Mafia's Redemption: Terzo - Chapter 11: Chapter 11

TERZO
“Wait. You’re kidding, right?” Katja, or she now preferred to be called Katie, stared at me in disbelief.
“Nope. I wish I were.” I called her earlier to meet me at the Bazz, where Maverick used to work before she married Lake. Katie was my old flame. We used to fuck for fun, but we cared for each other as friends. I did her favors, and she did the same. She also had many talents that I found useful in my line of business.
She wasn’t just a good lay, but she was also reliable with resources, and she was good with guns and knives. She was a total badass, and just like me, she didn’t do relationships.
“First, you got a new sister, and now you’re living with a woman in your apartment.”
“Only temporary.” I sipped my scotch. “My sister isn’t new. I’ve known her for years. Knowing how dangerous our world is, I’ve considered many scenarios before I introduced my life to her.”
“So tell me about this new girl.”
“It’s complicated. I killed her brother, and she doesn’t know it.”
“Shit, T. Are you crazy? What if she finds out? What if someone tells her and kills you in your sleep?”
I laughed out loud as I showed her the patch below my shoulder. I felt I started to get drunk.
“She did that to you?” She was even shocked, or she just remembered something. “And she’s still alive? That’s something I didn’t see coming.”
“No, no, no.” I waved my finger at her face. Katie was attractive and dangerous. Sometimes, she reminded me of Natasha Romanov, considering she was also half-Russian.
“Oh, it is. That’s why you keep her in your apartment. I remember when we got drunk and had sex. Then we talked in the hotel that if I shot you, you have to marry me because only that woman has the guts to be your partner.”
“No, Katie. This is different. She shot me, but I have no choice but to marry her to protect her.”
“Marry her? Bullshit. Your heroic tendency is gonna be your death ticket, my friend. You can’t protect anyone. Deep in your heart, you want a peaceful life, a normal life with a girlfriend or a wife, and have kids and watch them play in your vineyards. I want that life, too, but I haven’t met the person who can accept me for who I am. I’m happy for you, T.”
“Shut up.” Before I could drink the last shot, she grabbed it from me.
“You’re drunk. Let me drive you home, drunkass.”
I snorted as I pulled out some bills and left a huge tip. “You barely drank. Why?”
“Thanks, man.” It was Maverick’s friend who recognized me earlier.
I let her drive my car to my apartment. “I’m tired of hiding and running, Katie. I think I’m gonna be running out of luck sooner rather than later. I started a legit business two years ago. I even cleaned out my name. My father knew it, but he didn’t give it much of a thought. I also wanted to give my sister a good life away from the family business.”
“You’re talking about Celestina?”
“Yes. Maverick is safe with her billionaire husband. She has nothing to do with what’s in Italy. Celestina can get away from the mafia, but I? I have no escape. My father, though, doesn’t want any more bloodbath; that’s why I need to fix the mistakes I’ve made.”
“That sounds complicated.”
“It is.”
As we drove through a silent street, Katie let me rest in silence. I could barely stand on my feet as she dragged me to the elevator.
“Don’t ever get drunk if you’re not with me or your boys.”
“I’m confident you won’t throw me to the sharks or alligators, that’s why I get wasted.”
She unlocked the door and helped me inside. “Can you walk to your bed without my help?”
I stumbled and landed on my knees. Thankfully, I didn’t hit my face on the floor. “Fuck.”
“I take that as a no.” Katie chuckled behind me.
I heard a yelp from the couch. I just woke up Dani. Shit.
“Just crawl your half-ass to bed, T,” Katie whispered as she tried to pick me up from the floor, swung my arm over her shoulder.
We made it to bed, and she rolled me to the side. I could barely open my eyes. “Stay, Katie.”
“I don’t think so. I’m good without a scar on my chest. It’s hard to cover it with foundation, thank you very much. Good night, T. Call me if you need a drink buddy.”
I sighed and tried to get to sleep as soon as I heard the door shut and lock.
The sun was already up, streaming through the glass window. The curtain was drawn to the side.
I shielded my eyes as I tried to get up. My head was hammering from a hangover. Then I noticed a painkiller bottle and a glass of water on the nightstand.
“Fuck.” I took two caplets and drank them with water. I looked at what I was wearing, the same clothes from yesterday, but my jacket, shoes, and socks were gone. “Dani?”
Panic pulled me out of my sleepy state when my apartment was dead silent. She didn’t escape again, did she?
I searched for my phone. It was plugged into the charger. Before I could dial Marco, the door unlocked. Dani walked in with coffee cups.
“Oh, the half-drunk ass is awake. How was your night, Don Terzo?”
“Where the fuck–?” I didn’t finish my words when Gio walked in with some grocery bags.
“I was hungry since last night. The only thing I had was the coffee and a donut that Hope offered me. I thought you’d come home early, so I waited. I didn’t realize you came home with a sexy lady friend.” I liked sarcasms, but not early in the morning while I was trying to cure my hangover. And she just sounded like an unsatisfied wife who wanted a boob job that her husband couldn’t afford.
“I told you there is some cash in the bowl.” I grabbed the coffee cup she offered and took a sip. “Gio?”
“Yes, boss.” He stopped at the door.
“Thanks.”
He only nodded before he left.
“Can we talk now? I took advantage of your drunkiness and grabbed the card from your wallet.”
“What do you wanna talk about?”
“You said you wanted to talk before you left to get drunk.” She put her cup on the small island at the corner, grabbed some grocery bags, and started filling the fridge.
I stood up and joined her. I checked what she bought. There were some fruits and veggies, bread, cold cuts, fresh juice, and dairy products.
“I want your honest answer. Why did your father want you to marry someone?”
“He didn’t mention the reasons, but I supposed he wanted me to marry some rich, powerful, old, wrinkled mafia so he could be rich and powerful, too.”
“Did he mention who?”
“I left the dining table before he got the chance to tell me. I told him, if my brother were still alive, he wouldn’t let it happen. He said my brother was useless and a pig. Nobody would respect him to be the new boss.”
“So he was looking for someone to replace him. Are you close with your brother?”
“Not really, but he never hurt me. He once told me my boyfriend wasn’t good enough for me and that I deserved better. One time, I found them in a heated argument. I thought Deck might be the one who killed my brother or ordered someone to kill him.”
I grabbed the bottle of water and drank down the guilt clogging in my throat.
“But I don’t think he would kill or order someone to kill Tomas,” she added, which fueled the anger inside my chest. Her brother was indeed a pig and an asshole who targeted an innocent and defenseless woman for money.
“I’m sorry.”
“Thanks. How long are you gonna keep me here for, Mr. Siciliano?”
I looked her in the eye. “If you wanna get out of here fast, we need to get married.”