“Forbid all you want I’m marrying him and there is nothing you can do about it. Now I’m going home to get drunk who’s coming with me?”
Standing up Jonah kissed Olivia hard on the mouth as we all made a move to leave the table. “It was lovely seeing you both again.” Jonah said giving Olivia’s parents an over the top smile.
“We are not done talking about this Olivia.” Mr. Rees yelled. “You go through with this and you will be cut off.”
“Cut her off, she doesn’t need your money she has mine now.” Jonah barked. “I wouldn’t go there with me old man. You’d be surprised at what I have and you don’t.” Turning around Jonah pointed to the door. “Let’s get the hell out of here.”
Well someone didn’t forget to grab their balls on the way out of the house tonight.
Out on the side walk Olivia and Jonah started to laugh hysterically.
“You’re getting married!” Rachel yelled throwing her arms around Olivia.
“Congratulations Jonah.” Mason said slapping Jonah’s back.
“I think this calls for a celebration at Risk very soon.” I said handing Lucca to Mason so I could hug Jonah. Wrapping my arms around Jonah I gave my brother a tight hug. “You did good Jonah.” I whispered.
“Yeah I did.” Jonah whispered back.
“Never thought we’d make it this far.”
“We still have a long way to go. Are you sticking around for that?” We had a long way to go because of what Olivia did for us. If Jonah had never met Olivia things could be very different today. Vinnie was dead and with Vinnie’s death Jonah and I got a second chance. Question was could I let go of Vinnie and the past long enough to grab that second chance and run with it? “I can’t do this without you Denny. Tell me you’re sticking around?” Jonah pleaded.
Jonah was so close to his happy ending I wasn’t going to let anything get in the way, somehow I would find a way to move past Vinnie. I would be sticking around, for Jonah and Olivia, for Lucca, Rachel and Mason. Squeezing Jonah tightly I whispered, “I’m sticking around brother.”
After another round of hugs we made our way to the cars. I had put my lip ring back in so I was trying to stop Lucca from pulling it off when Olivia yelling had me jumping about a foot in the air and reaching for a gun I no longer carried.
“I knew it! He said we didn’t know each other but damnit I knew it!” Olivia shouted pointing towards a bar across the street.
Inside the bar, the light outlined Rachel’s boyfriend Ryan dressed in a Denver police uniform kissing a woman that was not Rachel.
Turning to Rachel I was about to offer to go kick Ryan’s ass when Olivia’s next words stopped me cold.
“Your father is the person who told us about Vinnie working with the Russian mob Rachel. When I took that information to a friend who is a DEA agent he was meeting with other DEA agents. Your boyfriend,” Olivia said pointing towards the bar “was at that meeting Rachel.”
Ryan was a DEA agent pretending to be a Denver cop. Well fuck me. “Are you sure Olivia?”
“Yes.” Olivia said hurt taking over her eyes, “Jack gave us the information about Vinnie and the Russians, Darcy who works for the Russians top drug lord is looking for Jack and now a DEA agent posing as a Denver cop is dating Rachel. All that adds up to a problem, a problem I caused by going to Jack in the first place.”
“Olivia this is not your fault.” Jonah said pulling Olivia into his arms.
“I need the secure phone Shark gave me.” Olivia said digging through her purse like a mad woman.
“Mason take Lucca and stay with the girls. Jonah and I are going to go have a little chat with Ryan.”
“Denny is that a good idea?” Rachel asked grabbing a hold of my arm.
“Probably not but I’m going to do it anyways.”
Pulling away from Rachel, Jonah and I made our way across the street. As soon as we entered the bar Ryan’s eyes locked onto mine and the little fuck took off, running like hell through the bar and out the back door.
Jonah and I chased after him for half a mile before we lost him in foot traffic.
“Goddamnit.” I yelled slowing down to a walk. “I can’t see him, you?”
“I’ve got nothing.” Jonah panted, bent over with his hands on his knees. “Fast little fucker.”
“Let’s get back to the car, Olivia needs to make a phone call to Shark.”
Back at the car with sweat soaking my body and Jonah complaining about wrecking his damn shoes I cussed Ryan for the millionth time, I opened Jonah’s car door to get Rachel and Lucca.”
“Did you catch him?” Olivia asked.
Shaking his head Jonah looked at me. “We’ll meet you at home.” He said sliding into the driver’s seat.
Taking Rachel’s arm I walked us to her car. “Don’t make that call until I get there.” I yelled over my shoulder.
“What the hell just happened?” Rachel asked as I started to put Lucca in his car seat.
“Start the car, I’ll explain while we’re driving.”
Rachel was out of the parking lot before I even had my seatbelt on.
“I’m driving which means you need to be talking.”
Turning in my seat I looked at her. “After Olivia found out about what Jonah and I were doing for Vinnie she went on a mission to get Jonah out from under Vinnie. One of the people who helped her was your father.”
“What does my father have to do with any of this?”
“Jack was working with Jonah’s father to take Vinnie’s business out about sixteen years ago.”
“My God.”
“Small word huh? Anyway, Jack and Jonah’s dad found out Vinnie and a person from the Russian mafia were working for the Russians but also stealing money from them. Before Jack could report what they’d found Jonah’s family turned up dead.”
“So now you think that someone from the Russian mafia has my dad because he knows something he shouldn’t?”
“For years now the Russians have been trying to take over the Denver underground. A couple of months ago the Russians stopped playing around and sent in their top drug lord Mika to take over some of Vinnie’s turf. Mika didn’t come himself but sent his top boy Nick. While trying to take over Vinnie’s turf Nick found out what Vinnie was doing. Vinnie had taken so much money and had been doing it for so long that the Russians shot first and killed anyone who asked questions.”
Stopping the car in the middle of the street Rachel turned to look at me, tears already in her eyes. “Do you think they killed my dad?”
Opening my mouth I closed it not sure what to say. I wanted to lie so bad but giving her hope that I knew was probably not on Jacks side seemed even crueler. “Please drive the car Rachel or get out and let me.” I said turning my face away from the tears falling down her face, unable to take Rachel’s tears without my heart breaking into a million pieces.
****
Jonah sat on the counter circling Olivia with his legs, while Olivia held the cell Shark had given her to her ear. Mason was sitting at the kitchen table, Rachel was hiding in my bedroom and Lucca and I were pacing.
“Shark, no. No I’m fine but I need your help. Thank you.” Pulling the phone away from her ear Olivia turned the phone off. “He’ll be here tomorrow night.” Olivia said putting the cell on the counter.
“Just like that Shark jumps for you? You cool with that brother?” I asked stopping in front of Jonah.
“He saved her from Vinnie. I’ll be cool with him for just about anything.”
“You’re a bigger man than me. I’d be jealous.”
“If someone has to save Rachel you’ll feel for them the same way I feel for Shark. Without Shark, Olivia wouldn’t be here.”
“Stop trying to pick a fight because you’re pissed off about this Ryan guy and go see if Rachel is ok.” Olivia said pointing towards the stairs.
Walking up the stairs, Lucca and I entered the bedroom. Rachel was sitting in the middle of the bed, legs to her chest and dried t
ears on her cheeks. Handing her Lucca I sat behind her and pulled them both into my arms.
“I need to call Jace.” Rachel whispered into Lucca’s hair.
“Not yet sweetheart let’s wait until Shark gets here tomorrow.”
“What am I meant to say to him?”
“Nothing yet.”
“How am I meant to tell him that Dad is−”
“Rachel don’t.”
As if Lucca knew I was trying to distract his mom he wiggled out of our hold and flopped on the bed with a funny laugh. Crawling across the bed Lucca made a grab for my lip ring. The kid had a lip problem.
“I’m really glad Lucca has his dad now.”
“Me too. Because you’re Daddy’s boy aren’t you?” I said in a funny voice scooping Lucca up into my arms.
“My dad isn’t perfect Denny but he’s my dad.”
“We’re going to find him Rachel.” I said hoping I was right.
“I should go.” Rachel said kissing Lucca on the back of the head. “Are you ok to put him to bed?”
“Sleep here.”
“Denny.” Rachel whispered her eyes dropping to the bed. “What happened this morning, it can’t happen again.”
“Because you have a cheating boyfriend?”
“No because you left me.”
My heart felt like she’d taken a hammer to it, but really I had no right to feel that way because I did leave her. I left them both. Shaking my head I handed Lucca to Rachel. “Take the bed. I need to go to Risk anyway.” Rushing to the door I left as fast as I could.
Chapter 11
More apple sauce was on Denny than inside Lucca’s stomach.
“I told you he was a messy eater.”
“No you said he might make a mess. Not you should probably put down plastic if you don’t want to be sticking to the floor for the next month.”
“You’re kind of grumpy today.” I said only half joking. All day Denny had been snapping at everyone.
Was it because I told him we couldn’t sleep together? He had to understand I wasn’t rejecting him. I just could not end up in bed with him when I know it would mean everything to me and nothing to him.
“Maybe if you stopped drinking so much you wouldn’t be so grumpy.” Jonah said coming into the room.
Denny snapped his head in Jonah’s direction so fast I’m surprised he didn’t give himself whiplash. “Shut the fuck up Jonah.” Denny growled.
“Watch your mouth.” I snapped.
“Stop drinking and I will shut the fuck up.” Jonah growled back.
“Language!” I screamed.
Five minutes of awkward silence later the doorbell ringing had Lucca spitting out even more apple sauce onto Denny so he could screech along with the bell. Denny looked down at his now ruined shirt not looking impressed at all. Mason however thought it was the funniest thing he had ever seen.
“Shark!” Olivia Screamed running down the stairs, followed close by a barking Miss Daisy and a growling Rocco.
Flinging the door open Olivia’s screaming stopped short. “Oh it’s just you.”
“Yes it’s just me and me is going to take his ice cream and go have ice cream Wednesday with someone else.”
“Ice cream Wednesday?” I asked raising my eyebrows at Mason.
“Ty and Olivia have different days for everything.” He explained. “Tequila Sunday is so far the best.”
“I’ll take tequila Sunday over facial Friday any day.” Jonah said completely horrified.
“Is there a reason you called me twenty three times yesterday?” The skinny guy asked Olivia as they walked into the kitchen.
“Gossip of course.” Olivia said in a high-pitched slightly evil sounding voice.
What gossip was Olivia thinking about? On no, not that gossip.
“Denny and Rachel almost had sex yesterday morning.”
Oh God, kill me now.
“Jesus Olivia.” Denny hissed.
“Almost huh? Did his thing finally fall off?” Ty asked looking straight at Denny’s crotch.
I just couldn’t seem to find the brain function to shut my mouth and I’m sure my face was as red as it could get. Mason and Jonah were laughing so hard tears were streaming down their faces, Denny looked like he was about to kill someone and Olivia and Ty were carrying on their conversation like it was completely normally to talk about mine and Denny’s sex life.
“If the girls aren’t doing it for you anymore Denny I’ll let you try me on for size.” Ty said wiggling his eyebrows at Denny and giving him a wink.
“Jesus.” Denny said sighing heavily. “Fucking comedy show.”
A loud knock at the front door had Miss Daisy braking and Rocco growling again and Olivia running for the door like a five year old.
“Rachel right?” Ty asked walking across the kitchen.
“Yes.” I said taking the empty apple sauce carton from Denny’s hand without making eye contact with him.
“Don’t feel too bad for the unfinished sex. I wouldn’t go near his penis if someone paid me. Revolving door if you know what I mean.” Ty whispered, smirking at Denny.
It was obvious that Ty was just joking and I would have bought it too if it wasn’t for Denny’s eyes going as wide as can be. I knew Denny had been around the block a couple of times before we got together and it’s not like I thought he wouldn’t sleep with anyone after me, it’s just something I’d rather not think about. And I hated to say it but I was jealous of every girl that got to touch him, and from the look on his face it had been a lot more than a few.
“I liked it better when he was scared of us.” Jonah snickered as he walked out the door.
“Shark!” Olivia screamed throwing herself at the blonde man standing in the doorway.
The blonde man caught Olivia like she weighed nothing, his hand going to her head to hold it against his neck. “It’s good see you too China Doll.” The blonde whispered against Olivia’s head.
“Old friends?” I asked Ty, watching Sharks face break into a smile as Olivia said something only he could hear.
“No, they’ve only known each other for like a month.” Ty said in a strained voice also watching them.
That hug was not a hug of two people that had only known each other for a month nor was it just a friend hug. Shark was looking at Olivia like she was the sun in his sky. Like an old lover that hasn’t seen his love for far too long.
Letting go of Shark’s neck Olivia stepped back her hand blindly searching for Jonah.
Taking Olivia in one hand Jonah held out the other for Shark to shake. Odd how Jonah was the most jealous person I’d ever met but he was blind to the way Shark felt about Olivia.
“How’s everyone doing?” Shark whispered to Jonah but looked at Olivia.
“She’s doing fine Shark.”
“Good now would someone like to fill me in on what’s going on? I have a job I need to be back to by this weekend. And let’s face it, half of the Denver underground is looking to kill me.”
“Umm hey Ty come up stairs with me and help me clean up Lucca.” Olivia said walking in to the kitchen.
“Can I bring the ice cream?” Ty asked his brown eyes lighting up.
“Heck yeah.” Olivia cooed to Lucca.
“Big kids is an understatement when it comes to those too.” Shark whispered under his breath watching the three of them go up the stairs.
Denny, Jonah and Mason filled Shark in while I cleaned the floor. They told him about my dad missing, how Denny found his place trashed, I knew he lied to me about that. They also explained about Darcy looking for him and Ryan the supposed DEA agent working as a cop. When they got to the Ryan bits the guys got kind of funny talking about him. Was it odd that I wasn’t really bothered by seeing Ryan with another girl? Yeah it was odd most women would have marched themselves over there and kicked both their asses. But the honest truth was Ryan was nothing more than a friend, someone to keep the loneliness away. How could I feel for someone when my heart was stuck on
Denny?
“I don’t recognize the name. Rachel did he give you a last name?” Shark asked turning his sea eyes on me.
Oh shit, it was one thing to admit to myself that Ryan was just a space filler it was a whole different thing to admit that to others.
“Umm…he never told me his last name.”
Denny’s mouth clamped shut so hard I was sure he broke some teeth.
“You let him hold my son and you didn’t even know his last name?”
Whoa, hold the phone. Where the hell did that come from?
“When have you seen Ryan holding Lucca?”
“Not the point Rachel.” Denny yelled.
“I’ll second that.” Shark said stepping into the middle of the kitchen between Denny and I glaring at each other. “You wouldn’t happen to have a picture of him would you?”
That I had.
“Yeah there’s a picture of him…” Holding Lucca shit. Taking my cell out of my back pocket I found the picture and handed the phone over to Shark.”
“He’s an agent, but Ryan is not his name.” Shark said looking at the picture. “Excuse me.” He said dialing a number on his cell as he left the room.
No one talked but Denny and Jonah stared at me like I’d done something wrong.
Leaning back into the counter I couldn’t take it anymore. “What is your problem?”
“This guy didn’t just play you he played my son.”
“He didn’t play anyone−”
“I’m sorry would you prefer used?”
“Should we go back upstairs?” Olivia whispered from the kitchen door.
Ignoring Olivia I stepped away from the counter. “Ryan did not play or use Lucca. It was never like that. He was really sweet to Lucca. Also it’s real nice to know that you think so highly of me as the mother of your child.”
“I never said anything about your mothering skills. I said you pick shit men and shouldn’t let those shit men around my son.”
“Yeah I do and you were the worst one.” I shouted, turning so I could leave the room. No not just the room I was going home. Fuck this. “Oh and by the way Denny,” I snapped turning back to him, “you do not get to tell me who I date or who I allow to be near my son.” With that said I walked out not looking back as I heard Denny stomping after me.
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