* * *

In the end it turned out she was okay and so was my kid. Now all I had to do was find the hump that’d done this and end his ass. I took her home and put her to bed, which she bitched about no end, but I insisted. “Stay your ass in here and I hope you know this is the last time you’re going off anywhere by yourself.” I ignored her miserable ass and left to go see about getting her something to eat, and almost tripped after her damn family coming into my house.

“How is she?” Her old man asked as soon as he saw me. Shit, now I gotta talk to this fuck.

“She’s fine and hungry.” I whipped around at the sound of her voice. “Didn’t I put you to bed?” She rolled her eyes and headed for the fridge. Her dad and uncle hugged her and fretted over her like two old women and I had to grudgingly admit that though I may not agree with the way they’d raised her, they did love her. It was plain to see.

She started pulling out bowls of leftover food like this was a party or some fuck. The others showed up not long after and I felt like a bastard because I hadn’t even given ma a second thought once I’d assured myself that she was okay at the scene.

Damn! This one’s got my head turned all the way around. Nothing was said while ma and my sisters were here. The focus was on Arianna and the baby and as much as I appreciated it, I knew if I didn’t get them out of here soon my little fruitcake was going to flip her shit.

The doc was right. My woman was strung so tight it was a wonder her feet still touched the ground. She put up with all the fuss they made over her but I could tell she was growing uncomfortable. The Rossis were pissed as they should be, but I could tell that they too were chomping at the bit.

Ma didn’t hang around for too long, just long enough to reassure herself that Mouth and the baby were okay. She left thinking that it was just a random incident, her only interest in cancelling her cards and shit and getting new ID. I let Tony and Mikey take their wives home and had a word with the twins who were kicking themselves in the ass for what happened, but we all knew whose fault this was; mine. I should never have let her out of my sight. Not with shit being this hot.

Once the coast was clear poppy and his two sidekicks got down to business. “We’ve got a bit of a problem Shane. It seems everyone wasn’t too happy with the ways things ended after the last meet. We’ve been keeping track of things the last few days.” He pointed at Alphonso and Rossi who nodded in agreement.

“Poppy I thought I told you to stay out of it.” The old man had been well on his way out of the city once he’d handed over the reins to me. But now with his old pals in the picture he didn’t seem too interested in leaving.

“Never mind that now son. It’s a good thing I didn’t leave. We’re here to help. We know these men better than you do; we’ve known them for years. Don’t think that because some of the old dons are gone that they’re not still in this thing. They’re still instructing the young and they have their own way of dealing with something like this. We three can beat them at their own game.”

“I don’t know poppy…”

“Look, you’re legit now. We did a good job of getting rid of anything that could come back to trip us up and my friend here did the same. We made a promise to each other years ago as young men. Things didn’t quite work out like we’d planned, but providence brought our families together nonetheless and at a time when we could even contemplate a move like this. Time was you even thought of pulling out you’d be dead before the thought had a chance to form.”

The other two nodded their heads in unison. “Together you two wield a lot of power, that power might have come from unclean hands but you have the opportunity to take it to the next stage for your kids and your grandkids. We’re already fucked so it’s only right that we be the ones to end this. You just concentrate on what you’re doing and let us handle the rest.”

“What did you find out?”

“It was that Fed that went over to Scarletti. We knew he was trouble. He and the congressman were cut from the same cloth so there’s really no surprise that he’s involved. The congressman’s taken care of.” He stopped and smiled at the mouthy one who was being quiet for once. Of course she’s all-ears when it comes to offing our enemies, but everything else she’s half asleep.

I listened to all he had to say and knew he was right to a point, but I still didn’t like it. “I figured as much, but why go after ma?”

“My guess is they found out who she is. They followed you from the club last night; they saw the women there.”

“If that’s the case why not go after Mouth? They had to have seen us together and I’m sure it was obvious she’s mine.” Unless the fucks are blind as well as stupid!

“That I cannot tell you. You were there Arianna, how did it go down?”

“I saw him trailing us and moved next to Pia. Before I could alert the others he struck. Just grabbed her bag and…” She stopped talking and looked at me.

“What?”

“He could’ve been coming at me, I don’t know. My only thought was protecting your mother, but it all happened so fast. Zane yelled out and I was trying to move Pia out of the way and everything got chaotic.”

“So you’re saying he could’ve been after you.” Well, that changes shit.

Her dad and uncle seemed to have the same idea because they shifted in their seats and looked at each other. I need this shit.

“So we’re agreed, the three of us will take care of this…”

“I will not give you permission poppy, and you two know better than to start shit in my backyard. You disrespect me, family or not, I will deal with you.” The words were harsh but they needed to be said. I didn’t want my grandfather involved in this shit any more than I wanted her.

“I don’t want to start another war, poppy. You three go out there guns blazing this shit will never end.” Why is everyone trying to fuck with my life? I’m trying to clean shit up and all everyone else seems to want is for things to stay the same.

Poppy seems to want to relive his glory days. Mouth’s bloodthirsty ass is on board with anything that involves ending a motherfucker, and the two banes of my existence are down with whatever she wants. There was no doubting what side Mouth was on when she opened her mouth and gave her two cents.

“I don’t see how you expected to just retire Nicky Scarfo. You think they’re just gonna let you walk? If we don’t get rid of them they’ll always be in your ass.” She said that shit like she was discussing the weather. I took offense at her latest insult too.

“Why do you keep comparing me to that psychotic fuck?”

“Er, if the gun rack fits…whatever, I say we finish it. I refuse to live the rest of my life looking over my shoulder.” She folded her arms and sat back in her chair.

“Listen you murderous little … we’re going legit. From now on we’re gonna use our brains and not our guns or whatever the fuck else you can get your hands on to end some fuck. We have politicians, businessmen and anyone else that matters in our pockets to help make the way for that to become a reality. We start a war in the streets we’ll lose all that and all the progress I’ve made.”

“Listen Don Costello, I never agreed to any of this happy shit.” I leaned over into her face until our noses touched. “You’ll do as I say Arianna or else.” Her brow went up and that mouth of hers popped open. “Shut it, not another word outta you.” She popped something in her mouth and chewed while looking me in the eye. Fucking nut!

Her asshole father and uncle were snickering in the corner where they were filching my booze, while poppy was watching the two of us like he was at a tennis match. I’ma end these three fucks since they don’t serve any damn purpose other than to encourage her in her shit.

“Poppy help me out here.” Fucker shrugged his shoulder at me. “Okay, the way I see it there’s a code here that’s being broken. Her old man sent her here for you to look after, is this how you repay an old friend?” I was reaching but my grandfather for all that he’s a fucking criminal has a moral code a mile wide. I knew hitting him there would get his ass.

“Boy’s got a point.” I had to keep him in my corner before he swayed, since hooking up with his old cutthroat buddies he’s kinda shifty. “I’m your grandson she’s carrying your great grandson, you have a responsibility here.” I pounded the last nail in that coffin.

“Shut it mob boy…” I pointed my finger in her face and she tried to bite it off. “And for the record I’m no Costello, the fucks will never get me in front of a camera.” Uh-huh, that stumped her ass. I’ve been researching those names she keeps throwing at my head and now know they’re all the names of dead mob bosses; she’s a fucking hoot. If I call her ass Elizabeth Bathory she’d try to brain me though. That’s fair.

“All the more reason to let us take care of it.” Uncle Al piped in. “I’m with the kid. We can’t leave any loose ends. Near as I can tell, you did everything you were supposed to. You paid who you owed, bought out who wanted to sell and treated everyone fairly. I think the deal here is that you didn’t leave anything for the others to pick over. The things you couldn’t turn you burnt. Some of those ventures were lucrative and could’ve made these men a lot of money.”

“Al’s right. Their greed is behind this. It’s not so much that you want out, it’s that you’re taking everything with you, which of course you have every right to. It’s no secret that your family kept the others going for a long time. Without your clout and connections, they stand to lose a lot. Even with you out of the game, you still have a lot of influence and as a legitimate businessman even more. You have to understand how their minds work.”

“I don’t have to understand fuck. We took what was ours. I gave them more than enough warning and even offered to help, which I was in no way obligated to do. They didn’t want any part of going legit, that was their call. Now that I’ve got my shit together they want in, fuck that.”

“So what do you plan to do about this agent?”

“I don’t know yet but I’ll think of something. Actually I was on my way from trying to see him when I got the call about ma.”

“Did you see him?”

“No, too many suits around and besides, I prefer to see him on my turf. I’ll set up a meet because this fucker isn’t gonna stop until he gets something.”

Mouth rolled her eyes and stuffed her face. No need to guess what she was thinking. “I want your word, all three of you, that you’ll let me handle this.” I had a few ideas that I was hoping would pan out. They’re acting like I wouldn’t like to kill off these fucks and be done with it, but I’m trying to clean up the city not wash it in blood. I didn’t miss the look that passed between Mouth and her uncle and old man but decided to leave it for now.

The conversation got lighter after that, after they all agreed to let me handle it for now. I had no doubt that if this shit didn’t work they’d ignore me and do what the fuck they wanted to anyway. No respect. Mouth was way too happy go lucky but I didn’t see how she could get up to shit here so I left it alone.

I went into my office to make some calls. We were down to two days before our trip to Chicago and I needed to have all my shit together. I was finally able to reach Agent Kowalski and set up a meet. I knew he was the connecting thread, the one that needed to be burned. “Tomorrow, my place in the city.” I hung up the phone feeling better before returning to the others.

“You, bed, now!” The doc had ordered her to rest and to call if she felt even a pinch in her side. She had the good sense to take her ass to bed while I grilled the other three to figure out what the hell they were up to, and what part she played in it.

I didn’t hang around the kitchen too long before going to find her and make sure she was doing as she was told. For once she was behaving herself though from the look on her face she was still in my shit. She heard or sensed me and turned her head my way; that’s when I saw the worry and the fear that she keeps so well hidden from the others.

I moved into the room and onto the bed with her and pulled her into me. I guess it means something that she allows only me to see her weakness that I’m the only one who knows her underbelly, and what all that strength of hers cost her. I didn’t mention it, because I never want her to hide from me like she’s been doing with the Rossis her whole life.

She curled into me and I held on tight letting my hands soothe her as I rubbed her back up and down until some of the tension left. It was the most natural thing to turn her to her back and move her clothes and mine out of the way so I could get to her. She clutched at me and there was a slight tremble in her arms.

“Shh, it’s okay, it’s going to be okay.” I let one of my hands make its way to her tummy and covered my kid, wishing he was big enough to move around in there so I knew that he was really okay. For all that my dad is a doctor I don’t trust those fucks one fuck. I trust him because I know him, but everyone else is suspect. Money hungry fucks.

She was needy and whiny, which is so not Mouth, and I could only guess at what was going through her head. I realized that out of fear I’ve only yelled and threatened since we got back. It was sometimes hard to remember that my little gangster needs softness from her man no matter how tough she is. To her my reluctance to call a hit might seem like I didn’t care, that all I cared about was my business and going legit; but nothing could be farther from the truth.

I held her head back and looked down into those eyes of hers. I know she can read me; know she would see what’s written in mine. “I want to kill them for trying to hurt you.” I am going to kill them for fucking with what’s mine, but she doesn’t need to know that shit. She’d offer her help and that I did not need.

“Are you too sore to take me?” She shook her head no and reached her arms up to me. I grabbed her head between my hands and kissed her while feeling around with my dick for her opening. I found her soft heat and sank into her going deep with one stroke until I had almost all of me inside her.

I had to keep my mouth on hers to swallow her cries as I fucked into her over and over. I held back on my thrusts and lifted most of my weight off of her not wanting to hurt her in any way. This having to be extra careful added another element of intensity to our lovemaking. It made me calm my ass down instead of going at her like a bull in heat; but it was just as nice.

“Shane move.” She grabbed at my side with one hand and my ass with the other as she tried to get me to speed shit up. “No.” I kept giving her deep slow strokes until her pussy juice made it easier for her to take more of me until I was buried to the hilt in her hot pussy.

The whole day came crashing down on me as I moved in and out of her, the fear the uncertainty. I relived every second of it as I made love to her with her eyes held with mine. I played on her lips with my teeth until she opened and accepted my tongue and showed her with my loving all that she meant to my heart.

By the time I rolled away from her, her eyes were clear and she was back to her shit. “Mob boy….”

“Leave it alone Mouth. Take your tired ass to sleep, I’m right outside, if you need me.” I covered her with the sheet and she was out before I cleared the door after getting dressed again.