. I’ll play dirty if I have to, because when I want something I’ll play any angle I’ve got to get it.
I’d just started my SUV when my phone rang. A smile crossed my lips, thinking it was her. My smile dropped a notch when I saw it was Alyssa. I took one more glance at Alex’s building, before hitting the Bluetooth as I pulled out.
“What’s up, Ally cat?”
“Are you ever going to stop calling me? I’m a teenager, not a child.” How could I not know she was a teenager? She constantly brought it up.
“I don’t care how old you are, you’ll always be my Ally cat.”
“Ugh, whatever.” I could practically see the eye roll. “Can I just get to the reason I called?” I wearily sighed as I prepared myself for a teenage girl’s over-dramatic attitude. I would die for my cousin, but ever since the day she turned thirteen, it’s like a permanent cloud of drama surrounded her. A cloud for the last three years everyone around her had the misfortune of getting dragged into. “It’s an emergency!”
I sighed again. “Is this a serious emergency or a teenager emergency?”
“How can you even ask that? Of course, it’s serious!!! Daddy’s being completely absurd again.” She whined. “You have to talk to him!!” I’m pretty sure Dante forgot a level of Hell because dealing with a teenage girl’s drama should definitely be one. “He won’t let me go to a party with my friends.” I rubbed my forehead as the throbbing behind my eyes started.
“Alyssa, that’s not an emergency. That’s your dad being a parent.”
“Yes, it is!” she screeched in my ear. “Jake, the most popular boy in school, asked me to go. I have to be there!” I rubbed my forehead again as the pounding in my head started, definite migraine coming. I don’t remember sixteen being this much of a headache.
“I can’t change your dad’s mind, you know that. If he said no, then he had a good reason. Besides, you’re only sixteen. Your life won’t be over if you skip this party. Won’t that make you more mysterious or something?” I pulled off the road so I could focus because dealing with her took all I had.
“No, it’ll make me a social outcast!” she yelled, making the throbbing more intense. “Jake isn’t going to want to go out with someone who can’t party. Marcy will probably get her hooks in him. She’s a backstabbing witch like that. Just because I made the cheerleading squad and she didn’t, she hates me. You’re the only one who can help me! He won’t listen to reason. Please, please, please, Tray-Tray.” Dammit, she’d used the nickname card which I’m sure was followed by puppy dog eyes. She couldn’t say Trayton when she was a toddler, so she called me Tray-Tray. As she got older, she figured out how to use it to get her way. Between the nickname, the eyes, and the small fact that she had me wrapped around her finger, I caved almost every time.
I let out an exasperated breath. “Fine! I’ll call him, but I make no promises. I love you, kiddo.” It was pathetic how fast she could get me to cave.
“Thank you, thank you!” With that, she hung up, and the throbbing and pounding in my head magically disappeared. I loved her, but she was going to be the death of me.
I pulled back onto the highway, heading for my apartment, dialing my uncle on the way.
After one ring he answered, “She called you didn’t she?”
“If you mean your teenage daughter desperate to go to a party or she would become a social outcast, then yes, yes she did.”
“It’s easier running multi-million dollar companies than dealing with her.” I could hear the frustration in his tone. The man who made grown men cry and cower in fear with one word couldn’t handle a sixteen-year-old girl. I may be wrapped around her finger, but she could play my uncle like a violin. There were very few things he’d deny her, and I’m sure if she tried hard enough she could shorten that list. “I swear she gets it from her mother. Lucia, God rest her soul, always did have a flare for dramatics, but her daughter puts her to shame.”
I tried to impersonate a whiny teenage girl when I asked, “Why can’t she go? It’s like the party of the like year!”
“Trayton,” he admonished. “I don’t like this Jake guy. He’s seventeen, and he’s a boy. She’s too young for this.”
I slammed on my brakes as a kid who appeared to be twelve, cut me off as he changed lanes. “Stupid kid!!” Do they even have to take tests anymore?
“That’s exactly what he is, and she needs to stay away from him.”
“Son of a—” I swerved right as he tried to cut back in front of me to pass a semi. I squeezed the steering wheel until my knuckles turned white. This kid seriously didn’t know how to drive. Stupid stunts like that were what cause accidents. A loud banging, similar to a phone on a desk noise came through my speakers. “Damn. What is that?”
“Me getting your attention.”
“I was listening. You don’t like him because he’s interested in Alyssa. You can’t stop her from dating forever you know.”
“I can try.”
“I was dating at her age, and I turned out fine.”
“What you were doing at that age was most definitely not dating, and it’s exactly what I want to keep her away from.” The man did have a point. I was a very, very horny teenage boy on a power trip. “She’s also my baby girl. I don’t think she’s ready for this.”
“Let me guess, not until she’s thirty?”
“I’d actually prefer she waited until I was dead.”
“Good luck with that. If you keep telling her no, she’s going to rebel. Let her go as long as she takes security. Almost every kid at her school has a bodyguard so it won’t be out of place. That way she thinks she won, but it still gives you peace of mind. Pick your battles.”
I heard the clink of ice hitting glass, followed by the sound of something being poured, most likely his usual scotch. I pulled into the parking garage attached to my apartment building as he mulled over my suggestion.
“Why couldn’t she have been a boy? That I could handle.”
“You know you wouldn’t change her for anything. Let her have this win and save yourself a headache. That girl is as stubborn as anyone I’ve ever met.” I remember when he told her she was too young to get her drivers permit. She didn’t speak to him for a week and went on a hunger strike the last few days.
“That she is. She also
gets that from her mother.” I outright laughed at that. My aunt may have been dramatic, but my uncle had the corner marketed on stubbornness. “I have a feeling I’m going to regret this, but I’ll let her go.”
“Knew you would. How’s everything there?”
“There are a lot of possible new business arrangements being discussed, so it’s a very stressful time right now.” My uncle had been buying legitimate businesses lately, trying to move his holdings to the gray area of the law while simultaneously transitioning some of the more illegal businesses around. His goal was to move the organization from one man being the boss to it becoming a council. This transition didn’t sit well with everyone, so he was constantly putting out fires. What people didn’t understand was that he wasn’t leaving the life, he was only trying to build something that could legally provide for his daughter. He didn’t want her to rely on the mafia if something happened to him, whether it was prison or death.
“Have you heard from your father lately?”
“No. Why would I? He got what he wanted.”
“He’s throwing a fit about some of the council members I’ve selected. Mainly because he isn’t on it.”
“I bet he is.”
“If you hear from him let me know.”
“Will do. Now I’ve got a ton of homework to get to so I’ll talk to you later.” I stepped out of my SUV and started toward the door.
“Not so fast. How’s everything down there? Eddie causing problems?” None that I wanted to talk to him about.
“Everything’s been great.”
“Good, good. I’ve been ordered to ask if you’re dating anyone by Vivian every time I talk to you. The last couple times I didn’t she let me have it.” The thought that a five-feet-two-inch woman could order my uncle around was hilarious.
I was too busy trying not to laugh that I didn’t think to dodge the question. “Yeah.”
“And?”
“And what?” This was not good. I didn’t even know where Alex and I stood. Bringing my family into it prematurely would not help matters.
“Trayton,” his authoritative, don’t screw with me tone present in his voice. “What’s her name? Would I know her family?”
“Her name’s Alex, and no you wouldn’t.” How could he? I barely knew anything about them, and we talked daily.
After a lengthy pause, he exhaled and spoke with seriousness, “Trayton.” I rubbed the bridge of my nose as the throbbing from earlier started again. “Do you know what you’re doing? The consequences of your actions?” Of course, I’d thought about it, obsessively. I’d tried to use all the reasons it wasn’t safe for us to be together to keep me away, but it didn’t work. You always hear if you love something let them go, but that’s not how I operate. If I love someone, you better believe I’d do everything within my power to make sure they stayed and were protected.
“You know me. I don’t do anything without thinking it through. I wouldn’t have pursued her if I didn’t think she could handle it.” It wasn’t a complete lie. I wouldn’t be attracted to her if I didn’t think she was strong enough to handle what my life entails. She may not be hard like most people I associated with, but the more I got to know her I realized she was strong in her own way. She had to be to put up with me. I know she thinks she’s broken, but there’s more to her. She only needs to see that.
I had to pull the phone away from my ear when he yelled, “YOU TOLD HER?” After a very tension-filled pause, he calmly asked, “Trayton, what did you tell her?”
“Calm down before you give yourself a heart attack. I told her about me and answered a few questions about what she read online. I trust her, and even if she did betray me nothing I told her could be used in any capacity.”
The tenseness from his voice was gone when he asked, “How did she take it?”
“I’m not sure it’s completely sunk in yet.” I chuckled as I remembered her questions. “She did want to know if the phrases ‘swimming with the fishes’ and ‘cement shoes’ were actually used.”
He laughed so loud I had to pull the phone away from my ear again. “Next time you talk to her, let her know that’s mostly Hollywood dramatics.” He lightly chuckled before his tone turned serious again. “Trayton, I’m going to trust you on this, but I will remind you this affects more than you. I expect updates as well.”
The only thing that stopped my reply of screw you with a few expletives attached was the woman getting off the elevator with a small child. Instead, I gritted out, “Of course.” I stepped into the elevator hitting the close button with more force than necessary, but it was that or hit a steel wall. I inhaled deeply as I pushed the button for my floor, trying to rein in my temper. This may be the first relationship I’ve ever really had, but damn. I’m not an imbecile. I know this is a delicate situation. “Is that all, uncle?” I knew he could hear the irritation lacing my words, but I didn’t care. I wanted this conversation over with.
“If things work out, we’ll need to meet her.” Gone was the seriousness, replaced by a lighthearted tone of my fun-loving uncle.
“Great,” I distractedly replied as I opened my door.
“Bye, son.” He didn’t wait for my goodbye before hanging up, as usual.
I slammed my front door so hard a picture on the wall fell and glass shattered everywhere. I threw my bag on the couch as I stomped to get a broom. I didn’t need this right now. I needed to focus on making her mine, not preparing her to meet my family.
ALEX
I opened the front door, and all it took was one look from Kass for the tears to start falling. I fell onto the couch next to her.
She pulled me into her arms asking, “What’s wrong honey?”
I laid my head on her shoulder and asked, “Why can’t I like a normal guy? One with a normal family and a normal future.”
“So I guess the rumors are true?”
My body jerked back in surprise. “How?”
She shrugged. “I couldn’t find you, so I checked your computer. It didn’t take me long to figure out where you were.”
Dang it, I didn’t even think about that. “Sorry. My brain was completely scattered after I read all that stuff.”
She wrapped her arm around me as she squeezed me to her side. “So it’s true?”
“Yes. Well, sorta.” I bit the tip of my tongue as I debated how much I should or could tell her. Trayton said it had to stay between us, but this wasn’t something I could work through on my own. I trusted Kass with my life, and if I was going to figure this out, I needed her.
“Want to talk about it?”
I nodded. “Yeah, give me five. I need to get comfortable for this conversation.”
“Alright, I’ll get the ice cream.” I laughed. We ate so much ice cream around here we should probably buy stock. Had a good day? Eat ice cream. Had an okay day? Eat ice cream. Had a bad day? Eat ice cream. Had a terrible day? Eat twice the ice cream as normal.
After changing into sweatpants, I pulled my hair into a messy bun and plopped down on the couch. I took the carton of Banana Split ice cream from her. I spent the next hour trying to be as vague as possible, while still giving enough details so she could help me figure out what to do.
Kass stared at me, eyes wide as saucers. “Okay. Well, um okay.” She cleared her throat. “This does change things.”
“Ya think?”
“He has a point, though unless he’s going to be a prosecutor, most likely he’ll represent a criminal at some point.”
“I get that. It’s the family thing that bothers me.”
“Do you even need to worry about that? There’s no guarantee you two will work out.”
“But what if it does? With something this big, I can’t just leave it to chance. If it was just his mom was crazy—no problem, but we’re talking about the freaking mob! I have to imagine a future with him because if I can’t deal with the idea, then there’s no point in continuing.”
“Okay, so where’s your head at?”
&nbs
p; “I like him, like really like him. I can see myself falling hard for him. Heck, I already am. Am I crazy to think we’re good together?”
“No. I’ve seen the way you light up when he’s around.”
“I mean it’s just a family.” Yeah, and so are the Manson’s. “It’s not like I’m going to be involved in anything illegal, neither will he. I mean everyone needs a lawyer, so why shouldn’t it be him?” Kass was basically my sounding board at this point as I worked through my thoughts. “My interactions probably won’t be any different than with other families. I’m sure they’re wonderful people.” Wonderful people who kill. No, I can’t think like that. I’m sure they’re wonderful, end of story.
“Another issue is New York. I’ve never thought about leaving Texas, but he’s going home after he graduates. Could we make long distance work? And if we do I’d eventually have to move up there, right?” The thought of leaving everything I knew behind made it feel like someone was squeezing my heart with an iron fist. Leaving Texas meant leaving my parents. I hadn’t been to their graves since the funerals, but it comforted me to know I could if I wanted.
“Breath, sweetness. This doesn’t all have to be decided today. You’ve crossed the biggest hurdle: his family.”
“You’re right. I just need to go to bed. Everything else can wait for tomorrow.”
“Are you sure?” She glanced at her watch. “It’s only three.”
“Yeah, I’m exhausted.”
“I’m meeting Mark for dinner. Want me to wake you so you can go with us?”
“Thanks, but no. I don’t really want to play the third wheel tonight. Besides, I’m pretty sure craptastic doesn’t even begin to describe what kind of company I’d be.”
“You need to eat, Alex. I know how you get when you’re stressed. I won’t see you go back there.” After my parents’ death, I didn’t have an appetite, and anytime I tried to force myself to eat I threw it up. I lost around thirty pounds and almost had to be hospitalized.
I gave her a long hug before standing. “I promise, I’m not going back there.”
