by Jeri K Raine
Chapter 12
Jamie
The next few weeks are hard. My business plan was good. I’m happy about how it goes. Until henchman Vito starts to show up.
* * *
I did what I planned. Put most of the money aside. I talked to Summer about the management of it, to keep myself accountable. I didn’t need to use much of the extra that I borrowed to pay back the loan and the ‘vig’ which is mob speak for, ‘interest,’ apparently.
* * *
With Summer’s help, I ran small, highly targeted social media campaigns. I used guest coffees as the hook to draw people in, and I got them from other suppliers.
* * *
Massimo complained that his supply came with an ‘exclusivity’ clause. I checked with my business attorney and told Massimo, “It does, but it goes both ways. The coffee chain that you supplied and nearly put me out of business for is less than half a mile away, so good luck taking that to court, Massimo.”
* * *
So everything was going pretty well. Considering. At least for a while, it was.
So, it’s a slow afternoon, and getting slower. As it’s December and there’s a chill in the air, I should be getting plenty of drop-in trade, and the people who come ought to be staying longer. And they would. If it weren’t for Vito.
* * *
Vito and his crew have eaten all but two of the cakes and pastries, and drunk enough coffee to start-up a social media platform. Nico and H are okay guys. They’re polite, pleasant and well-mannered. Vito isn’t any of those thing, plus he’s huge, epic ugly and aggressively loud.
* * *
Every week, since he started hanging out here, the takings are down. If it goes on like this I’ll have to let Donna and Chris go. Though I don’t see me staying open long after that happens. All that I’m doing now is paying back the loan and watching my little business slowly die.
* * *
Worst of it is, I could be fucking the mob guy, having a great time all night every night, and he would solve all my problems in here. But I chose my business. that means I have to solve my own problems.
* * *
The last real customer of the day just shuffled away with his MacBook, shyly looking back at me on his way to the door.
* * *
I need to do something right now or I know I’m going to put it off and get more and more scared. The longer I put it off the harder it gets to do it. I thought about it enough times. It always seems like the wrong moment, and it always will be.
* * *
I step out from behind the counter. “Vito,” I put my hands on my hips. I know that’s the wrong move. I’m trying to show power. I don’t have any. Still, I started. I have to follow through and do it now. I’m trying real hard to stay calm inside. I wish I could get Angelo to take care of this. The fact that he doesn’t makes me really afraid for how it’s going to turn out. But I can’t go on.
* * *
Vito hasn’t even looked round but the air in the room hangs thick and quiet and cold. Neither of the other guys move a muscle.
* * *
“Vito,” I tell him flat, “You’re killing my business.”
* * *
He still doesn’t look round. I see him look from Nico to H and I see his face pull.
* * *
“Bitch say something?” he says, and he starts to laugh.
* * *
I can’t see his lazy, thug’s grin, but I hear it in his voice.
* * *
“Listen, little lady, you wouldn’t have a business if it wasn’t for Angelo coming in with a financial injection.” I know he’s looking at the others to squeeze a laugh out of his double meaning.
* * *
It’s making me angrier. And that’s his technique, of course. I don’t say anything.
* * *
“Seems to me,” Vito says, his whole frame rippling as he chuckles, “You’re getting the good end of this deal. Angelo puts a fat wad in,” and now the other two begin to chuckle. It isn’t a nice sound. Only Nico keeps a straight face. “So, I think Angelo is buying some hospitality for his crew,” he turns his sloppy grin and his narrowed eyes to me.
* * *
His tongue flicks across his lips as he looks at me.
* * *
I’m trying really hard to stand stock still. And not to be afraid. I can’t see that I’m doing very well at either. There’s a tremble in my knees. I hold his gaze steady, though.
* * *
“Vito, do you see any paying customers in here? You are driving them all away. I won’t have a business if you go on like this.”
* * *
“Well, I thought you was in the hospitality business. This sounds pretty un-hospitable to me. ” His chair scrapes as he hauls himself to his feet. I know I have to stand my ground. He’s huge. And I’m terrified. Still, I stand, absolutely still, and facing him. My feet apart, my hand still on my hips.
* * *
It takes a slow, deliberate step towards me. Standing right in front of me, I can feel his breath on my cheek. His stomach is almost touching my breasts. He takes another step, and I have to move back. He advances again, and I’m backed against the kitchen door. Inside, I’m shaking like a leaf. I want to hold onto the door frame, I want to run. His huge frame blocks me completely.
* * *
“Jamie, Jamie, Jamie.” His eyes flicked around in their little narrow slits. Half a step forward, his huge body presses me back against the door.
* * *
“You can be hospitable if you try.” I feel his voice rumbling in his gut as it presses against me.
* * *
The doorbell tinkles. Jingles.
* * *
Vito doesn’t take his eyes from me as he yells, “The shop is shut.”
* * *
When the little bell rings, Vito shouts, without turning. “The shop is shut.”
Chapter 13
Angelo
Fighting back the rage burns my gut.
* * *
When I see Vito has Jamie backed against the kitchen door, I’m about ready to let rip and tear the fucker’s head off.
* * *
I cross the floor in two strides. “Not to me, asshole.” Vito’s head turns. His grin spreads from one ear to the other.
* * *
His eyes bulge as Jamie kicks him hard in the nuts.
* * *
Damn, I don’t blame her, but it’s going to complicate things. Worth it, though, to see his eyes go wide and his mouth stretch in an ‘O’ as his knees cave together.
* * *
With surprising speed for his bulk, Vito’s hand shoots out and grabs Jamie by the throat. Now, he really shouldn’t have done that.
* * *
By reflex, I swing both arms in a two fisted swipe – first I knock the side of Vito’s head, then follow through and swing back to slam into his kidney.
* * *
He twists and bends to the side, howling. His eyes blaze with rage.
* * *
His hand is still around Jamie’s throat. I’m starting to see red.
* * *
I swing my left fist fast, drive it hard into the side of his liver. My arm buries deep in his rolls of flesh.
* * *
The contact’s good, but the blow is not as effective as I want. With his hand still on Jamie’s throat, the asshole reaches for the back of his belt. I kick hard with the side of my foot, at the back of his knee. As he topples back, he pulls a table full of cups and saucers down with him but letting go of Jamie at last.
* * *
I put a foot on his chest and stand over him. “Stay down,” I yell, raging. I want to smash him into pieces. “Do not make this worse, Vito.”
* * *
I look up at Jamie. She rubs her throat but she tells me she’s fine.
* * *
Vito is grinning. Even while he groans and rubs his side, “You just started a two-family war, fuckwad,”
he growls, “I hope she’s worth it to you, Angelo.”
* * *
Nico stands quietly behind me. Speaks in a soft voice. Only I can hear.
* * *
“Boss, I know you’ve got family limits. Let me fix this.”
* * *
I draw my Colt and aim it square in Vito’s face. He threatened Jamie and I want to just blow him away. Nico leans close to speak. I hold up my hand to stop him.
* * *
I need a moment. I have to focus to get a hold of myself. Stop myself from blowing Vito’s head off.
* * *
I take a few breaths. Okay.
* * *
I lean my ear to Nico. I’ve always trusted him. These are going to be life-and-death choices though. Whatever happens now, there’s going to be trouble and it’s going to be bad. I think I know what Nico wants. I wonder if he’ll do it on my terms.
* * *
I speak quietly. Nobody is going to hear this. “I think I know what you want.” Nico’s eyes are firm. He nods. “You want the whole crew. You want to take over.”
* * *
“Boss, I’ve had the feeling you want to get away from it. Go buy a boat or something. Am I wrong? I wouldn’t step forward otherwise, Boss. No lie, I’d sooner have you in charge than me. Just saying, if you do want out, this could be an easy moment to move.”
* * *
“You’re not wrong, Nico. It has to be the right way, though.”
* * *
“I can take Vito back to his family. I can make it right. He’ll be okay. Laszlo will understand.”
* * *
“No blowback?”
* * *
“What the fuck are you two girls gabbling about?” Vito starts up underneath me.
* * *
“Vito, do not underestimate how much I would love to make fucking big holes in your face right now. Don’t give me even more reason.”
* * *
Nico says, “I can do it, boss. I guarantee.”
* * *
“Thanks, Nico. I’ll handle it, though.” I push the Colt in Vito’s face.
Chapter 14
Angelo
Next morning, I’m back at the counter of Jamie’s Rise and Grind.
* * *
The usual scattering of nerdy kids are folded around their laptops. I bet most of them nurse a cappuccino or a latte all morning. The young moms are fewer than I remember seeing. Maybe it’s the time of day.
* * *
Jamie is a welcome and cheering sight behind the counter. I tell her, “There’s something I urgently need to know from you.” I pull out the loyalty card. “Is this still good here?”
* * *
“Yours? Always.” Her smile perks me up more than any amount of coffee ever will. “What can I make for you?”
* * *
“Babies?”
* * *
She frowns. “I think we covered that in an earlier meeting.”
* * *
“Things have changed.”
* * *
She gets her two helpers to cover for her, so she and I can ease into the armchairs by the table in the far corner.
* * *
She says, “I don’t know if I should ask…”
* * *
“About Vito?”
* * *
She nods.
* * *
“His uncle Julius has him back, deep in the folds of his own family. Julius is very unhappy. I explained to him it was that or I’d keep him, but in a deep freeze. Julius knew he was beat and took the motherfucker in. So he’s off my family’s books and he can make headaches for someone else.” I sipped my espresso. “I have other news, though. News I hope will interest you greatly.”
* * *
“Oh? What’s that?”
* * *
“Nico will be coming to collect the last few installments of your debt. I passed the reins of the firm, all control, all the businesses, everything over to him.”
* * *
Her cup of mocha stopped halfway to her lips. “You mean–”
* * *
“I’m out of the mobstering business. Clean break, ties cut. All done. Now and for good. I sit before you, a formerly wise guy.”
* * *
“I thought that was never allowed.”
* * *
“Not many people really want to do it, except when they’ve fucked up in some big-league fuckup kind of a way. But when you’re the head of a family, like I was, the people you really have to be worried about are the guys who want to take it off you and maybe the guys who could be afraid of you taking it back.”
* * *
“So. A change in your circumstances. How will you cope with your retirement?”
* * *
“I thought I said. My plan is to make about a thousand babies.”
* * *
She chokes.
* * *
I finish the espresso. “That brings me round to why I’m here. I need to know one thing from you.”
* * *
“Oh?”
* * *
“Are you going to marry me willingly, or do I need to kidnap you?”
Chapter 15
Jamie
He gets up from his seat with a look of a hunter. He takes my breath away when he drops down on one knee.
* * *
“Jamie, the sexiest, most beautiful barista in the world, will you marry me?”
* * *
I’m choked and unable to speak. My breath stops in my chest. I feel like the room begins to turn. Like the whole world is waiting for me to answer. I stand, looking around. Every face in the coffee shop is turned to mine.
* * *
I can’t. With his past, how do I know that I can trust him? How can I be sure of his feelings? With a frown, my head turns and tilts down. I see the flame in his eyes.
* * *
“Fuck, yeah.” He stays on one knee as everyone claps. “Yes, Angelo. My devil angel. I will.”
* * *
He stands. Too big. Too old. Too rough. Way too dangerous. He gathers me into his arms. His huge, hard body wraps me up. The huge, hot length of his hard cock presses through his suit pants against my soft stomach, almost reaching my breasts.
* * *
As he pulls me to him, the warmth of his body stirs me. Can he really be trusted? Am I making the most awful mistake? I can’t listen to my body and my instincts. They’re all caught up in my hormones and exploding with joy.
* * *
I know that he’s what my heart wants. He’s definitely what my pussy wants. I guess I’ll have to just wait and see if my head can catch up. This is the point where I decide, you have to pick a road, Jamie, choose a path. Then stick to it. And he’s mine.
* * *
‘He’s mine’—that phrase. Now my knees shake and I really am soaked.
* * *
He turns, looks around. He smiles at all the customers. “Jamie’s Rise & Grind is closed for the day now.”
* * *
I slap my palm and hammer my fist on his chest. Craning round the side of his arms, I call out, “An hour. We’re closed for an hour. Tell all your friends to come then.”
* * *
“Two hours,” he calls.
* * *