by Ashley Jade
I'm about to walk into my apartment when I hear Tyrone say, "I'm going over to check on Lou-Lou. I just thought you should know."
My jaw clenches and I tell myself not to turn around so I don't knock him out.
"Stay away from her," I warn. "She's bad news."
"She's not bad news, Ricardo." He lets out a long sigh. "If she was bad news she wouldn't have bothered to call me
the other night when Jackson was in trouble."
That's when I do turn around. "Jackson was in trouble the other night?"
A few nights ago Alyssa ended up getting sick and we took her to the hospital...but I was there for that.
"Not that kind of trouble. Lilly stuff." He jerks a shoulder up. "And Alyssa stuff. But obviously he's doing much better now."
"That's good," I say, although I can't help but feel a little annoyed that I'm only hearing about it now.
"Yeah, it is," he says. "Anyway, I highly doubt she wants to see me, but I figured it wouldn't hurt to drop off a plate of Momma's food for her." He looks down. "Damn girl gets skinnier by the day."
My chest tightens with the truth of that statement. Just because I hate
her, it doesn't mean I haven't noticed the way she's changed. Or the way it makes my heart ache. She's always been tiny, but lately, it's like
she's disappearing right before everyone's eyes.
"I—" I shove my hands into my pockets. "I think that's a good idea," I say before I can stop myself.
He waggles his eyebrows at me before he starts heading down the
hallway.
I fight the jealousy and the urge to push him out of the way because it should be me going to see her.
Chapter 37 (Lou-Lou)
I hear a knock at the door and jump. No one ever shows up at my apartment anymore, to say I'm a little unnerved is an understatement.
When two more knocks follow after the first, I hop out of the bathtub and jog to the front door.
What greets me on the other side is a smiling Tyrone holding what has to be the world's most loaded plate of food.
"Sorry, I was in the bathtub," I blurt out.
He gives me a strange look, no doubt wondering why I'm fully dressed and my hair is bone dry.
My heart pangs because Ricardo's the only one in the world who would understand why that is.
"Mind if I come in for a little while?"
I move to the side. "Be my guest."
He gestures to the plate in his hand. "Momma's in town."
"I can see that," I say. "There's no way you or Jackson can cook all that."
To my surprise we both laugh.
Then he walks into my kitchen and starts opening cabinets and drawers like he owns the place. "Damn, Lou-Lou," he says. "What the hell do you eat? You have no food in here."
I slump down on the stool and try to hide my embarrassment. "I don't know. I haven't been that hungry lately."
Concern splashes across his face and I want to kick myself for being so candid with him. The last thing I want is for him to be giving me the pitiful look he's giving me right now.
Like I'm a lost puppy who needs to be taken care of.
He pulls the plate out of the microwave and hands me a fork. "Eat."
I take a few bites to appease him. When that's not enough for him, I take a few more.
Before I know it, the plate of food is nearly finished and he's grinning from ear to ear. "Good, right?"
I nod in agreement and his expression changes to a serious one. "Don't take this the wrong way...but when was the last time you slept?"
"I—I'm fine."
He props his elbows on the counter. "That's not what I asked."
"I'm not a big sleeper."
He shuffles his feet and digs his hands into the pockets of his jeans. "Look, I'm not going to push you to talk to me...but I want you to know that if you need a friend...you've got one."
"That's sweet, Tyrone," I say while walking over to the couch. "But you're already Ricardo's friend."
He sits down on the couch beside me. "Believe me, there's enough Tyrone to go around. I can be both your friends." He shrugs. "And you look like you could really use one these days."
He pulls a pillow out from underneath him. "Along with about 12 hours of solid uninterrupted sleep." He puts the pillow on his lap and points to it. "Now get over here."
"Um—what?"
He tugs on my arm until my head hits the pillow. "Get some sleep, Lou-Lou. I know I'm not Ricardo...but I'll watch over you and make sure no one hurts you. I'll go all hulk on their asses."
I laugh and my heart swells as he drapes a blanket over me and I begin to drift off. I faintly hear the sound of my phone ringing in the background but I'm far too tired to move. "Thank you, Tyrone," I whisper before I close my eyes and fall asleep for the first time in months.
I open my eyes a half-hour later to a frantic Tyrone pacing my floor while holding a cell phone in his hand.
"What the fuck, Lou-Lou?"
I have no idea what's made him so upset. Until I see who's cell phone he's holding.
"You—you're DeLuca's wife?" he shouts.
Shit, shit, shit. "Please calm down," I say. "And please, tell me you didn't pick up my phone."
"Are you kidding me? I'm not a fucking idiot with a death wish. Don't get me wrong, I was going to—but then I saw his name flash across the screen, followed by the text demanding that his wife call him back if she knew what was good for her."
He tosses my phone to me. "He's called about 8 times already…and text you so many times I lost count." He drags a hand down his face. "I wasn't trying to be rude and stick my nose in your business—I just wanted you to sleep without being disrupted."
"It's okay. I'm not mad."
I stare down at my phone, and as if right on cue; it starts ringing again. "I have to take this." I hold up a finger. "But please, don't leave. I can explain everything."
But can I, though? No. I most definitely cannot.
"No way," he exclaims. "I'm not staying in the apartment belonging to the wife of New York City's most notorious mob boss."
He heads for the front door and my anxiety skyrockets. "Please, Tyrone. You said you were my friend," my voice breaks with that last statement and he stops walking.
I pick up my phone. "I'm sorry, Mio Amore. I was sleeping."
"You better not be lying," he says curtly. "Or else."
Fear lodges in my throat. "I'm not lying. I had something to eat and I took a nap on the couch. I swear."
The look Tyrone shoots me is like nothing I've ever seen before.
I can't tell if he's more scared for my life or his.
"I'll be coming to town in a few days."
"Okay—" I start to say before he cuts me off.
"Your lease runs out at the end of the month. I'm not renewing it. I want you back at the mansion 24/7."
I look at the calendar. I have approximately 24 more days left. "Can I still finish out the month?" I ask, hating the way my voice shakes.
But not nearly as much as the look on Tyrone's face right now.
"I'll think about it," DeLuca says. "Depends how accommodating you are the next time I'm in town."
"I understand."
"Lucianna," he barks right before I hang up. "I'm having a special delivery sent to you...and I expect you to send me a picture of the results."
"Will do."
When I put my phone on the coffee table Tyrone walks over to me. "Oh, God, Lou-Lou." He wraps his arms around me in a bear hug so tight I can hardly breathe and I fight like hell to hold back my tears. Because once I start...I'm afraid I'll never stop this time.
"Please don't tell anyone," I whisper. "The less you all know the safer you are."
"I won't say a word."
He pulls back and looks at me. "Lou-Lou, does Ricardo know?"
His eyes open wide and he takes a step back. "Fucking hell. That's why you guys broke up, isn't it? He found out the girl he was sleeping with wa
s DeLuca's wife."
"Jesus Christ!" he screams, startling me. "You could have gotten him killed!"
"I—"
He stomps his foot on the ground and his eyes narrow into tiny slits. "You could have gotten us all killed when you first moved in."
"I didn't want to. I had no choice," I say before I can stop myself. My hand flies to my mouth because there's no way I can undo what I've just said.
"What?" Tyrone hisses. "What do you mean?"
I shake my head but he points a finger at me. "Was DeLuca trying to trap us by catching us fucking his wife? Tell me the truth, Lou-Lou."
I have no choice but to tell him a fucked up version of it. One that doesn't reveal who Ricardo is.
"I wasn't DeLuca's wife when I moved here." When Tyrone raises an eyebrow I say, "However, I was involved with him and yes—I was sent on a mission to check up on the three of you, seduce you, and report back to DeLuca."
I run a hand through my hair and suck in a breath. "I'm so sorry, Tyrone." When he stands up I reach for his arm. "I understand if you don't want to be my friend anymore—" He points a finger in the air and gives his head a shake. "Are we still in danger? Does DeLuca still want you to report back to him about us?"
"No. Tyrone you're safe. You're not even a blip on his radar anymore."
His eyebrows crash together. "You know, Ricardo did everything he could to stop me from pursuing you when we first met." He gives me a suspicious look and I feel the hairs on the back of my neck stand up.
"Ricardo figured it out, didn't he?" He rubs his forehead and sits back down on the couch. "That's why he didn't want us to hang out. He was trying to protect me."
"Yeah. He overheard me talking to DeLuca on the phone one day and figured it all out," I lie.
"I don't understand why he wouldn't just outright tell me about you," he mumbles.
Shit. "Um...well." I stand up and swallow my lie before I spit it out. "I begged him not to. I was afraid of what DeLuca would do to me if it somehow ever got back to him."
He stays silent for a moment, soaking everything in.
"Listen, can you not tell anyone else about this?" When he looks at me I add, "You know, for Ricardo's safety. If anyone finds out about what happened...and it gets back to DeLuca—"
He lowers his head and rests his elbows on his knees. "Don't worry, I won't say anything. I promise." He stands up and makes his way over to the front door. "I told Shelby I'd call her before her shift at work starts." When his hand lands on the doorknob he whispers, "Please stay safe, Lou-Lou."
Chapter 38 (Ricardo)
"What the fuck do you mean you want a meeting with DeLuca?" I corner Tyrone in the locker room. "What for? What's going on?"
He tries to push past me but I push him right back. "Whatever you need just tell me and I'll take care of it."
He sits down on the bench and sighs. For a moment, I think he's finally going to tell me what's got him so on edge...until he says, "I need a meeting with him, Ricardo. It's important."
I open my mouth to press him again but he stands up and says, "And if you don't get me a meeting with DeLuca and only DeLuca...I'm not showing up to my fight tomorrow night."
With that, he grabs his towel and storms out.
I hit the locker beside me and curse. We both know if he doesn't show up to fight then he will definitely get a meeting with DeLuca...one that will end with a crowbar being smashed against his skull.
With a stomach full of lead, and no fucking options left, I pull out my phone.
Chapter 39 (Ricardo)
Being DeLuca's still in Italy, the only meeting I could get Tyrone was via video conference.
However, DeLuca being DeLuca—he demanded the meeting be held in the office at the club. Along with purposely stationing a group of his men right outside the door to ensure I wouldn't overhear a word of what was said in that room.
I tried like hell to get Tyrone to open up to me about what was going on but he wouldn't.
And now that his fight is a mere few minutes away, I'm sweating fucking bullets.
Not only did Tyrone's opponent get switched at the last moment— but Jackson came running up to me screaming his head off about Tyrone mentioning a rap album by the name of 'Ready to Die' and comparing himself to Biggie.
I blew up DeLuca's phone over and over again but he ignored every single one of my phone calls.
And to make matters worse...Tyrone's officially in shutdown mode, refusing to acknowledge anything or anyone.
That is until we start walking down the corridor leading to the cage and I tell him, "You're not fighting tonight. I am."
That seems to bring him out of his haze. "What?" he screams while shoving me against the wall. "You can't do that. This is my fight!"
I shove him back. "Not anymore it's not. You won't tell me what that meeting was about, you're comparing yourself to a dead rapper, and you're not acting like yourself. You're not fighting. Your heads not in the motherfucking game."
"You can't do that, Ricardo. We both know if I'm not the one in that cage fighting...DeLuca will go ballistic." He glowers. "And if that happens I'm as good as dead and so are you and Jackson." He stands up straight and looks me in the eyes. "I've got this. I'll tell you everything you want to know after, I swear. Just let me knock this fucker's block off first."
"I don't know, Tyrone—"
He points two fingers at his face. "I've got this."
"Fine," I grit through my teeth. "But the second you don't have it I'm jumping in that cage. Got that?"
The crowd's shouts for the 'Hulk' become louder and louder, signaling the start of the fight.
"Got it." He pulls me into a hug. "Love you, brother."
I don't know if I feel better or worse after that, but it's time to get this shit over with.
He walks in the cage and the crowd goes wild. He scans the mass of people until he finds Jackson who pats the spot above his heart where the tattoo of his sister’s name resides. Jackson's eyes find mine and I give him the thumbs up sign."Everything's okay," I mouth as I watch him visibly relax.
That is until Tyrone's opponent walks out and we both realize it's the same asshole from Jackson's last fight.
I tell myself to calm down and remind myself that not only is Tyrone one hell of a competitor...he's never lost a fight before.
Besides, the second this fucker makes one wrong move, I'm going in.
When they announce Tyrone's name the crowd goes wild. I faintly hear Jackson call out, "Break bad on em', Hulk."
Tyrone's retort is to blow Jackson a kiss.
I shake my head and laugh and the crowd goes even crazier, despite the fact it's a weekly interaction between the two.
When they announce the shithead opponent, I lean in to Tyrone and whisper, "You've got this. Give that fucker hell like he's never seen before. And remember, I've got your back."
When Lou-Lou walks over to wish him good luck he nods and puts his game face on.
I leer at her but she turns around, faces the crowd and holds up a cue card. The bell rings a second after and I walk out of the cage and over to the sidelines.
I continue staring her down as she proceeds to make her way out of the cage to stand behind me. It's on the tip of my tongue to ask her if DeLuca ever mentioned why Tyrone's opponent was changed, but then I hear Jackson shouting Tyrone's name.
I turn my head to see what's going on, but out of fucking nowhere some guy grabs Lou-Lou...and all I see is red.
Everything happens in slow motion as 3 more guys come out of the woodwork and charge me. Lou-Lou starts kicking and screaming and I fucking lose it. I dodge their punches and kicks the best I can, solely focused on getting to her. I throw an elbow in the face of one guy until I hear his nose break. I body slam another, and I kick the last one so hard in the balls I fucking feel it. When Lou-Lou screams again, I bear down and charge ahead full force until I'm colliding right into the asshole who's still holding her.
The second he begins to
lose his balance and fall, I grab Lou-Lou and set her down. Her face pales and she immediately points to the cage.
When I turn around, I see the pool of blood oozing out of Tyrone from the wound in his back.
My heart’s in my throat and my stomach drops to the fucking floor.
I almost do as well, but then I see that motherfucker charging after Jackson with the same knife he hurt Tyrone with.
Instantly I bolt toward the cage and jump on his back. The sound of me snapping his neck before he falls limp is as reassuring as it is gratifying.
Jackson rushes over to Tyrone and I run over to fetch the doctor and call for an ambulance.
The second I watch them take him out on the stretcher, I feel myself come undone.
Not only am I ashamed that I failed him...there's no doubt in my mind that I'm the reason this happened in the first place.
What happened tonight was a personal message to me from DeLuca himself.
And now I might lose someone I consider my family, my blood...my fucking brother.
And it's all my fault.
Chapter 40 (Lou-Lou)
I watch Ricardo drop to his knees and bury his face in his hands. He looks so destroyed I can't help but start to tear up myself.
And then I get angry...really angry.
Because somehow...I just know DeLuca was behind Tyrone's attack.
And it kills me that someone as sweet and innocent as Tyrone ended up getting caught in the crossfire of whatever fucked up game DeLuca's currently playing.
I feel like a pot ready to boil over as I walk outside and yank my cell phone out of my purse.
Ford answers after the first ring and any and all reservations I ever had about doing this melt away. "I'm ready," I tell him.
He stays silent for a moment, no doubt shocked before he says, "Good. Everything is all set to go one week from today."
I grimace. "A week? That's too long."
"I need another week to get all the ducks in a row so this goes off without a hitch. It's DeLuca we're talking about, Lucianna, remember?"