I felt Bryce’s hand clamp down on the back of my arm. Apparently, I was making him nervous. I lightly shook him off. I appreciated the concern, but I could handle myself.
His eyes opened a little wider in surprise. “You think you’re so clever, don’t you,” he scowled. “Do you know what happens to people who stick their noses in my business? Your friend here knows.”
“Tommy, please,” Coulson warned.
“Don’t worry, Dom,” he replied. “They don’t know nothing. I didn’t commit any crime. I was wrongly convicted.”
“If I don’t know anything, how do I know that your organization brought in over three million dollars in 2009? Did the restaurant really sell that many lasagnas? Or was it from some other business venture like heroin or human trafficking?”
He lunged toward me, so close that I could feel his breath on my skin. His smooth, tan face was marked by a scar on his left cheek. One of my sources told me that he got a little sloppy with the fuel while burning a man alive. His face was marked with his brutality ever since.
“Lies,” he hissed. “Drop your amateur investigation and maybe I’ll just forget all about it. Keep this up, and everything you hold dear to you will go up in flames.”
Coulson opened her mouth to protest, but Tilucci waved her off. “Maybe we should take this into your office, Dominique,” he suggested. I shrugged my shoulders and we all gathered inside. Tilucci took the desk chair, Coulson stood on his side, and Bryce and I took the chairs opposite him.
“I just don’t see why you’re so obsessed with me,” Tilucci said calmly. “You wrote your little story and probably made a lot of money from it. What did I get? Five years in jail. For what, because my taxes were wrong? You met my accountant, didn’t you? Do you think he seems like a trustworthy guy?”
“It’s much more than tax evasion and you know it. What about all the battery and murder, for starters?”
“Oh,” he said, turning to Bryce. “Did you tell her?”
His face turned red.
“Tell me what? If you’re referring to what you made him do to your former accountant, I know all about that.”
“Oh, dear,” Tilucci grinned, his words dripping with condescension. “I suppose you don’t know as much as you think you do. I don’t know why I was ever concerned. Do you know what I think?”
“What?”
“I think you’re bluffing. Go ahead and ask Bryce what I’m capable of. Go ahead.”
I looked to Bryce. He was staring straight at the ground, his jaw clenched and hands balled into fists.
“No?” Tilucci teased. “Should I tell her?”
“Tell me what?” I asked.
“STOP!” Bryce roared, pounding his fist on the desk.
Tilucci chuckled to himself. He seemed pleased.
“Tommy,” Coulson scolded. “This is a place of business. Let’s keep things civil.”
“Sorry, toots. I just want to make sure everyone understands one another.”
Dominique Coulson brushed a few strands of her short silver hair out of her face. She seemed a little rattled. The woman looked like she was my mom’s age, but she had a lot of work done on her face. Her skin was stretched tight over her sharp facial features.
“I advise the two of you to leave my client alone. You wouldn’t want to find yourself on the wrong side of a libel suit.”
“Is it libel if we can prove it’s all true?” I retorted.
“You can’t prove shit,” he interjected. “I’ve got one of the best lawyers in the business. We pay big bucks to keep her on retainer in case scum like you comes after us.”
“Let’s go,” Bryce said. “There’s nothing more for us here.”
“Yeah, why don’t you two leave,” Tilucci echoed. “Leave town, why don’t you? Leave me and my family alone.”
“You’re not going to get away with any of this,” I said. “We don’t give into threats.”
“Suit yourself,” Tilucci sighed as we walked toward the door.
“Fuck this guy,” Bryce muttered under his breath.
“Bryce,” Tilucci called before we had a chance to leave. “How’s little Arianna doing these days? She’s gotta be, what, six? I bet she’s a real pretty girl. Pretty like her mother.”
Bryce whipped around. I grabbed him by the shoulders and held him back as best as I could. He stood face to face with Tilucci, panting.
“I’d watch it, Bryce,” he taunted. “I’m pals with a few judges around here. You go on trial for battery, you’re looking at a long time behind bars.”
“It’s not worth it, Bryce,” I whispered. He seemed to relax a bit and moved away from his tormenter.
“Listen to your girlfriend,” he said. “Jane, I almost forgot,” he added. “Max Malone sends his best.”
I tensed up. Just hearing his name sent a shiver down my spine.
“I wouldn’t be surprised if he paid you a visit soon. He misses you very much. I bet he’d take you out on a very special date.”
I heard Tilucci’s cackling laugh in my head as I forced myself out of Coulson’s office. My chest felt tight and I could hardly breathe. I wasn’t scared of Tilucci. I could easily outsmart and overpower him. Max was a different story.
“Breathe,” Bryce ordered once we got outside the building. He grabbed me by the shoulders and lightly shook me. “What’s gotten into you?”
He looked worried again. I took in wheezing gasps. My head felt cloudy.
“It’s nothing,” I choked. “I just need to sit down in the car for a moment.”
He put his arm around my lower back and guided me toward his car. Once I had a chance to sit down and relax, I started to feel better.
“Do you want to tell me what that was all about?” he asked.
“Which part?” I responded. “I wasn’t expecting any of that to happen.”
“Why did you get so rattled over Max Malone like that?”
“What did Tilucci want you to tell me? What made you freak out like that?”
He shook his head and started the car. “I need to see Arianna, now.”
I leaned back and closed my eyes to steady my racing heart but I could only see Max’s eyes staring back at me.
Loyalty And Justice
Bryce
After our unexpected encounter with Tilucci, I was so furious, I was shaking. If it weren’t for Coulson and Jane being in the room, I would have sent my fist through his stupid smirking face. I would have contributed to the crookedness of his long nose.
“All in all,” Jane mused, “I think that went well.”
“Seriously?” I screeched. “How do you figure? Tilucci gave us several not-so-subtle hints that he was going to torture or murder us if we didn’t leave town immediately. I don’t think that was the information we were looking for.”
“Did you see how he reacted when I asked him about Office Supply LLC?”
“So?”
“I wanted to find out if it was a front for something extremely illegal. I think his reaction answered my question. Did you see the way his smirk dropped when I mentioned it? That’s the proof I need to really dig into this. He’s afraid of us.”
I scoffed at the idea of someone like Tilucci being afraid of us. “Aren’t you afraid of him?”
“Tilucci, personally?” she asked. “Maybe a little. But I think he has worse guys on his payroll. I don’t think that he can touch me, though.”
“What makes you so invincible?”
“You know his game. He knows that people like us don’t give a shit about our own safety,” she explained. “If he threatens my life, he knows I’ll just laugh in his face.”
“You suicidal or something?”
“No, but I like the danger. I like how it feels when he’s screaming in my face, telling me he’s going to kill me. It’s a bit of a rush, isn’t it?”
“That’s messed up.”
“I know, but it’s the way I am. It makes me untouchable. You have someone more important than your
self. He has leverage on you.”
I nodded wearily. Arianna was my biggest asset. I couldn’t afford to lose her. Now that I thought about it, I couldn’t stand to lose Jane, either. I wondered if she would even blink an eye if Tilucci took me out.
“Are you going to talk to her?” Jane asked.
“I don’t think I can. I just need to make sure she’s safe.”
“Andrea’s more than capable,” she said.
“I know, but it’s just not the same,” I replied. “I need to see the house and the whole setup for myself. I need that little peace of mind.”
“I understand that. I’ll introduce you to Andrea and you can discuss her security plans. I’m sure she’d be happy to talk about it. She’s brilliant.”
“Thanks,” I said. “I’ll try to make it quick so I can take you home.”
“It’s no problem,” she replied. I’ve gotten so much work done, but I’m waiting to hear back from Pat before I can continue.”
I tried to muster a small smile to show her that I appreciated everything she was doing to help me, but my face was frozen in a blank stare. This was all a nightmare that I couldn’t wake up from.
“I think you should pull up to the end of the cul-de-sac,” she suggested. “Andrea was trying to keep a safe distance. I bet she’ll see us long before we see her.”
I looked around and parked the car in an empty spot along the sidewalk. Then we waited.
A stocky blonde woman a little older than me came up to the window and tapped twice. Jane unlocked the doors and she slid into the backseat.
“I told you she’d find us,” Jane grinned. “How’s it going, Andrea?”
“Good. Everything is good on my end. No one has even tried to enter the house. We spotted a vehicle circling the block earlier, so I put one of our guys on it. Turned out to be nothing. How are things with you?”
“Good,” she said. “We’re making some serious progress. This is Bryce, by the way.”
I watched her eyes move up and down my body. It made me feel slightly uncomfortable like I was being judged somehow.
“It’s nice to finally meet you, Bryce,” she said, offering her hand. “I’ve heard so much about you.”
“Have you?” Jane said, raising an eyebrow.
“Oh, you know,” Andrea covered, “I mean I know that you’re helping Jane with her story. That’s all, really.”
I looked at Jane. She was starting to turn pink. I wondered if that was all, or if there was more to the story. It was probably better to not to know what was said about me. I doubt it was anything good.
“Your daughter is absolutely adorable,” Andrea said.
“You’ve seen Arianna?” I asked. I hadn’t even seen Arianna since she was a baby.
“Of course. She leaves for school every day at 7:40 and gets home a little after 3:25. She usually plays in the backyard before dinner. Besides that, she doesn’t get very far.”
“Is her aunt always nearby?” I asked.
“Always. She’s pretty protective, isn’t she?”
I nodded.
“I’m glad. It makes my job a heck of a lot easier. I’m usually one to make fun of hover parents, but for once, this child needs a little more attention. She’s in good hands.”
“Thank you,” I said, finally having the chance to express my gratitude to the stranger who was essentially doing my job as a parent. “You have no idea how important this is to me.”
“I get it,” she said. “I don’t have kids myself, but I know how important they are if you’ve got them. They’re just so young and innocent, you know? They shouldn’t have to worry about their safety like this.”
I didn’t know how to respond. Hearing her say this made me feel even more guilty for letting things with Tilucci get this bad again.
“I can tell that you’re a caring father, though,” she added quickly, probably sensing my shame. “She looks just like you.”
“You think so?”
“Absolutely. You have the same expressive face. Very contemplative. She’s going to grow up to be absolutely stunning. She’s clearly got some good genes.”
“Thanks,” I said.
“Have you talked to Lilian recently?” she asked. “Are you here to see Arianna?”
“I don’t think it’s a good idea. She doesn’t know who I am and I don’t want to confuse her. Anyway, I don’t think it’s the right time.”
“If you don’t mind me asking, then why are you here?”
I looked toward Jane, then back out the window. “I don’t know. I just needed to know she was okay. Tilucci runs his mouth all the time, but you never know when he’s going to take his threats seriously. I guess I’m just worried.”
“I don’t mean to speak out of turn,” she said, “but you seem like you’re a good caring father. It’s not easy, but you’re doing what you need to do to give your daughter a good life. I respect that. My father left when I was seven. He kept in touch for the next five years, but then he was gone. He had his new family and didn’t need us anymore. I wish he had acknowledged us, you know? Even if you can’t care for her, I hope you can introduce yourself to your girl and at least send her a card on her birthday. It makes all the difference.”
I chewed a fingernail. If only Andrea knew that I hated not being there for Arianna.
“Are you hoping you’ll catch a glimpse of her?” she pressed.
This woman could see right through me. “Not really,” I lied. “I don’t know what I’m doing here. Maybe I should just take you home, Jane.”
Before she could respond, her phone rang.
“It’s Pat. I’m going to step outside and take this really quick,” she said.
Now I was alone in my car with Andrea. This was not the kind of situation I was comfortable with. It was like going to a party with a friend, where they’re the only person you know, and then they leave. What made it worse, was that I wasn’t really friends with Jane either. I was terrible at small talk. I hoped that Andrea was talkative enough for the both of us.
“I understand you guys have gotten yourself into a little trouble,” Andrea said conspiratorially the second Jane left the car. “How is Jane handling it?”
I tried to think back to a situation where Jane reacted strongly and nothing came to mind. “Good, I guess. She’s been really relaxed about it this whole time.”
“Would you say she seems too calm?”
I narrowed my eyes. “Maybe. I hadn’t given it much thought. Why do you ask?”
“Jane’s been through a lot. She reacts to stress differently than most people. Did she tell you that we were in the army together?”
“No.”
“She probably doesn’t tell you much about her life, does she?”
“Not really, but to be fair, I don’t share much either.”
“There are some things you should know about Jane. We worked together on the same deployment. As some of the few women in our unit, we stuck together. When I met her, she was young and full of energy. I suppose she still is. War is hell, though. One day, we were sent out to check out this village and things went bad. I got shot a few times and Jane saved my life.” She knocked on her prosthetic leg for effect.
“Jane had to do something on the battlefield that messed her up pretty bad. But, she ended up saving everyone in our unit. She’s an incredible woman, but you worry about people who have seen some serious shit.”
“She’s so calm when Tilucci threatens her. She says she likes the danger.”
“Sometimes that’s just how people react to trauma. Some people crawl into a shell and others look for a thrill that can never be matched. Do you know why people enjoy being scared?”
“Why?”
“Because if you survive something terrifying, the relief that you lived feels so good. The greater the fear, the greater the relief. That and the adrenaline rush affects some people more than others. It all just adds up after a while. Jane never really had a chance to come to terms with what happ
ened during our deployment. She stays busy with her work, but there are some wounds that never quite heal.”
“What happened?” I asked, wondering how bad it could possibly be.
“It’s not really my place to say,” she said. “All I can say is, she had to do something that’s haunted her ever since that day. I don’t know what your relationship is like, but I can’t imagine that it’s something she shares with just anyone. If you’re going to be with her, just know that she doesn’t have a flight response—just fight. One day, it’s going to catch up with her.”
“Be with her?” I stuttered. Was I subconsciously showing my feelings for Jane? Had Jane mentioned her feelings to Andrea?
“Work on the story,” she clarified. Then I saw the tiniest smile form on her face. “Is there--?” she started.
“No,” I exclaimed. “I have my reasons for wanting Tilucci locked up too and I can’t do it alone.”
“Right,” she nodded. “If you can, keep an eye on Jane. She’s just trying to do the right thing and sometimes she creates a mess in the process. Anyone else would have given up the second things got difficult, but that’s just not how Jane works. She’s a genuinely good person, but she’d never let anyone past her thick shell to find out. Take care of her, will you?”
“I will,” I responded. I could see the admiration and concern in Andrea’s eyes. The more time I spent with Jane, the more I was starting to figure her out. She wasn’t just some workaholic trying to become famous. She was a damaged woman looking for her next fix. I also believed that she wasn’t just looking for the story that would send her career skyrocketing—she truly wanted to protect the world from another dangerous career criminal. She was nobler than me. All I was after was revenge and safety.
“Great news,” Jane said, beaming as she jumped back into the passenger’s seat. “Pat found some leads. Can you take me back to the station?”
“I’ll leave you to it,” Andrea said. “I’ll be right here if you need me.”
“It’s always great to see you, Andrea,” Jane said cheerily.
Her Protection: A Bad Boy Mafia Romance (Omerta Series Book 2) Page 9