“Don’t worry, bro. We’ll keep it nice and civil.”
Vince crosses his arms over his chest. “Good. Leo will go with you.”
“I don’t need a fucking babysitter.”
“I don’t need World War Three breaking out,” Vince says. He comes up to me and lays his hand on my shoulder. “I’ll be taking over this family soon. You better get used to listening to me, all right?” He smacks my cheek softly before he leaves.
————————
Fucking Vince. What does he know? I could easily take care of this situation on my own. But if he wants to be a little pussy, then fine, I’ll let my big brother go with me. I’m glad, actually. When I swing by to pick up Leo, I can give Nico the new toy I got for him.
I type in the code at the bottom of Leo’s apartment building, and take the elevator up to the top floor. The mechanical doors open into Leo and Mia’s penthouse apartment. I look at the cluttered kitchen and laugh. Things have definitely changed since they had a kid. Before, the apartment was neat and clean, with everything in its place. Now, the floor is a landmine of legos and noisy toys.
Nico runs to the elevator door, sliding to a stop in his socks. He jumps up on his tiptoes, clapping his hands.
“Yo, man,” I say, crouching down to his level. “You got a hug for Uncle Mateo?”
Nico nods shyly, then wraps his arms around my neck. His little body collapses entirely against my chest.
“You being a good boy for Mom and Dad?” I ask.
Nico nods, his eyes darting around. He always acts like this when he first sees me, quiet and shy. But after he warms up, he’s jumping all over me, asking me question after question.
“I brought you something,” I say, showing him the toy truck.
Nico’s eyes light up. He snatches it from me and starts rolling it across the floor. Leo and Mia appear from the hallway. Mia must’ve just gotten home from work. She’s still wearing her scrubs. Leo’s dressed and ready to go. He grabs his car keys from the counter and slips them into the pocket of his black leather jacket.
“Another toy?” Mia asks. “You spoil him, Mateo.”
I stand up and shrug. “That’s my job.”
Mia nods, then squints her eyes at me, studying my face. She’s a nurse, and I always get the feeling she’s examining me.
“You feeling okay?” Mia asks. She comes up to me and lays her hand across my forehead. “You don’t feel warm.”
“I’m fine,” I say, laughing it off. “Maybe I could stand to get a little more sleep.”
Mia furrows her brow with concern. “You work too hard. I tell Leo that all the time.”
Leo grabs his wife around the waist, and kisses her forehead. “We do what needs to be done.” He shoots me a look that prickles my attention. Something’s up. This won’t be a regular night at the office.
Mia nuzzles up to Leo, laying her head against his chest. She gives me a look too, with a close lipped smile. Mia’s not the typical mob wife who prefers to stay in the dark about her husband’s business dealings. She knows everything the family does. Since they got married, she’s proven herself to be ruthless and fair.
“Do what you have to do,” Mia says, cryptically. “But don’t stay out too late.”
Leo and I take the elevator down to his private garage. He clicks a button on his keychain, and his brand new gray Jaguar lights up. I slide into the passenger seat, and he starts up the engine.
“So what’s the plan, bro?” I say. “Vince wants us to take it easy. Maybe we should just leave a few bruises.”
Leo pulls out of the garage. His eyes are intense and set on the road ahead. “John’s been on my list for a while now.”
I feel a rush of adrenaline that leaves my ears buzzing. “Oh yeah?” I say, not trying to hide my interest.
“Yeah. He’s a lot more than a cheapskate,” Leo says. “I’ve been getting reports about him pushing bad drugs. People have ended up in the hospital.”
“Shit,” I say, my lips spreading into a smile. “But you know what Vince would say. We only need to take care of our business.”
Leo glances at me, raising his eyebrows. “That’s what Vince would say. But Vince isn’t here.”
“Fuck yeah!” I yell, and punch the roof of the car.
“Hey, easy,” Leo scolds. “This is a new car. And look, no one’s got to die today, you got that? We just need to scare him. Maybe break a few bones.”
“Sure, you got it, bro,” I say.
“People are just trying to have a good time,” Leo says. “It’s mostly young kids buying this stuff. We can’t stand by and let them get hurt.”
“Vigilante justice,” I say. “My favorite kind. I’m thinking I want to break his fingers first.”
“I’ll tell you what. His right hand is all yours.”
The club is packed tonight. Luckily for us, there’s a reserved spot waiting for us behind the club. We park there, and go in through the back door. Music pumps through the air with a deep bass that rattles the bones in my skull. Fog and red lights pulse across the dance floor. Five bartenders busily hand out drinks to the demanding crowd. When I was younger, I loved coming to this place. It was where I went to find a chick to take home, or some asshole to fight. I look around now, and it’s all familiar faces. There’s nothing new to see here, or in this entire town. Everyone my age has moved away to start their lives. And me, I’m just fucking spinning my wheels.
“If it isn’t the Romano boys.”
Sal Cordero walks down the dark hallway towards us. He holds his fat, hammy arms out, smiling broadly. This guy knows how to suck all the air out of the room, though he’s nothing special. Sal’s just a midlevel goon with the Salvatores.
“How you doing?” he says, slapping us both on the back. “You’re here to have fun right? Not start trouble?”
“Hey, Sal, good to see you,” Leo says. “We have some business with John tonight.”
“What about?” Sal asks. He looks between the two of us, and we both stay quiet. Sal swats the air. “It doesn’t involve me, sure. And I don’t have to tell you, but John’s been through a rough time lately. All the families I know are giving him a break.”
“We know all about the cancer,” Leo says.
“So I don’t have to tell you to take it easy on him,” Sal says. “I know the Romanos. They’re always fair. Listen, I’m sure John would love to see you, but he’s not here. He said something about a family emergency and rushed out.”
“Not a problem,” I say, stepping forward. I’m ready to get rid of this fucking guy. “We’ll wait in John’s office until he gets back. If he doesn’t show tonight, we’ll go to his house.”
Leo discreetly grabs my arm, signaling for me to back off.
“Yeah, okay,” Sal says, nodding. “But first, let me buy you guys a drink.”
Sal slips his arm around Leo’s shoulder and starts leading him to the bar. Leo looks back at me.
“Be cool. We’ll find him,” Leo whispers.
Sal finds an empty seat at the bar. He waves his hand, and the bartender comes right over, ignoring the other customers. “What will you have?” Sal asks.
“Tequila,” I say. “Top shelf.”
Sal gives me a smirk, and quickly wipes it away. The bartender returns with my very expensive shot. I down it in one gulp.
“Another,” I say, slamming the glass on the bar. The bartender quickly refills it.
“That’s the spirit,” Sal says. “You’re here. You might as well have a good time.”
This fucker’s right. Who knows how long we’ll be waiting on John. I didn’t come here to waste time. I scan the crowd. There’s got to be a woman here I haven’t fucked yet. After a few drinks, I’ll get my dick wet with a pretty thing wrapped in a dress, then we continue on with our business. What am I craving tonight? A blonde? A brunette? I decide it doesn’t matter. I just want to slip my arm around a slim waist and pull the lucky girl into the broom closet.
There’s
plenty of hot chicks here. All I’d have to do is flash them my Romano smile, tell them they’re beautiful, and they’re mine to with whatever I want. It works so well it’s not even exciting anymore. Maybe what I need is a challenge.
I sense someone walking past the bouncer. It’s a dude. I lose interest at first, until I realize I recognize that guy. I went to high school with him, and haven’t seen him since then. It takes me a few seconds to remember his name. Tyler. Behind him is a girl he always hung out with, Jenna. That means someone else isn’t far behind.
“Fuck,” I whisper under my breath. I down my second shot, and close my eyes, feeling it burn down my throat. There’s no way she’s here. Last I heard, she moved to Brooklyn. She always talked about getting out of here and never looking back. No way she’d be at Club Neon.
I force myself to look. When I do, my stomach drops.
Well, you wanted a fucking challenge, I think. And there she is.
I turn towards the bar, shielding my face.
Lily. Lily fucking Barnes. The only girl I’ve ever been twisted up over. I was so pissed when she broke up with me. We didn’t date that long, and maybe I was young and stupid, but I thought we were more than just a high school romance.
I bring my drink to my face and stare at her discreetly. She’s just like I remember her. She’s got that curly, auburn hair that I loved running my fingers through. I watch her walk behind Tyler and Jenna. My cock twitches when I see that her ass is still as tight as it was back then. She’s dressed in black pants and a fitted buttoned up shirt. The shirt buttons across her chest are pulled tight, like her tits are trying to break free. I think I can help her with that.
Though my cock pulls towards her like a divining rod, I taste bitterness in the back of my throat. She broke my fucking heart. I don’t owe her anything. I should let her hang out with her friends, and not say a word to her. But I’ve always regretted never getting into her pants. I order another drink and shoot it down, deciding that tonight is the night to settle old scores.
Chapter Three
————————
Lily
We pull into the parking lot of Club Neon, and I feel like I’m sixteen years old again, planning to sneak inside with a fake ID. There’s a crowd outside of the club, smoking cigarettes and drunkenly flirting with each other. Music throbs from the brick building. The place is packed. My stomach constricts. What if Mateo’s in there?
“Can’t I just wait in the car?” I ask.
Tyler glares at me from the driver’s seat. “No, you cannot. We are in this together.”
Jenna reaches into the backseat and grabs my knee. “It’ll be fine, okay? I’ll protect you from any super hot mob boys.”
I roll my eyes. “You both know you’re not helping, right?”
I walk a few paces behind my friends as we make our way up to the front steps. It’s the same bouncer that’s always been there, checking IDs. His biceps are thick, veiny, and covered with tattoos. He looks exactly the same, except for a few gray hairs around the temples. We hand him our IDs. He looks at the pictures, looks at us, and waves us inside.
The place is so crowded and full of fog I can barely see anything. I’m nervous that I’ll bump into Mateo at any second. I have to remind myself to breathe. Tyler takes Jenna’s hand, Jenna takes mine, and we snake through the crowd. We end up near the back of the club at a small table. Tyler and Jenna sit down.
“What are you doing?” I ask. “I thought we were going to get in and get out.”
“We are. Chill,” Tyler says. “Just sit down. We’re supposed to wait here for the contact. You can’t go into a drug deal acting all suspicious. You know that.” He takes out his phone and starts scrolling through it.
Jenna grabs my shoulders and shakes them. “Loosen up,” she says. “I don’t see him anywhere.”
I nod, taking a deep breath. “You’re right. I’m being crazy. Where is this contact, Tyler?”
“I just texted him,” Tyler says, holding up his phone.
I drum my fingertips on the table. It won’t be long now, I tell myself. Luckily, we’re pretty hidden at this table. If Mateo’s here, I want to see him before he sees me.
“Excuse me.”
I nearly jump out of my seat. I turn to see a waiter carrying a tray full of shots. He passes them out, setting two in front of each of us. Jenna lifts a shot excitedly to her lips.
“Wait,” I say, holding up my hand. “We didn’t order these.”
“On the house,” the waiter says with a smile.
“Finally, the VIP service I deserve,” Tyler says. He lifts a glass and clinks it against Jenna’s.
“This is weird,” I say, shaking my head. “Since when do they pass out free drinks?”
Jenna looks up to the ceiling and groans. “Why question it, Lily? Come on. Drink up.”
I lift a shot and tentatively clink it against their glasses. Tyler and I take a sip, while Jenna empties hers.
“Mmm,” Jenna says, licking her lips. “That’s good liquor.”
I notice how smooth the tequila is on my tongue. If they were handing out free drinks, it wouldn’t be top shelf liquor. The knot returns in my stomach. I glance around desperately, but all I can see are people’s backs.
Is he here, watching me?
When we were together, Mateo had an uncanny knack for always knowing where I was, what I was doing, who I was with. I always felt like he was watching me. That familiar feeling creeps up my spine, making the hairs on my neck stand up. It’s both terrifying, and irresistibly exciting. My pulse starts to race. I finish the tequila in one gulp to calm myself down. What would I say to Mateo if I saw him? I wonder if he still hates me.
“Where is this contact?” I ask. “Send him another text.”
“Okay, okay,” Tyler says, texting rapidly. “I’m really trying not to seem too desperate.”
When we finish the tequila, the waiter returns to collect our empty glasses.
“Lily?” the waiter asks, looking at me.
The sound of my name makes my heart flutter. I nod, speechless. The waiter smiles, then pulls a note out of his pocket and hands it to me.
I sit, frozen, clutching the paper as the waiter walks away. It’s Mateo. I know it. This isn’t what I came back for, to dig up old shit I’d buried in high school. Jenna and Tyler scoot closer to me.
“What is it?” Jenna asks.
“Read it,” Tyler says.
“I don’t-I don’t,” I stutter.
“It’s probably Mateo,” Jenna says through a bright smile. “This is so exciting.”
“Hush,” I hiss. I crumple the note and shove it in my pocket. “I’m not looking. I can’t.”
Tyler gives Jenna a signaling look. Jenna edges closer to me, smiling sweetly, then suddenly grabs both of my wrists, pinning them to the table. I struggle against her. Though she’s small, she’s very strong. She’s a lifelong fencer, and at one time, was ranked nationally. Tyler lunges forward and snatches the note from my pants.
“Can we just go. Please?” I plead.
Tyler ignores me. He opens the note, and his mouth falls open.
“What does it say?” I croak.
Tyler holds the note in front of my face, revealing two words scrawled in Mateo’s familiar handwriting.
Broom closet.
My vision goes temporarily black, and my lungs close. A warmth stirs deep inside of me as I think of Mateo in the broom closet. It was where we used to meet to make out and fondle each other over our clothes. I’m not prepared for the rush of excitement that tightens my inner thighs, or the fact that I really, really want to to meet him there.
Jenna jumps to her feet. “I don’t see him anywhere. He’s probably waiting for you.”
“Sit down,” I say, pulling her arm. “This was a mistake. We should go.”
Jenna opens her purse and pulls out a tube of lipgloss. “Look at me,” she instructs. When I don’t, she grabs my chin roughly, and starts painting my li
ps.
“I’m not going in there, if that’s what you’re thinking,” I say.
Jenna tousles my hair at the roots, then looks into my eyes. “Who do you think you’re kidding?” she asks.
————————
“This is pathetic,” I mumble to myself as I walk past the bathrooms. The broom closet is at the very end of the hall. I keep my eyes locked on it as I walk closer.
This isn’t part of the plan, not at all. I’m supposed to meet the right man in the city in five to seven years, after I’ve established my career. I’m not supposed to be back in Jersey chasing after old flames.
But I can’t stop my feet from advancing towards that door. I can sense Mateo behind it. I feel pulled towards him like a magnet. I vividly recall his gorgeous face, the smell of soap and sweat that clings to his chest. It’s so hard to tell him ‘no’ when he’s staring at me with those sultry brown eyes.
I stop in front of the door. A ball of heat rises in my core, making me sweat. I look down at my chest, and frown at the excessive amount of cleavage I’m showing. Jenna had unbuttoned the top three buttons of my shirt. I begin to button them all back, but decide to leave the top two undone.
Are you really doing this? I ask myself as I turn the knob. There’s no point in talking myself out of it.
The door creaks open. I’m surprised to find the room dark and quiet. Mateo must not be here yet. I exhale deeply, releasing my pent up nervousness. I run my hands over the walls, trying to find a light switch. Then, I remember, there’s a chord I need to pull to turn on the lightbulb. I stand in the middle of the small room, waving my arms in the air, trying to find it. It’s completely dark in here, but my eyes are starting to adjust. I can make out the shapes of the shelves holding various cleaning supplies. It’s not changed at all. I feel like I’m in a dream, and in that dream, I’m the girl I used to be, waiting impatiently for her new boyfriend, a guy so hot she has no idea why he’s interested in her.
I find the swinging chord and grasp it in my palm. Before I pull it, it occurs to me that I don’t have to go through with this. I still have a chance to turn back.
Witness: A Dark Mafia Romance (Romano Brothers Book 2) Page 2
