Empire

by Rachel Van Dyken

“Sorry. Your Kool-Aid.” His eyes narrowed. “It’s like you’re trying to piss me off.”

  Bingo. I smiled. “Funny, that’s what Dante says to me all the time. Just think of all the things you get to look forward to. Isn’t that what you said you wanted?”

  Sergio looked ready to strangle me. “No. I don’t believe I asked for an annoying little sister, but if that’s what you’re offering, please don’t let me stop you. Just know, I won’t hesitate to put you over my knee if you get out of hand.”

  The minute the words left his mouth. I froze.

  He froze.

  The taxi driver stared little laser-like holes into the rearview mirror.

  And Sergio leaned toward me.

  I swallowed as tension swirled around us.

  He gripped me by the chin and turned my head to the side, his lips brushing my ear. “It’s like you have a death wish.”

  “You wouldn’t do it.”

  He pulled back as both of his eyebrows shot up, and then he looked down, like something had caught his eye.

  I followed the direction of his gaze and let out a little gasp as a gun dug into my stomach.

  “It’s been directed at you for the last four minutes,” Sergio said through a practiced smile. “I meant what I said. Listen well. I keep my word. Kiss me, and blood will be spilled.”

  “Y-you’re a crazy person!” I hissed, shoving at his chest. “And I wasn’t going to kiss you!”

  “Sure you weren’t.” He put the gun away. “Good talk though, right? Oh look, the movie theater.”

  To say that I scrambled out of the car like a kid running away from her kidnapper would be a gross understatement, but the minute my feet hit the pavement, I paused.

  My body told me to run.

  The guy had pulled a gun.

  On me.

  I didn’t even watch violent movies, I’d just panicked and said the first thing that popped into my head!

  And I was about to go to the theater with a guy who probably showered in blood on a daily basis and by the looks of it — got off on it.

  Shivering, I forced myself to take a deep breath and wrapped my jacket tighter around my body.

  That was the thing about men like Sergio, or maybe just loyalty in general. He’d promised he would keep me safe, but I wondered if that promise was only extended until I was more trouble than I was worth.

  I was safe, not because of what I was to him.

  But because of who my dad had been to him.

  I was nothing.

  And yet, a part of me still yearned to be… something.

  Anything really.

  Pathetic.

  “Change your mind?” Sergio’s smooth voice interrupted my thoughts. He was the type of man you felt even when he wasn’t speaking. His presence was impossible to ignore, kind of like his ridiculous good looks.

  Weren’t mafia guys supposed to be old?

  Fat?

  Chain smokers who bought Cuban cigars and sat behind large desks while counting money and ordering hits on people who pissed them off?

  “No.” I finally found my voice. “I was just thinking….”

  “About?” His hand touched my back, ushering me forward, but not pushing, almost as if he was giving me the option of still saying no.

  I increased my pace so that I couldn’t feel the warmth of his fingertips. “Popcorn.” I turned and winked, hoping it would hide the fact that my body was shaking.

  Maybe I was the crazy one.

  Because he was armed.

  The man was armed.

  And he had no qualms about pointing his weapon at me whenever I got too close.

  Huh, we’d have a happy marriage.

  I guess we’d never argue, since I liked living.

  And, you know, breathing.

  It would suck not to make my twenty-first birthday because I didn’t fold the towels just right.

  And again, I froze.

  Was he that neurotic? Or was it just the closeness?

  “On a scale of one to ten…” I was proud of the way I kept the shaking out of my voice. Why was I so scared? Oh right, because he’d pointed a gun, no, shoved a freaking gun into my stomach and done it with a smile on his face. “How OCD are you?”

  An easy laugh escaped him as he glanced around the movie theater lobby and then back at me. “What makes you think I’m OCD?”

  “Things.” I gulped then forced a smile that I didn’t feel. How was I supposed to go through an entire movie knowing he was one uncomfortable conversation away from losing it? “So?”

  “What can I get you?” A teen boy looked at Sergio then smiled wider when his eyes fell to me.

  Immediately, Sergio wrapped a protective arm around me, basically forcing my body to curve into his warmth. “My wife and I will have two buckets of popcorn, two packs of Sour Patch Kids, and a bottled water.”

  I didn’t correct him about the water.

  “Wait.” Sergio held up his hand. “Sorry, Dr. Pepper mixed with Coke.”

  The teen scrunched up his face then rung us up. His eyes fell to me again then back at the register, like he was trying not to look but couldn’t help it, which was comical, since I didn’t really think I was anything to look at.

  When he handed Sergio back his change I could have sworn I heard a growl from my “husband.”

  As it was, he jerked the candy so hard out of the kid’s hands that I was surprised he didn’t do a front flip over the counter.

  “He’s a boy,” I whispered under my breath. “No need to shoot him too.”

  Sergio glanced down at me, muttered a curse. “He was staring.”

  “He looked about one science project away from solving world hunger via his mom’s basement… hardly the type of guy that I’d date.”

  “Date?” Sergio said it so loudly the people in front of us waiting to show the attendant their tickets jumped and then turned around. “What the hell do you mean date?”

  Crap. I’d messed up again.

  My palms went sweaty while my face felt numb with fear. Regardless of how pretty he was to look at — I was finally fully aware of how dangerous he was to me.

  To everyone around me.

  Sweat trickled down my lower back as I gulped down more soda and shrugged. “I just mean, he’s not my type.”

  “No shit he isn’t, because you don’t get a type anymore.”

  “Right.” I licked my lower lip, pretending not to be scared, pretending to be the brave person I wasn’t was wearing on me.

  By the time we made it into the theater I was dizzy.

  It was too much all at once.

  “So…” Sergio’s voice was in my ear. I jumped a foot. He frowned as if he couldn’t figure out why I’d be so jumpy. “Dante sits behind you, right?”

  “Right.” I exhaled in relief. I forgot. It wasn’t a date. It was a challenge. He’d called me his sister, so therefore he was my brother, right? Hah. I relaxed a bit as I pointed to a seat a few rows back and quickly stole the goodies out of his hands then made my way to my own seat before he could object.

  The credits started rolling.

  And I found myself ducking in the chair.

  The hair on the back of my neck stood on end.

  As if I was being watched — because I was.

  Ten minutes into the movie, I was so stressed out, I almost burst into tears. My back was to him.

  Wasn’t that a big no-no? My back was to the dude with the gun.

  Even though he was supposed to protect me with the gun, all bets were off now.

  Sweat pooled in the palms of my hands.

  The music rose as one of the actresses ran down the stairs screaming.

  I couldn’t take it.

  And then, a body sat down next to me.

  Sergio gave me a suspicious look then put a seat between us.

  I exhaled.

  But it wasn’t relief.

  At least I knew where he was.

  And where the gun was, he was right handed
, so there was that.

  I finally allowed myself to relax enough to watch the movie when I saw Sergio’s right hand duck into his jacket.

  I gripped the plastic arm rests, my fingers digging into the cheap sticky plastic material as he slowly pulled something out.

  He turned.

  And I flinched so hard that there was no mistaking what I thought he was doing.

  Even though he had grabbed a black cell phone.

  The damage was done.

  My entire body shook as a big fat tear escaped, I tried to wipe it away but I wasn’t fast enough.

  “S-sorry.” I shoved past him and ran.

  But my body was too scared.

  Too tired

  To make it very far.

  I ran into a trash can and nearly tumbled against the wall when strong arms came around me and pulled me into one of the theaters that wasn’t showing a movie.

  Darkness engulfed us.

  And an electrical charge that warned me to run, yet again, filled the air.

  But it was Sergio.

  So I stayed.

  Because I was that stupid girl.

  The one who believed that everyone had something good — right?

  “Look at me,” Sergio’s whisper was urgent, harsh, as he held my face between his hands. “Val, look at me.”

  I shook my head. “I think — I’ll just… not.”

  “You’ll just not,” he repeated softly. “Val, please.”

  Slowly, I lifted my eyes to his, unable to stop the fact that the longer I stared at him, the more they filled with big, fat, ugly tears.

  “Damn me to hell,” he muttered and then pulled me in for a tight hug, one that felt safe, even though I knew better now. I knew better.

  I tried to pull away.

  But he wouldn’t let me.

  So I turned my face into his chest.

  It was hard to breathe.

  But at least he wouldn’t think I was trying to kiss him.

  Even though the car ride hadn’t gone that way, if anything, he’d leaned forward like he was going to kiss me, I’d simply reacted to his reaction.

  Cause and effect.

  Not that I’d argue it.

  “Val…” His words went from English to Italian then back again as he cursed himself and this life. “I’m sorry.”

  “For?”

  “Stupidity doesn’t work on you.” He sighed. “And I mean that as a compliment… but for your sake, I’ll say it.” He pulled back so that his face was inches from mine. “I’m sorry for threatening you in the cab, but most of all, I’m sorry for making you feel like you aren’t safe with me, when the exact opposite is true. I would die for you. Val, a gun is all I know…” He shook his head. “Knew. It was all I knew until someone showed me more… sometimes, it’s just easier to revert to old habits. It’s easier not to think.”

  “Okay.” I tried to pull away. Needed to get away.

  “Val, you’re not even listening to me.”

  “Heard you loud and clear.” I tried to look convincing. “You’re sorry, and I shouldn’t be scared. Got it!” I made a beeline for the door.

  Well, I tried, but he was freakishly strong and kept me paralyzed against the frame of his huge body.

  “You may have heard, but you don’t understand.” He cursed again. “Words… were never my strong suit.”

  “No?” I laughed nervously, still trying to peel myself away from him. “Because you were pretty clear about your intentions the other night.”

  He frowned. “I’ve literally never had a woman pull away from me. Ever. I’m also not used to doing things… delicately.”

  “Kinda caught that,” I said mouth dry.

  “Shit.” He pinched the bridge of his nose. “A little help here.”

  The screen in the empty theater lit up with a preview, who knew they still showed the movie even if nobody was in there?

  A girl ran across the screen in the rain and then she turned back to the guy and yelled. “A kiss to make it better?”

  Sergio’s eyes widened a bit as he glanced from the screen back to me.

  And without hesitation.

  Placed his mouth across mine.

  Lovers to bed, ‘tis almost fairy time —A Midsummer Night’s Dream

  Sergio

  HER LIPS WERE soft.

  It was her first kiss.

  It had to be.

  Because she wasn’t doing anything.

  At all.

  It was like kissing a soft wall.

  One that smelled really good — too good.

  Memories assaulted me, and then finally, I licked the seam of her lips. With a gasp, her mouth opened. I hadn’t planned on kissing her at all, let alone kissing her the way I was.

  But, damn it, she wasn’t kissing me back.

  And I was proving a point.

  And she was ruining it by not responding.

  Her soft moan was all I needed to hear and, when she pressed her fingertips into my biceps, I knew she was enjoying herself. Kissing another woman wasn’t as painful as I thought it would be.

  It felt different.

  But not bad.

  Not like cheating.

  Then again, I was too confused about everything and too upset that I’d scared her to even feel anything but relief that she wasn’t running away screaming. I was used to dealing with strong women. Women who knew how to fight back, even physically if need be.

  Hell, if I pulled a gun on Trace she’d probably shoot me first.

  Mil would laugh while kicking her spiked heels into my forehead, and Mo would slit my throat before I could even apologize.

  And Andi.

  Andi would have tried to tackle me to the ground and choke me out.

  Val was just starting to respond, her tongue tentatively touching mine, when I pulled back.

  Andi, Andi, Andi.

  What the hell was I doing?

  Val still looked afraid.

  And the kiss had affected me in ways I wasn’t ready for.

  My lips buzzed while my body craved the nearness her soft curves promised.

  Damn it, I was a changed man. A man who finally knew what it was like to have someone to share the horrors of life with — and a woman who had no choice but to say yes to me at the altar.

  “Sorry.” I apologized again. “I was just…” I refused to let her think it was more than me proving a point, so that’s exactly what I said. “Proving a point. See? No gun.” Except for the one in my pants, what the ever loving hell? When had that happened? My dick strained against my jeans as horror and astonishment washed over me.

  With a gruff curse, I motioned to the door and muttered, “We good?”

  With a confused stare, Val opened her mouth then pressed her fingers to her lips and gave a mute nod. Pieces of dark hair whipped across her cheeks, and I stared longer than necessary at her lips. Again. And then at her face, which was a really bad idea, because I was looking at the full picture, the lips with the eyes, the cheeks, the innocent bow-shaped cherry lips.

  Damn it.

  “Great.” Just freaking great. How the hell had a simple kiss turned me on?

  It was wrong.

  So horribly wrong.

  Yet my body was ready — and screaming about the rightness of it all.

  Hell.

  “We should get back to the house, unless you wanted to watch the movie?” Please don’t want to watch the movie.

  “House,” she said in a hoarse voice. “House sounds good.”

  We sat a foot apart the entire taxi ride back to the neighborhood, and when the car screeched to a stop, she jumped out and ran inside the house, slamming the door behind her.

  Which left me on the doorstep after I paid the driver.

  With no choice but to call the guys and see if they could make sense out of the mess I’d created.

  “I’m a piece of shit,” I blurted the minute Tex answered with his gruff voice asking who I killed and if I needed cleanup.


  Tex burst out laughing on the other end of the phone. “This may be my favorite conversation we’ve ever had. Please continue. Should I be recording this? Hold on, I’m putting you on speakerphone.”

  “You son of a bitch! You said you were alone!”

  “He’s the Cappo, he lies for a living,” came Chase’s amused voice. “So, you’re a piece of shit, and…?”

  The phone crackled like they were playing hot potato with it, taking turns listening to my embarrassment.

  Funny, the rage wasn’t even present in that moment.

  I was too damn confused and irritated to feel even the slightest bit of anger, which, if I thought about it too long, made me feel even more unsettled.

  Anger had always been available.

  And now, it was out of reach.

  Because of a stupid kiss.

  And the words that had followed.

  I groaned and slammed my hand against the cement stairs, my palm stung as little pieces of cement stuck to my skin. “I pulled a gun on her.”

  “And?” Nixon asked.

  “You too? Really?” I rolled my eyes and looked up to the sky hoping like hell Andi was enjoying the show. Grab popcorn, sweetheart, it’s about to get much worse. I could almost hear her laughter ringing in the air.

  And for the first time in a while.

  It didn’t make me want to commit suicide.

  Progress?

  Or maybe just insanity.

  I’d take either. Both?

  Over the confusion, I felt in the pit of my stomach as though I’d just marched into completely unfamiliar territory and lost the map that told me how to get back to the safe zone.

  “Was she in trouble?” Chase asked.

  “If those Alferos are giving you shit, we’ll take the next flight out. Son of a bitch, I knew it!” Tex started barking orders while I waited for someone more sane to interrupt him.

  Naturally, the sane one would be Mo, his wife, who was the next to speak. “Wait, you pulled a gun on her? Not for her?”

  Silence.

  I looked at the phone. Yeah, still connected. I sighed.

  “In my defense, we had a moment.” Oh hell, someone just shoot me and get it over with. A moment? Seriously? Was I eighteen again?

  “Gasp!” Chase yelled. “No shit, Serg, a moment, huh? Better notify the CIA. Better yet, bomb New York. God forbid you have a moment with anyone.”

  “I’m setting you on fire next time I see you,” I growled. ”Fair warning and all that.”