LUCA
My conversation with my cousin took longer than I'd expected. Mark was having some issues with another member of the family. One who didn't think Mark should be in the position he'd attained after his brother was killed last year, and he wanted to know if we all thought that way. I assured him I had nothing but respect for the way he'd been handling things. The one who was giving him a hard time, on the other hand...
"Gio is an asshole," I told him. "I don't know how he grew up the way he did."
"He says he can't trust me."
Personally, I trusted Mark way more than Gio. If I didn't, he wouldn't be taking care of the money collections for me at the clubs. Just for the time being, so as to make me less of a target. "How is business going?"
"Good, for the most part." He relayed some of the issues one of the managers was having with a couple of the girls. "If you want my opinion," Mark told me. "I think you should get rid of those two and bring in some new blood. Hopefully younger and without the tracks on their arms."
"The patrons don't care if they still have the needles stuck in them, as long as they get ass and tits in their faces."
"And in their hands." His mouth twisted in disgust as he said it.
I shrugged. "If that's what the girls want, who am I to stop them from making money?"
We were standing outside the connected kitchen, and when we saw the food coming out, we wrapped up our conversation and headed back inside just as everyone was finding their seats. "Where is... Nicole?" I asked my uncle when I got to his side. Jesus fucking Christ. I hoped that stutter was minor enough he didn't catch on, but luckily, he was more interested in the lamb the waiter was carving for him tableside.
"She went to the ladies' room a little bit ago. Maybe you should go check on her. She's been gone for a while." He winked at me and picked up his fork as another waiter placed his salad in front of him.
I glanced around the table. Everyone was there except for Gio, the cousin Mark was having issues with. An uneasy feeling trickled down my spine. "Where's Gio?" I asked my uncle.
He waved his fork in the air. "Eh, who knows with that one? If we're lucky, he left."
The waiter set my salad on the table along with one for Veda. "I'll be right back," I told my uncle. "Save my seat."
I headed toward the restrooms at the front of the cottage. The ladies' room was empty. Turning to the men's room directly opposite, I tried the knob. It was locked.
With a frown, I tried to listen above the Irish jig that played over the speakers placed discreetly in the corners of the ceiling. I wouldn't put it past my little spitfire to make use of whichever one was empty. When I didn't hear anything, I started to turn away...
"You bitch!"
The men's room door flew open, and Veda ran straight at me, her eyes unseeing in her panic to get out, her mouth bleeding and her hair mussed.
I opened my good arm and caught her. "Hey, hey, it's me," I told her when she started to struggle. "It's me."
Pulling back, she looked up at my face, and then threw herself back against my chest and wrapped her arms around my waist. She shook like a leaf in my arms, and I could feel her heart pounding.
I smoothed down her hair as I stared over her head at Gio, who had come charging out of the bathroom behind her, only to stop short when he saw Veda tucked against me.
"What the fuck did you do to her?" My voice was deadly quiet, in contrast to the rage that was rising inside of me, screaming at me to pound him into the ground first and ask questions later.
"Who the fuck is this bitch?" he sneered, his teeth red with blood.
"Go back to the table," I told Veda without taking my eyes from him. "Have some dinner."
"Luca, no. It's okay. I'm fine."
Rage still boiled inside of me, heating my blood and making my trigger finger itchy. But my uncle was right. I couldn't splatter Gio's brains all over the wall at his birthday dinner. It was disrespectful. If my father was here, he would never allow it. Pressing my arm a little harder against his throat, I enjoyed the way he gagged, fighting for a breath. "I think you need to suddenly go home. I don't think you're feeling very well."
He tried to nod.
With one last shove, I stepped back. "Pack up his dinner, please," I told our hostess.
"Oh, of course. Right away." With a nervous smile, she scuttled off to do as I asked.
Coughing and gagging, Gio stumbled out of the alcove we'd been standing in. One hand on his throat and the other shoving people out of the way, he ran out the front door.
Turning on my heel, I made to follow him, my eyes on the front door as everyone wandered back to their food. I needed some fucking air.
Veda grabbed my jacket as I passed. "Where are you going?"
I didn't stop. I had to get the hell out of there and make sure that motherfucker left before I changed my mind. Gun still in my hand, I pushed open the front door and walked into the night just as Gio's god awful yellow sports car spun out of the drive, cutting off another car in his haste. I spotted Enzo parked on the right side of the dirt lot. When he saw me, he got of the car, but didn't come any closer. I indicated for him to stay where he was and he gave me a nod, making himself comfortable against the back of the SUV where he could keep an eye on me while still giving me my privacy.
Gravel crunched behind me, and through the ringing in my ears, I heard Veda cursing under her breath about the "goddamn death traps" she had to wear.
"You shouldn't be out here," I told her. "It might not be safe."
"Neither should you," she retorted, picking her way carefully over to me. "How's your shoulder?"
I'd forgotten about it, honestly. Probably the adrenaline still rushing through my bloodstream. "It's fine." I turned to look at her. "Are you hurt?" I swear to god, if that asshole had left so much as a tiny bruise on her...
She shook her head. "No. Not really."
My fingers tightened around my gun. "Not really?"
"I'm fine. I just need a drink."
I watched her as she wiped the blood from her mouth with a napkin she'd brought outside and fixed her dress. "Why did he think he could fuck you, Nicole?"
Slowly, she looked up at me. "That's not my name," she whispered.
"It is while you're here. Now answer my fucking question."