by C. A. Rene
“Great. Thank you, Anderson. I will be in touch.”
I exit the office and bump into Emmett at the bottom of the stairs. He’s sitting with his head in his hands and muttering profanities. “What’s going on?” I ask him.
“I got a hold of Trent, he’s Carm’s right hand man.” He looks up at me, “Carm is on his way here and it looks like he is bringing information regarding our aunt and uncle’s death.”
“Information?”
“That’s all I got out of him. Fuck, I would guess that it was a hit.”
“A hit?” I know I sound stupid but right now I can’t process anything.
“Ember, he’ll be here in a few hours. Go get some rest.”
“No, I need to call Vin.”
I turn back to my dad’s office and shut myself in. A hit… who would want to put a hit out on me? Could it have been one of the Heads? But why? Maybe having a girl in their midst was intimidating?
Someone put a hit on my family… someone decided to play with what’s mine. Someone is sending me a message and I have received it loud and clear. The familiar feeling of lava begins to pool in my belly, slowly spreading under my skin and heating me from the inside out. The edges of my vision pulse with each heartbeat and I know what’s coming next. I try to breathe through it, I really try to calm myself down but I watch helplessly as my vision bleeds into red and I know nothing short of blood will make it stop.
“She’s been in there for a while. I can’t open the door.” I hear Emmett’s voice entering my red haze. “I called you because I’m worried.”
“Good choice.” Hearing his voice instantly sends a cooling effect over my heated skin. “Em, what’s going on baby?”
The red is still clouding my thoughts and vision as I stand from the desk and try to make my way to the door. My heart rate picks up again and the lava begins to bubble.
“Ember?” He calls. Again, his voice is like a balm that immediately begins to soothe the bubbling rage. I press my face to the wooden door and take a deep breath.
“I can’t open the door yet. I don’t feel right.” I explain.
“Like what Em, what are you feeling?”
“Angry.”
“Okay,” he rasps, “I will sit here and wait with you.”
I hear his back press into the door and he slides down to the floor, I do the same on the inside. My skin feels hot and flushed, my chest hurts like I’ve run a marathon and my vision is still clouded in red hues.
“Tell me what you’re feeling.” He whispers from the other side.
“Like I want to kill, to feel someone’s blood coat my hands as I break open flesh.” I answer with a voice sounding heavy with lust. I hear his intake of breath and it makes me continue, “I want to feel bone crushing under my fists and watch as life slowly leaves someone’s eyes until they look scared, lost then vacant.”
“Fuck.” He sighs from the other side. “That’s dark, Em.”
“I’m dark, Vin.” I retort. His closeness and his voice has lessened the red clouds from my eyes and I can finally breathe filling my lungs with air. The panting has gone and all that remains is anger. My rage is firmly tucked back waiting for the opportune moment to be released.
I stand up slowly, feeling slightly lightheaded and reach for the door handle. I unlock it and hear Vin scramble to his feet on the other side. I open the door and he is on me quickly, pulling me into his arms.
“Are you okay?” He mumbles into my hair.
“No.” I answer honestly, “I’m not okay. Is Carm here yet?”
“He texted me and said he was another hour out.” Emmett answers. He’s standing over by the stairs his arms crossed in front of his chest.
“My mother and I think it will be best if you stay with us for the rest of this year. Social Services can be a bitch.” Vin says, looking down into my eyes.
“I’m going to get emancipated. I spoke to the family lawyer already.” I shake my head, “I am not leaving my parents house and all their valuables unattended.”
“Okay,” he sounds unsure, “that’s another option.”
“It’s the only option.” I pull away from him.
My hands tremble with the after effect of my rage and I try to shake them out and take a deep breath. Emmett is watching me closely with narrowed eyes, I can’t reassure him that this doesn’t happen often and I can’t console him or his worried expression. So, I remain quiet and make my way to the kitchen, Carm needs to get here…. fast.
The doorbell rings and Emmett flies out of his seat at the kitchen table and towards the front door. I know it’s Carm, I saw his familiar sedan enter the driveway from the cameras connected to my phone. I sit still in my seat at the table and continue to watch their interaction at the front door.
“Anything suspicious?” Vin asks.
“Not yet.” I answer.
They both come down the hallway and enter the kitchen. Carm looks tired and unkept, his hair is limp and he has bags under his eyes that almost look like bruising. I sit quietly and watch as he pulls up a chair and sits across from me.
“Ember, I am so very, very, sorry for your loss.” He starts, “as soon as I received the information, I came straight here.”
“You could have called me right away.” I grit out. “Not make me wait.”
“I can never do that. You never know who is listening into your phone calls. It would be smart of you to remember that.”
“What is it?” Vin waves him on. He’s also done waiting.
“I received a message late last night.” His head drops to the table, “one of my men was found killed and a message carved into his chest.”
“Carved into his chest?” Emmett asks Carm but looks to me with his eyebrows raised. I nod, I do see the similarity.
“Yes, it said ‘We are even – Talia.’”
“‘We are even’?” I question.
“Yes, and a separate message carved into his back. ‘You took my family so I took yours.’” Carm sounds defeated as he shakes his head, “I have been trying to locate her but she is just too fucking slippery.”
“I took her family? Hold on… does she mean our piece of shit father?” I exclaim.
“Yes, it seems that way.” Carm holds his hands up, “we need to do this smart, Ember. We can’t just go in guns blazing, okay?”
“Do you even know where we could go with our guns blazing? Do you have any information for me? I still haven’t heard anything about the meeting you had with her.”
“She sent a man in her place. I was asked to hand you over. I believe this was her reaction when I didn’t comply. I have very little, I admit. But after today we are going in full force. I will have more information for you by the end of the week.” He nods.
“You should’ve told me about that! This could’ve been prevented.” I can’t really blame him, I know he’s trying his best to protect me. “Just get me the information this week.” I smile wide and I watch him visibly swallow at my false smile. “Go on upstairs and get some rest. You look like shit. Emmett, show him the spare rooms.”
Emmett nods and leads his brother out of the kitchen and up the stairs. So, this was all Jennifer Talia’s doing and Carm has not given me one single thing to work with in the last few weeks. Is she really this evasive or has she just not been made a priority? Thanks to Robert, I have a pretty thick file on Ms. Talia but I can’t get into it with Vin here. As much as I want to clue him in, I could never explain how I got that file and I never want to lie to him.
“I’m going into Dad’s office to see if I can find any information on accounts and properties. Would you be able to chill with Emmett?” I give him puppy dog eyes, “I don’t mean to make you a babysitter.”
“Yeah, it’s cool. I should actually go take inventory on the cars in the garage. You will need help with that business.”
“You’re right.” I try to blink past my tears, “he would’ve really appreciated you doi
ng that.”
Vin saunters over to me and cages me in on the chair with his arms on either side of me. His bright green eyes look deep into mine and he pulls his bottom lip into his mouth, biting down with his pearly white teeth. Holy fuck, how is he this hot? It’s not fair to other men to be compared to this perfection. He notices my close inspection to his mouth and grins, running his pierced tongue along his bottom lip. I moan as I envision where I want his tongue right now. He leans in close, his lips glistening and his tongue flicks out and licks along my lips.
“Fuck,” I groan, “take your pants off.”
“You want to do this on the dining table?” He barks out a laugh.
“Yes.” I nod, “do it.”
“Can’t baby. I need to babysit.”
“Leave now, or I’m taking my pants off.”
“Okay.” He leans in and presses his mouth to mine in a very chaste kiss. “I love you.”
“Mmhmm.”
He chuckles as he backs up and walks out of the kitchen in search of my twin brother. I shake off the lust and try to calm my clenching vagina. Sorry girl, we got work to do. I head to my dad’s office, closing and locking the door behind me. I hid the file in here a few weeks ago after taking it from Robert. I stuck it into an old binder that I knew my dad wouldn’t look into. I locate the binder and remove the file. I take it to the desk with me and sit in Dad’s over plush leather chair. I take a deep breath and seal off my emotions because I need to be analytical with this information.
I open the folder and the first page is her picture with her career information and her schooling information. She is indeed a New York senator, which these days means shit. If you have the money for a campaign and can lie through your teeth-you’re a shoo in. I study her picture and I can deduce she is Latina, in her late forties and slightly overweight. Nothing of real use to me except to spot her in a crowd, so I commit her face to memory and turn the page.
The next page shows her three different properties in New York. This would be easy information to find and not at all hidden. My guess is she either fluctuates between these or doesn’t stay in any of them. Again useless, but good to have as a back up. One of the addresses catches my eye as a penthouse unit in a building adjacent to the one Robert bestowed to Vin. Do all criminal pieces of shit gravitate to this upscale area?
The next page shows a picture of two young boys… now we are getting somewhere. I read their birth dates and see that they are five years apart. This is an old picture because their birth dates put the oldest at twenty-one and the youngest at sixteen. The oldest named Carlos last name Vergara-different from his mother’s-is currently attending Columbia University’s law program. He is in his third year and his grades look pretty fucking immaculate. The younger boy named Anthony Vergara is attending a private school for boys, it looks prestigious and fucking pretentious. According to his grades, Mommy will have to rely on the oldest to follow in her footsteps while this one lives off a trust fund.
The next page gives me some medical information. Ms. Talia has had two caesarean sections and nearly died while having the second one. Not too useful except to assume that maybe the oldest is the easier golden boy and the youngest may be a pain in her ass. But again, that’s just assumptions. The oldest also has asthma and has been seeing a psychiatrist due to depression. According to the psych’s notes, he has been feeling a lot of pressure lately and has been prescribed Prozac. No noted medical conditions for the youngest except a few ER visits for a broken arm and collarbone due to a dirt bike accident. The youngest seems to have mommy issues and is looking for attention.
It’s time to plan a trip back to New York, I’ve always wanted to go to university there, Columbia is looking more and more appealing.
28
Debra and Scott’s ashes arrived today and Ember has her emotions locked up tight. Since that day at the hospital, I have barely seen her tear up. This is her hit planning mode and it makes me fucking nervous. She locks herself up in Scott’s office for hours on end and if I didn’t bang the door down to remind her to eat, she wouldn’t. I know she is planning something and I am readying myself for a bomb.
The toxicology report also came in this morning and we learned that both Scott and Debra’s blood alcohol level was almost double the legal limit. No traces of drugs were found but they were extremely intoxicated. Now that we know this was a hit on them it makes more sense because Scott would never do anything like that or put Debra in danger. Unfortunately, my mother can never know the truth and she must live with the thought that they put themselves in that situation because they were too drunk to know better.
Carm left to go back to New York yesterday, he tried to convince Emmett to go back with him. He refused and told Carm he will now be staying here with Ember and enrolling himself into Precious Blood Academy for his senior year of high school. I had thought that Carm was his guardian but according to Ember, Emmett emancipated himself after his father died and that’s where Em got the idea. Now, we have to figure out how to tell my mother-and basically the whole town of Whitsborough-where the fuck Emmett came from.
Ember has also come into quite a bit of money and three properties. Two here in Whitsborough and one in Belize. The second one here belonged to her grandparents and has been rented out for years. She also found a storage unit rented under Debra’s name that she is going to check out. I would guess her grandparents’ shit and maybe her mother’s shit is in there. Her family lawyer has also filed her emancipation papers and expedited them. She has a court date this coming Friday.
Planning the funerals has come to rest on my mother’s shoulders since Ember has no fucking idea what to do. Ember purchased them a family sized mausoleum in Whitsborough Cemetery and she says there will be a spot for all of us, including my mother. Of course, this sent my mother into a sobbing mess when she found out she would be buried with her lifelong friends and Ember’s mother. Tomorrow we have a small service for Debra and Scott at our local church followed by a small gathering at the mausoleum. Ember didn’t want anything too flashy and we all agreed that her parents wouldn’t want it either.
After her hearing on Friday, Em wants to head to New York and check out Columbia University. She says she’s interested in maybe attending and that has me baffled. I always thought she wanted to do dramatic arts but Columbia does not have a program for that. Which makes me suspicious of her intentions because I know Ember is going to Columbia for other reasons and I know those other reasons have something to do with locking herself up in Scott’s office and this Talia woman. If she doesn’t let me in on this soon, I will fuck the information out of her. A pleasurable experience for both parties.
“Em!” I yell through the door, “dinner is ready.”
“Okay!”
I walk back into the kitchen and Emmett is at the stove helping to prepare the meal, which has been the case all week. “She coming?” He asks.
“Yeah, I guess so.”
“Back to New York this weekend.” He raises a brow to me, “and Columbia?”
“Mmm.”
“So, what’s the real reason? Does Jennifer Talia teach ‘How to kill 101’ on the weekends there? Do I get to bring my knives?”
“She hasn’t told me yet.” I chuckle at him, “but I plan on finding out.”
“Fucking right you will.” He nods.
“Find out what?” Em asks as she walks into the kitchen.
“Why we are going to Columbia this weekend.” I answer her honestly.
“I told you.” She says while studying her nails.
“You lied.” I shrug, “but I’m waiting for you to rectify that.”
“Fuck.” She grits out, “fine.”
Emmett smiles his psychotic looking grin and brings the pasta he’s been cooking to the table. We sit down and wait for Em to start talking.
“I found out that Jennifer Talia has two sons. One of them is an aspiring senator following in his mother’s footsteps whil
e attending Columbia Law.”
“We are doing a hit this weekend?” Emmett asks, looking awfully giddy.
“No, reconnaissance only this weekend.” She states.
“Sounds good.” I answer. “You could’ve just told us all this. We could’ve helped you.”
“I needed to keep myself occupied. Sorry I lied.” She looks me in the eye.
“Don’t do it again.” Emmett chastises and wags his finger at her. We all laugh and everything feels normal once again, well, our normal anyways.
I’m sitting in my Hummer waiting for Em to come out of the court house, her brother in the passenger seat is bobbing his head to some awful sounding music coming from his earphones. Yesterday we had the small service for Debra and Scott and the turn out was more than I’d expected. Debra had renovated many homes and Scott provided a special service and those people were all very sad to hear about their passing. The charities they were involved in for the community showed up as well and Ember promised to continue their work. Travis and Adri came, him on his own and Adri with her parents. I’ve been meaning to ask Ember about Travis and his mother but I keep getting sidetracked. I can see he’s been trapped looking after her and has spent very little time with us since his father offed himself.
We decided that Emmett would not make an appearance at the funeral because we need a foul proof plan to bring him into the fold and my mother is nothing if not tenacious. Our stories have to add up and I need to protect Em. I know my mother is positive that this Ray character is Ember’s father and she also knows he was bad news. So, we are going to work off that. Carm has asked us not to bring him into it as he has a whole fucking gang to hide, fair enough.
Ember has been commissioned to fight, it’s not a hit but it’s to teach a certain gang member to stick to his lane. The plan this weekend is to do some lookout for this son of Talia bitch on Saturday and a fight night starring my girl the same night. Her fighting, killing and just all around scaring the shit out of me is starting to wear thin on my nerves. I always feel like she puts herself in these dangerous positions for the rush and also for the reprieve it gives her, but fuck, it also runs unnecessary risks on her life. I can’t tell her this because she will slip through my fingers, I just know that soon she has to crack, something needs to breach those walls she’s constructed and let the dam free so she can fucking heal. She needs to fucking heal.