Exposed

by Rachel Van Dyken

  Chase’s arms were at his side, and then he was hugging her back. I almost swallowed my tongue.

  People didn’t touch Chase.

  Ever.

  His wife got to touch him, his kids. It ended there.

  He lifted her into the air and twirled her around, once, twice, then said loud enough for Sergio to hear. “Two twirls, right man?”

  Sergio grinned wide while the rest of the group laughed softly. “Always two twirls, man, always two twirls.”

  CHAPTER FORTY-SIX

  Tanit

  Dom squeezed my hand tight as we pulled up to the large Catholic church. Its appearance was almost gothic — extremely intimidating. It didn’t help that the police escort was loud enough to draw a scene, and when all the men and the wives got out of their SUVS, people gawked, and held up their phones like they were in the presence of celebrities.

  Which, I guess, in a way they were.

  The Abandonatos alone owned enough of this part of the world to rule it, and they exercised that right on a daily basis, especially with Chase at the helm. Dom ushered me forward, but I noticed Chase hanging back.

  “Is he not coming?” I wondered out loud, disappointed that his demeanor could change with the snap of fingers — or in his case, the neck he was breaking, the person he was stabbing — you get the picture.

  Dom turned around, glanced at Chase, then back at me as we kept walking up the cement stairs. “It’s always Chase in the back, The Capo in the middle, Nixon up front with Phoenix watching from one side, and Sergio on the other. Dante sticks around with Chase…” His voice trailed off.

  “But why?”

  He sighed like he didn’t want to talk about it then whispered in a low voice. “If anyone tries to shoot at The Family — the guys made a pact a long time ago that they’d use their own bodies as shields — to protect their children, their wives. They’d forfeit their lives any day of the week without blinking — when you know what’s important — death doesn’t seem so scary.” He kissed the back of my hand. “That’s what being a part of this Family means. Protection.”

  “Is that why the police are staying?”

  “Probably.” He shrugged. “It would suck to die from a car bomb on your wedding day, right?”

  My eyes widened.

  “Relax.” He kissed the top of my head. “I won’t let anything happen to you.”

  “I know.” I clung to him a little tighter as we walked through the massive doors leading into the church.

  Candles were lit down the aisle.

  Tears pricked the backs of my eyes as I realized I’d always imagined my father walking me down the aisle. I never imagined I’d be without him — or that I would be part of the reason he was no longer here.

  Red shoes.

  They might as well be a representation of his blood.

  Dom released my hand. And I stood at the edge of the aisle as wives walked past me, as the most powerful men in the world stood by me.

  I wasn’t sure what I was supposed to do.

  So I stared down at my blood red shoes.

  I stared down so hard that my eyes began to burn with my unshed tears.

  This was not how things were supposed to happen.

  And it’s not that I wasn’t thankful.

  I felt a hand on my shoulder and nearly jerked away when I noticed it was Chase. “Ready?”

  I gulped. “Yes.”

  Nixon flanked my other side and held out his elbow. “Let’s get you married.”

  When I looked ahead, it was Tex leading us down. And since I couldn’t see Phoenix, Sergio, or Dante, I assumed they were behind me.

  I gulped.

  Nope. Not how I imagined getting married.

  With a dead father.

  And his greatest enemy at my side, holding my arm, with that enemy’s second in command ready to kill anyone on holy ground.

  I looked around for a priest.

  And when the Russian from before stepped into the middle of the aisle and held open a Bible, I almost asked if he was allowed to touch things that holy without getting zapped.

  Dom winked at me from the end of the aisle.

  My feet carried me slowly down.

  And when Nixon released my arm and placed it on Dom’s, when each man took turns giving me a kiss on the cheek — that was when it felt real.

  And when the Russian cleared his throat and began talking in that smooth accented voice of his, I clung to Dom, afraid I was going to pass out.

  “Who gives this woman?” he asked.

  “We do,” the bosses responded.

  I swayed a bit on my feet.

  And then I was saying vows.

  And the world faded away as I looked to my right and saw my mother sitting in the front pew grasping prayer beads.

  She was wearing black.

  Her face was the palest I’d ever seen it.

  She didn’t blink. She didn’t smile.

  So she knew.

  She had to know.

  He was dead.

  And I was going to serve a life sentence to men she’d been taught to fear, when it was the exact opposite.

  Things in the mafia are never black and white.

  I never realized my enemy was my friend.

  And my family? My enemy.

  “I now pronounce you man and wife…” He finally cracked a smile, transforming his entire face enough for me to do a double take. “Dom you may kiss—”

  In a blur, Dom was cupping my face, kissing my lips like it had been too long since he’d tasted them, sucking them like he was memorizing their shape to store in his memory for later.

  I wrapped my arms around his neck.

  Throat clearing happened.

  I ignored it.

  And when an out-of-breath Dom finally pulled away from me, I glanced to my right.

  My mom was gone.

  “This is your family now,” the Russian said cryptically. “You have no need for those who would do you harm…”

  “He’s right,” Dom agreed. “You’re mine.”

  “Campisi?”

  “We like to call him Campisi-Abandonato, since he likes to call Nixon dad,” Tex piped up, making everyone laugh.

  Cheers went up and then rice was getting tossed in my face as Dom picked me up and twirled me twice in the middle of the aisle and finishing with a nod to Sergio.

  “It’s tradition now,” he whispered in my ear. “Weddings and funerals — we always look at life the way she did — and one day — Sergio will tell you all about how she lived — it will at least take away the fear of death — I know it’s helped make all the wives brave in the face of this life, and it will help you too.”

  CHAPTER FORTY-SEVEN

  Dom

  Something was wrong.

  I had no reason to feel apprehensive.

  None whatsoever.

  We walked down the aisle hand in hand, police officers were still in front of the church, their cars parked like a barricade just in case someone decided to bulldoze their way toward us.

  But something felt…

  Not quite right.

  I slowed my steps and pressed my palm to Tanit’s chest and then nodded to the guys. Phoenix’s eyes narrowed while Sergio moved to stand in front of Tex. Nixon did the same, flanking each side. Because out of all of us, we needed Tex alive the most, which sucked but the truth sometimes wasn’t pleasant.

  Phoenix grabbed Tanit and pulled her behind Tex, the rest of the women started going back toward the front of the church while I made my way toward the main doors. I slid the gun out from the back of my pants. Dante followed.

  If I died, people would talk.

  If Dante died, well everyone would be pissed.

  If any of the rest of them died?

  War.

  All-out war.

  I opened the door, pointing my gun out ahead of me, just as someone kicked it out of my hand.

  Rage and holy terror filled me as I slammed the door back, knocking whoev
er it was on their ass and charged.

  Dante had his gun pointed.

  The guy didn’t look familiar. He didn’t even look… sane.

  His eyes were pinpoints, his hair matted to his face as he laughed from his spot on the floor and then pulled open his shirt revealing a shit ton of C-4 strapped to his chest.

  “What better way to die?” He laughed harder. “A martyr for the De Langes.”

  I eyed the bomb.

  Three minutes.

  Three minutes to decide who lived and who died.

  Three minutes to try to either stop the countdown or find a way to not blow up half the church.

  Three minutes.

  Two minutes fifty-nine seconds.

  “Dom—” Dante’s voice held an edge of warning.

  “Sergio!” I roared.

  Sergio came running.

  I pointed down at the bomb. “Can you disarm it?”

  “We have to get it off of him first.” He knelt down next to the guy and held out his hand.

  I didn’t waste any time.

  I picked my gun off the floor and fired two shots into the guy’s head before his sick laughter could fill the air again.

  “I was going to do that.” Sergio seemed irritated I took a kill away from him.

  I tossed the gun aside, “Just get the bomb off.”

  “Right…” He carefully pulled the vest from behind and looked underneath. “No hairline triggers, otherwise you and I would both be dead.”

  “De Langes aren’t smart enough for that. This is sloppy work. He was drunk and high and clearly insane.”

  He shrugged. “True.”

  Two and a half minutes.

  “Hurry!” I urged just as the rest of the men filtered out into the front of the church where we knelt.

  “Shit!” Tex stared at the timer. “Sergio can your damn fingers go any faster?”

  “Sorry, busy saving your life again,” Sergio muttered under his breath.

  He finally got the vest free.

  Sweat pooled at my upper lip as I watched him work with the wires, blues, reds, greens, how did you choose? How?

  “Fuck.” He dropped the vest and wiped his face with his hands. “I don’t know for sure.”

  “What the hell do you mean you don’t know for sure?” I roared. “This is your expertise!”

  “If I’m wrong then we blow up half a city block, jackass!” he yelled back.

  “Guys, stop.” Tex said in a low voice. “We’re running out of options.”

  “Go inside,” I whispered in a cold voice. “Just… go inside, take cover.”

  “Dom—”

  “GO INSIDE!” I roared at the guys.

  Nixon stepped forward.

  I jerked my head back and forth. “No time. You guys die, we invite an even bigger war or worse the women and kids—” My throat caught. My wife. My new wife.

  The life I thought I was going to lead.

  “Sergio, you too.”

  They all just stared at me like I’d lost my mind.

  “ALL OF YOU GO!” I yelled again. Then I gripped Sergio by the front of his shirt. “Which wire, gut instinct?”

  “Blue,” he said without thinking, “but If I’m wrong…”

  I jerked the vest out of his hands.

  One minute.

  One minute.

  “Just tell her—”

  “Don’t die,” he finished for me. “Don’t.” He gulped.

  “Why does nobody ever listen to me?” I whispered to myself when the men were still standing there. “GO!”

  Slowly, they walked back inside. Nixon was the last to go.

  He nodded at me once then gave me his back.

  I knew what was in that nod.

  Promises.

  Promises.

  Promises.

  Protection being the most important.

  She was mine now.

  She was ours.

  And if I died, well…

  I shoved the thought away and ran down the cement stars as fast as they could carry me.

  There was a park around the corner, homeless people. Victims.

  Down the street was the business district which wouldn’t work

  And then, the post office was—

  I turned around and sprinted. By the time the cops saw what was in my hands it would be too late.

  It would all be too late.

  Thirty seconds.

  It’s amazing how long they last, when you really want them to.

  Thirty seconds can be a lifetime.

  An eternity.

  I saw our future.

  Her eyes.

  The eyes of our unborn children.

  Their laughter, the way she twirled them in the air.

  Maybe life really did come down to the two twirls.

  Living before your dying.

  Living knowing that if you die, you did good.

  Ten seconds.

  I closed my eyes.

  I pulled the blue wire.

  And shoved the vest into the mailbox.

  CHAPTER FORTY-EIGHT

  Tanit

  I clung to my wedding dress with sweaty fingers, I twisted the fabric until my hands went numb.

  Something was wrong.

  Wait.

  Why were all the bosses slowly coming back into the church?

  Throat dry, eyes heavy with unshed tears, I watched each of their faces, or at least I tried to.

  But nobody would make eye contact.

  “It’s going to be okay,” Trace whispered.

  I didn’t believe her.

  She didn’t even believe her.

  Nixon reached us and pressed a hand to her shoulder and then shook his head no.

  No, it’s not going to be okay?

  No, somethings wrong?

  “Where’s Dom?” I asked in the calmest voice I could muster.

  Finally, it was Chase who looked at me, who saw through my soul, who held my gaze with one of his own.

  “Where’s DOM!” I was yelling. I felt hysteria rise up in my throat as my hands dangled helplessly at my sides. I had no weapon. I had no enemy in front of me to fight.

  I had no choice but to wait for someone to explain to me what the hell was going on.

  Nixon clung to Trace.

  And the rest of the bosses, all but Chase, gave me their backs.

  Like they were afraid I would see the truth painted on their faces.

  Slowly, Chase walked over to me. He didn’t blink. He reached out and pulled me in for a tight hug and whispered in my ear. “Some things, even powerful men like us can’t control.”

  “What does that mean?” I felt a tear slid down my cheek and drop from my chin onto his coat.

  After a heavy sigh, he said. “It means this is the longest thirty seconds of your life — and you’ll either come out of it unscathed — or you’ll pray for God to take your soul so you never have to feel pain again.”

  Did he need to be so honest?

  He held me tight.

  The sanctuary was quiet.

  No sirens.

  Nothing.

  Chase checked his watch, his eyes darted toward the doors where Sergio was leaning, face in his hands like he’d somehow failed everyone.

  His wife held him up, like she was the only reason he was able to stand, because her arms were wrapped around his waist. She spoke in low tones to him and ran her hands down his arms.

  Confusion warred with rage.

  Where was he?

  Why did everyone look like we’d just lost the war?

  Or maybe they’d just sacrificed one of their own so they could win.

  Was that what this Family was about?

  I shook the thought from my head.

  And when I could feel the shudder from Chase’s body, I looked up and asked calmly. “Chase, where is he?”

  It was the third time I’d asked.

  This time Chase blinked like he’d lost the ability to school his features.


  “The bomb.” Chase looked away from me. “The entire block would have blown up — you would have died. He did what any of us would do for the person we love most… he stood in front of the raging flames from Hell and said take me instead.”

  My heart wrenched, squeezing the breath from my chest.

  “No.” I shook my head. “We just got married, it’s—it’s our wedding day!” Chase gripped my wrists as I tried to beat them against his chest. His eyes filled with so much grief, like he was reliving his loss all over again. “NO! DOM!”

  Chase squeezed his eyes shut and dropped his hands as I slammed my fists into his chest.

  He let me beat him.

  He let me take it out on him.

  I would later wonder — if that’s how he healed — by seeing his own blood, by feeling his own pain.

  “Dom!” Tears blurred my vision as I slid to the floor.

  “Here!” His voice carried across the sanctuary.

  It was a dream.

  It had to be.

  The front doors opened wide.

  He smiled at me, his face was full of sweat like he’d been running for the last hour.

  He took one step just as Tex landed a punch to his jaw sending him to the floor. ‘“What the hell, man!”

  Sergio went to help him up as I ran to his side.

  “You ever scare me like that again I’m killing you before you get the chance to take all the glory again!” Tex roared and then did a small circle tugging at his hair. “Shit!”

  “It’s always fun when you find out the biggest baddest of them all has a heart the size of a cricket and hates when it starts beating again,” Chase said under his breath.

  We all turned and stared at him.

  “What?” Chase shrugged.

  “Nothing.” Nixon was the first to say something.

  I knew why they were shocked. His jokes were rare these days… he was a harder man, a changed man.

  “Dom?” I knelt next to him, “Can you hear me?”

  He winced and touched the tender flesh beneath his right eye. “Yeah, I can feel my face swelling too, thanks brother.”

  “Glory stealer.” Tex grinned and then helped him to his feet. “What you did — for us… for the women — the kids—”

  “It’s what a leader does,” Nixon finished for him.

  “I learned from the best,” Dom said staring each of the bosses down. Had a position for a new boss been open, I knew without a doubt they would have bled him right into it.