by S. J. Smith
"Alexis, please, we're friends," Seth gasped out.
Alexis gave FJ a look and he eased up just enough that Seth could breathe easily again, then she turned her attention back to the dirtbag in front of her.
"No, Seth, we're not. You ruined that friendship months ago. Then you went ahead and burned whatever hopes we had of coming back from it, and then you tried to intimidate me into lying for you. Now you've come into my house, with my family and friends, on my birthday, to convince me to what? Literally kiss and make up?"
He seemed to realise that he was fighting a losing battle and changed tactics. "Fine, what do you want?"
"Leave me alone, leave my friends alone. That includes Jess by the way, and if you ever sexually harass anyone again then both recordings get released. Do I make myself clear?"
His eyes narrowed again, his mouth twisting into a sneer. "You're a bitch." And just like that he found himself not breathing again.
"I'll take that as a yes. Now since you're clearly an idiot I'll speak slowly. You. Are. Uninvited."
That was all FJ needed to hear to drag Seth from the room and down the hall. Alexis followed behind. She knew that if it had been her dad he wouldn't have followed. Something about it being a power move. Unfortunately they needed to take Seth through the front door so they wouldn't cause a scene in the backyard. Which would definitely have alerted her parents to an issue and that was just not something they needed to deal with tonight of all nights.
She opened the front door but stayed inside as FJ pushed Seth down the path towards the road. She couldn't hear what was being said but when Seth started walking to the end of the street she could guess. FJ took out his phone and made a call, never taking his eyes off of Seth's retreating figure.
Once FJ hung up the phone he turned around and made his way back to the house. She started to smile at him in thanks but when she saw his face she knew he wasn't happy with her.
"What the hell was that?"
Glaring at her cousin, Alexis gestured towards the kitchen where both their mums were currently getting dinner ready. Then she cocked her head back towards the theatre room. Just like her dad's office, it was sound proofed. Once the doors were closed she gave him a quick run down of what had gone down with Seth and why she'd needed to involve him in the first place.
"Tonight he thought that he could get me on my own and intimidate me. I've already proven that I can fight my own battles, but he needed to know that even when he thinks that I'm alone, I'm not. There will always be someone in the shadows, looking out for me. I didn't mean to use you but I needed to make a point. He can't just threaten my Family and get away with it. I'm sorry I made you mad."
FJ sighed but pulled her into a hug. "I'm not mad at you baby cousin. I pretty much told that dick the same thing anyway. If he thinks that he can make a move against you and not get his ass kicked then he's got another thing coming."
She squeezed him a bit tighter. "Thank you for being on time."
"You're welcome, but don't do anything like that again, not for a long time at least. It was weird how much you reminded me of Zio Tony." His words made her pull back just enough to see his face.
"I reminded you of my dad?"
"Yes, but in a good way."
She couldn't stop the smile that spread across her face. Seth following her into the house hadn't been her plan A, not even her plan B or C. So she'd had thirty seconds to come up with a whole new plan, and she'd had to think ‘what would my dad do’. She must've thought right.
"That means a lot FJ."
◆◆◆
Alexis and FJ managed to slip out to the backyard minutes before dinner was brought out. While a majority of the party goers wouldn't question why Alexis was late for dinner and subsequently been missing for fifteen minutes. Her parents would. They had a sixth sense about shady business, probably from years of experience. Since her mum was in the kitchen the whole time Alexis doubted that she would've noticed anything. Her dad though had been outside and might've noticed that she wasn't.
"Is it all sorted?" Lucas slid up next to her, his arm going around her waist.
"Yep, I'd say that if he's smart he got the message but past experience has shown him to be very stupid."
"That's what I don't get, any self-respecting guy would've gotten the hint the first time around."
"Well I guess he's not very self-respecting,” she countered with a smirk. "Thank you for trusting me to deal with him my way."
"You're welcome. Besides if I hadn't seen FJ go into the house at the ten-minute mark I was going in myself. Almost went anyway. Just thinking about if something had gone wrong-"
"It didn't baby, and even if it had, I could've taken care of myself. Tonight’s theatrics weren't about me showing him I can take care of myself, I proved that when I broke his nose. Like I told FJ, tonight was about proving that other people have my back even when I don't."
"But technically you did have your own back because you told FJ when to come after you."
"Technically yes, but Seth didn't know that."
"You're a devious little thing aren't you?"
"Why yes sir, I do believe I am."
Before he could think up a reply she gripped onto his tie and pulled him down, catching his mouth with hers.
◆◆◆
The rest of the party passed by with far fewer dramatics than it started with. Jess told her that Brennan left a few minutes before she and FJ came back outside. Which meant that the phone call Seth made was most likely to him. There was no doubt in her mind now that Brennan had brought Seth with him.
By ten o'clock, a majority of the family had left, most of them having young kids who needed to go to bed. It might be a Saturday night but a tantrum was a tantrum no matter what day it was.
Alexis' friends from school had left not long after. Em and her parents took Jess home and Lucas left not long after with his parents. Now Alexis sat with her mum and dad in the kitchen discussing the party.
"Well I have to say, by all accounts that seemed to be a success," her mum beamed, proud of herself. She was always the perfect hostess.
"Mm, though I don't know why you bothered inviting that Brennan kid. He left before dinner was even served."
Alexis wasn't sure how her dad had even noticed one seemingly insignificant party goer, especially at a big Italian-do like theirs.
"Um, yeah Brennan and I aren't exactly seeing eye to eye at the moment."
"What happened? You two used to be thick as thieves."
Her parents might have trouble keeping all of her friends straight, but when it came to the inner circle they were pretty on the ball. Which made it harder to hide when there was drama she didn't want to talk about.
"He isn't a fan of me being with Lucas," Alexis confessed looking down at her plate of birthday cake. She was suddenly rethinking having a second piece.
"Pft, shock," her dad scoffed.
"What's that supposed to mean?" she asked.
"That kid has had a thing for you since day one. I knew it the second he trailed after you the first time you brought him over with your other friends."
And just like that the floodgates opened.
"Well there you have it. He doesn't want anything to do with me anymore because he's jealous that I'm with Lucas. Never mind the fact that we were best friends for over a year or that it's not my fault I never felt the same way about him. He's been dodging me ever since Lucas and I became official, all those times I've said I was going to be out for dinner and then suddenly stayed home, that was him cancelling plans. He left me outside the goddamn movie theatre like an idiot."
Her parents were at a loss for words. Then she found herself wrapped in her mother's arms as her dad stroked her back.
"Why didn't you tell us?"
Alexis scoffed at the question but answered the best she could with her face pushed into her mum's shoulder.
"Because despite everything I thought that we were still friends and I missed him, but I
knew that the second I told you two how he's been treating me then he'd never be allowed in the house again," a dry laugh escaped her lips.
"Well you're not wrong. It's a good thing I didn't know before because I would've kicked that punk out the second he got here." Tony Angelo never failed to disappoint.
"And that's why I didn't tell you. Tonight proved that we'll probably never be able to go back to the way things were."
"He'll get over you choosing Lucas." It didn't sound like her mum believed her own words.
"He can get over it or he can't. I don't care anymore. Him and Seth aren't worth it anymore." She didn't like the tone of defeat that accompanied her words but there was no denying the truth anymore. Brennan didn't want anything to do with her and Seth was never going to stop trying to either get in her pants or manipulate her into doing what he wanted. She deserved better than them and she had it.
"Right well enough of that then. It's time for your presents." Her mum gave her a final tight squeeze before letting her go.
"Finally! That pile has been staring me down since we came in here." Alexis looked at the offending presents. They had been piled neatly onto the kitchen counter once the food was cleared away. Her mum had a note book and pen ready nearby to write down who gave what so thank you cards could be sent. We might be criminals but we're polite criminals. Alexis remembered her dad joking the first time she'd questioned the thank you cards.
◆◆◆
Half an hour later Alexis had opened all of the presents on the counter and there was a detailed list ready for Alexis to write out the thank you cards. Something that wasn't going to be done until Monday night. They were all recuperating the next day. Alexis put the dishes in the sink and was ready to say goodnight when her mum pulled out one last gift, seemingly from thin air.
"Before you go to bed sweetheart there's one last present for you," her mum said, setting the small box on the stone counter in front of her.
"We saw it and thought of you straight away," her dad chimed in. Intrigued and excited, Alexis carefully undid the bow and opened the box. Inside sat a silver leaf pendant on a silver chain. Inside the leaf were swirls and curls. It was beautiful.
"I love it," and she meant it. Alexis wasn't one to wear a lot of jewellery. She had a jewellery box full of gifts that while beautiful, and some quite expensive, she would rarely, if ever, wear. Jewellery was an easy out gift, something people buy as a present when they're not sure what the person really wants. And the thing Alexis always wanted was something that wasn't jewellery.
But this, this was different. Alexis rubbed the silver leaf between her thumb and index finger following the lines. She didn't ask what it was that made her parents think of her when they saw it, she couldn't explain it herself but she knew that this necklace was a perfect fit for her.
After final goodnights, Alexis went upstairs, a silver leaf hanging from around her neck and a smile that could've been seen from the moon.
Chapter 30
Carmen pushed the trolley full of groceries through the car park. The shops had been insane for some unknown reason and she had a hell of a time getting through the checkout. She'd take an armed assassin over a slow check out operator any day of the week.
As she made her way towards her car, the hair on Carmen's arms suddenly stood on end. Years of experience and naturally good instincts told her that someone was watching her.
Slowing her walk ever so slightly Carmen looked around for anything suspicious, but then, just because she couldn't see it didn't mean it wasn't there. Anyone who saw her stop would just think that she'd lost her car, as though she was ever that forgetful.
After a few more minutes of 'mindless' wandering, Carmen still hadn't seen anyone that looked out of place so chances where they were waiting in a car somewhere. Slipping her phone from her hand bag Carmen unlocked it and called Cole, her personal driver-slash-bodyguard. Normally he would've come with her whenever she went out, but she'd told him to watch the school this morning.
"Cole, something's up. I'm fine, stay where you are. I want you to keep a closer eye on Alexis. The second that anything out of the ordinary happens, you get her out of there." Once Cole confirmed that he understood the instructions Carmen hung up. She had made her way back to her car while on the phone, not wanting to waste any more time, after all she had ice cream.
With a deepening sense of something about to go wrong, Carmen loaded her groceries and deposited the trolley in the collection bay a few cars down from hers. It wasn't until she got into the driver’s seat that she saw the envelope on her windshield. Getting back out, she looked through the windshields of all the surrounding cars, trying to see anyone watching her. Immediately she could tell that there was more than just a note inside. It was thicker and heavier. Not unlike the envelope she'd found in her purse the day of Ricky Jr's funeral. Sure enough, there were photos inside. The last set of photos had put her on edge. This set though, it sent a chill down her spine and made her blood boil at the same time. These weren't photos of herself running errands. No. These were photos of Alexis.
At school.
Eating lunch. In class. Arguing with Seth and Brennan. Smiling with Lucas. Walking with Jess. Talking with Emilia.
Carmen didn't waste any more time. As soon as she was back in the driver’s seat she had the car started and was peeling out of the car park. Pressing the voice command button on her steering wheel, Carmen put a call through to her husband.
"Tony. We have a problem."
Chapter 31
Tony had spent a lot of time out of the house since his nephew's funeral. His sister in law's outburst might've been out of line, but she wasn't totally wrong. He kept telling himself that everyone who took the Oath knew what it was they were getting into. He made it very clear that once they were in, there was no getting out. And one by one they all spilt the blood, burnt the card and spoke the oath.
Veronica knew that. She reaped the benefits of his brother's success. She lived in the house he bought with dirty money and wore the expensive jewellery he claimed to buy 'on sale'. Yet she had the audacity to lay the blame for her son's death on his shoulders.
Tony knew that he wasn't responsible for Richard Jr.'s death, yet here he was, driving six hours to the bottom of the goddamned state on the off chance he might find a clue that would lead him to his nephew’s killer.
That's why he was doing it. Not because of guilt but because whoever was responsible for Ricky's death hadn't just killed a capo, he'd killed family.
◆◆◆
Albany. Roughly four-hundred kilometers from Perth and the home of Ricky's operation.
Tony was losing what little patience he had when he first walked into the warehouse. It was always a warehouse. Every once in a while he'd like to shoot out someone's kneecaps somewhere with a nice view. Unfortunately the logistics of that were not on Tony's side. Realising this did nothing to curb his ire.
"You know what Lou," Tony bent over to get eye level with the guy currently tied to a chair. "I'm getting really tired of hearing you say you don't know anything." They'd driven six hours to get down here and now this faccia di merda was lying to him.
"I'm telling you the truth boss," Lou audibly swallowed. "I swear to God."
"You swear to God, ai? Right well here's the truth as I know it to be. Ricky dies mysteriously, then you don’t check in for a month and no one has seen you, then you all of a sudden crawl up out of the woodwork like a madonn' cockroach! Now give me one good reason why I shouldn't put a bullet through your skull right now for abandoning your capo and your post?"
Tony was so close that he could smell the seafood Lou had for dinner the night before. He stood up straight, his mouth curling in disgust as he raised his gun. Lou's eyes went so wide, Tony thought they might actually pop right out of his head.
"Because! Because I can tell you where they were headed next." Tony lowered the gun just a fraction. "They were headed up to Busselton. The guy has a thing for staying near the c
oast line. He doesn't like being too far inland."