Aftermath (36 page)

He walked out.

CHAPTER TWENTY-NINE

Nico excused himself from the dinner table to take an important call.
It was Thanksgiving in America and a holiday which brought family together. Ari’s family were gathered en masse. The
instrumental prelude to a
classic
song
by Ben E. King played in the background muffled by the boisterous laughter of the revelers.

He peered over his shoulder at Ari who appeared to glow from pregnancy. She laughed at something her uncle said and he turned away as he walked into the privacy of the living room.

“Talk to me.”

“It’s done.”

“Thanks.”

Nico slipped the cell in his pocket and stood there, staring at the mantel filled with pictures of Ari and her siblings in different phases of growing up. Elementary school, outings, vacations, high school prom
, college graduation and in every frame he noticed the same determined look. She was a cute kid and grew into a lovely woman. He felt a touch on his side then a firm squeeze of an arm.

“Everything okay Nicolo?”

She said his entire name. With Ari it was a sign of worry, not anger and he gave her a hug. “I love you.
It’s always been that way sweetheart. I’m sorry for not being there and doing you wrong.
Ari, you are an incredible woman and I’m damn stupid, yes I am, because for a minute I forgot. There’s nobody I want more than you love. Nobody.”

The words were soft and tender. The detectives who questioned her about Nico and Alfonzo came by her office a
gain, four days
ago. This was the second time they appeared
at her office
unannounced and she suspected they were phishing. They were trying to intimidate
her,
hoping for a
react
ion or her to blab and
incriminat
e herself. She would never do that,
too much was at stake.

If they
had concrete evidence of wrongdoing, they would have arrested her already.
What they had
were
her stolen
divorce papers found in Gregory’s home
,
which her lawyer expeditiously
petitioned the caught get back.
When it was returned a few days ago,
she
lit
it
aflame.

“I love you so damn much Nicolo. I need you in my
life;
you make it so much better.
You’re funny as shit, smart and so good with those hands…
”

He chuckled, “Yeah?”

“Um-hum
..
.”
She grinned, “It’s nice having a man around to fix the sink.”

He laughed hard, “To fix the sink…is that it?”

“I’m kidding, but you’re good at so much. You make me feel safe, too.”

“Tell me more. I like hearing this shit. It’s an aphrodisiac sweetheart.”

“You’re everything this woman needs and have always wanted. I’m so happy.”
She leaned into
Nico’s
solid chest
and
inhal
ed
his
wonderful
cologne. Knowing in her heart the mistake she made was not in loving him but believing she could go on without
him
and make a fresh start. He was telling her he loved her, telling her he was sorry for it all and she felt sad because she
wasted every damn chance to say it
the same, until it was too late.

Nico
moved with her to the
slow
song.

‘
When the night has come and the land is dark,

And the moon is the only light we see,

No, I won't be afraid, oh, I won't be afraid,

Just as long as you stand, stand by me
,

So darling, darling, stand by me, oh, stand by me Oh,

S
tand, stand
by me, stand by me
…

Her head pressed against the hardness, her growing belly protected and her heart warmed by his heat. She wasn’t stupid, far from it. The FEDS and DSS were working diligently to get to Alfonzo Diaz. He was the modern version of the Teflon Don and through her they sought to do it. They were using her connection to Nico, the notorious and elusive enforcer and attaching the links on the chain. Nico didn’t have to say a damn thing. His eyes
were never
as
tender
as they were now
. He couldn’t stop
Alfonzo
, could he?

Blood doesn’t make family, loyalty does
.

Her
mistake
cost them their
future
.
She’d never get to see her family again. This moment was probably the last.

Alfonzo
had to kn
ow
about
the investigation
. He knew everything.
Nico
called
in favors from his underworld connections
to keep them all safe when he couldn’t be there? But, something about tonight bespoke an ending to her life and the unfamiliar after.

“
Nicolo I
’m scared,”
then she cried for them and her children and what was to come.

“Sweetheart
, i
t’s okay. You know I heard how you kicked ass out in PR. That’s some bad shit you did. A lady who can cap men like her ex-hubby is the real deal.”

She chuckled.
He made her feel better with the compliment and her fear went away. No, she wasn’t afraid anymore, not as long as they were together.

“You know what we are, don’t you?”

Her eyes were on his handsome face
, s
tudying it, lovingly. “What are we
,
mi amore
?”

His hands were strong around her, as he danced her to the melody and whispered, “
A
n inseparable and indestructible
team
.” Nico smiled warmly and stroked her wet cheek, “You are the most beautiful and desirable woman.
I love you to death
. Come on, no tears
. Let’s not waste this beautiful song
,
let’s
dance
sweetheart
…let’s dance.
”

She clutched at him, kissed his neck, not caring whether her family wondered where they had gone. The dark Sicilian whose hands were weapons of death held her tenderly, yet his kiss
came with the passion of
one
condemned
as they slow danced for their lives and stole comfort in between
.

If the sky that we look upon should tumble and fall
.

Or the mountain should crumble to the sea
.

I won't cry, I won't cry, no, I won't shed a tear
,

Just as long as you stand, stand by me
,

And darling, darling, stand by me
…
oh, stand by me
…
’

                                                 
****

Selange went in search of Alfonzo. There was joy in her step from the laughter coming from the assemblage of family. Alfonzo announced the
ir
wedding date and the congratulatory remarks flooding from the people she loved was music to a solitary heart. They were her family, every one of them and what she lost she gained in their acceptance and protection.

Carmen made dessert, a mouth-watering lemon meringue pie
which
Domingo
was about to
devour
.
Before he did, she wanted to give Lou a slice, which although he didn’t know it, was considered part of their family.

The pair had gone to the patio for beer
s
and that’s where she found them, sitting
facing the direction of
the shimmery pool
unaware of her approach.

“It’s going down tonight, right after they leave her parents’ home on the island.”

“Nobody knows anything about
it,
right?”

“Just the guys
handling it. T
hey’re in place now.”

“Fucking shame it comes to this.”

“Ari should
have known better. She got careless
boss
.
Something’s gotta be done.
”

“
The
boys
must go too
…
we can’t leave…
”

A
crash interrupted
the
conspiratorial
conversation
. Lou had his gun in hand by time
Alfonzo
swiveled and
spotted Selange standing
there. The gun disappeared as Alfonzo stood and approached the woman.

B
roken
china which once held
white and yellow crème
lay at Selange’s
feet.
Alfonzo wondered how long she stood there and what had she overheard?

Music and boisterous laughter
muffled
the fists pounding
at
his chest
as Selange screamed,
“No…
no…no….no…
Alfonzo
!”

He caught her wrists and held them, “Calm down…tranquilo!”

S
he was bawling and talking frantically, “
You can’t….you can’t do it.
I know you think you don’t have choices…but…but…you do. You think I’m the best part of your life
. But, that’s not true…you’re the best part of
mine
…you’re not cruel. I know it in my heart.”

He pulled her
into
a tight embrace. The vibrations of her words
seeped
through
his
skin.

“
You’ve saved me from the first day we met and…and…when I didn’t have anybody…
when everybody left me…i
t’s your love that took me in.
I believe in you, I trust you…honey she’s a good person…she is. Please Alfonzo…”

The hiccupping sobs tore at his resolve. He bowed his head to her hair and listened to her pleas.

“
You’re
Capo de tutti…you tell
people
what to do…stop it…
please honey…
save Ari, give her a second chance. Whatever she did wrong, let her make it right…”

He stood stiffly
,
squinting under the force of her
distress
.

“You
can’t kill Ari and her kids…she’s a mother…goddamn you…she’s me…she’s me
..
.
she’s me
…oh God…please…don’t do it…those boys…Ari.
”

The blue of his eyes were brilliant jewels and the dark eyebrow ascending a contrast in hues, dark and light, like
his life
. He
quieted her as one
would a lost child who feared the stranger in the dar
k. He wanted Lucifer to snatch his heart out of
his
body for certainly there was no goodness in him if he caused the woman he loved such misery.
She didn’t understand he’d already weighed his options.
Self-preservation was the deciding factor. He’d lose
life and tomorrows with her and the children.

Ariana Mattheson laundered money
. One payment was from the Three Kings. Paper money’s
traceable;
all you need is a starting point. There were arms dealers and smugglers who
might catch
wind of Alfonzo’s involvement in the
deaths and it could incite a full-blown
war.
Then there were the files
from the District Attorney’s office she’d
swiped
for Nico
.
She’d been careless when she stepped away from her husband
after the divorce by leaving the document in sight for someone to find.
Who
leaves a document like that
around identifying an ex-husband, a mafia enforcer by his true name?