by Bethany-Kris
She knew better.
She did.
Knowing better didn’t stop her from hailing a cab on her third trip of the block, and telling the driver where to take her—the jail.
She only knew which jail was housing Dino because she had made a few calls, looking for the specific detective that had come looking for her. She never left her name or a reason for why she was calling, but she figured if that was the station the man was working out of, that would probably be the same jail Dino was being housed in.
A quick call to the jail at the station confirmed there was a prisoner being housed with the name Dino DeLuca.
She figured she could excuse the visit if asked by detectives. She could lie and say she wanted to know why she was being questioned when she hadn’t been an employee of Dino’s for well over two years. It was a good excuse, she thought.
Karen knew it was stupid.
That still didn’t stop her.
She only really realized the gravity of her choice as she stood on the precinct’s steps, staring at the large gold lettering above the front entrance. The wide wall-to-wall windows and revolving doors each held the precinct’s emblem in the middle, reminding her once again where she was and why she had come there.
While the voice inside told her to turn around and leave while she still could, Karen took a step forward. Then another, and another. She was more focused on making her feet move forward and convincing her inner voice to shut the hell up, rather than staring at what was in front of her.
It was only when a slightly amused, but familiar voice echoed in front of her that Karen finally stopped and looked up.
“Seems it would have been your fault for running into me this time,” Theo DeLuca said.
Karen froze on the spot.
To the police, she could have lied.
To Theo?
Probably not so much.
“I—”
Theo’s slow smile stopped her from saying something—a lie, probably, as she was getting too good at telling those—but also somehow managed to come off as sympathetic.
“What are you doing here?” Theo asked.
Karen swallowed the sudden lump forming in her throat. “What do you think?”
“I think you’re making a stupid mistake.”
Ouch.
“You don’t know anything, Theo.”
He nodded, silently agreeing. “You’re right—I don’t know very much about my brother at all.”
As he said that, he gave her a quick once over, as if to say without actually saying anything at all that he would put her straight into the category of things he didn’t know anything about. Karen knew he would be right to do so, too.
“But I do know,” Theo continued, “that Dino has made a very careful effort to keep certain things in his life private, and let me say he has done a fucking great job of it.”
Her, he meant.
Karen understood his underlying, unspoken words.
“So?” Karen asked.
“So, if you go in there, you’re going to ruin all the effort he’s made,” Theo said quietly. “I think it’s probably had a lot to do with the people he doesn’t trust, and maybe even a bit about how we grew up. Maybe it’s the fact that you’re about as much of an outsider as he could get, but away from it all like this, he’s managed something much more important where you’re concerned.”
“And what’s that?”
“He’s kept you safe.”
Oh.
Karen blinked, the sudden stinging sensation in her eyes making her look away to hide the wetness starting to gather there. “I just wanted—”
“Yeah, I get that,” Theo interrupted. “It’s still not a good idea.”
It took a lot—a few more minutes of her standing there trying to internally convince herself otherwise, that what Theo said didn’t really matter. But eventually, Karen accepted that what it was, was unfortunately, exactly what it was.
Theo was honest.
Honesty sometimes hurt.
She shouldn’t be here.
Dino wouldn’t want her here.
“He’ll be arraigned on Monday—bail soon after,” Theo added after a minute.
Karen wiped at her cheek, nodding. “Okay, thanks.”
“Don’t come back here, Karen.”
She wouldn’t.
Even if it killed her.
“Will you let him know—”
Theo laughed, but the sound was colder than she expected. “No, I won’t tell him a thing. We’re not like that, never have been. Shit, he doesn’t even know I’m here. Believe it or not, but he wouldn’t want me here, either.”
Well, then.
That was that.
Dino
“YOUR Honor, my client is—”
The doors to the courtroom swung open, stopping Dino’s public defender from arguing his case for bail any further than he had. While he appreciated the lawyer, the guy certainly wasn’t like his previous public defender. Mike had been someone Dino was able to trust inexplicably. His new public defender—another man, Carl—didn’t have much interest in actually talking all that much to his client.
Dino didn’t care, as long as the man got him bail.
“Sorry to interrupt,” said a tall, well-dressed man.
Dino didn’t recognize the man as he pushed beyond the gate, ignoring the glower of the judge from her bench. He thought maybe it was someone for the prosecution’s side showing up late, but when the guy made a beeline for Dino’s table, he sat a little straighter in his seat. The guy wore a suit that looked like it probably cost him a small fortune, not to mention the glimmering gold cufflinks in the sleeves. Dino only knew an expensive suit when he saw one because he too owned a whole closet full. It was a part of the life, really.
“Can we continue?” the judge asked.
“Two minutes?” the guy asked. “I need just a couple of minutes to explain to my client a few things he wasn’t aware of.”
The judge didn’t look pleased, but muttered, “Make it worth it, Mr. Santiago.”
Now that name, Dino did recognize.
One of the best defense law firms in the city was Santiago and Sons. He knew of several people who had used the firm because of their ability to get people off on charges, or if not get them off scot-free, then get them one hell of a good deal. They had a reputation for being the best, and they charged like they were the best, too.
Had Dino intended to fight his charges, he probably would have hired the firm. But as it was, he just needed bail, a little time out of jail, and he wasn’t ever planning on making it to his next court date, anyway.
Certainly not a fucking trial.
“Dino,” the new lawyer said, bending down to speak privately with only him, “nice to meet you, I’m Kon. Your brother hired me. Traffic was a bitch, it won’t happen again.”
Dino took each of the man’s statements in one at a time before he nodded. “Okay.”
“And me?” the public defender asked.
Kon shrugged. “Stay or don’t, but keep out of my way for the next thirty minutes. He’s getting bail or I’m not leaving this courtroom.”
Carl sat down in his chair, shutting his briefcase. “Go for it.”
“I will,” Kon said simply. Then, the man turned back to the judge. “Ready whenever you are, Judge.”
The woman behind the bench peered down at Kon with a knowing smile. “You always make it fun, Mr. Santiago.”
“You know you can call me Kon, right?”
“And you know I won’t,” the judge said, laughing. “He’s got more money in the bank than even I do. Businesses across the city. Offshore bank accounts. Contacts from here to New York that could move him over the border faster than we could blink. Tell me how he’s not a flight risk, please.”
Dino blinked, surprised at the judge’s blatant knowledge of his contacts. Even the prosecution looked quite pleased, as though the judge had just done their job for them, and he supposed in a way, she ha
d.
“He has a direct hand in one of his businesses,” Kon said, “a strip joint in the Heights, not exactly bleeding money or class over there, your Honor. The majority of his businesses have been put in a blind trust since his last arrest. I mean, the ones the Feds haven’t shut down on him for one reason or another. Dino hasn’t traveled in over four years—not even out of State. He hasn’t traveled out of country in six years, and his passport was revoked during his last arrest. Three of his accounts are frozen, including the offshore ones. Does he have more—does he have money? Probably, everyone does. He can’t live, he can’t pay his debts, without money.”
“And the contacts?” the judge asked. “The affiliations to criminal organizations across the country?”
“Friends and family don’t necessarily mean he’s in with the Outfit, too.”
“We have every reason to suggest Dino DeLuca is a member of the Chicago Mob,” the lawyer across the way said, glaring at Kon.
“Give me a recorded video or tape of Dino, admitting his affiliation or of a known made man who says he’s a part of any of the organizations in Chicago or even New York. Find me one, show me it, and I’ll let you have that, Rudy.”
The judge sat a little straighter in her chair, her gaze bouncing between the two lawyers. “All right, play nice, boys. As amusing as it would be to watch you two argue, I have a dinner to get to across town and I’d like to show up in something other than this robe. He’s still a flight risk, Kon.”
“Twice a day check-ins,” Kon said. “Reasonably, you can’t refuse Dino bail, even if you put it as high as the sky. He doesn’t travel, he doesn’t have a lot of means to travel, not without moving funds in a way that would be noticeable, and having a few bad friends doesn’t make him a flight risk. Twice a day check-ins to whomever you chose—the prosecution, even.”
Dino didn’t like that, but he chose not to open his mouth and argue the point.
“I would talk about an ankle monitor,” the other lawyer suggested.
Dino did stiffen at that one.
Hell no.
He wasn’t wearing one of those things, and they weren’t sticking him somewhere he couldn’t leave.
Kon must have noticed his change in mood. “No ankle monitor.”
It took the judge another few minutes of waffling back and forth, of amusingly eyeing the two lawyers arguing back and forth, before she leaned forward and smacked her hammer down hard enough to silence the room.
“Bail is set at four-hundred-thousand. Check-in once a day with your lawyer, Mr. DeLuca, who will then report your check-in to the prosecution. I have no doubt the Feds who are working with the police on this case will have zero problem with confirming your whereabouts from day to day. If you want freedom so much, pay for it.”
“Well done,” the public defender said to Dino’s right.
Kon dismissively glanced over at the guy as he fixed his jacket. “There’s a reason profit works better than pro-bono, man. We’ve got every reason to work sitting in the bank.”
“When will the bail be paid?” Dino asked, not caring to involve himself in the other conversation.
“As far as I know, your brother will be on his way to pay for it now. If you’re lucky, you’ll have those cuffs off before we even leave this building.”
Dino frowned. “Theo was here.”
“You did hear me say that he hired me, yeah?”
“Yeah, but—”
“Oh, he said he was taking the money from your account, too.”
Of course, he did.
Dino sighed, standing when the bailiff came his way. “He should have minded his own business.”
Kon eyed Dino curiously. “You’re his brother—you are his business.”
Well, Dino wasn’t willing to argue that point, either.
Sure enough, Kon had been right. Before Dino was escorted out of the building and back into the caged van that would deliver him back to the jail, his lawyer showed up with bail papers in hand, handing them over before Dino’s cuffs were unlocked.
He rubbed at his wrists. “Thanks.”
Kon shrugged. “It’s what I do. Next month, we’ll be back here to set a trial date.”
“Don’t bother to drag it on,” Dino said.
“I could—it would give us some time. That’s always a good thing, Dino.”
He didn’t need a lot of time.
He just needed a little.
“I’m not going to prison,” Dino told the lawyer.
Kon cocked a brow. “Give me time, and you certainly won’t, no.”
“We don’t need time.”
He said goodbye to the lawyer, rounded the front steps, and came to an abrupt stop. Standing just a few steps down, apparently waiting for him, were his uncle and his brother. Theo didn’t look particularly happy to be there with Ben, but there he was nonetheless.
At the sight of Dino, Ben smiled.
It was one of those chilling smiles Dino had seen many times over the years of his life. A smile that knew exactly what was happening, and displayed how pleased he was for it.
Ben DeLuca was a snake in Dino’s grass.
One that had taught him time and time again to trust no one.
He needed to rid himself of that snake.
“Ah, you made bail,” Ben said.
Dino stayed expressionless as he walked down the last few steps to meet his uncle and brother. “Seems so.”
“Lucky, nipote.”
Dino didn’t think so. “I had a good lawyer.”
He passed his brother a look, and Theo gave a nod in response. The brothers’ actions were missed by their uncle, thankfully.
“Well,” Ben drawled, “it is what it is. You’ll have a bit of time—a few months, maybe—before this all comes to a head. How much trouble can you cause in that time? Not very much. Enjoy the bit of freedom you have left, Dino.”
Oh, he planned to.
Entirely.
And he took his uncle’s words as a challenge accepted.
Dino had watchers—stalkers.
It was not easy to lose the officials trailing him damn near constantly, but after a full day of running back and forth across the city, it seemed like he may have done just that. Proverbially patting himself on the back, Dino checked his mirror again, just to be safe.
Nada.
He’d been counting the minutes ticking by since his release days before—watching the seconds count down like a time bomb ready to blow at any moment. The longer he waited, wanting it to be safe, the worse he felt.
Anxiety in his blood.
Loneliness in his heart.
He was without.
Entirely bereft.
Dino had never really understood how totally alone he felt before. He’d done quite well on his own without the infliction of bringing others into his world. He’d done perfectly fine being his own person, living in his own private hell.
Even if it was a hell, it was his.
He owned it.
And there he was, so fucking alone.
Not for much longer.
It was stupid; it would have been better had he waited a while longer before going to see Karen and his son, just to be safe. Yet, the ache in his soul was never really gone. His usual methods for distracting himself weren’t working. Not work, jogging, or filling his mind with useless things to keep his attention on anything but the things he wanted the most.
None of it worked.
That was why, the very second he had the chance, the very moment he knew it was safe, he had found himself racing across town. A single look at his clock told him exactly where Karen would be—leaving work in five minutes. She had an hour before she’d have to pick up Junior from the daycare, and then like every night, she would go home with their son and cook supper.
She, like him, was a creature of habit.
Even when her world was falling apart, she kept her routine.
Dino put his car in park in the lot of the studio where Karen worked
damn near at the same time as she came out the back doors. Her gaze landed on his car almost immediately, and her walk stumbled for a split second. The windows on his Bentley were too dark to see inside, but she had to know it was him.
How many people did she know that drove a white Bentley with black windows?
Just him.
Karen didn’t even hesitate, she crossed the lot quickly, her dress fluttering around her legs as she jogged his way. He thought she would go to the passenger side door, but she came to his, throwing it open and climbing inside without a single word.
She landed in his lap, and Dino closed the door.
In that moment, the rest of the world ceased to exist.
With her in his arms, her scent all around him, and the windows of his car too dark for the outside world to see in, they were all that mattered.
They were all that existed.
Karen buried her face in Dino’s neck, and he held her a little tighter. He didn’t think the position could be all that comfortable for her, especially not with the steering wheel driving into her back, but she didn’t make a single complaint.
“Give it to me,” he murmured.
She sucked in a hard breath, and he braced himself for the impact of whatever might come next. Her anger, probably. Her bitterness. Anything.
Karen had every right to it all.
“Come on,” he said when she stayed silent.
Finally, Karen shook her head. “You said I wouldn’t have to do this alone, Dino.”
He had.
And she wouldn’t.
“Look at me.” Dino grabbed Karen’s face, tilting her head up so he could stare her in the eyes. The tears were there, fresh and ready to fall, but she didn’t let them. His thumbs stroked her cheeks as he kissed her mouth once, then twice. “We’re going to be just fine.”
“How many years?”
He hesitated, but answered. “Over twenty.”
“Twenty.”
“Over, Karen.”
