Deceiving Bella: Book Eleven In The Bodyguards Of L.A. County Series

by Beauman, Cate

  “Pretty much.”

  “How old was Christina?”

  “Eighteen, nineteen—something like that. A couple years younger than Alfie.”

  “So, a consenting adult?”

  “Disrespectful,” Vinny reminded him.

  Reed rubbed at the back of his neck. “That’s fucked up, Vinny.”

  “The code is sacred—or was. Back in those days, it wasn’t to be messed with. Gerry knew there were rules to follow. He could have gone through the proper channels and made something official between the two of them, but he wanted to be a weasel instead.”

  “So Gerry’s the only one who got it with the knife?”

  “He got a blast from the gun too, but Alfie went after him with the knife first. Gerry was begging and crying the whole time Alfie was trying to talk to him—pissed him off, so he jammed the blade in him a few times to shut him up. It was Alfie’s first murder—his opportunity to show our father that he was ready to be a full-fledged part of the life.”

  “And a gun wouldn’t have accomplished that?”

  “A pop to the head is less personal. He was making a statement. Everybody knew Alfie was a mean son of a bitch—beat the shit out of people all the time. He wanted to be the youngest made man. He was sealing the deal by not only taking out Gerry to honor the family but also making sure it was brutal—wanted to impress my father and uncle.”

  Reed shook his head. “An animal.”

  Vinny smiled wryly. “For most of his life.”

  “Fucked up,” Reed said again and took a deep drink of his cold coffee, needing the kick. He was running on fumes after one hell of a long week. “Does this look familiar?” he asked, moving on to the next picture, of a corroded necklace.

  Vinny frowned. “Not really. It’s a cross. Everybody wore one.”

  “So you killed by the week and prayed on Sunday?”

  “Sometimes we killed on Sunday too.”

  Reed raised his eyebrow when Vinny spoke so matter-of-factly. “It’s hard to equate you with this.” He gestured to the pictures and map.

  “It was my life. I grew up in it. My father had us working by the time we were seven—bookmaking, running favors, eventually collecting money.”

  Reed scrubbed his hand over his mouth, finding himself sympathizing with a man who had been the epitome of everything he stood against and wanted to destroy. “You didn’t even get a choice.”

  Vinny shrugged. “Some people have their sons work in their restaurants or stores. We worked for the mob. I worshiped my big brother, but I had to work at being mean. It came natural to Pops and Alfie. I didn’t think there was much wrong with what we did. It was all about family and honor. No one got hurt unless they deserved it—till we killed Elena and her little girl. That was never supposed to have happened. Women are never supposed to be involved.”

  “You shot a toddler.”

  “Not intentionally.” Vinny sat up. “It was only supposed to be Giovanni. As soon as I realized Elena and the girl were in the car, I tried to stop it. Elena and I had history. She was pregnant and bleeding and begging for my help. I went to get her out of the front seat and Alfie walked up and shot her in the face.”

  That had been the story Nicoli Caparelli told in court. Reed had always figured it was bullshit, but now that he could see Vinny’s troubled eyes, he believed that was exactly what happened. “Did you ever think about getting out—before you flipped?”

  Vinny shook his head and sighed. “You know there’s no way out.”

  “Yeah.” He swallowed. “Maybe we should call it a day.” He glanced at his watch and rushed to his feet. “Fuck!”

  “What?”

  “How the hell is it one thirty? Fuck! I need to get you inside.”

  “Bella?”

  “I was supposed to meet her at Ethan’s. I should have been there half an hour ago. Fuck.” He slammed the laptop closed and dropped it in his bag, then picked up the map and notebook, shoving them in. “Let’s get you settled in.” He grabbed the oxygen and helped Vinny up, keeping a firm hand on his bony arm as they slowly made it to the recliner in the living room. “Do you need anything?”

  “No. Go see Bella.”

  He hesitated, not liking the gray cast to Vinny’s skin. “Let me get you some water or a juice or something.”

  Vinny frowned. “Go see my daughter.”

  Reed stood where he was.

  “Get out of my house,” Vinny demanded with a wave of his hand.

  “Okay.” He locked up behind him and ran to the truck—much like he had a week and a half ago when he’d dropped the ball and missed their cooking class. He buckled up and left Darby Avenue behind, weaving his way through Reseda traffic, waiting until he was gaining speed on the 405 before he dialed Bella. Her phone rang once, twice, five times. “Come on. Pick up.”

  “This is Bella. Leave a message and I’ll get back to you.”

  “Bella, I’m coming. I’ll be there as soon as I can. It looks like I’m about forty minutes out with the traffic.” He hung up, not bothering to apologize. What good would it do to tell her he was sorry again? “Damn it.” He slammed his palm against the steering wheel, well aware that he was destroying the most important part of his life in his attempt to assure the safety of the one person he couldn’t live without. There was no doubt in his mind that Bella was blowing him off right now.

  He pushed his speed to ninety, anxiously watching the miles pass in slow motion as he glanced at the clock more than a few times, hoping she might call him back. He dialed her again, swearing when she didn’t pick up. “Son of a bitch.” He hung up and dialed Ethan.

  “I guess you didn’t make it after all.”

  He clenched his jaw. “Can you let Bella know I’m coming? I’m ten minutes out.”

  “She’s not here. She left a while ago.”

  He muttered another swear as his stomach sank, afraid that she might not let him fix things this time. “Thanks. I need to go.” He tossed his phone onto the passenger seat and headed toward the water instead of the house, already knowing where he was going to find Bella. Hadn’t she told him once that she went to the beach when she was mad at the world? Unfortunately, today she was pissed at him. And he couldn’t blame her.

  Ten minutes later, he brought the truck to an abrupt stop in a parking spot three spaces down from Bella’s convertible. He got out and scanned the people walking on the sand, searching for a huge dog and beautiful woman wearing sexy capri jeans and an embroidered white cami. He found them, pulled off his sneakers and socks, and jogged out to where she waded in the surf.

  She glanced up as he approached and turned away, walking in the opposite direction.

  “Bella.” He dropped his shoes and ran after her when she picked up her pace, quickly closing the distance between them. “Hold up,” he said, snagging her by the wrist.

  She whirled and yanked free of his grip, her eyes flashing with temper as they met his through the amber tint of her lenses.

  “Bella—”

  She looked at her watch and shook her head. “I don’t want to hear your apologies.”

  Sighing, he backed off and shoved his hands in his pockets.

  “Where were you?”

  He noted the hurt and weariness in her tone more than anger. Not a good sign. “At work.”

  “Okay.” She nodded. “How can I resent that? You had to work.”

  “Bella—”

  “But I do. I do resent it.” She crossed her arms, hugging herself tight. “You’re gone all the time. When you’re home—meaning in Los Angeles—you’re so busy you’re not actually here. I keep telling myself that it’s okay. This is who you are; this is part of what you do. But maybe I’m not okay with it.”

  What could he say? How could he make this better when he had no solution? “My job’s crazy right—”

  She shook her head again. “You were supposed to be there. You said you would be there, Reed.”

  He jammed his hand through his hair. “I
know.”

  “Three cooking classes, Abby’s fundraiser, today…”

  “I know,” he repeated.

  “Is this—” She looked down. “Do you even want this?”

  He took a step closer. “What?”

  “Us?”

  “Yes.” He settled his hands on her rigid shoulders, waiting for her to meet his gaze again, terrified that she’d had more than enough. “Yes, I want this. I want you. I love you.”

  She blinked as she stared at him.

  He blew out another long breath, realizing just how badly he was screwing this up. “I love you so much.” He pulled her against him, wrapping his arms around her, holding her tight as he kissed the top of her head. “So much, Bella.”

  Moments later, her arms came around him.

  “You’ve been more than patient with me.” He eased back slightly, wanting her to see that he was getting her message loud and clear. “More than.”

  “Because I love you too.”

  He rested his forehead against hers, absorbing the rush of relief and pleasure from her words. “I know this sucks right now. You have no idea how ready I am for this to be over.”

  She settled her hands on his hips. “You keep saying that. I know you mean it…”

  He played his fingers through her hair. “I’m sorry.”

  She nodded.

  “Thank you for being so patient.”

  “I’m trying.”

  “You’ve given me so much more than I deserve.” He cupped her cheeks, still shaken after the last few minutes. “You’re so much more than I deserve, Bella.”

  She gripped his wrists. “Don’t say that. You’re exactly who I want—what I need.”

  He wanted so badly to be the man she thought he was. “For the rest of today, I’m yours. Tomorrow too. Monday and Tuesday night if I can help it.”

  She shook her head and stepped out of his embrace. “I don’t want the impossible. But I need more than this. Don’t promise what you can’t deliver.”

  “I can promise you today and tomorrow.”

  “The girls are coming tomorrow.”

  “I know. I’m looking forward to seeing them again.”

  “And I’m going to see my dad after they leave.”

  “I’ll be right by your side.”

  She crossed her arms again as she sent him a small smile, her body language telling him that the air still wasn’t one hundred percent clear between them.

  “Come back here for a minute.” He wrapped her up once more, sliding his palms down her sides. “I want for us to be okay. I need for you to know that there is nothing more important in my life than you.”

  Her shoulders finally relaxed as she settled her cheek against his chest.

  He breathed her in, felt the warmth of her skin against his. “What do you want to do tonight? Anything you want.”

  “I don’t care. I just want us to be together.”

  Knives, artifacts, and dead bodies were going to have to wait until Monday. The woman he adored was very much alive and in his arms. He cupped her cheeks again, stroking his thumbs along her jaw. “I love you.”

  She smiled. “I love you too.”

  He kissed her, letting his lips linger and his tongue tangle lazily with hers as the water tickled his toes. “What should we do?”

  “Walk the beach. Then I want us to go home and have a normal night—the kind we used to have.”

  He brushed his fingers along her arms, always eager to touch her. “Dinner, TV, and ice cream.”

  “And maybe a shower or something.”

  He grinned. “That goes without saying.”

  She laughed. “Of course it does, but I wanted to mention it anyway.”

  His smile vanished as he studied her stunning face. “I want to marry you.”

  Her eyes grew wide.

  “When we’re ready for that step,” he added quickly. “A while back, you asked me if it was going to be a problem if you fell in love with me. I’m telling you I see my future wrapped up in you, Bella. A house, a wedding—big or small, I really don’t care—kids. That’s not going to be a problem, is it?”

  She beamed, clasping her fingers at the back of his neck. “That’s definitely not a problem.”

  “Let’s go home,” he said, pressing another kiss to her lips, forever craving her taste. “I want to cook with you.”

  “What are we making?”

  “Whatever you want.”

  “I know just the thing. I have seafood waiting in the fridge, and the man I’m crazy in love with just happens to be a master with the grill.”

  He grinned. “I’m glad you think so.”

  “I definitely do.” She took his hand, lacing their fingers as they started back toward their vehicles with Lucy following behind.

  Chapter Forty-One

  Reed sat on Bella’s kitchen floor, bobbing his head in time with the beat of the song playing on the stereo while Emilia painted his toenails a horrifyingly bright shade of pink.

  “Your big toes are hairy,” she said, doing what she could to keep the glob of paint on his toes, but the majority of the liquid dribbled down his skin despite her best efforts.

  He frowned, studying his feet. “I’m a guy. They’re supposed to be like that.”

  Emilia shrugged and absently swiped at her ponytail with the stumpy section of her arm—where her hand used to be. “Maybe Bella could use her lasers on it.”

  “No, she can’t.” He looked at Bella as she grinned, sitting by his side while she helped Bianca paint Lucy’s nails.

  “I like Reed’s hairy big toes.” Bella winked.

  He smiled at her, giving her a gentle bump to the shoulder. Things were good between them—back to normal. They’d barely left each other’s side since they talked at the beach yesterday. Last night and even today had been exactly what they both needed—a chance to have fun together the way they used to before Operation Caparelli Takedown had taken over his life.

  “Reed’s your boyfriend,” Emilia said, glancing from Bella to Reed.

  “Yes, he is.”

  “My aunt says you’re really hot,” she told Reed.

  Bella laughed. “I’m sure Aunt Peggy will be so happy you shared that little tidbit of information.”

  He chuckled. “I’m definitely flattered, but I’m a one-woman kind of guy.” He tugged on Bella’s chin, pulling her closer and pressing a noisy kiss to her lips.

  The girls giggled.

  The final notes of Hailee Steinfeld’s latest hit segued into a commercial for the Los Angeles Zoo. “We should go soon,” Reed said. “The four of us.”

  “To the zoo?” Bianca asked with a frown.

  Reed nodded. “Sure. Why not? But we would have to leave a certain Great Dane here,” he said in a conspirator’s whisper as he pointed to Lucy.

  The girls giggled again.

  “I would have to wear a mask,” Bianca said. “Germs make me sick. It’s dangerous for me to get sick.”

  “So we’ll make sure you wear a mask.”

  “I don’t like to go out.” Emilia moved to Reed’s left foot. “Everyone looks at me.”

  He sighed quietly, his heart breaking for the sweet kid who would always have so much to overcome. Emilia and Bianca had been in his and Bella’s care for the last hour and a half, and he’d fallen in love. He fully understood why Bella volunteered her time with the children here and at the hospital. He’d had a chance to meet only two of her friends so far—and they were both bright, funny little girls who deserved all the compassion and kindness the world had to offer. “So let them look.”

  She stopped her painting and blinked at him. “I don’t like it.”

  He leaned forward, picking her up under the arms, and settled her on his lap. “Let them look, Emilia.”

  She shook her head, staring down at the tile.

  He lifted her chin. “People just need a chance to get to know you. Once they do, they’ll see that what’s on the outside isn’t nearly as importan
t as what’s in here.” He tapped his finger to her heart.

  “But you’re handsome like a movie star. I look like a monster.”

  Damn, this sucked. Emilia’s bastard father had caused his daughter so much more than physical damage. “You don’t look like a monster.”

  “I’ll never look like a movie star. Even when Bella helps me with my makeup, I don’t look normal.”

  What the hell was he supposed to say to that? “My mom and dad are responsible for the way I look. I didn’t get a say one way or the other. But who I am inside is up to me.”

  Emilia nodded. “I like you.”

  “I like you too. I’m lucky Bella introduced me to a couple of very cool new friends.” He pressed a kiss to her scarred cheek.

  She smiled as much as her lips allowed.

  “So, what do you say? Will you come to the zoo with me?”

  She nodded and threw her arms around him.

  He hugged her back, holding Bella’s misty gaze as he did.

  Emilia eased away, looking at him. “They’re gonna take off my leg.” She pointed to the bandage protecting the ulcer on a leg that was mostly scar tissue covering bone.

  “They make pretty cool fake ones—prosthetics. You’ll probably get around easier, and maybe it won’t hurt you so much anymore. You can do all kinds of stuff with one of those things. And I’ll bring you flowers while you’re in the hospital.”

  Her eyes brightened. “You will?”

  “You better believe it.”

  She smiled again. “I need to finish your toes before Aunt Peggy comes to pick us up.”

  “By all means.” He lifted her, setting her back in her original spot. “Paint away.” He winked at Bella, realizing she was still staring at him.

  She took his hand and kissed his knuckles, then pressed his palm to her cheek, nuzzling him.

  He stroked her skin and let his hand drop away as they both gave their attention back to their guests.

  ~~~~

  Bella held Reed’s foot in her lap while she wiped away the flamingo-pink polish Emilia had applied lavishly to his toes. “You’re a good sport.”

  He shrugged as he sat leaning back against the refrigerator door. “It wasn’t that big a deal.”