AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“Get your ass off my car before you scratch it.” I jutted my chin at him aggressively.
Tony made a show of holding up his hands palms out—very contrite. He took a convenience store soda cup with a chewed-up straw off the roof and wiped the sweat ring it left with his sleeve before he straightened to his full height and faced me. He never once cared enough about me to ask for forgiveness, even when we were married, so I didn’t buy this little act for one second.
“You always did like a nice car. Remember the Camaro I had when we met? That baby was hot.” He whistled through his teeth at the memory of the souped-up muscle car.
“Literally—hot. It was stolen. You were in Oklahoma joyriding in a stolen car from New Jersey.”
Older than me by five years and driving the nicest car I’d seen in real life, Tony Delgatto had seemed like an answer to all my late-night prayers when he pulled into the Fuel Stop in Atoka. It took fifteen minutes for my nineteen-year-old self to decide he was my ticket out of Oklahoma. I’d been right, but at what cost?
The coulda woulda shoulda game wasn’t something I indulged in often, but confronted with Tony, it was hard not to imagine how my life might have been both better and worse if I’d never gotten into that Camaro.
“I was young and dumb.” He shook the ice in his cup at me. My right eye twitched at the irksome habit. Him rattling his soda cup at me in the Fuel Stop was my first memory of Tony, and to this day the sound reminded me of this man. It was worse than fingernails on a blackboard.
Not much had changed but his age… That wasn’t entirely true. The past twenty years of hard living were catching up with Tony. His swarthy Italian good looks had started to fray—gray hair at his temples, wrinkles lining his face, and a paunch at his waist.
“Why are you here?” I’d have crossed my arms and tapped my foot in annoyance, but I’d have to let go of the hidden gun to do it. I settled on an irritated eye roll.
“Uncle Jimmy is confused. You want out. He gives you one last job, the one that sets you on the road to retirement, and you turn it down. What gives?”
“I’m not young and dumb anymore. I have a good life, a good above-board life, and I want out. Wanting out doesn’t make me stupid.”
“You should’ve taken the job. Moved the shit. Now I’m not sure I can help you.” He liked to play the big man since Uncle Jimmy was grooming him to take over. The reality was Tony wasn’t any more powerful in the family than he had been a decade ago. Until Jimmy died, the heir apparent was as important as he’d ever be—at least I had made money for Uncle Jimmy.
“Damn it, Tony. Those watches are so hot they’re nuclear. I’m not looking to retire to a correctional facility as a guest of the state.”
“Amber Lee, baby. I’m here asking nicely. Reminding you that getting out is a favor, and Jimmy doesn’t do favors. You pull shit like that again, and you’re never getting out. You’ve embarrassed the family once. Jimmy will not allow it a second time.”
I choked on the bark of cynical laughter that tried to escape my throat at that comment. Tony had embarrassed the family countless times, but Jimmy let him live. Hell, Jimmy protected him.
“That robbery was a bad idea. Too high profile. What the hell was Jimmy thinking getting involved in something like that? It was on the front page of the goddamnMiami Herald.”
“It’s Jimmy’s business. You’re just a fence. Got it?” He punctuated his words by pointing at me with the straw in his cup. He closed the space between us and grabbed my upper arm hard, pulling me forward to place a fast, bruising kiss on my closed mouth.
Onyx barked, and Tony shoved me back. “Next time, do the fucking job.”
My arm throbbed where he’d grabbed it, and I knew there’d be a mark tomorrow. I didn’t try to rub away the pain. Instead, I closed my hand tighter around the gun. He might not be done with me. I’d learned the hard way never to turn my back on Tony Delgatto.
“Ciao, bella,” he called over his shoulder as he walked swiftly away. The clomp of his Italian loafers and the rattle of ice cubes echoed off the back walls of the retail stores.
“Settle,” I told Onyx. He strained at his leash, trying to give chase. “It’s not worth it. He’s not worth it.”
I released my death grip on the .22, pulling my hand from the compartment in my bag. I flexed my fingers to restore the blood flow to my cramped hand. Replaying the warning from Tony in my mind, I stroked Onyx’s head, and he leaned into my leg, his eyes on my face. I bent down and hugged my dog. The thick fur and doggy smell were a welcome balm to my frayed nerves.
That could have been so much worse. Any interaction with Tony where I came out whole was a good one. I hated that I couldn’t cut out the memories of our brief marriage. Cleanse my mind of how weak I’d been. How stupid.
After a last cuddle and a sweet but slobbery kiss from the only good man in my life, I stood.
I’d gotten my first guard dog the week I left Tony. His name was Rocky. A poorly trained pit bull with a hell of a bite. I’d never been without a dog since. My dogs were one of those good things that came out of getting in that Camaro.
“Let’s go home?” I turned toward the car to let Onyx in the passenger side.
A glint of silver caught my eye before I opened the door. A knife stuck out of the sidewall of my rear tire.
“That asshole. That complete asshole.” Onyx seemed to agree with my sentiments, peeing on a nearby dumpster as I cursed.
Using the remote, I popped open the trunk. I jerked the stupid butterfly knife from my tire and tossed it inside. I couldn’t believe Tony. Of all the juvenile things, slashing my tire… I muttered more choice curse words about my ex.
There was no way I was waiting hours to get a roadside service to change the flat. The only thing I wanted to do was go home, wash any lingering Tony germs off, and enjoy a much-needed glass of wine. For once, I was happy to be from a place like Atoka because it meant I knew how to change a tire.
