“Fine – whatever, Little Miss Mood Swing, I’m just being a friend.” The mattress shifted and a few seconds later I heard my door shut. It was nice to be alone again.
I forced myself to go to classes the next day, even though it was a complete waste. I couldn’t focus on any of the lectures and my creativity was flat in the studio. At least I would get credit for showing up.
Grant called as I was walking back to the apartment, but I let it go to voicemail. I still wasn’t ready to talk to him or Dominic. Conflicted would best describe the way I felt. I was pissed that Grant and Dominic hadn’t been honest with me. I was pissed at Grant for getting involved with the Grabanos. Dominic didn’t really have a choice, but Grant did. I was also relieved because it explained Dominic’s weird hours and Grant’s hesitation for me dating Dom. I was also scared. Yes, I dabbled with drugs and had been promiscuous, but that was about as far as I planned to take the immoral behavior. Two nights ago my life’s path was seriously altered and I didn’t know what the future held. Murder and violence were sure to be part of it and that idea was terrifying.
Dominic wanted to know how the truth about who he really was affected our relationship. How could I answer that? I liked Dominic, but that was before I knew he killed people and was part of the largest crime family in Philadelphia. Now I didn’t know how I felt about him. Why didn’t I just have a fling with him and leave it at that? No, I had to go ahead and start a relationship. If I did end things with Dominic, did that place me and Grant in danger?
These thoughts weighed heavily on my mind as I entered the apartment. Chelsea waved from the futon.
“In a better mood?”
“Not really.”
“Look in your room. I think there’s something in there that will cheer you up.”
I walked down the hall to my room and instantly spotted what Chelsea was talking about - it would be hard to miss. The most extravagant bouquet of red roses I had ever seen was on my desk. The scent filled up the small room and I inhaled deeply. I crossed my room in seconds and picked up the card.
I’m sorry about the other night. I couldn’t go another day without you knowing the truth. D
The roses were just a nice gesture, something I would ordinarily be thrilled to receive, but their very presence reminded me of the situation at hand.
“Somebody really likes you!” Chelsea chirped from behind and I jumped.
“Jesus, you scared me!”
“I take it those are from Dominic?”
“Yes.”
“Did you guys have a fight or something? That would explain your mood.”
“No we didn’t have a fight, but we did have a something. I can’t talk about it, it’s complicated.”
Chelsea was the one person in my life, aside from Grant, who I went to during times of crisis. Now when I needed her the most, I wasn’t able to talk to her. No matter how frustrating it was, I refused to put her life in danger by telling her what happened.
“I’m going for a run. I’ll talk to you later.” I turned my back to Chelsea and she got the hint. The door shut quietly behind her as she retreated.
***
I ran mindlessly through the city until my lungs begged for mercy and my leg muscles screamed. Even then I didn’t stop. Finally, when exhaustion threatened to send me tumbling to the sidewalk I slowed to a walk. The run had helped to get my head on straight. Dominic would be pleased with my answer. It wasn’t going to be easy, but I would continue dating him and act like nothing had changed. Marco was capable of being dangerous, this was obvious and I would do everything in my power to keep that danger away from Grant. I already liked Dominic and working at Crimson was lucrative. How bad could it be, really?
Chapter 15
The apartment was quiet except for muffled music coming from behind Chelsea’s bedroom door. Feeling guilty for being so nasty towards her, I walked down the hall and knocked.
“Come in.”
I entered her room and took in the extreme organization, which bordered on obsessive compulsive, such the opposite of my clutter. Chelsea was lying on her bed flipping through a fashion magazine.
“Hey Chels, I want to apologize for earlier.”
“Feeling better?”
“Yeah, the run helped. I had a lot on my mind. Sorry.”
“It’s cool, we all have our moments. I’m glad you’re in a better mood. I’m always around if you need to talk.”
“I know.”
I left Chelsea to her magazine and hit the shower. The run had thoroughly exhausted every muscle in my body, but my mind was still going at a hundred miles an hour. After getting dressed I checked my phone. Grant had called three more times while I was out. He could wait.
A bottle of vodka in the freezer had my name on it. I pulled that out along with a bottle of orange juice from the fridge. “Chelsea Reed, it’s cocktail hour!” I hollered from the kitchen. Seconds later her stereo shut off and she peeked her head out of her bedroom door. “Come hither.” I beckoned, holding up a drink. She skipped down the hallway and grabbed the glass from my hand. I followed her to the futon with the bottles as back up.
Soon my mind had mellowed and we sat back with a box of hard pretzels between us. Chelsea flipped through the channels. The constant changing was perfect for our short attention span. We hadn’t hung out like this since Dominic and I had started dating and I had forgotten how much fun it was to just chill.
A loud banging on the front door sent me leaping towards the ceiling, knocking a glass over in the process.
“Shit!” I yelled and ran to grab a roll of paper towels.
“I wonder who that is,” Chelsea commented as she went to answer the door. “It’s just Grant,” Chelsea hollered to me. I turned to see Grant pushing past her. He took up the entrance to the kitchen.
“Is your phone broken?” he demanded.
“No, I -”
He cut me off. “Did you get my messages?”
“I saw that you called, but -”
He interrupted again. “Would it fucking kill you to answer the phone when I call? I’ve been trying to reach you. ”
“Grant, relax! I can’t deal with you like this.” He was bringing me down and the mellow atmosphere was now charged with his intensity. He moved aside to let me pass and followed me.
Grant surveyed the living room spotting the glass on its side and the half empty vodka bottle on the coffee table.
“Is this why you couldn’t answer the phone? You’re too busy getting drunk?”
“Maybe you need a drink because you, like, totally need to chill,” Chelsea remarked. She knelt down to blot the area rug where orange juice had started to seep in. Grant stepped into the hallway and pulled me with him.
“Marco wanted me to check on you. He was worried that you might take off. When I couldn’t reach you…” he whispered in my ear.
“Oh!” My eyes widened with understanding. “He doesn’t trust me, does he?”
“No. But don’t worry, he hardly trusts anyone.”
“Hey, what are you two whispering about over there?” Chelsea interrupted. We turned to look at her and she was holding a drink out like a peace offering. “Come here Grant, it’s been a while since you and I got drunk together,” she teased.
Grant laughed, visibly more relaxed. “I will, I just need to make a phone call,” He gave me a significant look and slipped into my bedroom. I followed him. He called Marco and reassured him that I had not skipped town.
While he spoke I checked my phone and saw that there were thirteen missed calls. All were from Grant, except for one, and none were from Dominic.
“I wonder why Dominic isn’t trying to get a hold of me.” I asked when Grant hung up.
“He said that you told him you needed a couple days and was giving you some space. Sure pissed Marco off; he kept trying to get Dominic to call you too. Pretty impressive, Dominic must like you more than I thought.” Grant grew quiet and stared at me.
“Is Marco sti
ll worried about me?” I asked.
“Yeah, but you stick with me…and Dominic,” he said with reluctance. “That should help.”
“Ok, I’ll take your word on that,” I mustered up a smile. We filed out of my room and joined Chelsea around the coffee table.
Chapter 16
After I got home from class the next day I called Dominic. He had been patient waiting for me and deserved an answer. My stomach threatened to spill its contents as I waited for him to answer.
“Nat?”
“Hey, it’s me.”
“Hey you, it’s good to hear your voice.”
“It’s good to hear yours too. Thank you for the roses.”
“You’re welcome. So, how’re you doing?
“Better. I think I’ve gotten over the initial shock. Thank you for giving me some time to think.”
“And?”
“I think we’re going to be okay. But I want to know you, the real you. No more secrets.” My voice cracked at the end. I really hoped that there weren’t any more skeletons in the closet. “I’d rather know than be blindsided again.”
“I understand. So we’re good?” I could hear the excitement in his voice. “I want to see you, can I come over?”
“Yes to both.”
“I’ll be right over.”
The second I hung up the phone I collapsed on the bed in a state of nerves. It’s just Dominic - I kept repeating in my head as I rushed around to get ready. I did a quick clean up of my bedroom, brushed my teeth and ran a wide toothed comb through my hair. This didn’t help quell the apprehension.
There was a light knock on my door before it opened. Dominic stood in the doorway.
“Chelsea let me in.”
It wasn’t until I saw him that I realized how much I had missed him. I jumped off the bed and ran to him, practically throwing myself at him, and he caught me. He smelled as good as I had remembered, and felt as good. He kissed the top of my head and squeezed me close.
“You have no idea how much I missed you. It’s weird, I don’t recall ever missing anyone so much,” Dominic said in his husky voice.
“Same here,” I said into his chest then grabbed his hand and led him over to the bed.
We sat down together. Dominic reached into his leather jacket and pulled out a small box.
“This is for you.”
I took the box out of his hands and untied the ribbon. Inside, a diamond tennis bracelet sparkled against the black velvet lining.
“Oh my God!” My mouth hung open in surprise.
“Happy Valentine’s Day!” He retrieved the bracelet and held it out to me. “May I?”
Even though I was dumbfounded, I managed to hold my hand up. He clasped the bracelet onto my wrist. I didn’t know what to say. It had completely escaped me that it was Valentine’s Day and I didn’t know if I could accept such a generous gift. I opened my mouth to protest and he silenced the words.
“I told you I was going to cover you in diamonds. This should match your navel ring.” He whispered in my ear and then kissed me. His tongue was probing and his caresses grew more urgent. He lay me down on the bed and started to unbutton my shirt all while still kissing me. The longing stirred deep and I responded. This was just Dominic. Had he killed people with the very same hands that were cupping my breasts? Yes, but I wasn’t going to think about that. Instead I just focused on how good his hands felt as they explored my body – inside and out.
Afterwards we lay in bed facing each other, our foreheads lightly touching, staring into each other’s eyes.
“What are you thinking?” Dom asked.
“I’m conflicted. You’ve killed people. I should be terrified of you, but I’m not.” Dominic kissed my nose. “Also, I feel bad. I totally forgot about Valentine’s Day and didn’t get you anything.” I lifted my arm up and watched the light glint off my new diamonds.
“Shhh,” he brushed his hand across my cheek. “You stayed with me – that’s a gift in itself.”
Chapter 17
Dominic parked in the shadows alongside Crimson next to Grant and Miranda’s cars. I gathered my bag and went to open the door.
“Wait. Before we go in, I should tell you something.”
My hand broke out in a cold sweat around the door handle. What other bombshell was he getting ready to drop?
“I know, I’ll keep quiet.”
“No, that’s not it. You don’t have to keep a low profile here. Everyone’s cool.”
Dominic filled me in that all of the bouncers at Crimson were soldiers and Grant was like a mini boss among them. All of the employees were connected in one way or another to the Philadelphia Cosa Nostra.
“Everyone?”
“Yeah.”
“I was the only one that didn’t know? How come I was able to work here then?”
“Grant. My Uncle Marco treats him like the son he never had and let him get away with it.”
“Do you think that is why Grant didn’t want us together?”
“I think that is part of the reason. I did have a reputation with the ladies though. That’s probably what bothered him the most.”
“I don’t want to know!” I held up my hand to silence him. “That’s in the past.”
“I thought you wanted to know everything. No secrets remember?” He teased and got out of the car.
I walked into Crimson with a whole new perspective that night. Now I understood why all the employees had nice cars and could afford expensive drug habits. Dominic held my hand as we entered the club. Grant and Miranda crossed the empty dance floor to meet us.
“Did you tell them?” Dom asked Grant.
“Yes, they all know that Natalie knows. It was hard for everyone not to talk about it, so they’re glad, well except for Brittany.”
Dominic shrugged. “She’ll get over it.”
“Yeah when she finds another man to obsess over,” Miranda added.
True to form, Brittany had a sneer on her face when she saw me enter the employee lounge. Everyone else seemed friendly enough. Allegra and Joey were getting ready to snort some coke when Allegra surprised me.
“Natalie, did you want to do a line?” She had never offered me any before.
“I’m good. Thanks though.”
“Sure!” Her glassy eyes glittered when she smiled at me before hunching over the table, holding one nostril closed with her finger. Brittany scowled at Allegra. She probably felt betrayed by her coke buddy’s invitation. I had never really felt like a Crimson girl, but I was definitely one now.
After the club cleared out and the tips were counted, Dominic and Grant left to attend to some business. At first I was tempted to ask what they were up to, but vivid flashes of the murder scene flashed in my head and that snuffed out my curiosity. Miranda came out of her office and saw me standing by the exit.
“I take it the boys are gone?”
“Yes, they just left. I was just getting ready to go out and hail a cab.”
“Wanna hang out? I’ll drop you off at home.”
We walked out together. Even though the days were losing their winter bite and the crocus were peeking up out of the ground, the mid-February nights were still chilly. A brisk wind kicked up off the river and we hurried to Miranda’s Mercedes. The vacant, dark parking lot also contributed to our haste.
Miranda didn’t hesitate starting the car and cranking the heat to max. I blew on my fingertips which had been exposed to the elements. Soon the car was warm, even the seats were heated and especially toasty. If I had to live out of a car, it would be this one, I thought to myself as I relaxed into the leather.
I heard the flick of a lighter and looked to my left. Miranda was lighting up a joint. She took a deep drag and held it. Slowly she exhaled and handed the joint to me. The halo of smoke around her head had a dramatic effect, reminiscent of film noir.
“Now that you’ve had a couple days since…well, you know, are you doing alright?” Miranda asked.
“At first I didn�
�t think so. Seeing those men dead…” I shuddered. “Then finding out about Grant and Dom and everything else, I was pretty freaked.” I took another hit off of the joint. “I’ve had time to think about it and I think I’ll be okay. I’m still surprised about Grant though. He is a little too good at keeping secrets. For instance, how long have you been going out?”
“About six months. We flirted a lot and my dad thought the world of him. It took Grant forever to ask me out and even longer for us to become an official couple.”
“That seems to be a family trait,” I laughed and took another hit.
Miranda put the car in drive. “Let’s get something to eat.”
“Sheesh, you Grabanos and your food!”
Miranda drove to the Spring Garden Lounge, a favorite late night haunt in the city. I could tell from the steamed up windows that the place was packed. A large group filed out as we walked through the door. I surveyed the restaurant. It was set up like an old diner from the fifties, what used to be the counter where you could order milkshakes and root beer floats was now occupied by well dressed drunks. The hostess recognized Miranda and waved us over. We followed her to an unoccupied table in a far corner.
“I’m impressed. It’s always hard to get seated right away here,” I remarked.
“The employees come into Crimson a lot and we put them on the guest list, so it’s a fair trade.”
We both ordered the sweet potato fries and chocolate shakes. Our conversation was limited as the noise level was off the charts. After devouring the whole basket of fries, I couldn’t hold back a yawn.
“It’s late. I’ll take you home.”
Miranda led the way to the exit. Several cat calls and whistles followed us out the door. We ignored them. Within a few minutes we were pulling up in front of my apartment building. Miranda turned to me before I got out of the car.
“Listen, I know it’s not easy being a woman in the mob. If you ever need to talk, I’m here. You’re Grant’s sister and I’ll look out for you.”
The Beautiful People (The New Mafia Trilogy) Page 11
