Irish Devil: Brooklyn Kings, Book 4, page 9
There’s a rustling noise, then a scraping sound as though the chair slid across the floor. Moments later, Jack steps into my line of vision. He stares down at me with an inscrutable expression. “No one said things would be perfect. In fact, I’m sure they’re going to be hard as fuck. The impression I got from Alessandro is that he views you as his. I saw it in the way he spoke to me. The way he touched you. Looked at you. He won’t stay in hiding forever. He’s going to try and make your life even more hell than he did before if that’s even possible. But that doesn’t mean you can’t be rid of him. Whether that’s by divorce or…not. There are ways to make him disappear permanently. If you need that to happen, all you have to do is say the word. If that will help you become the Aurora I met three years ago, then I’ll do it. Because who you are right now? That’s not the real you.”
“You don’t know the real me, Jack. I don’t think I even know who the real me is. Not anymore. The woman you met that day? She’s nothing more than an illusion. Someone you created in your head. She doesn’t exist.” I shake my head. “She never did.”
He stares hard at me, but I refuse to look away. Without a word, Jack moves toward the door. He pauses just before closing it and glances over his shoulder. “That’s a shame, because I really liked that woman. She was bold and confident. Brave. Sneaky even. I know she exists because I met her. You may have forgotten about her, but I haven’t.”
Jack pulls it closed with a snick, but it gongs like somebody beat a drum. Seconds later, it opens again. My heartbeat kicks up. Did he change his mind? Is he coming back?
Lucia walks through. Disappointment lines her face. She takes a seat in the chair most recently occupied by the man who’d just left.
“How much did you hear?” I ask. Neither he nor I had lowered our voices.
“Enough. Hell, I think the whole floor heard the two of you.”
Of course they did. Because just having Jack show up here with me looking like this wasn’t enough humiliation.
“He’s right, you know,” Lucia says. “That Aurora does exist. You know it as well as I do. How many people have to remind you before you start remembering? I’ll do it every single day if that’s what it takes. I’m sure you’ll hate me before it’s over, but I’m willing to take that risk.”
“I could never hate you.” It’s true. I don’t think there’s anything she could do to make me hate her. Then I’d have no one left that I loved.
“Let’s hope not.”
There’s yet another knock on the door. It slowly opens and the nurse steps in with a small paper cup. “How are you feeling? I have your pain medicine.”
“Ready to go,” I say truthfully. Except I have nowhere to go. I’m just tired of being here. I’m tired of everything. If I’m going to move forward with my life the way everyone expects, then it’s time to jump into the unknown. I only hope I don’t drown in the meantime.
“Well, it’s a good thing I came when I did.” She grins widely. “The doctor said that as long as everything looks okay, you’ll be able to go home in the morning.”
“That’s wonderful news,” Lucia pipes up. “I found an apartment for us to stay in while I’m in town. It’s got an amazing view. You’re going to love it.”
I muster up some excitement, because I know it will make her happy. Inside, I’m terrified. Jack’s words keep coming back to me. I think back to who I was before Alessandro. Was I brave? I don’t remember ever feeling particularly so. And if I was, can I be that again? Something else he said niggles at my brain. “What did he mean, he could make Alessandro disappear?”
“You can’t really be that naive?” Lucia tilts her head, brow crinkled.
I stare almost stupidly. With her pointer finger, she draws a line across her neck from ear to ear and makes a choking noise. My chest freezes. What? No. Jack wouldn’t actually kill him. Would he?
“That man has it bad,” she says almost wistfully.
He does? She has to be mistaken.
Chapter 18
Jack
* * *
Brenna comes striding through the front door of the pub. Her bodyguard, Aurelio, follows closely behind. It’s early morning, before the place has opened for the day, so it’s quiet and only faintly lit by the few dim overhead lights. Behind the bar, I finish wiping out the glass in my hand, place it on the stack, and grab the next.
“Since when does Da have you working in this place?” She slides gracefully onto the high back stool in front of where I stand. Aurelio positions himself at the end of the bar, just out of hearing distance, his watchful gaze fixed near the front door.
A flash of her sitting in that same spot as a little girl, her legs dangling far off the ground, sipping a Shirley Temple, hits me. “I volunteered about a year ago. Keeps me busy. Plus, it allows me to fraternize with our soldiers.”
“Hand out a free pint or two, you mean,” Brenna deadpans.
My mouth tips up in a grin and I cock my head at her. “Keeps the spirits up.”
She smirks. “I bet it does.”
“Where are the kids?” I hold up a hand. “Never mind. I don’t know why I even asked. They’re with Mhamó.”
“Of course they are. Mother has wanted to spoil grandkids for years. She watches them every chance she can. I’m pretty sure she’d move in with Jacob and me if it meant she got to spend more time with Saoirse and Cristiano.”
As much as our mother loves her grandchildren, I keep waiting for her to start in on me about when I’m going to settle down. I doubt my reprieve will last too much longer.
“Why don’t you tell me why I’m meeting you here?” Brenna begins. “You sounded a little weird when you called.”
“I heard you went to visit Aurora Costa at the hospital yesterday.” I’d vacillated all night whether to call my sister or not. She rarely interfered in our lives. A fact I was certainly grateful for. Plus, she and Caitlín had always been thick as thieves, despite their nine-year age gap.
She jerks back just a notch. “I did. Although I’m not sure how you know that.”
“Because she told me,” I admit.
Brenna really startles this time. “Wait, you know her?”
“We met at Gio and Francesca’s wedding reception. I didn’t see her again until Cristiano’s christening. I went to visit her at the hospital late last evening. She said you’d been there earlier.”
“Huh,” she blows out the word on a breath and leans back against the chair with it. “Was she married when you two met?”
I shake my head. “No, but she told me her father had arranged a marriage for her to a man old enough to be her grandfather. She wasn’t too keen on the idea.”
“Can you blame her?” Brenna asks incredulously. “Thank goodness she called me late last night and finally agreed to asking for a divorce.”
She did?
“The whole concept of arranged marriages still bothers me,” Brenna continues. “They’re all about money and power. About who stands to earn the most from them. The women are left in the dark. We’re the ones who have to take who we’re given, even if who we’re given is a horrible human being. I’m probably one of the few lucky ones. God, I could kill that bastard for what he did to her.”
The situation is far from funny, but I can’t help my small grin. Brenna is a prissy, proper little thing. She doesn’t have a harsh word to say about anyone. Never swears. Unless she’s pissed. For her to call Alessandro a bastard…she’s definitely pissed.
“So could I. In fact, I offered.”
“What?” she screeches. “Are you out of your mind? He’s one of Jacob’s most powerful business associates. Even I know to stay out of whatever decision he makes. Please don’t tell me my husband knows about this.”
I grimace.
“What don’t you want Emilio to know?”
Brenna squeaks. Aurelio swings his body in our direction, his hand goes to the gun hidden under his jacket, and I throw down the towel with a curse. “Goddamn it, Caitlín. When are you going to stop eavesdropping on people’s conversations?”
“Never,” she says without a bit of repentance. She pops her gum and slides up onto the bar stool next to Brenna with a cheeky grin.
Aurelio stands down, but keeps glancing over at us. Caitlín leans over and shoulder bumps her sister. “So, tell me what you don’t want Emilio to know?”
It’s pointless to even try and get her to leave. She’s stubborn and tenacious. Somehow she always manages to weasel secrets out of everyone she meets. Every time. Brenna and I share a look. She sighs in defeat.
“One of Jacob’s business associates has been abusing his wife. Jack knows her from a few years ago and apparently threatened to kill the man,” she confesses.
Caitlín turns to me, the faint freckles dotted across her nose and cheeks almost glowing brightly. “Holy shit, Jack. I had no idea you had a death wish. Although it sounds like that dickhead deserves whatever you do to him. But no wonder you don’t want Emilio to know. If he finds out,”—she tilts her head, crosses her eyes, and lolls her tongue out the side of her mouth before perking back up—“Pierce is going to feed you to the fishes.”
“For Christ’s sake, Caitlín, where do you come up with this shit?” I rub a hand down my face.
She stares at me like I’m the idiot. “Have you never seen The Sopranos? Goodfellas? They’re only the best mafia show and movie ever made.”
I glare right back. “There is something seriously wrong with you.”
“Excuse me,” Brenna raises her hand. “Can we please stay on topic? We were discussing the fact you are threatening to kill one of Jacob’s associates. A fact you still have not mentioned whether my husband does or does not know about.”
“Your husband knows,” a deep voice responds.
All three of us pivot toward the door. Bright sunshine outlines the man standing there, his expression hidden in the darkness of the shadows.
“Well, fuck. Where’s the popcorn when you need it?” Caitlín mumbles beneath her breath.
Brenna hisses at her over her shoulder. With his customary powerful stride, Emilio Ricci crosses the restaurant floor until he comes to a stop beside his wife. He glances only briefly at me before brushing a kiss across Brenna’s lips and wrapping a strong arm around her waist. Then he shifts his attention to our younger sister.
“Staying out of trouble, or causing it, runt?” he asks.
“Causing it, of course,” Caitlín responds happily as if there were no other answer to the question.
Emilio tips his head in approval. “Good girl.”
Slowly, he turns a steely-eyed glare on me. “Donnelly.”
Ouch. I don’t think he’s ever called me that in the entire duration of his marriage to Brenna. There’s also a tension between us that’s never been there before. As though even she feels it, and suddenly realizes how serious things have turned, Caitlín remains remarkably silent.
“Ricci,” I answer in kind.
“I understand you were at the hospital last night,” Emilio notes.
Is he having me watched, or making sure Alessandro stays away from Aurora? “Yes, I was.” There’s no point lying since it’s clear he knows.
“You didn’t stay very long.”
“Are you my keeper, now?” I ask with barely concealed sarcasm.
“Jack,” Brenna warns in a low tone, her eyes pleading for me to take care.
“Do I need to be?” Emilio doesn’t bother hiding his.
I ignore the question. He might be the most powerful man on the East coast, but I’m not going to cow to him or show fear.
“Brenna, love, it’s time to go.” He helps her off the stool and glances at Caitlín. “Don’t cause too much trouble, brat.”
All she does is nod, her wide-eyed gaze bouncing between him and me. Even Brenna’s concerned glance meets mine. He places a hand on her lower back and guides her toward the door. Aurelio leads the way, opening it for her and holding it. Brenna exits before Emilio, who pauses at the doorway. He pivots at the waist and partially turns to meet my eyes. “She’s staying at an apartment over on Shore Parkway in Bath Beach. Near the corner of Twentieth Avenue.”
He steps outside and Aurelio follows. The door closes quietly behind them, leaving me standing there in stunned silence at that last piece of information he shared and wondering why he did.
Chapter 19
Aurora
* * *
I’ve lost track of how long I’ve sat on this enclosed balcony and stared through the large picture window at Gravesend Bay. The trees stand bare, naked of a single leaf—they all lie scattered along the ground beneath it. Like Lucia said, I have the perfect view of the water through the break in the trees as well as the nude branches.
Until the last couple days, I never truly paid attention to the number of ferries, sailboats, and other aquatic vehicles traversing the dark and murky depths outside Brooklyn. Each one moves about, bound for its destination, smoothly and without incident. They fascinate me.
“I brought you some lunch.”
My eyes close, and I narrowly hold back the annoyed groan. It’s not that I’m not hungry, it’s only that I wish Lucia would let me do things for myself. I send her a tight smile, hopeful she doesn’t question it. “Thank you.”
She sets the plate, filled with a small charcuterie assortment of meats, cheeses, crackers, and fruit, on the table beside me. I appreciate the help she’s given me, but I never would have guessed Lucia to be a hoverer. And not just once in a while. All the time. Even before moving into Alessandro’s home, I was alone more often than not. I think it comes with being an only child. I’ve come to appreciate the quiet. The privacy. With Lucia here—hovering—I find myself getting easily irritated.
She doesn’t have a second plate for herself. I hope that means she’s going to let me eat lunch in private. Instead, she drops into the chair beside me and gazes out the window as well. “Didn’t I tell you you’d love the view?”
With my good arm, I pick up my plate and begin to nibble. “Yes, you did.”
A blessed silence falls between us. Until my skin starts to prickle. I slowly turn my head to find Lucia staring at me.
“I’m being a helicopter, aren’t I?” she asks, a guilty expression on her face.
“A what?” I have no idea what she’s talking about.
“You know. Fussing over you too much.”
Ah. Now I’m the one feeling guilty. I smile softly. “Maybe just a little.”
“I’m sorry. I don’t mean to. It’s just something I do when things feel as though they’re out of my control. I try to arrange circumstances so I can get it back. I don’t do well when I’m not the one in charge,” she admits with a sheepish grin. “It’s why I work so many hours at the museum. I don’t know how to delegate. With everything that’s happened, I’m feeling a bit out of control. I’m sorry.”
I reach out for her hand and give it a gentle squeeze. “Don’t be sorry. I’m so thankful that you’re here. I honestly don’t know what I’d do without you. I’ve just gotten used to being alone, with no one to help me, that it’s taking a little bit to adjust.”
We both sit back in our chairs and take in the water again. I finish eating lunch while a blissful silence remains. You need to try harder. If I want a new life, a different life, then I need to be different, too. I still don’t know if I’ll ever be the old Aurora, the pre-Alessandro Aurora, but I don’t have to be the same person I’ve been the last three years, either.
My gaze latches onto a dark town car parked against the opposite curb and down a building. It’s glaringly out of place. My heart starts pounding and my stomach churns with nausea. I swallow my food, but it tastes like dirt. Slowly, as though sensing my perusal, the vehicle pulls away and crawls along the street in front of us. The windows are tinted nearly black, so it’s impossible to see any occupants. But I don’t need to. I know who’s sitting in that back seat. A cold chill runs down my neck, and I start to tremble.
“Aurora? Hey, are you all right?”
I can’t take my eyes off the black car, following its path until, at last, it disappears from my view. He couldn’t see me up here. Could he?
“Aurora,” Lucia snaps.
I blink and my gaze focuses on her. “He knows I’m here.” My voice shakes.
She turns her head in the direction the town car went and then back to me. Her expression is worried. “Alessandro? Was that him just now?”
“Yes,” I whisper.
“Shit. How the hell does he know where we’re staying? I didn’t tell anyone.”
Lucia didn’t have to. I’m sure he’s had eyes on me since I left the hospital. “He wants me to know that he knows where I am,” I say. “It’s just one more way for him to control me. My fear. It’s his reminder to me of who I am. And who I belong to.”
“Fuck him,” she spits and jumps from her seat to move closer to the window. She stares down the road as though projecting her rage at the long-disappeared car. “You aren’t a piece of property he owns. You’re a human being. You aren’t alone anymore, either. You have me, Brenna, and Jack on your side. Alessandro isn’t going to win.”
The panic I’ve been trying to hold at bay pushes forward without mercy. I take in a shaky breath. Seeing that town car has me rattled. Bitter hatred rushes through my veins. He’s reduced me to this terrified woman.
“I can’t stay here.” That’s the only thing racing through my mind.
Lucia, who’s still glaring out the window, turns to me with a questioning glance. “What’s that?”
Memories flash quickly behind my eyes. Alessandro’s fist. The pain. The fear. The acceptance that he was finally going to kill me. My head jerks up and my eyes dart manically around the enclosed room. I rush to my feet. “I have to go.”
“Go? Go where?” Lucia’s voice follows behind me as I dart around the apartment, frantically looking for my coat.
“Anywhere but here. He’s going to come for me. I just know it.” Where’s my coat? My gaze scans the room, but I can’t find it. “I have to go.”
