Chapter 7: Questions?

You had to be a fool not to notice what was going here. The high end security system was my first clue. There were so many video cameras monitoring the movement on the outside, but there were none focused on the activity inside. Then there were the private meetings that took place in Matty's office. Every so often a few older guys in suits stopped by right before the club opened or just before it closed, often leaving or picking up packages. I knew then that Matty had his hand in something illegal; I'm just not exactly sure what it is yet.

For the first time ever I noticed the tattoo on his upper bicep. It was the Star of David. Then I saw the gold necklace he had on with a smaller identical symbol to his tattoo.
'Is Taylor Jewish?' I ask myself 'Why haven't I ever noticed these things about him before? Maybe because you were too caught up focusing on the man himself?'

My fingers absently traced over his tattoo. "So you're Jewish? This whole time I thought you were Italian."

"My mother's Jewish, but my father was Italian."

"Same with me except my mother was black." In the few weeks I've known Taylor, I've never gotten the chance to get to know him. "So… it's just you and your mother?"

"My dad died a long time ago." He said dully.

"How'd he die?" I asked. An uncomfortable silence lingered in the air. I detected Taylor's hesitation and realized I have may have been prying a bit too much. "I'm sorry; you don't have to answer that."

"He was killed, shot dead when I was twelve." He said. I was surprised that he even opened up to me. The Taylor that I've come to know is either all business with his guard up or doing something flirtatious to get under my skin, I've never seen him just be.

I can't help but look at the irony in this situation; his father died from being shot and here he is sitting here with a bullet wound of his own. "Well at least you got a chance to know your father and make memories with him."

"So what about you?" He winced a little when he sat back in his chair.

"What about me?"

"I told you mine now tell me yours." That was only fair… he did just share with me.

"There's not much to tell. My father walked out on me and my mother when I was four. Every since then it's just been me and my mom; that is until she died a year ago."

"I'm sorry." He reached out and caressed my knee.

"Don't be, that's life I suppose. As far as my dad leaving that was probably the best thing he's ever done for me… anyway, he's dead now so of that matters anymore." I'll be the first to admit that I'm still bitter about not having my dad in my life. It's been twenty-two years and I'm still holding that grudge. "What the hell is taking Matty so long?" I ask trying to change to subject.

"Don't worry he'll come, he always does." Taylor leaned back in his chair tapping his finger tips on the table.

There it goes again, that nonchalant tone of his. 'Always.' That word repeated itself in my thoughts. "I didn't think that club owners we're shot at on such a regular basis… How about you tell me what it is you really do?"

"You look beautiful in this light." He said while flashing me one of his knee weakening smiles.

I tried to keep a stern expression on my face, but just looking at him makes me want to crack. "I'm serious Taylor. I feel like I'm the only one here that doesn't know what's going on around me."

"Trust me Gia, its best that way." All of his playfully mannerisms were gone. The tapping stopped and the smile went away.

"How can you ask me to trust you, when you don't trust me enough to tell me what it is you do?"

"Gia."

"Taylor."

"I collect debts and do other odd jobs for an employer of mine," was his vague reply. He tried to go for his cigarettes once more and was once again denied.

"Odd jobs like what?"

"I think you already know the answers to these questions you're asking."

He was right. I already knew, I tried to ignore all the tell-tell signs but tonight everything was brought to the forefront. It was time for me to just come out and ask him. "Taylor are you involved with the mob?"

"What mob?" He said with a hint of amusement.

"Do I look stupid to you? Between the cameras and the way you acted when I mentioned calling the cops, it doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure it out. So what are you, some type of enforcer?"

"Enforcer?"

"Yes enforcer, or would the correct term would be associate, judging from the fact that you're not full bloodied Italian."

"I'm not gonna ask how you know that."

"Which family do you 'work' for?" I asked. Taylor stood and grabbed me to stand with him. For a minute there I thought he finally grew tired of my questions; that's when I felt his hands patting me down. "What are you doing?"

"Checking for a wire." He continued on letting his hand roam every which way across my form.

I understand that he has to be careful in his line of work, so I stood there taking this sweet torture. I was quivering mentally at his touch, but that was partly due to him copping a feel here and there. The seconds rolled by and I realized that he was still touching me. "Um, it doesn't take this long to search someone, I'm not wired."

"Oh I found that out about ten seconds ago." He replied while still patting me down.

I smacked his hands away wanting to smack his face as well, the only thing that stopped me was his injury and that crooked smile on his face. "This is why you'll never get me alone in your van."

"I have you alone here and now." His arm wrapped around my waist pulling me closer to him.

My hands reached out to still his roaming ones. "You should be sitting down resting until Matty gets here."

"I ain't tired." Taylor's eyes locked in on me not breaking contact for a second. His head tilted slightly to the side as he leaned down to kiss me.

I stood there waiting and anticipating the feel of his soft lips against mine once more. Just as we were about to make a connection the sound of voices hit our ears. We jolted apart and Taylor automatically reached for his gun that sat on the table. The door that leads to the alley flew open and in walks Matty, Chris, and Marbles with five other guys. 'No wonder it took him so long, he had to call in the Calvary.' I was relieved to see that it was only Matty, but from the look on Taylor's face he couldn't say the same.

Taylors Pov

'Damn!' Matty has the worst fuckin' timing in the world. I take one step forward with this broad and get kicked back two. That's the story of my life I guess. Now I have to put up with these fuckers. Getting shot is the easy part; dealing with what comes after is the tough part. I look over at Gia and she doesn't look scared at all. 'That's interesting.' She has to know that these guys ain't insurance salesmen, well at least not the legit kind. Matty and the doctor walk over with Benny and Teddy; I can sense the agitation on them already, like they're the ones who's just been shot.

"What's the matter Taylor, you couldn't wait?" The doc examined the bandage that Gia wrapped around my shoulder.

"If I waited any longer I would have bleed to death." I sat down waiting to be examined.

"Whose work is this…I know it's not yours." He asked putting on his gloves. This was part I hated.

"It's mine." Said Gia. Everyone's attention turned to her. "The bullet went in and out. I wrapped the wound to slow down the bleeding, but he probably needs stitches." They all just stared at her like she was speaking some crazy foreign language.

The doc took all that gauze shit off to get a better look at bullet wound. "She's right, a couple of stitches and some pain killers, you'll be better in no time. I would tell you to get some rest, but I know that's not happening."

"You know me well doc." Matty, Scarpa and Marbles walked over to me. Marbles being the idiot that he is decides to poke me in my fuckin' shoulder.

Gia laughed shaking her head. "I see you're in capable hands so I'm gonna go home now." I heard her voice and looked up from the doc. When I turned to walk away, she ended up bumping into Teddy.

He stepped in her way when she tried to move pass him. "Wait a minute, before you go we need to talk to you." This is the part where I expected her to start panicking. Here she is in a room full of mob guys and one of them is stopping her from leaving, but she surprised me once more keeping her cool.

"Talk to me about what?" Her eyes turned to me; I gave her a small nod trying to keep her relaxed.

Matty stepped up beside her. "Gia, this is my uncle Teddy Deserve and this man here is my father, Benny Demaret… Pop this is Giana Brooks, she manages the joint." Benny shook her hand first, and then Teddy.

"Giana...what a lovely name." And here comes Teddy and his load of bullshit. I used to look up to the guy when I was a kid, nobody in the neighborhood was cooler than Teddy Deserve, but as you get older you start to see people for who they truly are. "We need you to tell us exactly what you saw tonight; for your protection of course."

"Well I didn't see much of anything. I heard the shots and then I went outside to see if Taylor was okay and that's when I saw him laying their on the ground."

"So you saw nobody else?" Benny asked her.

"No, no one."

"Did you call anyone else other than Matty?" asked Teddy.

"No, just Matty like Taylor told me." She sounded a little irritated, I would too if I had to keep repeating myself.

"Are you sure? We really need to know if you did." Teddy asked again.

Gia squeezed the back of her neck and let out a sigh. It looked like Teddy was about to be on the receiving end of that attitude of hers, so I answered him instead. "She said she didn't call anyone else. I was with her the whole time, I would have known if she did."

"Alright…okay. I apologize for all the questions, but this is a delicate situation and we need to know these things." Benny stepped in to delegate the situation. "Why don't I give you a ride home…Clueless give her a ride home."

"No thank you, that won't be necessary." She smiled and walked towards the door. Benny just shrugged it off and went back to talkin to Teddy.

'Here we go again' I stopped the doc from pokin' at me for a second, and followed her to the door. "Gia you shouldn't be out walkin' this late."

"Taylor don't start. I don't feel like arguing with you about this."

"So don't." I had to stop her from opening the door, she has to be the most stubborn woman I've ever met. "Scarpa come here a minute." He came over to the door and where we stood. "I need you to take Gia home. I don't care what she says; you take her straight to her front door."

"No problem Taylor." Chris held the door open for Gia waiting for her to walk through.

She shook her head finally giving up. "There's no winning with you is it?"

"Not a chance. Go get some sleep, I'll see you later." I said.

She leaned in close to give me a hug; that surprised the crap out of me, but not as much as her lips brushing against mine for a half a second before she pulled back. I guess she caught herself, but it was good while it lasted. "Goodnight Taylor." She rushed the words from her mouth and disappeared through the doorway.

When Chris and Gia finally left, I turned to see Matty giving me his 'I just caught you' grin. Before he could say anything Teddy piped in. "So who shot you?"