Stephenie Meyer owns all things Twilight. No copyright infringement is intended.
Beta'd by HollettLA
WARNING: Violence. Adult situations/themes, nothing TOO outlandish since this is not edited - I didn't violate the terms of service =D
Sorry for not sticking to schedule. Here is your Wednesday update. Unfortunately, I wasn't not sure if I'd have the opportunity to update on time . . . It could have been late :/
At the moment, I can't fall asleep, so you get this early.
So, here you go! Happy Valentine's Day!
"Weather the Storm"
Chapter Thirty-Five: Fight Club Part Two
Smiling and laughing under my breath, but at myself, I walked out to the guys.
"MC didn't mention if she had anywhere to be . . ." Mauro let that hang there. "I can chill outside anyway—be a phone call away."
"He wants to come," Aro said. "Don't beat around bushes, kid."
Mauro put his hands up.
"I can't wait to see how Anton does. Do we all get a piece?" Nunzio asked.
I didn't answer him and turned to Aro. "You ready?"
He nodded, slapping his hand to Mauro's back before he went for his car.
"Skip . . .?" Mauro caught me.
I stopped to take a breath. "If she doesn't need you, then . . . Just make sure and keep your phone on. She might need you to go to the store or something."
"Bet." He had excitement in his eyes as he went back to my front door.
I shook my head, closing the distance to Aro's car.
Oddly enough, I didn't feel awkward riding shotgun. He had some Drake playing and pulled from the curb. We set out with a comfortable silence. I knew I'd have to break it but with what, I wasn't sure. I felt no remorse for asking him to do what I asked—none at all—and I had no other problems with him other than his reluctance. Maybe if I told him what Marcus and Esme's plans were years ago, he'd be on my side. I thought by bringing Bella into it—because she is entwined with this as well—he wouldn't question me.
"I had breakfast with C this morning," he said, veering off onto the highway.
"Oh, yeah?" I sat back in my seat.
"He told me some shit." He paused. "Some shit that happened years ago—something Esme said to him."
"So, you know." I nodded. "And what do you make of it?"
"Being railroaded into marrying a widowed Es?" He flashed me an incredulous look. "I don't make anything of it. Misone was a scumbag who got what he deserved."
"I see it that way, too."
"I apologize for making it personal," he said.
"Don't be—"
"But, we're only to do this to keep her silence. C told me about the money, and—"
"And we take money when we do other hits, too, bro." I put my hands out.
"Yeah, but . . . Whatever. It doesn't matter, right? She knows too much. She's done too much, and she's gotta go."
"You agree?" I asked.
"Wholeheartedly, but I still don't want to do it . . . that doesn't mean I won't, of course." He shot me another glance.
"I thought I'd go with you—make sure you do it, but now we're going away, and I cannot leave the area." I shook my head. "Too much shit going on. I can't be away from the kids."
"Everything okay?" He sounded concerned, and I could always count on that—simply because he is my friend, and I'm his.
"Yeah, we'll be all right," I answered. "Whatta ya gonna do?" Sighing, I pushed my hair back and turned to face him. "Katie and Sonny talk a lot . . ."
His brow furrowed. "They do? . . . I mean, she's always on her cell phone. I just thought she was talking to her little girlfriends or something. She calls my mom, her grandma, a lot, too. She's a good girl." He nodded. "Very good girl. She takes excellent care of Peto because Lauren is useless." He snorted. "Our ten year old takes better care of our toddler than his mother does." He shook his head, sitting up higher in his seat. "I tell ya . . . It's almost as if she wants all of it or none of it. When things were good, she wanted all these fucking kids. Now that things suck, she wants to shake her ass in a club somewhere."
"I don't know how you put up with that."
He shrugged. "We're not technically together. She does her and I do me, and we bump heads on every-fucking-thing," he laughed. "I paid first month's rent and security on an apartment for her. If she's going to stay in New York, she wanted a place in Manhattan, and she's drawing a salary as manager of Lauren's. We'll have joint custody—" He swallowed. "We're moving ahead with the divorce . . . I'm glad I kept everything hush-hush over the years. If not we'd be stuck together." He chuckled. "Thank God for that."
I patted his shoulder. "What about the kids?"
"Joint, shared custody . . . AJ wants to live with his mom, and Katie wants to stay with me," he said. "I thought it'd be the other way around, AJ wanting to stay with Dad, but . . . and Peto, he'll be with me three or four days a week, and we'll switch off weekends. Whatever. She cried and pleaded for it, when I wasn't going to budge an inch. They're my fucking kids. I want them full-time, but . . . they're her kids, too. It's just all fucked . . . We're using Carlisle, even if he's a criminal lawyer. He's still a lawyer, and I wasn't about to pay her fucking fees. 'Cause you know I would'a been stuck with the bill . . . paying for her divorce lawyer." He shook his head.
"It'll balance out," I said. "Not for nothing, anything has to be better than youse fighting all the time around those kids."
"Fighting all the . . ."
"Sonny keeps comparing my marriage to yours, walks around with these, um, anxieties about his mom and me divorcing." I gave him a wary glance.
He was quiet for a little while. "Sorry, my dude." He squeezed my shoulder. "I'll make sure they limit their phone time—"
"Don't," I said. "No matter what they talk about, I'm glad they have each other to talk to. You know?"
"I guess," he whispered. "They're not, they're not dating, right? 'Cause Katie's too young to have a man, and the way they act—"
I laughed. "Yeah, 'cause Sonny's a man. Watch out now!" I thought that was hilarious. "He's climbin' in yo windows . . . trying to snatch Katie up . . . hide ya kids, hide ya wife—"
"Boyfriend. You know what I mean. And oh my God . . . You think you're a fucking comedian!" he yelled at me.
I was still laughing and couldn't answer him right away. "Run and tell that—"
"They're ten and eleven!" he shouted with a smile.
Taking a deep breath, I composed myself. "Exactly, Aro. They're babies who never see each other anymore. They talk on the phone."
"Right," he agreed.
"No worries." I chuckled.
"How about, I take care of Es . . . and you just don't have to know." He smiled. "Business as usual."
I tilted my head to the side. "Whoever you send to do it has to be taken care of after. This won't come back to haunt me, too. This is why I asked you to do it—"
"I'll figure something out."
"Okay, but I need to know." I left it at that.
"You will," he said. "C's going down to the shore with the kids, too?"
"I guess so. I haven't spoken to him yet." I reached to put another song on. "You coming? We'll have to bunk with our munchkins, but you and Lau are welcome. My father will love having all of us," I laughed.
"How many bedrooms are in this house?" he laughed.
"It used to be Misone's. The deed was transferred to my father after his death," I sighed. "It's no bungalow with six bedrooms and various dens—living room-like rooms." I tried to remember what that place looked like. "It's big, nice . . . has a private beach for the residents of the hood."
"Sounds good. I think the kids and I will stay at a hotel, though." He pursed his lips. "Since you guys moved so far and we're pretty much split, my kids don't see your kids as often—Carlisle's either. Like you said, they never see each other."
"It's nice when we're doing family stuff," I said.
"It is," he agreed.
We chatted some more about our families and inane garbage during the rest of our ride. It was almost like last night never happened, and I knew it'd be that way.
Danny greeted us and was fast to offer me a scotch when we got to the bar. I declined the drink and asked for a soda instead before we went down to the basement.
Everyone was here, except Mauro and Nunzio. Even my brother was here and was already busy playing a card game with Jasper, Anton, and Lou. The latter three still wore the clothes they did last night, and I wondered if they had been here since. I also wondered where Brandon Swan was.
"Where is he?" I asked.
"Boiler room." Jasper concentrated on his hand. "Even with the gag—oh, fuck you!" he shouted to my brother when Carlisle picked up a book of cards.
I gave Aro a brief glance, tilting my head toward them.
"You guys wanna play the winning team?" Anton scratched his head, placing a card down. "We could play poker?"
"Only 'cause you suck cock at spades." Lou placed down a higher ranked card, stealing that book.
I gave Aro another look.
"What?" he asked.
"He was too fucking loud. I couldn't concentrate," Jasper finished.
"What?" Aro asked me again. "You got your Manson lamps on, looking like a serial killer or some shit," he laughed.
I rolled my eyes and took off my jacket to drape it over Carlisle's chair. Aro keeps them in line everywhere else, so I guess I thought he'd take the initiative to break this up.
I didn't have all day and night.
"You guys coming to the shore?" Carlisle asked me.
"That'd be awesome." Young Anton had enthusiasm in his eyes.
"Maybe," I said, staring down at him. "So, how are you? Been working out?"
There was a chorus of laughter, and Anton's face had paled, and that's when I guessed no one told him the rules of today.
"You'll do good." I smiled, patting his shoulder.
"Yeah, I gotta work tomorrow, but Dad's picking up the kids tonight." Carlisle faced me.
"Is this game almost over?" I asked.
"Almost." Jasper pursed his lips. "We're playing for change—don't wanna rob the kiddies." He reached to pinch Lou's cheek.
"Quit." He shrugged him off.
"So . . . he's in the back boiler room?" I pointed.
"Yup," Jazz sighed. "Don't be alarmed. He's naked—hoped to place some shame and humiliation . . . and he might have shit himself again. Ha!" He threw a card down.
"Lovely." I took off for the back and heard Aro following me. "You know what this fuck did?" I asked my friend.
"Nah . . . but this is Charlie's brother, right?"
Coming upon the door, I paused and stared at Aro. "He's a sick man." Even if I wanted to tell him everything Brandon Swan did to Alice, I didn't. It wasn't my business, but I did want to get a rise out of him.
Maybe I'm a fucked-up person.
"When Alice was fourteen, he stuck his cock in her."
Aro blinked, shaking his head. "What?"
I nodded. "Behind that door . . . that's Alice's father. He used to abuse her sexually." I tapped the frame, which made Brandon Swan call out.
"Why—" Aro huffed, pushing me aside, and I limply moved—giving him a wide berth to tear open the door.
Aro was a beast, going in there and smacking Brandon around. The room was dark and I could barely see inside, but I heard everything.
And everything I had going on in my life made me a little detached from this moment—a moment I wanted to use to my full advantage, chase that high. But I knew I'd be late getting home later and fuck things up somehow. I had to be chill.
Getting Aro upset had a few advantages. First, Anton is a kid in comparison to the rest of us. I think he's like twenty-one or something, and he's not as built as most, nor is he that tall.
And Brandon Swan would be fighting for his life. There's no telling where that kind of strength comes from.
Letting Aro beat on him some insured that Brandon would be taken down a peg, and he would be weakened just a little.
Luckily, my curiosity didn't get the best of me. I wasn't even in the doorway when Aro let out a growl and tossed that fuck out of the room.
Still calm, I watched Aro slam Brandon Swan into the card table—effectively ending their game.
I had a bit of a laugh, slowly walking over to watch.
"What the fuck?" Jazz was laughing.
"I told Aro what he did," I said, shrugging.
"Oh." My cousin hopped up out of his chair. Then everyone tried to break them up.
Again, I stood back like a boss should, letting his soldiers do the dirty work. After all, I did my time—devoted my whole fucking life to the thing, even if I'm still a young guy. It was time for some changes.
They were quick to take each of them to opposite sides of the room.
"You fucking stink." Jasper popped Brandon in his gagged jaw. "Bet you want these cuffs off, huh?"
"Wait," I said, pointing and calling Anton over with my finger. "Come here." He had wide eyes, but came over right away. "This is all you. Do you have a piece on you?"
He nodded, pulling his nine from his waist.
I took it from him. "Not with that, with your hands. Go." I jerked my head.
Anton stared down to his palms.
"You can fight, can't you?" I asked.
He nodded. "Of course . . . I was the captain of the wrestling team—"
"Whoa . . . there's no tapping out. Obviously, we won't let him kill you. Just try your best." I patted his back. "You got this." I grinned, pushing him farther away from me.
Jasper took Brandon's blindfold off first. "You remember me, ya fuck?"
Brandon Swan resembled his brother in so many ways, except he had a balding head.
"Yeah . . ." Jasper kneed him in the groin. "How could you forget?"
"Enough," I said. "Un-cuff him."
"You got this." Lou massaged his buddy's shoulders, like Anton was about to enter a boxing ring. "All else fails, fucking choke him out."
"Okay." Anton panted.
I took a seat next to my brother and heard footsteps coming down to the basement. "Go check that out," I told him.
Carlisle answered the door for Nunzio and Mauro.
"We didn't miss anything?" Mauro asked.
"Nah," Lou said.
I called Mauro over with my finger. "How were things?"
He shrugged. "Fine. I had to go to Shop Rite—that's why I'm late."
I nodded, watching both Anton and Brandon get geared up to fight. Well, Brandon stood there naked with the gag in his mouth, looking confused as all fuck and scared. Good, I thought. "What are you doing this weekend?"
"Uh, not much. Got a date with my girl—was gonna take her to Midnight Sun. Why?" Mauro leaned toward me.
I tilted my head to whisper. "How would you like to go to the shore this weekend? You and, uh . . . Anton." I figured some rest for the kid afterward wouldn't make me such a monster. Plus, Mauro's been around my kids the most—since Nunzio's been busy doing other stuff. "It's security detail . . . of course, you'd be staying nearby . . . you can bring your girl, too. What's her name?" Those two hadn't even started swinging yet. All Anton did was dance around with his fists up.
"Alexandra," he said. "She loves the beach. It shouldn't be a problem." He nodded. "Wow . . . thanks for this."
"You're welcome." I had no idea why he'd thank me. "No business will be conducted . . . you're just there to keep your eyes open, in case anything. You can tell your girl you guys are going with friends—whatever."
"Um . . . that's Ronnie's daughter. So, technically, I don't really have to lie or say anything. You know?" Mauro seemed nervous.
The wheels started turning in my head. I don't usually see Ronnie that often, maybe once a week. He's an old-timer like my father, runs his crew, pays his tribute, and doesn't cause any problems. But I did have a thought. "Ronnie's daughter . . . That would mean . . . she has a cousin named Roger?" I asked.
"Ron and Alex have family they don't speak to—so I don't know. I can ask her?"
"Don't worry about it." I smiled. "The shore, though, that cool?"
"Yeah." He nodded. "Um, I used to spend summers with my mom out in Cali—"
"I don't need your life story." I snorted.
"Nah, Sonny and me, we were talking surfing the other day. He wants to learn. I could teach him?"
"Sounds good." I nodded, still waiting. "What's my wife making for dinner?"
"Chicken," Mauro said.
"Nice . . ." I watched Anton stretch a little, while Brandon Swan backed into a corner—shouting muffled profanities. "What the fuck?" Widening my arms, my brother leaned into my embrace. "What?" I asked him.
"You are coming?" he asked.
"Stop dancing and hit this motherfucker!" Aro grabbed Brandon Swan and threw him toward Anton.
Anton caught him, continuing to throw a few punches. The two tackled each other to the ground and rolled around.
"Still gotta talk to Bella. Regardless, I gotta be home by six. We have to get away," I told Carlisle.
"Oh, it'll be awesome." My brother smiled. "All the chicks in bikinis . . ."
"My wife isn't going to be your baby-sitter—I'm just letting you know from jump. You come with your kids, prepare to take care of them all weekend. This isn't Carlisle-gets-a-weekend-off, weekend. I know you got your hands full and can't chill, but . . . no, sorry."
"I'd never—"
"Don't lie to me," I laughed at him.
"I'll see if Mari can—"
"No," I said, just to be a prick. "The house is full already."
"True," Carlisle sighed, sipping his drink. "I thought this would be more fun." He gestured to the ladies wrestling on the ground.
"Me, too," I admitted, staring down at the time. It was only going on 3:30, and I was glad I had more time. "Kill that asshole!" I shouted, trying to get those around me amped up, when the truth was I wasn't that into it either. I think I was emotionally drained from that shit this morning. Feeling too much, I had sort of relaxed and tried to close off that part of me. Plus, I didn't want to get carried away—knowing I would if I let go . . .
If I allowed myself to be as angry as I was, or if I allowed my hate to shine through . . .
I'd break my promise and be late.
"That child-molesting fuck!"
"What?" Anton panted, and Brandon got him in the jaw.
It seemed all he had to do was get Anton upset. From that one hit, Anton had a newfound strength, as he pushed Brandon into the concrete wall.
"I was thinking . . ." Jazz swung a chair around and sat next to me. "Is there any way we can douse him in gasoline and set him on fire?"
I raised a brow. "I've never seen someone lit up like that, except car explosions."
"Where could we do it?"
I shook my head. "That's too much, and the smoke will be seen . . . whatever."
"Bury him alive?" Carlisle suggested.
"That's—" Aro started. "That's gotta be the worst—absolute worst way to die."
"You'd have to sit on him," I said to Jazz. "Make sure he didn't escape and that he was dead."
Aro laughed, crouching down to us. "Giordano's Funeral Home . . . Sometimes, when I need someone to disappear, old man Giordano comes in handy." He smiled. "I usually make the mark unidentifiable first, but right after a family leaves a cemetery, and before they lower the casket down, Giordano usually doesn't mind slipping something inside the coffin—"
"He'd be sealed up by that concrete thing they put over." Jasper slapped his hand to his.
"How do two bodies even fit?" I asked.
Aro grinned. "We make 'em fit. Let this fool get knocked out, and then we'll figure something."
"I have to be outta here by five." I looked to Mauro. "Call your girl. We're hitting the highway no later than seven tonight."
He nodded, letting me know he heard me, and then picked up his phone.
"I want Anton to do this—I said so before." I reminded them.
"Right." Jasper nodded. "It's on Anton, but if he knocks him out—"
I laughed, looking back to the fight. "If Anton doesn't get knocked out first." Brandon Swan was currently straddling him and punching him repeatedly, while Anton blocked his face. "Hit him!" I hollered.
"Go for the gut!" Nunzio shouted, and Anton followed through—pushing Brandon off of him and gaining his bearings.
My young friend looked beat up—cut lip, blood on his shirt, and a swollen eye.
"You got this!" I clapped.
Nunzio was making fun of Anton last week—said he was sulking because he didn't get his button, swore I hated him. He just didn't understand. To be made, one has to earn it, and in my eyes, Anton hadn't yet.
"Beat that fucker!" Aro cheered and stood up.
I stood, too, to bump my shoulder into Aro's. "Do it for your wings!" Maybe I had some paternal-like feelings going on; having spent the morning with my family had made me a bit soft, but it was okay.
Suddenly, Anton let out a scream and kicked Brandon's head. No lie, a couple of teeth shot across the floor and blood splattered, and then I realized that Brandon wasn't moving anymore. That didn't matter, as Anton kept kicking his head in, and then reached down to lift him up, just to slam him back down.
"Get the family jewels!" Lou chuckled.
And that statement—sentiment or whatever—put a knot in my own gut.
Family jewels . . .
I couldn't think on it for long since Anton had stopped, his chest heaving and looking down, he pushed Brandon onto his back with his foot. "Think he's dead?" He panted, licking blood away from his lip. "Did I do it?"
Anton stood back while Lou bent down to check his pulse. "Nah . . . he's just out." He took out his nine and handed it to Anton.
"No!" Jasper yelled. "Not yet. Put him back in the boiler room."
"Go." I snapped my fingers to Mauro, indicating he and Nunzio could do that. "You did good," I told Anton.
He smiled, staring down.
"You held your own—"
"Barely." Aro cut me off.
I shrugged my shoulders. "He put up a good fight, too."
As everyone congratulated Anton, I grabbed a bottle of water off the floor and went into the boiler room.
Mauro and Nunzio had just set him down, and I was looking for the overhead light.
"What'chu doin'?" Aro caught up to me.
I looked to Mauro and Nunzio and then to the door so they knew to leave. Once gone, I opened the bottle to wet Brandon's face. He stirred a bit, coming to while Aro closed the door behind us.
"I told Bella I'd take care of him."
"That doesn't mean you have to, you know?" Aro asked. "Piece of shit!" He spit on Brandon.
"That family . . . Sometimes I worry about Emmett, wondering if he'll turn into—into one of them." I pointed down. "Makes me think—I don't know."
"The 'supposed' father, the uncle . . . Skip, you can't ice her brother. She'd never forgive you."
"No," I laughed. "I'd never in a million years do that. It just . . . Bella's recent news, it just makes me grateful. My kids don't have their fucked-up-ness." I nodded.
Aro bent down low to crouch next to me. "That Derek guy might be fucked-up, too."
"Not like this one, or Charlie," I said. "No way. His kids still live with him—that must mean something."
"True," Aro said. "If they're sticking around as adults, the guy might not be too bad."
"Right," I agreed, pouring more water onto Brandon. He groaned through the gag, rolling over.
"Skip!" Aro pulled me, and we fell back—me on top of Aro.
"What?" I pushed him away. "What the fuck?"
"Dude . . ." Aro pointed, and when I looked, I saw he had a hard-on. Brandon Swan was excited about something.
"Ugh." I felt gross, slightly violated, yet still found it hysterical. "You saved me from a stiffy."
"What are friends for?" he laughed. "I mean—"
"Aro, you're like a brother to me," I whispered. "That's what's up and true."
Aro didn't reply. Wearing a lopsided grin, he punched my shoulder.
"Yeah." It was awkwardly quiet for a few seconds. "Go grab those cuffs from Jazz or hold his hands down."
Aro, always so entertaining, chose to hold Brandon's arms back.
Me? I took out my pocketknife and lighter, continuing to heat up the blade.
"Oh." Aro looked away, cringing back.
"You don't agree?" I smirked, still holding the fire under my knife. "Thought I'd help him with his problem." Placing it down—just laying the heated blade down onto his cock—made Brandon shoot up with a start. He jolted back, fighting against Aro and screaming out in agony.
I took my knife back, lighting it up and getting it hotter. "Look at me," I told him.
He kept crying.
Aro used his foot, which was draped over Swan's body to hold him down, to kick him in the nuts. "Stop crying."
"I know, right?" I crawled closer, getting in his face. "Did you stop when Alice cried? Your daughter—your young, frightened daughter? Did you stop fucking her when she cried?" My blade rested on his dick once more. "You sick motherfucker!"
He started to beg through the gag, still fighting to get free.
I showed him my knife. "Stop crying or I'll cut your eyeballs right out. Do you want that?"
He shook his head no.
"Open them," I said, getting even closer. "Look at me." I waited until he did. "You might as well already be dead. Your time is up, so pray to your God, and hope he has mercy on you." I took one of his fingers and bent it back. When I heard the snap, I let go of his hand. "You ready for more?" I picked my knife back up to heat it.
He shouted "No" through the gag, while Aro laughed. "You should shove that shit right up his ass."
I raised a brow. "Would you like that?" I asked him. "You wanna get fucked before you die?"
He cried out loudly, actually leaned into Aro very far to get away from me.
Finding the idea disgusting and messy, he was safe for now. "How's this feel, Daddy?" I placed the blade down, pushing it the hardest I could. His cock was now small, reddened, and blistered already. "Does it feel good?"
"Hey . . ." Carlisle said, coming into the room.
Jasper followed him and they both stared down at us.
"Do whatever you want with him," I told my cousin. "As long as he's dead, I don't give a fuck, but you will be chopping off his balls first . . . be creative." I used the rest of the water bottle and a handkerchief to clean off my knife. "When you do it, do it with a smile . . . for me." I grinned, turning to kick Brandon Swan in the face. He was knocked unconscious again, and I was done.
"Well, it'll have to wait." Jasper bent down to place the cuffs on him again. "A few more days without food and water, and with this place being like a prison." He gritted his teeth, letting out a growl as he kicked Swan's face again. "Alice's thoughts . . . she used to say it was like a prison. It feels fitting."
"Starving, in the dark a few days after being so badly beaten . . ." Aro nodded. "Giordano only does me those solids, so that'll have to wait anyway."
Jasper sighed. "The possibilities are endless." He had that look in his eyes, one I've come to know all too well by seeing my own face in the mirror, but I had never seen it shine through him.
"End result . . . he's dead, right?" Carlisle undid his pants, and I stood back. "This sick fuck." My brother pissed on him.
Jasper laughed, taking out his cock to do the same thing.
Rubbing my forehead, with a tightness in my chest, I turned to leave the room. My own anger was still there. I didn't want to stop or give Brandon Swan the three days. I wanted to . . .
I groaned, shaking my head and grabbing my jacket from the chair.
Cleaned up, Anton didn't look as bad as I thought. He was banged up, but it was nothing serious.
"You did good," I said.
"Thanks." He sat, icing his eye.
"You coming this weekend?" I asked.
He nodded. "Your father . . . he asked me the other day."
"I figured . . . Take care." I squeezed his shoulder, looking to Mauro. "Give me a ride back?"
"Thought I'd drive you," Aro said.
I shook my head. "It's cool—do whatever."
"I'll talk to Lau, tell her to look at some resorts or something."
"Cool." I slapped my hand to his and then followed Mauro upstairs.
While he went to get his car, I sat and spoke with Danny. Being cordial, I took one shot of Jack and then bid him farewell.
Mauro's actually a quiet guy, and we didn't talk at all. The entire ride was filled with a silence that wasn't awkward. It was cool, although he had loads to truly tell me—ask me. His words were nervous and slow when he asked if he could run an idea by me. He said it was no big deal—just a heist he'd like to set up.
As we pulled into my driveway, I told him to talk to Aro. We'd have a sit-down, and Mauro was grateful for my time.
Kylie was dancing in her playpen, while Bella danced around the kitchen. It was adorable, and neither one had seen me yet.
Damion was moving to the beat, as he colored in a book at the table. He saw me and smiled, and I wondered where Sonny was.
"Hey!" Bella shouted. "You're early!"
I nodded, taking her hand, while she continued to dance.
"Dance, Daddy," Damion said.
I winked. "You wanna see Daddy dance?" I moved my hips, wiggling my butt on Bella, which made the two of them crack up. "Daddy can't dance."
"You just need help finding a rhythm . . . which is funny because you never have trouble finding . . . a rhythm elsewhere." Bella raised a brow.
"Oh . . ." I liked that a lot—the whole exchange right there. "We're gonna have fun this weekend."
She grinned. "Dinner's almost ready and we're packed."
"Awesome." I nodded, taking off my jacket. "Where's Sonny?"
Bella gave me a look. "On the phone in his room. Where he always is."
"Okay." I left them to seek out my son. His door was actually open, and he was smiling as he loaded clothes into a duffle.
"What's up?" I knocked on the frame, and he ended his phone call. "Who's that?"
"Um, Katie."
"Oh." I took a seat on his bed.
"She's going to miss me; meanwhile, it's not like we see each other anyway." He wore a frown.
I decided not to tell him Aro and his family might meet up with us, in case they don't. "Well, you know you're too young for a girlfriend." I was teasing with a straight face.
"We're just . . . we're friends," he lied, and I let him do it.
I nodded, staying quiet and folding my arms across my chest. "Mauro's coming. He said he'd show you some surfing stuff."
He grinned. "That's cool."
"Yeah . . . you okay?" I hedged.
He nodded, keeping his gaze low. "I am."
"Good," I sighed.
"Yup." He gave me one of those wide-eyed looks, like I had outstayed my welcome in his bedroom.
"Okay . . . I'll let you pack." I left his bedroom, staring back for a minute from the doorway. "I love you, kid."
"I love you, too." He didn't smile, but one day he would.
Thank you for reading.
Please leave me your thoughts.
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