At first, I wanted to say no. I was fucking pissed and angry that Bennett had gotten himself involved with Frank’s shit and Sanchez’s cartel. But then I found out his parents had died in a botched hit, and the rage I felt was beyond anything I could comprehend. How had Bennett let this happen? And fuck, how could he continue to work with this scum? I took the assignment. I wanted to come home, I wanted to see for myself if he had really fallen that far into the deep end.
Once I started digging, I confirmed Bennett’s hands were dirty; there was no way around it. I’d found out that he had nothing to do with his parents hit, thank Christ. Hell no, that was all fucking Frank, but Bennett was in trouble. The more I found out, the more I wanted to get my ass on a plane to New York and punch some god damn sense into his thick ass skull. When I actually saw him up close again, heard that familiar voice that night at the winery, I felt it in my chest. He was the kid I played baseball with in the street when it was raining, the kid who I skipped school with, the guy I shared everything with, including women. He was the guy I’d once called my brother. I hoped he was still that Bennett. That Bennett was no criminal.
Bennett had grown into a spoiled, uptight collector, but underneath it all, he was still good. He’d just had to sell his soul to stay afloat. After I’d gotten back all the intel on his business, I was shocked at how sloppy he’d kept his crucial records. It was obvious he was asking to get caught, asking to be relieved of the burden he brought onto himself. He was trying to get out, and now I was here to take him down. I exhaled harshly as the song ended and my eyes opened.
The quiet bell on the front door jingled, signaling I was no longer alone in my sanctuary. I heard her voice before I saw her. She’d spoken a quiet hello to Gary and my jaw tightened. I had an objective, and this woman was going to fuck it all to hell. I had wanted to instill hope in her for Bennett, but somehow, I’d started wanting it for me as well.
The sound of her footsteps on the metal stairs were measured. There was a small part of me that wanted to text Bennett and cancel tonight. I had to leave soon in order to meet him by eight, but, now that she was here, the idea of leaving irritated me. Her head was down so I had a moment to fully appraise her with my stare. She had on tight fitting jeans that hugged perfect legs, the soft looking red sweater she had on, fell off one shoulder, and her hair was down, wavy, almost frizzy. She gasped as her eyes flicked up from the floor and met mine. Her hand rose to her chest as if she was short of breath and her cheeks turned pink. She wasn’t wearing a stitch of make-up. She. Was. Stunning.
“Holy, shit, you scared me.” She scowled at me and it made me smirk. “It’s not funny.” Her lips twitched at the corners, threatening a smile. “I’m upgrading you to stalker.”
“Upgrading?” I cocked my eyebrow and she exhaled a deep breath. She adjusted the strap of the bag on her shoulder and moved to the other chair. She plopped down, and her bag made a heavy thud as it hit the hardwood. A gush of angry air fell from her lips as she glared at me.
“Yeah, before I thought you were just a happy coincidence.” Her face paled and her gaze fell to the floor and then back up to me. Her teeth pulled nervously at her bottom lip. She cursed under her breath. “I mean, not happy. I-I mean… I mean…” She rolled her eyes as my smile grew with her stuttering. “…why are you here?”
“I told you, Gio, this place is like my home. Gary and I go way back. Ain’t that right, old man.” I hollered loud enough so he could hear me and he laughed.
“Known this kid way too long, Ms. Cavalier.” He started to cough; the strength it took him to shout made me feel guilty for yelling in the first damn place. He was getting old.
“See.” I folded my arms over my chest, and she narrowed her eyes.
“It’s just weird. I’ve never seen you before and then, boom, here you are.” She stood and moved to the record crates. Her back to me.
“I told you, Gio, I’m following you.” My tone held no humor, and I watched as her hand paused over the selection of records. She didn’t speak. She just grabbed one and pulled it from the crate. She walked to the record player and picked up and placed my U2 record back in its sleeve.
“Why are you following me?” she asked without turning to look at me. She placed the needle on the vinyl and the sound of strings filled the air. It was a modern rendition but played by what sounded like a quartet.
“I think you’re interesting.” I was being honest. I was beginning to like her. Her habits, her life, her little quirks — she was fascinating. I wanted to see if she was what Bennett and I had always been looking for. The one that wouldn’t completely fold, but would allow us to bend, to push her limits, and let us show her what she was capable of.
She turned and stared at me. Her dark brown eyes lit with curiosity. “You’re really following me?”
“I am.”
Her lips trembled and, at first, I thought it was fear, but then the slightest hint of a smile pulled at the seam of her mouth. I bit the corner of my lip in an attempt not to smile myself. I didn’t want to break the moment.
She was silent again as she sat back into her chair. “I’m unavailable.” She cast her eyes down and then up again to decipher my expression. My poker face was spot-on.
“I know.”
“You do?” Her brows furrowed, creating a cute crinkle above her nose. Without make-up you could see the slight imperfections of the tone of her skin — her sun spots and freckles, I liked it. Just like the sound of vinyl, she was genuine. I decided I had to be with her, with or without Bennett. I had to know what this real, beautiful girl, felt like, sounded like. I wanted to show her what she never knew about herself, show her that her body was hers — hers to feel, to scream, to fall apart, to shake, to elicit pleasure she’d drown in.
“I told you—”
“You’ve been following me.” She started to chew at her lip again.
I stood and walked the few short steps to where she was sitting. I leaned down and pulled her lip from between her teeth and held her chin, lifting her eyes to mine. It was risky; I didn’t know if she’d appreciate my touch just yet. Her chest began to rise and fall in fast succession. I could see the pulse in her neck as it began to beat at a rapid rhythm. It could’ve been fear. It should’ve been fear, but it wasn’t. Her cheeks and her neck filled with that fucking blush, and I licked my lips before I spoke. Her eyes held me captive.
“I’ll see you soon, Gio.”
She swallowed as I dropped my hand from her chin. “Stay away from me.” She tried to infuse a bit of command, but her voice shook with need, not panic, not anxiety.
I nodded. “If that’s what you really want, I will.” I turned toward the stairs, and just before I took the first step down, I turned one last time. “Is it Gio, is that what you want?”
“My name’s Selene.” She straightened her posture, her pride now winning over her lust. Reading people, it’s what I did, and she was a fiery one. She hadn’t left Gio behind in Brooklyn. No, her Italian was showing, and it only turned me on more.
“You keep telling yourself that, sweetheart.” I chuckled as her scowl returned. I didn’t linger, I left, my steps quick as I descended the stairs.
My smile was wide as I nodded at Gary; his knowing smirk for some reason solidified everything for me. This was my home and I’d found a woman who seemed worthy of the chase. A woman who could bring my friend back to me, back to himself. Help him see what he’d become, show him that he was better than all the shit he’d gotten himself into, give him his reason, his out. For the first time, since my feet hit the steadfast ground of this concrete jungle, I had real hope. It was a lot to put on a person, a fragile girl, but that was the thing, she wasn’t fragile, she was strong. She just didn’t know it yet.
The dark, bitter liquid lingered on my taste buds as I took the last sip from the beer bottle. Bennett was late. This wasn’t like him, and I was starting to get worried. I checked my watch again; it was eight forty-five. Biergarten was packed. This pl
ace was more popular than I preferred, but it was on my turf and Bennett wouldn’t expect anything less. The place was open, high ceilings lifted by huge metal beams and exposed brick-lined the back wall.
I was just about to text when I noticed him from across the room. He saw me and nodded his chin in my direction. His smile was fake, and it fueled my annoyance.
“Sorry, I am late.” He pulled out the chair and sat down. “Long night, equally long morning and afternoon.”
I knew Gio was at his place last night and that his morning was full of her, but that wasn’t an excuse. “What time did she leave?” I asked.
“Christ, Gage, when did you become a stalker? I had a meeting this afternoon, it ran late.” He picked up a menu and pretended to read it. I knew what he would order. He was a man of patterns. He sighed and looked at me over the menu. “She left around noon.” The grin he wore now was the real deal.
The waiter passed by and stopped when he noticed the new customer at my table and my empty bottle. “What can I get you?”
Stella Artois. “I’ll have a Stella Artois,” Bennett said and placed the menu down on the table.
I couldn’t help my soft laughter and Bennett gave me a quizzical look. I pointed to the bottle in front of me. “I’ll have another, thanks.” The waiter nodded and moved quickly to the bar.
“What’s funny?”
“Stella Artois… Bennett, you’ve been drinking that same shit since I can remember… ever want to try something new?” I laughed, and his smile grew.
“I like what I like, fucking sue me.”
“That you do.” I shook my head. “You worked on a Sunday?”
He furrowed his brows and then recognition passed across his features and his eyes widened. “Oh, yeah, my meeting. Yup, just some investors.” Lie.
“You’ve done really well. There’s a Monterosso store just down the street from my apartment in L.A. Every time I pass it…” I swallowed. “…well it’s really cool, man. Congratulations.”
Bennett scanned the room before he brought his attention back to me. “Like I said, when I saw you at the Grand Opening… it’s been hard, and maybe… maybe I should’ve tried harder, but I was so angry… and then Mom and Dad… well… it was—”
The waiter brought our drinks to the table. “Need anything else?” he asked.
“No, we’re fine, thank you.” Bennett gave him a curt nod and he walked away.
“I’m sorry I didn’t come home for their funeral. I should’ve, but I had an assignment and I couldn’t.”
“Assignment?” Bennett questioned as he poured his beer into a frosted glass.
“Yeah, I was knee deep in research.” It wasn’t a lie. I was knee deep in research, just not the kind he was thinking.
“It’s okay. Honestly, Gage, I buried them and it was the hardest thing I’ve ever done. You being here would have made it worse.”
I tried not to let his words cut me, but they did. “I know. I’m sorry. Your parents… they were like my family, too, and I’m sorry I let so much time pass. I let everything fall to shit.”
“It’s done. I think it’s time we moved on. It’s good to have you home now.” He took a gulp of his beer and I laughed.
“You’re still a bad liar.”
“I’m not going to lie to you, Gage. I wasn’t pleased when I found out you were in the city. But, this shit, the past… life’s too fucking short.” He took a deep breath. “I’m glad your back. How long are you here?”
“Not sure… a few weeks, a few months. Depends on the research.” I hated lying and giving half-truths, but I had to. I had to keep him in the dark for as long as possible.
“You and your god damn science… you can keep that shit.” Bennett laughed; it was light and reminded me of how we used to be. “So, should we talk about why you really wanted to see me tonight?” His smile didn’t waver, giving me the okay. He was in.
“Did you know her name is Giovanna?” I asked.
“I did, but she said she doesn’t like it. I know I haven’t had much time with her, but she’s eager, Gage. She’s just what we’d have wanted five years ago.” He exhaled a long breath.
“But?”
“It’s been a long time and I like this one.”
“Why are you hesitating? You know you want this. You know how you are… you know you’ll have to see how far she’ll go. It feeds us both; don’t pretend like you don’t know who you are anymore. It may have been five years ago, but Bennett, you don’t deviate. When was the last time you had a real relationship?” He didn’t move his gaze from mine.
“Clara.” He huffed out a short laugh. “I haven’t had the time; I haven’t really seen much potential in any of the women since her.” The line of his jaw hardened. “I like Selene. She’s different, she makes me feel… good. I haven’t felt… good, for a long time.”
She was getting under his skin. “She’s getting to you, then?”
He nodded.
I wanted her, and as much as I would’ve liked to hear how she sounded under my touch versus his, or to watch her body shake as I took her higher than she’d ever go with anyone else, watch her limits break, I wasn’t going to step between Bennett and someone he could actually have a future with. Especially now, especially when he needed a future. “I’ll step back, Bennie. She’s all yours.” Once the words left my mouth, I regretted it. A heavy feeling I couldn’t put into words settled on my shoulders.
The crease between his brows deepened. “I don’t want you to step back.”
I couldn’t hide the surprise on my face, “But you said—”
“Give me a week.” He finished the beer in his glass. “She may have gotten to me a bit, but Gage, like you said, I don’t change. She’s perfect for now and I’m curious.” His mouth spread into a wide grin. “I’m curious how far we can take her… aren’t you?”
I was. But, she was special. I couldn’t tell myself why I couldn’t categorize it. But I felt it. I felt her substance, her truth, in every word she spoke, in every note she played. I’d spent the better part of my time in the city watching her, watching her kindness to strangers, her anger, and how she bottled it up at work. The way she played her music at the small symphony house — she pulled the bow and manipulated the sound like it was the air she was pulling into her lungs to survive. I liked how her eyes ate me alive. I needed to balance the scales, take back some of my control, show her how good it felt to just give in.
“Well?” Bennett’s smug laugh broke my train of thought.
“If you’re in, I’m in. I think this could be the best one yet, Bennett.”
“I do as well.” He stood and threw a few bills on the table. “I have an early day tomorrow. I’ll call you, let you know the night.”
“All right.”
The brown of his eyes dimmed for a split second. “I’m glad you’re home.”
“Me too.” Another truth.
He weaved through the bar and left through the front door and, just like that, we were kings again — kings of a crumbling kingdom, but kings nonetheless.
Renee’s not so soft footfalls echoed through the apartment. Her heels clicked and clicked as she ran back and forth frantically. Her agent had insisted that she be seen tonight at Le Bain, apparently some fancy place on the top of The Standard Hotel. Not my thing, but she was over the top nervous.
“You’re gonna break your ass in those heels.” I laughed as she paused and glowered at me.
“You cannot wear those fucking flats, Gio. No. No. No.” She shuffled into her room and emerged with a pair of four-inch Louboutin heels. “Put these on, right now. I did not lend you that hot as fuck dress so that you could wear flats. For Christ’s sake, G.” She frowned.
“I don’t think our Lord and Savior would really care what shoes I wear in the end. What’s the big deal?” I shrugged but took the shoes from her.
She rolled her eyes. “My agent and some really big hitting producers will be there tonight, so we must schmooze.”
She leaned in and puckered her red lips, making a fish face, before she started to giggle.
“You’re losing it, but I’ll suffer these weapons for you.” I slipped into the expensive black pumps and stood; I immediately felt sexy. I could feel the length they gave my legs, and my calf muscles tightened as I walked to her room to take a quick look in her floor to ceiling mirror.
“See, you look hot.” She grabbed a pair of silver hoop earrings and smiled at me through the mirror as she put them on.
My insecurity flared as I watched my cheeks pink in my reflection. The black dress was skin tight, the material hugging every curve. It had small straps and hung low and open in the back allowing the fabric to pool at the small of my back. I felt naked.
“I’m practically naked, Ray.” I chewed at my bottom lip.
“Exactly. That’s the point, Goose.” Renee shook her head. She still hadn’t stopped calling me Goose. She always had, since we were little, and I liked it. Looking at us here, in this mirror, we were so far away from our youth. It almost didn’t feel real. Her words grounded me. “Ready to slay, my friend?”
I nodded.
“That’s my Gio. Let’s go, the car’s waiting downstairs.” Her smile spread across her pearl white teeth; she was so beautiful. Her blonde hair was pinned to the side in an old Hollywood style. Her red dress reminded me of a pin-up girl or something Marilyn Monroe would’ve worn.
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