At Peace

by Kristen Ashley

  “I’m tired,” she whispered and his hands tightened again on hers.

  “Frankie –”

  “Go away, Ben, I need to rest.”

  His hands tightened even further. “Look at me.”

  She tried to pull her hand away.

  “Francesca, fuckin’ look at me.”

  She opened her eyes and looked at him.

  “You’re not movin’ to Indy,” he repeated.

  “Go away.”

  “We gotta talk.”

  “Nothin’ to say.”

  “Frankie –”

  It took a lot of effort and the rest of the energy she had but she yanked her hand from his.

  Then she whispered, “I took my hit for your family today. I atoned. It’s done. All I did was fall in love with Vinnie but you took your penance from me like I did wrong and I loved you all once, so I gave it. I bled for you today. This is good this happened. It gave me my chance to do what you needed me to do. But you aren’t gettin’ anything more.”

  Benny left his seat but he did it in a bent over squat, his face getting in hers.

  “You’ve had a bad day,” he stated, “so I’ll give you this shit right now. Then I’m comin’ back and we’re gonna talk.”

  “No, we aren’t,” she replied then sucked in a painful breath when both his hands came up and framed her face and his got so close all she had to do was tilt her chin and his lips would be on hers.

  “Yes, we fuckin’ are.”

  Then his eyes dropped from hers to her mouth where his thumb traced the lower edge of her lip while he watched it move and she held her breath. Then he released her and she watched him saunter out of the room.

  * * * * *

  Sal avoided Theresa and Vinnie’s eyes and looked to the couch.

  Cal was sitting there, hair nearly dry after his shower, wearing new jeans and a t-shirt that Theresa had run out and bought him. The bandage on his arm could be seen under the sleeve of his tee.

  His woman was curled on her side on the couch beside him, her head resting on his thigh, her hand curled there in front of her face. She was wearing new jeans and a long sleeved t-shirt that Theresa also bought. Her hair was wet too but it was drying fast since Cal was sifting his fingers through it. Her knees were curled up to her chest and she didn’t have shoes on. The bottom of her feet were clean and glistening with antibiotic goo. Being clean, you could see the redness and scrapes.

  She’d stayed at the hospital wearing nothing but Cal’s t-shirt which was spattered with Daniel Hart’s blood, getting her feet seen to, talking to the cops, eating the cannelloni Gina brought, speaking to her daughters on the phone and waiting for word to come out about Frankie. Once they knew Frankie was all right, Cal carried her to Benny’s car, he climbed in with Benny and they all went to his house to shower. Just over an hour later, they all came back.

  Sal studied her sleeping face. He was a younger man, he’d want in there. He could see Cal going all out for that. He could see something like her healing a bad break in a strong man. He could even almost see Hart being willing to losing it all for his shot. But only almost.

  Benny walked into the waiting room and Sal noticed he looked pissed. He didn’t have to guess why. Francesca Concetti could throw some attitude and Sal figured she was so good at it she could even do it after being shot. She had a lot of different blood in her but Italian always won out.

  Sal wondered when Benny would get his head out of his ass about Frankie. Seven years the boy had been dicking around. Sure, it’d be strange, Frankie moving onto Benny after she’d been with Vinnie. But heart was heart, gut was gut and balls were balls. You want something and that something was worth you wanting like Frankie was, who gave a shit?

  “We gotta get on the road,” Sal heard Cal say and his eyes went to Cal.

  Violet was awake, eyes blinking, she’d lifted herself partially up but she still had her fingers curved around Cal’s thigh.

  Benny stopped in front of them. “Right. Let’s go.”

  She looked at Benny then twisted to look at Cal. “Can I see her before we go?” she asked.

  Sal watched as Cal didn’t even hesitate. He just shifted her so she was in his arms and he carried her out of the room and down the hall toward Frankie’s room, giving her what she wanted without argument.

  Sal grinned to himself and then his eyes scanned the room and he saw Benny, Theresa, Manny and Vinnie Senior all looking after Cal and Violet. Benny still looked pissed. The rest of them were smiling.

  Sal’s phone rang and all their eyes came to him and none of them were smiling.

  He pulled out his phone, looked at the display, flipped it open and put it to his ear.

  “You got me,” he said into it.

  “Weird,” he heard one of his boys say in his ear, “cops are scratching their heads seein’ as that footage of Callahan has been in evidence less than a day but the hard drive has been wiped.”

  Salvatore Giglia grinned.

  * * * * *

  “Christ, they havin’ a party?” Benny muttered as he drove up Vi and Cal’s street which was lined with cars around Vi’s house.

  It was late, dark and Vi was out in the backseat.

  “People like Vi,” Cal muttered this truth and he was glad the girls had that support but he was so fucking tired he didn’t want to put up with this shit. He wanted to see Kate and Keira and he wanted to go to bed and sleep for a year.

  Benny pulled into Vi’s drive, parking behind her Mustang. He didn’t even shut down the ignition before the side door to the house opened and both girls flew out.

  Cal opened his door and jumped down and his feet hadn’t hit the cement before he went back into the SUV when the power of two teenage girls slammed into him. Their arms wrapped around him in a fierce way and both of their faces burrowed into his chest. How they both got in there, he had no clue, but they did and they were glued to him.

  They were also both crying, relieved tears but totally uncontrolled.

  Listening to their emotion, experiencing that kind of relief after what he knew they endured that day, he had a chance at a life rewind, he’d take it and put another bullet in Daniel Hart.

  He gave them a minute, his arms moving around both of them and then he said, “Katy, Keirry, I gotta see to your Mom.”

  They didn’t let go at first. Then Kate moved away, pulling Keira from him. They both wiped their faces as they looked up at him.

  “Okay, Joe,” Kate whispered.

  “Got some of that for me?” Benny asked and they turned and treated Benny to much the same. It wasn’t as intense but he knew it felt good when he saw Benny’s face get soft.

  He moved to the back passenger door and opened it. Vi had missed all this. She was still out. She didn’t rouse until Cal undid her seatbelt and shifted her out of the car.

  She lifted her head, looked around and then asked, “My babies?”

  “Here Mom,” Keira called.

  She was craning her neck and looking around. Then she demanded, “Cal, put me down.”

  “When we’re inside.”

  “I wanna –”

  “Buddy, they slammed into me and nearly took me off my feet. They can say welcome home when you’re sittin’ down.”

  He made his order but he didn’t fuck around so she didn’t complain. He got her inside and set her down in the couch and then both girls jumped her. He stepped back, looked around and saw it looked like a party. Feb, Colt, Cheryl, Jessie, Mimi, Dee, Morrie, Josie, Sully and Mike.

  He moved away and Benny, Colt, Sully, Morrie and Mike moved with him as the women moved in on Vi.

  He hit the kitchen and the men huddled.

  “Any word?” he asked Colt.

  Colt knew what he was asking. While Vi was showering, Cal was on the phone with Colt getting briefed.

  “Chris is stable. Adam’s critical.”

  “How’s it lookin’?” Cal asked.

  “He survives the night, they’ll feel better. Now,
touch and go,” Colt answered.

  “You get word on Lindy?” Cal asked.

  “She discharged herself when her father and brother showed. She got home a coupla hours ago,” Sully answered.

  “Just a head’s up, you need to flag her. She goes for a gun permit, it needs to be refused,” Cal noted.

  “What’s that mean?” Sully asked.

  Cal ignored this question and went on. “She’s already got one, you need to revoke it.”

  Mike chuckled and remarked, “Hoyt Atkins, gung ho. Guessin’ he passed that shit down.”

  Cal turned his eyes to Mike. “Let’s just say Lindy doesn’t shy away during a firefight.”

  “And let’s just hope she doesn’t get a shot at another one,” Colt muttered.

  Cal didn’t reply as it went without saying he agreed.

  Instead he said, “I appreciate the support but I gotta get my girls in bed.”

  “I’ll start the clear out,” Morrie murmured and peeled off.

  Colt’s eyes moved with Morrie and then went to the back of Vi’s head that could be seen on the couch, one of her girls tucked close on either side.

  Colt turned back to Cal. “She okay?”

  “Uncertain,” Cal replied and he looked at Vi, “could be she feels relief even seein’ Daniel Hart’s head explode while he was holding a gun to her face. Could be she doesn’t. You need to text me the number to victims’ assistance.”

  “Gotcha,” Colt replied.

  “You okay?” Sully asked Cal.

  He was. He was beyond okay. He already knew he felt relief that it was over. He also knew he would lose no sleep from his decision to fire a kill shot. Vi might relive that as a nightmare but he sure as fuck wouldn’t.

  “Yep,” he answered.

  Sully nodded. Colt studied him. Benny leaned against the counter and crossed his arms on his chest.

  “We’re off,” Colt said.

  Cal nodded then said to Colt and Sully, “I’ll get Vi to make her seafood risotto.”

  “Feb’s comin’ over in the morning with shit for her frittata,” Cal replied.

  “Maybe I should spend the night,” Benny murmured.

  “You’re not?” Cal asked.

  “Gotta get back,” Benny answered.

  “For what?” Cal went on and Benny just looked at him.

  Francesca.

  Cal grinned but advised, “You’ve driven down here twice today. Put a bullet in a man. Rest. Eat frittata. Go home tomorrow.”

  “Gotta get back,” Benny repeated and Cal turned fully to him.

  Then he said quietly, “Ben, she’s in a hospital bed. She isn’t goin’ anywhere.”

  Benny’s jaw got tight before he repeated, “Cal, I gotta get back.”

  Cal studied his cousin. Then he nodded.

  Everyone left with Benny the last to go. He gave Vi a hug and then he turned it on the girls. Cal walked him out to his SUV.

  They were standing by the driver’s side door when Cal said, “You get tired, you pull over.”

  “Right,” Benny muttered.

  Cal was silent. So was Benny. Neither of them moved.

  Then Cal said softly, “Wouldn’t be here right now, wasn’t for you.”

  “I remember it right, by the time I got there, you had the situation under control.”

  “I didn’t mean me, I meant Vi,” Cal replied.

  Benny held his gaze.

  Then he repeated, “Right.”

  “Huge,” Cal said.

  “What?” Benny asked.

  “Owe you huge.”

  Benny shook his head. “Nope. This was family.”

  Cal sighed. Then he said, “Still owe you huge but, even so, you get back and you fuck that up with Frankie, you answer to me.”

  He watched Benny’s body tense. “Your day was worse than mine but mine wasn’t so fuckin’ great either. Don’t piss me off.”

  “You all been swimmin’ in muddy waters where it comes to Frankie and doin’ it for years. Don’t fuck it up.”

  “Okay, now, gotta tell you, you’re pissin’ me off.”

  “Just layin’ it out.”

  “You think you might’ve wanted to lay it out seven years ago? Even before?” Benny suggested.

  “Would you have listened?” Cal asked a pertinent question. He knew this because Benny’s face grew hard. “Don’t fuck it up,” Cal repeated.

  “I’ll be sure to call, case I need advice,” Benny replied sarcastically.

  “Don’t know if you noticed,” Cal jerked his head toward the house, “but I got it goin’ on.”

  Benny stared at him three seconds. Then he burst out laughing.

  “Yeah, kinda noticed,” Benny stated when he’d stopped laughing. “Though, I could do without runnin’ through the woods and shooting at bad guys and carrying damsels in distress who bleed all over my clothes and give me attitude back through those fuckin’ woods.”

  “So maybe you best get in there while things are quiet,” Cal advised.

  “I would, you shut up and let me get in my fuckin’ truck,” Benny returned and Cal chuckled and stepped back.

  Benny opened the door, got in but Cal put his hand to the door when Benny moved to close it.

  He leaned in and whispered, “Owe you huge.”

  Then he let the door go and walked into his house.

  * * * * *

  Joe threw the covers back and settled on his back in the bed. The minute he did, I curled in.

  “They asleep?” I asked.

  “Keira is,” he replied, snaking an arm around me and pulling me closer, “Kate’s restless.”

  “She okay?”

  “She says she will be. Listenin’ to music.”

  “Maybe I’ll go check.”

  “Buddy, you move, I do to and that would be to tie you to this bed. Sleep. She’ll be okay.”

  I lifted my head and looked at his face in the dark.

  “I should check.”

  “She’ll be okay.”

  “She might need her Mom.”

  “Vi, this is Kate. She’s got her Mom. She knows that. We’re all home. We’re all safe. Safer than we were yesterday. And we’ll be safe tomorrow. Just fuckin’ safe. Let her be. She doesn’t need you fussin’ because she’s got enough in her head. She doesn’t need to worry about why you’re fussin’. She needs to think you’re safe and sleepin’.”

  He was right which was annoying.

  “It’s annoying when you’re right,” I muttered.

  “Better learn to get over that, you’ll need to get used to it.”

  I rolled my eyes and settled in, head to his chest, ear to his heartbeat.

  We were silent for awhile, me listening to the pounding of Joe’s heart, I didn’t know what Joe was doing.

  “Today, I thought for a coupla hours you were dead,” I whispered.

  “Vi –”

  “Tomorrow, I glue a camera to my hand.”

  “Violet –”

  “I won’t need them. This is over and it’s just us now. But I want memories. Millions of them.”

  He was silent.

  Then he said, “Whatever you want, buddy.”

  I would have lifted my head but I didn’t want to lose his heartbeat.

  “Whatever I want?” I asked.

  “Whatever you want.”

  “Careful what you promise me, baby, even in your state.”

  His body shook gently with his chuckle and his hand at my hip gave me a squeeze.

  We were silent again then I called, “Joe?”

  “Yeah, buddy.”

  “I never said thank you.”

  “Honey, for what?”

  “For handin’ me the world.”

  “Yeah you did,” he replied.

  “I did?”

  “You do it all the time,” he said, “fuck, baby, you’re doin’ it now.”

  God I loved him. I more than loved him.

  “What’s beyond love?” I asked and felt Joe’s body
give a slight jolt.

  “What?”

  “What’s beyond love?” I repeated.

  “Don’t understand the question, Vi.”

  I didn’t explain. Instead I said, “Whatever it is, that’s what I feel for you.”

  He was silent and still for a second. Then he rolled into me.

  “Joe –” I whispered when his hands went into my tee.

  “Shut it, buddy.”

  “Joe –”

  “Shut it.”

  I shut it.

  Chapter Twenty-Three

  Crash

  “Momalicious!” Keira shouted. “I’m gonna go to the beach and lay out.”

  “Big surprise,” Joe muttered and pressed deeper into me as I looked at the nightstand and saw it was barely nine o’clock.

  I lifted up from the pillow as far as I could go with Joe’s weight against my back holding me down and shouted, “You had breakfast, baby?”

  “Toast!” Keira shouted back.

  “Where’s Kate?” I yelled. “She still sleepin’?”

  “Um…” Keira muttered loud enough for me to hear and at her hesitation I felt Joe’s head come up and his body move and I twisted my neck to look at him. “That boy from next door is out on the beach. She’s out there talkin’ to him.”

  I wondered when Taylor had become “that boy next door” since I was under the impression, considering the amount of time Keira spent talking about him, that she had a crush on him. Not to mention the amount of time Taylor spent out on the beach which I reckoned meant he had a crush on Keira. Perhaps I was wrong and he had a crush on Kate.

  This was not good.

  “Bummer for Dane,” Joe murmured and even with my misgivings about the Kate/Keira/Taylor teenaged triangle, I grinned.

  It had been months but Dane had not fully made it back into my good books yet, nor Joe’s. Kate had forgiven him and they were as tight as ever so Joe and I should give it up, it was just that we couldn’t. If you hurt someone’s child that forgiveness takes awhile but Dane was determined and I figure he’d get there one day. As long as he didn’t act like an ass.

  “All right, honey,” I yelled.

  “See you on the beach,” Keira called then we heard the door close.

  Joe settled back in and I did too.

  It was Christmas break and we were at his beach house in Florida for two weeks. The house was up on stilts and painted a faded blue with white woodwork. It had a deep deck all around and a big locked garage which held Joe’s Land Rover, a beach buggy and a huge barbeque grill which was the first thing Joe (with Keira’s help) rolled out onto the deck. The house had wood floors all through, even the kitchen. It was rustic but cute with two bedrooms; open plan living room and kitchen; a small utility with a deep sink, a washer and dryer and a bunch of hooks for beach towels; and one bath. But the bedrooms and living room were huge and airy and all the furniture was way comfy. There were so many windows that there was barely any wall space and all you could see was ocean or trees. It was fantastic.