by Tiffany Jade
Grayson still hadn't showed up yet, so I honestly didn't know if he was still over on Liv's bed contemplating the cosmos or if he had ended up leaving with Miss Life Ruiner.
"It's hard to tell with him," I run my fingers up and down her arm and smile as shivers run through her. "He's really smart, but kind of a dumb shit."
"Is that a twin thing?" Jenna asks as I slide out from under her to trap her under me, I nuzzle at her neck and find the spot under her ear that makes her breathing change. I bite her at the insult. "Hey! I'm just making sure!"
I pull back a bit to meet her eyes. "I'm the older, smarter, faster, and better looking twin," I tell her with a smirk, she rolls her eyes.
"Cockier twin too apparently," I bend down and nip at her bottom lip.
"I could take that comment a couple of ways," she giggles before wiggling underneath me. With a smirk she pushes against my chest and leads me to roll over, her lips run along the line of my jaw and she—
A pounding at the front door makes Jenna jump and wrap the blankets around her. Son of a...
"That better not be that Sera witch," Jenna groans as she throws herself down next to me.
"I'm pretty sure you're the only girl I've ever seen make her that nervous, well after my sisters...so I highly doubt it," I laugh as I stand up and tug on some basketball shorts. Positive it's Grayson and he just doesn't have his keys, I don't bother with a shirt.
"It's about fucking time bro," I open the door but instead of Grayson's gloomy fuck you face, I'm met by five feet five inches of attitude. Arms wrap around me before I can get any more words out.
"I missed you asshole." Gigi pulls back with a little smile, but her smile quickly turns to worry.
"I missed you too, but what’s wrong?" Gigi takes a breath and glances next to her, not sure how I missed seeing Sera-fucking-never-out-of-my-damn-face-kill-me-now-fina.
"What in the actual fuck Gig?" I groan out before Gigi shushes me.
"Shut up, I know. But Grayson is gone D."
"Well if she was coming for you, wouldn't you go for a walk too?" I motion towards Crazy who just shoots me a glare before pulling out a piece of paper from her bag. "And why are you here? How did you get here so fast?"
"Wedding planning dipshit, do you even listen when Dad talks to you?" I just give her a look. "Never mind, dumb question. Anyway." She motions toward Serafina, who pulls out a note and hands it to me.
"I went over to find Grayson after you," Sera clears her throat, "asked me to leave, and I found this."
Leave her alone D.
"You guys are freaking out over him writing me a note telling me what to do?" Not following, I look between the two girls. Feeling Jenna come up behind me, I reach back and grab her hand. She stays quiet, probably feeling the tension surrounding everyone.
"Well that and when I tried to call his phone to see if we could talk, the number has been disconnected. Even his burner phone is out of service. And his emergency line." Serafina doesn't even pretend to look concerned. "My dad is going to—"
"Fuck your Dad," Gigi interrupts her. "He's running D, and Mom is freaking out. He even disabled the GPS on his truck. We have no way to get to him. We have to find him before he does something stupid." I nod and motion for everyone to come in. Gigi and Serafina head for the couch but Jenna stops me from following.
"What's going on? Why is everyone so worried about him leaving, he probably just needs some time. Right?" Concern is painted all over Jenna's face, I reach up and cup her cheek.
"Yeah, probably. But he's never just bailed before. None of us have. Turning off your contact with the family is a huge move in our world. I'll explain later but for now, we just...we need to find him okay?" Jenna nods. She wraps her arm around my waist and we head to join Gigi and Sera. Entering the room I see Gigi on my phone.
"Here he is, you can just tell him Luca," she passes me off the phone and goes to sit back down.
"Luca."
"Any word on where Gray is?" Luca's voice comes over the line, tense and slightly stressed. Which is a lot of emotion for him.
"I'll find him."
"I have no doubt brother," he pauses for a second as if debating on whether he should tell me why he called.
"Do you have news about Devlov Luc?" Because all I need right now is another fucking wrench thrown into this shit show.
"You're not going to like it."
"Fucking shocker."
"No. No no no no no. Fuck!" The number he had left me the voicemail on was blocked, so I rushed to try the emergency number he had programmed into my phone. My fingers shook as I pressed call.
"We're sorry; you have reached a number that has been disconnected or is no longer in service. If you feel you have reached this recording in error, please check the number and try your call again."
"No!"
"What's going on?!" Sofia rushes out of the kitchen and finds me pacing in the spare bedroom she had put me in for my stay. After we had eaten, I had laid down for a nap and ended up sleeping through the day and night. Waking up I had realized I had had my phone off this whole time, rushing to turn it back on I had been met by a mess of missed texts and a voicemail from Grayson. "What happened?!"
"It's disconnected," the words fall out of my mouth on a mumble, I can't even think straight. "He shut his phone off, he left me a voicemail I don't think he meant to leave, on a blocked number and just...shut down his other phones." I can feel the heat from the tears falling down my cheeks. My vision goes blurry, but I'm unsure if it's the tears or the fact that I might pass out.
"I'm sorry Liv," I feel my sister's arms wrap around me. "I'm so so sorry," she whispers as she squeezes. What else is there to say?
Her arms around me bring on even stronger tears. Oh my God it hurts so bad. The words in his voicemail bounce around in my head. He had clearly not meant to call me, at least I hope not because hearing him speak with his father was not what I had needed. But at least now I knew where I stood. And it was so far behind Serafina that it made my head spin. The voicemail had continued for a while but after hearing him talk about her I had to end the recording and try, at least try, to get a hold of him.
"Uh Liv?" Ryan's voice comes down the hallways, sounding confused. He shows up at the doorway. "There's somebody at the door for you, and uh yeah I understand now," he smirks at me. My tears stop instantly.
He's here?! What about the voicemail? How the hell did he find me?!
The man has connections duh. Wait why am I arguing with myself!? I push past Ryan and rush for the door.
Sent to voicemail again. Fuck.
I shove my phone back in my pocket, then brace myself for what I'm about to do. Reaching out, my hands wrap around the familiar brass handle. And it instills the same slight fear it did when I was a little boy. I take a deep breath and turn it, lifting my head in false confidence and push the large mahogany door open.
Dad sits in the same old leather chair I heard squeak on the phone. His feet raised up and resting on the desk, his phone to his ear and a cigar in hand. His eyes shoot up and his head tips slightly in confusion before he uses his cigar to motion me into the room.
"Don't worry Lorenzo, I know it is not your doing." Serafina's father, fucking fantastic. My eyes roll, completely out of my control, Father glares. "Yes, I am well aware that Grayson is missing," his glare changes to a smirk as his eyes meet mine. "I am sure he will turn up, probably just cold feet. I must go now Lorenzo, ciao." Without allowing Lorenzo any time to reply Father hangs up the call.
I'm shocked he didn't tell Lorenzo I was standing in front of him, but instead of clearing it up he takes a long drag from his cigar before placing his feet on the ground and standing up.
He wanders behind me to the liquor cabinet. I turn to watch him as he selects two shining crystal whiskey glasses and he slowly pours his favorite drink into each glass. Lifting them both, he gives them a small swirl and heads back to his desk. Settling back down before setting a glass in front of me and motio
ning for me to accept.
Still in silence, I take a drink, resisting the urge to just chug the shit so I can begin my future life as an alcoholic to deal with this fuckery. Father watches closely as I swallow, takes a drink of his own, sets his glass down, and clears his throat.
Here we go.
"Your mother is worried sick, Son," his feet land back up on the desk as he leans back in his chair. "Why are you hiding the fact that you were coming home?" Because I wasn't going to come home, I was just going to fucking bail, but here I am. The model of fucking family loyalty.
Go me.
"I needed a minute without Serafina riding my ass, before I couldn't get away from her anymore," sounds valid enough for him to accept. He obviously agrees as he chuckles.
"She is quite the handful."
"That's one way of putting it," tired of opening old wounds about what happened, I just let it go.
No amount of arguing at this point is going to change my father's mind, and honestly I'm done with the whole thing. And I also know my dad. If he for one second starts to see Liv as a threat to this deal he has made, he would have no qualms about...getting rid of the problem. I guess in the long run that is what lead me here. My hand grips tightly onto my phone in my pocket. Thinking, maybe, if it would just ring right now, if it would be her, that would be my sign that I shouldn’t do this, that there is some way I could make this work.
But it doesn’t vibrate.
I let it go.
Let the show begin.
"Oh she's not so bad, she will probably calm down once the ceremony is done. You know how she is, she just wants what she wants when she wants it." I lean back in my chair now, setting my feet up on the desk, mirroring my father's relaxed posture. A surprised look crosses his face before he smiles.
"I believe that is just all women," he lifts his glass in a distant cheers motion. Copying him and taking a drink, I throw in a small smile. "I'm glad to see your change in heart Grayson, I was worried you were going to let this other woman stop you from...reaching your full potential in the family."
"Serafina knocked some sense into me when she showed up. Reminded me of our feelings for each other, before the...accident. I mean she really had no choice right?" Father nods, fucking whatever. "Liviana was just a...lapse in judgement on my part. A fling we could say," the words hurt to say, but I need him to think she means nothing, even if she means the world.
"It's always been Serafina for me, we will be happy together. And we will make the family proud." I hold my breath as I wait for Father's response. He contemplates for a second, taking another sip of his whiskey, staring into the glass, before his eyes bounce up to meet mine. The smile spreading across his face telling me he believes he has won.
"Molto bene, Son. Yes, very good. Does this also mean that you are giving up on this silly dream you have to leave the business?" I have to pause, because if I answer too eagerly, he will know it's not real. He knows how much I wanted out.
"Yes Father. I'm all in." He nods, accepting my hesitation but also willing to take what he can at this point I guess.
"Good...good." Sitting up in his chair and settling his feet onto the floor, he leans his elbows onto his desk. "Now that your decision has been made, I will fill you in on what has happened while you've been 'disconnected' from us."
Right down to business as always, I also move from my relaxed position and sit up. "It has come to our attention that Devlov's son has been underneath our noses this whole time."
At his statement I perk up instantly. Knowing that he has my attention, he pauses and finishes off his whiskey.
Asshole.
"It turns out that Devlov's son was put up for adoption shortly after his birth. Once we started looking into the adoption route it took minutes to discover where he had landed. And who would have guessed, he would be one of our own. Now his parents swore they had no idea, and that the boy had no clue until we discovered it. According to them, this is not some inside job, but well," a sick smile turns up the corner of Father's mouth, "you know we don't tend to take people in our line of business at their word. The adoptive parents were brought in for questioning and with a little bit of...persuasion...Momma cracked and let us know that Devlov has in fact had contact with his little spawn, quite a bit of contact actually and may have turned the tables." Father stands and heads to refill his glass, he stays silent, almost daring me to show emotion or ask questions, but I've learned enough in my time to keep my mouth fucking shut, even if I'm screaming inside to know. Father slowly wanders back to his desk and picks up a fresh cigar, looks it over, and glances up at me. Seeming to approve of my obedience he continues.
"Now, we went to locate the kid but he's went dark. He hasn't been to class, his phones are shut down, and I don't know about you but I tend to see that as a sign of guilt, no?" Nope, not going there Father. "We also have intel that he may or may not have been involved with this fling of yours...what was her name? Viviana, Olivia?" My heart jumps into my throat. It takes every ounce of restraint in me not to lose my shit.
"Dean."
"Ding ding, my son."
Chapter 20
"Found it!" Jenna exclaims as she yanks the little black book out of Liv's nightstand. She begins flipping through it and quickly lands on a page, runs down it with her finger, then looks up at me with a smile.
"I told you I could get it faster than your cousin!" She sticks her tongue out at me as she comes closer. Swinging her hips dramatically and taking a little bow. I roll my eyes.
"Yeah, yeah, you're kind of awesome," I grab her arm and pull her into me. Her arms automatically wrap around me, now it's my turn to smile. Ducking down, I place a kiss on her forehead, right as my phone goes off. Pulling it out of my pocket we both grin as Luca's name pops up.
"You're too late bro bro, my girl got me the address already."
"Yeah, I'm kind of awesome," Jenna leans into the phone and repeats my earlier sentiment now adding in her own eye roll.
"What time are you heading out?" Not one to waste time, Luca gets right to the point. I glance up at Jenna and raise an eyebrow, leaving the answer up to her.
"As soon as we get off the phone," she slides the little black book into her bag.
"I'll let you guys go then, be careful you two, and call if you need backup." Luca hangs up the phone.
"I know Liv has her moments but damn, I don't think we need mafia backup to go bring her home," Jenna giggles at the thought.
"I dunno, she handles Grayson pretty well so you know she's quite the badass. I might call back and take him up on that offer." I wink as Jenna smacks me on the arm.
"I'm telling her you said that," I have to jog after her as she heads for the door, grabbing her duffel bag she had already packed and swinging it onto her back. I grab mine and pull hers off of her, opening the door with a smirk.
"After you."
Jenna's eyes widen.
"Who the fuck is you?!" She scoffs as I wave my arm toward the door.
"Hey now! I have manners!"
"Mhmmmmm," another eye roll and she walks past me, I smack her on the ass as she walks past. "Now that makes more sense," she laughs as I shut the door and throw my arm around her shoulders.
"Let's go get my brother's girl back." Jenna smiles up at me, is it normal for my heart to skip a beat like that, the fuck?
"And then we gotta go get your dumb ass brother and fix this." Jenna tips her head toward the apartment where Serafina and Gigi are waiting. I take a deep breath before guiding her down the hall. God I hope I can fix this.
"How the fuck did this all slip by us? Did you not background check the people you sent to work with me? The families that we are making deals with?" My hands grip the arms of the chair I'm sitting in so tight I'm surprised the wood doesn't splinter. Dad raises an eyebrow at the show of emotion. The lack of concern he shows at Devlov’s son being right under his nose disturbs me.
"Worried about your female friend?" He nonchalantly lights his new
cigar, pausing in between puffs, watching me closely. Forcing myself to calm down, I release my hold on the chair.
"Worried about our family of course, Father. Devlov's son being one of our own is upsetting. Wouldn’t you say?” I try to gauge his reaction, but he’s locked down tight and says nothing. “How could something that large slip by us? How did you not know that the Ricci's adopted?" Father just watches as I get myself under control.
Oh ever the pillar of ice coldness. While I had just recently met Dean myself, Father had supposedly been friends with his parents, Peiro and Bianca for years. Well not so much friends as business partners. The fact that my Dad had dropped the ball on something as large as this rose many flags in my mind.
"Trust me, Son, I wondered the same thing. However their family was very methodical in how they went about the adoption. It appears as if Bianca was actually pregnant for a time. Conveniently at the same time as Dean's biological mother." Father pauses as one of his cell phones vibrates, he glances down, smirks at the message, then continues, "Bianca suffered from a miscarriage rather late in the pregnancy and somehow, we haven't discovered quite how yet, came in contact with Dean's mother. Now she was young, and was not ready for a baby, so Bianca and her husband offered to adopt the child, in secret. When Dean was born, Peiro signed the birth certificate as the father and offered a hefty sum of money for the doctor to sign off that Bianca had been the one to give birth."
"If there is no paperwork, then how was this all figured out?" My heart pounds as I try to connect the dots, I need to get to Liv.
"Now that's where it gets fun." Father grins, "Luca went deep when the basic searches were turning up nothing."
"Blood." In our line of work, it had become standard for the families to keep a record of everyone's blood type. It was necessary. We got shot at a lot.