Not at all what he had expected her to say…not by a long shot. The diamond ring that two minutes ago was burning a hole in his pocket now felt like a lead weight.

She was leaving him.

She was leaving him.

Hal was filled with so many strong and crushing emotions that it took him a while to speak. He pulled out his smokes, lit one up, took a few long pulls then looked at Valentina again.

“Why the fuck would you do that?” His voice was filled with anger. “Have you lost your goddamn mind?”

“Unfortunately, that ship has already sailed once.” She gave him a sad smile. “Been there, done that.” Then she added softly, “Don’t be mad, Hal. At least not until you hear me out.” She reached out and placed her hand in his and repeated. “Please, just hear me out.”

The touch of Valentina’s hand immediately warmed him and that pissed Hal off even more. He held Valentina’s hand in a hard and punishing grasp determined not to let it go.  She didn’t wince or pull away. Instead she leaned in and placed her free hand over the one that held hers in a death grip. “It’s not that I want to leave you, and I won’t be gone forever. It’s something I need to do, and if you give me a chance, I’ll explain why and I think—I hope—you’ll understand.  This isn’t about you and me, Hal.” 

Since fucking when? Hal wanted to shout out at Valentina. From the moment I saw you standing in your father’s damn kitchen everything for me has been about you. But the soft tone of her voice, the gentleness of her touch, and the earnest look in her eyes made Hal lessen the bone-crushing grip he had on Valentina’s hand. 

I won’t be gone forever.  She had said to him. Hal narrowed his eyes and clenched his jaw. You at least got that part right, because you won’t be going at all.

“Explain.” He scowled.

“It has to do with the death of Amelia Louise.”

“Who the fuck…?”

“She was Rooster’s mother.” Valentina reminded him.

“That asshole?” Hal huffed.

“Yes.” Valentina affirmed “Rooster deserves everything that happens to him from this point on, I don’t disagree with you—definitely an asshole.  But by all accounts, his mother was a sweet, quiet woman who always did the best she could. She was sick most of her adult life but still worked hard…” 

“Okay. I get it…but the bitch was on her way out, right? Complications from some disease.”

“Lupus. It was Lupus,” Valentina told him. After a pause she asked, “Can I have another beer?”

With reluctance, Hal let go of her long enough to hand her a fresh bottle. Then immediately he held her hand in his again. Hal raised a brow when she took several long very unlike Valentina gulps of the cold brew. He watched on in fascination as she finished half the beer then wiped her mouth with the back of her hand in an exact imitation of what he had done moments before. She paused for a minute then continued on. “Rooster’s mom had been battling the disease for years and it had advanced pretty steadily. But it was a heart-attack that killed her.”

“Yeah and what? Lupus is a pretty fucking bad disease, and it sure as shit effects the organs in its final stages.”

“Amelia Louise wasn’t at the stage of Lupus where her organs had started to break down.” Valentina frowned.

“Baby, you been digging into those dusty old Nancy Drew’s on the bookshelf again?” Hal asked. “Stress on the heart can happen at any time. Maybe her ticker just wore itself out. I can tell you for sure that it wasn’t us. The club’s got a strict rule. No hits on women or children.  We just don’t go there —ever. Prosper didn’t put a kill order on Rooster’s mother, I can guarantee you that.”

“No, I don’t think Prosper did.” She agreed.

“So what does her dying have fuck all to do with you?” Hal wanted to know.

“Prosper didn’t, but…” Valentina’s face crumbled in shamed distaste.

“But?”

“But my father did.” She sighed mournfully. “Gianni ordered Rooster’s mother killed to put an end to everything that was going on. It has his handiwork written all over it. My father is not a patient man and takes no chances when it comes to the safety of his family. Even if Rooster didn’t get the message that Gianni ordered a hit on his sick mother, I can assure you La Familia did. The kidnapping of the daughters of Gianni Abruzzi and Joey Bonzini would never go unpunished.”

Hal kept his face a blank mask. He released Valentina’s hand to snuff out what was left of his smoke. Then he immediately lit up another one. Hal hadn’t known for sure, but yeah, he had suspected that Gianni was behind the death of Rooster’s mother. Timing was just too damn convenient.

“Hal?”

“Yeah, Babe?”

“Did you know? Did you know my father was going to have her killed?” Valentina’s voice held a strong tenor of fear as she waited for his answer.

“Did I know?” Hal met Valentina’s eyes with frank honesty. “Nah, I didn’t know. But I sure as hell ain’t surprised. And I’m not in a position to judge him for it. Although, I will say that it was an unnecessary and dangerous play that could have gone either way. We had it handled and if Gianni hadn’t executed that kill order, Rooster would have been at the cabin when we stormed it. He’d be in the ground where he belongs instead of out on the run being a goddamn menace to society.” Hal paused then asked, “You sure about this?”

“I guess I’ll never be completely sure. But in my heart—I know.”

“What does this have to do with you going to Haiti?”

“Father Mike and I have been working together to set up a new school and orphanage in Port-au-Prince ever since I got back. All the red tape finally went through. I’m going to take some money out of my trust and match the money that Rooster gave us for his mother’s funeral. Then I plan to add it to the money that Father Mike has raised as a way of recompense for what my father did to that poor woman. I never planned on going back; I never thought I would be well enough to do that. But I am. I am well enough, and I want to oversee this project.”

 This was such a Valentina thing to do, Hal thought with resentment.  There she goes trying to save the world again—woman’s too honorable for her own good. 

That’s one of the reasons you love her so damn much, stupid, Hal’s conscious hit him over the head.

For once, you and I agree, the inner soldier in him saluted.

Hal wished they both would just shut the hell up so he could think.

“When do you plan on leaving?”

“Father Mike and I still have to meet with the architect to finalize the blue print plan, but after that we’re good to go. We’ll be leaving within the month.”

“So the mob boss’s daughter and the ancient priest are going to head up what I’m guessing is going to be a pretty extensive building project in a third world country?” Hal raised a speculative eye.

“Yeah, I guess you could put it that way.” She sighed. “It’s definitely not going to be without it’s challenges. But it’s something I want—I need— to do. I hope you understand what I’m doing and why. This is important work, and I want to make a difference in a good way.”

“You can’t spend the rest of your life making up for the sins of your father, Tia.” But even as Hal said that, he got it. He knew exactly where Valentina was coming from. He understood it, he just didn’t like it.

“I know that, Hal. I do. And honestly that is only part of it. I want to do this; I am excited to be a part of it. I know it will be hard, exhausting work, but I think I’m up for it, and I have to try. Besides, I’ll have Father Mike with me…together we’ll be unstoppable.” Valentina gave him a small grin.

“Now your turn. What is it that you wanted to talk to me about?”