by Frank, S. W.
The man did and Nico walked hurriedly toward the side street adjacent to the deli and slipped through a back alley. He made it to the window just as it lifted and the bag was placed there. He cupped his hand over the cell and leaned his back against the wall, listening for the man inside. He heard him say into the phone, “Okay, I did it.”
Nico kept his voice low, “Go back and wait for your order then take a seat and wait until I call you back.”
Once he hung-up, Nico strained to hear the bathroom door close then reached up and retrieved the bag and split. He exited the alley in the opposite direction and got into a car parked near the southern corner. He drove a quarter of mile, found a tree lined residential street and pulled to the curb. He checked the contents of the bag to find a passkey, map and a schematic of the building. There were pen marks indicating the location of the security. Shit this wasn’t going to be easy, he thought. He took the items out, laid them on the seat then removed a bug detector from the glove compartment and checked the items. No beeping. Good, because he’d hate to go back and the kill the sonovabitch. He preferred clean jobs without unnecessary loopholes. Filling the gaps was a pain in the ass. Amateurs didn’t plan, of course there were moments when he had to improvise but those were few. Selange put him in a position a couple of years ago when she got her BIG idea to hit Frank Monticelli. Now, that was definitely a rush assignment and the woman failed to listen. Gung-ho, hot-heated Selange, she was worse than Alfonzo when she wanted something done. You know what happens when a novice killer leads a duo of expert hit-men? It’s an unprofessional job and shit tends to unravel somewhere. He nearly died.
He unconsciously rubbed his thigh muscle, sometimes there were annoying aches from his last injury. A bullet caught him in the stomach, damn slug emptied out its contents and he swore someone doused his insides with battery acid. None of the solid organs were affected, which was a miracle but man did he almost wish for death in lieu of the pain. Fortunately, he survived. He made a ‘tsk’ sound when he realized, twice near death and in each incident Selange was present. An omen or crappy fucking luck? He couldn’t decide, but surmised he was running out of lives being near that woman, yet he didn’t know how to stay away.
He phoned the man back, “Go across the street to the coffee shop, order a latté, and ask to use the bathroom then check inside the receptacle for a black plastic bag with a red tie. Your money’s in there.”
Nico disassembled the phone then drove off. He had three days before they moved Gregorio to another safe house. He was a day’s drive away. He frowned; this job was a fucking stinker. Three agents, a safe house across from a precinct, he didn’t like it, not one bit!
CHAPTER TEN
Alfonzo awoke. He felt different, happy or close to it. He also experienced a booming headache, a sex-hangover, is how he described it. Selange covered his chest like a blanket. She didn’t have a stitch of clothes on and at first he thought he was hallucinating. He’d experienced quite a few wild dreams after the divorce and sometimes wondered if reality was the liquid fillings of a bottle. He consumed a lot of champagne and then some. How he functioned the next day was often the result of flushing out the poison through exercise, copious fluids and then taking a long piss.
Quite frankly, if he were out of it, then –shit it was the best fantasy yet. He stretched his neck back, when hair tickled his nose. He sniffed a familiar fruity scent mingled with his musk. This apparition was warm, pressed on his flesh with its ear to his heart as if it listened to the workings of his tormented soul. He moved his hands down the curvaceous body of his human blanket; traversed the waist to the indented spine and the slope of the feminine buttocks. Such softness and beauty he found, it caused his chest to rise rapidly. The sleep cleared and an electric sensation in his fingers shot straight to his brain. Selange was not a figment of his imagination, but cliché ‘flesh and blood.’ His hands stopped moving and stayed attached to her sexy ass. He smiled; he didn’t have to lie anymore about how much he missed her. His body displayed the deception. He missed this woman every day. He went to see the kids, covertly wanting to see her too. He drank to drown the depression but it only made it worse. He fucked indiscriminately to silence the desire for her and this too deepened the emotional ache. He was screwed up in knots, self-destructive and callous, a man he wasn’t when they were together. He needed her and she came at the perfect hour. She’s the part of his heart which went missing but since she returned, it functioned properly, beating healthy and strong. Yes, it wasn’t a dream. He remembered in the dawning hour the night. He had his woman back at his side. This round he’d lay motherfuckers in their graves if any tried to steal her away!
He slowly swiveled his head to view the digital clock. Seven twenty three, ‘ugh’, today was the day, the moment of reckoning. He inhaled; it was futile to consider skipping out. He agreed to turn himself in to the federal authorities by eleven and he planned to keep his word. There wasn’t much time to do anything except shower, get a nice breakfast and call his lawyer to let him know he was ready. He would be a liar if he said he wasn’t a little worried, last time he was in a similar situation; the cockiness got kicked out his ass. He’d come a long way in the organization since then, acquired friends in high and low places, but Vincent taught him one important lesson, eliminate problems beforehand and this goddamn time he listened!
He surveyed the bedroom. There were empty glasses and two champagne bottles strewn about. Women’s lingerie mixed with men’s clothing near the divan. Alfonzo chuckled, yep last night he threw one helluva party!
His eyes traveled to her profile and chuckled. Man, she had him going, they were at it like a man and woman released from a long stint in prison.
To get the blood circulating, he stretched his limbs then suddenly she wiggled and the urge started, not the one to relieve his bladder but the other one. Damn, she got him horny. How the hell she accomplished it simply by jiggling her ass was testament to his passion for Selange. He traced the outward curve of her hips and followed the slopes with his hands. Once he truly forgave her, as well as himself, the anger annulled. With clarity he gained wisdom. After many months of loneliness and self-destructive behavior he no longer suffered any emotional turmoil.
It’s simple; he wanted his babe, imperfections and all. She accepted his shortcomings from the onset and now it’s his turn to reciprocate. He’d love her unconditionally, because in maturity he recognized they were each heavily flawed.
What’s that?
Something wet trickled down his chest. He raised his head to see if she were drooling. But no, it was descending on opposite sides of his torso. He laughed when he realized what the hell was happening. Geez, he really had to get her home to those babies before she wasted breast milk on him. He rolled her over, massaging the soft orbs then closed his mouth to feed like a hungry infant.
Selange’s sleepy eyes opened. Her sensual lips spread in a smile and stretched. “Ummmm, buenos dias, guapo.”
He wanted her and parted her thighs to give her a proper ‘good morning’ response. His love-making was slow and thorough. When it was over she snuggled in his arms and he said, “I missed you, too.”
“Ummm, but promise no more skanky orgies. Eeew!”
He cracked up, “I can’t touch another woman ever?”
She looked concerned, almost scared, “But…I thought…you said…we’re moving forward, are we?”
Of course he was teasing, “I’m kidding. The others were distractions to keep my mind off you. We’re going to get this shit right. This is the do over.”
“And every day I’ll love you and be loyal, oh honey I’m unhappy without you.”
The muscles on his jawline danced. He didn’t have words in answer to that, instead he gave her a squeeze, kissed the top of her head then rest his chin on her soft hair. He did this often in the past, a sign of gratitude for her surviving an assassins’ bullet. Today it was a silent pledge to cherish her more and work on being a better partner. When thi
s legal matter got resolved, he planned to take her on a romantic vacation.
His cell started sliding around on the nightstand and he reached over her head to retrieve it. “Yeah, Anita…si…aye…si Anita…um-hum. Okay, lo sé, hasta luego!”
“What happened, why is Anita calling?”
“She asked if everything was okay and if I’m coming to breakfast.” Alfonzo responded, “Smart lady. Glad she didn’t mention you.”
“Ah, oh gosh, the kids must be awake. I have to get home.”
She was out the bed in a flash. With that wild hair and curves, she was incredibly sexy even early in the morning. She searched the floor in a panic, picking up her clothes and he lie there watching with his hand behind his head in amusement. Then, he climbed out of bed wrapped her in his arms to quiet the guilty jitters. “Babe, relax. You’re a fantastic –spectacular mom. At least get a shower with me,” he sniffed his arm pits and she laughed as his eyes twinkled, “yeah, I definitely need one. I’ll take you home. I could use Anita’s home cooking before I appear before the judge.”
At the mention of his impending surrender, her smile faded. “Alfonzo what if they hold you, how will I bail you out, I don’t have access to money. I also have expenses, employees at the charity who’re expecting a paycheck?”
“Whoa, take it easy, I’m good. Don’t worry about bailing me out; I’ll be right back here after the hearing.” He said with confidence. “I’ll get the lawyer on getting your money released; in the meantime I have enough cash to cover our expenses.” He said. There was something he had to prepare her for and it was best to give it to her straight. “Selange, the government plays by their own rules. They’re going to come at us separately and may go after you triple hard. They’ll threaten to take the kids if you don’t cooperate.”
Her sharp intake of breath hurt him.
He continued, “They’ll say I confessed and admitted things you know I’d never cop to. They’ll do this and a whole lot more to nail me, even arrest you, but babe, you can’t say anything. Deny everything if you’re compelled to talk, otherwise don’t break. Remember, you’re hard as concrete. Brooklyn’s in your soul. This’ll be the test of how emotionally tough you really are. If…and I mean if you go to jail, you won’t be there long, I swear on my life…I’ll have you out within seventy-two hours.”
She cried. Damn he hated when she cried. “Okay…okay.”
“Good.” He kissed her tear-stained cheek, “Let’s get a bath then I’ll take you home.”
She sniffled and the cute nose wrinkled, “Yes, hun. You do smell a bit funky.”
“You gave me a work-out, blame yourself for the stench.” He pushed her head under his armpit and she jerked away slapping at his face.
Alfonzo caught her around the waist and she laughed, kicking out at him but he had her good and tight. She was in the air and he was blowing raspberries on her stomach and she squealed because she was super ticklish there. She pressed down on his shoulders, stretching her toes toward the floor. Finally, he set her on her feet and she shook her head. “You’re still a big kid, seriously.”
“Eh, you like it.” Then he sniffed at her, “Now you smell.”
“You….!”
He gave her plush tush a firm smack then jogged into the bathroom. She shrieked after him, screaming playfully. “Oh, you!
****
Sal sat eating breakfast when his parents walked through the door. His dad and mom had happy gleams on their faces, he hadn’t seen since they broke-up. He rushed from the table leaving his baby sisters and brother there with Anita and that mean housekeeper who chastised him whenever he forgot to pick up something.
He ran straight to his dad and hugged him around the waist. He had to look up to talk, “You and mom kissed and made-up?”
His father laughed. He loved his dad’s smile, it lit up his whole face, especially since he didn’t do it much anymore. He wanted to be like his dad, and wear suits a lot. Whenever they went outside people thought his father was somebody famous, they were always staring and saying, “Are you a celebrity? You look like this person or that person.”
His dad didn’t care for the attention; he told Sal it’s annoying. But Sal thought it was cool. If he was his dad, he wouldn’t hold his mouth in a tight line or raise an eyebrow at people when they’re being nice. Nope, he’d say “Thank you,” or “Yes, I’m very famous and rich.”
Sal asked again, “Well, did you, are you coming home now? I want you to come back. When you and Uncle Vinny were here, we had a lot of fun. I miss Uncle Vinny, Nicky’s too old and he doesn’t play soccer and…”
Alfonzo nudged his son’s cheek with a fist, “Hijo, slow down. Take a breather.” He didn’t want to kill the child’s excitement but he couldn’t move home yet. With the court case pending and a potential charge being brought against Selange, they would have to live apart or else it’d appear as if they were acting in consort to defraud the government and the divorce was a sham.
“You’re mom and I are friends, hijo. That’s all.”
Sal’s face crumbled.
Alfonzo knelt and made eye contact with the boy, “Look, hijo. I love you.” He put a fist to his heart, “you and Allie are my life.”
“You forgot about my little brother and sister. What about them?”
Oh, shit! He didn’t see that coming. Alfonzo quickly added, “Yeah, of course. Angie and Vin, too. They’re part of our family, of course I love them.”
“Are you ever coming home?”
“There’s some things I have to do but I might one day soon. Okay hijo?”
The boy nodded then hugged his dad, “Okay, but it’s better when you’re here.”
“Okay son. I hear you.” He ruffled the untamed mass of black silk, “Christ you need a cut, after school. You and me, we have to keep ourselves sharp, feel me?”
“Sí!”
Anita ordered Sal to finish his breakfast before school and he ran back to his seat. Alfonzo and Selange exchanged solemn glances. Staying apart after reuniting was going to be harder than they imagined. He took a deep breath then joined his kids at the table as Selange checked through Sal’s backpack to make sure he’d finished his homework. “Buenos dias Anita.”
“Hola, you want food?”
“Si,” He answered then grinned at his little angel Allie propped up in her booster chair at the table. The munchkin appeared to have hung out late. She resembled her mom to a tee. She had the same pout to her pink lips and perfectly arched eyebrows that even professionals were unable to imitate. He tweaked the slightly upturned nose, “Somebody whose name begins with A has a birthday coming.”
She swat his hand and giggled, “Me.”
He tweaked the nose again and she slapped his arm. She was going to be a fighter. “Hey, nina that hurts.” He teased feigning pain.
“No mas Alfonzo, cut it out with her. She’s a girl, not a boy, don’t teach her to fight!” Anita scolded.
“Aye, Anita you fuss too much.”
Anita sat a plate of food in front him and he ate, talking in between to his children. His eyes were on Selange’s ass as she bent over to retrieve an item from the fridge. Sal caught him staring, “My friends say mom’s hot. They wish their mommies were hot.”
Alfonzo gulped his coffee, “Um…that’s what little boys talk about today?”
“No, not all the time. We play video games and soccer.”
The doorbell rang. Anita rushed to it, wiping her hands on her apron. The bodyguard arrived to escort Sal to school.
“Be good.”
“Here Sal, don’t forget your lunch,” Selange said handing the boy his lunch case.
“Bye mom, bye dad!” The boy exclaimed taking the bag then hurrying to the door, snatching his backpack from the floor along the way. The door clicked shut and Alfonzo finished his eggs.
“Not eating?” He asked Selange when she circled the table and headed for the stairs.
“I’m going to change, I’ll eat something later.
”
“Um.”
Then it was Allie, Anita and him.
“The twins are sleeping?”
“Si, eat, bathe, sleep. The other one cry then sleep.”
Alfonzo chuckled, “Yeah, I heard.”
The woman began cleaning the table, frowning at Allie for not finishing her food. Allie put her head down.
“Hija, what’s wrong?” Alfonzo leaned over to ask the pouty girl.
Allie whined, “I’m tired.”
“She wake up looking for her mommy tres times. I bet she very sleepy.” Anita said over her shoulder as she marched away with dishes. Clucking like an old hen.
“Pay her no mind hija,” he said to his daughter, before drinking the lingering remnants of coffee. He pushed back from the table, “Come on baby girl, papi taking you to bed.”
When he picked her up, short arms hugged his neck and her unruly curls feathered his chin. He squeezed her tight, thinking how much he missed breakfasts with the family and their bed-time rituals. He missed being with them on the regular and wondered if the source of the child’s neediness was because she missed it, too.
He carried upstairs, placed her in bed with the pretty purple and pink ponies then rubbed her back. Allie put fists to her eyes, rolled them around then stuffed her face in the pillow in search of the sandman. Shortly she found him.
Alfonzo straightened his spine, dug his hands in his pockets and frowned. The affair fractured his marriage, but the divorce completely shattered his family. He hadn’t thought, had he? Alberti once said, “Don’t make decisions out of anger.”