31 Kisses

by Sonya Jesus

  Being a mafia princess wasn’t that exciting, and while my dad discussed logistics and strategies at meetings, I had my own strategies. “Spin the bottle was pretty popular back then.” I glance over at my uncle, who is not taking the information well, and add, “Suck or Blow.”

  The waiter brings Breaker a new drink and he sips it. He lets the bitter alcohol roll around in his mouth before raising one brow and saying, “That one was interesting.”

  “Have you ever played Suck or Blow, Uncle Costa?”

  He looks about ready to shoot himself in the foot so he can excuse himself. “No, I can’t say I have.”

  “So, it’s…”

  He lifts one hand up. “I don’t want to know the details. I’m disturbed by the image of you and Breaker already.” His gaze bounces between the two of us and he swallows hard. “I never thought there was much attraction between both of you.”

  “Oh, no,” Breaker corrects. “Kelsie’s banging, but not bang worthy for me.”

  I would have taken insult to that twelve hours ago, but my eyes shoot to the Virgin Mary painting adorning the wall and give silent thanks for that one, and for the gross factor Breaker and I always felt toward one another.

  My uncle lowers his hand, stretching his palm out on the table. “I’m going to assume that means you find her attractive, but not your preference?”

  “It would be like kissing my cousin, but Stone on the other hand—”

  I interrupt Breaker, “Does that mean I wouldn’t have your blessing uncle?”

  “For which son?” he asks, amused by my comment. I’ve never talked about these things with the Beneventi men.

  My pulse rushes, as I swindle the truth out of him. He doesn’t have to say it; I can just read his expression. “For Breaker.”

  There it is. The disgust in Uncle’s face is my confirmation.

  “What the fuck?” Breaker spews out.

  The look on Costa’s face dissipates and transforms into a wide grin. A speckle of relief flits over his eyes as he listens to his fake son totally shoot me down.

  “I don’t know what you’re going on and on about, but a couple of drinks of Campari is not enough to turn you into an option. Fuck! I don’t think anything is enough to turn that into an option. What the hell is wrong with you? Don’t you have a guy who’s got you dropping your panties like a Ranch whore?”

  “I was kidding.” I roll my eyes at him and that’s the end of that conversation.

  He switches the subject. “Are you done with the list?”

  Uncle slams his hand on the table. “This is family time.”

  “Dad, the family is business.” Breaker gets up and yanks his suit coat off the back of his chair.

  “Where are you going?” I ask as I stand up.

  “I’ve had enough of this. I’m going to go see Stone at the club. He was here this afternoon and didn’t even come inside to see Dad.”

  “What are you going to do? Beat him to a pulp so that you can bring him in unconscious? You should know by now that you can’t force Stone to do anything he doesn’t want to.”

  “Want to bet?” I don’t like the threat in his tone. “I can always break a few bones on your boyfriend. Maybe that will get him to be a little more cooperative.”

  “Careful, Breaker.” I angle my body away from him, subconsciously. I guess my body’s taking sides and it’s making it clear: brother or boss, don’t fuck with the guy I’m falling for.

  “Like you actually care about the guy.” He narrows his eyes at me, squinting them as he searches for certainty.

  I open my eyes wide and invite him to see the pure honesty in my threat. “If you touch Hayden, Stone won’t have to worry about pummeling his fists into your face, I’ll get the job done myself.”

  Breaker laughs at my defiance. Legitimately amused rumbles that form in his belly, erupt from his mouth. Comparing us in size, I don’t have a chance, but my father raised me to never waste bullets.

  All I need is one shot. I never miss.

  Costa Beneventi joins him.

  What the fuck is so funny?

  I cut my gaze toward the old guy. “What?” I growl, utterly disappointed with the disrespect. I didn’t choose this life, but this is my life. I have skills that should make these men watch their tone around me, so why are they laughing?

  Breaker answers in a softer tone, “Don’t take this the wrong way, but you actually caring for someone is cute.”

  Motherfucker. Lethal. Vicious. Evil. Those are what they used to call me. “Cute?” I spit out. “My dog is cute. She can’t pull a trigger.”

  “You’re like her. A lot of bark, but when it comes to me it has no bite. Or do you forget who you are talking to?”

  I grind my teeth together. I don’t think killing him will earn me the sister of the year award, but he shouldn’t tempt me. I take a seat and look at my uncle, who is watching our exchange with worry and a slack mouth. I make myself comfortable and smile at both of the Beneventis; quietly playing the submissive dog they want me to be.

  “Good girl,” Breaker snorts.

  I grab my drink and very calmly glare at him.

  My uncle warns him, “That’s enough, Breaker. Can’t I just enjoy Christmas with the family that actually chose to show up without you two bickering?”

  “I’m going to find Stone and drag his ass here. We have business to talk about.”

  “Sit down.” He struggles to lift his hand up and call for them to serve the food. “I sent the messenger this morning. The approval won’t take long. I was waiting for him to come and join us, but we can get started without him.”

  Breaker seems as surprised, as am I. “What about the list?”

  Costa glances at me. “I assume you only have Jason left. He’s the most important. Can I have your word that you’ll find him and take care of the pen drive?”

  Oh. I’m going to find him, and take care of things all right. The server scoops some mashed potatoes onto my plate, oranges, and asparagus. Then the other one adds some roasted suckling pig. I wait for them to serve everyone before saying, “I have lead.” I turn to Breaker. “They’re claiming you owe them two hundred thousand dollars.”

  Breaker plucks an asparagus from his plate and chomps down on it. With a mouthful of green mash he says, “You get the lead?”

  I nod and move the food around on my plate. “I just need to find a picture.”

  “I can help with that.” Costa spoons the glop he’s allowed to eat into his mouth. A slight tinge of sadness pangs against my chest, but then I realize he doesn’t deserve it.

  “How are you going to do that? When they went in the program, their identities were wiped. There’s not much about them.” Breaker bounces his attention back to me. “Thus the reward.”

  Costa answers, “I have a few pictures from around that time. He was close with Fabrizio and Laura.”

  I freeze my face, attempting to express nothing.

  “I’ll have to look for them, but if that’s what you need to get the job done, Kelsie, I’ll get them for you.”

  “Thank you.”

  Silence settles over the room until Breaker opens his big mouth again. “Was the tip worth the two hundred grand?”

  I spear the asparagus with my fork. “Yeah, I know somewhere I can find him.”

  I’m going to need that money for when I leave the Beneventis.

  About two hours after dinner, the messenger, who happens to be Franco, arrives with the confirmation that the bosses have agreed to Breaker taking over. The messenger disappears with Breaker to celebrate, or to meet Stone, I’m not exactly sure, and right now I don’t really care. I watch as the nurse, who I’m glad to see is still alive, wheels my uncle to his office. I follow behind him, envisioning my hands wrapped around his neck. How good it would be to squeeze the life out of him? He’s feeble and fragile; he wouldn’t put up much of a fight.

  The nurse wheels him behind his desk, near a dialysis machine. He reaches into his drawer and p
ulls out a file envelope; his fingers tremble as he pulls a stack of pictures onto his desk. I step closer as the nurse heads over to the machine and starts pressing buttons.

  “I’ll give you two a few minutes, but then we have to get started, Mr. Beneventi.” The nurse leaves, shutting the door behind her and giving us some privacy.

  My uncle uses his finger to separate the pictures; it trembles as he sorts the photos into his groups. “She thinks I don’t know she’s fucking my son.”

  My eyebrows arch and I come to stand by his side. “Does it matter that she is, Uncle?”

  “No, but it matters that she’s screwing with the Boss. Trust me, Kelsie. The worst thing for a mobster is his dick. The second worst thing is his heart.”

  “Well, you don’t have to worry about Breaker’s heart. Sometimes I wonder if he has one,” I joke, but my uncle doesn’t find it amusing.

  “He has one, and that’s why I need you to watch over him. He’s going to need you and Stone to help him.”

  “Breaker doesn’t need help,” I assure him.

  “He’s going to get himself killed. He’s arrogant and careless. He needs to mature into the position, and for that he needs time.”

  I scoff, “That you want me to provide for him?”

  “You’ve already helped him out with the caccia.”

  “That seems to be more about ensuring your successor than avenging my father,” I spew out.

  He stops what he’s doing and turns his hardened stare on me. “Who says the two are separate things?”

  I growl and push him. “Give me one good reason to stay and help Breaker?”

  “There are going to be people who aren’t happy with this change.”

  “There is always resistance when things change. My job was to hunt, I’m almost done.”

  He laughs. “Your job has just started.”

  I glance down at his desk. Spotting a few pictures; one badly taken photo with a hand and a black ring covering what looked like my father and a blonde woman entering a car. Surveillance photos. My uncle had someone watching his men? Does he have someone watching me? “What do you want from me? Breaker and I don’t exactly get a long.”

  “Well, then I suggest you start.” He holds up a photo and I snatch it from him. “That man on the left of your father is Robert West.”

  I abandon all hopes of getting the truth out of my uncle because the man staring back at me, the father of Jason Denhay West, looks just like Hayden Masters.

  A rush of signs come at me.

  FHU.

  Mafia Whore website.

  Who’s Your Santa on social media.

  W. West. Hayden meant it as his last name.

  His secrecy.

  He’s been right there all along.

  11

  The Right Beneventis

  Hayden

  “Morning,” I say and press a kiss to Kelsie’s forehead, waking her up. “Foxy is trying to jump on the bed. Want me to walk her?”

  She moans and props herself up on her elbows, so she can press our lips together. “So how was letting a girl actually sleepover for the night?”

  I chuckle. She’s asked me that every day since Christmas. Terrifying, but I loved every minute of it. “You tell me, did I keep you up with my sleep talk?”

  “No, if you did, Foxy’s snoring drowned you out.”

  I get up and pick up the dog; she licks my face and practically jumps out of my lap and onto the bed, where she attacks my girlfriend with her kisses.

  Kelsie covers her face with her palms and groans, “Come’on. It’s too early in the morning for this.”

  “You don’t complain when I do it.”

  She laughs as Foxy latches on to her hair and pulls on it. “You’re different.” She tugs the strands out of the dog’s mouth. “You’re not as energetic in the a.m.”

  “I think I’m offended,” I say as I throw a pair of sweat pants on and a T-shirt. “Maybe I should start licking and nipping at your nose too.”

  She props herself up on her elbows, attempting to get away from Foxy. “That may be worth a try?”

  I swing open the door and call for Cameron. “Pledge!” I shout and grab the puppy.

  Since this is the fourth time in a row, Cameron shows up with the leash. “Time for a walk?”

  “Please?” Kelsie says, and I hand the puppy over to him and close the door so no one else peeks inside.

  “Take her around twice.” I turn back around to find the gorgeous girl I’m in love with staring at my ass. “Scratch that. Keep her until we come to get you.”

  Cameron lowers his voice, “I get freaked out when dogs watch me have sex too. It’s like they’re watching my humping abilities and judging me.”

  I stare at Foxy in his hand, wondering if I should bring her back in.

  “They must think we do it wrong, you know?”

  “I don’t,” I say and shut the door. “You have any complaints, Kelsie?”

  “Nope,” she says and throws herself down on the bed. “Not a one, but you can get those thoughts out of your head. I have to get some stuff done.”

  “You going into the restaurant today?” I ask, as I slide back into bed and wrap my arms around her, pulling her to my chest and trying to convince her to stay.

  She flips on top of me, straddling me and giving me a good view of my ratty T-shirt. “Yeah, I should be back tonight. Breaker wants to give me something.”

  I curl my upper lip. “Give you what exactly?”

  “Eww,” she shivers, “never. That’s one thing you never have to worry about.”

  “Good,” I say and slide my hands under her shirt and gently lean her forward.

  She places both palms on my chest and steadies herself. “I can’t, not just yet.”

  I drop my hands and bring them to where she can see them. “So what does he want to give you?”

  “Money,” she says.

  “Really?” I tug at the hem of her T-shirt, causing her to giggle and put her hand on top of mine.

  “So, I can’t be late.” She jumps to her feet and saunters over to her duffle bag.

  I groan and drop my head back on the pillow. “Money for what?”

  “I was thinking about moving out of his place and getting a job that I can be happy with.”

  I swirl my head in her direction. “What? Managing a restaurant isn’t fun?”

  “Not this one.” She stands and heads over to the bathroom with her clothes.

  I hear the shower running and she’s talking, but it’s muffled by the sound of the water hitting the porcelain, so I get up and join her.

  “What did you say?” Opting out of showering together, I drop the toilet lid down and take a seat. “I couldn’t hear you before.”

  “I said I wouldn’t mind taking up more self-defense classes and start training, or maybe going to school and opening my own business.”

  “Why did you choose not to go to college?”

  It’s a while before she answers, “I had more important things to do at the time, and I didn’t want to ask for money. My uncle would have given it to me, but I’d have been in debt with him, you know?” She stops talking for a while as she rinses off. “It wasn’t my best decision, but I wanted him to be proud of me.”

  “I’m sure he is proud of you, Kels.”

  She slides the shower curtain back, and I grab the towel laying on the counter and give it to her. “I’m sure he is, but it’s not about what he thinks anymore. It’s about what I want and with who I want to spend time with.”

  Me. I smile as she continues on about her uncle.

  “I gave him five years. Not once did I do anything he didn’t want me to do, but I can’t anymore.”

  “I think he’ll understand that. He loves you.”

  “No, he doesn’t.” That comes out very loud and clear. “He just wants me to believe that he does so I can help him.”

  I change the subject. “Where would you want to go to school?”

 
She tucks the corner of the towel underneath itself and steps out of the tub. I hand her the smaller tower for her hair. She flips her hair over, wraps the towel around it, and comes to stand in front of me. A solemn expression sits on her face. “Would you come with me?”

  “What? Where?”

  She reaches for my forehead and smooths out the furrow between my brows. “To California with Stone.”

  “Where’s this coming from?” It’s not the first time I’ve up and left a place, but Kade would not be happy. Or maybe he wouldn’t mind it so much, since I should have never come back to New York in the first place. “When are you thinking of going?”

  “It depends how things go down with my uncle, and other people.”

  I reach for her hand and guide her down to sit on my lap. She’s still wet and my sweats end up soaking in the water. “Why California?” That seems like a pretty far place to go for someone who’s so close with her family. Even stranger is her asking me to go.

  “Because Stone is going, and I’m tired of everything that’s here in New York. I’m stuck being this person my family wants me to be, and I don’t want to do it anymore.”

  I know exactly how she feels and that’s why I ask, “Are you running from something, Kels?”

  The answer flashes in her eyes before she tries to lie her way out of it. I knew the day for words would matter.

  I stop her, “Let me rephrase, what are you running from?”

  She looks me in the eye and holds my gaze. Her confession comes out soft and full of disgust, “From myself.” Her eyes well with tears.

  My hand comes up to her cheek, swiping the tears that fall. “What do you mean?”

  “If I stay here, I’m going to turn into someone I don’t want to be anymore.”

  “Is this because of the guy you were seeing?”

  She snort-laughs when I’m trying to be serious.

  “Is it? Is he trying to come back and pressure you to be with him?” I swallow the lump in my throat. “Did he hurt you, Kelsie? I swear to God, I’ll kill him if he lays a finger on you again.”

  “You don’t have to do that.”

  The fuck she mean by that?