by Nova Rain
Chapter Sixty-Four
Joe
Two days with Michelle in the mountains. Forty-eight hours filled with nice talks, good food and more sex than either of us can handle. If someone had told me a week ago this would have happened, I’d have thought he was crazy. It sounds too good to be true, and I’m not used to fate being so kind to me. Still, this is exactly the case. We don’t get out much, because I’m afraid of any prying eyes. Yes, I may be a little too cautious, we’re a long way away from home, but Eric’s got men all over the state. I take full advantage of our solitude. I’d like to do things with her that real couples do, like take her out for a drink or dinner, but I can’t – and won’t – complain. This is a golden opportunity to get to know her better and enjoy being with her.
But, even though she’s the talkative type, I can’t bring myself to enjoy our little respite. The forthcoming results of that DNA test are still in the back of my mind. They’ve been there since Decker mentioned Eric’s scheme to take Michelle out of the picture. I pray to God they’ll come back negative, but I need to prepare myself for the worst. Eric Santone may be a douche bag, but he doesn’t order hits unless he’s positive about something. I just hope he’s wrong this time, otherwise I’m screwed. I’ll be between a rock and a hard place; stuck between my boss and the only woman I’ve ever been interested in trying to have a relationship with. As far as Michelle is concerned, she’s despised the very notion of organized crime all her life. Finding out such a horrible truth about her own father will crush her.
After getting my friends back up to my cabin, I ask Bryan to watch over her and I take Donny back to New York with me. I can’t keep ducking Eric forever, and we can’t all disappear at the same time, because he might get suspicious. Having Donny and me at his beck and call, Eric won’t miss Bryan for a few hours or even a whole day.
Once we get to his mansion in the Upper East Side, a sense of longing mixed with jealousy strikes me. Eric has left his garage doors wide open for some reason. What’s inside sends every ugly thought away for just a few moments: exotic cars of pretty much every color and make. The red Ferrari, my absolute favorite, is parked closest to the entrance, shining under the sunlight. It’s like that prick is doing this on purpose.
“I know what you’re thinking,” Donny’s voice and his crooked smile snap me back to reality. “I took it for a spin yesterday, you know.”
“You didn’t,” I grumble, tearing my gaze away from the car to glare at him.
“No, I didn’t,” he chuckles, shifting his attention to the open gate up ahead. “Man, you should have seen your face.”
“You’re fucking hopeless,” I sigh, following him into our boss’s front yard. He’s lying in a sun chair by the pool, in the company of two blondes in bikinis: typical Eric; flaunting his money to a couple of coeds. I’m actually surprised he doesn’t have another dozen of them around him.
“Morning, kids,” he grins, gesturing us towards him. “Girls, leave us.”
“How’s it going, boss?” I mutter, slipping my hands into my pockets as the two girls head back inside.
“You tell me, kid,” he says, leaning forward. “I heard you had a nasty cold.”
“Just some fever and a runny nose,” I respond, my tone a lazy drawl. “Nothin’ to worry about.”
“That’s good to know,” Eric gives a nod of approval. “I’ve got a plan and I need my best men to carry it out.”
“What plan?” I ask, cocking an eyebrow.
“Here’s the thing,” he announces, his face hardening. “I recently discovered that my old man left a will. He boned me in that will. According to that fucking piece of paper, ninety-five percent of his fortune goes to a Michelle Garner, his bastard daughter he had with our maid. Joe, you know her, she works in that bar you like so much. Now, I assigned this to Decker, because I didn’t want to drag you guys into this. You’ve been going to that place for a while. People have seen your faces; some of them may even know your names. But, that asshole got blown up the other night. I want you to find her and take her out for me. I’m not going to give up what’s rightfully mine because that old fool couldn’t keep his dick in his pants.”
I feel like someone has poured a huge bucket of ice over my head. I throw a glance over at Donny, a cold sensation spreading in my chest. When I got rid of Decker, I knew that Eric would try to replace him with someone else. What I didn’t know was that the someone would be me. Worse still, he means to use all three of us to kill a defenseless woman.
“I read about Decker,” I croak, my tone stiff. “He really got himself blown up?”
“That’s what it looks like,” Eric affirms, clicking his teeth. “My sources in the NYPD didn’t find any evidence of anyone else in his car. He must have screwed up the timer somehow.”
“So, you want us three to take out that girl?” I wonder, my voice picking up volume and speed. “Don’t you think that’s a little too much? I mean, she’s not Wonder Woman, is she?”
“I gave you an order, Joe,” Eric groans, pulling his shades off his face, as if he believes that the angry look in his eyes is supposed to scare me.
“I never said I wouldn’t do it,” I roll my shoulders, using a more relaxed tone. “It’s just that this is an easy hit. She’s just a bartender, boss. I can take care of her myself. There’s something else that doesn’t sit well with me, though. Are you sure this is the way you want to play this? She’s your sister. If the other Don’s catch wind of this, you’re dead.”
“You let me worry about that,” he says in an emphatic tone, propping his elbows on his thighs. “You want to do this solo? Fine. Get out there and find her. Let me know when it’s done.”
“Boss, I think I should remind you that Decker wasn’t part of our crew,” Donny interjects, stepping in front of him. “What if that son of a bitch ratted you out to Maltese? That girl doesn’t know shit about your father’s will, and she won’t find out if we keep this under wraps.”
“I can’t take that chance, Donny,” Eric raises his voice, bringing his gaze up to my friend’s face. “Don’t you get it?”
“You’ll take a worse chance by killing her,” Donny points out, maintaining his calm tone.
“When did you become a consigliore?” Eric wonders out loud, surprise written all over his face.
“It’s just my opinion, boss,” Donny claims, dropping his gaze from his.
“I need a mole in Maltese’s family,” Eric concludes, gazing down at his pool. “You’re right. I hadn’t thought of that. Joe, the hit’s off for now.”
“You made the right call,” I praise, relief washing over me. “Is there anything else you need?”
“No,” Eric says on an exhale. “Get out of here.”
Donny has managed to do something I couldn’t: he put doubt in Eric, and he did it with ease. I was too upset to consider that possibility. The boss has been avoiding a war with Maltese like the plague. And should he murder Michelle, he wouldn’t get a war. He would risk getting a bullet between his eyes.
“I don’t know how the hell you thought of that, but thanks anyway,” I tell Donny as my Camaro rolls back onto the road.
“I was just stating facts, baby,” he says, tossing a quick glance up at me. “Decker was a fucking rat. I’ll be damned if he didn’t tell Maltese everything. God damn it, that damn Eric. He used someone from another family for a hit, and he didn’t think he’d talk? How could he be that stupid?”
“I’ve been asking myself that question for a while now,” I utter, focusing on the road up ahead.
“Let’s go get your girl,” Donny suggests, a big smile bursting upon his lips. I return the smile, unwilling to come up with a rebuttal. Michelle is safe for the moment. I can’t wait to break the good news to her. She’ll be thrilled to hear that she can go back to her everyday routine. I like that, too, but I can’t let my guard down yet. I’ve been in this life for far too long to take anything for granted. I won’t rest easy, until Eric calls off the hit for
good.
Chapter Sixty-Five
Michelle
I haven’t been in Shandaken for more than three days; yet I’m beginning to fall in love with this place. I still haven’t been to the town itself, because Joe thinks it would be too dangerous, but I don’t have to go. The landscape is beyond beautiful. Mother Nature has taken my breath away in this place. Magnificent mountain peaks, lush greenery in the valley, rich scents coming from the forest down the slope… My God, this is so much prettier than the gray reality in the city. Everything is more colorful up here, more vivid than I expected. And having a man like Joe with me completes this wonderful experience.
My guardian angel has turned an ugly situation into a beautiful getaway. He doesn’t like it when I say this, but that doesn’t mean it isn’t true. I’m supposed to be terrified, because some mobster wants me dead, but I’m anything but terrified. I feel like I’m on vacation, along with my savior. What can possibly be better than that? There’s just one problem in all this. It’s none other than the DNA test. Regardless of what Joe believes, I prefer to keep this out of my mind. Why? Because, he’s wrong. My dad’s name is Henry Cusack, not Thomas Santone. I’m sure that this whole thing is a terrible misunderstanding that will be resolved sooner rather than later. I can’t bring myself to believe that the person I used to cherish more than anything in this world lied to me about my own father. Dear old Marlene was a great mother to me, and she hated lies.
I’m gazing up at the overcast sky over Shandaken, the crisp breeze against my skin giving me the chills. Once again, I’m out back, savoring everything that nature has to offer. Pebbles roll off the edge of the cliff underneath as a thick raindrop lands on my thumb. Dry leaves swirl in the wind, putting a smile on my face. Unfortunately however, the vulgar roar of a powerful car engine interrupts the moment. That noise is all too familiar to me. It’s Joe’s car. I do want to see him again, but I stay rooted to my spot. I’d like to share this magnificent view with him. My ears pick up two pairs of heavy footsteps on the ground, just before Bryan pulls the creaky front door open. I cross my arms over my chest when I hear Joe calling out my name.
“Hey, beautiful,” says a smiling Joe, turning around the corner of his cabin. “What are you doing back here?”
“Getting blown away,” I state, turning my head left to face him. “This place is just incredible. How often do you come up here?”
“Not that often,” he replies, pressing his lips together. “Listen, I met with my boss this morning. He admitted to having Decker blow up your bar. Then, he asked me and my friends to take you out, but…” he takes a deep breath. “Donny talked him out of it. You’re safe for now. We can go back to New York whenever you like.”
“Okay, slow down a little?” I request, unfurling my arms. “Santone ordered you to…”
“Kill Michelle Garner, the barmaid in ‘90’s Rocks,’” he responds, finishing my sentence. “It can’t be more specific than that. Anyway, Donny reminded him of an important rule. Believe it or not, there are rules in this life. First degree relatives are considered untouchable. Eric can’t hurt you without paying the price.”
“How many times do I have to tell you this?” I ask, annoyance sending my voice two octaves down. “I don’t have a brother: Period.”
“Look, I’ve driven two hundred-and-sixty miles today,” Joe complains, tightening his jaw. “I’m too tired to have this same old, fucking argument. Someone’s lied to you, but I’m not the one who’s done it, so don’t take it out on me.”
“I’m sorry, Joe,” I sigh, understanding his point. “I just can’t believe that my own mother would lie to me like that. I mean, why would she do such a thing? And why didn’t she give me the truth before she passed?”
“For the same reason I didn’t want to date you,” he retorts, his tone much calmer this time. “...to protect you. Imagine yourself carrying that name. You’d be labeled a villain in no time.”
“You sound like you already know what the result of that DNA test is,” I remark, my voice losing its nerve.
“In a way, I do,” Joe admits with a nod. “I know how mob bosses operate. They don’t hire anybody unless they’re absolutely positive about their target. They don’t do it out of compassion. It’s just that targeting someone innocent will ruin their street rep. Dons can’t afford to lose face with one another. Sloppiness shows weakness. The others might think ‘he got sloppy with this; I wonder what else he’s sloppy at.’ They’re a pack of wolves, girl. And when they smell blood, they go in for the kill.”
“Okay, let’s say you’re right, for argument’s sake,” I suggest, raindrops dripping off the edges of the logs on the roof. “I’m the guy’s sister, and I inherit all that money. What happens next?”
“I haven’t figured that part out yet,” he says, reaching out to take my hand into his palm. “FYI, there’s never been a female Don, so, don’t expect a warm welcome from the others.”
“Well, they won’t have to worry about it,” I utter, taking a short step towards him. “I will decline the will.”
“What?” Joe scoffs, flashing me an ironic smile.
“What business does the Santone family run?” I pose a question, my tone steady.
“Pretty much anything you can think of,” Joe declares. “Drugs; guns; whores… They do own a few legitimate businesses like Italian restaurants. They need those fronts to launder their money.”
“And you think I’ll take drug money?” I assume a firm tone, gazing up into his eyes.
“No, but I think it’d be stupid of you to pass on that opportunity,” He says, speaking his mind, gently pulling me towards him. “Let’s go inside,” He goes on, turning around. “I don’t want to get soaked again.”
“You should tell your boss about my decision,” I urge, passing by the living room window. I may be waiting for some kind of a comeback, but Joe doesn’t do me that favor. Keeping his silence, he turns left and continues onwards, until we enter his cabin.
“We’re getting ahead of ourselves,” he comments, heading for the fireplace. “We’ll have the DNA test results tomorrow morning. Let’s wait until then,” he adds, bending down to pick up a thick log.
“Not before you explain why it would be stupid of me to decline that will,” I persist, sauntering towards him.
“Jesus, you don’t let up, do you?” protests Joe, turning to me. “Can I spend the night without fighting with my girl? Or am I asking too much?”
“You’re not,” I assure him, making my voice sound sweeter. “I’m sorry; I’m under a lot of stress right now.”
“I know, and I’m trying to help, but you’re not making this any easier for me,” he claims, his tone deepening as he cups my face in both of his hands. “Look, we’ll talk about this in the morning. Right now, all I want to do is rest up and spend some time with my gorgeous counselor. I missed you.”
“I missed you, too,” I confess with a whisper, leaning in towards him. Closing my eyes, I let his lips surround my mouth; the feel of his soft, wet hands on my skin sends warmth into my heart. He trails his fingers up and feathers them through my hair as I curve my arms around his lower back. Joe massages my scalp, his hot breath tickling my chin. Moving his lips over to my cheek, he pecks a kiss and then eases me into his embrace.
“I’d drive another hundred miles for another kiss like that,” he says, his voice a delicate whisper.
“Keep saying things like that and I’ll forget how tired you are,” I tease, resting my head on his chest, the sound of his quick heartbeat filling my ears.
“Well…” he chuckles, planting a short kiss on my head. “I’m sorry to break it to you, but any tricks you might pull won’t work tonight. I’m so tired I can barely stand.”
“Is that a challenge?” I mutter, leaning back to look up at him.
“Alright, knock it off, darling,” Joe smiles, a calm expression painting his face. “There’ll be plenty of time for whatever’s on that dirty mind of yours. Mobster’s daughter
or not, you’re still my girl, and I won’t let anything or anyone change that.”
Had it not been for that drowsy look in his eyes and his obvious tiredness, I would have been all over him by now. Amazingly enough he pushes my buttons, even though our relationship is still very young. However, pouncing on him sounds like a very bad idea. He’s already rejected it twice; insisting could lead to an argument. But, even if he does surrender to me, it won’t be like every amazing time so far. I’ll have to do most of the work. I have no problem with that, but I want all the things he does that drive me crazy with lust, and he can’t give them to me. So, I prefer to put my head back on his massive chest and hold him tighter. I let his manly scent flow through my nostrils, relishing in his body heat. It’s like an invisible blanket that surrounds me, a cloak that shields me from harm.
Chapter Sixty-Six
Michelle
The next morning is nothing like the past few days. Despite Joe’s best efforts to get me to speak, my emotional state doesn’t allow me to do so. Alas, his certainty about the outcome of the DNA test has affected me. The truth that I didn’t want to believe up until a few hours ago is beginning to feel more likely by the minute. And his jokes may bring a smile to my face now and then, but they don’t change the way that I feel.
When he walks out of the cabin to go to the hospital, I think that my heart is going to explode. It’s only three miles away, but I know for a fact that the twenty minutes it’s going to take him to come back will be the longest of my whole life. Joe may believe that being a mobster’s daughter will devastate me; yet, he’s mistaken. Of course I won’t like it. It will break my heart. All the same, it doesn’t compare to the other truth that has been gnawing away at me for days. My mother, my own flesh and blood wasn’t completely honest with me. However pure her motives might have been, she shouldn’t have kept me in the dark. What would I do with this information? I don’t know, but that’s not the point, is it? She told me that my father was someone else. I guess that’s all that matters.