This was the first time I’d truly relaxed in weeks.
“So, are you excited about the job?” Janie asked.
I nodded softly. “Uh huh.”
“Have you heard from Eli at all?”
I shook my head. “Uh-uh.”
“Are you okay with that?”
“I mean, we aren’t together, so…”
“That wasn’t the question.”
I peeked one eye open. “Can’t I just enjoy my massage?”
“You can enjoy this and talk to me. Because it’s not healthy to not talk.”
I sighed. “I know this job is good for me. It’s good for my career. And it’ll set me up well for my future. I just wish Eli hadn’t been so quick to abandon ship.”
“So, he’s not coming to see you or anything?”
“I haven’t heard from him since our last conversation a little over a week and a half ago. Where he told me the job was good for my career, so to ‘go do it’.”
“Go do it.”
“Yep.”
“That’s what he said.”
“Mhm.”
“And that’s all he said?”
I closed my one eye again. “Yep.”
“That’s fucked up.”
I snickered. “A bit.”
“Well, even though he’s not here because he’s an absolute asshat, he’s right. And you know deep down he’s right.”
I sighed. “I know. I know he is. And I know once I get there and get moved in--.”
“Wait a second. Moved in? You found a place?”
I smiled. “Wanna see pictures?”
“Hell, yeah, I wanna see pictures!”
I pulled my phone from my pocket as I sat up on the couch. I started scrolling through the pictures with Janie peering over my shoulder, listening to her ‘oo’ and ‘ah’ her way through them. I’d found the cutest little cottage house to rent for a great price. Two-bedroom, two bathroom, with a small little alcove with bookshelves suited to be a small sort of library.
“Thirteen hundred square feet, open concept kitchen, cute little house set against some trees on the dead end of a county road. It’s perfect. I’ll have peace and quiet. Nature and animals around me. Then, with a ten-minute drive, I’m back into the small, bustling little town where they’ve got the cutest shops, bars, and quirky little restaurants,” I said.
“You know I’m going to be coming to visit a lot. Right?” Janie asked.
“You sure as hell better. I’ll hold it against you if you don’t.”
“I’m really proud of you, Giana.”
I smiled softly. “Thanks, girl.”
Just before I threw my arms around her, my phone started ringing. I’d had the ringer turned up for days now because I kept losing the damn thing in my cluttered mess of packing. And when I saw my father’s name scrolling across the screen, I sighed.
“I’ll give you some privacy,” Janie said.
“Thanks.”
I watched her get up and go into my bedroom. She picked up some things and started packing a small box, pulling out that tape and filling the room with that disturbing noise it always made. I laid back down onto the couch and picked up the call. I held the phone to my ear, bracing myself for the conversation I was about to have with my father.
Especially since I hadn’t told him about the job yet.
“Hey there, Dad.”
“Well, I’d ask how you were doing, too, but I’ll get right to the point.”
“Is everything okay?”
He chuckled. “Congratulations on the job, princess.”
I rolled my eyes. “I told you to call off the dogs.”
“And I told you I’d call off some of them. I’m hurt that you haven’t called and told your family about this yet, though.”
“It’s been a bit of a whirlwind around here.”
“But you would have eventually, right?”
I paused. “Please. I don’t want to fight today. I’m tired, and packing it a bitch, and I’m loading things up into the van in the next couple of days.”
“Do you need help?”
“I’ve got this. I promise.”
“Do you need help on the other end, I mean.”
“Don’t you dare, Dad. This is a much smaller town I’m moving to. People are going to notice big, massive, brute men dressed in black following me around town. Don't do that to me there,” I said.
And while my father chuckled, I didn’t.
“Dad, I’m turning over a new leaf. A good leaf. I don’t want that ruined with your paranoia. I’ve tolerated it while I’ve been here because New York City is big. And bustling. And there’s a lot of people crammed into this place. But, I’m moving to a city with a population less than one-tenth of this city,” I said.
He sighed. “I just want you safe.”
“And I want you to understand that if I need you, I’ll call you.”
“You didn’t call me to tell me about this job. Or any of us. At all.”
“Because I didn’t need you for it. I would have called to update you. But, one of the reasons why I didn’t is because I know those men are still following me around. I didn't call you to tell you about Eli because you already know about it. Just like you already knew about this job.”
“Really?”
“That’s what happens when I know you’re watching. I don’t feel the need to call and repeat news you already know.”
He sighed. “I suppose that makes sense.”
“Dad, I’m serious. If it takes me moving to another country and burying myself in some prison with a medical facility just to get away from your nonsense, I will. I love you guys, but I’m not going to live my life being followed around by hired goons. I’ve tolerated it for the past couple of weeks, but I’m not doing it any longer. I’m not taking this baggage with me to this new job. Do you hear me?”
“Yes, yes. I hear you, princess.”
And after a long pause, Dad spoke.
“If I get my men to stand down, will you call more regularly?”
I nodded. “Yes. Undoubtedly.”
“Because I need to know my princess is okay.”
I snickered. “I’m always okay. But, yes. I promise that if you call off the shadow team, I’ll call more to talk.”
“Then, it’s a deal. They’ll be called off by this afternoon.”
“Thank you, Dad.”
“Is there anything else you’d like to talk about? About Eli, or anything?”
I shrugged. “I mean, there’s nothing to talk about. It wasn’t really serious. He wants me to take the job. So, that’s what I’m doing. Leaving him behind and taking the job.”
“He’s not going to even come visit?”
“He didn’t sound like it.”
“Well, he didn’t deserve you anyway if he’s not willing to put in the work. That’s what men do. They put in the work for things that are important.”
I smiled softly. “Thanks, Dad.”
“Anytime, princess. You call me just before you head out on moving day.”
“And I’ll call you once I get to my final destination. Got it.”
“Good.”
I smiled. “Love you.”
“Love you too, princess.”
And as I hung up the phone with my father, I found the smallest part of me wanting to call Eli.
Even though we hadn’t spoken in almost two weeks.
18
Eli
“Your Honor, in the case of Agatha McDonald versus Brendan ‘The Prophet’ Jepson, we hereby find the defendant guilty on all charges.”
I had to catch Agatha as her body plummeted to the floor. She let out a cry of satisfaction. One laced with pain and sorrow and finally, closure. I smiled as I held her closely, listening to Brendan curse and hem-haw his way out of the courtroom. The judge banged his gavel on his podium. He ordered the police to take him away, removing him from the courtroom as he slung threats and slang in my client’s direction.
> And as I held Agatha close, I felt her sobbing against my suit.
“Thank you, Mr. James. Thank you so much for getting justice for my boy.”
I nodded. “It’s my pleasure, Agatha. Thank you for trusting me with this.”
I helped my client gather herself before we headed out of the courtroom. I escorted her out, walking down the courthouse steps as we made my way for my car. I wanted to take her home. See to it that she got there all right. I opened the car door for her and drove her back to her place. A rundown brownstone on the outskirts of town that had the levels sectioned off as apartments.
“Wait here for a second. I got something for you,” she said.
“Of course. I’ll be right here,” I said.
As I stood there, watching her disappear into her home, I thought about calling Giana. I didn’t just think about it, though. I pulled my phone out and scrolled to her number. I stared at it, my finger hovering over that green button. And I wondered whether or not she’d pick up the phone for me. We hadn’t talked in days. Probably even a week or so. In some respects, I didn’t feel I had a right to call her after our last conversation. I knew she left hurt. Defeated. Empty. Even though I’d encouraged her to take a job I knew she’d regret giving up for the likes of me.
But, I still wanted to call her. Rejoice with her. Celebrate my victory with her.
“I want you to have this.”
Agatha’s voice ripped me from my trance. I whipped my head up and saw her holding a manila envelope out. I furrowed my brow before I took it, tucking my phone into the inside breast pocket of my coat.
“What is this?” I asked.
“What you’re owed,” she said.
I paused. “What do you mean what I’m--.”
I peeked into the manila envelope and my eyes widened. I rolled the top down, then gave it quickly back to Agatha. But, she held her hands up in mock surrender.
“Take this,” I said.
“Nope. It’s yours.”
“I told you, this was a pro bono case.”
“And I told you that if I could pay you, I would.”
“Agatha, I can’t--.”
“You can, and you will,” a man said.
I looked over and saw a man hobbling toward us down the sidewalk on a cane. I peeked at Agatha, watching her smile as she walked to greet the man. She hugged him tightly, rejoicing in our victory with whispers in his ear. And soon, people began filing out onto multiple brownstone porch steps around us. Smiling. Clapping. Waving at me as I stood there with that manila envelope in my hand.
Then, the man on the cane piped up again. “We all collected that money together.”
I paused. “I don’t know what to say.”
“Say you’ll take it,” Agatha said.
“Ain’t no one in this community willing to help us, free of charge. Especially with the likes of what you’s just hadta go through. We wanted to give you what ya deserve. ‘Cause it won’t be the last time one of us comes knockin’ on your door, needin’ help.”
I smiled, holding back grateful tears. “You can knock on my door anytime. And if I can help, I will.”
The man nodded. “We’ll be rememberin’ that.”
Agatha hugged me again. “Thank you. For everything, Mr. James.”
And as I hugged her closely, I knew who I wanted to call.
I bid them farewell and tucked the envelope of money away in my glove compartment. Then, I called my brother from the Bluetooth dashboard of my car. I wanted to fix things with our family. At the very least, I wanted to make a permanent stance on where I stood with the family.
And I knew Julian was the one to talk to.
“Yes, Eli?”
“Julian. Can you meet me at the family’s bar in a few minutes? I’m less than five out.”
He paused. “Everything okay?”
“We need to talk. Don’t come with anyone. Just you and me. I want to have a talk with the temporary patriarch of the family.”
“I’ll be there in ten.”
I pulled up to the bar just as I hung up the phone with him. I got out and walked into the bar, and I felt all eyes on me. I hadn’t stepped foot into this place in years. In fact, I think I’d only been in there once or twice during its construction phase. It was the only legitimate business my family owned. They didn’t clean money through it. They didn’t do underground hiring through it. It was simply a bar to help cushion the family’s ‘good reputation’ around town.
Make things seem legitimate on the outside.
“Can I get you anything?” the waitress asked as I sat at a table.
“Uh, whiskey on the rocks, please.”
“Make that two,” Julian said.
I grinned. “Ten minutes out, huh?”
He shrugged. “I hit the lights well.”
“Uh huh.”
He sat down with an anticipatory smile on his face, and I knew what he was thinking. He thought this was my official coming back to the family. But, he had another thing coming.
“I want this fighting within the family to end, Julian.”
He nodded. “I agree with you. I’m tired of it.”
“But, I’m not coming back to the family business. Ever.”
He sighed. “Come on, Eli. Dad is not well at all. He’s actually talking about stepping down from his position prematurely. That’s your place.”
“No, it’s not. It hasn’t been my place since I left for college. Julian, I know you don’t get it, but I’ve carved a life out for myself. A life I can be proud of. And I’m not abandoning that life. Ever.”
“Then, why did you abandon us?”
I shook my head. “I didn’t. Dad cast me out. Told me to never come back. He turned his back on me first, not the other way around. I was an eighteen-year-old who wanted to go to college. Dad funded it until college turned into law school, and that was that. When he figured out I was serious about not coming back, he changed the locks on the house. I never left. He kept me locked out.”
“Still, you belong with us.”
I shook my head. “I have my own business, Julian. A business that’s thriving and helping those around me. That’s what I want to do with my life. You don’t see me trying to change what you’re doing with your life. I don’t shove what I do down your throat. All I’m asking for is the same courtesy in return. Even if we can’t get back to the loving family we kind of used to be, I’d at least like to get on the same level of respect. Can we at least admit to that?”
And with a sigh, my brother nodded. “Yeah, we can get on that level.”
“Thank you.”
“I have to admit, though, there’s part of me that respects your bravery.”
I paused. “Say what now?”
He chuckled. “Not that I’m leaving the business or anything. But, the way you bucked up like that? Stepped out on your own like that? It’s a hell of a thing.”
I nodded. “I appreciate that, Julian. Really.”
“You knew what you wanted, so you went out and did it. That takes some serious balls.”
“It was petrifying, staring down Dad and telling him about law school.”
“Trust me, I get that completely. It’s petrifying having simple professional meetings with him where everything is going according to plan! Much less divulging information like that.”
The two of us shared a small moment of laughter as the waitress brought us our drinks.
“Two whiskey on the rocks. Can I get you two anything else?” she asked.
“Your number, if you’d like,” Julian said, winking.
And as the waitress giggled, my mind settled on one more thing.
I needed to make things right with Giana.
“To the future,” Julian said, raising his glass in the air.
“To the future,” I said, mimicking his movements.
We cheered our respective futures and drank like brothers. Talking about everything and nothing like we’d been apart for years. I kept my eye o
ver his shoulder, though. On the flower vendor across the street.
Silently picking out the kind of bouquet I wanted to piece together for Giana after my time with my own brother.
19
Giana
“Thanks again for coming over, Janie,” I said.
“I’ll come over and eat your ice cream anytime,” she said, laughing.
“In exchange for those foot massages? You can come eat me out of house and home.”
“I’ll hold you to that at this new place.”
I smiled as I saw her out of my condo, then I set my sights back on packing. I walked into the kitchen and started with the tupperware, tossing the plastic lids and containers into a massive cardboard box.
I didn’t get very far, though, before another knock came at my door.
I snickered. “What did you forget this time!?”
“I forgot my heart.”
The second I heard Eli’s voice, I took off for the door. I stumbled over boxes and leapt over random piles of junk, sprinting for the damn door. I ripped it open, my eyes already watering with happiness at the sound of his voice. And when I took in the gorgeous bouquet of flowers in his hand, tears ran down my face.
“I left my heart with you the last time I was here, but I’m not sure I want to pick it back up,” he said.
“Eli,” I whispered.
“Can I come in?”
I reached out for him and tugged him into my place. I stood on my tiptoes, slamming the door closed as our lips crashed together. His arms wrapped around me, the flowers pressing against my back. Tangling into my curls. I gripped the collar of his suit coat, pulling him closer as our tongues collided.
Then, our foreheads fell together.
“What are you doing here?” I whispered.
“I love you, Giana.”
I paused, my eyes finding his. “What?”
“I love you. With everything I am. And I want to go with you to this new city.”
“What!?”
He chuckled. “I want to go with you. Or, I’ll stay here, and we can make it work. I don’t have the option of losing you, though. Because I love you. I want you in my life, Giana. No matter what it takes.”
Tears streaked my cheeks. “You really mean that?”
Eli (Sinful Shadows Mafia Book 2) Page 12