Silent Whisper

by ANDREA SMITH

  “Well lordy, baby. Look at you!”

  She was over to me in a flash, pulling me into one of her tight Mama Bear hugs that we called them. “You look so gorgeous, Karlie Lynn. A sight for sore eyes for sure. I guess Nick is taking good care of you. Shame he won’t marry you, though,” she said with a huge sigh.

  “Belle—come on, you know his situation,” I said, knowing that that was only partly true. She knew he was married, but she didn’t know his name. Once she knew that, she would pretty much know all she needed to know without me going into detail.

  “I know, sugar. I know.”

  “So hey, why is it so quiet around here? Is the mine on strike or something?”

  “Or something,” she said with a huff. “It’s been this way for the last four months. Seems the racetrack and casino built there on your family’s land has expanded their business, which has taken not only four of my girls, but most of the business, too. Only have Rhonda and Shelly still here.”

  “I’m not following. They certainly didn’t legalize prostitution in West Virginia while I was gone, did they? I mean, how can the casino openly offer that without drawing the attention of the authorities?”

  Belle shook her head and gave me a sardonic grin. “Karlie, folks around these parts always knew what Belle’s Mountain Lodge offered besides draft beer and cheap whiskey. I just made it a point never to flaunt it in the face of the law. Hell, several of them were regulars anyways. So if your name is Castellano, do you think anyone’s going to fuck with you around these parts?”

  Oh shit.

  “Besides gambling and drugs, prostitution is right up there as one of their top moneymakers. I just didn’t think they’d be interested in a market for that in a place like South Chester. Goddamn Dago criminals! How the hell can I compete with organized crime?”

  “What are you gonna do, Belle?

  “Don’t worry, sugar. Belle hasn’t given up yet. I just need to recruit some more girls and lower my rates—and my profit margins. I’ve added a menu, and I’m getting some slot and poker machines for the back room. Gonna have live music on the weekends. I’m turning this into a private club for members only.”

  “Just be careful,” I warned, knowing that word traveled like lightening in these parts. The last thing I wanted was to have to worry about Belle and the others. I made a mental note to talk to Dominic about this and then I remembered that it wasn’t possible. I wasn’t sure if I would see him again.

  “Don’t worry about me, sugar. Now why don’t you head up to your old room? I cleaned it this morning, made up your bed with fresh linens. You look a little tired.”

  “It was a long drive,” I said, “I really need to talk to you about something, Belle. But for now, I’m going to take a bubble bath and grab a nap. Will you come up later when you have some time?”

  “Sure thing, Karlie. Now you have me worried. Do you want to talk now?”

  I shook my head. “No—later is better, trust me.”

  “Okay then. I’ll be up after the dinner crowd,” she laughed. “Grab yourself a sandwich if you’re hungry and get some rest.”

  I took her up on her offer, grabbing a club sandwich and a bottle of water from the fridge and headed upstairs.

  Nothing had changed; yet everything had changed.

  chapter 21

  All things considered, Belle took the news of Dominic’s true identity about as well as I had expected. Thankfully, since the customer base had dwindled to about nothing, same as the employee count, not too many people had to suffer the outcome of my news.

  But she was definitely on a roll, and I wasn’t sure how much time I should give her to cool down before I told her Part 2 of the tale. I figured maybe it was best just to blurt it out while her blood pressure was still elevated.

  “I think I’m pregnant,” I deadpanned, not looking at her reddened face.

  “Good lord, Karlie Lynn, do you have shit for brains, girl?”

  I started to say it was possible, but she hadn’t finished.

  “My God! What in the hell were you thinking getting all tangled up in that mob?”

  “I’m not tangled up with the mob,” I said defensively. “I only got tangled up with Dominic.”

  “Well that’s obvious enough. How late are you?”

  “About three weeks. I bought one of those home pregnancy test kits. It says it’s most accurate with the first urine of the day. So I guess we’ll know for sure in the morning.”

  She was shaking her head back and forth, t’sking away at me.

  “I love him, Belle. No matter what you think of his family—no matter what I think of his family, it just doesn’t include him. Do you realize that he’s the one that saved me that night during the fire? He went against his family doing that. I don’t think they ever knew, at least not his father, but he could’ve gotten in a lot of trouble.”

  “Well girlie, all that tells me is that there are witnesses to what happened to your folks. Do you plan on pursuing that avenue or not?”

  I looked over at her, my eyes wide. “What do you think? Do you actually think that I’d live long enough to see justice served? I’m not that naïve, Belle.”

  “So you don’t trust the love of your life not to snuff you out if the going gets tough, eh?”

  “No!” I said, my voice rose now in anger. “That’s not it at all. I absolutely trust Dominic with my life…It’s the rest of that bunch. He’s different from them even though you don’t believe that.”

  She sighed deeply, calmer now at least. “Aw honey, then if you’re so sure about him, why are you here telling me all of this? Why aren’t you telling him?”

  I shifted my legs underneath of me where I sat on my bed. “Because there’s something going on with the family—and I don’t know, but it feels like something big. He’s been away for weeks and he can barely call. All I know is that it’s big enough that his father came in from Chicago and his brothers have been in Newark with him, and Dominic mentioned he was out of the country. And that’s all I know.”

  I knew Belle would want details and I simply didn’t have them to give.

  “Hmmph, well you can bet your sweet ass it’s up to their eyeballs illegal,” she snorted. “What are your plans about the pregnancy?” she asked.

  I shrugged. “I’m not sure yet. Let’s cross that bridge tomorrow. But whatever the results, Belle, I need your emotional support—not your anger, okay?”

  She nodded, leaning over and brushing a stray curl from my forehead. “I know, baby,” she said with another long sigh. “We’ll figure something out.”

  chapter 22

  Two distinct pink lines in the test window of the piss stick I held in my shaking hand just confirmed what I had already pretty much known.

  Pregnant.

  Prego.

  Knocked-up.

  Totally Fucked!

  “Let me see,” Belle said, coming over to where I sat silently on the bed. She took the stick from my hand.

  “Well,” she said, “Isn’t like this comes as a shock to you, I guess. So now it’s decision-making time, darlin’.”

  “I know,” I whispered. “There’s no question as to whether I’m having the baby or not. I am,” I said plainly, my tone letting her know it wasn’t up for debate.

  “Well of course you are, sugar,” she crooned, sitting down beside me on the bed and wrapping an arm around me. “I meant as far as letting him know.”

  I nodded. “I know,” I sighed, “That’s the tough part. But for right now? This is just between you and me, okay? I mean you can’t tell anyone else, not even Lana.”

  “I thought you and Lana were on good terms again? Don’t you plan to tell her?” she asked, furrowing her brows.

  “Yes, I will, but when the time is right, Belle. If things progress to the point that I feel like I have to leave Dominic, Lana is the one person he can’t trace me to, you get that, right?”

  “Oh God, sugar,” she said, putting a hand to her mouth. “He d
oesn’t get violent or anything now does he? You can tell me, you know that, right?”

  “No—no, nothing like that at all. Dominic would be thrilled to know I was pregnant. He’s wants a child. It’s just that with things the way they have been lately, I have to really think this through. I always felt like Dominic would put me first. He made it seem that way, but now? Well, I’m not so sure. I may have underestimated his loyalty to family and to what it is they…do.”

  “I’ll keep my mouth shut, Karlie. You know how I feel on the subject from my rants last night. I’m just so glad you’re considering all of this now rather than later. That child needs to have a chance to grow up without being some next-generation mobster—or worse yet, a target of some rival family. You hear about that all the time, sugar. They’re at war with other families. I’m worried sick about you.”

  I could see that she was genuinely upset; she had removed her arm from around me and was wringing her hands.

  “Listen,” I said calmly, taking one of her hands into mine. “I don’t want you to worry. I need your support but we have to be smart about this, okay? I’m going to do whatever is best for this baby, and you need to trust that. As long as you do, there is no need for you to worry.”

  She nodded, wiping a tear from her eye. “You’re already a mother, Karlie. I can see that and it does my heart good. I’ll wait to hear from you, and no need to worry, this is just between us. We’ll keep a very low profile, I promise.”

  “Thanks for understanding, Belle. And thanks for being here for me,” I replied, kissing her cheek.

  “I love you and Lana both, like my own. Seems I never got around to having children. Too busy whoring for a living I guess, but if I had? You two would be exactly what I would’ve wanted.”

  I understood exactly where Belle was coming from. The truth was? It was exactly the position I might’ve ended up in if it hadn’t been for her. Belle’s husband had been a miner. She married him at seventeen mainly to get the hell out of an abusive home. He had been twenty-two and worked at a mine south of here. He was killed in an explosion a year after they married. She was determined to make it on her own, so with nothing but her wits and her will, she started her business.

  I knew that Belle had wanted better for Lana and me the moment we asked her for a job. She wasn’t an educated woman, but she was a smart and intuitive one nonetheless.

  The drive back to Cherry Hill on Sunday afternoon seemed longer for some reason. Maybe it was because I felt as if I had nothing waiting for me there. At least at Belle’s place, I had family; if not by blood, then by love. Belle had made me promise to phone her from a pay phone from now on. She knew Dominic covered my expenses and wasn’t sure how closely he examined my phone bills.

  “I think you’re being overly cautious,” I replied, “But whatever. I mean Dominic knows I stay in touch with you.”

  “It doesn’t hurt for him to think we fell out of touch,” she responded. “It’s not me I’m worried about, sugar. Besides, I want you to call me every couple of days and that would look strange to him.”

  “Okay, I will,” I had replied, giving her a hug and kiss.

  It was nearly nine o’clock and already dark when I pulled my car into the garage behind my condo. The warm, humid August night felt thick against my skin as I walked to my unit and let myself in. The feel of the cool air-conditioning hit me immediately and felt like heaven.

  I kicked off my sandals, and went to the fridge to get some bottled water. I noticed a bottle of wine was missing from the fridge, not that I could imbibe any longer, but I was sure it had been there before I left for Belle’s. I grabbed my water and shut the door to the fridge.

  “I’ve been worried, mia caro. Where have you been all weekend?”

  The water slipped from my hand and landed on the tile floor as I let out a small shriek, totally startled by his presence.

  “I’m sorry,” he said, coming up behind me and wrapping his arms around me. “I didn’t mean to startle you, baby.”

  “Christ, Dominic,” I gasped, my heart speed-beating now. “I come home to a dark kitchen and then you creep up on me like that. What the hell?”

  He went over and flipped the light switch on in the kitchen.

  “There,” he said, giving me a grim smile. “Better?”

  I nodded, taking a swig of water.

  “So,” he continued, “You were about to tell me what kept you from me all weekend I believe.”

  He was dressed in casual business, and as usual, the sight of him gave me goose bumps—even in August.

  “Oh was I?” I asked, quirking a brow. “How about you tell me what’s kept you away all of these weeks first?”

  He was leaning against the doorway, arms folded across his broad chest. “Don’t be like that Karlie,” he said softly, “You knew I was attending to business.”

  “Yeah, business,” I scoffed. “That tells me nothing.”

  “It tells you enough,” he warned, “I’m waiting.”

  I brushed by him, heading into the living room where I plopped down on the sofa, pulling my legs underneath me. “I went to visit Belle and the girls in Chester,” I said. “I couldn’t tolerate another weekend spent alone. How was I supposed to know you’d be here this weekend? It’s not like you ever call me.”

  He sat down next to me on the sofa, pulling me close to him. “I see you’re a bit salty about that, sweetheart. I apologize again, but it just wasn’t possible.”

  His fingers gently combed through my long permed locks. “I’m here now, Karlie,” he said with an endearing smile.

  I saw the empty bottle of wine on the glass coffee table along with a half-full wine glass. “Where’s your car?” I asked, realizing now that it wasn’t in the garage where he usually parked.

  “My new driver brought me over. He’s parked out front.”

  New driver?

  Dominic had used Robert intermittently, but not typically when he was staying over for the night.

  “Okay, I do not understand any of this. You have a new driver now? And he stays parked out front all night? Why?”

  “Yes and because.”

  “Because why?” I asked impatiently.

  “In case you didn’t come back this evening. I don’t like to drink and drive.”

  What the hell?

  “Are you staying?” I asked, throwing a bit of a glare into it.

  “Am I invited?” he asked flashing a wicked smile.

  I had to smile then and shake my head at the total absurdity of all of this. I was tempted to ask the man, who now had one of his hands caressing my bare thigh, who the hell he was, and what had he done with Dominic? This stuff was becoming stranger by the minute.

  “Yes,” I said, giving him a sigh and feeling his fingers now moving up underneath my shorts, exploring the territory that was only his.

  “Send him away.”

  chapter 23

  To say that Dominic and I made up for lost time in my bed the previous night would be pretty damn accurate. I wasn’t sure if my hormones were off the charts, but I couldn’t get enough of him, or him of me it seemed.

  We didn’t talk about the past few weeks, because I knew there wasn’t anything he could tell me, and it was better if I didn’t know, even though it was driving me nuts! All I wanted to know was when things would be back to the way they had been. I needed to know that because of…well, because of the obvious.

  It was a legitimate question; and it was one that he just might be able to answer if so compelled.

  We had showered together and were dressing in silence.

  Here goes.

  “Dominic,” I said softly, walking over to where he was rooting around in one of my dresser drawers for a clean pair of socks, “Look, I know that family business of some sort has kept you away for the past several weeks, and trust me, I want no details, but can you at least tell me when things will be back to normal?”

  “Normal?” he asked, quirking an eyebrow as he turned to fa
ce me. “When has our relationship ever been normal?”

  “Okay,” I conceded, giving him an eye roll, “Bad choice of words, I get it. So, how about when will things get back to the way they were before all this shit started, forcing you to be gone so much?”

  He sank down on the bed, pulling a sock on and not looking at me.

  Can’t be good.

  “It’s very complicated right now. I honestly can’t say, it could be weeks, maybe longer.”

  A feeling of despair enveloped me and in that instant I felt as if things might never be like they were before. I wasn’t sure what was going on, and I wasn’t savvy enough to even guess, but what I did know was that I damn well couldn’t give Dominic the news.

  Not now.

  And maybe not ever.

  He rose up from the bed and came to stand before me. I looked up into his dark brown eyes and saw sadness in them; as if he had concluded the very same thing with respect to us.

  “Karlie,” he sighed. “My driver is out front. I’m flying out of town this morning. I have business in another city, so I’m not sure how soon I’ll be back. Please be patient. Vinnie will be handling West End while I’m gone—”

  Ah hell no.

  “But that doesn’t include DBK and the boutique, right?” I asked hurriedly, I felt the skin on my forehead crease, a sure indication I was worried.

  “Don’t worry,” Dominic said, “Only in the capacity that I was assisting you. If you need anything, he’s your go-to person for now.”

  I still couldn’t relax and he was so good at reading my body language.

  He chuckled softly. “Relax Tesoro. I’ll be in touch with him and with you. If there are any problems, you know that I’ll stand by you, right?” he asked, his expression serious.

  “I guess,” I mumbled, not sure why Dominic would even expose me to someone like Vinnie. But then I had to keep reminding myself that Dominic and Vinnie were all in the same family, the same business. I only hoped the promises that Dominic had made to me about not involving West End or DBK in anything shady had been shared with Vinnie.