CHAPTER THIRTY-EIGHT
KNOX CAPADONNO SLAMMED his car door as he glared up at the Capadonno mansion with rage coursing through his body. Inserting his key into the front door, Knox twisted the key and pushed the door open forcefully.
“Pop?” Knox called out as he entered the foyer. He didn’t bother to take the edge out of his voice.
“In here!” Sasha yelled out. She sounded upset.
Knox followed the sound of his sister’s voice into the parlor where he found Landon and Sasha standing over their father in his bed. Each of them had somber looks on their faces. At first, Knox thought the old man might have kicked the bucket. That is, until he sat up in bed and started cursing at Knox.
“Where the fuck have you been?!” Michael spat, throwing major shade at Knox the very second he walked into the room.
“I had business to handle. What the hell is your problem? Sasha, Landon. Leave us. I need to talk to our father alone.”
“Knox—” Sasha began but quickly silenced her voice when she caught Knox’s cool gaze.
“Come on, Sasha. Let’s go out on the patio.”
“But it’s cold.”
“I’ll build a fire. Come on.”
Knox waited for their voices to fade before he began to speak to his father.
“I know what you’re up to and you’re going to get yourself and a lot of others killed.”
“Vengeance must be claimed.”
“You are engaging in a holy war against your own son, who by all evidence, has no intentions of killing you unless you bring him to it.”
“My sources say otherwise.”
“Yeah, let’s talk about those sources,” Knox suggested. “Nunzio Rigatti.”
“What about him?”
“Your sworn enemies coming over for coffee?”
“We’re on speaking terms now.”
“Apparently. At any point during this conversation did the name Giancarlo Rigatti come up?”
“How perceptive you are,” Michael said with an amused look on his face.
“Giancarlo Rigatti, whose murder was pinned on Miles. You decide to have a friendly meet-up with his grandfather, boss of the Rigatti crime family.”
“And?”
“As your consigliere, I would think you would seek my counsel before making some ill-favored alliances.”
“I have it under control.”
“Sure you do. A lot of people are going to get hurt because of this. Wise guys getting caught in the crossfire is one thing… Innocent people are going to get hurt. I can’t stand by this.”
“Then don’t. Be a traitor like your brother.”
“Why is he a traitor? Because he went to Mom’s side?”
“And framing him was your idea in the first place!”
“Better than killing him! You’re off your fucking rocker, old man. You’re on your own.”
Michael shrugged his shoulders. “So be it.”
Shaking his head at his father, Knox stormed from the room, slamming the front door of the Capadonno mansion behind him.
Juan reached for the remote control as he and G settled down on the couch to watch the hockey game.
“Almost game time, bud!”
“GOAL!” G yelled as he threw his hands up in the air.
“Let’s hope so, pal!”
Juan propped his feet up on the coffee table as he waited for the game to come with G snuggled up to his side.
“Think they’re gonna win tonight?” Juan asked G.
“Eh. Maybe!”
“Guess we’ll see…”
Just a few seconds after the game came on the TV, the doorbell rang.
“Hey! That must be our pizza!” Juan said as he pulled himself off the couch.
“Pizza!” G celebrated as he clapped his hands together.
“Just don’t tell your mother, she’ll have my head!”
G laughed as Juan crossed the room to answer the door. Swiping his wallet off of the bookshelf, he quickly opened the front door. As he did so, he was startled to see that it wasn’t the pizza guy at all, but three masked men. Barging their way through the front door, one of the men attacked Juan, hitting him in the forehead with the butt of a rifle. Crashing to the floor, Juan couldn’t move as the men rushed through. Juan could hear a crashing noise as the men ransacked the house. Juan didn’t know what they were looking for, but he was desperate to get to his grandson and get him to safety. Try as he might, though, Juan’s injuries were too bad to let him move from the floor. As G screamed in terror, Juan’s consciousness slipped from his grasp.
CHAPTER THIRTY-NINE
MILES AND LETTY CHECKED into the Taj Mahal Casino and Hotel at a few minutes past four. They took the elevator up to the ninth floor and quickly located room nine thirteen. Sliding the key card in the door, Miles strolled in with their overnight bag.
As Letty walked in the room, she gushed, “This is swanky! How did you afford this?!”
“I had money tucked aside,” Miles said with a laugh.
“Really? Dirty money?” Letty asked.
“No. You know better. I saved up from when I was working at the garage, and I got a small inheritance from my mother.”
As Letty twirled around the room, she noticed a large white box laid on the bed. Picking up the envelope that lay on top of the box, Letty immediately recognized the handwriting.
“What did you do?” Letty asked as she looked up at Miles with wide eyes.
Miles shrugged sheepishly. “Open it.”
Quickly, Letty lifted the lid of the box and parted the red tissue paper inside to reveal an elegant ebony-hued satin gown. It was a simple and classic design with spaghetti straps and delicate ruching across the bodice.
“I think that’s your size right? I picked it up this morning and had Dustin drop it off at the hotel.”
“Umm,” Letty said, clearly shocked at the thought and the beauty of Miles’s gift. “Yeah, this is exactly my size.”
“And you packed a pair of black heels that would look good with it. Try it on.”
In a hurry, Letty slid out of her clothes and pulled the dress over her head. Walking over to the full-length mirror on the bathroom door, Letty admired the dress. It fit her like a glove.
“Oh, Miles! It’s gorgeous!”
“You’re gorgeous. Get done. We’re going out.”
“Okay, where are we going?” Letty asked with a surprised smile.
“That’s for me to know and you to find out… Oh, one more thing,” Miles said as he reached into his pant pocket.
Miles pulled out a red velvet satchel. Untying the drawstring, Miles pulled out a gold chain with a Claddagh pendant attached.
“This belonged to my mother,” Miles explained to Letty as he placed the pendant in her hands. “The hands stand for friendship. You were my friend first. The heart stands for love. You know you’ve always had mine, and that won’t change. The crown stands for loyalty. I think it’s clear where our loyalties lie. With each other. My mother loved you. She loved the man I was becoming with you at my side. I think she’d be honored to know that it’s you who I chose to give one of her most prized possessions.”
Tears filled up Letty’s eyes as she stared down at the pendant. Looking up at Miles, she smiled sheepishly. “Put it on me,” Letty said breathlessly.
“What an honor, Miles. It’s gorgeous. I loved Andie, too. She was an amazing woman. I see a lot of her in you.”
“I sure hope so,” Miles said as he regarded Letty’s appearance in the mirror.
“I’m going to change, then I’m going to take you out.”
Letty nodded as she gave herself one last glance in the mirror. Finally, she let out a breath and turned to finish getting ready with a satisfied smile.
Juan’s head fell limply to the side as his eyes rolled open slightly. Everything was blurry. His stomach wrenched with pain and his skull felt like it was fractured. He could sense that he was riding in a vehicle, and he still couldn’t move
his limbs. Rolling his head down, Juan realized that it wasn’t from paralysis. Juan couldn’t move his limbs because of the rope that bound his wrists and ankles. G sat quietly beside him, tied tightly around the waist to his grandfather’s arm.
“Hey, look who’s decided to join us!” a man in the passenger seat of the car yelled out.
The voice was so familiar to Juan. But before he could make the connection, his eyes rolled in the back of his head and everything went black once more.
“How many?” the hostess at the Valentino asked Miles as he approached with Letty to the service desk.
“Two, please,” Miles replied in a cool voice as he looked at Letty and gave her a wink.
“Right this way, sir,” the hostess said, leading the way through the dimly lit restaurant. Miles was dressed in black from head to toe, with a handsome collared shirt, black slacks, a pair of nice patent leather shoes and, to add just a splash of color, a simple charcoal grey tie. His hair was combed back and still appeared to be wet from his shower. Letty couldn’t take her eyes off of him. She had cleaned up well herself. Her elegant black dress fit her like a glove. She pulled a few strands of her brown hair back with a hairpin and let the rest fall in graceful waves down her back and over her shoulder. Miles’s mother’s pendant made the perfect accessory to her ensemble.
Sections of the dining room were lit up with different color lights. Some sections had couches gathered together in intimate groupings while other areas had tables that were blocked off from public view. The restaurant was a favorite for celebrities and high-profile figures due to the privacy many of the dining nooks provided.
“Something more private, perhaps?” the hostess asked.
Miles snickered. “That would be ideal, thank you.”
Letty pushed her tongue in her cheek as she tried to stifle a laugh. It didn’t work. Her cheeks turned pink with embarrassment, almost matching the hue of her lipstick. The hostess led the way through a long hallway, Letty’s heels clicking softly behind her.
“Here we are,” the hostess said as she led Miles and Letty to a private nook. Sitting down on the purple plush couch, Miles and Letty scooched together as the hostess left them with a pair of menus.
“This is pretty flashy,” Letty said as she lifted her eyebrows.
Miles laughed. “This weekend is special.”
Letty winked. “I’ve never been one to need all this razzle dazzle. It’s the simple things.”
“You deserve a little razzle dazzle, Letty. But you’re right, it is about the little things. I plan to give you all those little things.”
“Oh, yeah?” Letty said as she curled a finger under Miles’s chin.
“Yeah,” Miles replied in a self-assured voice. “But first, we eat.”
The gentle sway of the music and the dim ambience lighting set the perfect mood as Letty and Miles enjoyed the intimate setting. Tea lights flickered on the table and the center piece of fragrant Tiger lilies reminded Miles of Letty’s perfume. The smooth and sensual tones of Louis Armstrong’s trumpet cried out from the speakers as Ella Fitzgerald began to sing “Dream A Little Dream Of Me.” Miles hooked his arm gently around Letty, pulling her closer with a subtle nudge of his hand. As Letty enjoyed the song, the atmosphere and most certainly the company that Miles provided, Letty rested her head onto Miles’s shoulder, letting the whiskers of his beard tickle her cheek.
A waiter swooped by with a drink menu and Miles promptly ordered a bottle of Cabernet Sauvignon. The waiter quickly took down their orders—lobster tail and roasted vegetables for Letty, and filet mignon with a baked potato for Miles. As the waiter disappeared again, Letty rested her chin against Miles’s sturdy shoulder once more. Reaching for his hand, Letty rested her much smaller hand on top, but Miles quickly stole it away and kissed her palm. Miles appeared to have something on his mind. Thoughts were stirring and as he looked down at Letty, she saw the storm in his eyes.
“What?” Letty asked, her face falling from a smile.
Miles smiled just slightly. Reluctantly, he spoke. Whispering into Letty’s ear so no one else could hear him, Miles asked, “Do you remember the cabin we went to after our junior prom?”
Letty thought for a moment as her eyes lit up.
“Oh, yeah… wasn’t that your grandfather’s place? Up past Scranton, right? In Pennsylvania?”
“Yeah… Only, it was my mother’s place. That’s where she lived during the summer months after she divorced my father, right after Landon was born. We would go up there every summer.”
“That place was great. Tucked away. No one to bother us,” Letty said happily, still unsure of where Miles was going with this conversation. “Why do you ask?” Letty persisted.
Miles smirked a little as he adjusted himself in his seat. “Well, that belongs to me now.”
“Andie looked out for her Miles, that’s for sure,” Letty said with a smile.
“It’s not registered under the Capadonno name, but M.J. Cormack,” Miles explained.
“Do you think she foresaw something like this happening?” Letty asked.
“My mother was not dumb. Not by any stretch of the imagination. She knew what my father was, and throughout the marriage, the man she fell in love with all but disappeared, transforming into the monster that he is now.”
“And with six children. Your mother was brave to leave him. She had to have been scared out of her mind,” Letty said, looking a tad horrified herself.
Miles nodded gently. “That’s a story for another day, Letty. Point is, the cabin is off the grid. After this is all over, we’re going to go up there. Away from my father, away from his associates, away from the madness of Carrion. You and G need a safe place to live.”
“So do you,” Letty said as she placed her hand softly on his arm.
Miles smirked. “Don’t you worry yourself over it. I can handle myself pretty darn well. I made it this far, right?”
As Letty was about to reply, the waiter came back with their wine and shortly after, dinner was served. Letty thought everything looked so delicious. It had been some time since she had dined out in this fashion. Typically a night out for Letty consisted of taking G and Juan to their favorite pizza joint or a coffee date with some girlfriends. Letty and Miles relished in the delicious meal and the warm comfort of each other’s company, eager to see what the night held for them.
As Miles finished off his glass of wine and placed his fork down on the table with a gentle click, he reached for Letty’s hand. A soulful tune began to play from the speakers as Norah Jones’s voice of velvet began to sing “Come Away With Me.”
“Dance with me,” Miles said. It wasn’t a demand, but it also wasn’t a question. Despite his rough exterior, Miles had a gentle way about him when it came to Letty.
Without a word, Miles helped Letty up from her seat as they walked, hand in hand, to the dance floor that was situated in the center of the dining room. Placing a hand on Miles’s shoulder, and letting him clasp her other hand, Letty let Miles take the lead for once. Swaying to the music, Letty and Miles relished in the intimacy of the moment, moving gently to the sensual rise and fall of the melody. Letty brushed a thumb over the back of Miles’s neck. Looking down at Letty, Miles’s dark as night eyes seemed to penetrate her very soul. As she lost herself in Miles’s gaze, Miles gripped Letty’s waist tighter as he skated her around the dance floor. Allowing his head to drop, Miles closed his eyes as he let the song and Letty’s touch guide him. As he looked up again, his lips grazed Letty’s ever so gently. Letty had forgotten that she was in a casino with thousands of other people as she was lost in Miles’s eyes, engaging in a dance that was as easy as breathing. She never wanted to leave this moment, but try as she might, the moment was fleeting.
Pop! Pop!
“Get down! Somebody’s got a gun!” a man shouted at the top of his lungs.
Letty couldn’t speak. She couldn’t breathe. Hell, Letty could barely move. As the screams and the sounds of running feet assau
lted her ears, Letty tried to grasp what was going on. Miles hadn’t said anything. Miles stood perfectly still with Letty still in his grasp. After a moment, as Letty came to, she began to scream, “Miles!” Her hands reached up to his face because he appeared to be in some sort of shock. Quickly snapping out of it, Miles’s eyes were cold as he turned around to face Anthony Schiabetta. When Letty turned around, she shrieked in horror when she saw two bullet holes in the back of Miles’s shirt.
“Miles, you’ve been shot!” Letty screamed. “Blood. Why isn’t there any blood?!”
Cracking his neck as he looked at his father’s associate, Miles had murder in his eyes. Quickly tearing off his tie and his nice dress shirt, Miles dropped the torn fabric to the floor revealing the reason why there was no blood. Miles was wearing a bulletproof vest that protected his chest and back.
“You gotta shoot a man with his back turned? Fucking coward. You’ll be joining your asshole father soon in the can. Big ol’ family reunion!”
“Police! Hands up!”
Anthony’s eyes bugged as he heard the sound of the police arrive, but instead of raising his arms, he made a run for it. He didn’t get far though. As Anthony Schiabetta ran off with his gun still in his hands, Miles darted after him, tackling him and slamming him down face first onto a blackjack table with a crunch. It sounded like he had broken some bones in the process. Letty wouldn’t be at all surprised if he did.
“C’mere!” Miles yelled to the cops. “Come clean up this garbage!”
Two police officers came running over to the blackjack table. An Officer Collins said, “We can take it from here.”
Miles scoffed, “Are you sure? Fucker shot at me twice. Get him out of here, before I change my mind and shoot back.”
“Thanks, buddy,” another officer said.
“Yeah,” Miles said as he waved the officers off. “Fucking asshole,” Miles spat at Anthony. “C’mon, Letty. Let’s get out of here.”
Letty grabbed Miles’s shirt off of the floor as she ran to him. Her brain barely allowing her a chance to think, Letty stared at Anthony with wide eyes. As the officers cuffed Anthony and lifted him off the table, he snarled at Letty.
Miles Away (Carrion #1) Page 21