Alexandra
This last week was pretty shitty. I didn’t get a chance to see Colton at all. Miller and Anderson weren’t all over my case, but I did catch them whispering around me. It’s a good thing I don’t have to work with them very much. In fact, if I can keep Colton from being charged, then I won’t have to deal with them at all. At least, not for now.
Tomorrow is Lucy’s birthday party, so I’m headed over to my sister’s place to help her set up. Boy, did she luck out with Daniel. After her asshole fiancé dumped her, she made her way down to Florida, got a great teaching job, and fell in love again.
It’s so nice to see her with a family, especially after she didn’t think she’d ever have one since she can’t have kids of her own. Daniel was real understanding and supportive when he found out, and Lucy, well, she loves my sister as if she were her mother. I think the feeling is mutual.
Daniel is working late tonight. Some guys wanted to do a little night fishing, so he’ll be home late. I’m kinda glad, since he’s friends with Colton. Our relationship, whatever it is, is not something I want to talk about yet.
I knock on my sister’s door as I turn the handle. “Nic?”
“We’re in here,” she yells from the living room.
As soon as I find her and Lucy, my eyes bug out of my head. “Holy crap. That’s the biggest dinosaur I’ve ever seen.”
Lucy giggles, and I’m not sure if it’s because I said “crap,” or my bulging eyes.
“Actually, Aunt Alex, that’s a small T-Rex compared to the a real one. But they don’t exist anymore, so we had to get a fake one,” Lucy says with a smile.
I can see why my sister loves her so much. She’s sweet, smart, and very caring.
“Wanna help me hang the streamers, Alex?” Nic asks.
“Yeah, just let me get my coat and shoes off first.”
We spend the next hour hanging streamers and filling balloons. Even though we’re busy, my mind can’t help but wander to Colton.
What would it be like to have a family with him? I can’t believe I’m really even thinking about it. We just met, I admonish myself. He’s an innocent suspect in a murder of a police officer. Christ, it’s a capital offense in Florida.
I can’t help but think about a future with Colton, but I’ll have to wait for now, until things get settled. That is, if he wants a future with me too.
“Hey sis, what’s going on with you? You’re staring off into space like you’re concentrating really hard on something.”
I shake my head. “Nothing really. Just got lost in some work shit. What do we need to do next?” I ask, hoping she lets me change the subject.
“We ordered all the food from MacAlister’s, so we don’t need to do anything with that. Um…” Nic looks around to see what else we need to do.
She slaps her hands on her legs. “I guess that’s it. Daniel will pick up the food tomorrow. The backyard is all set up. Oh, don’t forget to bring any extra lawn chairs you have. We probably have enough, but I just worry.”
I laugh, because my sister is a worrier by nature. When we were younger, and I was pulling all sorts of shit, my sister worried I’d get caught. I was definitely the more carefree one. I guess I’ve changed a little because now I’m worried about Colton every minute of every day.
“Do you want a glass of wine or something?”
I watch my sister move around the kitchen, getting a glass of juice for Lucy. She seems so at ease, so domestic. I wince because I’m not so sure that’s me. My parents were pretty good at taking care of five kids. Nic and I have three brothers who are all in the military. Though we haven’t seen them in a while, we hope to be together sometime this year.
“One glass, then I have to run.”
“Aunt Alex, do you have a boyfriend, like Nicole has my daddy?”
Shit. I expected this from my sister, but not Lucy.
Nic gives me smirk with a raised eyebrow. “Yeah, Alex, have you met any nice guys at the courthouse? Anyone you might want to bring to the party tomorrow?”
Really? I need to get out of here, and quick. Nic and I can usually tell when the other is lying.
My answer isn’t technically a lie. “No, you two. I haven’t met anyone I’m interested in at the courthouse, and I won’t be bringing anyone with me tomorrow.”
Lucy comes over to where I’m sitting and climbs up in the chair next to me. She has a concerned look on her face. If I know anything about Lucy, it’s that she says whatever comes to her mind, so this ought to be good.
Lucy puts her hand on mine. My sister laughs silently behind her.
“It’s OK to be sad if you don’t have a boyfriend. I don’t have one either, but Daddy has a lot of friends, so maybe he can find you a boyfriend. Except my Uncle Mac, he’s married to my Aunt Emily.
“Let’s see,” she says as she cradles her face in her hands, her elbows sitting on the table. “There’s Uncle Kenny from the bar. He makes the best Shirley Temples. But he isn’t as cute as Uncle Murph.”
Though I knew she called him that, it makes me swoon a little to hear it come out of her mouth, so naturally.
“He’s the best,” she continues. “Uncle Murph takes me to the zoo a lot. We both like the lions.”
“Really? He sounds like a nice guy, Lucy, but I don’t have time for a boyfriend. I’m pretty busy at work.”
“Boys can be trouble, Aunt Alex. Tommy, he’s in my class, asked me to be his girlfriend, but I said no way. He doesn’t even like to fish.”
OK, now I’m laughing. This girl has her priorities.
“Thank you for the advice, Lucy. I’ll keep that in mind when I decide I want a boyfriend, OK?”
“OK, I’m glad I could help you,” she says as she hops off the chair.
“Why don’t you get cleaned up for bed?” Nic says to Lucy. “I’ll be in soon to read a book.”
Lucy nods before skipping down the hall.
“You’re going to have your hands full with her, ya know.”
Nic laughs. “Oh, I know it. She’s so smart and sassy. But it melts my heart that she’s so concerned about you not having a boyfriend.”
I swallow hard before I take a big swig of my wine.
“Nic, you know I’ve only been here a little over a month. I want get comfortable in my new job, not to mention I’m not exactly in the right frame of mind for a relationship.”
My sister takes a sip of her wine, “Well, maybe you need a good ramming to take your mind off what happened in New York.”
“Did you really just say ramming?”
“I’m trying to watch my language around Lucy, OK? You know what I meant.”
“Yes, Nic, I know what you meant. On that note, I need to go home.” I get up from the chair and give my sister a hug. “I’ll see you tomorrow. Two o’clock, right?”
“Yep, I’ll see you then.”
She waves goodbye as I get in my car. “Love you!” Nic yells from the door. I wave back and pull out of the driveway.
My place isn’t too far, but it feels as though it’s a hundred miles away.
I can’t wait to take a hot shower and get into bed, but first, I pour myself a drink. I’m worried about how tomorrow will go, so I’m sure sleep with evade me tonight.
* * *
Colton
I woke up extra early this morning, so I can get into the shop before Lucy’s party. Her present is wrapped and ready to go. She’s going to love the tickets to a traveling dinosaur show that’s coming up. I guess the show involves animatronics to make the dinosaurs appear real. Daniel said she’s been asking to go since she saw it advertised on TV.
Making my way downstairs, I notice a light on in the office. I know I didn’t leave it on, so I’m cautious as I approach the door.
I can hear noises coming from inside. They’re faint, but noises, nonetheless. I walk slowly closer to the closed office door, then I hear something that makes me cringe.
“Oh God, Franny, if you keep doing that, I won’t last very long.”
Goddamn it. Vinny and Franny are screwing in my office. It’s only seven in the morning and my day is already ruined.
I’ll give them fifteen minutes, which should be more than enough for Vinny. After that, I’m banging on the fucking door.
Thirteen minutes later, Vinny and Franny come out of my office. The second they notice me, Franny averts her eyes while Vinny puffs out his chest. Oh, Jesus. I try not to roll my eyes, but I’m not very successful.
“Good morning, Murph,” Vinny says with a smirk.
“It is for you, Vin. Me? Not so much.”
“Sorry, Colton. We got carried away,” Franny says.
Christ, I can’t be mad at her. Vinny, though? Yeah, he knows better than to do shit like that, especially since the cops are after me. I don’t need him drawing any more attention to me, him, or Franny.
“I have to go, Viper. Dagger will be home any minute, and if I’m not there, he won’t be happy.”
“If he lays a hand on you, Franny, I’ll fucking kill him.”
“I’ll be careful. I can’t have you in prison for murder, now can I?”
Vinny’s eyes shoot to mine, and Franny realizes what she said. “Sorry, Colton. I wasn’t thinking.”
I give her a chin nod. “No problem, Franny. Neither one of us should be in prison for murder. I’m just not so sure that Vinny won’t kill Dagger, so let’s all play this cool, OK?”
Franny looks at Vinny. “Please don’t do anything, Vinny. Let me handle this, all right? I know what I’m doing.”
Vinny gives Franny a slap on the ass, and she jumps forward with a squeal. “Just keep me posted on what you find out, OK? Now, get going, so Dagger doesn’t have a reason to be suspicious.”
Franny gives me a quick wave goodbye as she walks out the door.
“Really, Vinny? You had to screw her here? What the hell happened to showing a little restraint?”
Vinny laughs. “Let me ask you something, Murph. How much restraint would you show if you were in love with a woman who belongs to someone else? Wouldn’t you take advantage of any small moments you two could share?”
Well, now I feel like a dick.
“I need to get the Cheeser’s and clean up after a private party last night. I’ll see you around.”
“Vinny, wait. I’m sorry, I know how you feel about her, man. It’d kill me if the woman I loved couldn’t be mine, but I also know that if Dagger finds out, then you both could end up dead. The Falcons protect what’s theirs, and if taking out what—or who—is standing in their way, then they’ll do it.”
“Don’t you think I know that? But let me tell you something. You’re like my brother, man. I’d do anything to help you, and because of that, so will Franny. I wish like hell I could get her away from the club life, but for some reason, she doesn’t see a way out. Every day, I hang on by a thread, waiting to get a call that something’s happened to her. God as my witness, Murph, if something does happen to her, I’m good as done too.”
“I get it, Vinny, I do, but I just want you both to be careful.”
“We will both be as careful as we can, but at least for me, if I don’t take some chances, we won’t learn anything.”
I slap him on the back. “All right, I’ll back off for now.”
“Thanks, man. I’ll see ya later.”
Vinny leaves me to my thoughts. Thoughts that are consumed by my messed up life. Avenging my dad’s death is one thing. I don’t give a shit what happens to me, but for Vinny, Franny and, of course, Alexandra, I do.
It’s so strange for me to have these feelings for a woman I barely know. But when Vinny said that his life would be over if anything happened to Franny, well, it hit me in the gut.