by Jen Talty
“Who is this man?” Josh shoved his tablet into her face. His tone had gone from level to a deep growl.
“Where did you get that?” She reached out with shaky fingers and took the iPad, staring at a man she wished she’d never met, much less dated.
“So, you do know him?”
“Duh, I think that’s obvious, considering I’ve got my hand on his thigh,” she said. “That’s Kirk, my ex-boyfriend.”
“Kirk Rossi is your ex?”
She nodded. “How do you know his last name?” The picture had been taken in the first few weeks of their relationship, when he’d been attentive and sweet, and seemed to enjoy her shyness. He thought it was cute, and he had no problem waiting for her to be ready. That only lasted a few weeks. Why she’d stayed with him for over a year, she had no clue.
“You know what he does for a living?”
“Yeah. He owns the restaurant my father used to own.”
“What?” Josh jumped to a sitting position. “Your parents used to own Esposito’s? Your dad was Anthony Esposito? You said your name was Mervis.” Josh’s brow furrowed as he drew his lips into a tight line.
“My name is Mervis. Anthony was my stepfather. He raised me, and he’s the only father I’ve ever known.”
“Why didn’t you tell me when I said I recognized your brother?”
“Because it wasn’t relevant…at least, I thought it wasn’t.”
Josh grabbed the tablet from her hands then started tapping heavily on the screen. “Okay. Esposito died a few years before my uncover assignment, so I really don’t have much on him, other than that he was gathering information… Wait, she’s… Your mother wasn’t listed as his wife?”
“They were never married.” She swallowed. “Go back to how my father was gathering information. About what?”
“Anthony had given information to the FBI regarding Craypo and his operation. He was willing to testify. The Feds were about to pick him up, put him a safe house, but it was too late. Anthony had been killed in a car crash, one we don’t think was an accident. We—”
“That’s ridiculous. What on earth would my dad know about this Craypo jerk? He was a restaurant owner, not a criminal.” Delaney’s head spun as if she were on one of those rides at a carnival. Black, squiggly lines danced in her vision. She shifted her gaze between the tablet and Josh’s unforgiving glare.
“Your father’s restaurant was used to launder money, and the basement has been used for the storage of illegal weapons.”
She shook her head. “That’s impossible.” Mentally, she pulled up every negative memory she could of her parents. They weren’t perfect. Their family had their share of crazy, but…working for an arms dealer?
“You’re kidding, right? You date the notorious Kirk Rossi, who uses that restaurant the same way your father did, and is also an integral part of Craypo’s organization, and you’re going to act as if this is all news to you?”
She held up her hand. “Notorious? What the hell is he notorious for? Mediocre food?”
“You’re really going to play dumb?”
“I’m not playing anything!” Her heart beat so fast, she thought it could spontaneously combust. She glared at Josh.
He cocked his head, narrowing his eyes. “When did you date Rossi?”
“Right after my parents died. It lasted a year.” She shifted her gaze and pulled her braid out, twisting her hair tightly between her fingers as she held her anger in check while she tried to make sense of Josh’s words. “Why do you think my parents’ car crash wasn’t an accident?”
Josh stopped fidgeting and stared at her with wide, angry eyes. “Your parents’ death was too convenient.”
“What does that mean?”
“Anthony was on his way to meet the Federal Agent he’d been speaking with when his car got T-boned—”
“We were told an eyewitness saw a man running from the car that hit my parents…” She let the words hang in the thick air. “They never caught him.”
“We don’t think the crash killed your parents. Some inconsistencies in their injuries. The medical examiner couldn’t explain who both victims could die of strangulation. The bruising from the seat belts across their neck didn’t fit, but there was no other explanation.”
“I know what happened to my parents. I was the one who had to identify them in the morgue.”
“I’m sorry.”
“This is crazy.” She tugged at her hair. “My father would never be involved with criminals like that. My brother and idiot ex might be assholes, but working for the mob? Do you know how crazy that sounds?”
“It doesn’t sound crazy to me.” Josh pursed his lips, cocking his head to the side. “If my memory is correct, Anthony was muscled into working for Craypo. His restaurant was in trouble. Craypo loaned him money, putting Rossi on the inside—”
“No.” She put her hand up. “You’re lying.”
“Why would I lie?”
She blinked a few times, staring at Josh, his fierce scowl pierced through her like a lightning bolt. “To get back at me?”
He laughed. “Yeah, right. Because protecting you from a killer is such a great form of revenge.”
“You could be trying to hurt me.” Her stomach tightened, causing a wave a nausea. Bile smacked her tonsils. She swallowed.
“Are you serious? I have no desire to hurt you or seek some twisted revenge. I resent what you did, and I’m pissed, but my only reason for doing anything with you is in an effort to keep us both alive. If you want to take your chances out there alone, by all means, go.” He pointed to toward the tent flap.
Her lower lip quivered. She sucked it in, biting it, trying to keep back a guttural sob. “I suppose I could believe Kirk was involved with these people somehow, but my father? No way. He was a good man. Kind. He…” She searched her childhood memories for anything that could prove to Josh he’d been wrong about her father, but instead, her mind bristled with memories and feelings she’d spent a lifetime trying to squelch.
Never blindly trust anyone, especially if they say they can solve all your problems. Words spoken by her father.
Before you let anyone in, make sure you know everything there is to know. Everyone has a hidden agenda. Everyone…and remember, if it seems too good to be true, it’s very, very bad. Words spoken by her mother.
“He was secretive about his work, wasn’t he? Never introducing you to his business associates. Telling you to stay away from the restaurant.”
She nodded. “He didn’t like having us there. He said when he was with family, he was with family. No business allowed. Having us at Esposito’s made him feel like he had to split his time.” Anytime she or her brother mentioned the restaurant, or her brother would talk about working there, her father would wave it off, saying he wanted something better, easier, for his children. That owning a restaurant was more work sometimes than it was worth.
“How long have you known Kirk?”
Pulling her knees to her chest, she hugged them tightly. Her brain churned over her entire childhood, searching for answers to questions she didn’t know she’d had. “I first met him when I went to college. I wanted to surprise my father for his birthday, and I showed up at the restaurant. Kirk was there, and he flirted with me. I was stunned he would even be remotely interested in me.”
“Why?”
“I was eighteen. He was thirty. Big age gap.”
“I’d say.” Josh arched a brow.
“Whatever.” She waved her hand. “My father begged me not to date him, and not just because of the age difference, but I’m sure that had a lot to do with it.”
“So, that was about ten years ago. When did your relationship start with him?”
“Not until after my parents’ car accident.” She dropped her chin to her knees, closing her eyes tight. The last person she wanted to think about, much less talk about, was Kirk. “There were some issues with my father’s will and some other problems with the restaurant. We didn’t
know my father had a partner, nor did we know the restaurant had ever been in trouble. There were things with the books that didn’t seem to add up, but since I didn’t want to own a restaurant, I was happy to sell.”
“And your brother was good with this?”
“No. My father left his part to me with instructions to sell it, but not to my brother,” she said.
“I imagine that didn’t go over well with your brother.”
“He and my father hadn’t spoken in a couple of years. I was a little shocked, but my brother was downright pissed. In the end, Kirk offered me a decent amount of money to settle any issues outside of court. I split it with my brother. I was happy to be done with it, but Liam wanted more, and somehow, he managed to get Kirk to hire him.” She shivered. “Right after the settlement, Kirk showed up at my apartment with a dozen roses, full of kind words, and offered to take me to dinner. Since he paid me more than what my share was worth and offered my brother a good job with a big salary, I figured I owed the guy.”
“That’s the kind of man who collects on his debts. I wonder if he had something to do with Craypo sending you here to destroy me. I mean, a sex tape could have hurt you just as badly.”
“I’m… I…” She balled her fist as she drew her lips into a tight line. “Kirk Rossi is an asshole, and if he had anything to do with this, I’ll personally make sure the man can’t hurt another woman. Ever.”
Josh sat cross-legged in front of her. “What did he do to you?”
She trembled as she closed her eyes. “He’s not a nice man. He pretends to be a good person so he can get what he wants, but once he has it, he’s controlling and a jerk, and I’d rather not talk about him. One of the reasons I’m not close to my brother is because of Kirk.”
“Did Kirk hurt you?”
Now that was a loaded question, and on more than one level. “I don’t want to talk about it. The relationship ended badly, and my brother still works for him.”
“Did he hit you?”
“It was an ugly break-up.” She opened her eyes, knowing they were moist with tears. “It has no bearing on what you are telling me about my father. Do you have proof that my father was working for this Craypo guy?”
“I don’t, but you’re changing the subject.” He fiddled with his iPad before handing it to her. “I do have some information on your ex.” He pointed to the screen. “If the tablet locks, my passcode is 873587.” When he scooted to the end of the tent, she noticed the rain had nearly stopped. “I’ve got a tarp in the boat, so I’ll put something up over the picnic table and start a fire. Maybe make some coffee.”
The zipper screeched as he drew it down, leaving her alone. Her hands trembled as she stared at the iPad screen, her finger hovering over a file marked Kirk Rossi. She clicked it, and the first thing she saw were images of him with Gray Eyes. Scrolling through the pictures, she recognized the lawyer who’d told her to settle with Kirk over the restaurant, but what took her breath away was a picture of her father shaking Gray Eyes’ hand.
* * *
Josh sat on the picnic table under the tarp he’d strung up with the help of some tree branches. The rain had reduced to a slow drizzle, making it easier to start a decent fire. He palmed the tin mug, holding it up to his nose, smelling the bitter coffee that tasted more like tar. Gray clouds covered the sky, and frog floated across the lake. He fought a battle raging in his head regarding Delaney. She had an innocence to her, but she was also smart. Smart enough to figure out things weren’t kosher with her father and his restaurant.
The sound of a zipper ripping open drew his attention to the tent. Delaney slipped on her shoes before standing, wearing a long-sleeve T-shirt, a pair of shorts with a low waistband, and his baseball cap with her flowing blond ponytail tucked through the opening in the back. She had his iPad in one hand as she stomped toward him with a scowl.
“You knew I’d see a picture of my dad with Gray Eyes—”
“You mean Bobby Getz.”
“Don’t care what his name is,” she snapped. “You knew I’d see him with my father.”
Josh nodded. “It’s not proof of anything, but it should at least help you understand that I’m not making this shit up, and that your father was in over his head.”
She shoved the iPad at him. “You might want to know that the lawyer who counseled me on selling the restaurant was in those pictures as well.” Her eyes glowed with a fierce rage that scared him a little.
He took the tablet then set it on the table. “Who?”
“Steve Barbaro.”
“Fuck,” he muttered. “Anyone else you recognize?”
“A few people Kirk introduced me to. I can go through the images and tell you who I’ve met, if you want, but I doubt I could give you any information on them.” She sat beside him. “Is that coffee?”
He handed her the mug. “It tastes like shit.”
“Well, that goes with my mood.” She took the mug. Her fingers brushed against his skin, but he ignored the impulse to slip his fingers through hers.
“There is more coffee on the fire,” he said.
Minutes ticked by, neither one saying a thing to the other. He glanced at her a few times, but she stared straight ahead, eyes narrowed as she took a sip of coffee, choking.
“That’s worse than the outhouse,” she said, handing him back the mug. “I have to be the dumbest person on the planet. When I think back over my childhood, I can see things that should have been red flags with my father, but I ignored them.”
“You were a child.”
She let out a short laugh. “I always thought it was weird my father never wanted us at the restaurant. I wanted to have my sweet sixteen there, but he refused. When I showed up there for his birthday during my first semester in college, he got so angry, he practically shoved me out of the restaurant. I thought maybe he was ashamed of me, or there was something there he didn’t want me to see. I thought he was having an affair. I asked my mom why he didn’t want us at Esposito’s, and all she had to say was that it was never a good idea to mix business with family life.”
“It sounds like he was trying to protect you.”
“Maybe,” she said, “but what about Liam? He and my father had a horrible relationship near the end. Liam wanted to work for him so badly, but again, my father refused. I wonder how long Liam has known about the connection to Craypo, considering how close he and Kirk have been over the years. It’s always pissed me off that he liked Kirk so much, especially after what he did to me”
He stared at her, waiting for her to finish her statement, but she drew her lips into a tight line. Tension seeped from her skin, chilling the air. “What did he do to you?” He curled his fingers around her biceps “Tell me.”
“Does it really matter?”
He leapt off the table then started to pace. “Jesus Christ, of course it matters. I’ve met the jerk a few times, and what I’ve seen about the way he treats women. Just fucking tell me what he did.”
“Why do you care?”
He stopped dead in his tracks and snapped his head in her direction. “I can’t believe you’d ask such a question after everything we’ve been through in the last few days.”
“You don’t understand,” she yelled. “My entire life has been turned upside-down. Everything about who I thought my family was—who I thought I was—is, poof, gone.” She held her hand over her head and snapped her fingers. “I feel like a fool. My parents lied to me, and I brushed it under the rug. My brother has probably been a part of this mob, Mafia, whatever ring, for a few years, and most likely set me up to do the most disgusting thing I’ve ever done in my life. And let’s not forget my ex is a gangster, and I never knew it. Tell me, Josh, how would that make you feel?”
He opened his mouth three or four times, but nothing came out. Not a single noise or word, because he knew exactly how that felt. He rubbed one of the scars on his side.
“Cat got your tongue?” she asked with a smirk.
“Did Ki
rk hit you?” No way would he drop this.
“Yes. A couple of times. You happy?”
“That’s not fair.” Josh shoved his hands deep in his pockets. “I take it that’s why you broke up.”
She closed her eyes briefly, letting out a long sigh.
“You took him back, didn’t you?”
“Sadly, that is a fact I can’t deny, and I can’t even justify it in my own mind. I might not be the most-worldly woman, but I let myself be pressured by what little family I had left and the desire to be loved.”
“Did he rape you?” Josh went between the desire to take her in his arms and the need to wrap his bare hands around Kirk’s neck.
“No,” she said. “After I took him back, things were worse than before, when it came to sex. Actually, we didn’t have it, because I developed a new problem.”
“What problem was that?” He balled his fists, picturing them landing on Kirk’s face for how he treated a beautiful woman…how he treated someone as special as Delaney.
She pulled the baseball cap down over her eyes and lowered her head. “I’d rather not say.”
“You couldn’t get aroused at all?”
She blinked a few times as she breathed deeply. “Something like that.”
“Either you could, or you couldn’t. Which is it?”
His constant prying should have been annoying, and she should have told him it was none of his business. But talking about it with the man who showed her what lovemaking could be like, it seemed rather appropriate to fill him in on her horrid past.
“He got angry. Called me a dried-up prune. Said he was going to take me anyway, and tried forcing himself on me. He slapped me a few times and pinned me down on the sofa, holding my arms over my head.”
Josh took long, slow breaths in and out of his nose, trying to keep his pulse from exploding. His finger twitched, and he visualized pointing a gun at Kirk’s face and pulling the trigger. “How’d you stop him?”