by Wanda Amard
I scowl. If he thinks he’s taking me to college to enroll in classes, he has another think coming. I haven’t decided what I want to major in and now I have a baby inside of me. Can’t I just focus on one thing at a time? I’ve never been a good multi-tasker.
Right as I’m about to yell at him and tell him if he parks in the lot labeled “school visitors,” we’re going to have problems, Vinn turns left and drives away from the college. Six houses down the block a little yellow one sits on the corner, and he parks in the driveway.
“What’s this?” I ask.
He opens his car door. “It’s a house.”
“Yes, of course I realize it’s a house, but why are we here?” Whose house is it?
A light snow fell as we drove and the air is chilled, biting at my skin even through my coat. The lights are off in the house and Vinn walks through the door in the garage, turning switches on as he goes. Inside the place is cold and devoid of furniture, pictures on the wall, or other possessions. My suspicion rises.
“Vinn, what are we doing at this house?” The air is stale.
He turns back as I stop in the tiny white kitchen beside him. “I’m thinking we should move here.”
“Here?” It’s the smallest one in the neighborhood, but the cheery yellow color on the outside and the simple basic design on the inside sparks my interest. The place is one story, not as tall as the bigger houses around it, and was built after the boom of downtown. But it’s cute.
“It’s a three-bedroom and has a basement for extra space plus you saw the garage,” Vinn says leaving me to turn on more lights.
“It’s really nice,” I say noticing the hardwood floors in all the rooms — a deep brown color that shines with the poly on top.
“And if you decide to do the community college thing, you wouldn’t have far to drive.” Vinn beams as we stop in the middle of the living room and I look out the window at a tall tree that grows in the front yard.
He senses my hesitation but continues. “It’s older, but it’s nice and there’s only a few small updates we’d have to make.”
The house is perfect. Absolutely wonderful. “What updates?”
He rubs a hand across his chin thinking. “We’d want to fence in the backyard for the babies.”
“Babies?” He hinted once that we could have twins, but I hadn’t given it much thought.
Vinn shakes his head. “For now. Just one.”
His smirk matches mine and I laugh, going back to inspect the kitchen. It’s smaller than the one in Vinn’s trailer and the appliances are dated.
“It’s smaller than our current place.” The whole place is. The shape is different from our rectangle trailer. This house is a square. There’s no den or official dining room.
Vinn nods like it’s true. “But there’s a whole space in the basement and the garage.” His eyes twinkle and I imagine his car parked in the garage, except it’s his new car that he hasn’t had time to start working on. It’s too cold to stand in the covered parkway at the trailer and the house grows more appealing instantly. It would give him his own space.
“But can we afford it?” I’ve always been told don’t get excited about anything until it’s in your possession.
Vinn’s face falls, if just for a second, and then he picks it back up hopeful I wouldn’t have noticed. But I did. “I worked out a deal with Ricky.”
A hand covers my mouth. How could he? “Vinn, no.” No house is worth dealing with Ricky.
“It’s a house he owns outright. They’ve been using it for a rental, and with the money from the last job and a few others favors, he’ll hand the deed over to us.”
I shake my head no. “A house isn’t worth any favors to Ricky.” What kind of favors cover a house?
Vinn swallows hard and stares out the back window into the tiny yard with another tree that grows on the edge. Snow covers the ground making everything bright white. No footsteps mar the pristine smoothness of the area.
There’s something he’s not telling. “What favors would you agree to do?”
I slowly let my heart warm up to the house as we walk through and talk about our future here, but as expected, I shouldn’t let myself get too excited.
“I agreed to five years of service.”
His words knock the breath out of me. “No.”
“Kimber,” he approaches, aligning our bodies closer so I stare out the window at the backyard with him. “Five years is a small price to pay to know that you’re far away from your mother.”
I try to push away but he holds on close. The small house smells like the last meal cooked here was bacon, and I no longer find it an interesting detail. “A lot of houses in the city are away from my mother, Vinn.”
“Banks don’t give loans to felons, Kimber, especially felons who show up with ten thousand in cash for a down payment.” His words are hard and angry. If I didn’t understand him better and trust him with all my heart, I’d flinch.
“I said no. It’s not worth it.” If he did this, made a sacrifice to get me away from my mother, it’s too much. I would take ten years of dealing with my mother not to have Vinn need to work another favor for Ricky.
Vinn shakes his head and turns away from the window, walking back through the house and shutting the lights off. “I’m going to do what I need to do to protect you regardless of what that is or the cost.”
“You don’t get to make all the choices when it comes to us, Vinn. I get a say too, and my vote is that you don’t go back to jail.” Bossing me around in bed is one thing, but I won’t let him have the final say this time. Not about this.
Chapter Eight
Vinn
“I don’t want the house at the cost of your freedom, Vinn.” Kimber looks back at the kitchen lovingly as if she’s already saying goodbye to the dream she was only allowed to consider for a few moments. “Nothing is worth the price of that.”
But she’s wrong. Some things are worth taking the risk, and problems need to be headed off before they become too big. I didn’t see the trouble coming at twenty-two when I was arrested. I was already older than Kimber is now I was still too young and free. But I see the danger brewing this time and I don’t plan to let it continue to grow. If I get caught now, it will be for something much worse but much more worth it.
“Let’s go to that master bedroom again. Did you see it had its own bath?”
“We have a master suite now. With a big shower and Jacuzzi tub.” Kimber follows me into the bedroom continuing to talk up all the conveniences of our current home—the one too close to her mother and our old lives.
I silently curse myself for wanting modern conveniences when I picked up my new home. I should have gone with the cheapest, ugliest, dirtiest trailer available and plopped it right in the space next to hers.
The deal on this house is already done. Ricky and I signed the paperwork a month ago right after Kimber and I married. The quitclaim deed has been processing for the last thirty days. It’s too late to go back on the decision now, and knowing what Kimber harbors in her stomach only tightens my resolve. She’ll see my side, eventually.
Kimber opens the door to the master bathroom and smiles. Someone has a plug-in in the outlet keeping the room smelling nice despite the rest of the house, which smells settled and unused. The only stipulation I had before Ricky offered this place as a wedding gift was that there had been no illegal activity inside. He assured me the house was clean, used as a rental for his great-niece while she was attending school in the city.
I don’t have to worry that every time I see the tub there’s been a dead body sliced up inside of it or drugs have been hidden in the walls.
And Kimber’s right. This house isn’t as nice as the trailer. The tub isn’t as deep and there are no jets on the inside, but it’s away from her mother and right now I would take living with Kimber in a cardboard box over spending another moment living in the same park as her mother. I’ll never keep Kimber away from her forever, but I hope e
ven this distance will be enough to give us a break and stop her from staring out the trailer window, looking at her mother’s home, watching the lights at night and sighing every time Hunter leaves with his new woman. She’s still too wrapped up in her past to let go and move to our future.
“Babe, let me show you how great this place can be.” I run my hand over her shoulders and kiss her earlobe.
“Sex in the bathroom isn’t going to make me change my mind.”
“Let’s try it and see.”
Chapter Nine
Kimber
It seems Vinn’s surprises never end and after composing ourselves in the bathroom of the little house I hope I never see again, rather than drive us home, he heads to the west side of the city and we stop at a small family diner. The names Spuds on the sign outside and a large “seat yourself” post blocks the front entrance.
“Have you ever eaten here?” Vinn asks, smiling as he searches the diner for an empty table.
The place is dated with brown leather boots and weird tiling on the wall. “No.” It’s old and reminds me of one of those hole-in-the-wall diners, which look horrible but probably serve great food. I’ve never had the money to take my chances. McDonald’s can guarantee you a burger for under three dollars, and I don’t have to tip.
“There they are,” Vinn says walking to a booth in the back corner of the restaurant where a guy with sandy brown hair sits next to a woman.
“Charlie, Quinn, this is Kimber. Kimber, Charlie from work and his wife Quinn.”
“Hi,” I say wishing Vinn had given me a warning we’d be meeting friends. He’s talked nonstop about his friend Charlie, his pregnant wife, and how we’re probably due around the same time with me, but I didn’t realize we’d be meeting them for dinner.
I would’ve done something differently. Dressed nice or put my hair down rather than a messy bun. Vinn takes my coat and scarf and shoves them in the edge of the booth, sitting first and leaving me the outside of the booth. I haven’t thrown up past noon for the last two days, but I’m always on guard. His protectiveness is cute now, but I worry the more pregnant I get it will make me want to strangle him. Just a little. Not hurt him, but more of a “hang out with your buddies and let me sit on the couch” way. Maybe Charlie will be good for him.
“I’m so excited to meet you,” Charlie’s wife says, obviously a nicer person than me. Her smile stretches across her face and she has a hand clamped on her belly, rubbing silent circles even though I wouldn’t guess she was pregnant if Vinn hadn’t told me. I peer down and catch my hand on my own stomach and blush. It must be a pregnant woman thing.
Quinn peers at me and smiles waiting for my response. It’s not until right then I realize how sheltered I’ve been. Since high school graduation I talked to mostly Rubi, my mother, Hunter, and Vinn. I smile back, wanting to spend time with a new friend. “Vinn tells me you’re due around the same time?” It’s a statement and a question all in one.
Quinn shakes her head, her dark brown hair falling around her shoulders. “End of July for me, when are you due?”
“I haven’t found out yet. I’m thinking the final date will probably September or late August.”
“You haven’t had,” Quinn looks around as our two husbands talk amongst each other, paying us no attention. She leans across the table to whisper, “The dildo cam ultrasound. Have you?”
My eyes widen. “No.” The idea still sounds absolutely horrifying.
My legs squeeze together and at the other end of the table and Quinn shakes her head. “I’m sorry, but it’s worth it because you get your first picture of your baby,” her words soften and she brightens.
A picture would be nice. I’ve always wanted to be one of those girls who carry around an ultrasound picture and show it off as much as possible.
“Do you want a boy or girl?” Quinn asks.
I hesitate in answering. I haven’t really given it much thought. Vinn promised we’d have more than one, so does it really matter?
Vinn lays his hand on my knee, squeezing lightly. “As long as it’s healthy, I don’t care.”
“Please tell me you’re not one of those weird people who won’t find out the sex, right?” Quinn asks almost appalled she even has to clarify.
I laugh. “Oh, I’m definitely finding out the gender.”
“How would we know what to paint the nursery if we don’t?” Vinn asks with a laugh in his eyes as he kisses me lightly on the forehead.
I stare up at him, a smile breaking across my face. I love this man. I love the life we are creating together and I love the future we have at our disposal. Each day is a new adventure and I can’t wait to get to the next.
Chapter Ten
Vinn
Ricky’s house looks much the same as the day when I was here the first time although the temperature is colder in the front foyer as I walk through to meet with him once again. His guard is wearing jeans and a polo shirt, a gun obviously sticking out of the side of his pants. I don’t know how he gets away with it in this rich neighborhood, but I can only assume the lure of money and power is enough to shut up his neighbors. If that doesn’t work, a gun to the face always helps.
I’m led to the same front living room as last time, and I sit on the couch waiting for Ricky to join us. He makes me wait for five minutes, the clock ticking away as I debate whether I should get up and leave. It’s never a good sign when the boss isn’t here. Is he fucking with me? Trying to make me nervous? Are they waiting to ambush and take me out? Is he screwing with me to see how long I’ll sit and wait for his orders?
I’ve signed five years of my life away to Ricky where I have to listen to his every word and work when he calls, go where he wants. He expects complete loyalty, but that’s never been in my blood. I’m not positive I’ll pass this current test.
Finally, ten minutes later as I’m about to get up and leave, Ricky saunters into the living room smiling as if he hasn’t kept me waiting and biting my nails for what felt like hours. I stand and do my best to seem unaffected as if waiting here worried any second I’d take a bullet to my head hasn’t caused me stress and given me fucking gray hair.
“Vinny, I’m sorry you were waiting.”
I sit down when he does. “No problem, boss.”
Ricky smiles, putting his gold tooth on display and receiving too much satisfaction from my words. I’ll do what I need to do to keep him happy for now. Soon he should worry.
“Would you like to have a drink?” he asks motioning with two fingers for the guard at the door to pour something from the liquor cabinet.
Nine a.m. is too early for me. “No, I have business to get to this afternoon so I must get moving so I’m not late.”
Ricky shakes his head and I know immediately I’ve said the wrong thing. I can’t help but hate being in his home. “Vinny, Vinny. You’re always in such a hurry to run off, but we’ll be working very closely together for the next five years.”
I nod, not answering.
Ricky sips from a tumbler of dark liquid. “Would you like to hear what your new jobs are going to be?” he asks and his smile lets me know I don’t.
I swallow, biting back the words that threaten to end my life. “I’m just here to do whatever you need.”
Ricky smiles. “That’s more like it.”
The bodyguard hands me a glass matching Ricky’s, the liquid amber in color. I swish it around twice and throw back the whiskey in one gulp.
Ricky laughs as I place the glass back on the table edge at the end of the sofa. “I knew I liked you for a reason, Vinny. Give him the paperwork,” he says to his lackey.
A manila envelope, open at the end, is tossed in my lap from above and I pull out the green and white piece of paper with the official-looking seal on the corner.
“The house is yours now, Vinny,” Ricky says as I read over the paperwork to guarantee that he’s right. The deed is in my name. “It’s time to start your service.”
I tuck the paper back in
the envelope and seal it, holding onto with all my might. The home Kimber says she doesn’t want is now ours.
“What did you have in mind?” I ask when I draw the strength to meet Ricky in the eyes. He takes another small sip from his glass and adrenaline courses through my veins, the fire threatening to consume me as I want to learn what fate he has in store.
Ricky smiles, the first sign I’ve bitten off more than I can chew. “I’ve always seen potential in you, Vinny, and I hate that it was wasted. You won’t be stealing cars for me anymore. I have more interesting parts of my business where you can be of service.”
I grin, trying to make it seem as if I’m excited about this new possibility. I’m sure Ricky considers bringing me further into his mob business like a promotion, but it’s not one I want. His promotions put me one step closer to death.
“The house is truly mine?” I ask one more time.
Ricky jerks his head as if the home is inconsequential. “It’s yours.”
“And there’s nothing you can do to take it back?” I ask just to clear my bases. I’m in this far now. What’s the point of not digging my grave a little deeper? Screw the consequences.
Ricky narrows his eyes. “Yes, through the eyes of the state. But remember, Vinny, I don’t need to use the law to take my justice from you if you don’t follow through on your end of the bargain. Money means nothing to me. It’s your soul I want. Try and fuck with me and see what happens.”
I’ve never thought he’d be happier with less. “I know,” I stand getting ready to read shake Ricky’s hand goodbye. “The house is mine and I am yours.”
Ricky smiles full on and laughs, throwing his head back in excitement. He stands up from his overstuffed chair and shakes my hand, squeezing it too tightly and patting me on the shoulder with his other.