Daddy's Boy

by Samantha Grady

  “How old are you?” I asked rubbing the washcloth over the last bit of dried blood on his face.

  “Twenty.”

  Too fucking young to be in the underground scene of Denver and too fucking young to know someone like Adam, someone like me. No, I quickly thought shaking my head, I was nothing like Adam but every year I stayed with Vinnie put me one step closer to becoming him.

  Jesus, it seemed nothing could keep the asshole out, because of Vinnie’s blood running through my veins I was destined to be an asshole no matter what I did. Stay or go, it wouldn’t change who I was.

  Jonah coming into the room carrying the medic kit and a bag of food and water pulled me away from my thoughts.

  After Jace drank a full bottle of water I cleaned up more cuts, butterfly stitching the worst ones and putting antiseptic cream on all of them, Lord knows where Adam’s nasty hands had been.

  With all his cuts clean and the boy holding an ice pack to his ribs it was time to get some answers.

  “Tell me something Jace, why does a cops son want to be a drug dealer?” Jace’s body stiffened but the boy offered no answers. “Ok don’t answer that but can you tell me why the hell you were dealing for Adam but buying from Vinnie?”

  The eye that wasn’t swollen shut widened in fear darting between Jonah and I. “Oh fuck you work for Vinnie. I knew your help was too good to be true.” Jace said his voice cracking at the end.

  Ignoring the part of me that wanted to ease the boys fear I went right to scaring him shitless. “Adam’s business is nothing compared to Vinnie’s. Adam will not kill a cop’s son but Vinnie will do it without blinking an eye and that’s just from buying from him. Add on that you’re working for Adam, a rival business. A rival business Vinnie hates very much, well that will make him kill you slower. Vinnie likes pain kid.” Jace was breathing heavy and a sweat had broken out over his bruised skin, the kid was scared. Good, scared is the place I needed him to be to make sure he never went back to the Denver underground. “You’re lucky Kay went to J and not Vinnie himself. You’re playing with fire Jace, if there is a next time, you will get burned.” Standing up I walked half way across the room before turning back to him. “A bank account will be set up in your name, there will be enough money in there to take you to any State you want to go to, and enough to live on for one month. A text with all the information will be sent to you within the hour. You have one week to get out of town. No one, not your sister or your girlfriend can or will ever know I helped you. Your story to everyone, not in this room is you fell in with the wrong crowd made some bad choices, now you need some time alone to get your head on straight.” Turning away from Jace I nodded once to Jonah signaling it was time for us to go.

  My hand was on the door when Jace’s weak voice sounded through the small room. “Why are you helping me?”

  Good question why was I helping him? Was it just to get another go around with Rachel? Did I want Rachel to be more than just sex? Maybe I just didn’t want to see Jace go down the same path Jonah and I went down.

  If I was being honest with myself it was all the above but I was never one for being honest, so instead I did what I did best. I lied.

  “Luck’s a bitch Jace, she comes and goes as she pleases. J’s luck ran out on him a long time ago, killing you is no way to get her to come back to him now is it.”

  Jace took a sharp intake of breath, Jonah chuckled quietly and I left the room as fast as I could.

  ****

  Pulling up to Rachel’s small house outside of town, stuck between bare fields I fought a war within myself. Half wanted to be here the other half knew I shouldn’t be here. A drug lord’s son working for said drug lord did not date or screw a girl whose father was a cop. I was and probably always would be a grade A asshole, which meant I had no business being with Rachel. But goddamn if I didn’t want to try with this woman and see if I could be more than just an asshole like my father. Jonah was always telling me I was nothing like Vinnie. Could I let go of the asshole for once in my life and try with Rachel? Could I risk Rachel’s safety by bringing the Denver underground to her door? What if her father found out? I wouldn’t have to worry about the guy throwing me in jail; Vinnie would kill me for even looking at a cops daughter.

  Fuck it. I was done thinking through Vinnie. I wanted Rachel and I wanted her now. Before I could talk myself out of it, I was at her door knocking.

  The door opened and Rachel stepped out in nothing but old sweats, blonde hair pulled high on top of her head and not a drop of make up on and it was the most striking thing I’d ever seen. Staring at the most beautiful woman in the world I let the asshole slip away and for the first time I was honest with myself. I didn’t want to be an asshole, I didn’t want just sex, I wanted to date; I wanted to fall in love. I wanted everything and I wanted it all with her.

  “Jace?” She asked her hazel eyes showing how scared she was for her brother.

  “A misunderstanding.”

  “A misunderstanding?”

  “Yeah from what I got from his friends he got in with the wrong crowd and then lied to his girl to get some time away from it all.”

  A small gasp left Rachel’s lips as her small hand slapped across her chest. “And the drugs?”

  “No drugs, just bad friends. I think your brother made the right choice to just get away for a while.”

  Nodding I watched the fear leave her eyes. “Thank you Denny.” Rachel whispered as a blinding smile spread across her face.

  Her sweet lips touching mine stopped the smile I wanted to give her back. The happiness that swept through me was like nothing I’d ever felt before and damn did I like it. I liked it so much I planned on trying to keep it.

  Pulling my lips off of hers, I put some room between us so I could see her face. “Why did you leave before I woke?”

  “Sleeping with a guy five minutes after you meet him is kind of a slut move Denny. I didn’t want you to think I was a slut when you woke up.”

  “If I thought you were a slut I wouldn’t have slept with you. Ok that’s a lie, but if it helps I don’t think you’re a slut. Far, far from it baby. Now, kiss me again.”

  It took one night with Rachel to know that I’d found my forever. It would take two months and three weeks before I’d find out that forever was a word, not a real thing. Maybe if I would have known this at the time I would have held on tighter during those two months and three weeks but like most I had no idea it would end the way it did.

  Chapter 3

  Present Day…

  By the time I made it home I was soaked, cold and hungry, three things that only made my mood worse.

  Through the kitchen window I saw Jonah wrapping his arms around Olivia’s waist, his lips immediately going to her neck. Jealousy bit at me turning my stomach on its side making me want to throw up. Jonah was my brother I should be happy and grateful that he was with the person that made him happy. But jealousy didn’t care that he was my brother, all it saw was the thing I wanted.

  Jonah’s hand shot out to the fruit Olivia was chopping, as Jonah tried to bring the fruit to his mouth Olivia spun around grabbing the fruit out of his fingers causing the kitchen light to reflect off a huge square diamond on her left ring finger.

  Jealousy and a pain I’d only every felt one other time had me gripping at my heart and stumbling backwards. Before I could let my ass hit the floor like it wanted to or maybe even cry like a big girl, I walked through the backyard and went straight to Risk to kill the ache in my heart with alcohol.

  ****

  A banging had me jerking awake, my hands flying to cover Lucca’s ears as Rocco jumped off the bed barking and growling. Sitting up I looked over at the clock, one fifteen. Who the hell knocks on someone’s door at one in the morning? Nothing but bad that was for sure. Looking at Lucca I felt fear quickly sweep over me, causing the hair on the back of my neck to stand up.

  Laying Lucca down in his crib, I made sure he wasn’t going to wake up before I crossed the room
to the nightstand and grabbed the gun Denny had got me after I found out what he did for Vinnie. Our first big fight as a couple. Well no it wasn’t really a fight. Yes, I yelled at him for lying to me, but at the time Denny could do no wrong in my eyes, he was perfect no matter what his father made him do. I want to say I only felt that way because I was pregnant with Lucca and feeling all loving and wanting my baby to have a mother and father who loved him very much when he was brought in to the world. But that would be lying because even to this day I still can’t make myself hate Denny for working for Vinnie. I’d met Vinnie twice while dating Denny and it only took one meeting to understand both Denny and Jonah did not work for Vinnie because they wanted to, they worked for Vinnie because he gave them no choice. Vinnie was a cheating, lying rat bastard that would have killed Denny and Jonah for trying to walk away from him.

  Checking the gun was loaded I moved quietly down the hall towards the front door. I picked this house because of the floor to ceiling windows that surrounded both sides of the dark brown door. Right now I was kicking myself for this choice. How unsafe, if the person or people on the other side wanted in all they would have to do is kick in the glass, then they would have full access to Lucca and me. Not a chance in hell, no one was going to touch my little boy.

  Keeping the light off I gently toed a still growling Rocco out of the way of one of the big window curtains. Pulling it back just a little a guy with a shaved head and a tattoo on his face looked right at me. A scream stuck in my throat as one hand gripped the gun tighter and the other clutched my chest.

  My reason for looking out the window was just to make sure it was no one I knew, now that the scary guy had looked at me I couldn’t just walk away pretending I didn’t see him and he didn’t see me. Shit.

  Taking a shaky breath I prepared to shout through the locked door hoping he heard me because my door was not being opened to a bald headed, tattoo on the face, built like a brick shit house scary man at one in the freaking morning. “What do you want?” I yelled wincing when my voice echoed in the hall.

  The guy gave me an amused smile like he knew I was scared before shouting his answer. “Where’s Jack?”

  Oh no, not Dad.

  Keeping my face blank I shook my head. “I don’t know a Jack.”

  Losing the smile the guy jerked his head to a person I couldn’t see standing off the porch. “Sure you don’t sweetness.” He yelled turning back to me, “when you see your father you tell him, Adam is looking for him.”

  My heart stopped as Lucca chose that very bad moment to scream bloody murder.

  Jumping into action I gave the guy outside my door one last look, before I took off down the hall, Rocco running with me.

  As soon as both Rocco and I were in the room I slammed the door shut locking it before going to my crying boy. Before I picked him up I gently laid the gun on the dresser, by the door, so I could get to it quickly.

  Lucca stopped crying as soon as I picked him up. Little man was fine, just upset I’d left him.

  Sliding to the floor I tried to get my heart, which was currently slamming against my rib cage, to slow down but nothing I did was working. I was scared for my son, scared for my father and had absolutely no idea what to do.

  The guy on the porch was obviously bad news; no one came for a friendly visit at one in the morning.

  Taking a deep breath I glanced over at Rocco guarding the door then down to Lucca’s bright blue eyes. Staring at my son I thought of Denny then it all clicked together. Denny knew a guy in the drug business named Adam. Scary guy at my door said Adam was looking for my father. My father had worked a number of drug cases in the Denver underground, so it could be nothing, but it might be something.

  This was way over my head and way too dangerous for Lucca. I needed help. There were a lot of people I could have called because sadly I knew a couple people in the Denver underground, but there was only one person I trusted to make sure Lucca stayed completely safe. Unfortunately it was also the same person who wanted nothing to do with me. Something he made very clear the last time I saw him.

  Eleven months and one week earlier…

  I heard the rumble of Denny’s sports car over the heavy rain hitting the windows. Setting my drink on the coffee table I stood up and went to meet him by the door. I prayed he was in a good mood because once he heard I went to the doctors for stomach pain without calling him he was going to hit the roof. He wouldn’t stay mad for long because one, the pain had turned out to be nothing and two, while they were checking to make sure baby was ok they’d told me I was having a little boy. The picture was crap and the doctor said she normally doesn’t tell people the sex until twenty weeks when the picture is better. But I’d known from the moment I found I was pregnant that it was going to be a boy.

  Opening the door, my smile and happy mood died a fast death as I took in Denny’s heartbreakingly sad face as he stood in the pouring rain at the bottom of the porch. “Denny what’s wrong?”

  Denny didn’t talk just continued to let the rain soak him to the bone, and stare at me with that look that was making tears swim behind my eyes. Denny still wasn’t talking so I took a step towards him, but Denny stopped me with his words. “It’s over Rachel. Assholes like me aren’t meant to be loved and have a family. I was stupid to think I could do this. You won’t see or hear from me again. I’ll find a way to get money to you every month.”

  As my heart broke into a million pieces, Denny turned and walked away.

  It took me a couple of seconds but I realized I was crying, shaking and feeling dizzy from not breathing. Pulling in a breath that burned my throat, I ran after Denny not ready to let him go. The rain was coming down fast now, but it didn’t matter I barely noticed anything as I ran after him. “You’re just going to walk away?” I screamed through the rain.

  Denny stopped but didn’t turn around. “Don’t.”

  “Don’t?” I screamed feeling mad now, “don’t what? Fight for you to stay because I love you.”

  “Please just stop Rachel.” Denny whispered barely loud enough for me to hear over the rain.

  Pain was slicing through my heart and everything inside me felt like it was crumbling. “We’re having a boy.” I whispered, willing to do anything to make him stay.

  Denny’s body stiffened, starting to talk but choking up Denny shook his head and tried again. “I don’t care. I’m done.”

  I took a sharp breath as his words sent me to my knees shattering my heart and breaking my world. “You were meant to be my forever.” I cried my hands dropping to my stomach.

  “There’s no such thing as forever Rachel.”

  ****

  Present Day…

  “Pour me another one Rush?” I said slamming back what was left of my second scotch, letting the alcohol burn the pain away.

  Taking the glass out of my hand Rush leaned on to the bar top. “Sorry D but Jonah has cut you off.”

  “Jonah’s not here Rush, pour me another one.”

  Rush jerked his head up in greeting, as I felt someone slide on to the bar stool next to me.

  “You want anything Jonah?”

  Of course, Jonah was always wrecking my fun.

  “No thanks Rush and thank you for the phone call.” Jonah said in a tight voice. The voice he used when he was angry as hell but trying to keep his cool.

  Great.

  Rush’s eyes darted to me as he slapped the bar top then moved down to the other end.

  “You’re drinking scotch?”

  “No, I was drinking scotch.” I corrected Jonah, acid dripping from each word.

  “You only drink scotch when something is really bothering you.”

  Dropping my head into my hands and seeking patience, I cursed my caring brother and fucking Rush for calling him. “What’s your point Jonah?”

  “My point is you’re drinking scotch. I know something is up. Right now you’re going to tell me what’s wrong then you’re going to tell me why you came home earlier but
didn’t come into the house?”

  Fuck, I knew he would see me; the man had eyes in the back of his head I swear.

  No point lying, he wouldn’t go away until he got something out of me. Might as well get it over with. “I went to see Rachel.” I heard Jonah’s sharp intake of breath and saw Rush almost drop the glass he was about to set on the bar. “She was with someone else and that someone was holding my boy.”

  “Jesus Denny.” Jonah said putting a hand to my shoulder.

  Jesus didn’t cover the half of it nor did it cover the part about Jonah getting the girl and me getting to play stalker to the girl I used to have.

  “You want to talk about it?”

  “Nope, I told you, enough. Let it go Jonah.” I said turning to look at him.

  Playing with his tongue piercing between his teeth, another sign that Jonah was trying to keep himself in check, he pushed a hand through his out of control golden hair. “I’ll let it go if you come home with me right now.”

  Go home and listen to the happy couple? No thank you. The chance that Jonah might let this go? No way in hell, the boy couldn’t let anything go. But with the scotch cut off there was no point in staying. Guess I was going home.

  Slipping off the bar stool I lifted my chin to Rush then headed to the door, with Jonah following close behind.

  The walk back to the town house was done in silence, which was surprising considering I was pretty sure Jonah had asked Olivia to marry him after seeing that damn ring on her finger. So why the hell hadn’t Jonah told me? Was it out of pity? Poor Denny couldn’t handle the news because he fucked his relationship up. Or was Jonah just waiting because he and Olivia wanted to tell me together? God I hoped it was that, because if it was the first one then I really hadn’t been hiding my feelings well at all.