Daddy's Boy (11 page)

“Does it matter? You guys are nothing more than ex’s.” Jonah asked while showing Lucca how to pet Miss Daisy.

“No I guess it doesn’t.” Only it did because I wanted to be back in that bed with Rachel. Not just back in bed, I wanted Rachel back.

“Damn this place is looking good.” Ben whistled stepping through the front door.

“What’s happening Ben?” Jonah asked offering Ben his hand.

“Good man, holy shit that baby looks like Denny.” Ben screeched, his head jumping from Denny to Lucca.

Chuckling I picked Lucca up. “Ben met my son Lucca.”

“You with a kid, who would have thought.” Ben snickered.

“Asshole.” I said with a smile so he knew I was joking with him. “What do you have for us?”

Shaking his head Ben looked down at the ground. “Sorry boss but I’ve got nothing. The boys and I have looked and asked everyone. No one has seen Darcy or heard about a missing cop. This Darcy chick is not known around the Denver underground.”

“Darcy was careful to keep herself away from the Denver underground.” Jonah mumbled taking Lucca’s outstretched hand.

If the boys found nothing that meant there was nothing to find. Maybe Jack really was on vacation. I wanted to believe that but my gut just wouldn’t let me, plus being on vacation did not explain his trashed apartment.

What would someone like Darcy want with Jack?

“Why do you think this chick has the cop?” Ben asked.

“I’ve been trying to figure that one out and the only thing that even connects them is Jack knowing Vinnie was stealing money from Mika the Russian mafia’s top drug lord. Maybe they somehow found out about Jack and your Dad working to together Jonah.”

“How would Mika find that out?” Jonah asked taking off his glasses and rubbing his eyes. “There are only a handful of us who even know about it.”

“Maybe the cop told someone we don’t know?” Ben offered.

“A someone who isn’t in the drug scene.” Jonah said looking at Ben and nodding his head.

“So the Russian’s are trying to save face? Someone like Vinnie able to take money from you for more than ten years can’t be good for future business. Give me the rest of the day to work this angle.” Ben said already walking towards the door.

“Let’s go see Mason maybe he can help us find out who Jack would talk to. His boss is an ex Denver cop right?”

“Yeah.” Jonah answered bending down to clip a leash on to Miss Daisy’s collar, then doing the same to Rocco.

“Let’s go but we have to run to the town house to get Lucca’s diaper bag. Actually maybe we should take him to the babysitter’s house. Playing detective with my son isn’t really sitting right with me.”

“Look at you playing daddy.”

“It’s a good feeling brother.”

“Well good because it’s about damn time.”

****

I was watching the door praying Ryan didn’t come in. No way could I keep the guilt off my face. What happened with Denny this morning was far worse than the kiss we shared outside the police station. Not only was I feeling guilty because I had a boyfriend but I was also feeling a little used. Denny didn’t want me he only wanted sex. After the act was done it would mean nothing to him and everything to me. And wasn’t that just goddamn depressing. Loving and wanting someone you knew didn’t love or want you.

Bouncing through the coffee shop doors with Cole chasing after her, Olivia rushed towards me.

Shit did something happen? Had Denny found my dad?

Moving quickly towards her I met Olivia in the middle of the coffee shop floor. “What’s wrong?”

“Denny told Jonah about what happened this morning and well those boys are like girls so Jonah told me. Then I was going to tell Ty but he’s been in a meeting like all day, Shark hates gossip and Cole is a moody fucker that never comments back. I tried to think of other people I know but well right there are all the friends I have. But this is just too good not to be gossiped about, so I thought screw them the best person to gossip about this with is the person it involved. So,” Olivia said finally taking a breath, “I came here.”

Well holy crap, that was a lot to take in in just thirty seconds. 

“Jesus Olivia don’t forget to breathe.” Cole mumbled shaking his head. “You two do that girl thing, I’ll be sitting with Kay. And Olivia for the love of God don’t do anything that could get my ass kicked.”

“I’ll try.” Olivia said with a big smile as she found a seat a couple of tables away from Kay and Cole.

“Why would he get his ass kicked?” I asked after getting Olivia and myself a coffee.

“The day I called Darcy, Cole was on Olivia duty. So Cole got screamed at by a very pissed off Jonah.”

Olivia had a babysitter? I would not take that shit. “How old are you?”

“I’ll be twenty next month.”

Shaking my head I swallowed a big gulp of coffee. “You’re almost twenty Olivia tell Jonah to fuck off, you don’t need a babysitter.”

“I really want to some days.” Olivia said looking down at her hands playing with her coffee lid. “But after being kidnapped twice, tortured by Vinnie and knowing Mika has been watching me for the last four years, it’s safer. And it makes Jonah feel better that I’m not alone.”

Listening to Olivia’s words I noticed the pink scar across her neck and the still healing scars around both wrists.

Gasping, I felt my stomach roll. “Vinnie did that?”

Turning her hands over Olivia touched the worst looking scare on her right wrist. “They’re ugly aren’t they?” She said sounding so sad I couldn’t help but rush to her side and pull the younger girl into a tight hug.

“Olivia you are the most beautiful person I’ve ever met. Those scars don’t touch the beauty that is you.” Giving Olivia a quick kiss on the forehead I went back to my seat.

“Rachel do you still love Denny?” Olivia asked as soon as my ass hit the seat.

I could lie, I should lie seeing as she was sure to tell Jonah and Jonah would tell Denny. But there was just something about Olivia that wouldn’t let me lie. Was it the innocence that was always shining like a light in her eyes?

“Yes I do still love him.”

“Then why aren’t you still with him?” Olivia said making it sound so simple.

“I ask myself that question every day. One minute everything was fine the next Denny was telling me we were done and that we couldn’t be together. Honestly the more I replay it in my mind the more confused I get.” Olivia was listening to me but she was watching Cole like a hawk.

“I’m sorry I wish I knew. But truth be told Denny hasn’t even told Jonah what happened between you guys.”

That was interesting seeing as Denny told Jonah everything but right now Olivia’s body language had my full attention. Her eyes were constantly jumping to Cole watching him, making sure she knew where he was at all times. Her body was held as stiff as a board and it only got tighter whenever the door opened and a new person walked in.

“Olivia are you ok?”

“I’m fine.” Olivia said smiling at me.

“You’re scared Olivia.” I said causing Olivia eyes to widen in shock. “You keep looking for Cole and every time he moves your body gets ready to run after him. I’m not sure who you think is going to come through that door but whoever it is I won’t let them hurt you Olivia. You don’t have to be scared babe.” I said sliding my hand across the table and taking her hands in mine.

“I’m scared all the time.” Olivia whispered looking down at our hands. “It’s funny because when I was tied to a chair with Vinnie hitting me and telling me he was going to kill me I wasn’t scared. God I spent the whole time laughing at him. But now it plays back in my mind and I’m so scared I can’t think. And what Vinnie did is nothing compared to what Mika will do.”

“Who is Mika?”

“He’s the Russian mob’s top drug lord. For four years he had a girl named Darcy living with me acting as my friend for reasons Jonah and the boys can’t figure out. But I looked into him without Jonah knowing and the things he has done Rachel. He makes Vinnie look like a good guy. He has the police, FBI and DEA working for him. Mika could kill me and get away with it.”

Someone worse than Vinnie Jesus, no wonder Olivia was scared.

“Mika isn’t going to kill you. He would have to get close to you to do that and I know Jonah would never let him get that close Olivia.”

“Mika was close a couple of months ago. He was following me in a black car.”

Ah shit. “Does Jonah and Denny know this?”

Nodding her sad eyes she looked up at me. “Yes and no. They tried to find the car but never did so they can’t confirm it. But I know it was Mika. Just like I know Mika is going to be the person to end my life.”

Fear, panic and a sharp pain in my stomach all hit me at once. Was I a person that believed in feelings and following ones gut? No, I really wasn’t but Olivia said it with such certainty I couldn’t find it in myself not to believe her.

So now what did I say? I would say nothing until I could talk to Denny. This underground World and talk of killing was not my World.

****

After dropping the dogs at home and Lucca off at his babysitters. Something I wasn’t happy about but I needed to search for Jack and I couldn’t take Lucca along just in case we had to go back to Adams. Jonah and I headed over to Mason’s work.

 Mason worked for Duke’s private investigation, run by two brothers, one an ex Marine and the other an ex Denver detective. Jackson the detective was the main man; Nate the Marine was the muscle and Mason was the tech guy. All three men and a receptionist named Anna worked in a shitty building in a seedy part of town. Mason made good money, Duke’s made good money so why they were working out of a shithole was beyond me.

Jonah and I owed a lot to Jackson, the man had taken Mason into his home and business after being kicked out of his foster home when he turned eighteen. If it weren’t for Jackson Mason would have ended up working for Vinnie or dead. Mason’s life was filled with so much hate and pain not even hate-the-World-Nate had a bad thing to say about Jackson taking in a homeless Mason.

Jackson and Nate weren’t in the building but Mason was standing at Anna’s desk talking with her.

Excusing himself from their conversation Mason walked over to us. “What’s going on guys?” Mason asked, a hint of worry in his voice.

“Nothing much just needed to ask you a quick question.” Jonah said nodding a hello to Anna.

“Ask away.”

“How well does Jackson know Jack Owen?”

Mason looked at me with an odd look but answered anyways. “He knows him, they’d say hi to each other if they saw one another on the street but not close enough to go grab a beer after work. Nate once said that Jackson didn’t agree with Jack working behind the police stations back.”

“I’m also not a fan of a police officer using his position to make a person walk away from his girl and unborn baby.” Jackson said shutting the door behind us.

My heart sank at his words, Jackson knew about the deal Jack and I had made. A deal Jonah could know nothing about.

“Did Jack tell you that?” I snapped, causing Mason and Jonah to look at me. “Maybe Jack told you about trying to take down Vinnie.”

“You know what I can’t work out Denny? Why did Jack work with Jonah’s dad to take down Vinnie?”

“I don’t know.” This question never crossed my mind. “It was his job?”

“Maybe at first Jack was using Jonah’s dad to take down Vinnie but then he saw the way Vinnie treated you and Jonah and that’s when it turned personal. He started working without police backing. So why would he try and save you from Vinnie but then fuck your life up royally?”

Holy fuck Jack wanted to help me at one time. He wanted to stop me from turning into Vinnie. The reason why he made me leave Rachel, he’d failed I’d turned into Vinnie. Jack saw me as Vinnie.

Fuck, fuck, fuck.
I told you we were the same Denny.
Vinnie’s voice said echoing in my head.

Without saying a word I bolted for the door and didn’t stop until I was in the car.

“What the fuck?” Jonah yelled flinging my door open.

Gripping the wheel I stared straight ahead. “Don’t you see Jonah? I’m Vinnie. For the last month I thought I was just going crazy always hearing his voice in my head and seeing his dying eyes but I’m not crazy, I’m just Vinnie.”

“No you’re crazy.” Whipping my head around I stared at Jonah. Did he not fucking understand I’d just had a mental break through?

“Why didn’t you tell us about the voices?” Mason asked stepping up beside Jonah.

Dropping my head on to the steering wheel I shook it back and forth. Why did they have to question me? Why couldn’t they just let me be Vinnie? No wait, Vinnie didn’t let anyone do anything; he told everyone what they were going to do. Jumping out of the car I flung myself at them. “I don’t have to tell you guys anything. What I need you to do is back the fuck off.”

Growling Jonah lunged for me. His hand hit me first, then his whole body had me slamming into the car. “Are you on something? Fuck I knew you were going to have a break down I just thought it would be some unmanly crying, I didn’t know your were going to take a one way street into crazyhood.”

“I’m not crazy I’m fucking Vinnie.” I screamed into Jonah’s face.

“What in that big head of yours,” Jonah said smacking me on the side of my head, “makes you think you’re Vinnie?”

 Why did I think I was Vinnie? Easy, “I’m a drug dealing asshole.”

“We are not in the drug business anymore Denny.”

“Fine then, when we were in the business did you know that I knew Vinnie was moving more than just green around the city. Tell the truth Jonah that makes me an asshole.”

Jonah’s eyes went wide with surprise and his mouth clamped shut.

Putting a hand on Jonah’s shoulder Mason stared at me. “I’m sure you had your reasons for not telling Jonah. Nothing you could do about it without Vinnie hurting one or both of you.”

 He was right I didn’t tell Jonah because I knew there was nothing to be done about it. All it would do was make Jonah feel worse about himself.

“I don’t know what the hell is going on in your head Denny,” Jonah said finally pushing off me, “but I know for sure that you are not Vinnie. Vinnie was a cold-hearted fucker that would step over a dying man without blinking. That’s not you Denny.”