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“Everyone, leave us!” Alexander’s voice booms. “Galloway, that means you.”
A few moments later, Alexander gestures toward the bench. Though frazzled, I settle down. He drops an arm along the back, peers at me thoughtfully. “Your sole argument is that you should be with the man you love at Christmas?”
“Yes. We all know Geraldine hardly comes around. First Christmas in years. Avery called me once,” I mutter. His daughter is an introverted individual. Also, she spent most of her life deaf and rarely reached out through TTY (a communications number which assists with phone calls for the deaf.)
“Avery and I talked about Geraldine and Dad . . . and you, with her.” My eyes slowly meet him. The tension in both sets of relationships are so similar.
Alexander runs his knuckles over his mouth in deep contemplation. Then Alexander looks me in the eye, as he does when talking to you. He has this gaze that can penetrate through a brain, pick it apart. Hell, I admitted to chipping an expensive glass buffet table at his house after hours of Avery attempting to train me not to. But I was only ten.
“Gina, I will never accept Donavan Hardy. That should be evident to the entire world.”
“But . . .”
“For Avery and my grandchildren’s sake, I make concessions.”
Oh, no. I thought you were developing a heart. This is a business deal in the making.
He inquires, “This summer, you’ll attend their wedding?”
“Of course!”
“I take it, you will assist me in proving they aren’t meant for each other?”
Abash, I utter, “Uncle Alex . . .”
“I’m not asking you to aid and abet me in a crime, Gina. Not that you would be penalized as you obviously are aware of. You called your good old Uncle Alex to assist you with this catastrophic event.” His tone becomes thoughtful. “I’m the only person who can mediate between the Feds and yourself. Especially now that it’s Christmas morning, I’m sure all the magistrates in these parts are on vacations.”
“You’re right. Santino would be sitting in jail for a while, Uncle Alex.”
“Now, we have a better understanding of each other’s needs. Let’s continue discussing Avery, Donavan, and the million-dollar wedding I paid for as an apology to them for past attempts. But who am I to place money over my daughter’s well-being?”
Attempts? Okay, I’m gathering that your past ‘attempts’ were to run a fissure between them.“Uncle Alex, what you’re saying is, I should reach out to you under certain circumstances? Like if Avery were to disclose something untoward, such as Donnie mistreating her.”That boy is in love with her. This is preposterous.
“Precisely. This will be a deal between the two of us.”
I cross my arms. “This deal goes against my character, Uncle Alex.”
“Your heart rate is accelerating, pupils dilating ever so slightly, Gina. I do not need to remind you as to how a lie is also perceived.” He holds out his hand, not even having to add the cliché, ‘take it or leave it.’
Now, I’m staring Alexander Castle in the eye. “If any family or friend of mine ever said something in the manner of them being mistreated, I would react.”
“That’s all I ask of you, Gina.” Alexander Castle shakes my hand as if I were his equal, unlike my father. Dad never makes deals with devils, not unless money is involved. At least, I did this for love.
Santino
I never expectedfor the handcuffs to come off on the same day. But by Christmas evening, I’m walking out of the cinderblock building as a free man. Two SUVs are parallel in the mostly empty lot. The back door of one of them flies open, and Gina runs into my arms.
My hands clasp her ass, her thighs twist around my hips, mouth planted against mine. “I missed you, baby,” she groans.
“Bella.” Clutching the hair at the nape of her neck, I tilt her. The position offers a better invitation of her sweet kisses. “What did you do? How? That beautiful mouth of yours . . .”
“Eh, you underestimated me, Mr. Morelli.” She grins up at me.
“Yes, it appears we all have miscalculated my daughter.”
Gina bristles against me. “Dad, go away, please. This is a fight you will never win.”
“And you think you won?” He stands a few paces away.
