Beautiful Life: The Carpino Series (24 page)

“Cory?” I call out over the alarm.

His agitated eyes come straight to me and I can sense his body start shaking. 

“Where is she, Cory?  I know you know her, you’ve been following us.  Where is my wife?” I demand.

“Where is my wife!” he screams back at me. 

Fuck, he’s out of it.  He keeps moving backwards and I keep moving toward him with my gun pointed at him, his arms are out and slightly elevated as if he’s trying to decide his next move.

“Cory?” I call again.  “Where is she?  She was here, tell me what you’ve done.”

“She was here, she was here!” he screams at the top of his lungs, again repeating my words. 

I’ve had enough, I need to find Leigh so I quickly move toward him.  Realizing I’m coming for him, he reaches for the first thing he sees and grabs the pitcher with Leigh’s bouquet in the middle of the island.  He tries to fling it toward me but it goes wide, hitting a cabinet.  Glass and pink rose petals fly every which way, flitting to the ground in what seems like slow motion.  He looks at the mess, realizing he missed me. I take advantage, move into him fast and tackle him from the side pushing him to the floor.  We both land with a “humph”.  I roll him to his stomach as he starts screaming and flailing, but not in an economical way where he has any chance of getting away.  I pull my knee up to his back and give him all my weight.  With my gun still trained on him, I grab one of his hands and pull it up his back until he belts out in pain.

“What did you do with her?  Where is she, Cory?” I scream at him again

Wincing and flailing from pain now, he yells, “What did you do with my dad?  He went away because of you.  You took him!  He went away, he went away!”

Fucking A.  He’s a mess, totally unstable.  But he still doesn’t tell me where Leigh is.

Almost on the brink myself and thinking I might have to torture the information out of him, I hear voices from behind me, “Police!”

Not moving a muscle and with my gun still pointed to his back, I don’t take my eyes off Cory.  I see five police officers out of the corner of my eye moving toward us with their own weapons drawn and pointed at us on the kitchen floor.

“This is my house,” I yell over the alarm still ringing loud.  “I came in through the basement and found him in the kitchen.  My wife was home and I still don’t know where she is.”

One of the officers lowers his gun and goes for his cuffs while directing, “Go.  Clear the main floor then two up and two down.  Clear the house and look for her.  Do it fast.” 

He comes to me and says, “Let me get him cuffed and go turn off that alarm.”

He quickly radio’s in what’s happening and moves to take Cory’s arm I have pinned between his shoulder blades.  I stand as soon as he has his other arm, vaguely realizing Cory is now crying, almost sobbing as I move to the alarm panel.  Turning off the alarm, I feel my phone vibrate in my pocket.  Yanking it out, I feel like my heart clinch when I see the words “Gem Calling” show up on the screen.

“Leigh?” I bite out into the phone.

“Hey honey, sorry I missed your call.  My hands were busy.”

Hearing her voice across the phone, I let my head drop with the phone still to my ear and bring up the other to run it through my hair in relief.  Holding the back of my head, I mutter, “Fuck.”

“Tony?”

“Sweetheart,” I fight to control my voice but continue with meaning. “Where are you?”

“I was in a hurry, I couldn’t call first because I was worried about Rosa.  She called and was out of breath, felt like her heart was racing.  She couldn’t get ahold of any of her kids and refused to call an ambulance herself.  I know you didn’t want me to leave but I had no choice, I had to check her blood pressure.  I got her to take an aspirin, but it’s not as high as I expected it to be and my guess is it’s a side effect of her new medication. We got ahold of her son and he’s on his way to take her to the ER just in case,” she rambles on.  I have a hard time concentrating on what she’s saying because all I can think about is the fact she’s ok.

I don’t say anything as I’m trying to find my breath when she calls out for me again, “Honey, are you there?”

Finally jerking out of my stupor from learning she’s okay, I look quickly around my house as the police finally make it back to the kitchen.  I recognize something else is missing when I demand, “Where’s Fin?”

“Well, he’s with me,” she answers, like I’m absurd to even ask the question to begin with, as if there was any other place on Earth he would be other than with her.

“Come home when you’ve got Rosa settled.  Something has happened.  We’ve had a break in.”

“A break in?” she exclaims in my ear.

“Yeah.  I’m just fucking grateful you weren’t here.  If you need help with Rosa, call Paige.  She can help, but get home as fast as you can,” I say, feeling the need to see her, touch her, making it real that she’s healthy and untouched. I insist further, “Soon, Leigh.”

“I’ll be there as soon as Rosa’s son gets here.  Tell me what happened, is everything okay?”

I look around my house at the mess, the police, the broken glass, Cory Blaton in custody and clearly needing all kinds of psychological help when my eyes finally settle on the rose petals littered all over the floor in front of me.  Thinking today could have been tragic, disastrous but even worse, life changing, I keep my eyes on her rose petals and say, “Yeah, gem.  Everything is going to be okay.  Come to me as quick as you can.”

“Okay, honey.  I’ll be there quick.  Love you,” she says softly.

“Love you, too, Leigh.  Quick,” I assert one more time.

“As quick as I can,” she reiterates before hanging up.

I turn to see two police officers dragging Cory toward the front door.  I turn to another officer and say, “I know who he is and he’s not well, you need to treat him accordingly.  I’ll get his mother’s contact information to you as soon as I can find it, but he’s been off whatever medication he requires for almost a week.  See to it they get him whatever medical attention he needs right away.”

“I figured,” the police officer agrees.  “But that’s good to know.  I’ll radio that in and he’ll be processed accordingly.  Let me know when you get the contact information, we’ll reach out to his family.”

I turn to my phone again touching the screen to make my first call, finally able to breathe clear and easy.  Leigh’s okay.  There’s no more threat.  I really don’t think we have to worry about her ex-fucking-husband anymore.  My new mother-in-law has been put in her place and sent back to South Dakota.  Leigh’s sister is hopefully on the path to a healthy life.  My mom’s not completely pissed and shouldn’t disown me anytime soon.  And I shake my head as I realize I’m even relieved my damn dog is okay. 

“Dad?” I call into the phone as I look around my house at the disorder surrounding me.  “Yeah, I don’t think I’ll make it back into the office today.”

I leave my office and head to my car to get home to Leigh.  I can’t wait to tell her my news at the same time I’m dreading having to tell her my news.  That’s because I have good news.

And bad.

It’s Saturday and we’re full on into spring with the days getting longer and warmer.  I’ve been to the gym to play basketball but I’m later getting home than usual because my dad and Gino summoned me to the office for a quick Saturday meeting.  While there, I also got a call from the DA.  Both delivering me the good and bad news I get to share with my wife. 

My wife.

The last couple of months have been perfect, regardless of the fact life hasn’t settled down.  My embezzlement case has monopolized my time at work, demanding longer hours and time on the weekends.  But the publicity of the case has garnered many new clients.  Many, many new clients and we’re still evaluating which cases we can take on.  This is all really good for the practice and me, which I normally wouldn’t mind, but all this extra work has prolonged my plans for a honeymoon.  And that makes me irritable and pissed because I’m anxious to get away with Leigh. 

When I mentioned this out loud in front of my family one day, my mother looked at me with a raised eyebrow and said, “When you don’t plan a wedding, you can’t plan the honeymoon.  You can’t have it both ways, Tone.”

Whenever my mother makes comments like this, and it happens frequently, Leigh looks at me with her big eyes while biting her lip.  Lizzie Carpino has gotten over it for the part, but I have a feeling I’m going to be eating her shit for the rest of my days. 

I don’t care.  It was worth it.

Leigh has been equally busy and other than being back at work, all of her attention has been on her sister.  Tina decided to stay in treatment for an additional fourteen days past her initial thirty.  Leigh was able to visit her more often and went as much as she could.  When Tina finally left the treatment center she moved in with us.  I could tell Leigh was concerned how I would react, but I didn’t care.  They needed to be close to each other and are building their relationship for the first time.  I didn’t tell her this, but I might’ve had to put my foot down if it was her mother.  Hopefully I won’t ever have to worry about that.  Sheila Johnson hasn’t been back and Leigh has done everything she could to keep her away from Tina. 

Tina moved into Leigh’s apartment last week to which Leigh said, “See, I’m so glad I got an apartment.  What would we have done without it?”

Tina starts cosmetology school next week, which Leigh is also paying for and explained, “That money is just sitting in the bank, what else am I going to do with it?  Plus I think it’s funny to think about Preston paying for cosmetology school since he’s so stuck up.  I’m more than happy to spend his money on it.”  Then she added, “And honey, Tina’s going to want to cut your hair.  Since she’s decided to do this, she can’t stop talking about how lush your hair is, which is true.  But don’t worry, I love your hair, I won’t let her go crazy.  What would I have to hold on to then?”

After that comment, I dropped my fork on my dinner plate because I had to fuck my wife right there in the kitchen while she held on to my hair.  I’ve always loved her hands in my hair, but now I love it even more so I’ve decided to let it grow as long as I can without looking like a hippie in a suit when I go to court. 

I pull into my drive and park in the garage next to Leigh’s new car.  I never thought I could work a new car into the scenario so soon, but the timing was perfect and I took every advantage.  However perfect the timing was, it was still our first argument as a married couple. 

A few weeks ago when Tina was making plans to move into Leigh’s apartment, Tina was worried about finding a car since she has no income and is basically starting her life over with nothing.  After thinking about this for about point seven five seconds, I said to Leigh in front of Tina, “You should give Tina your car, we’ll get you something else.”

Leigh immediately frowned at me but it’s Tina who said, “Oh, I love your car but I could never accept it.  Don’t worry, I’ll figure something out.”

I smiled big at my frowning wife and replied, “See?  She loves it.  It gets great gas mileage and she’ll be on a budget.  I can’t think of a better solution.”

Frowning even deeper and completely vexed, she retorted in her barely controlled voice, “I bet you can’t.”

“Well, this couldn’t have worked out better,” I said, extremely pleased with myself.  I looked to my wife, whom I’m having all kinds of unprotected sex with and added with meaning which I knew she’d get, “She needs a car.  You’ll eventually need something bigger.  Two birds.  One stone.  Done.”  Looking back at Tina I add, “Congratulations on your gently used new ride.  You’re gonna love it.  I hear it’s a happy car.”

I then tagged my pissed off wife behind the head and pulled her in to kiss me, even though she didn’t return my kiss and her lips were as hard as steel.  She tried to pull away from me, but I barely let her move and looked into her eyes, “We’ll go car shopping this weekend.  It was so much fun last time, I can’t wait.”

I kissed her on the forehead before she tore her head out of my hand and said, “Love you,” before grabbing my jacket to head to work.

This led to the two week debacle of car arguing.  I first took her to a Ford dealership to drive an Expedition.  She proceeded to stand in the parking lot in front of a row of brand new shiny Expeditions and almost yelled at me in front of the salesman, “You want me to drive that?”

“Yeah,” I answered.  “We’ll grow into it.  It’s big so you can see everything and it’s safe.”

“I’m not driving that,” she said, completely pissed.  “I’m not even getting in that.”

“What about a Tahoe?  Like Gabby’s.”

“Wait,” the salesman interjected, not wanting us to go to a Chevy dealership.  “Maybe she would like something smaller, like the Explorer.”

She looked straight at the salesman, and totally out of character for Leigh, said rudely, “Did you not just see us drive up in an Explorer?  We are
not
going to own two Explorers.”  She then marched back to my Explorer, got in and sat there grumpily waiting on me. 

I drove her straight to a Toyota dealership and standing in front of a Sequoia she looked over at me and said in a quiet but menacing voice, “I love you, but are you deaf or just dense?”

“What?” I asked.  “It’s not their biggest SUV.  The Land Cruiser is even bigger.  I thought a foreign brand might make you happy.”

She silently walked straight to me and grabbed my keys out of my hand, turned again and walked straight back to my Explorer getting in behind the wheel.  I give a shake of my head to the salesman in silent apology and moved slowly to the passenger seat. 

She drove us straight to the Volkswagen dealership.  Before I knew it, I was standing in front of a Jetta next to fucking Brendon, the fucking car salesman, who was grinning down at Leigh. 

I looked over at my wife who was biting her lip while trying to suppress her smile.  She said in a question, “It’s bigger?”

It was my turn to be pissed off, so I glared at fucking Brendon before looking back at Leigh to respond, “No way.”  I grabbed my keys back out of her hand and marched my ass back to the car hearing her follow. 

After she got in, I looked through the windshield before pulling out and said, “We need to talk about it some more,” before driving us straight home after a long day of car shopping but never driving one car.

A week later, I took her to a Volvo dealership and we were again in a car shopping standoff.  I finally said, “Leigh.  We have to drive something eventually.”

“Fine,” she huffs.  But then adds while pointing at the XC90 I want to buy her, “I’ll drive a four door, but I am not driving this.”

“Maybe we should move over to the S80?” the older female said, smiling kindly at Leigh.

“Thank you,” she said to the saleslady as she glared at me. 

We drove it.  It was a sweet car and a smooth ride, but most importantly, one of the safest cars on the road in its Class.  Leigh complained it was still too big, but she didn’t march off the lot and she was still speaking to me so I thought this was a good sign.  We left the dealership and she agreed to think about it, so I wasn’t as pissed as I was the week before.

Three days later we were in bed, Leigh was naked and squirming on her back.  I had her legs hitched high and wide holding her ankles tight.  I was kissing the inside of her thigh down to between her legs where she was again waxed bare for me and I could tell very ready, glistening with moisture. 

“Sweetheart,” I started as I licked her clit lightly.  “Have you decided on a color?”

I heard her gasp as she lifted her hips to get more from me, “Are you kidding me?”

Smiling, I said, “No,” before I pushed her legs even higher and wider while blowing lightly up and down between her legs.

“Tony!” she half way yelled at me.

I licked at her one more time, “We need to get you a car.  You need to decide.”

“Please,” she moaned.

“If you don’t think I can do this all night, you’re crazy.”

“Honey,” she complained again.

I leaned down to pull her hard, swollen clit between my lips loving the feel and taste of her in my mouth.  She jerked and called out louder for me, but I let her clit go and said, “Pick a color.”

“Fine,” she said out of breath finally giving in.  “Silver.”

I grinned, dipped my head again to lick her swollen lips and wetness between her legs before I asked, “The S80?”

“Whatever,” she mumbled, lifting her hips again hoping to find my mouth.

Finally. 

I lifted my head to look up at her from between her legs and said, “I’ll get it myself.  That way we don’t have to go together, I’ll go tomorrow.”

“Great,” she managed sarcastically before I dip my head one more time to pull her clit into my mouth, hard this time while gently using my teeth and she came instantly.  Letting her go, I crawl up and immediately surge into her slick wetness with nothing between us, loving the feel of her. 

Still breathing hard, she said, “That wasn’t fair.”

“I know,” I managed and started to move faster.

“You’re crazy, Tony Carpino.  I can’t believe you just did that.”

“Look who’s talkative now, Leigh Carpino,” I breathed, not able to control myself, feeling close and needing to move harder.

“It must be rubbing off,” she kept on, but this time talking as she threaded a hand through my hair to hang on.

“Gem,” I moaned into her ear.

“Harder, Tone,” I heard her breath quicken again and felt her contact around my dick.

I gave her what she wanted and could feel and hear her moan again at the same time I shoot into my wife, finally staying planted deep.

Other than car shopping, married life with Leigh has been everything I could have hoped for and more.  Grinning just thinking about car shopping, I walk around Leigh’s new car that I think is the shit and she finally admits is just okay.   I walk into a silent and quiet house, wondering where she and Fin are since they’re never far apart. 

“Leigh?” I call while looking around and finally see her sitting outside in the middle of the yard, ass to the ground again with her dog.

I move to the deck door and down the stairs to the patio and yard.  She’s sitting with her long bare legs crossed, wearing shorts and a tee with Fin laid out in front of her while she’s scratching his back. 

“What are you doing?” I ask as I sit with her in between my legs, fitting my chest to her back. 

“We were playing fetch and he got tired,” she says, leaning back into me without looking away from her dog.  “How was basketball and your meeting?”

“Good.  And better.  But I have news for you.  You want the good or the bad first?”

She twists to look at me frowning, “Bad news?”

I pull the band out of her hair letting it fall down her back and go on, “Kind of bad.  I got a call from the DA this morning.  Two nights ago Preston was pulled over and didn’t pass a sobriety test.  He was arrested.  His blood alcohol level was high, as in pretty damn high.”

Cocking her head to the side she asks, “What does that mean?”

“It means he’s violated his probation.  He’s in jail now and I don’t think he’s getting out.  In fact, he’ll be there for a while,” I explain.

Her brow furrows further, “What’s the bad news?”

It’s my turn to cock my head as I say, “I guess I thought any news about Preston would be bad.”

Giving her head a little shake, she looks back to her dog, “I guess it’s not good or bad, just news.  I don’t care about Preston or what happens to him.  I do everything I can not to think of him.  Although it is a little ironic he’s in jail for violating his parole by drunk driving when I just donated over half his money to Tina’s treatment center.”

I chuckle into the back of her head and say, “Yeah, that is ironic.  Sorry, maybe I shouldn’t have told you.”

“No, I didn’t mean it that way.  I just meant I don’t care what happens to Preston.  What’s the good news?”

“Okay then,” I start, thinking she’s in a weird mood but move on.  “They offered me partner today.”