by Jamie Zakian
Otis crossed his arms, staring down at Sasha. “And who’ll be my backup?”
“What?”
“You’re gonna put me in a room with people who swore to kill me if they ever saw me again. So I want to know, who’s gonna have my back? Cause it ain’t you.”
The spite in Otis’s tone drove through Sasha’s chest like a knife. Then Dez strolled beside him, and she had two sets of harsh eyes to stare at.
“You know what…” Sasha strained, literally bit her tongue, but the pain of holding back was worse than her teeth digging into flesh. “Fuck you!” She would’ve unloaded on Otis and Dez, but those two little words seemed to do the trick. Otis staggered from her doorway and she pushed Dez aside, stormed into her room, and crashed the door closed behind her.
***
Vinny
Vinny pulled on his pants, stomping across his motel room. With all the shouts and banging outside his door, it was impossible to enjoy his post-sex high. Another one of the many reasons to hate a city that didn’t sleep. He tore open his door, snickering. Of course everyone was crowded in front of the closed door beside his. It must be fuck-with-Sasha time. Why else would these assholes disturb his freaky stranger sexcapades?
“Thanks a lot, man,” Dez said, glaring at Otis. “I was getting ready to lay into her.”
“You’ll have to wait your turn,” Otis all but growled.
Now Vinny was pissed. These two jokers teaming up against Sasha sparked his instinct to defend her, but he hadn’t officially forgiven her yet.
A groan rumbled past Vinny’s throat. He ducked back into his room and grabbed a key from the dresser.
“Come back to bed, baby,” the freaky chick whose name he didn’t even want to know whined.
“Look.” Vinny picked the woman’s clothes off the floor, nightstand, and lamp, then dropped them on the bed. “It’s been real, but you gotta split. And it’s probably best if you don’t come ‘round anymore. Sasha wouldn’t like it, and she is the Don now.”
Finally, Vinny found something to shut that woman up. He turned from the mistake on the bed and pushed past Otis. In one swift move, he slid the key in the lock and slipped into Sasha’s room. Dez tried to barge his way inside, but Vinny shoved the door shut and locked the deadbolt.
“What the fuck!” Sasha yelled, jumping up off the bed.
“I lifted the spare key from your crazy friend.” Vinny walked from the pounds that shook the door, plopping on the bed. “All right.”
Sasha stood, frozen, her stare bouncing between Vinny and the door that rattled against its seams. “All right what?”
“You’ve been punished enough.”
Sasha’s bright smile cast a veil of silence over the room. Dez’s shouts didn’t twist his stomach; the bang of fists against wood stopped spiking his nerves. Only Sasha’s raised cheeks and that sparkle in her eyes remained.
“Does that mean you’re my friend again?” Sasha dropped onto the bed beside Vinny and Vinny clenched his hands. That sly grin, her electric vibe. It took all the will he had, which wasn’t much, not to grab her up and hold her tight.
“I never stopped being your friend, but I am done being an asshole.”
It looked like Sasha might hug him, until the door shattered open. Splintered wood slammed against the wall as Dez charged inside.
“You’re just fucking everybody, huh?” Dez shouted.
Sasha flew off the bed. Her face scrunched as she pointed to Vinny.
“No. I already know you’re fucking him,” Dez sneered. “I’m talking about the greasy Italian.”
“Enzo?” Sasha’s laugh echoed over Dez’s growl. Like a woman with a death wish, she walked right in front of Dez and stared into his eyes. “No, Dez. I don’t fuck men.”
“Unless their last name’s Archer,” Dez said, shoving Sasha away.
“Hey!” Vinny stomped forward. His hands grew a mind of their own, latching onto Dez’s shirt and slamming him against the wall. “Don’t touch her.”
Dez lifted his chin, his big hands clenching. “You gonna stop me.”
The blaze in Dez’s eyes, which usually forced Vinny back, only sparked his rage. He’d had enough of his brother’s shit. The dude wanted a fight, that’s fine, but it wouldn’t be with Sasha.
At the slightest hint of movement, Vinny drew back. He had to get the first hit, or he might not get any.
“Stop!” Sasha ran between them just as Dez swung. The edge of his fist clocked her chin, dropping her straight to her knees.
Both Vinny and Dez jumped back, releasing their clutch on each other to gawk at Sasha. She moved her hand from her mouth, and a thin stream of blood trickled from her lips. Vinny closed his eyes. The shock in Sasha’s gaze, the bright red blood that stained her skin wouldn’t fade from his mind. It only burned stronger, until his hands trembled.
Dez stared down at Sasha, his fists still balled at his sides. “I’m sorr—”
Vinny cracked his knuckles against Dez’s cheek. The force of the hit took them both into a stagger and they fell against the dresser, sending the TV crashing to the floor.
A giant fist filled Vinny’s sight. He shrank down, bracing for lights-out, when Otis yanked Dez away. A cool breeze, left by Dez’s failed swing, didn’t chill Vinny down. It boiled his blood. He dashed forward, drawing back before Dez could break from Otis’s grasp, and Cash tackled him to the bed.
Vinny pushed, surprised when Cash’s big ass actually flew off him. The cockiness of his newfound muscles quickly melted to fear once he realized Dez had thrown Cash aside and was coming in with a left hook. A gunshot filled the room, its blast bouncing off the walls.
Dez froze mid-swing, and Vinny jumped up. Chunks of ceiling rained down, bouncing off Sasha’s arm as she lowered a gun.
“Stop,” Sasha said through gritted teeth. “Please.”
“Tell it to your baby daddy,” Dez shouted, glaring at Vinny. “He came at me.”
Vinny begged his mouth to keep closed but like the rest of his body, it had gone rogue. “That’s ‘cause you’re fucking stupid. She didn’t even like having sex with me. She just did it ‘cause I wanted to. But she loves you, and you don’t even care.”
It looked like Dez might charge, again. Vinny was ready. Even though the steam had left his fists, he’d hurl them if he had to.
Dez pushed Otis from the kicked-in doorway, storming into the rays of morning light, and a crushing weight lifted from the entire room.
Sasha gestured to Cash and Vinny’s stunned faces, pointed at Dez stomping past a row of motel doors. “These fools are your backup,” she said to Otis before rushing after Dez.
Chapter Twenty-Two
Sasha
“Hey!” Sasha grabbed Dez by the arm. Although she wanted him to stop, she jumped back when he spun to face her. It was the rage trapped in his glare. She could still taste her own blood and didn’t want another mouthful.
“I can’t believe I hit you.” Dez drew back, his white knuckles aimed at the brick wall.
“Don’t!” Like the stupid idiot she was, her dumbass jumped right in front of his fist. This time, his arm locked up. As if the air had turned to glue, his hand slowed to a stop over her chest.
With Dez so close, and in the light of day, Sasha could see it wasn’t rage clouding his eyes. Pain held his stare. The look had been easy to mistake, since she’d never witnessed such a deep twist of agony.
“I never wanted to hurt you like that again,” Dez said, unable to lift his stare from the dirty pavement.
Sasha placed her hands on Dez’s cheeks, almost feeling his entire body wilt beneath her fingertips. “I know what you mean.”
A light tremble invaded her body when Dez looked at her. Agony still lingered in his gaze, but a hint of shine broke through. This was her chance. She could sneak a kiss while his defenses were down before he could push her away.
“I’m out,” Otis yelled, heading for the street. “I’m sick of you guys’ soap opera bullshit. Nobody eve
n cares I’m supposed to face the five families and walk straight to my death. So, fuck you all.”
Sasha watched Otis stroll toward the busy sidewalk, looking back at Dez to find a scowl. “Fuck,” she muttered. If Otis left, the families of the other boroughs would turn on her then each other. She’d never get revenge, never get her hands on Dante.
Dez took a step back, probably because her foot wouldn’t stop tapping. A snort accompanied his head shake, and he waved toward Otis.
“I’m sorry.” Sasha ran toward Otis, glancing back at Dez. “About everything.”
Otis stomped down the sidewalk, waving for a cab, and Sasha slinked in front of him.
“You can’t go,” she said, reaching for Otis’s arm.
“The fuck I can’t.” Otis turned to the side, keeping his hand high.
“Dude!” Sasha grabbed Otis by the jacket sleeve, pulling his arm down. “You can’t just leave me.”
“You left me!”
Sasha took a step back. The tremble of Otis’s shout cracked her heart, but the wall of tears building in his eyes severed it in half. “Leaving was the biggest mistake of my life.” She slid her hand into his and he didn’t pull away, so she squeezed harder. “Don’t go.”
“If you make me do this, you’re just a selfish bitch.”
There was no legitimate argument Sasha could lay down. Even though she truly believed in Antonio’s decisions, there was a small chance Otis would be walking into a trap. Antonio was gone. Dante had been legally stripped of his title, name, and possessions. Now that all the papers were signed, Otis was the last legitimate Lazzari. That made him the ultimate mark. He was right; she was selfish. She couldn’t tell him to run for the hills of Kentucky, because her need to drive a blade into Dante’s neck held her thoughts captive.
“If you go now, they will hunt you down. Put bullets in all of us, just to prove a point.” Sasha pulled Otis closer, holding his hand to her chest. “We need to go in there strong, together. Slap our dicks on the table.”
Otis snickered, his stare drifting down to Sasha’s pants.
“Figuratively,” she said through a grin. “Those other families work for us. They’re in their seats, running the other boroughs, because we let them.” She dropped Otis’s hand to jab her finger at his chest. “Remember that.”
A slice of cruelty cut through Otis’s far-off stare. It was nice. A look Sasha hadn’t seen from the man since her return.
“I guess it could be fun, to make them sweat,” Otis said, nodding.
“That’s what I’m talking about.”
It only took a light tug, and Otis was on his way back toward the motel.
***
Vinny
After a shower and a shave, Vinny felt like a new man. A man who still regretted hitting his brother, but a squeaky clean one.
He latched his belt, walking from the bathroom. “You’re up,” he said to Cash, pushing dude’s big ass off the bed.
“Why?” Cash groaned, walking into the bathroom. “I ain’t been rolling around in a stranger’s snatch.”
If Vinny’s mind wasn’t a jumble of barbed thoughts, he might laugh at that. “We’re representing Otis. You want us to look like a bunch of dirty hillbillies?”
“I don’t think a shower’s gonna change much,” Cash said, closing himself inside the bathroom.
Vinny reached for his shirt, caught by his reflection in the mirror. He looked as good as any city folk. The shit-kicker boots, confederate flag belt buckle, and lightly faded bruises around his eye would fit in just fine.
A knock rang out and Vinny grabbed his shirt, opening the front door. Sasha stumbled back. Her eyes grew wide and stayed on his bare chest. That’s right, girl, he had been working out.
“Where’s Dez?” Vinny barked, instantly hating himself for asking. He shouldn’t give a fuck where that guy was, or if his brother was pissed or hurt.
“He’s in my room, calling home to check on Tyler.”
“I miss that kid.” A churn started to whirl in Vinny’s stomach after his first word. Then Sasha gave him that look. Fuck her, it wasn’t inappropriate. He’d always loved Tyler, constantly thought about the boy. It shouldn’t feel wrong now, now that he knew the truth, now that the kid was his kid.
Vinny pulled on his shirt, heading straight for his pack of smokes.
“You got any pants?” Sasha asked, creeping inside and shutting the door.
“What?”
“These were my last pair.” She tugged at her cargo pants, but those dark bloodstains didn’t need any help to be seen.
“Yeah.” Vinny grabbed a duffle bag off the floor, digging through rumples of jean and black tees. “They’re gonna be big.”
“That’s not true.”
“How do you figure? You’re all scrawny now.”
“No.” Sasha pushed the duffle bag aside, taking Vinny’s hands. “What you said before. I enjoyed everything we ever did together, everything.”
Vinny had to force a breath. Sasha was standing too close, holding his hand too tight. He could kiss her at any second, and it wouldn’t be his fault.
The shower cut off with the squeak of a knob. Good thing. If he stared into Sasha’s deep eyes any longer, he would’ve wrapped his arms around her. Since Dez was within a five-mile radius, the guy would’ve sensed it. Then another door would get kicked in, and they’d have two wrecked motel rooms to pay for.
“Here.” Vinny pulled a pair of cargo pants from his bag, practically throwing them in Sasha’s face. To touch her right now was too risky.
“Thanks,” she said softly, sadly. She opened the door, glancing back. There was something in her gaze. A look that told Vinny if he asked her to run away with him, she’d seriously consider it, except he didn’t want that life anymore.
Vinny nodded and Sasha walked out the room, closing the door behind her.
***
Tyler
Tyler scooted to the edge of the bed. He wanted to run across the cold floor and peek up that ladder. If it wasn’t for the mask, which was staring at him from the corner of this little steel room, he would’ve looked up that ladder by now. So far, the mask hadn’t moved. It could be waiting for him. Maybe the squeaky bed beneath him was base. There were arms, legs, and a long rubber suit attached to that mask. That meant it could grab him up, if he left base.
“My daddy’ll shoot you, mister. If you touch me,” Tyler warned, but the mask didn’t respond. Hopefully, the sucker got the message because he was getting off this bed.
Slowly, Tyler placed his foot on the frosty ground and…nothing. He must’ve scared that mask good and proper, since it didn’t budge. That’s what the mask deserved for being so ugly.
Tyler took a step then another but didn’t dare look back. The mask man was for sure behind him. For sure. A warm breeze tickled his nose, the blue sky shining from a square hole atop the ladder. It was a long way up, and his side burned, but his daddy could be up there.
A voice echoed from above, and Tyler inched back.
Kev blocked the sun, peeking down with a smile. “You good, little man?” he asked.
Tyler hurried to the bed as Kev climbed down the ladder. The mask man continued to stare, and this time Tyler glared back. “You’re gonna get it now, mister.”
“Who you talking to?” Kev asked, glancing around.
“Him.” Tyler pointed to the corner, and Kev swung his shotgun forward. Tyler shrank down, waiting for a loud blast, and got a chuckle.
“That’s just a radiation suit, buddy.”
When his uncle grabbed the mask man off the shelf, Tyler saw it wasn’t a man at all. Just a silly costume.
“Is it for trick or treatin’?”
“Umm…” Kev dropped the costume to the ground, kicking it under the shelf. “Yeah, sure.” He lowered the gun, sitting on the bed. “How ya feeling, your stomach, side?”
“It hurts! I wanna go home. Where’s my daddy?”
“Relax, man, you’ll pop a stitch. I j
ust talked to your daddy. He’ll be home soon.”
“He ran away, didn’t he?”
“What!”
“One night, I heard daddy and uncle Otis talking about how my mama ran away. I left the house without permission and got hurt. That must be why Daddy ran away.”
“Your dad would never run off. And your mama didn’t run away either, she just…got a little lost after she woke up from her princess sleep.”
“Kevin Pritchett,” a woman’s voice hollered from the hole in the ceiling.
“Oh shit!” Kev jumped off the bed, and his gun clattered to the ground.
“Who’s that?” Tyler whispered.
“That’s my mama,” Kev said, smoothing back his hair.
“You have a mama!”
“Yeah. Be cool, little man.”
Since Tyler wasn’t exactly sure what be cool meant, he copied Kev and crossed his arms.
“What in tarnation is going on ‘round here. I was winning big on the riverboat.” The woman climbed down the ladder, took one look at Tyler, and stopped short. “What is this?” she said with one of them fake smiles grown-ups liked to use so much.
“This is Tyler,” Kev said, pointing at the bed.
“I know who he is. Why is he here, in this dirty hole in the ground?”
Kev looked at Tyler, shrugged, then veered his fake smile to his mama. “It’s a long story, and I’m sorry I fucked up your vacation but—”
“Language.”
“But,” Kev said, loudly. “I need you to check the kid’s stitches, and he’s been complaining about pain.”
“Where’s his pa?”
“Good question,” Tyler said in a huff.
“Dammit, Mama. Can you just—”
“Yeah, yeah.” The woman knelt down, squinting as she stared at Tyler. “Well, I’ll be. You look just like your mama.”
Tyler moved closer to the edge of the bed. “You know my mama?”
“Sure do. I’m Miss June, the school nurse at Hazard Elementary. Your mama would come in my office every week with cuts and bruises. She was a scraper.”
