by L. M. Heidle
Tray stood in the doorway watching as I crawled under the covers. “Are you sure you’re going to be okay in here? I can stay.”
“No, I’m fine. Go spend time with your family. I know they miss you.”
“Alright, sweet dreams, angel.” As soon as the door closed, I ran over and locked it. I took a deep, cleansing breath before hitting call on Lucas’ number.
It rang twice before he picked up, “Hey, Lex! I was just thinking about you. How you doing?”
“I don’t know, Playboy, how do you think I’m doing?” I said his nickname on a sneer.
“Lex, what’s going on? What’s wrong?”
“I’m going to ask you this one time, Lucas Anthony Hernandez. Did you join a gang? Don’t even think about lying to me, or I will hunt you down. Or show embarrassing pictures of you to everyone you know.” Wow, I was clearly not on my game if I thought that threat would scare him.
“Embarrassing pictures? Don’t be so harsh!” he laughed.
“Stop laughing and ANSWER. THE. DAMN. QUESTION.”
He hesitantly said, “Lex...”
I screamed, “WHAT THE HELL, LUCAS? When did this happen?”
“When I turned eighteen.”
“Are you kidding me? What the hell were you thinking? What happened to your dream of making a better life for yourself?” If anyone saw me right now, they’d think I was crazy. I was pacing while talking with my hand that wasn’t holding the phone. “I thought you were only working at the garage to save money for college.”
“Life happened.”
“Life happened? That’s all you’ve got? Life happened? Really?”
“Yeah, Lex, life happened.”
“Why, Lucas? Why would you do this?” My voice cracked, and tears started to spill over.
“When Trip went to prison and you moved in with your uncle, I was lost. The two people I cared about most were gone.”
“Stop right there,” I demanded. “Lucas, I was NOT gone. You’re the one who pulled away. I called you almost every day.”
“I know you did, but it wasn’t enough. I missed you so much, Lex.”
“I missed you, too,” I whispered. “Why did you have to turn to them, though?”
“I grew up with most of these guys. It just seemed like the next logical step for my life.”
“The next logical step? Do you hear yourself? Do hear how insane that sounds?” I screeched.
“Alexandria, stop. What’s done is done. What I want to know is how you found out?”
I gulped, uh oh. “How I found out doesn’t matter,” I weakly replied. “Why wouldn’t you come to me, Luc? Why have you hidden it all these years?”
“I didn’t want you to know. I knew you would try to stop me, but this is my life, Lex. I was probably always going to end up here. I’m the product of a drug addict and a sperm donor who most likely was a drug addict, too. I didn’t have the perfect life like you.”
“Perfect life? You’ve got to be kidding me with that crap. My family was torn apart when I was sixteen. You call that perfect?”
“No, you know that’s not what I meant. Before that you did, and even after you had someone to lean on. I always knew I’d get left behind. Trip was going to play ball somewhere, and you were going to college. What hope was there for me? I barely graduated high school.”
“Stop it dammit! There is so much more to you than this.”
“Sorry to disappoint,” he snapped. “But this is who I am now.” I closed my eyes as I physically felt my heart break. My life felt like it was spinning out of control. “Now tell me how you figured it out.”
“It doesn’t matter,” I stubbornly snapped back.
“The hell it doesn’t.” Click. Well, hello dial tone.
What was wrong with the men in my life? My brother pushed me out of his life. The guy I grew up with had lied to me for years and joined a gang. The guy I was in lo . . . liked was in the mafia, well related to it. Whatever! At this point, it was the same thing. This had to be some joke. Someone was going to jump out and yell ‘Gotcha’ at any moment because this crap couldn’t be real.
I decided maybe I did need that nap after all, but of course, sleep didn’t come. I kept thinking about how stupid I’d been. I knew Austin had a gang named the Diablos. How had I never put two and two together? Suddenly several things fit into place. Lucas flipping out about my brother working at the garage, the distance between Luc and me, and how cagey he got when I asked about what was going on in his life.
How could I have let this happened? I failed him. I was so lost in my own grief I didn’t see what was happening right before my eyes. I never really thought about the fact that he lost everything, too. He practically lived at our house from the moment my brother met him. I tried to call him again, but he didn’t pick up, not that I really expected him to, so I settled for a text instead.
Me: I’m sorry, Luc. I didn’t realize how bad you were hurting. You lost just as much as I did that night, maybe more. No matter what you’ll ALWAYS be a part of my life. I love you.
By the time I hit send I couldn’t see through the tears that were pouring down my face. I crawled into bed with my phone clutched to my chest, hoping he would call.
I jerked upright when my phone blared Waking Up the Devil by Hinder. The clock on the nightstand showed I’d been asleep for an hour which shocked me. I was surprised I got any sleep after the morning I’d had. My phone stopped ringing before I could answer it but immediately started ringing again.
“Hello,” I croaked out.
“WHAT THE HELL DO YOU THINK YOU’RE DOING TALKING TO TRAYTON RUSSO?!?!” I had to pull my phone away from my ear before he busted an eardrum.
“Damn, could you not cause me hearing loss please?”
“This is not the time for your mouth. Where are you? We need to talk, and we need to talk now.”
I winced. “There might be a small problem with that.”
“And what would that problem be?”
“I’m in New York.” I pulled the phone away thinking he was going to yell again, but he said nothing. When he finally did speak it was deathly calm and way scarier than him yelling.
“I know you did not just say that you were in New York.”
“I may have, why? What’s the big deal?” I was hoping I could play innocent here. I sucked at it normally, but since we weren’t face to face, it might work.
“Don’t even act like it’s no big deal that you just flew off with a guy you barely know, who is incredibly dangerous.” Yep, didn’t work.
“I know more than you think I know,” I muttered. I slammed my hand over my mouth. Oh crap. That was so not supposed to come out.
“What did you just say?”
Thankfully someone knocked on my door. “I’m sorry, but I have to answer the door. I’ll call you later.” Like years later.
“Don’t you dare hang up this phone, Alexandria Rose.” Oops, finger slip. I hate when that happens.
I opened the door to see a very unhappy Trayton. I rolled my eyes skyward. Crap. This day keeps getting better and better. “I see you found your phone.” Double crap.
“Ah yeah, yup got my phone. What can I help you with?”
“Who were you just talking to?”
I latched onto the door as the room started spinning. I think I was having a panic attack. What to do, what to do? I’m not good under pressure, and this definitely counts as under pressure. Do I tell Tray about talking with Luc or does that go against some mafia/gang rule? “What do you mean who was I talking to? Maybe you need to get your ears checked because I wasn’t talking to anyone.” I nervously laughed. “Why, did you hear something, because I didn’t hear anything? We should probably get you to the doctor.” Hello word vomit, oh how I’ve missed you. It always happens when I’m nervous, which totally proves I’m not good under pressure. Thank heavens my vomit was cut off by my ringing phone. I looked down and saw Lucas’ number, scratch that thank heavens. I hit ignore as fast as I could
, but it just rang again.
Before I could silence it, Tray grabbed it and saw the caller id. “You called him?”
I whispered, “I had to know.”
“Believe me now?” I didn’t answer because he already knew what I’d say. I made a grab for the phone when it started ringing again, but he stepped out of my reach. “Oh no you don’t.” He put the phone up to his ear and answered, “Hey, Playboy.” I could hear the expletives from here. “Yes, I’m the one that told her. No, I will not leave her alone.” He pulled the phone away from his ear with a grin. “It’s for you, dear.”
I glared at him then answered the call, “Luc?”
“What the hell is going on? Why is he answering your phone? Are you safe? You need to get away from them and home pronto. Your brother is going to kill me. He asked me to watch out for you, and where do you end up? With the mafia, that’s where, and not just any member. Oh no, you couldn’t do that now, could you? No, you had to get cozy with the boss’ nephew!” I heard shattering glass through the line as he threw something against a wall I presumed. “I don’t know if I can get you out of there. Dammit, Alex!”
“Calm down, Luc.” Tray reached for the phone, but I hustled to the other side of the bed. “I’m fine. There’s nothing wrong. Tray and I are dating.”
“Over my dead body! You end it with him now. I mean it, Alex. I want you on the first flight back. I’m not asking you, I’m telling you. If you don’t get back here now, I’m coming for you. You are in way over your head, Lex. You can’t just casually date someone like him.”
“I know that.”
“Good, so do you want me to book your flight or are you going to?”
“I’m not flying anywhere.” I didn’t even notice Trayton had inched toward me until my phone was gone again. “Damn.”
TRAYTON
“Listen to me, Alexandria Rose, you WILL end this, and you WILL be home tonight. I’m not playing around.” The harsh tone of his voice left no room for argument, for her. “Tu vas a ser la muerte de mi.” (Your gonna be the death of me.)
I, on the other hand, had no problem shutting him down. I’d heard and lived through worse. Nothing he could say to me would have me cowering in fear like one of his pathetic foot soldiers.
“No, actually she won’t.” Taunting him wasn’t the best idea considering my uncle had already warned me about my temper, but nobody would speak to her like that.
“Put her back on the phone, pinchaezo,” he sneered.
“Not happening. You have a problem with me, you deal with me. Not her.”
“Listen, Russo, she’s beautiful I get it, but she’s not a one and done type of girl.”
“I know that,” I growled. Anyone who met Alex knew she was so much more than that.
“Good, then break this off and send her home NOW.” I didn’t care who this guy was affiliated with, he was pissing me off. Did he not know who he was talking to? Nobody spoke to a Russo like this.
“No.” My right hand clenched and unclenched as my aggression grew. I knew I was scaring Alex. She was staring at my hand and slowly edging away. My hatred for Playboy grew with every beat of my heart. This wasn’t who I wanted Alex to see. This wasn’t who I was, not anymore. It wasn’t who I wanted to be. I closed my eyes as I tried to focus on anything to get myself under control. Mostly I focused on Alex and the fact that I’d fallen for her.
I could feel his anger through the phone as he gritted out, “Excuse me?”
“You heard me, stronzo. You can’t tell me something I already know. She’s too good for me, but you better believe I’m not walking away.”
“You’re crazy if you think I’m going to let someone like you into her life, Italiano.”
“Someone like me? Do you hear yourself?” I spit out. “I can’t be in her life, but it’s okay for you?”
“I’ve known her a long time.”
“You mean you’ve wanted her a long time.”
Alex apparently wasn’t scared of me anymore because she smacked me in the chest. “Trayton, that’s enough.”
“Sorry to break it to you, amigo, but your time has passed.” I turned my back on her as she crossed her arms and her foot started tapping. I knew I’d have a hell of a fight on my hands with her, but there was no way this perdente would get between us. “I’m with her now, and nothing you do or say is going to change that.”
“My relationship with her is none of your concern. Unlike you, I care enough about her to shield her from this life.”
I was just about to rip him a new one when the phone was yanked from my hand. For a minute I was stunned that Alex could pry it out of the death grip I had on it until I realized it was Uncle Vito who had her phone. I blanched a little when I saw his face. There were not many men I was afraid of. My father didn’t even scare me, but my uncle was a different story. It was always the ones who could control their temper that you had to watch out for. Having complete control over your emotions is a dangerous thing.
“I presume this is Playboy.” Whatever Playboy replied didn’t make my uncle happy. “I think you’d better watch what you’re saying, young man.”
Alex and I were speechless as we watched my uncle handle Playboy. By the end of the conversation, my uncle’s demeanor had gone from hard and cold to relaxed and somewhat friendly, which meant Playboy had backed down.
Without a word, my uncle handed Alex her phone. “He seems like a nice young man, a little hot-tempered, but nice. I’m sorry to cut your visit short, but you’ll be going home tonight.”
Alex mumbled, “Uh sure. Let me pack.” She started toward her suitcase, but I grabbed her arm to stop her.
I let go of her arm as I squared my shoulders. “She’s not going anywhere.”
My uncle rubbed his thumb up and down his trigger finger. The only tell my uncle had that he was getting angry. “Enough.” One word. All he had to say was one word to make his intentions clear. The decision had been made, and whatever the boss said was law.
Fine, that’s how he wanted to do this? I’d play the game. “Alex, pack.” I didn’t mean for my voice to come out distant and cold, but it did. This was what I did best, detach myself from the situation. I pulled her to me, kissing her on the forehead before stating, “We’ll leave in an hour.”
“Tray...” Whatever she saw on my face had her shutting her mouth and moving to pack.
I followed my uncle out of her room, and the only thing that stopped me from slamming the door was Alex. I knew she was already freaked out, I didn’t want to add to it.
Lucky for me, though, I could slam his office door so hard pictures fell off the wall and she’d never hear it. With his back turned while he poured himself a glass of scotch he asked, “Feel better?”
I bypassed his question with one of my own. “Since when do we back down to a bunch of gangbanger wannabes? Does the Russo name mean nothing to you anymore?”
He swung around faster than I thought he could, launching the tumbler full of scotch slightly to the left of my head. “Watch yourself. Family or not you won’t disrespect me like that.” He was right. If anyone else spoke to him like that, there would be serious repercussions, and being family only got me so much leeway. “You will do as your told. The girl goes home tonight.”
ALEX
Trayton barely said goodbye to his stepmom and cousin when we left the house, and forget his uncle. He didn’t even look in his direction. I felt horrible that he was cutting his trip short because I knew how badly they wanted to see him. I tried to get him to stay, but all that got me was a frown and a firm “No.”
The further and further we drove from the house the darker his mood got. By the time we made it to the airport his anger was rolling off him in waves. After the third kid, he scared I dragged him to an empty terminal and put my hand on my hips as I stared him down.
“Stop it, Trayton. You want to pout like a two-year-old—be my guest, but quit staring at everyone like they ran over your puppy. I’m pretty sure you’re
the reason that kid is crying.” I pointed to my left where a young mother was holding a screaming child. “If this is about your vacation getting cut short get over it. I told you to stay, but you wouldn’t listen. I get that you’re upset with me...” My words were cut off by his lips.
He kept the kiss innocent, only a few pecks, but even that had me lightheaded. “Alex, I’m not mad at you, I’m mad at the situation. We’re going home because of who my family is. None of this is your fault.” He wrapped his arm around my shoulders, bringing me in for another kiss before leading me to our terminal. The rest of the time at the airport and on the plane he brooded, but he’d dialed it back a few notches.
We were at baggage claim when I heard Tray. “He’s got some nerve.” He growled, yes growled.
“What’s wrong with you now?”
“Hey, Lexy Mexy.” And the growling makes sense. I turned to see Lucas grinning from ear to ear holding one of my bags. Lucas may be grinning, but Trayton was on the far end of that spectrum. I wouldn’t go so far as to say he was hostile, but he was steadily working his way there.
“What are you doing here?” Tray gritted out.
“I’m here to take her home. There're some shady people walking around.” He looked pointedly at Tray. Lucas smirked when Trayton’s jaw twitched because he knew he was getting to him. Anyone with within 100 yards could tell he was pissing Tray off and loving every second of it. Ignoring the man with steam about to come out of his ears, Lucas pulled me into his arms. “How was your flight?”
I smacked his chest hard before hugging him back. “Don’t you dare act like everything is fine, mister. We have a LOT to talk about.”
He dropped his arms as he sighed. “I know. That’s why I’m here.” He picked up another one of my bags before wrapping his arm around me, “So let’s get out of here.”
“Not so fast.” Trayton put his arm around my shoulder, pulling me behind him. “She’s not going anywhere with you.”