Screwing the Mob

by Luciani, Kristen

  I let out a breath since the last thing I want is to plow into the tree at the corner. I turn my head left once more just to double check, spin the steering wheel, and lightly press on the gas pedal. A bright flash of light comes from out of nowhere. I squint at the high beams, waiting for the car to slow down since it’s a four-way stop.

  It doesn’t.

  I slam on the brake mid-turn, the tires skidding on the icy pavement. My chest tightens, and my fingers grip the steering wheel in anticipation of the impact. Because there’s no fucking way I’m going to escape the impending wreck. My car screeches to a halt, tires scraping against the sidewalk. I try to pull in a deep breath, fearing it may be my last, wishing to God that I’d stayed another minute at Starbucks and gotten the fucking cake pops. Then I wouldn’t be alone facing death, just like Grandpa. In my periphery, I see the SUV fly through the intersection, and that’s when all sound is muted. I’m pretty sure I let out a scream, but my ears are numb to it. The smell of burning rubber and searing metal assault my nose as my car is crushed against a tree by the SUV. I grit my teeth, my body pinned to the seat. A shooting pain explodes down my spine, and even though it hurts like fucking hell, at least I’m not paralyzed.

  I try to turn my head, but the motion brings tears to my eyes. I’m still alive, still breathing, but I’m trapped between the steering wheel and the door. Jesus Christ, if I hadn’t made a right turn, that asshole would have plowed right into the driver’s side and mangled me beyond repair. As it was, he’d come damned close. Another two inches, and I’d have been smashed, too.

  I peer out the window, trying to get a look at the fucknut driving the SUV. But the snow is falling too hard and the SUV’s windows are all blacked out, making it impossible to see anything.

  I fumble for my phone and grab it as the SUV pulls away from the wreck and speeds down the street. My hands are shaking, and I can’t zoom in to get a picture of the license plate.

  Sonofabitch.

  The ringing between my ears won’t stop, and I don’t know if it’s just the memory of the crashing metal, or if another car is skidding toward me to finish the job.

  The job…interesting. At least I’m lucid enough to know that there was something fucking odd about the way that SUV waited before peeling down the street. It could have been some deadbeat driving like a jackass in this weather who just wanted to see if I was still alive after being plowed into a tree.

  Or it could have been something else.

  I’ve always been paranoid. I guess when you have a father who deals with mob thugs disguised in BOSS Black suits for a living, you learn to watch your back, no matter how many dipshits tell you you’re a rising star in the organization. Someone is always jealous, or plotting, or just simply taking an order.

  It’s never personal.

  It’s always only business.

  And with my dad at the helm, ready to implement his own plans for expanding the organization, they’ll come for me first. I’ll be their first attempt at sending a message. Thank fuck they didn’t go near my mother or Lily. But that doesn’t mean they’re safe, either.

  In Tony Oriani’s eyes, my dad has cost him a shit ton of cash, and his objective is to make it, not watch it spiral down the toilet. And now he needs a new way to maintain his relevance in the organization since Grandpa won’t be around to protect him. Then there’s his long-lost pal Cappodamo who has a bone to pick with us. Who the hell even knows who’s on my tail right now? Enemies. They’re fucking everywhere.

  The pain slices through me like a dagger shredding my insides. I definitely need a doctor. I unbuckle my belt and try to open the door, but it’s stuck, and if I press my weight against it to open it, I might put myself into traction.

  I squint at the flashing lights coming up behind me. A car pulls off the side of the road, the high beams still blinding me. Doors slam, and my chest tightens. For a few seconds, I think I’m about to get my ass whacked, until I hear a high-pitched voice from outside. Shaye?

  Shaye

  “Max, stop the car!” I shriek. Even with the snow falling, I can see the passenger side of Nico’s Range Rover crumbled like an accordion.

  The car slows and before it’s even come to a full stop, my seat belt is off, and I’m out the door. My Hunter boots pound into the deep snow drifts as I run toward Nico’s car. Smoke is coming from the side smashed against the tree, and my throat constricts when I round the car toward the driver’s side.

  Oh, God, please don’t be dead, please don’t be dead…

  Tears spring to my eyes as I grab the door handle and pull, not knowing what I’m going to find inside. I yank once, twice, but nothing happens. The lock must have gotten damaged in the crash or the frame of the vehicle is bent from the impact. Max appears next to me with a tire iron. Of course, he’d have one on hand. “Watch out, let me try.”

  With one swift tug, he has the door open. My hand flies to my mouth once I see Nico. His face is twisted in agony, but he’s alive. And even though I still want to kill the bastard, I’m so thankful he’s safe.

  “Fuck,” he groans, holding his right side. “Thank God you guys were behind me.”

  “Dude, what the hell happened?” Max peers into the car. “You are so goddamned lucky. You can’t imagine what the other side of the car looks like. Thank God there wasn’t anyone in the passenger’s seat.”

  “If I hadn’t made the turn, the driver’s side would look the same way.”

  “A-are you hurt?” I mumble, swiping at my eyes, cursing myself for showing any modicum of emotion. Even though he crushed me, I’m still in love with him. Not that he deserves it.

  “Yeah,” he growls. “My back is all sorts of fucked up, and I banged my head against the window when that asshole plowed into me. I need to get to a hospital.”

  Blaring sirens appeared from out of nowhere, and I flash a questioning look at Max who grins. “While you were mourning Nico’s car, I made the call. I’m shocked to hell they showed up this fast, especially in this weather.”

  I try to calm my breathing, but I can’t. So many conflicting emotions rumble inside of me, and I’m torn between gratitude and rage. He could have been killed, and here I am, wanting to unleash a toxic tirade against him, the man I’ve obsessed about for the better part of my life.

  An ambulance slows and pulls in front of the car. EMTs jump out, clad in all-weather gear to battle the frigid air. A cop car with obnoxious flashing lights stops next to us. An officer approaches, a suspicious look on his face. “Anyone been drinking?”

  “No, sir,” Nico replies, flinching as he shifts in the seat. The EMTs are working fast to load him onto a gurney, and he lets out a few choice words as they ease him out. “I was making a turn and some asshole crashed into me, then drove away.”

  “Did you get the license plate number?”

  “No, I tried, but…” He lets out another groan. “…the car was going too fast.”

  “What was the make and model?”

  “Don’t know. It was too dark. All black, I think. Big SUV, tinted windows, front and sides.”

  “Ok.” The officer rubs the back of his neck and looks at me and Max. “Were you in the car behind him? Did you see anything?”

  We both shake our heads. “So, what happens next?” I ask. “Are they just going to get away with it? I mean, he could have been killed!” My voice rises, and Max gives me a strange look. I press my lips together to keep any other tells from escaping my big, fat mouth. My eyes follow Nico to the back of the ambulance, where he’s being loaded in. I swallow hard. He shouldn’t be alone…

  “Do you want to go with him?” Max mumbles after the police officer goes back to his car to write up the report. “I’ll wrap things up here and meet you guys at the hospital. Call his parents. too.”

  I nod, nibbling at my chipped thumbnail, trying to appear nonchalant even though I feel like I’m about to crumble on the sidewalk in tears. “I’ll see you there.”

  He gives me another long loo
k and nods toward the ambulance. “Go.”

  I turn and trudge through the snowdrifts just as one of the EMTs is about to close the doors. “You coming with us?”

  “Yes.” I take his hand and climb into the back, collapsing on the bench next to Nico. He’s got a neck brace on, but he’s no longer complaining about the pain. He flashes me a crooked smile and points to his wrist and the IV. “This is the good stuff,” he murmurs.

  Tears pool in my eyes, and I look toward the ceiling of the ambulance to prevent them from falling and dripping all over the guy who has a tighter hold on me than anyone on this planet.

  “Hey,” he whispers. “It’s okay. I’m gonna live.”

  “I know.” I sniff, refusing to look at him.

  He lets out a low chuckle. “I get it now. You’re upset ’cause you’ve been wishing me dead, and it almost happened?”

  My mouth drops open. “You asshole!” I hiss.

  “I know I am.” His tone is sober now, although a little thick, almost like the drugs are taking effect. “I’m sorry. You didn’t deserve it.”

  My eyes shift toward the EMT who is in the back with us, and I silently thank him for pretending not to listen and for focusing on Nico’s chart.

  “We don’t need to talk about this now.” I tuck a strand of hair behind my ear. “Just worry about yourself.”

  “But it’s important, Shaye.” His hand creeps over to mine and squeezes. “I was messed up that night. Really messed up. I never meant to hurt you.”

  “Look, it’s fine. I’m a big girl, Nico.” I peel his hand off mine, feeling piercing stabs to my heart at the loss of his touch.

  “I need you to forgive me,” he mumbles, his eyes drooping closed. “I want you to know…mthat ah loobe woo.”

  My ears perk up, and my eyebrows shoot upward. What the fuck did he just say? Did he…no, it’s impossible. It has to be the drugs. Maybe his tongue is numb. I want to reach out and shake him, but he’s drifting off. The EMT flicks his gaze at me and then back at his clipboard. I must look like some sorry twit right now, but I have to hear him say those words again.

  “Nico?” I whisper-talk.

  “Sss?” His eyes are closed now, but he’s still responsive. Kind of. My heart thumps, drowning out any ability to hear intelligible words, much less those tinged with drugs.

  “What did you just say? I didn’t catch it.”

  “Mmahlubwho.”

  The EMT looks up again. “If he says it one more time, does Beetlejuice show up?”

  Heat singes my cheeks and creeps down my neck. I manage a tiny smile, forgetting about the fact that whatever he said was courtesy of a shitload of drugs. “I hope so. I’ve always loved that movie.”

  Nico

  I open my eyes a crack, shifting on what feels like a bed of some sort. It’s definitely not my Sleep Number, that’s for shit sure. I twist my head to the right and let out a loud yelp. Pain assaults my neck and shoulders, a harsh, burning sensation that feels like I’ve been stabbed repeatedly with a bunch of hot pokers. Not fucking pleasant.

  I squint, my eyes adjusting to the light of what appears to be a hospital room. Everything rushes back — the dinner, the crash, that SUV, Shaye…

  The curtain next to my bed opens and a nurse steps inside my little sectioned-off space in the emergency room. “Nico, you’re finally awake. We were afraid the EMTs doped you up a little too much.” She was on the shorter side and very perky — almost a little too perky. But she had a kind smile, so I grinned back. “I’m thinking it wasn’t enough since turning my head almost made me cry like a bitch.” I cough-groan. “Um, shoot, sorry. I meant like a baby.”

  The nurse…I squint my eyes to read her nametag…Stacy…laughed. “I know, that’s why I rushed in here, sweetie. We have your neck protected, but Doctor Rabi wants to send you in for an X-ray. He’s concerned your spine might be out of alignment from the impact.”

  “Good thing I got hit in the back.”

  Her expression sobers. “If it had been an inch closer to the driver’s side, you’d very likely have been paralyzed from the waist down.”

  “Shiiiiit,” I grumble. I wiggle my toes, almost instinctively. Thank God I can feel them beneath the blanket. “You know, it was a hit and run. Bastard got away.”

  “I believe in karma,” she replied with a wink. “Everybody gets what they’re due.”

  “Yeah…” After what I’d done to Shaye, I’m surprised I’m still breathing on my own.

  “And your sweet girlfriend has been pretty anxious, waiting for you to wake up.” Stacy grins as she takes my blood pressure. “Really pretty, too. I hope you’re good to her.”

  “She’s not my girlfriend. We’re just…friends. I think.”

  Stacy raises an eyebrow. “Is that so? Well, it’s certainly nice to have a friend who hasn’t left your side for all of this time.” She peels off the armband and places it back on the machine. “You’re a very lucky young man, in more ways than one. Now, can I get you anything?”

  I slowly lay my head back onto the pillow. “Drugs. More drugs, please.”

  Stacy laughs. “All in due time. The doctor is going to examine you first, to see if we need to move you to a private room and keep you overnight. But you’re doing well, so you may be able to leave earlier than later.”

  “Okay.” I sigh. “Hey, um, Stacy?”

  “Hm?”

  “Can you ask my, um, girlfriend to come in here?” A half-smile pulls my lips upward. It’s not true, but it feels good to say it.

  “You’ve got it, handsome.” She closes the curtain, leaving me in my cubby of isolation.

  I haven’t given Shaye any reason to be nice to me, to stick around here, or to be any bit concerned about whether I live or die. But somehow, she’s here. And according to the nurse, she cares, too. Maybe more than she should.

  The flimsy blue curtain jostles as Shaye pulls it back, her face pale, her eyes filled with worry. All for me; the dipshit who did something really stupid, and then did something even more fucking stupid.

  “Hey.” She smiles, but I can see her eyes are watery and hear the quiver in her voice.

  “Thanks for being here.” I pat the side of the bed. “Come here.”

  “I’d rather stand.” She peers into the hallway behind her. “Besides, your dad will be here soon.”

  “Thanks for making the call. I appreciate it.”

  “I didn’t think they’d want to hear the news from the cops. Coming from me was a little better, I guess.” She twisted a lock of hair around a finger, her eyes still wandering, focusing on everything in the space except my face. And I am desperate to see those eyes, to see what Stacy saw, even though I know in my heart what’s there.

  My dad. I need to warn him. Dammit. This whole thing can go sideways so fast; he has to hear everything. I pick at a loose thread on the blanket. “Shaye.”

  “Yeah?” She still won’t look at me, and it’s making me crazy. I want to feel her next to me, her breath against my face. But she won’t come near me. Self-preservation, I suppose.

  “Please look at me.”

  Her eyes want to, I can tell. But she’s fighting against the urge. She knows the impossibility of it all, knows there’s no future. Rather, she thinks she does.

  “Shaye, you have to believe that I never wanted to hurt you.”

  That gets her attention. Her eyes flash with anger. Good, now we’re getting somewhere. I want to see her feel, yell, and scream. It at least proves she cares. If she was completely ambivalent…well, I probably wouldn’t be in love with her in the first place.

  “You know what, Nico? Fuck you. You treated me like shit the other night, and you hurt me so badly. After all this time…we were supposed to be friends. You were…” She pauses, her head shaking from side to side. “You know what? I was right about you, about all of it. You’re a self-centered asshole who only cares about getting off. You don’t care about anyone or anything else.”

  Ouch. That stings. “Di
d you ever think there might be a reason why I did what I did?”

  “Um, yeah, because you’re a complete dickhead!”

  “No.” I let out a sigh. “Look, I admit, sleeping together was the wrong thing to do.” Her face falls, despite the venom in her voice. “Don’t give me that look, Shaye. You’re killing me right now. Just let me finish. It’s not because it wasn’t good. It was fucking amazing. You giving yourself to me like that…I’ve never felt anything like it before.” This next part is gonna be hard to swallow, for both of us. “But there’s a big problem.”

  “Max,” she whispers.

  “And your dad. And my dad. Our lives, Shaye. When we kissed that night before you left for school, it was torture for me. I knew what I wanted and that I couldn’t have it. And after the other night?” I can’t help the grin from spreading across my face. “Mind-blowing.”

  A deep pink flush inches up her neck, spreading across her cheeks. “It was,” she whispers.

  “Come here.” I watch, seeing the conflict of emotions within her. But she steps closer to the bed, leaning toward me. And my heart lurches as her face lowers to mine. “Kiss me,” I whisper, pressing my luck. I know at any second someone might walk in here, see her in this position, and shoot me in the fucking head. But it’s a bullet I’d gladly take.

  I’m finally clear on what I want. I want all of her, and I just don’t know how to keep what we have once I’ve claimed her.

  I’ll worry about that later. Right now, I want to taste those plump, delicious lips. They graze mine, soft and demanding at the same time. Just like Shaye. It’s a perfect combination, one I need in my life.

  She pulls away, panic settling over her delicate features. “Oh my God,” she murmurs, jumping backward. With a quick glance over her shoulder, she relaxes her shoulders and lets out a deep breath. “Nico, we could have been so screwed if one of our family members walked in right then.”