I made a mental note to stop messing with their grids whenever I wanted to break into my girlfriend’s house. I was already going to owe the mafia a favor for this; there was no need to paint an even bigger target on my back.
“You like the coffee?” Junior asked.
He was seated across from me on a bench with two much larger men I hadn’t been introduced to – probably for the better. There were two more on either side of me, and at first, I worried they were my cleanup crew until they started talking logistics about what we were about to do.
“The coffee is great,” I said.
Junior nodded. “Make sure to tell my old man if you want to get on his good side. He’s vain as hell about his barista skills.” He frowned and turned toward the man on his right. “Baristo? Is that a gendered term?”
“No idea,” the guy grumbled.
My phone chimed in my pocket, and I slouched backward on the bench to fish it out. The second I saw Aly’s text, I blew out a relieved breath. “They made it to the garage safely.”
“Took them long enough,” Junior mumbled.
Where are you? Aly asked.
Doing secret agent shit, I told her.
What do you mean? Are you not at his house anymore?
Smart woman, being vague on the details.
Nope. Out and about, I told her.
What do you mean? Are you already doing something for him?
Maaaybe, I texted back.
WHAT DO YOU MEAN?
I sent her three laughing emojis.
Josh, I am serious right now. Do not do anything for him. This is how they get you.
She was probably right, but there was no way I was backing out now. Not when the alternative was the cops becoming suspicious when Brad’s shit went missing along with him.
I took a deep breath and texted her back. I’ll be safe, I promise. But this needs to get done. Please trust me.
I think you know how much I trust you, she said, and nope, I did not need the reminder of how willingly she’d worn my hand like a necklace while crammed in a van with seven other men.
It’s everyone else I don’t trust, she said. If anything happens to you, I’m going scorched earth. Tell whichever of my asshole cousins you’re with.
I glanced up and found Junior watching me.
“Yeah?” he said.
“Aly wanted me to pass along a warning.”
He raised his brows and canted his head, waiting.
“She said to make sure I get home safe,” I said.
He snorted. “I’m sure it was that PG. You know, for someone not in the family business, she sure shares a lot of our traits.”
The guy next to Junior elbowed him in the ribs. “Maybe it’s genetic.”
Junior turned slowly toward him. “What are you saying? That all Italians are meant to be in the mob?”
“Uh, no,” the guy said, backtracking.
“Because that’s racist, Phil.”
I ducked my head and refocused on my phone. Nope. Not contributing to that argument.
I told him, I said. You’ll be pleased to know that he was shooketh.
Impressive, she texted back. Few people know the old English form of that word.
I grinned. Now that Aly had stopped pretending to be annoyed by my needling, she’d started giving it back to me, and I liked it. A lot.
I slipped a key in your purse, I told her. It’s to my place. If you want to get yourself and The Chosen One settled there, I can meet you after I’m done.
What about Tyler? she asked. Won’t that be awkward?
I blinked. Right. Somehow, I’d forgotten about him. And the fact that he and Aly had been together. My brain had probably buried the information to protect me, but now it didn’t feel necessary. They’d never been serious, and I knew neither of them still harbored feelings for the other, so there wasn’t a need to feel threatened or insecure.
I texted my roommate. Remember how I agreed to help Aly?
It was barely five in the morning, but Tyler was an early riser, and even on the weekends, he had difficulty sleeping in. His response came through almost immediately.
Please tell me you two hit it off, he said.
I grinned. I’d lucked out in the best friend department.
A little bubble appeared, telling me he was typing. Another text came through a second later. Because you’ve been creepier than normal lately, and I was starting to think I needed to call Maria and Rob for another intervention.
And just like that, he ruined it.
No need to involve my parents, I told him. I asked Aly to be my girlfriend.
Grats! Tyler texted. Wait, she said yes, right?
Yeah. Do you mind if she comes over?
Not a problem, he said. Are you not going to be with her?
No, I told him. I have to take care of something, and then I’ll be back in an hour or two. Her house needs to get fumigated, so she’ll have her cat with her.
Great. That little shit hates me.
My grin returned. I’d never get over how special it made me feel that I was one of only two humans Fred tolerated. How dare you impugn the good name of my son.
Your son?
Yes. Sir Frederick Cappellucci-Hammond, the first of his name.
Tyler texted me an eye roll emoji. Thank fucking god there’s a woman in your life to take some of your weirdness off my hands.
Unlike Aly, Tyler didn’t seem to appreciate my particular brand of humor.
Thanks for this, I said. She’ll be there in a little while. I gave her a key so she could let herself in.
Daaamn. A key already? You went in hard. She know about your dad yet?
My grin slipped as a fresh wave of guilt washed over me. Not yet. She knows my childhood was rough, but not the full extent of it. I plan on telling her when I get home.
Let me know if you want me there to help explain it all, he said.
I think I’ll be okay, but thank you.
I switched back to Aly’s text thread. He’s cool with it.
You sure? she asked. This will sound horrible, but I didn’t even think about how he might feel about us until now.
Ha! I did the same thing. I blame you for it.
Me?! she wrote back. How is this my fault?
Oh, I think you know, I said. And don’t worry. He’s just happy I’m happy.
I’m happy you’re happy, too, she wrote.