Noah

A quick and disturbing thought occurs to me as I sit across from Alex Deluca. I didn’t leave Chicago and after dropping my luggage off at home, I went straight to Deluca’s. Now I am wondering if Nick made the same mistake with Alex that I think I have.

The silence lengthened between us, making me uncomfortable. Awkwardly, I cleared my throat. Alex Deluca had a fiery, angry look that was unfamiliar to me. His cold eyes sniped at me.

Alex throws back several glasses of whiskey while his dead eyes closely watch me. He doesn’t say another word after telling me I was a thorn in his side. His eyes move between the glass he set in front of me and back up to me. I start to wonder if he feels insulted that I haven’t taken a drink of my own. I have a feeling that I need to be stone sober when dealing with this guy. I narrow my eyes when he pours himself yet another glass and he smirks at me.

“Is this conversation going to wait until you finish the damn bottle?” I sneer at him and he tilts his head.

“You’re not drinking. Why don’t you say whatever the hell you came here to say?”

“I am not sure who I should ask you about first,” I advise and his once again narrow.

“What are the options?” he asks.

“Alexis or my brother,” I reply, and Alex’s eyes look past me towards the bar.

“How about I give you a different option? I let you walk out of here tonight and you head directly to the airport. You get your ass on the first flight back to Boston and none of us, especially Alexis, hear or see you again,” Alex offers in his cold fucking voice that gives me the shivers.

“Why would I do that? I like it here in Chicago and I don’t think I am ready to move on from Alexis,” I explain to him and he leans over the table rubbing his hand through his beard.

“I really don’t give a fuck what you want. I am sick of you. Alexis will move on just like she did with Nick. Of course, I think he was probably the smarter brother. He knew his fucking place, Noah. You obviously don’t know yours,” Alex spat, and I close my eyes trying to contain the anger pulsing through me. This bastard throws my brother in my face?

“What the hell do you know about my brother?”

“I need you to pay close attention to me. I am not the guy you want to fuck around with. I can have two bullets in your fucking head before you reach the cab and that very cab driver would willingly help me bury your fucking body. I realize that you probably don’t give a shit. You’ll take your chances. However, I think you do care about your parents, don’t you? I have people watching them always and I am sure
you wouldn’t want anything to happen to them while they are so close to the damn five-yard line.”

When Alex threatens my parents, my vision darkens, and everything looks black but his miserable fucking face. I jump out of my chair, knocking it back as I stand up. Alex smirks and nods towards something behind me and I see three large guys headed in my direction. One of them puts his hands on my shoulder effectively placing me back in my seat and Alex nods his head again and they back away.

I spend what feels like a fucking lifetime watching Alex finish the entire bottle of brandy. He smirks, and I can see him watching his security guys who haven’t budged an inch from behind me. I have never wanted to kill anyone in my entire life; but in this very second, I want to kill this cocky bastard. It’s one thing to threaten me, but to threaten my parents is crossing a line that I can’t ignore.

“So, do we need to go over this again, Noah? You will leave town immediately. You will stay the fuck away from Alexis. If she even whispers your fucking name in her sleep, I’ll find out and I will start with your parents and I will make sure you are there to watch.”

“You mentioned Nick?” I whisper and Alex sighs.

“Fuck Nick. He doesn’t want anything to do with you. As I recall, Detective Morales told you that Nick saw the missing person report, identified himself and told them he didn’t want fuck to do with any of you. Take your ass back to Boston,” Alex warns, and I narrow my eyes at him and nod.

When I finally leave Deluca’s, the realization hits me. I know that Nick was connected to the fucking mob and I think Alex is the fucking boss. I also know that I never mentioned to anyone, including Alexis, the name of the detective that I spoke to about Nick. How in the hell did Alex know that I talked to Detective Morales?

I have the cab driver take back roads and instead of going back to the townhouse, I go to a hotel. I don’t even go to my regular hotel, I stay at a different one. I am not going to stay at the house knowing that Alex could be watching it.

I stare at the ceiling most of the night thinking about Alex DeLuca’s threats. When I finally close my eyes, I see my entire life flash before my eyes. I watch my parents sitting across the dinner table from me and Nick as kids. I see Nick at his wedding with Sam and my mother in tears as my dad held her hand. I finally remember seeing Alexis for the first time. As if she knew she was on my mind, my cell rings and I glance at it and see her name on the caller ID. I lay the phone down deciding that I don’t want to talk to her.

The phone stops ringing and a few seconds later it starts again. I check the ID and see it is Alexis calling again. I wonder if Alex told her that he threatened me if I didn’t leave town? Is she calling to see if I followed his instructions?

“Hello,” I answer, and I can hear the bitter tone of my voice.

“Is something wrong, Noah? You don’t sound like yourself,” Alexis asks, and I roll my eyes and stare back at the ceiling.

“I’m fine, Alexis. What did you want?”

“Well… I was wondering where you are? I am at the townhouse,” she replies, and I sit up in bed wondering if she is spying on me for Alex.

“Why do you want to know?”

“Noah, what’s wrong with you? Why do you think I want to know? I asked you to stay in Chicago, I wanted to see you.”

“Are you asking for yourself Alexis or are you asking so you can report back to Alex?”

“Alex?” she quietly questions “Why are you asking me about Alex? Oh fuck. What did he do? Did he say anything to you, Noah?”

“What do you think he would say to me, Alexis?” I ask wondering if she will finally be honest with me.

“I don’t know. Can you please tell me where you are, Noah? I really want to see you.”

“I’ll meet you tomorrow at the mall. I’ll call you when I am there,” I tell her and hang up before she responds.

I turn off my phone and think about how hell to get the truth out of her.