Page 72 of The Saint

Tito’s hands gripped the black leather of my boot, pushing to keep me from crushing his windpipe. Wide eyes found mine as he struggled to breathe. I lifted my foot, raising his chin.

“Smoke break’s over.” I glanced at Tito’s brother, whose own cigarette dangled from his lips. “For both of you. Get to work.”

Vince nodded, backing toward the truck, not turning his back on me until I pushed off Tito’s throat and looked at Alvarez behind me.

The man never smiled. Other than once in his office, after we’d made our offer and handed over his initial fifty grand, I’d seen only a single half-smile upon his face, directed at his sister after she’d made a total ass of herself while trying to put me down. Now, before me, a matching half-smile tipped his lips. He rubbed a hand across his chin before turning around and going back inside.

As his crew finished stripping the last few parts from the vehicles, Alvarez and I started tossing the unneeded scrap into the Fusco’s recycling truck. Vinci owned one of the biggest waste management companies in the city, and Tito and Vince would make sure the scrap from Alvarez’s shop got disposed of without all the necessary reporting.

By the time the truck was loaded up and the components Alvarez was keeping were stowed away, the sun had gone down and my stomach was growling. I grabbed my backpack and headed toward the motorcycle I’d borrowed from Rolly.

“Gloria and I are heading out to eat,” Alvarez said, stopping halfway between me and the door where his sister stood. “You’re welcome to join us if you want.”

Gloria was glaring at me, as if I had somehow initiated this. And for a moment, I wanted to accept. The highlight of my day would be pissing her off.

But that delicious ache inside of me reminded me what I really wanted to do. Rolly had been better this morning, and leaving him after what he’d done to me the day before had been nearly impossible. I’d wanted to be back in his arms before I’d left my apartment building after a late breakfast, and even making Gloria mad couldn’t tempt me away from being back in Rolly’s arms.

Jerking my chin at Gloria, I gave her a wicked smile. Her eyes widened, and I could see the temper tantrum she was known for building before I turned back to her brother.

“I’d love to,” I told him, and Gloria stomped in our direction, “but my boyfriend’s waiting for me.”

She stumbled to a stop, brow furrowed in disbelief. Alvarez and I said our goodbyes, and I pulled my helmet on before gunning the engine and taking off down the ramp that led out into the alley. I tossed a glance over my shoulder once I hit the bottom, and found Gloria with her arms crossed, a smile on her lips. She mouthed the word, Asshole, and all I could do was laugh as I drove away.

19

ROLLY

Jael had two pine needles stuck in her hair. One was woven into the long strands of her ponytail, the other, a smaller piece, dangled from the back of her head. It was evidence of how we’d spent our day, doing one of our favorite things: hiking through the hills and forests surrounding Zio Paulo’s estate.

Of course, things were different now than they were the last time we were out here together. The lake on the far side of the property was a tad cold for swimming, and we hadn’t planned properly. Without towels or spare clothes to change into, we’d had to resort to other ways of warming up after we took a dip in the chilly water.

At least the sun had been warm as we laid beneath it on one of the hills to finish drying. We’d gotten what was likely our last sunburn of the year. Our pink faces, necks, and arms were on display as we pushed through the gathering crowd in Zio’s backyard. Not seen now, but what I couldn’t stop thinking about, was the red tinge to Jael’s ass and her breasts. It reminded me of the way her cheeks flushed when we made love. Of the blush that climbed her neck and covered her face any time I told her what I wanted to do to her body. I wanted to spread her open and devour her the way she consumed every piece of me. To sink down deep inside of her while I held her in my arms.

With my eyes on Jael, I didn’t notice the bodies in front of me. My shoulder bumped hard into someone else’s, and I lost sight of my girl.

“Sorry about that.” Tony Abbandonato turned from his wife, Silvia. His face lit up and he clapped me on the back. “Didn’t see you there, Rolly.”

“No worries,” I told him, shaking his hand, then those of his brothers- and sisters-in-law. Their brother, Jet Pasternelo, had lived with Zio for years. He was like a brother to me, in a way. Though he was three years older than me, he was always around, a fixture in Zio’s home even before he lived there full time. We were as close as the two of us could ever be.

I chatted with Jet’s siblings for a few moments before I excused myself and moved on. Jael was nowhere in sight, lost in the sea of bodies that had gathered for this special ceremony that happened so rarely. Today, Zio was making Jet one of his lieutenants. And the man of the hour, who had yet to be told what was going on today, was right in my path.

“A little party?” Jet asked Mateo Medina.

Mateo gave a shrug, responding, “Size is relative. Who are we to judge what’s considered big or small?”

I couldn’t help the laugh that bubbled up inside of me as I came to a stop behind them. “Spoken like a man who’s trying to come to grips with a little issue of his own.”

The two men turned to face me, and Mateo’s jaw dropped comically. “Really, dude?” He clutched at his chest, right over where he’d been shot earlier this year. “And here I thought our injuries had brought us closer.”

“Nah, man, I’ve been warned away from you since I was a kid. It’ll take more than a brush with death to make me forget Natalia’s warnings.”

“Oh, that’s how you’re going to play it.” Mateo raised his fists between us, like he was going to fight me, his entire act pulling more laughter from my chest. Gunshot or no, he’d always been a fighter, and I knew better than to take him on. Before he could so much as get a fake jab in, my cousin, Queenie, stepped up behind him and slapped the back of his head.

“No fighting. Doctor’s orders.”

“Hey!”

“You better listen to my cousin, Medina.” I clapped Jet on the shoulder. “I hear she’s got the best crew in the world on her side.”