by Hamel, B. B.
“You know I don’t care.”
“Damn it, Reid.” Hedeon’s voice took on a raw edge. “It’s not all about what you want.”
“I know that,” I said, keeping myself in check. “But you can’t just do what you want and expect nobody to push back.”
Hedeon grunted in exasperation. “Come talk this through with me. You owe me that much at least.”
“Somewhere neutral.”
He barked a laugh. “Now you don’t trust me?”
“No, I don’t.”
“Damn. That actually hurts, you know?”
“You’ve shown that you care more about staying close to the Leone family than you do about your own men, and I’m not stupid enough to put that to the test.”
A long pause on his end. I wondered if I’d gotten through to him—but knew that wasn’t likely.
“Rittenhouse then,” he said. “In the park.”
“Two hours?”
“Fine. I’ll find you.” He hung up the phone.
I put mine back down on the counter and squeezed my eyes shut.
It was clear how this would go down. Hedeon couldn’t let me walk away from this unpunished, not if he wanted to avoid going to war with Vincent. He’d have to disavow me completely, and that meant I’d be cut loose and made fair game for the entire Leone family. There was no way I could stay in the city after that.
But I had to make one last desperate attempt—if not for me, then for Enrico and Aldrik.
I turned back toward the living room and spotted Cora standing in the kitchen doorway, arms around herself. I nodded once, head tilted. “How much did you hear?”
“Most of it.” She took a step toward me. “Are you really going?”
“I think I have to.”
She lingered like she wasn’t sure what to do—so I closed the space between us and kissed her. She seemed to melt into that kiss and it felt like everything I wanted from her, all the feelings we’d talked about, the future we thought was right—that kiss confirmed it all.
She smiled up at me as I pulled away. “You better be careful.”
“We’ll meet in public and I’ll bring Aldrik and Enrico. They’ll watch my back.”
“Think Hedeon will forgive you?” I must’ve flinched because she reached up and touched my cheek. “I’m sorry.”
“It isn’t your fault.” I took her hand and squeezed. “Hedeon needs to do what’s best for the city.”
“And for himself.”
I hated to admit it, but she was right about that. “In his mind, the two things are one and the same.”
“Of course.” She laughed a little ruefully. “I’ve lived my whole life with men like that and they can always find a justification for anything they do.”
“We’ll settle this.” I leaned down, kissed her again. “I promise.”
She nodded and said nothing. We stayed like that for a few more seconds, and I felt intensely aware of her body like I’d never been before—maybe because I knew something bad might happen during this meeting with Hedeon, and I’d better get my fill of her.
I made some more calls and when I was finished, I dragged her up into bed with me again. She protested—but not very much.
“I’ve got some time to kill,” I purred, kissing her neck, “and I know exactly how I want to spend it.”
“I’m sure you do.” Her smile told me everything, and we tumbled underneath the sheets together, forgetting about what anyone else wanted from us.
* * *
Enrico sat in the passenger side seat and Aldrik stretched out in the back. They looked tired, but I bet they hadn’t slept much the night before. Enrico’s scowl told me that he was already starting to regret his role in what had happened, though Aldrik looked like his normal chipper self.
“Here’s the deal,” I said, parking a couple blocks from Rittenhouse. “Hedeon’s pissed. He’s not going to forgive me—doesn’t matter what I say.”
“Ah, come on, boss,” Aldrik said, “you’ve been a good earner for him for a long time. You’re a loyal soldier. You really think he’ll fuck you like that?”
“I think he’ll do whatever he needs to do.”
Enrico grunted and nodded, looking out the windshield at nothing in particular. The sunlight slanted through the trees and glinted off nearby shop windows as people walked past, some pushing strollers, some dragging bikes, some with dogs—all the myriad shapes and forms of the city, the city I loved, the city I might leave very soon.
“What do you need from us?” Enrico asked.
“Cover me, that’s all. Stay out of sight, but stay ready just in case. Otherwise, don’t get involved, no matter what.”
Enrico snorted. “That’s all? Shit, if Hedeon decides to take you down, not much we can do about it.”
“I’ve got a few tricks left,” Aldrik grunted.
I gave him a look. “Seriously, don’t risk yourselves. If you can help, then help. Otherwise, keep your heads down.”
“We’ll do what we can,” Enrico said, then hesitated. He looked like he wanted to say more, but shook his head and pushed open the car door. “Come on, Aldrik. Let’s get moving.”
I watched them go with a strange, sudden sadness. I knew that no matter what happened here, I wouldn’t see them again. Even if Hedeon forgave me, which wasn’t going to happen, I had a feeling Enrico would want to move on—and when Enrico left, Aldrik would go, too.
They were good guys, good soldiers. A little violent, definitely psychotic—but still good guys. I’d miss them.
I waited until they were out of sight before pushing open my door and stepping out onto the sidewalk. I headed toward the park walking slow, enjoying the nice day, smiling at old ladies, nodding at old men. The city teemed and buzzed with life, and I wanted to take it all in—then caught myself and stopped. I wasn’t headed to my own damn funeral and had to stop acting like it. I was going to leave the city, but I was also going to start a new life, a better life with Cora.
I headed into the park from the south and found Hedeon sitting on a bench across from a busker juggling. He seemed to enjoy the performance and didn’t look over as I sat down next to him, leaving a single seat space between us. I stretched out my legs and sighed, eyes scanning the park, looking for faces I recognized lurking nearby, ready to come put a bullet in my head.
“You can quit worrying,” Hedeon said, breaking the silence, “I came alone.”
“Can’t be too sure.”
“Where’d you stash your two stooges at?”
I grunted and scratched my head. “I’m not sure where they are right now.”
He nodded and slowly turned his gaze toward me. I met his eyes and didn’t look away as I thought of what we’d been through together— the way he’d saved me back when I was a stupid punk kid, the way he’d given me chance after chance, put more faith in me, given me more power and autonomy. Without him, I wouldn’t be where I was. Without him, I’d be dead or in jail, like so many punk, thug assholes before me.
“Where do we go from here, Hedeon?” I asked.
“I’m not sure.” He seemed to chew on that for a long moment. “I want to say, we move on, we forget it happened, but based on the size of the hole in the Leone family’s mansion, I’m not sure that’s possible.”
I grinned, unable to help myself. “Pretty big, huh?”
“Huge. Half the damn block went up.”
“I wish I could say they didn’t deserve it, but, you know—they definitely did.”
He laughed and ran a hand through his hair. “You remember that first job I sent you on?”
“Sure, I remember. You sent me and a few guys to jump those asshole meth dealers.”
“You beat the shit out of their leader. Smashed his face into the pavement. Did you know that I got a call from him a few weeks after he got out of the hospital, begging me not to send you after him again?”
I laughed, shaking my head. “You never told me that.”
“Didn’t want to give you too big
of an ego.”
I remembered those days fondly. My ego was big enough with his help back in those days—I was young and invincible and part of an up-and-coming street gang. I was cocky, arrogant, looking for a fight, thirsty for action, thirsty for violence. Those were good days, fun days, and sometimes I looked back on them and wondered how any of us survived.
“I know you can’t forgive me,” I said, keeping my voice low. “I know I can’t ask that of you.”
“It would mean war.” He said the words, clipped and serious. “You know that.”
“You can’t risk a war right now.”
“The city would back them.” He shook his head and for a moment, I saw a flash of anger, and believed that he might actually be somewhat on my side, despite everything. “The politicians, the police—all of them would back the Leones. That’s the fucked-up truth I realized when we took power. The whole city was involved in this, each and every one of them, all the moralizing assholes, all of them getting their beaks wet with our dirty money. The whole city, rotting from the inside.”
“You sound like that’s a bad thing.”
He laughed and shook his head. The juggler seemed to drop a ball, but kicked it up with his foot, and a few people nearby applauded for him. Hedeon tilted his head and tapped his fingers on the arm of the bench.
“For me and guys like me, it’s not bad at all. But for everyone else?” He shrugged and shook his head.
We lapsed into silence again at the juggler added another ball. He was up to five, then six, then seven, and I was sure he’d drop them—until he added an eighth as everyone around him clapped. I wasn’t smiling though, and I wondered how much of this Hedeon meant. He’d always had a revolutionary streak to him, but I never thought he meant all that nonsense about helping the little people when he spent so much damn time stealing from them. Maybe he was delusional, or maybe I let him sucker me into thinking the same way.
“I’m leaving the city,” I said, glancing over at him. “As soon as we’re done with this conversation.”
“Probably for the best.” He let out a puff of air and snorted. “I’m not sure Vincent will let you go so easily though.”
“We’ll lay low for a while.”
“This is all about her then, huh?” He looked at me, and I couldn’t read his expression at first—until I realized it was confusion. “You’re really in love with her?”
“I’m really in love with her.”
“Good for you then.” He shook his head and looked away. “I never thought it’d happen, but here we are.”
I wanted to tell him that it might happen for him one day, too, but I doubted it. Hedeon loved power and violence and money, but he didn’t much care about women, or other people, or really anyone but himself and the innermost members of the crew. That used to include me, at least until I went against his orders and fucked with his plans.
“I’m only here to ask you to leave Enrico and Aldrik out of whatever happens next.”
He raised an eyebrow at me. “You want me to forgive them?”
“They had nothing to do with what happened.”
“I find that hard to believe.”
“Hedeon.” I leaned toward him, jaw clenched. “If anything we went through mattered at all, you’ll let them go.”
He waved a hand at me. “Fine, fine, just don’t be so dramatic.”
I leaned back on the bench. “They’re good people. Find them a new crew, someone that’ll take care of them.”
“You act like they can’t take care of themselves.”
“I wonder sometimes.”
“You have my word that I’ll make sure they’re okay.”
I sighed and slowly stood up. “I wish I could say I’d see you again, but we both know I won’t.”
“Maybe one day, when we’re both old men and this is long gone.”
“Or maybe one day when the Leone family’s dead and you’re in charge.”
He grinned at me and I saw a vicious smile on his lips—and I knew, without a doubt, that sooner or later that would happen. Hedeon was a shark, and blood was his ocean. He couldn’t stop swimming in it or else he’d end up dead.
“Maybe,” he said. “You come calling if I ever get there.”
“Good luck.”
“Same to you.”
I turned and walked away. It felt anticlimactic, like we should’ve come to blows, or screamed at each other, or something like that—but it was never like that between us. Shit was never dramatic, we never screamed, we never fought, fuck, we barely ever disagreed. We were a good team.
But all good things come to an end, and my relationship with Hedeon was over. I was no longer a member of the crew, and I only had to hope that he’d keep his word.
As I reached the southern exit, I looked out across the park, down the long pathway with the benches lining either side, at the groups of families sitting, the little kids playing, college kids tossing frisbees on the grass—and saw Enrico standing near a tree, leaning against its bark, arms crossed, a smile on his face.
He nodded to me and I raised my hand, waving goodbye. I left before he could respond, weaving through a group of guys on skateboards, and walked fast back to my car. I got in and drove to the frat house.
I found Cora waiting for me in the kitchen. She had a bag packed—everything I’d stashed away in the safehouse was there next to her on the floor. She shifted in her chair and stood, wearing an old pair of my jeans rolled at the ankles and a large dress shirt. She walked to me, a little frown on her lips.
“What happened?” she asked.
“We’re leaving.” I reached out and pulled her against me. “You ready?”
She chewed her lip. “I wish we could do more to Vincent.”
“We blew up his house. What more do you want?”
“I don’t know. Kill him. Make him hurt.”
I laughed and kissed her, long and slow. “Baby girl, sometimes life’s not that simple. Now come on, let’s get the fuck out of here.”
“Where are we going?”
I shrugged. “I figured we’d drive for a while and figure it out on the way.”
“Sounds good to me.” She kissed me gently then I tugged her hand, leading her back out of the house and down into the car. She climbed into the passenger seat and put her feet up on the dash as I pulled away, leaving the house behind.
I’d let the frat guys have it for a while longer—hell, maybe I’d sell it to them at a discount, or let them rent it out, or some shit like that.
It didn’t matter.
Me and Philly, we were over.
But me and Cora? Hell, that was another story.
26
Cora
We drove all day and night.
It was a rush at first. As we left the city, I thought about Alex, about how he would’ve loved to have gotten away from all that, how none of this was fair—how he never should’ve ended up on that sidewalk.
And how I was lucky I didn’t end up there with him.
Lucky that I found Reid, as crazy as that sounded.
We left the city and headed west toward Pittsburgh. Neither of us talked about it, and I don’t think it mattered—we wanted to put distance between us and the city, and that was all.
I watched him drive and as the hours ticked past and the miles churned beneath the tires of his black sedan, I saw something strange happen—at first, I thought it was a trick of the light, or maybe my imagination, but he seemed to relax. His shoulders hunched less, his angry face turned into a smile, and I felt a lightness fall over him that I’d never seen. He tended to carry himself with a scowl, like he was always ready to be pissed off at the world, ready for it to fuck with him, but as we got farther away from the city that all seemed to disappear.
We stopped for gas and food, and through silent agreement chose to keep driving through the night. He drank coffees, paid for in cash that he had hidden all over the safehouse, and listened to the radio. I slept for a little while after we at
e fast food for dinner, licking French fry grease from our fingertips and laughing as we tossed the trash into the back seat.
Around three in the morning, he pulled off the turnpike at a small town on the Ohio border and found a late-night diner, its bright neon lights shining like a beacon, trucks parked in the back, big metal slabs covered its front. He took the spot right in front of the door and got out. I followed and we headed inside. It was quiet, a couple of guys in flannel and denim at the counter, a bored-looking waitress staring at her phone. He sat at a booth and asked for coffee and apple pie when the waitress appeared. I asked for a hamburger and a diet Coke.
He tilted his head and reached out a hand. I took his hand, squeezed it, and leaned across the table to kiss him.
“Are you happy?” he asked.
The question took me by surprise. “I don’t know.”
“I’m happy.” He laughed softly, grinning like a little boy. “Do you know the last time I said those words? Hell, the last time it even occurred to me that happiness was something I’d ever have?”
“I can’t imagine.” I shook my head and smiled back. “Yeah, I’m happy too.”
“I wanted to ask you something, but you might think it’s stupid.”
“Go ahead and ask. At this point, I don’t think you could surprise me.”
He released my hands and stood up. I looked at him, not sure what he was doing, and my heart began to beat faster as he dropped to one knee. “Cora, I want you to marry me.”
I laughed a little. “We’re already married,” I said, reaching to touch the ring on my finger—but realized it was gone.
He reached into his pocket and held it up. “For real this time. We’ll do a ceremony, or however you want to do it, but this’ll be on our terms. None of that fake, arranged marriage mafia bullshit. Just me and you.”
I sucked in a breath and nodded. “Of course.”
He slid the ring on my finger. “I love you. I don’t think I’ve said it yet, but I love you.”
“I love you too.”
He kissed me, and I heard the truckers and the waitress clapping. I laughed, smiled, waved at them, and he grinned. She brought over our drinks, his apple pie, and a slice of cheesecake, “On the house, hon.”