“What’s up?”
“Can you stop over today so we can talk?”
“Yeah, everything okay?” She sounds sober, that alone sends up a red flag, oddly enough.
“I’m fine. I just need some help in figuring things out.” Her voice cracks. “I’m sorry to bother you. I know I don’t have any right to ask you for anything, but…” Her voice trembles as it trails off.
“I’ll be there in an hour. We’ll be fine. Don’t worry.”
Tossing the phone back on the table, I scrub my hands over my face and lie on my back, taking a deep cleansing breath to try to relax.
“You okay?” Liv’s sweet voice whispers, I didn’t realize she was awake. Planting a soft kiss on my pec, she rests her head on my chest and wraps her arm around my stomach, snuggling in tightly. I f**king love the way it feels. Used to hate women touching me, outside of sex. Didn’t see the point of lying in bed with someone else unless we were working toward one of us, or both, getting off. Yet now I lie here wanting to do nothing else but run my fingers through her hair and feel the warmth of her cheek against my chest. Fuck, I’m becoming whipped. Turning into the same sap I watched Nico turn into, and made fun of every step of the way.
“My mother. She wants me to come by.”
“She didn’t say why?”
“Nope. But something’s up. She doesn’t call unless there’s trouble.”
“Can I come?”
“You want to come?”
“Sure, I’d love to meet your mom.”
Why? I wish I could forget I ever met her. “If you want.”
“I do.”
“Then okay. Told her I’d be there in an hour…so we have about half an hour to kill.” I flip her over on her back. She laughs and giggles as I toss her around. The sound makes me smile. So f**king whipped.
***
“Mom?” I’m surprised when I let myself into her apartment that she’s not in her usual place…on the couch, in front of the TV
She comes out from the bedroom, not looking too bad. “Hi, Baby.” She’s too skinny, needs some color on her face, but at least she seems lucid this morning. And her clothes might even be clean. Is today a holiday and I forgot?
Taking Liv’s hand, I bring her into the living room. It smells of stale cigarettes and a lifetime of spilled shit that rotted under the carpet because she was too wasted to clean it up.
My mother looks at Liv and then me, a look of confusion on her face. I’m not sure why…I’ve brought women to her house lots of time. A different one each month for the years seventeen through nineteen, before I finally moved out.
“This is Olivia.”
Liv smiles and walks to greet my mother with her hand extended. Such a class act, I feel like an idiot for bringing her here. “Hi Mrs. Stonetti, it’s really nice to meet you.” Her smile is genuine, I can tell. Although I’m not sure why, seeing as I would much rather be anywhere but here at this moment.
“Nice to meet you too, Olivia.” My mom smiles at Olivia and then back to me. I hadn’t given it any thought until now, but it’s been a very long time since I saw that smile. Too long.
The three of us sit, my mother taking her usual spot on the couch, Liv and I sitting together on the love seat across from her. “What’s going on Mom?”
Pensively, she looks between me and Liv, not saying anything, clearly unsure if she should air her dirty laundry.
“It’s fine, Liv knows what’s going on,” I reassure her.
“The two guys were back. Said they haven’t been able to find Jason and I only have a few days left. I’m sorry for burdening you with this, all I ever do is cause you grief.” Tears well in her eyes. “I just don’t know what to do. I can’t find him anywhere.”
Exhaling loudly, I fill her in. “He’s up north. Has a sister up there.”
“How do you know?”
“Liv and I went on a road trip, had a lead on where to find him. He was gone by the time we got there. But the losers he was staying with said he went to hide out at his sister’s. That’s if you take the word of a bunch of lowlife drug addicts.”
My mother winces. It’s not nice, but it’s the truth…that’s what they are. Untrustworthy, crackhead, f**king losers. Liv’s hand goes to my thigh and squeezes to get my attention. Turning to look at her, she gives me a look of admonishment.
“I’ll go talk to them. See if we can get more time. Loser’s bound to resurface when he burns his bridge with the sister. Shouldn’t take too long for him to burn through all his support and snake his way back here.”
***
A little while later, back in my truck, Liv’s quiet. Until she’s not. “Can’t you be a little nicer? She’s your mother?”
She’s gotta be kidding me. “I’ve been the parent since I was old enough to carry her to bed at night, Liv. She doesn’t get special consideration. This isn’t the first time I’ve dragged her ass out from trouble, and it won’t be the last.”
“I know. It’s just…”
“No. You don’t know,” I cut her off. “You grew up in your little perfect family, with your perfect grades and your nice life. You have no idea, so don’t tell me you know anything.”
Chapter 46
Liv
Vinny and I left off in an odd place yesterday. I’d given him time to cool off, thinking he’d come around and realize that, although he’s probably right telling me I didn’t understand his relationship with his mom, I was only trying to help. But I never heard from him last night, and this morning I knew he’d be at the gym early for the first half of his two-part workout.
My stomach growls, reminding me it’s almost noon, although just the thought of walking to lunch alone makes me almost forget my appetite. The memory of Senator Knight grabbing me is still fresh in my head. The man scares me. Desperation makes good people do bad things. I don’t even want to think what it does to bad people. I skipped dinner last night, my hunger waned as I reflected on my argument with Vinny, my own guilt always guiding my thoughts, spiraling my emotions out of control.
Walking through the glass turnstile on my way to lunch, I catch a glimpse of something that makes my heart stop. Parked at the curb, leaning against his motorcycle, ankles crossed casually, a big bouquet of brightly colored flowers held up in his hand, waits Vinny. Every female head turns at the sight of him, some of the males even stopping to stare too.
The man’s just so damn ridiculously sexy. He’s wearing nothing but a white t-shirt and jeans that hang perfectly on his narrow waist, his hair a natural mess that people pay big money just to look like a knock off of the real thing. Standing a few yards away from me is the real thing. The one that others try to copy. Day old scrub, a shit eating grin with playful, deep creviced dimples, complete with sparkling blue eyes that pin you in place.
“Looking for someone?” I ask. He grins cheekily as I approach.
“Yeah, my girlfriend. She’s probably pissed at me for being an ass**le. You seen her around?”
Pointing down the block, I play along. “I think she went that way.”
Vinny grabs my extended arm and pulls me to him, taking both my hands in one of his and holding it behind my back. “Forgive me?” He kisses me sweetly on the lips.
Smiling wryly, I respond, “You think I’m easy. A sexy smile and some flowers?”
“You think my smile’s sexy?” The dimples grow deeper.
Rolling my eyes, I reply, “You only hear the parts that you want to hear.”
Pulling me closer, he arches his eyebrows. “I want to hear you moan my name when we have makeup sex,” he says too loudly.
“Shhhhhh!” I look around and see a few heads turn.
“You don’t like when I say sex in public?” He practically yells the word sex. The streets are filled in Downtown Chicago at lunchtime. I feel my skin blush as more people look on.
“Okay, okay. I forgive you. Now please be quiet.”
He smiles triumphantly and pulls my hand to take me to lunch, carrying the flowers that gets him even more attention than usual the whole time.
***
Walking me to the entrance of my building after lunch, he makes me feel like a teenager being walked to the door of their house with her dad watching on after the end of a date. He kisses me, uncaring that the world goes on around us, likely gawking and feeling uncomfortable at the passionate private display made public. Handing me the flowers he’s been carrying for the last hour, he smiles as he smacks me on the ass as I walk away.
“Hi Summer.” Vinny winks at me as I turn back when I hear him greet her. At first I think he’s kidding, but there’s no mistaking the unhappy face that whips past me, flustered from his smile.
Chapter 47
Vinny
Never in my life have I thought about wanting to win a fight to impress a woman. Don’t get me wrong, I know in the past winning was the foreplay to some of my hookups, but it was never why I wanted to win. Until now. My fight next week isn’t just for me, I want Liv to be proud of who I am. Shit’s changing for me. The way I feel, the way I look at things. Brings me new motivation, also scares the crap out of me at the same time.
I’m still at the gym an hour after my training ended. Running on the treadmill, doing extra cardio…shit I used to think was punishment. But I want to be ready. So I push a little harder, stay a little longer, think smarter.
Pushing the button to move from a run to a walk for my warm down, I wrap the towel around my neck and catch sight of a woman I don’t expect to walk in. Sal, the guy at the door, points her in my direction with a dirty grin and a wiggle of his eyebrows, and I watch as she struts her way over to me. She’s definitely used to men enjoying the show. But this show is a repeat, one I’ve watched way too often, and it bores me before she even comes to stand before me.
“Hi Vince,” her voice purrs from beneath shimmering glossy lips.
“Summer.” I nod curtly. I know the deal. To a girl like her, I’m a game, one she would like to play with to piss off the woman who sits next to her. My woman. Not gonna happen.
“Do you think we can talk a few minutes?” She tilts her head to the side in an attempt at coy.
“Kinda busy. What do you need, Summer?”
Looking from left to right before speaking, she leans in, lowering her voice, even though she just confirmed for herself that no one’s within earshot. “I’m helping Olivia on her story. Just wanted to ask you a few things.”
“Her story was already printed weeks ago. What could you be helping her with?” The alarm on the treadmill rings, signaling the end of my warm down. For a second, I consider setting it for a few more miles, just to make it more difficult for her to stay and talk at me. But I’m supposed to pick up Liv in an hour anyway, so I don’t. Instead I jump off and fold my arms over my chest, showing my lack of interest and impatience in my posture.
“Oh, not the first story. The one she’s working on now.”
“I don’t know what you’re talking about Summer, but I’m in a rush to pick up Liv, so can you get to the point?” I’m not pretending to be impatient for effect, I am impatient. She needs to go.
“The story about,” she pauses, and looks around. Again with the looking around to see if the coast is clear? What the f**k drama queen? And then she whispers, “you know, your real father.”
***
An hour later, I’m at Liv’s door. I pace for a few seconds before I knock, my mind racing. Liv would never use me. Would she? That boney ass bitch has to be making this shit up, probably pissed because I didn’t give her the attention she wanted...trying to get even with Liv. Every ounce of my body wants to believe everything she said was a lie, yet the gnawing feeling in the pit of my stomach is screwing with my head. Big time.