We stayed like that, pressed close and listening to each other’s breathing, long after there was nothing left to hear.
THIRTY-FIVE
I knew there wouldn’t be much chance of sleep that night. But I didn’t realize just how conflicted my insomnia would be. Tossing with worry about my friend and her impending rescue. And turning over my unexpected intimate moment with Lucas. And my embarrassing reaction to it. He was just trying to obscure our intentions, to keep us safe. Could he tell how flustered I was?
I certainly would never have known by his actions afterward. As soon as the coast was clear, he made another quick, mumbled phone call and announced he had last-minute things to take care of right away. Within seconds a mysterious dark sportscar peeled into the parking lot and pulled up alongside us. I assured him I would be fine getting myself back safely, and would do so immediately. He hopped into the car and disappeared with nothing more than a nod. And most definitely no eye contact.
I found my phone on the pavement, where it had shut down upon contact when I dropped it in surprise. Our connection to Sloan had abruptly ended. But hopefully she had gotten the message and understood her role.
And now all that was left was to march in and get her, everyone playing along in the Joel/Dominic ruse. Especially his faux-fiancé. My stomach tightened with anxiety as I dug through my suitcase, ready to start the day.
What exactly is the proper attire for a mass mob deception?
***
We all met up in the corner of the adjacent parking lot before the appointed time. Hordes of dark-attired men climbed from vehicles and swarmed, a small army setting up camp. A thick line of trees hid us from the restaurant’s view but would give quick building access to the gathered federal agents when the time came.
I desperately needed to know when that would be.
“So you still aren’t just barging in there?” I shook my head at the men, frustrated. “Why are we following their instructions, when there’s probably more of you than them? Surely you could take them.”
“Not without undue risk,” the tall agent with the thick silver mustache replied, his voice patient. Given his constant vigilance, I had pegged him as being assigned my ‘handler’ for the moment. “We need our guy to get a feel for the situation first, find out what’s in there. And make sure the main target is present and accounted for.” He leaned his head down to me a little. “I’m real sorry you have to be dragged along in the meantime. We sure appreciate your cooperation, ma'am.”
Yeah, yeah. There was no sense in arguing. But my mind was hung up on one phrase. Our guy.
Lucas.
My stomach tightened as I pictured waltzing into the building, fake mobster by my side. I had no idea what his real experience with this sort of thing was. Or with any sort of thing, really. He was still quite a mystery. “Where is Lucas, anyway?”
“No Lucas today, remember?” a voice behind me growled, low and serious.
I spun toward the sound. And there he was, only feet away. Sort of.
His face itself seemed normal. Strong, chiseled jaw and perfect masculine features. But nothing else rang true. Lucas’s thick, lovely chestnut hair had been chopped off, razed to just a thin covering on his scalp. Gone, along with the facial stubble that had affected me so only the night before. I felt my face heat up just thinking of it.
The short sleeves on his too-tight black t-shirt showed off a jagged fake tattoo banded across his right bicep. And thick dark-rimmed glasses shadowed his eyes, assisting him in expertly avoiding my gaze.
Crap. He’s uncomfortable.
Dark thoughts from my sleepless night rushed back. Clearly I had embarrassed myself when he got too close. Of course he was going to avoid the girl who couldn’t handle a little pretend makeout session under duress.
I tried to ignore my shame and took him in quietly, realizing that the plan might just work after all. He looked entirely different. And was probably the spitting image of his brother in that getup.
So if he needed to take on the part immediately, I should not get in the way. “Right,” I said, shaking it off. “Hi Joel. Or, umm. Dominic?”
“Let’s just get in there,” he said. He locked eyes with my handler, Robert, one eyebrow raised. “We have the go-ahead?”
The man bowed his head. “Invite’s been received. And luckily they’re staying put, as expected. We’re clear, whenever you’re ready.”
“Then let’s do it.” Eyes focused intently on the path ahead, the fake Joel flashed me a little wave to join him and took off for the trees.
Now? I scrambled to catch up, my mind lurching into panic mode. I still had no idea what the plan was, what we were supposed to be saying or doing besides simply showing up. No one had filled me in on a thing.
We reached the back of the restaurant in less than a minute. As we neared the kitchen entrance, I caught sight of the corner where I had been momentarily nuzzled up to Lucas the night before. The spot. I quickly averted my eyes.
Lucas, professional game-face on, seemed to pay no mind. Clearly I was going in blind, with no plan and very little understanding, alongside a man completely oblivious to me. Or least entirely indifferent to our little . . . moment.
No, he was too busy focusing on pretending to be someone else. Someone who was, in turn, also a complete fake. What a mess.
Would I be able to keep it all straight? Maybe it was best that I was clueless. For everyone’s sake.
As we neared the door my hand brushed against a lump on my side and I felt an instant zap of panic. I had handed my cell over, but I’d forgotten to take Sloan’s out of my pocket. And I’d dealt with these guys before. My chances of getting in and out with the phone, undisputed, were pretty much nil. We were supposed to be going in incommunicado.
I quickly scanned for options. Next to the service door ahead was a metal planter bucket filled with dirty sand, cigarette butts poking in the air. I paused next to it and, after checking that no one was watching, yanked up on the edge. My other hand felt for a void underneath. I was in luck. I quickly shoved the phone under the bin and sighed with relief when the bucket settled back to the concrete, even and undisturbed.
Lucas watched silently, stone-faced. His hand hovered at the door, ready to knock. He raised one eyebrow at me, questioning, but I said nothing. No need to fill him in on my mistake. Maybe I planned it the whole time.
He rapped confidently on the door and turned his head to mutter over his shoulder. “I’ll do the talking.”
Fine by me. I would have no idea what to say anyhow. My mouth stayed firmly clamped shut.
The door swung open and we were ushered in silently through the empty kitchen by a restaurant employee. The elderly man kept his head down as he limped down the hall, leading us to a small private dining room. The long table was surrounded by suited men with serious faces. In front of them lay a large spread of food covering the center of the table. Italian dishes, waiting to be served. Everyone looked up expectantly when we entered.
Men approached from either side of the doorway, tossing our arms in the air involuntarily. I recognized them from my bathroom encounter. Goon number one patted me down gently. Goon number two was a little rougher with my companion, eyeing him with contempt but saying nothing.
The little wand signalled at my ears, but this time the man ignored it and backed away. When Lucas's search came up empty they retreated to their corners and we were waved toward two chairs at the head of the table. No one filled the seat of honor.
The silence was disturbing. I sat obediently across from Lucas and tried to avoid staring at the men surrounding us. I immediately recognized many of the faces from the news. These men were newly released from prison. All thanks to me.
But the eyes at the table were far less interested in me than with my companion. And I quickly realized it wasn’t just curiosity—they were studying their suppo
sed long-lost co-conspirator. Their presumed-dead colleague, now in the flesh. Expressions in the room ranged from amused fascination to bald hostility. I couldn’t help but squirm with discomfort.
Lucas was somehow completely unaffected by the scrutiny. Or just a very good actor. He leaned forward, elbows on the table, and gazed back confidently at the gathering. As he met each pair of eyes, one by one, an inscrutable half-smile played on his face.
Awkward silence hung in the air, thick and heavy, the tension palpable. Everyone seemed to be in holding mode, just waiting. But for what? I glanced at the empty seat beside us, wondering who would fill it.
Finally the silence was too much. I couldn’t wait any longer. I was here for one reason. Despite my best instincts, I found myself suddenly speaking up, however timid my voice. “So where is Sloan?”
The gray-haired man at the other end of the table chuckled lightly. “Patience, my dear,” he said slowly, his accent only slight. “Just relax, she’ll be along shortly. But first we must break bread.” He gazed intently at Lucas. “It’s a long-awaited family reunion, you know.”
The only reunion I care about is with my friend. I held my tongue and returned my gaze to the table, forcing the patience he instructed. My thoughts resumed their downward spiral, now toward the motivations of this forced gathering. I refused to believe this was about reminiscing old times. So what, then? What did they want with Dominic?
They wanted answers.
“So,” the man finally continued, “before we get into this delicious meal they’ve prepared, why don’t you tell us what you’ve been up to, ol’ buddy?” His mild demeanor belied an undercurrent of hostility that further electrified the tension in the room. Somehow the quiet got even louder.
Lucas flashed a confident grin. “I bet you’re pretty curious. I don’t blame you one bit. But I thought I was here to see Vinny.” He shrugged and sat back in his seat. “I’ll be happy to talk, all day if you want. Once he gets here.” His voice hardened a bit. “Not before.”
“Oh, he’ll be along shortly, I assure you. In the meantime we can at least make pleasant conversation, no?” He leaned forward, elbows on the table. “We’re all very interested to hear of what must be a fascinating adventure, you disappearing like that. You must forgive us for assuming you were dead.” His smile was thin. “Even in retrospect it does seem a little convenient.”
Convenient?
“Dear, wise Uncle Frank. You always were the most polite brutally-impatient man I’d ever known. But I told you. Not until the man himself gets here.” He added a quick wink to his smug grin. “Rather not have to tell my tales twice, you know?”
“So you do remember me, after all this time.” The man nodded. “That’s nice, that’s good to hear. And how about the rest of this merry band?” He spread his hands toward the crowded table. “You still recognize all of my family gathered here?”
“Of course I recognize them. They were my family too, remember?”
“Right, right. Certainly.” A slow grin creeped onto the man’s face. “But you know, it’s funny. Because there should be—”
“Except for that guy.” Lucas pointed at the man two seats down from me, the youngest at the table by a decade. He narrowed his eyes at him. “Pretty sure I don’t remember you.”
The young man returned the stare for a long moment, impassive, before turning toward the far end of the table with a sigh. “I guess I’m satisfied.”
The older man nodded. “As am I.”
I let out a silent breath. We were almost blown. Good thing Lucas had been in on the case from the beginning. He might just know enough to get us out alive after all.
But the man’s hand shot up. “Or at least I will be,” he continued, his eyes boring into an unruffled Lucas. The fake smile returned. “One more little check before we waste the boss’s time, if you would be so kind.” He tipped his head at the door goons. One of them quickly disappeared.
“He’ll just be along shortly with your friend,” he finished lightly, glancing at me. “I’m sure you’ll be pleased.”
THIRTY-SIX
I stiffened. Is this a trick? Hope that the whole ordeal was almost over began to mingle with the tingle of fear already circulating rapidly in my system. I had trouble breathing as my pulsed kicked up a notch, preparing to be disappointed once again.
Only this time they weren’t lying.
Sloan appeared in the doorway, handler by her side. She looked wary as she entered the room, timid for the first time since I’d known her. But healthy and visually unharmed.
I let out a deep sigh of relief at the sight. Her eyes immediately flew to mine and I rushed toward her. We held in a long, lingering hug while the men looked on. My friend is safe.
Finally someone cleared their throat to interrupt, bringing us back to the present.
I whispered in Sloan’s ear just as she pulled away. “Did you get our message?”
Her eyes shot to mine, then immediately began scanning the room. They froze when they reached Lucas, standing silently only feet away. Their gaze locked. The room was utterly silent once again as everyone watched.
Lucas’s jaw flexed as he visibly gulped, his face tense but still unreadable.
Sloan’s breath quickly became ragged as she stared, her eyes never leaving his. A multitude of emotions crossed her face as we watched. Confusion. Disbelief. Joy. Maybe a touch of anger. A single tear appeared and began to slide down her check. She swiped it away with the back of her hand.
Clearly she got the message. I watched the Oscar-worthy performance in awe. She really was a phenomenal actress.
She took a hesitant first step, then another. When she reached Lucas they stood staring, unmoving. Studying each other. They were entirely oblivious to their audience.
Finally Sloan reached a hand up, moving carefully to touch his cheek while their eyes continued to converse in secret. Lucas's typical stoicism dropped away. His face hardened as he held back the tears welling in his eyes. Suddenly he pulled her toward him and their lips met, hard and fast.
Were they even acting anymore? Doubt began to grow as I watched. Danger brought out their true feelings. I felt a growing discomfort.
The embrace rapidly intensified. Their arms wrapped around one another, pulling as if afraid of drowning. They held tight, their faces close. Lucas cradled the back of her head as he deepened the kiss.
No, their passion felt way too real. I had suspected but hadn’t wanted to face the truth.
Sloan loves Lucas. And Lucas loves her right back.
None of my business, really.
I would have to process the petty feelings I didn’t have later.
Finally the lovebirds pulled apart and Lucas straightened. She gazed up at him a moment, studying his face once again. Then suddenly her arm swung back and up, delivering a powerful slap across his right cheek.
The loud whap echoed across the otherwise still room, snapping everyone to attention.
Lucas looked stunned as Sloan stepped back, pulling away.
“Do you think I’m a fool?” she hissed.
The men watched intently, leaning in a bit with curiosity. Lucas eyed her, quizzical, but still said nothing. Just waited for explanation.
Should I intervene? I hesitated, unsure what was happening.
Sloan finally filled everyone in as she glared at Lucas, seething. “You’ve always wanted to be him, I know. But you’re not.”
She never got my message after all. Lucas could fool the men, sure. But he obviously couldn’t fool his brother’s fiancé, up close and personal.
And that was going to ruin everything.
The man called Uncle Frank stepped closer. “What are you saying, cara?” He eyed Lucas suspiciously. “Is this man not your fiancé?”
Panicked, I had to step in. “Of course he is.” I shoved my way closer, trying des
perately to catch Sloan’s gaze. I had to make her understand. “She’s just in shock, after everything.”
“No.” She shook her head, resolute. Her gaze stayed firmly on Lucas's deadpan face, her voice icy. “He’s a fraud. That’s his brother.”
I watched, horrified, as all the men stiffened. They exchanged looks, reassessing the situation. Panic began to creep up my spine.
A deep voice boomed from behind. “So you think you can trick us, eh?”
Our heads turned to find the man from Sloan’s bathroom, now filling the doorway. The real boss. Vinny.
Everyone froze at the sight. Even the men seemed to be waiting, deferential. Following his lead. I held my breath, unsure how to get us out of the situation. Keep up the lie, or try to play into it? What would keep us from being killed for the ruse?
Vinny remained in the doorway, watching, eyeing each of us. Taking his time as his gaze lingered on each face. Just as the tension in the room was about to boil over, his voice burst forth again. But this time as a gruff chuckle.
Everyone exchanged uneasy glances, unsure. Vinny’s face broke into a wide smile and his chuckle continued again, louder and with gusto. He seemed genuinely amused.
He stepped closer. “I’ll admit, I wasn’t sure about this guy from the beginning. I had my doubts. And now we know the truth.” He reached a hand out to clap Lucas hard on the shoulder. “Welcome home, Dominic. We’ve been waiting quite a long time for this.”
I froze. Sloan finally met my gaze again, her obvious confusion mirroring my own.
The man took us in and laughed again. “You two don’t think you fooled us with your little act, do you?” He flashed a condescending smile at Sloan. “My dear, only true love would try that hard to make us think that’s not really him. So I thank you for making it easier on us. My concerns are vamoosed.”
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