The group spent the rest of the day on the beach. There were hotel staff nearby that brought them everything that makes for a great beach day. The sun was high in the cloudless sky, and Tony was lying on a cushioned lounge chair letting the sun warm him, his muscles glistening from the lotion he’d applied. Tony leaned over to Kate’s chair. “Wanna go for a walk?”
Tony and Kate walked along the water’s edge, hand in hand. They were quiet at first, taking in the beauty of the endless body of water.
“Are ya happy?”
Kate smiled. “Yeah, I’m really happy. It’s so peaceful here. There’s something about the ocean that makes me calm. You know what I mean?”
They stopped walking and turned toward the sea. Tony focused on the water as it receded and then crashed against the shoreline. The mist of the salt water clung to their skin. The sight and sound gave him a sense of peace. “Yeah, it makes me feel like there ain’t nothin’ wrong in the world. Like my whole fucked-up existence, until now, was just a stupid nightmare. I wish I could keep this feeling inside me forever.”
“We can try to keep this feeling inside of us. All we have to do is remember. Besides, with both of us working, we’ll be able to come back again,” Kate said with careless optimism.
Tony and Kate spent the rest of the days in Atlantic City lost in all the pleasures that Alessandra cast upon them. Tony knew it would be a hard adjustment to go back to their meager apartment and tried to put the end of the week out of his mind so he could enjoy every minute of the vacation.
“Are you having a good time?” Salvatore asked midweek when he and Tony were alone on the beach.
“I’m havin’ the best time of my life. So is Kate. I really appreciate ya bringin’ us here.”
“Of course. You’re kind of fun to hang out with. And my mother loves Kate. Look at them,” Salvatore said, pointing down the beach.
Tony watched from his chair. His heart fluttered as he fixated on Kate and Alessandra laughing together. “Yeah, Kate is a good girl.”
“She sure is if she’s willing to put up with you,” Salvatore joked.
“Yeah, well, fuck you too, ya momma’s boy,” Tony fired back.
Salvatore took a soda from one of the hotel staff. “What the hell is Vincent doing?”
Tony sat up and looked toward the water, where Vincent was trying to do handstands as the waves kept knocking him over. “I think his mother dropped ‘im on his head when he was a baby.”
Tony and Salvatore laughed and settled back into their chairs.
“Life only gets better from here,” Salvatore stated.
Tony looked at his friend and then back at the ocean. “I don’t know how much better it can get than this right here.”
Chapter Ninety-Five
The euphoric feeling from vacation still lingered as Tony helped Kate out of the car at their apartment. He grabbed their bag and leaned into the open car window.
“I’ll see ya guys tomorra.”
“Yeah, we’ll be over to pick ya up ’round eight tomorra morning. We got a lot of work to get done,” Vincent answered.
Tony patted his hand on the car as he turned away.
“Tony?” Salvatore said.
“Yeah?”
“We have a meeting tomorrow morning at one of the warehouses. A group of Russians want to buy guns from us. My father will run the whole deal. We stay quiet during these meetings.”
“So now what? You’re accusin’ me of bein’ a big mouth?”
Salvatore chuckled. “No, I’m just filling you in on the basics. Have a good night.”
Inside the apartment, Tony looked around. It was a far cry from the lush hotel, but he was grateful to have a place to call home.
“Are ya ready to start your new job?” Tony asked Kate as they settled in.
“Yeah. I mean, I wish I wasn’t a dishwasher, but once Salvatore talks to the owner, I hope I’ll be able to wait tables.”
“I’m sure ya will. Just go in there and show ’em what you’re made of. They’re gonna love ya. Who wouldn’t?”
“Whatever, Tony. How about if you show me some love instead?”
Tony got chills when Kate ran her hand over his abdomen.
Tony flushed. “Yeah, I’m sorry ’bout all that.”
“Why would you be sorry?”
“’Cause I ain’t been able to make love to ya.”
“You will. We’re working through it together.”
Tony pulled her closer. “I don’t want ya to think that ya don’t turn me on, ’cause ya do.”
“I know I do. I’ve felt it…literally.”
“Yeah, keepin’ it that way is the problem. I’m good until I think about those motherfuckers in juvie. Ya know?”
“Well, we’ll have to find a way so that you don’t think about them. Like you did the first time we had sex,” Kate said sadly.
Tony nodded. “It’s hard. I get real into it wit’ cha, and then one of their ugly mugs pops into my head. Makes me feel like a fuckin’ freak.”
Kate ran her hand through his hair. “You know what I’m going to do tomorrow?”
“What?”
“I’m going to the library to find some books that can help you. I’ll read everything I can get my hands on, and then we’ll work through it together. How’s that sound?”
Tony kissed her forehead. “You’d do that for me?”
“I’d do anything for you,” Kate said, laying her head on his chest.
Kate returned from the library the next day carrying three books. Tony was still out working with Salvatore and Vincent, so she took the books into the bedroom and read. Hours later, after going through each book, Kate had four pages of notes.
When Tony got home that evening, Kate met him at the door. He looked haggard and tired. “Bad day?”
“Nah. Just a lot of stuff goin’ on wit’ my job.”
“Bad stuff?”
“No badder than when I was wit’ the Slayers. It’s just different is all. I gotta act more decent, ya know—can’t say what I want, when I want. It’s all right, though; I’ll get used to it. Vincent told me today it took him a while too. When Mr. Morano is around, everybody is tense. Afraid to make a mistake. It’s a pain in the ass.”
“Is Salvatore different around his father?”
“Nope, he’s the same. But that’s his son, so he can say somethin’ if he wants to. Anyway, it ain’t nuttin’. How was your day?”
“Oooh,” Kate squealed, “I’m happy you asked. I went to the library and got some books on…ya know…what happened to you in prison. Anyway, everything that’s going on with you is perfectly normal. The nightmares and all the things you’re feeling, ya know, and when we try to be together, you can’t.”
“There ain’t nuttin’ normal about losing your hard-on wit’ the girl that ya love,” he said sadly.
“That’s not true. You’ve been through a traumatic experience. That makes everything get mixed up in your head. There are things that you can do to work through all of it,” Kate said, wanting so badly to help him.
“What kinda things?”
“Well, for starters, when you and I are together, it’s important to focus on things that make you happy.”
“I know that, Kate. Don’t cha think I try not to think about those ass licks? Come on. Get real,” he barked.
Kate put her hands on her hips and pursed her lips. She glared at him. His eyes revealed the sadness that lay lodged in the center of his heart. Her arms dropped to her side, and she stepped closer to him. Kate put her arms around Tony’s neck, and he bent in and kissed her.
“I’ll try anything. OK?” he said.
“I will too. We’ll figure this out. It’s going to be fine. I have some other tricks up my sleeve that I read about,” Kate said, giving him a sexy smile.
Tony stepped back and shook his head. “I feel like a fuckin’ mutant. Let’s just talk ’bout somethin’ else.”
“Sure. Let’s talk about how you’re going t
o help me make dinner,” she said, flipping her hair over her shoulder and pulling the refrigerator door open.
Kate knew from all that she had read that when Tony was violated by the prison guards, he’d experienced a complete loss of control. One way for rape victims to regain a part of themselves was to gain control over some, if not all, of their life. She made it her mission to allow Tony to decide what he wanted to do, to give him control with her in the bedroom.
That night, as the couple lay in each other’s arms, Kate spoke softly. “Will you kiss me?”
Tony pretended to think about it. “Yeah, I guess so.” He put his hand on the side of her face and gently eased his tongue into her mouth.
They kissed for a while, and then Kate asked, “Do you want me to take my pajamas off?”
Tony cocked his head to the side. “Sure. That would be good.”
Kate stood and undressed. She stood at the side of the bed naked.
“Do you want me to take your clothes off?”
Tony’s erection was pushing his boxers out. “Yeah, I’d like that.”
Kate pulled his shirt over his head and slid his boxers off. She lay down next to him again, and they gazed into each other’s eyes.
“Do you want me to touch you?” she whispered.
Tony closed his eyes, savoring the tingling in his groin. He nodded.
Kate ran her hand down the top of his leg, all the way to his knee. She slowly brought her hand up the inside of his thigh, brushing past his erection. She repeated this until his breathing got heavy and she knew he was in a zone.
Tony reached between her legs to feel the warm place he wanted to call home. He wanted to be inside Kate. He wanted to satisfy her and let her feel the love she so deserved from him. He slid his fingers inside of her and she let out a sensual purr. He bent his head down to take one of her breasts into his mouth. Kate softly pushed him back.
“Can I go down on you?” she asked.
Kate hadn’t done that to him yet. It was something that the guards hadn’t done to him either, and that made him feel safe. A new experience.
“Yeah,” he murmured.
Kate slowly made her way down to the foot of the bed. She took Tony’s erect penis in her hand and took it into her mouth. Tony couldn’t think about anything else except how good he felt. Before he came, he sat up and took Kate into his arms. He laid her on the bed and got on top of her. He slipped himself into her. Kate’s back arched, and she let out a moan so beautiful it sounded like music to Tony’s ears. She pushed her pelvis forward to meet his thrusts, and together they were one, in perfect harmony until they both came and collapsed on the bed.
“How’d ya do that?” he said, breathlessly.
“I read a lot today. I have my ways.”
“Do you realize I just kept my hard-on the whole time?” he burst out, almost giddy.
“Yes, I was there, remember?”
Tony scooped Kate into his arms. “You’re the only woman on the planet for me. Do ya think we can keep doin’ that? I mean, do ya think I’m cured?”
“You’re not sick, Tony, so there isn’t anything to cure. You were traumatized. You just need time and practice to get over it. Trust me on this one,” she said.
“I trust ya wit’ my life,” Tony said, nuzzling his face into her neck.
The tip of Kate’s tongue peeked out from behind her lips as if it had a mind of its own. “Are you going to kiss me?”
Tony leaned over and put his lips to hers. He’d started slowly, with his lips together, waiting to feel the electricity. He nudged Kate’s lips with his tongue, and they fell into a passionate rhythm. He had a ravenous urge for Kate again.
When they parted, Kate was smiling. “Not bad for an Italian fellow.”
“What cha talkin’ about, not bad? Ya ain’t never been loved until you’re loved by an Italian. Ya ain’t got no idea how hard we love.”
It was true. Kate had no indication of how hard Tony would love her.
As Tony moved into limbo, the state right before sleep, he saw Kate’s face, and his body was weightless as he looked into the face of an angel, his angel.
Chapter Ninety-Six
One morning shortly after Halloween, Tony entered the Morano home at one o’clock after getting a call from Salvatore to come over. Johnny and Big Paulie were in the office. Alessandra was in the kitchen making coffee. She knew it would be a long night for the men.
When the three young men entered the godfather’s office, Johnny stood. “Son, we just got word that Scary Joey was gunned down by the Bonanni family. Scary Joey was laundering money for several of their regular customers. The Bonanni family considers this stealing from their business. Scary Joey was sharing the profits with our family. As far as we’re concerned, he was simply doing business. The family in New York doesn’t agree, so they killed him tonight.”
“What do you want us to do, Pop?” Salvatore asked.
“I want you all to take a trip to New York with me, Big Paulie, and Jackhammer. I’ve arranged for a sit-down with the Bonanni family. I’m going to tell them that by killing one of our brothers, they’ve gone too far.”
“Mr. M., are ya sayin’ we ain’t gonna get revenge for what they done to Scary Joey?” Vincent said.
“No, Vincent, I’m not saying that at all. No one kills a family member and gets away with it. First, we get agreement from the Bonanni family that no other men die. Once we have established peace, our goal will be to find and kill the motherfucker who shot Scary Joey.”
“Pop, why not just go to New York and blow their heads off?” Salvatore asked.
“Because that would be too obvious. It would raise suspicions with the cops. If we retaliate now, across state lines, we could put other families in jeopardy along the East Coast. No, this must be taken care of methodically. First we make peace; then we go to war.”
Johnny turned to Tony. “You make sure that your shots are dead-on if we need you.”
“Of course. I always do my best,” Tony stated.
Big Paulie stepped closer to the boys. “You guys go get some clothes together. We’ll be in New York for two or three days. We’ll meet back here in an hour.”
***
“I don’t understand, Tony. Why do you have to leave? You’ve never had to leave overnight before,” Kate cried.
“Like I told ya, Kate, I gotta go. Part of me workin’ for Mr. Morano. I don’t wanna leave ya. I wanna stay right here wit’ cha. But it’s what I gotta do. OK?”
“I guess.” Kate pouted.
Kate followed Tony into the kitchen as he was leaving. While she wasn’t privy to what Tony did every day, she knew enough to be afraid for him. Kate put her arms around his waist. “I saw on the news that Joey Scarfi, Scary Joey—whatever you call him—was killed. I’m scared, Tony. What if something awful happens to you?”
Tony squeezed Kate in a bear hug. “Ain’t nothin’ gonna happen to me. Scary Joey got on somebody’s bad side, is all.”
“How do you know nothing is going to happen to you? I’m sure Scary Joey didn’t think he was going to die either. What am I supposed to think?”
Kate watched Tony pick up his overnight bag. She let her words linger between them, waiting for Tony to say something to ease her worries.
“Ya can’t worry every time I leave ya, Kate. I’m real good at my job, and I know what I’m doin’. I also got Vincent and Salvatore wit’ me most of the time. We take good care of each other.”
Kate felt like there was nothing left in her. She started to openly cry again. “Oh Tony, my guts are twisted; I feel like there is barbed wire in my belly.”
“Everything will be fine,” Tony assured her. “I gotta get movin’—the guys are expectin’ me.”
Kate clung to Tony at the door to their apartment as he tried to leave. “Come on, Kate, let go. It’s gettin’ late. I love ya.”
“Do you promise to call me?”
Tony released his breath from deep within. “I’ll call ya. St
op worryin’.”
Tony patted her shoulder and pulled the door closed behind him as Kate collapsed on the floor and cried until her sadness turned into anger.
Chapter Ninety-Seven
When the Morano family first arrived in New York, they immediately went to the restaurant where a sit-down had been arranged with the Bonanni family.
As Tony walked into the restaurant with the others, the private room in the back fell silent, and he could literally feel the temperature in the room shift. He looked at the members representing the Bonanni family. They looked just as mean and ruthless as men in his own group. Hatred bubbled up inside of him. One of these men had killed Scary Joey, forcing him to leave Kate alone to come to New York. There was nothing that pissed Tony off more than seeing Kate upset. It broke his heart that Kate was so distraught. Johnny noticed the rage behind Tony’s eyes.
Johnny whispered, “Simmer down. All in good time.”
Johnny approached the table, walking directly over to Harry Bonanni, the boss of the family. Harry stood and shook Johnny’s hand and then invited him to sit.
As the higher-ranking men sat around the table, the lower-ranking members stood behind them, watching each other closely, waiting for someone to make a wrong move. The high-ranking men were relaxed. They knew that only a fool takes lives during a sit-down. Doing so would bring criticism and shunning from the other families up and down the East Coast.
“So tell me why you’re here, Johnny,” Harry said.
“I’m sure that you heard someone offed Scary Joey last night. I want to understand who did it and why,” Johnny said.
Harry puffed on the thick cigar he was holding; then he picked up a glass of brandy and took a mouthful of the expensive liquid. He swirled the brandy around in his mouth before slowly swallowing. “I’d like to help ya, Johnny. I really would, but I ain’t sure why you’re here talkin’ to me about Scary Joey. Are ya tryin’ to say someone from the Bonanni family did this? Is that what this is about?”
Mean Little People Page 35