Twisted City: (Twisted City Book 1)

by Rebekah Vasick

  “Let them go,” a man with a bald head growls.

  As my sight comes into focus, I’m staring down the barrel of his gun.

  The world speeds up, and I hyperventilate.

  Angelo releases my hand to hold his palms up.

  “Drop the gun,” the man orders.

  Angelo’s gun lands with a thud.

  “Leave them out of this,” Angelo begs.

  A cruel grin twists on the man’s face. “You know I can’t do that. Not after what you did.”

  Angelo continues to speak in Italian.

  The man’s laughter is merciless. When he penetrates his cold glare on me, icy tendrils slither around my spine, encasing my entire body in ice. He continues to converse in Italian, but it’s evident that the man doesn’t want to kill Angelo, but me.

  “Eva, stay behind me,” Angelo instructs.

  “Oh, you don’t think I wouldn’t hesitate to kill you first?” the man scoffs, focusing back on Angelo.

  I hide behind Angelo and hear someone sobbing. Then I realize it’s me. I bury my face into my hands as I wait for our demise.

  Another gun fires. I open my mouth to scream, yet it’s lodged in my throat. I wait for Angelo’s body to slump to the floor.

  “Are we making a habit out of this?” a gruff voice says.

  Angelo laughs, though it sounds strained. “Yeah, you aren’t kidding.”

  My mind can’t comprehend why I’m hearing his voice until a pair of warm arms envelope me. The scent I’ve grown to love almost as much as the man himself imbues my nostrils.

  “Angel,” he whispers, nuzzling into my hair.

  His body quivers just as hard as mine. He releases me, only to cup my face in his hands. My eyes flicker open, where I stare into his ocean pools that now emit fear, a fear I’ve never seen in him before. He kisses me, full on the lips, and draws me back into his embrace.

  “What happened?” my small voice ventures, though Angelo remains silent.

  “Here, boss,” the gruff voice says.

  Angelo releases me and turns, allowing me to see Vinnie standing before us, offering a gun.

  “Thanks, Vinnie,” Angelo says, accepting it.

  “Get them out of here,” he says, glancing at me and Lily before focusing back to Angelo.

  “Where’s Don Bellini?” Angelo asks.

  “Safe. Now go,” he orders.

  Angelo clasps my hand and pulls me onward. I grip tighter to Lily in fear of leaving her behind. We run to Angelo’s car and only then does he release my hand. I yank the door open, allowing Lily to jump in the back before I climb into the front seat. The engine roars before I even have a chance to close the door. The tires squeal, kicking up gravel as he peels away.

  Angelo stops the Shelby by the side of the road beside a row of dense fir trees. He kills the engine and rests his head against the steering wheel. My body quivers and my teeth chatter, though I do nothing to stop it.

  The image of the man with the gun pointing at us is forever imprinted on my mind. Though I always knew Angelo’s profession, I played ignorance to it and pretended he was a nightclub owner, not a capo in the mafia.

  And now that image is shattered.

  My head and my heart are having a battle. My head is screaming for me to leave and never speak to him again, but my heart is reluctant to give him up.

  “What the hell happened?!” Lily screams. “Who were those people? Why were they trying to kill you?”

  Angelo sits back up and runs his hand over his face. “Lily,” he says calmly. “I need a minute, okay?”

  “Yeah,” she whispers. “I’m sorry.”

  I glance over my shoulder and see she has her head in her hands, shaking just as hard as I am.

  As I turn back, I notice Angelo gazing at me, wearing a forlorn expression.

  “Are you okay?” he asks.

  No, I’m terrified!

  I tighten my jaw and nod.

  “I’m so sorry,” he says. “I never wanted you to see this.” He twists in his seat and glances over his shoulder. “What about you, Lily?”

  Her voice shudders. “Yeah, I’m good. What about you?”

  “I’ll be fine. It’s all in a day’s work for me. I’m just worried about you two.”

  “What happened? Who were they?” Lily asks.

  “Fuccillos. They’re after Don Bellini.”

  “Why?”

  One corner of his mouth hitches up as he chuckles. “Seriously, Lily? How long have you known us?”

  “Oh, right. Mafia.”

  I furrow my brow. “I don’t get it.”

  Sadness emanates from his ocean pools as he gazes at me. “Eva, I really don’t want you involved in this,” he says softly.

  My hands find comfort in one another in my lap.

  “I kind of am, aren’t I?” I remind him.

  Maybe I wasn’t yesterday, but now? Now I am. Now I’m so involved in it that a man who I didn’t know from Adam was willing to kill me without a thought.

  Angelo sighs heavily and says something in Italian. “The Fuccillos are enemies of the Bellini family. They’re always trying to kill him and that’s why he’s always with his bodyguards. But they’ve never come to his home before.”

  “Is Don Bellini okay?” Lily asks.

  “Vinnie said he was.”

  “What about that guy who wanted to kill us. Who was he?” she prods

  Angelo lowers his head but looks at me through his lashes. The anguish pours from him and I wish I could gather him in my arms and kiss it away.

  “He, uh…” He sighs heavily, allowing his eyes to slide closed. “He thought I crossed him and wanted revenge.”

  Is that why he wanted to kill me? To get revenge on Angelo?

  Angelo glances over his shoulder. “Lily, I know you want answers, but I can’t give them to you, not yet. Give me some time and if you still want to know, we’ll talk, okay?”

  “Yeah,” she whispers.

  “I’ll take you girls home. Take all the time you need. Laura and Jane can cover for you.”

  “Thank you, Angelo,” Lily says.

  As he starts the engine and continues our journey, everything hits me, hard, and I gasp.

  The men Angelo killed, the man with the gun trained on Angelo, on me, he said he wouldn’t hesitate to kill him first. My head spins and my stomach threatens to vomit. I glance sideways towards Angelo and find him focused on the road ahead.

  I could have lost him tonight. My heart hammers against my chest. What if I lose him? What would I do? How would I survive? I never thought this far ahead, but the truth remains, he’s in the mafia and is risking his life. His father was shot. Could it be for the same reasons? For protecting his Don?

  A fresh coat of tears obscures my vision.

  The warmth of Angelo’s hand gathers mine and laces our fingers together. He rubs my hand with his thumb.

  I wish we were alone so I could hug him and tell him I love him. What if this is my last chance?

  The remainder of the ride is quiet. After dropping Lily back home, Angelo continues to my apartment. The car idles outside my building, and yet, neither me nor Angelo move or say a word.

  He rubs at his chin with his fingertips, while I wait for his command.

  “Eva,” he begins, glancing towards me. “I’m so sorry.”

  I reach for his hand, resting on his thigh. My fingertips dance over his skin. He turns his hand, palm up, and allows me to lace our fingers together. As always, his hand feels warm in mine.

  “There’s nothing to apologize for,” I say, fluttering my eyes to meet his. “You kept your promise and protected me.”

  One corner of his mouth curves, but the sorrow continues to emanate from his eyes. He leans closer, brushing my hair from my face and tucks it behind my ear. “Even so, I never wanted you to see anything like that,” he sighs.

  The hummingbird flutters around her cage.

  “It’s wrong for me to involve you in my life. And yet, I ca
n’t see my life without…” He turns his face from me.

  “You can’t see your life without what?” I wonder aloud.

  Was he really about to say what I think he was about to say? No, he couldn’t have been. He’s dating Alice. My only place in his life is as an employee at his club, and possibly as a friend.

  He sighs. “I’m not a good person, Eva. I’m selfish and dangerous. My job is filled with risks, but those risks only involved me. Now I’m putting you in danger for my own needs.”

  My hand flutters towards him, delicately caressing his chin and encouraging him to look at me. Sorrow weeps from his ocean-blue pools. I cup his cheek in my hand and he closes his eyes, leaning into my touch like it’s a reflex reaction.

  “How can I keep you safe?” he asks.

  “You do keep me safe.”

  He cups my hand in his, drawing it from his cheek. He kisses my palm and lowers his gaze.

  “Did I?” he asks before gazing at me through his lashes. “That man wanted to kill you. You do realize that, right?”

  I nod.

  “Do you know why?”

  As I chew on my lip, I furrow my brow. “Because I was there?”

  “Lily was there too, but he was after you.”

  A ball of ice shatters through my chest and my breathing heightens. “Why?”

  “Because…” He sighs. “Because he saw something…”

  “Saw what? I don’t understand.”

  He cups his hands around my face, drawing me closer. As our noses touch, our gazes lock. The hummingbird flutters around her cage.

  “I almost lost you tonight,” he whispers.

  I can’t take it anymore. I need to be closer to him.

  I clasp his wrists, easing his hands from me, before wrapping my arms around his neck and pulling him close, or as close as we can get with the console in the way. I nuzzle into the collar of his suit jacket.

  I love you, more than anything in this world.

  He nuzzles into my hair and whispers something in Italian. I hear my name at the end, but I’d need a translator for the rest.

  I can’t tell how long we stay there wrapped in each other’s embrace before he finally speaks again. “Let me walk you to your door,” he whispers.

  I didn’t deem it necessary to tell Alice about that night. Thankfully, she wasn’t in when I returned home. I invited Angelo in, but he refused, saying he needed some time to think and would call me. I honored his request and have been waiting for his call ever since.

  Thursdays have become my favorite day of the week. Every second Thursday is payday, so it doesn’t surprise me when I receive a phone call from Patsy, asking if I'd like to accompany her to the movies. I needed to talk to someone, or at least leave my apartment, so I accepted her invitation and agreed to meet at the luxurious theater, the one with a wide variety of movies, instead of the dollar theater with only two.

  After planning to meet at the movie theater at twelve, I dress in jeans and my favorite midnight blue hoodie. I delve into the depths of my wardrobe in search of my winter coat.

  As I draw it out of solitary confinement, I bring it to my nose and inhale deeply. The smell of laundry detergent remains on the coat instead of the musky smell that saturated it a few weeks ago.

  I tie my hair back and check my appearance in my full-length mirror. Just as I expected. I resemble a toasted marshmallow. No wonder I never wear this coat to work.

  The intercom buzzes; my taxi’s here.

  I abandon the mirror and gather my bag and winter accessories and put them on as I skip down the stairs to brave the winter chill.

  Outside the theater, I find Patsy dressed in her mauve coat, with a cream scarf wrapped around her face. She wears a matching wool hat, pulled down low, allowing only her dark eyes to peer out.

  Once I exit the taxi, I mirror her image as I yank my scarf up to cover my nose. It's freezing today.

  Patsy bounces from one foot to the other, while keeping her hands inside the sleeves of her coat.

  “Hey, Eva.” Her voice appears muffled.

  My voice sounds just as distorted as I greet her.

  “Let's get inside before we freeze to death,” she says, turning on her heel and scuttling inside the building, with me on her heels.

  The large room, decked with crimson carpet, the beige walls house large posters of movies, remains calm with only a scattering of customers milling around as they buy tickets and refreshments. I suppose it's quiet because it’s lunchtime on a Thursday. Not that I mind, of course, I prefer the tranquility of the place rather than the bustling scene it will create tonight.

  The warm air penetrates my scarf, and I release a grateful sigh. I liberate myself from my accessories, yet leave my coat on, unzipped.

  As I turn to face Patsy, she resembles a strawberry under her winter accessories. How long was she waiting in the cold for me?

  “What are you in the mood for?” I ask her.

  She tucks her hair behind her ears as she scans the room for the information board, which she finds parked next to the ticket booth.

  “Honestly, I hadn't thought about that. Let's see what’s playing,” she says.

  We amble over to the board to discover an orderly arrangement of posters above the list of movies.

  “How about action or comedy?” Patsy suggests.

  “I could do either,” I tell her.

  As we stand before the board, debating between an action or comedy, somehow, our conversation shifts to John.

  “He was so excited about the other night,” she gushes.

  I abandon the posters and give her a questioning look, though her eyes remain fixed on the posters.

  “About what?” I prod.

  “Well, first of all spending the evening with you, and then because you hugged him the way you did.”

  She taps her finger against her lips as she continues to scrutinize each poster.

  She looks at me, wearing a wide smile, revealing a set of white teeth. “Then you held his hand,” she gushes, cupping her hands together to rest over her heart. “You made his night.”

  “How about The Final Count?” I ask, focusing on the posters once again. “I hear it's a great action movie.”

  A little sigh escapes her lips from my reluctance to reveal my romantic intentions to her.

  “Yeah, we could watch that. I've seen a few trailers for it,” she mutters.

  I glance sideways at her and release a relieved sigh that she's back to her normal self.

  Since the horrifying night at Don Bellini’s, I’ve thought about John. He doesn’t compare to Angelo in looks or even personality. My heart doesn’t flutter around my chest when I’m near him, nor do I find myself lost within his gaze when he looks at me. But he’s a normal guy with a normal job. Not only is he available, he’s safe. I wouldn’t need him protecting me because he wouldn’t put me in danger. But I have yet to decide if I trust him enough to go further than friendship.

  Despite the dangers, I feel safe with Angelo and have since the very beginning. I can’t say for sure if I feel the same about John, especially after his stunt at the club.

  After purchasing our tickets and refreshments, we find our screen and seats and munch on popcorn.

  “Have you noticed how everyone eats their popcorn before the movie even begins, and by the time the trailers are over, you’re all out?” I muse.

  “I know. The trailers go on forever. I think it's so you'll buy more popcorn,” she chuckles mirthlessly.

  A variety of guests meander into the dimly lit room, capturing my attention. Whenever Alice and I go out together, we watch couples or groups of people and create conversations for them to amuse ourselves while we wait for the film to begin. Patsy doesn't share the same sense of humor. However, this doesn't stop me from silently creating conversations for them.

  Once everyone has found their seats, the trailers begin, darkening the room further.

  I look past Patsy to notice our row is empty, except
for a couple seated to my far right. As I observe them, my body becomes limp and heavy. Though I wish to turn away, I find I'm paralyzed, unable to avert my gaze from the unfolding scene before me.

  The blonde woman laughs at an unheard joke, covering her mouth, causing the raven-haired man to grasp her hand within his, exposing her mouth to rest his lips on hers. As he retracts from her, their gazes lock. The love they expel for each other radiates around them. With a tender hand, he caresses the side of her face. Her eyes flutter closed as she leans into his touch. He envelopes her into his arms before kissing her once again.

  “Hey, isn't that Alice over there?” Patsy asks.

  I refuse to answer her.

  A stone materializes in my stomach as the acrid taste forms in my mouth. The hummingbird broke free from her cage and flew far away. I doubt she will ever return.

  “Who's the hunk she's with?” Patsy continues.

  “Who do you think?” I ask in a dry voice.

  I glance sideways towards Patsy to observe her squinting as she scrutinizes the couple.

  Once she acknowledges them, her eyes widen. “It's Angelo,” she says. “Wow, she's lucky, isn't she? How did she manage to tie him down?”

  I watch my hands that comfort one another. The sudden nausea penetrates my stomach and I grasp my cup, taking sips from the straw until the nausea dissipates.

  I can’t deceive myself anymore or hold on to that glimmer of hope that I was mistaken, and Alice never dated Angelo. Here they are, in full view, expressing their love for one another right in front of me. Maybe his speech about wanting to protect me had nothing to do with his dangerous lifestyle. It was his way of choosing Alice over me.

  I’m transported back to the night at Don Bellini’s mansion. After Vinnie shot the man who was aiming his gun at us, Angelo had kissed me. And it hadn’t been a little brush of the lips either. I’d felt his tongue probing at my lips, though I’d been too shocked to allow him entrance.

  Yes, I need to move on from Angelo. And fast. He’d kissed me that night, and now here he is kissing Alice like that never happened.