Dad looks down at his hands folded in his lap. “I know precisely what you’re talking about.”
I stand up slowly, walk over and sit next him. “Then you know how it feels to be helpless against it. I’m asking for your help. Please, Daddy.”
Dad’s posture softens, and he looks at me with kinship in his eyes. After exchanging wary glances with Mom, Dad cracks his knuckles, stretching his neck from side to side. “Go get something to write with. I’m going to lay out exactly what you need to do. Better make some more coffee. Oh, and we won’t be going to dinner tonight. We’ll just order some takeout.”
I bounce up and down, clapping my hands. I’m back on track with the case, and I feel like a weight has been lifted off of my shoulders.
I wish you were here, a voice inside of my head says, calling out to Vince.
Chapter Fifteen
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Harley
I don’t need Vince.
This becomes my mantra as I work on the case. Dad laid out everything for me over the weekend, giving me a step by step guide on how to make everything right, before him and Mom went back to White Oak.
Walter and I, newly unemployed and with time to spare, meet everyday to work on the plan. Dad had made it seem so easy, but when my partner and I dive into the details, we realize it’s anything but. Even with Dad texting me constantly and offering advice, Walter and I get hung up every step of the way.
I don’t need Vince.
I need to help those women. That’s what fulfills me, doing right by others. I don’t need him, or any man. I know it’s a lie I tell myself, but I have to keep telling it just to keep going. This technique only works marginally well. Vince is always on my mind, from the moment I wake up until I lie in bed at night, struggling to sleep. I often wonder what he’s doing, right now, if he’s thinking of me. My emotions range wildly. I’ll spend hours being angry at him, having heated conversations with him in my head, then in a split second I’m balling on the floor, wishing I had snatched one of his t-shirts before I left his apartment.
And, as much as I want to kill it, I also have hope. An irrational part of my brain, most likely of ancestral origin that wants me to reproduce as much as possible, hopes that one day Vince will show up, say he’s made a terrible mistake, then make my body quiver the way he’s so good at doing.
So I fling myself into Unit A, the only thing that can distract me.
One of Dad’s first steps is to gather evidence, make a solid case. This proves a challenge, as Walter and I don’t have access to police resources any more, and everything’s legit with the Donovans and their cohorts on paper anyway.
Walter and I sit at my apartment one sunny afternoon, brainstorming ways to get past this conundrum. He suggests we perform our own surveillance, find inside sources, and in his words, “go really old school.”
I enjoy the fantasy of going on stake-outs with Walter, having covert meetings with sources in dark alleys, but in reality, I know that would be a slow and painstaking progress.
“Someone has something,” Walter says, staring pensively out of my window. “I don’t mean the cooked books or the official documents. Someone has the truth. The question is, how do we get to that person?” He turns slowly to me, one eyebrow raised.
Walter never says his name, but throughout this case, he’s been dropping hints about getting in touch with Vince. It’s not like I haven’t thought of it myself. If only Walter knew of Vince’s treasure trove of charts, maps, and documents, the evidence all meticulously curated and organized. But Vince won’t help me. And besides, I don’t need him.
But with the sun slanting sharply through the window, nearly blinding me, I realize that there are no other options. I ignore Walter’s hint at Vince, like I always do. I turn my face into the sun rays, like a flower finding nourishment.
“We’ll think of something,” I say flatly, while a scheme comes together in my mind.
Vince
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Ever since I kicked Harley out of my life, I have to push my body to the edge just to stay sane. In the mornings, I lift dangerously heavy weights, pounding out reps until I keel over from exhaustion. I don’t let myself drink until the late afternoon. And then, I pace myself, going slowly at first so I can attend to my work, but by late evening, the room is spinning, and I pass out in my bed.
I’ve thought about finding another woman, suffocating my sorrows in a new pair of tits, but I can’t bring myself to do it. When I go out with my brothers, I always tell myself this is the night I prove that I’m over Harley, but I never go through with it. Any woman I meet seems like a pale imitation of her.
I’m constantly asking myself if I did the right thing. It would be so easy to end this misery. I fantasize about bursting into her apartment, crashing my lips against hers before she has a chance to say anything.
I drink away these doubts. I was dragging Harley down, into a dangerous underworld she had no business being around. I’m not right for her.
And then there’s the matter of the Donovans. Something has to be done about them. The only option is to wage a war against them. I can’t let their actions stand, but I hesitate to pull the trigger, to put my brothers in danger.
One night, I close up at the pool hall and start to walk home. It’s been a busy afternoon, leaving me little time to drink, and I’m more sober than I’m used to. I walk with determination, my mind on the bottle of vodka in my freezer.
Even though I’m watching my feet as I hoof it across the pavement, I’m aware of everything going on around me. I don’t look, but I feel someone’s presence. They’re walking in the same direction as me, just on the other side of the street. The person is dressed in black, with a hat or hoodie covering their head.
I don’t let on that I see them. It could be a coincidence, that we’re going in the same direction. And if they are following me, they aren’t doing a very good job of being inconspicuous. They’re matching my speed, keeping a few paces behind, and being very obvious about it.
Whenever I turn, they turn. When I slow down or speed up, they do the same. I stop and pretend to tie my shoe. They stop as well, twiddling their thumbs until I’m done.
Who sent them? The Donovans? Another family? And why send an amateur?
Whatever’s going on, I don’t have time for this shit. I walk an erratic path, not going to my apartment anymore. The spy keeps up, step for step. I turn down a narrow alley, which I know leads to a dead end. Sure enough, I hear footsteps behind me.
This could be a simple assassination. At any moment, the person could shoot me, lodging a bullet in my brain. The thought sends a surge of adrenaline through my veins. It also makes me angry. I clench my fists, filled with the sudden urge to strike first.
I stop in my tracks, waiting for the person to walk closer to me. I turn around and walk towards them at full speed, powered by a deep, roiling fury. I focus in on their midsection, clothed in black, then hurl my shoulder against them, backing them against the brick wall.
The body under those black clothes is lighter than I expected. They’re taken completely off guard by my move, and offer no resistance. Realizing this person is weaker than me, I instinctively back off.
“Who sent you?” I demand.
I yank the hoodie away, and a familiar head of hair spills out. Harley looks at me, glassy eyed and terrified.
I back away quickly, stumbling over my feet in the process. I’m convinced I’m seeing things. It can’t be her.
I look at her again just to be sure. Harley smooths her hair down, glaring at me. I shake my head, wanting to laugh. I’m not fucking surprised.
“Hi, Vince,” Harley says.
Every cell in my body tells me to pick her up in my arms, carry her to my apartment and spend the night ravishing her. I choke down my desire. We can’t be seen together. She could be killed.
“What are you doing?” I say, seething with anger. “Following me? What the fuck,
Harley?”
“I need to talk to you.”
“There’s nothing to talk about.” I walk past her, brushing against her on my way out to the street. Harley gasps when I touch her, almost inaudibly, but I feel it vibrate at the base of my spine.
“Nothing to talk about?” Harley says, an edge to her voice. “After you broke up with me for no reason, kicked me out of your apartment, and acted like a complete asshole?”
I swivel towards her. “Is that what you came here for? An apology?”
“No,” Harley says, breathing out forcefully. “Though it would be nice.”
I keep my face hard, though inside I’m dying to take her in my arms and tell her it’s not over, it never was.
“Then what do you want?”
Harley casts her gaze to the side. “I need your help.”
“No,” I say, shaking my head. “Don’t tell me you’re still on Unit A.”
“I am. Because I can’t give up on what’s right.”
“Look, Harley, let me ease your mind. I’m going to take care of the Donovans, but on my time frame.”
Harley cocks her head, studying my face. “But you still don’t want to do that, do you?”
I stay quiet. I should walk the fuck away from this. It’s too risky being this close to her. I don’t know how long I can trust myself to keep my distance. But my feet don’t move. I’m not done with her.
Harley’s face brightens. “There’s another way, Vince. But I need your help.”
Those words hit me right in the gut. I still feel protective over Harley. If she needs my help, I’d give anything to give it to her. It’s just not possible.
“We already tried that,” I say.
I see the hurt on her face, and realize her misery is as deep and dark as my own. She starts to take a step towards me, then thinks better of it and stays where she is.
“The evidence, Vince. All the document you’ve drawn up. There’s enough there to put the Donovans and every other crime family away for good.”
I eye her suspiciously. “And my family as well.”
Harley gulps. “That’s true. I know what I’m asking you. Give me the documents. I’ll go public with them.”
“Once again, you’re asking me to sacrifice my family.”
“No.” Harley shakes her head, fervently. “I’m giving you fair warning. You and your brothers can get out, go into hiding, whatever you mobsters do. The Donovans and the others, they won’t have a clue.”
She steps towards me, and this time doesn’t stop herself. She raises a tentative hand to my bicep, then touches it with a softness that speaks to the intimacy we once shared.
“This is how we do it, Vince. This town is infested with rot. We have to cut it out. All of it.”
I stare into her eyes, transfixed. In her pupils, I see the ocean, warm sand and calm waves. I see Harley reclining by my side, her body barely covered in a bikini.
But this is my father’s legacy. I’m in a role I’ve been groomed for since birth. Pop always taught me the family business comes first. Whatever I do, I should keep it from being destroyed. I knew it was a bad idea to get involved with a fucking cop. Look at what she’s asking of me.
My legs tense, poised to walk away without saying a word to Harley. But if this is going to be the last time I see her, I want to make it count. I lower my face to hers. Her lips part and her eyes widen with shock. Once I start, I can’t stop. My lips are drawn to hers. When I taste her mouth, something hard and cold melts inside of me, puddling at my feet. It was only supposed to be a quick kiss, but I find my hands traveling across her flesh. God, I’ve forgotten how warm she is, how soft, how small in my arms. I can’t stop touching her.
I pull my head back. This is wrong. I have to rip myself away. I start to step back, but Harley tightens her arms around my waist.
“Vince,” she says, her voice thick and desperate. “Don’t stop.”
That’s all I need to hear. I nip at her neck, growling with desire. My hands find their way under her shirt. I grab her tits, squeeze, then pinch both of her nipples. Harley falls further against me, her shallow breath turning to moans. I tangle my hand in her hair, and pull her head back.
“I haven’t agreed to help you,” I say, offering her fair warning.
Harley bites her lip, considering this. Then her eyes brighten decisively.
“I don’t care,” she says, her eyes alight with fire.
Who was I fucking kidding? I think as I lift her shirt and suck lightly on her nipples. I can’t stay away from this woman. I need her.
I grow hard in my pants, and my cock quickly takes over control of my brain. I push Harley back up against the wall, and grind my bulge against her. It’s dark and quiet in the alley. Harley’s soft moans float around my ear, seeping into my head. All I can think about is sinking inside of her, and the sooner the better. My desire is so intense it feels like it could rip the skin from my body. I fumble with her pants and yank them down. Grabbing her waist, I pick her up, wedging her against the wall. Harley wraps her legs around my waist. She kisses me fervently, her fingernails digging into my back.
I whip out my cock and shove myself inside of her. I fuck her, hard and without abandon. Our bodies grind together in a simultaneously rhythm, each of us chasing our desires. Once I feel the muscles in her pussy spasm, and hear her orgasmic moans, I can’t hold back any longer. My balls tighten and I explode. I fail to pull out, and end up filling her with my cum.
We collapse against each other, panting. I know Harley’s thinking what I’m thinking.
What the fuck just happened?
I set her down on her feet, and she begins to get dressed. I wish I could think of the right thing to say, but nothing comes to me. We stand a few feet from each other in awkward silence. Finally, Harley breaks it.
“So, is that it, or-“ She twirls her hair as her voice trails off.
I step towards her slowly, then snake my hand around her neck. Looking into her eyes, I say, gruffly, “No. That’s not it.”
Harley sighs, closing her eyes as her mouth lifts in a gentle smile.
“I can’t stay away from you,” I say against her hair. “I don’t know why I thought I could.” I wrap my arm around her waist, pulling her against me. “I was only trying to protect you, Harley. That’s all. I’m sorry.”
Harley presses her finger against my lips. “You don’t have to say that.” She grabs a handful of my shirt, brings it to her nose, and breathes in deeply. “What about now? Are you still protecting me?”
“Yes.”
Harley bites her lip. “Will you help me?”
I press my forehead against hers and nod. Harley melts against me, leaving kisses on my neck. I grab her hand and lead her out of the alley. I’m already getting hard again, and I need to get her back to my place before I lose control.
————————
I don’t have another thought about the vodka in my freezer. All of my energy is focused on fucking Harley, again and again, on tasting the tangy sweetness between her legs, of her tits, soft in my hands. I don’t need alcohol if I’m with her. She’s the antidote to the pain I’ve endured. She’s the cure for everything.
Dawn breaks, and dim rays filter through my window as I watch Harley sleep. Her face is completely peaceful, and her chest rises and falls gently with her breath. I stroke her hair way from her forehead, and ask myself, is she worth upending everything for?
She makes a small sound in her sleep, then rolls over on her side towards me. In my gut, I know the answer is yes.
I climb out of bed and pull on some shorts. I find my phone on the counter and open a group chat with my brothers.
Plan B, I type.
My finger hovers over the send button before I press it. I never thought I’d have to use those words.
Seconds after I send the message, my phone rings. It’s Leo.
“Is this a fucking joke?” Leo asks. “You’re going to wake me up with this shit?”
“You know the deal.” I keep my voice low, but it’s still stern. “I text you that, and you act. No questions.”
“You just told me to pack up my whole life, leave our family’s legacy behind, and I don’t get to ask questions?”
“There’s no time. I’m the boss here, Leo. You’re supposed to obey my orders.”
I hear Leo throw something in the background. “Does this have anything to do with that chick? Has she convinced you to throw everything away so you can run away together?”
I grip the edge of the counter to steady myself. “I said no questions. Pack up your family and get the fuck out.”
“Come on, bro, think this through. Is there any way out?”
Any way out?
The words echo in my head. That’s the question I’ve been asking myself for years. My thoughts turn to Harley, sleeping soundly just down the hall. Finally, there is a way out.
“It’s over, Leo,” I say.
My voice falls flat in the silent apartment. I hear Leo sigh, then hang up.
While Harley is still sleeping, I gather all of the evidence I’ve compiled, and lay them neatly on the counter. I creep around the bed, packing a duffel bag with just a few changes of clothes and other essentials. Before I leave, I kiss Harley softly on the lips. She mumbles something in her sleep, and stretches her arms out towards me. I step back, just out of her reach. I take a moment to look at her, to memorize everything I can about her, before I get the fuck out of there.
Chapter Sixteen
————————
Harley
I wake up shivering. The covers have drifted from my body, leaving my skin bare and covered with goosebumps. I search the floor for a t-shirt, or anything else to cover myself with. There’s nothing there, so I venture into Vince’s closet and find a sweatshirt.
When I walk out of the bedroom, the light is gray in the rest of the apartment. It feels like I’m in a different place. Any other morning I’ve spent here, Vince is already up, working on breakfast, the smell of freshly brewed coffee and eggs wafting through the air. Instead, everything’s cold and gray.
Accomplice: A Dark Mafia Romance (Romano Brothers Book 3) Page 14