“It hurts, but no more drugs. I’m alive and I can move all my parts, so the rest is just an inconvenience.”
Forty minutes later Hannah had fallen asleep on Cain’s bed after covering all the highlights of her life with great animation. From the moment the blue eyes turned her way, Cain lost her heart, and the past four years almost didn’t matter.
“What happened with Hayden?” asked Cain in a whisper. The small little body pressed to hers felt like a dream.
“I told him about Hannah and he got upset.”
She nodded slowly. “You told him I knew, didn’t you?”
“Something else I have to apologize for. I said it without thinking, but I swear it wasn’t to hurt you. He got angry and said something like he was being replaced and he wanted to be alone. I’m sorry, Cain. He must’ve run off after he dismissed all of us.”
“Hayden knew better and he’s smart, so he’ll be fine as long as Bracato behaves.”
“What does that mean exactly?” Emma kept her voice low, but Cain could hear the panic in it.
“He’s dealing with a child who’s a little advanced and who’s a master wordsmith when he wants to be. Hayden starts taunting Big Gino, and I can’t promise he won’t come back without a bruise or two.”
Green eyes opened in shock. “And you’re okay with this?”
“That happens and I’ll feed Bracato his kidneys with a spoon.” The threat was real and delivered with the same calm tone. “Now, about tonight.”
“I’m going, and you can’t stop me.”
“Just listen, okay? I want you, no matter what happens or how Hayden looks, to trade Bracato’s for ours. I mean it, Emma. Nothing fancy. Don’t let Merrick or anyone talk you into something stupid.”
“This Bracato idiot gets away with all this? He took our son and had you shot.”
“And he’ll be dealt with in time. I don’t want to wait, but he’s left me in no shape to act now.”
“But I can—” Emma started to give her pitch.
“You can milk cows, but this is out of your league. I’m not telling you that to insult you. It’s to keep you whole. We are who we are, Emma, and what needs to happen to Giovanni isn’t in you.”
“What do you want me to do?”
*
The room had only one small window, but it did have a good view of the sky. Not that the gray clouds were much to look at, thought Hayden, as he sat gazing out at the constant drizzle that had been falling almost as long as he’d been sitting in one of the hardwood chairs. What had started as a ride to clear his head had turned into a nightmare he couldn’t begin to imagine how to explain to Cain.
He had barely moved since the three men who had grabbed him had turned the lock and left him alone. He had wanted to cry, but he couldn’t give in to the weak part of his mind. So he did the only thing he could think to stem the tide of fear; he imagined how Cain would act in the same situation.
Behind him someone put the key in the lock and opened the door with a loud squeak. Hayden squeezed the arms of the chair, but he didn’t turn around.
Giovanni Bracato, a handkerchief in one hand to wipe away the drool from his numb mouth, sat down in the chair across from him. After his meeting with Emma, the big man had spent the afternoon in the dentist chair repairing the damage. When this situation was over, he and Emma would meet again.
“What you looking at, kid?” Almost every word out of Gino’s mouth began with a distinct ‘s’ sound.
Hayden couldn’t help but laugh. “Mouth problems, Sylvester?”
“My name’s Mr. Bracato, remember that. Who the fuck is Sylvester?”
“The idiot cat in the cartoons. You must not watch much TV, Sylvester. You want to let me out now? I’ve had a wonderful time here today, but I don’t want to be late for dinner.”
“Just like that bitch Cain, aren’t you? She’s not so big now, little man. All those wisecracks of hers aren’t doing her any good since she’s flat on her back. Cain found out what I’ve known all along. I’m better at the game and I won. Get yourself a watering can, kid, ’cause you ain’t got nothing but a vegetable now.”
“Oh yeah, then who’s responsible for your dental work?”
“I owe the blond spawn who brought you into the world a return visit once I get my family back, so let’s go.” Gino got up so fast the chair slammed up against the wall, rattling the window.
“Where’re you taking me?”
“I’m dropping you off where we found you. Don’t think I’m doing this because I’m worried. I have all the time in the world to take care of your family. I promise I’m coming back to skin you alive, kid, only I want to do it in front of your innocent little mother. Sort of a payback for touching my grandson.” The overweight man grabbed Hayden by the neck and led him out of the room to the garage of the building. Twenty minutes later he let him out a block from Cain’s house.
“Put that bitch on the phone,” Gino ordered, when the number Emma had given him was answered.
“I see your trip to the dentist did nothing to improve your vocabulary. What can I do for you, Giovanni? I can call you Giovanni, can’t I?” Emma hadn’t been back in the house an hour when the cell phone ringing surprised her.
“Open the door and cut the crap. If my grandson isn’t by the curb before the kid hits the door, I’ll have him shot.”
She dropped the phone and ran to the front door, calling for Merrick the whole way. Three houses down was the most beautiful sight she’d seen in forever. A healthy-looking Hayden was ambling back to the house, and if she wondered why he was moving so slowly, the gun pointed out the window of the large car behind him was her answer.
“He needs to see some kid before I can come in.” Hayden’s voice quivered, and he felt as if his knees would give out before he crossed the threshold, but he kept moving.
“Merrick, get Little Gino, and make it fast.” Emma shouted the order to the running footsteps behind her since she refused to take her eyes off her son.
Carmen handed Gino to Emma and retreated into the house. In case of trouble, she wasn’t going to be caught in the middle.
“Mook, give a heads-up to the guys along the fence. Anything happens and that car is a piece of history, got me?”
“Yes, ma’am.”
Emmaheeheaded eased out of the house with the infant. “It’s all right, Gino. It’s your grandfather coming to pick you up. I’m going to leave you right here, and he’s going to drive up.” In a louder voice, she spoke to Hayden. “Go on and get in the house. It’s going to be all right now, Hayden.”
“But what about you?”
“I’ll be fine. Just go so I’ll know you’ll be safe.” She turned her back on the approaching car long enough to see Merrick pull Hayden into the house.
Giovanni had ordered the car stopped and had gotten out so as not to scare the boy in Emma’s arms.
“I’m not real sure why you moved up the timeline for this, but thank you for returning my son.”
“Don’t thank me yet. Put him down, and my man will come and get him, so tell your dogs to keep their cool.”
The boy was scooped up off the front lawn as soon as Emma put him down, but Giovanni wasn’t in the mood for sentimental reunions and waved his man toward the open door. When he and the baby were safely back in the car, he turned his attention back to Emma. “Where are my sons?”
“Give me your word you’ll leave my family in peace, and I’ll make a phone call and have them released.”
“And if I don’t?”
“I’ll let Cain decide what to do with them.”
Giovanni swiped the white cloth in his hand across his mouth before he answered. If he despised Cain, this little woman was quickly gaining on her. “The bitch’s in a coma.” He saw Emma flinch.
“Then think of how long you’ll have to wait.”
Behind Emma, Merrick was warring between cheering the woman on or running out and slapping her. “Emma, what in the hell are you doing? We got the kid back. Let the rest go.”