Ties That Bind Us

by Nicole Knight

  “She looks like a cupcake.” Bella laughed, sipping her champagne.

  “I think the dress weighs as much as you.” Angie smiled from her perch on the side of the couch.

  “Oh, stop, you two.” My mom glared at my sisters. “I think it’s perfect. You look like an angel.”

  I held some of the fabric up from the skirt. “You don’t think it’s a little . . . big?”

  Bella and Angie dissolved into giggles. “Mom, it’s ginormous and Ava is trying to be nice, but she thinks it looks hideous.” Bella stood up and started to look through a row of dresses. She stopped at one, pulling it out and putting it against her body. “How about this one?”

  The dress was incredibly sheer, skintight, and a little too skimpy for my liking. Bella’s smirk suggested she was just trying to get a rise out of my mother.

  “Isabella!” she scolded, shaking her head.

  “How about something in between Princess Diana and a stripper?” Angie said, rolling her eyes. “Try the one I picked out.”

  “Let’s get you out of this and try something a little simpler.” The consultant smiled, turning back to the dressing room.

  All of a sudden, the sound of glass shattering rang through the store. I wasn’t well versed in my dad’s business, but I knew enough to recognize the sound of bullets and screeching tires. The front windows had been riddled with bullets from somewhere outside. Screams filled the air and people flew to the floor, looking for cover and protection. Just a few seconds later, everything was still and quiet again, and the chaos was over as quickly as it had begun.

  I propped myself up a little bit, desperately searching for my mom and sisters. It took a moment to notice the crimson now staining the once-white dress. Had I been shot? The unmistakable smell of gun smoke was in the air.

  “Ava!” I heard someone say my name but I couldn’t tell the direction it was coming from. My arm started to tingle and my vision got spotty.

  I sucked in a sharp breath before slumping over to the side as everything turned black.

  Chapter 23

  Nick

  I took a swig from the coffee cup sitting in front of me. We had been sitting here long enough that it had long gone cold, and our waitress was nowhere to be found.

  My dad met Leo and me for breakfast for our standing Saturday morning meeting. As long as I could remember, we’d used this meeting as a catch-up, but in light of recent developments, we had business to attend to.

  “Vince didn’t have any idea what Alessandro was planning, but he said we should be on the lookout.” I rubbed my forehead.

  “Well, that’s not all.” Leo shifted his weight, frowning. “He met with Asnikov last week and didn’t mention it. He’s definitely up to something.”

  “Why the fuck is he meeting with the Russians and not telling us?” I growled. Alessandro was turning out to be quite a problem. If his own son was willing to give us information, I was worried about how bad it could really get.

  My dad furrowed his brow. Until now, he had been silent, taking everything Leo and I were saying in. “Is it possible Ava is involved?”

  “What?” I spat. “Of course she’s not involved.”

  “Easy, Nick.” My dad held his hand out. “You know I had to ask. You know her better than anyone, so I trust your judgment. I just don’t want us to get involved in any of Alessandro’s bullshit if we can help it.”

  I gritted my teeth, not at all liking what my dad was insinuating. There was not a chance in the world Ava was involved with whatever her father was planning. She couldn’t stand him, and there was no way she would help him hurt us.

  “Maybe he’s trying to use the Russians against us. He’s always wanted control of our group, and maybe he thinks if he blinds us with this bullshit arrangement he came up with, we’ll fight with the Russians to the death. Then we’d have no choice but to merge under any terms he wanted,” Leo suggested, scratching his chin. I could see the wheels turning in his mind as he tried to make sense of it all. It was no use, though. I had been trying all night, so much so that I hadn’t slept a wink, and couldn’t figure out what Alessandro was up to.

  “If he wanted control, why would he hand Ava over to be in the cross fire?” my dad asked, just as mystified as any of us. He wasn’t used to being in the dark about things, and was struggling to find the solution.

  “He couldn’t care less about Ava. We should have realized that the second he didn’t tell her about the arrangement before we met,” I snarled, still sore about the memory. Alessandro was a fucking coward, and if I wasn’t marrying his daughter, I would have offed him already.

  “I say we confront him about it. Vince wouldn’t just put the bug in your ear for nothing,” Leo interjected.

  “I agree. Something is definitely up, and I won’t have Ava hurt in the process.” The thought of that man hurting her in even the slightest way was infuriating. I hated Alessandro for so many reasons, but mostly for how he treated Ava. I had no idea how someone as sweet and genuine as her could come from such a horrendous man.

  “Look, I think we all just need to take a breath here. I don’t want to make any rash decisions,” my dad said, trying to wrangle Leo and me back in. If it was up to us, we’d act big and act fast. My dad was much more controlled, though. He liked to know all the information before we sent people in and risked anything. It was probably good that we had him to keep us level headed.

  My phone buzzed on the table and Vince’s number popped up on the screen. I frowned; that was certainly unexpected.

  “Vince?” Leo asked, just as confused as I was.

  “Maybe he’s got some information,” my dad said, nodding at the phone.

  I picked it up hesitantly. “Hello?”

  “Nick,” Vince said sharply. “There was an accident.”

  With those few words, all the wind was knocked out of my lungs. Something was wrong.

  “What—what is—” I stuttered, my mind already clouding with the possibilities. Was she okay? Had it been a car accident? Something with her father? Wasn’t she trying on dresses today? What the fuck was going on?

  “There was a shooting at the wedding dress shop. Can you meet me at the hospital?” Vince cut me off, his voice flooded with urgency.

  Shooting. The dress shop. I felt like throwing up. Ava was shot?

  I jumped out of the booth, as Leo and my dad looked at me in confusion.

  “What’s going on?” Leo asked, but I ignored him.

  “Yeah. I’m on my way,” I said trying to focus my mind. I had to get to her. “Is she okay?” My voice broke as a lump grew in my throat. The answer to that question was terrifying.

  Vince hesitated. “I don’t know. Just meet me there as fast as you can.” The line went dead.

  “Is everything okay?” my dad asked, frowning.

  “There was a shooting at the dress shop on Fifth Avenue. Ava was there.” I had to focus on every word I was saying in order for them to make sense. I was completely numb, my chest heavy with panic and terror.

  “What? Is she okay?” Leo shrieked, grabbing his coat and leaping from the booth as well. I was nearly paralyzed with fear. What if she wasn’t?

  “I—I don’t know.” I shook my head. She had to be okay, right? We were just barely getting the opportunity to have a life together; there was still so much we had to do. This couldn’t happen.

  “We’ll go with you,” my dad said, ushering us out of the restaurant to his waiting car.

  I was glad to be with them because I had no idea how I would have gotten to the hospital otherwise. I was used to things like this, but with Ava involved, it changed everything. I was normally calm and collected, even when things didn’t go as we were expecting, but right now, I felt like I was going insane. All I cared about was getting to Ava. I needed to touch her, to physically hold her in my arms, and make sure she was okay. I wouldn’t be able to function until I did.

  I didn’t even wait for
the car to stop before jumping out and sprinting inside. The emergency room was complete chaos, crawling with reporters and police. I caught sight of Bella out of the corner of my eye, standing outside a room with her fiancé, and rushed toward her.

  “Nick!” She sobbed when she saw me.

  “Where is she?” I asked breathlessly.

  “She’s inside. Vince is with her,” she said, pointing to the door behind her.

  I didn’t even knock. Ava was sitting on the edge of a bed wearing a white gown drenched in blood. She was heaving with sobs as Vince sat next to her and held her hand.

  “Are you okay? Where are you hurt?” I held her out in front of me, scanning her body for any signs of injury. She was a bloody mess but I didn’t see anything right away.

  “They killed her, Nick,” she sobbed, collapsing in my arms.

  “They killed who, Avs?” I asked, trying to make sense of it. She seemed okay, but she was covered in blood and the dress she was wearing was nearly shredded.

  “The saleswoman. She was standing right in front of me.” Ava sobbed hysterically into my chest. She was inconsolable, violently shaking.

  “Is that what all this blood is from?” She didn’t answer, just continued to cry.

  I turned to Vince, who stood up next to us. He nodded. “Ava wasn’t hit directly, she’s got some glass and shrapnel stuck in her side. They don’t know how deep, she wouldn’t let anybody look at her until you got here.”

  I nodded, rubbing her back gently, trying to soothe her. I eased her back to the edge of the bed and we both sat down. “Baby, you’ve got to let them see what’s going on, okay? They need to clean your cuts.”

  “Is Leo here?” Vince asked, seething. He must be losing his mind. All of his sisters and his mother were inside that shop.

  “He’s outside. Got anything yet?”

  Vince stiffened. “You focus on her, I’ll fill you in later.”

  I wanted to press him for more, but the most important thing right now was making sure Ava was okay. She still clung to me, terrified and sobbing. Vince left and a doctor came in.

  “Are you Nick Caponelli?” he asked, glancing back and forth between me and Ava.

  “Yes, I am.” I nodded.

  “I’m Dr. Frasier. We really need to have a look at Ava’s wounds. I can’t tell how much of that blood is from the deceased and how much of it is hers until I look at the cuts, but she wanted to wait for you,” he said sympathetically.

  “Ava, he needs to look at you now. I’m right here, okay?” I put my hand to her cheek and rubbed gently. “I’m not going anywhere, baby, I’ll be right here with you,” I assured her. She didn’t look convinced but she softened a little bit.

  The doctor sat down on the other side of her and got to work. She winced as he pulled the lacy fabric back and started to remove pieces of glass.

  “It’s okay, baby,” I soothed, squeezing her hand. “Everything is going to be just fine.”

  She shook her head. “She was right in front of me, Nick.” She covered her blood-splattered face with her hands.

  “I know, I know it’s scary. I’m so proud of you, Avs. You’re doing so good. It’s all going to be okay.” I kissed her forehead. She needed me to be her support right now, but inside my mind was whirling. By Vince’s reaction, I knew this wasn’t good. It was a hit, and it was very likely the hit had been on Ava. I needed more information from her but I was worried about her mental state. She was still hysterical, and I couldn’t blame her. She had just seen a woman killed right in front of her, and she still had that woman’s blood splattered all over her body.

  “Everything looks okay,” Dr. Frasier said. “No permanent damage, but the glass is embedded pretty deep so you’ll need to get stitched up. I’ll send a nurse in to help you get cleaned up and then once you’ve got your sutures, you can go home.”

  “Thank you.” I breathed a sigh of relief, looking at the tattered wedding dress she was wearing. I had dreamed of the day I’d see her in a big white dress, but now that I had, I wasn’t sure I’d ever get this image out of my head.

  I left briefly while a nurse helped Ava wash some of the blood off of her body. All she had to wear was a pair of hospital-grade sweats, but I knew she just wanted to get out of here and go home. While she was getting stitched up, I spoke with a detective but he didn’t have much information. It had been a drive-by and they were pulling surveillance footage but hadn’t found anything yet. That was good. I wanted to keep the police as far away from this as I could. It would only interfere in my own investigation and swift deliverance of justice once I found out who was responsible.

  When Ava was ready to go, we collected her things and headed out. She moved like a zombie, completely dazed and unable to stop crying. I could see her father talking to my dad, Leo, and Vince by the front doors. Alessandro was the last person I wanted to deal with right now.

  “How are you feeling, sweetie?” he asked when he saw us. The insincerity in his voice nearly killed me.

  “I’m okay,” she said softly, clutching my hand.

  “Why don’t you come home with me? Nick has a lot to deal with and your mother and I can keep an eye on you while you’re recovering,” he offered.

  What the fuck was trying to pull now?

  “I think I’d rather go back to our apartment,” she said. I nearly burst with pride at the way she referred to it as ours.

  “Are you sure?” he asked Ava, before turning his attention to me. “Aren’t you going to Las Vegas tomorrow?” How he knew my travel schedule was beyond me. The man had no interest in anything that didn’t revolve around him.

  “I’m not going anywhere. I’ll take care of her,” I said through gritted teeth. “She needs to be at her own home where she feels comfortable.”

  Alessandro scoffed. “She’s only lived with you a few weeks, I’d hardly call it her home.” Was he seriously going to do this right now? His daughters and wife had just been nearly killed and he wanted to pick a fight with me about semantics.

  “Nick’s right, Dad. No sense in changing things on her right now. I’m sure he’ll take good care of her. Is that what you want, Ava?” Vince asked.

  Ava nodded as Alessandro’s jaw clenched. I hated how they talked about her like she wasn’t standing right here with us.

  “Why don’t you wait for me right over there, baby? I’ll just be a second,” I suggested, pointing to some chairs in the waiting area. Normally, she would want to know what was going on, but she had had enough for one day.

  Once she was out of earshot, I turned my attention back to them. “What have you got so far?”

  Leo handed me a playing card that had the Asnikov family symbol on the bottom of it. “This was left on their car out front.”

  “This is your fault,” Alessandro hissed. “This is about that hit you guys planned a few weeks ago.”

  “Are you sure it doesn’t have something to do with you?” I growled, begging him to challenge me. I’d give anything to knock him out right now. I had a lot of pent-up fury, and he was as good a target as any.

  “I don’t like what you’re insinuating, boy,” Alessandro grimaced.

  “Nick, you need to take Ava home. Everyone is stressed and this is no time to discuss this. We’ll meet first thing tomorrow.” My dad intervened, and it was a good thing he had because Alessandro and I were damn close to coming to blows.

  “Call me if anything changes,” Alessandro spat, and took off.

  Jesus Christ, I couldn’t wait until Ava and I were married and that fucker didn’t have any leverage over us anymore.

  Chapter 24

  Ava

  Nick took me home as soon as the doctor released me and I had finished giving a statement to the police. It had been a whirlwind of a day and all I wanted to do was crawl into bed. The doctor had given me some Valium to help me relax, but so far it wasn’t working. I couldn’t get that vision out of my head. That poor woman struck
by a bullet was not even a foot in front of me. The way she fell into me, taking her last breath in my arms. The metallic smell of blood was still in my nose, making me nauseated. The screams of my sisters rang in my ears. The medication had calmed my body a little, but it had done nothing to quiet my mind.

  Walking as if I was in a trance, I went out onto the balcony of our bedroom and leaned over the railing. Even this high, I could hear the honking of horns and laughter of some passing tourists. It was almost surreal how easily life continued. A woman had died, and things went on as if nothing had happened. She was someone’s daughter, someone’s friend, and now she was gone. Nick had insisted that this wasn’t about me, but I wasn’t convinced. With all the things happening in our life, it was a little too coincidental that there would be a drive-by shooting at a wedding dress shop on a busy block of New York. I could tell by the little things he did that he wasn’t convinced either. The way he scoped out the garage before parking in our usual spot, refusing to ride the elevator with another group and insisting we wait until we could go ourselves, triple-checking the locks on all the doors behind us. He was worried about something, and that scared me more than anything.

  After a few minutes, I heard the bedroom door open, but didn’t turn around. I could tell by the footsteps it was Nick. He joined me on the balcony, leaning against the railing next to me in silence for a few minutes. Even just standing here with him, I was starting to feel a little better.

  Nick reached over and put his hand on top of mine. “Leo brought over your prescription for pain meds and Valium. I’ll keep them with me, but let me know if you need anything, okay?” he said.

  I nodded. I could tell by the flat tone in his voice that he was concerned about me taking pain medication. I couldn’t blame him. It was a scary thought for me too.

  “Are you doing okay?” He ran his finger over the back of my hand.

  I wasn’t sure I would ever feel okay again. “I just can’t get it out of my head, you know?” I admitted, biting my lip nervously.

  “I know, baby. I’m sorry. I wish I could say it was going to get easier, but you went through something really traumatic. Sometimes that takes a little while to work through.”