by Grace Hugh
She settles her head against my shoulder and traces her finger along all my tats. She knows what each of them means, she was with me when I got them all. There’s a kan'ji script on my right bicep that reads ‘Jiu Jitsu’. Her light touch brushes the dragon wings on my collar bones.
“We should get ready for Vinnie’s bash,” I finally say with regret.
“Do we have to? I don’t want to leave here, with you.”
“First rule.”
“Don’t piss Vinnie off,” she replies sighing.
“Not yet at least. I need a little more time.”
“More time for what, Jans? You say that all the time, what are you planning?”
“It’s not ready yet. Give me some time to figure it all out.”
“I want to help.”
“I know.”
“And you’re still not going to tell me are you?”
“No.”
She sighs again but this time I feel the resignation in her. Slowly she rises to an elbow but before she can untangle herself from me, I grab her and kiss her. Claiming her lips once more as mine. She returns the kiss hungrily but I pull back.
“No way out?” she asks.
“Not yet,” I say. “Let’s go.”
My cock stirs to life once more as she climbs off the bed and I get a perfect view of her beautiful ass.
“Seems at least part of you wants me to stay here,” she laughs looking at my rising erection.
“Yeah, well that’s not the boss. I am. So let’s go.”
“You sure about that?”
My cock is rock hard. How can I look at her and not have an erection? She’s perfect, beautiful, and I want nothing more than to spend the rest of my life exploring her body, becoming one with her. That shit don’t pay the bills though.
“Yeah,” I say, grabbing my pants and pulling them on. “We got shit to do.”
“I don’t want to do this,” LeAnne says, her voice soft, her hand on the car door handle.
My foot is on the gas and I want to punch it and go. Drive until we leave this city, this family, and all this shit behind us. I want to, I could, but Vinnie would never stop, not until he’s found us. He’s making too much money on my fights. There’s also the loss of respect. The other Families would never look at him the same if his kids disappeared. They’d assume we ratted to the Feds and gone into wit pro. Vinnie would have us hunted, put a bounty on our heads, and eventually they’d find us. So no, not yet, my hand isn’t ready. We have to ride this a little longer.
“I know,” I say. “Just a little longer, okay? I’m working on in it.”
“You keep saying that, Jans. What are you working on? How do we escape this?”
“Not yet,” I say, tightening my grip on the steering wheel. “Give me some time.”
She shakes her head pursing her lips. I stare straight ahead waiting, she’ll give in. She always does and I’m not ready to talk about this. I can’t risk putting her in danger. At last she nods then opens the door. I relax my grip and let the tension drain from my shoulders before climbing out of the car.
“Fine,” she says over her shoulder then doesn’t wait for me before heading into the hotel where Vinnie is hosting her gala.
It’s okay. I’d rather she be mad than in more danger. Besides, it wouldn’t look good if we entered arm in arm. Vinnie’s damned eyes are everywhere. He treats everyone like shit but his crew is loyal to him. Pathetic fucking losers.
The hotel is expensive, shiny, and full of stupid shit that serves no other purpose than to proclaim how fucking ritzy the place is. I've grown up surrounded by shit like this but I don't feel like I belong. You can gold plate a turd but it’s still a turd. None of us belong here, we’re all scumbags. Criminals reaching for more than we deserve. None of that matters to Vinnie, to him it's all a game and he likes to show off, especially in front of the other Families.
There’s a sign in the lobby that details what events are being held in what ballroom. The Manarchy Gala is on the third floor. I go to an elevator and wait with three guys who I vaguely recognize from when I was still going to school. The elevator dings and we walk in. I press the button for the third floor and one of them presses the button for the fourth. The three of them push and jostle each other and talk shit. I try to ignore them. I’ve got no use for douche bags.
"So is Danny gonna do it?" one of the pricks asks.
The other two laugh like some kind of stupid hyenas.
"Oh, yeah," one says. "He's got it all set up. He's going to take her and show her how it is."
Fucking rich assholes, I think.
My hands clench to fists almost involuntarily. I want to beat all three of them. Assholes thinking women are something to be used like a fucking notch in your belt. It’s not fucking right. I remind myself it's not my problem, I have bigger fish to fry, and force myself to relax. The elevator dings for my floor and I step out but just as the doors are about to slide close, one of them laughs and says something that I just barely catch.
"Think I can have a turn with her after he's done?"
I shove my arm into the closing door and stop it.
"Hey!" one of the guys says stepping forward.
I punch the speaker in the nose and blood explodes spraying his two friends. As he stumbles backwards I give him a left into his solar plexus and knock the wind from him. His two buddies try to step up but their reaction times are slow. I duck the wild swing of the one on my right then slam my fist into the nuts of the guy on the left. That drops him as I spin on the ball of my foot and bring an uppercut in underneath the jaw of the last guy. His head snaps back with a sickening crack and he falls to the floor, too.
"Don't be dick bags," I say and walk out of the elevator never looking back.
I stop by the men's room before going to the ball room. I want to make sure I don't have any blood showing on me. A wet paper towel gets rid of the worst of it but the stains are there if you look closely. Fuck it, it's the best I can do.
The ballroom is lit with massive chandeliers that cast the place in a soft glow. Dozens and dozens of members of the various crime Families of the city mingle with each other all dressed up in their Sunday finest. Fancy suits that not a one of them paid for without blood money and drinking booze that was ‘donated’ by someone who owed Vinnie. I'm greeted by various members of the Families as I walk through. I acknowledge each of them and take time to shake their hands then let them touch me and feel my muscles. It's a charade they like to play. All of them are getting rich off of my fights.
Across the room is a table with a massive cake. It has six tiers and looks big enough to feed five hundred people. Beside the cake is a table filled with gifts for LeAnne's eighteenth birthday. She stands behind the table smiling and nodding as people come up and talk to her. Her mom, out of rehab for hopefully the last time, stands next to her beaming with pride. I can see why Vinnie likes her mom. She has LeAnne's looks though more worn out from abuse and overuse. I don't spot Vinnie right away but I'm sure he's around here somewhere. I wish Axel was here. He always makes these things a bit easier with his sense of humor but Vinnie has him half way around the world on some business, no idea what.
"Something to drink, sir?" a waiter asks coming up to me.
"Do you have water?" I ask.
"I can get you an Artesian, sir," he replies before rushing off.
The waiter returns in a few moments with my water complete with a crystal glass. I knew this place was high priced but even the fucking water is expensive as shit. I make my way through the crowd until I reach a wall where I can lean. It gives me a perfect view of LeAnne. I watch her interact, smiling, and her soft laughter as somebody says something humorous makes my dick come to life. They think they own a piece of her but they’re wrong, she's all mine.
"Your girl looks damn fine, Vinnie," I hear Big Tony say.
I glance over and see Vinnie and him with their heads close to each other. Big Tony is head of another family. He and Vinnie h
ave a long history of butting heads. The other Families usually force them to make peace before it gets too bad but those two will never like each other.
"Yeah, I know, shit," Vinnie says in his soft voice.
"Her mom looks damn good, too," Tony says.
"Well, you know," Vinnie says. "One model gets too old I might have to trade in for the younger."
Big Tony laughs and Vinnie smiles. The hair on the back of my neck stands on end and my hands clench into tight fists. Rage burns through me that he would even think such a thought. She's mine, he can't fucking have her. I wouldn’t have believed he’d stoop so low but now that he’s said it, it's more vital than ever that I get us out of here.
"So, I got a guy that might be able to take your boy," Tony says changing the subject.
"Nobody beats my Dragon," Tony says.
"I saw this kid, a Russian," Tony says. "Real fucking savage. Care to make a wager?"
"Sure if you're ready to lose it," Vinnie replies.
"Well, how about we make the pot sweet? Say a hundred G’s?" Big Tony says.
"You must have real faith in this boy of yours," Vinnie says.
"Yeah, I do."
"Hundred thousand it is then," Vinnie says as he looks over at me with a knowing grin.
Goddammit. I didn't know he'd seen me. That means he said what he said because he wanted me to hear it. Does he suspect? Does he know about LeAnne and me? Questions swirl in my head. If he knows then she's in danger. I wouldn't put it past him to rape his own stepdaughter to prove a fucking point. Man's a goddamn animal.
Vinnie walks past me without a glance as he heads to the front. I’m left worrying about what he does or doesn't know. The crowd moves and bustles and the hum of conversation creates a backdrop of noise. I watch LeAnne with her pasted on smile standing with her mother. She's miserable and I can see it from here. One of the things I love about her is that she prefers the simple things in life. She doesn't really like all this show and pageantry. She’d be much happier at home with just her mom and I having cake.
The ringing sound of crystal fills the room and the crowd quiets. Vinnie's made his way to stand next to LeAnne's mom and is tapping a fork against his glass. Suzanne is hanging on his other arm with one hand resting on his chest with a beaming smile. She loves this shit, which is all that matters to her. She's been clean for six months but that doesn't change her being a self-centered bitch who doesn't ever put her daughter above her own selfish wants. The allure of money and the trappings of fame are all she cares about. It makes her a perfect fit for Vinnie. I wonder if she'd even care if Vinnie did fuck her daughter, at least as long as he still took care of her, too.
My heart rate increases as I get more and more pissed thinking about the situation. I've been stashing money but I don’t have enough to get us out of here. I have to come up with a plan to make a big score. Big enough to take care of us no matter what. Big enough to buy us new lives.
"This is a most auspicious day," Vinnie says once he has the entire room’s attention. I wonder if the dumb fuck even knows what auspicious means. "Two years ago I found the love of my life."
He looks at Suzanne and gives her a smile. Suzanne beams at him and ahhs. LeAnne looks like she could vomit and I feel the same. There's no love between these two, it's a relationship of convenience. They're not even married, for Christ's sake.
"I knew Suzanne was special when I found her. She came into my life and brought with her a beautiful daughter who I’m proud to consider my own. So we’re all gathered here tonight to celebrate my gorgeous LeAnne!"
The room explodes with applause and cheers. LeAnne blushes and looks at the floor. People call for a speech but she shakes her head without looking up. She hates this, she never wants to be the center of attention but Vinnie and her mom don't care.
LeAnne starts on the presents and everybody cheers and applauds as she opens each one. Some smart ass had the bright idea to buy her very revealing and suggestive lingerie. She turns beet red and I see Vinnie turning his dead eyes on the crowd. He's not any more pleased than she is. No one owns up to it which is smart because at the very least they'd be getting a visit from Lou.
The ceremony drags on forever until at last she opens the final box and it's done. Waiters come out and dish up the cake and the crowd goes back to talking as I wander through. I don't really want to be here but I can't leave her alone. If I stay on the wall for too long people will start talking about that and it’ll cause more problems. So I walk around and keep in motion so that nobody puts their attention on me.
"Vinnie!" a guy named Sal yells across the room. "How are you, you old son of a bitch?"
"Good, Sal," Vinnie replies walking over to him and extending his hand.
I watch with interest. Sal and Vinnie have been enemies for years. They've struggled over the same bits of territory for at least two decades. More than once their crews have gone to the mat against each other. Fifteen years ago the papers were declaring an all-out mob war because these two had been unable to reach an agreement and bodies were dropping like flies around a bug zapper.
"So isn't it about time we make good on our agreement?" Sal asks.
"I'm working on it," Vinnie says.
"Working on it is not doing it," Sal says. "It's good business. My boy, he's ready."
"Well, my girl ain't," Vinnie says, his voice soft and quiet.
What the fuck is this?
I move closer to eavesdrop.
"You'd best get her ready," Sal replies. "Otherwise, we may have a problem."
"I'll get her ready on my own god damn time Sal," Vinnie replies.
Sal nods and raises his glass to Vinnie. Vinnie raises his own glass and the crystal clinks. My shoulders are tightly knotted. As Sal walks away, I move up to Vinnie.
"What the fuck was that, Vinnie?" I ask.
Vinnie stares at me with his empty dead eyes. He waits for me to back down but I'm way past backing down anymore.
"None of your fucking business," Vinnie replies.
"I'm making it my goddamn business."
"Why don't you stick to what you know, boy? Fighting is all you’re good for. I hear you're not even good for fucking. All those chicks throwing themselves at you after every fucking fight and you don't take even one of them? What the hell is wrong with you? I didn't raise a queer, did I?"
I barely stop my hand from swinging. It's instinctive, reactive, and it would drop him. In this room though that would start a war and LeAnne is here, I can't risk it.
"You better not plan anything for LeAnne," I say.
"I plan what the fuck I want boy."
Vinnie turns and walks away leaving me with nothing but impotent rage. I have a damn bad feeling about this. I have to get her out of here faster than I thought. There's no time to waste.
The rest of the party passes in a blur for me. I can't focus my thoughts. All I can think about is Vinnie. Twice tonight he's made threatening comments in regards to LeAnne. He has to know she’s supposedly a virgin. Is that what he meant when he talked about getting her ready? God dammit.
I spot Sal’s son, Abel, across the room. Abel stands out like a sore thumb. He doesn't belong in this crowd or in this room, he's not a gangster. He's an accountant and everything about him screams it. He wears thick glasses, has an unruly mop of hair, and a pale complexion that makes him look like he’d burn to a crisp in the sun. He's not her type and I know he can't be pushing this.
"Abel," I say walking up to him. "Your dad planning something?"
Abel jumps as I speak. He's the nervous type, another reason he’s a terrible gangster. He squints his eyes and looks at me, leaning in like he's too blind to tell who I am.
"Oh, Jans," he says, apparently satisfied he knows me. "What are you talking about?"
"Heard a rumor your dad's gonna marry you off," I say conversationally.
"Yeah," Abel says and I hear the resignation in his voice. "He says I have a duty to carry on the family name."
&n
bsp; I lean in close to Abel so that I can whisper.
"I thought you swung the other way," I say.
I don't know how it's possible but Abel turns even paler. He shakes his head and begins to stutter.
"No...no...uh...no," he says.
"It's okay," I reply. "I'm a friend."
I stare into his eyes, he’s nervous, sweat beads on his brow, his fingers twitch, and his left eye has a tic. No matter that it’s becoming accepted in the world out there, in our world it’s still more than highly frowned on. It’s probably why Sal is pushing to get his son married. He doesn’t want anyone to know Abel’s gay.
“That’s just not true,” he says as the glass in his hand trembles. “I don’t know why you would say something like that.”
“Hey, it’s fine. I just heard a rumor that our dads may be trying to create a hook up between you and my stepsister. You know something about that maybe?”
I sip my water watching his eyes. His shoulders drop, his jaw goes slack, if we were in the octagon I’d go for an uppercut but this is all verbal. I wait and let him work out for himself what he wants to say or not say. I’ve already got what I want. It’s exactly what I was afraid of.
“No,” he says looking side to side.
He’s looking for his dad or one of his men. He probably thinks I’m setting him up for something. Hell maybe I am.
“Lot of people here,” I say looking around. “Why don’t we go over there where we can talk… privately?”
I motion towards a rear door that leads to the kitchens. The tic in his eye increases speed moving faster and faster. He works his mouth and looks around hoping for someone to save him. I smile, he’s mine. At last he nods and I herd him towards the hall. We step through the door and I walk a short ways down the hall leading the way. I listen to his footsteps behind me as I slow my step. When he’s directly behind me I whirl grabbing him by the front of his shirt and slam him into the wall. His head cracks hard and tears flow from his eyes as he cries out in pain and surprise. He raises his hands between us ineffectually.