The Gambler (8 page)

When she’d quieted a bit, he pushed her away slightly so he could see her face. She looked so sad and…pissed. He almost laughed and had no idea why? The fact that she could get that mad at him made him feel somehow that they were on more of an even footing.

“Angel mean.”

“Oh ho, my little Jenna
is spoilt.” She didn’t know what the hell he was talking about, as was evident by the blank look she gave him. He tried stealing a kiss to test the waters and she went all-soft under him.

When it started to become a little more than he expected
, he pulled back and looked down at her. Maybe he’d take her out on the boat, maybe she’d like that.

He was aware that he was giving into her
, and that the experts say that’s not the best way to handle the situation, but what the fuck do they know? Half the shit they spewed came from a textbook. Real life was a whole other ball game.

As far as he was concerned
, he’d do whatever the fuck he felt like, as long as it made her happy. Heaven knows living with a dick for a brother and a clueless mother she probably didn’t have much in the way of happy moments.

“My Jenna wanna feed the ducks?”

She lit up and nodded her head enthusiastically. “Then that’s what we’ll do, come.” He realized he was in deep shit here. Not only did he have no defenses against her, she seemed to be the only living being who could get him to back down.

She led him out the door
, much as he was afraid she was going to be leading him in lots of ways from now on. It hadn’t taken her long at all to capture his balls, if she had this much sway over him now, he couldn’t imagine what it would be like after he’d had her.

He took every precaution necessary to ensure her safety as he got the yacht ready. This wa
s just his little thirty footer that he coasted around the Hudson in every once in a while, when he was in the mood to feel the sun on his face and the wind in his hair.

Maybe later he’d take her for a longer sail to the Greek Isles
, in his deluxe luxury house on the sea, if she proved to be a good sailor. “Come Jenna, we have to put this stuff on, I don’t want you to burn.” She stood still while he coated her liberally with sunscreen from head to toe.

Gone was the hoyden of just ten minutes ago and now she stood before him quiet as a lamb, her body vibrating with excitement. He’d barked at the men to find him a hat, and once again
, Garrett’s wife had come through with a huge straw hat that practically covered her face.

He made sure the men were in position around the boat as he strapped her in her life jacket and gave her a million orders of what not to do while they were onboard.

He could’ve saved his breath, because the first thing she did as soon as he let her go, was head to the controls. He watched her balance to be sure that she would be able to hold her own while he navigated.

“No Jenna here.” He tried getting her to sit in the seat across from the wheel
, but she had other ideas. She seemed fascinated with all the gadgets and grabbed hold of the wheel in a way that told him there was no letting go. “Fine you want to drive? I’ll show you.”

He stood behind her and placed his hands over hers as he instructed her. It didn’t take him long to realize that she needed no farther guidance; she was a natural. Either that or she’d done this before.

He stayed as he was behind her, but removed his hands as she took over, her face set in concentration. “Angel look.” She pointed to a flock of birds that took flight above them.

She watched the birds as he watched her. She was so beautiful and carefree in that moment he wished he’d remembered to bring a camera. Then he remembered he didn’t own one.

“Jameson, remind me to pick up a camera tomorrow.”

“Yes boss.”

“Angel, smile?” She turned her face up to him.

“No Jenna smile.” He kissed her lips and cheeks and then pretended to choke from the taste of the sunscreen lotion. She thought that was pretty funny and broke into wild laughter, which only made him do it again, and again.

Midway through, he realized that it was the first time he’d been this relaxed in years. Being with her like this, he almost forgot that life could be cruel and dark. How was it possible that she could be so free and untouched by it? What does that kind of innocence and beauty feel like inside? To never succumb to the wiles of the average human being?

It was something he’d pondered much
, as he grew older and learned more about the amazing person that had been his sister, and others like her. If there was one thing he would like, it was to know what beat in her heart. What did she see when she looked at him as she was doing now?

Always
, her eyes compelled him to make promises. There wasn’t a time when he looked at her, that his mind wasn’t full of forever and dreams. Things he’d never allowed himself before.

He squeezed her until she squealed and turned back to what she’d been doing. He tried to walk away and take a seat to let her do her thing
, but she called him back to her.

She was quite satisfied to have him stand behind her with his chin resting on her shoulder
, as she sped through the water. Shit, she was a speed demon just like him.

They stayed on the water until she grew tired and so as to avoid another battle royale, he talked her down before they headed back in. The sun and wind did their job and she was dragging ass when they docked.

He picked her up, inhaling the sticky sweet scent of the lotion mixed with the sun, and her own natural scent. It was automatic for him to hold her closer and kiss her face, as he made his way up from the dock at the back of his house, while the others followed behind.

Upstairs he took her shoes off and put her to bed
, since she was almost out. Now he could go take care of business, while she rested for a bit. He left the door slightly ajar so she wouldn’t feel trapped or shut off when she awakened from her nap, before heading downstairs again. Garrett and Jameson were waiting for him in the office. “Well, anything?”

“Nothing here, if she was up to something we can’t find any trace of it here, but we’ve started a background run. It should be ready no later than tomorrow.”

“What about Petridis, any word on where he might be hiding out?” He wasn’t sure why this fuck had gone into hiding, unless the mother had told him of the threats. Somehow he thought it had more to do with the fact that everyone knew how he felt about his treasures, and Petridis probably took it as a safe bet that he, Stefano would come after him.

“We’re narrowing it down as we speak boss.”

“This guy really is an asshole. Your enemy takes your sister into the fucking night and you go into hiding?” Just then a loud scream rent the air and he heard pounding feet coming down the stairs. This time it was he who had his gun drawn as he ran towards her. He checked her over to see where she was hurt when she flew into his arms, but she was busy pulling him towards the basement steps. He had no idea why she would do that, since he hadn’t taken her down there before. But something had spooked her and he knew it was best to just follow along.

He heard shouting coming from outside as the men rushed the door and he pushed her forward towards the steps to safety, but she wouldn’t let go. “ANGEL COME.” She’d never screamed like that before, there was something in her voice, something that he couldn’t quite put his finger on
, but he knew not to ignore her. The men followed him down, just as there was a loud boom at the front of the house.

“What the fuck?”

“We were coming to warn you boss, we saw the chopper coming in, they were laying down fire already so there was no way for us to get a shot off.” He tried to run back up the stairs with his Sig to shoot the fucks out of the sky
, but she had a death grip on his shirt. “Okay little flower, it’s okay.”

“Angel stay.” He pulled her in close and held her
, as he fumed at the men with his eyes. What the fuck was he paying them for if the assholes could get that close? Then he started wondering; how had she known? She was down the stairs before the men alerted, how could she have known? And why did she drag him down to the basement? The only place that could’ve withstood whatever the fuck that was that had gone on upstairs.

He studied her silently. There was no hint of fear in her eyes; in fact she seemed only concerned with him and his safety. Then she said something that left him cold. Something that she shouldn’t have known, couldn’t have known. Could she?

“What do you mean Jenna?” He tried to get her to tell him, but knew it might be difficult for her to put into words, or to even understand what he was asking her. By now, Garrett and Jameson who were the only two left after the others went to make sure the place was secure, were watching her as well. Each man had a look of shock on his face. Not only because of the words she’d spoken, but also because of the change in her voice and demeanor.

It wasn’t said in her usual singsong voice, but more like a general directing her troops. He got a prickly feeling down his spine as he tried to make sense of what was going on. She was looking right through him, as she seemed to be listening to something or someone else. His first instinct was to grab her and get the fuck outta there, but something held him back. Whatever was going on, wherever she had gone in her head, moving her wasn’t gonna make a damn bit of difference.

He called the men back in and had them grab Sue and Willy from upstairs. Willy’s boy was away at day camp, so they were the only two left in the house. When everyone was down the stairs as she’d ordered, she led them to the far corner of the room, farthest away from the main part of the house. Not long after the whole place shook with an explosion. The whole thing happened in a few minutes, but felt much longer. He could only stare at her when she said as calm as you fucking please “We’re clear.”

“What the fuck?”

“Angel chocolate?” And just like that his Jenna was back.

“Not over Angel stay.” How the fuck had she known that? The words still rang through his head.

He needed to get upstairs and see what had been done to his place, but he needed more to figure out what was going on with her. What had that been just now? There was no sense asking her again, because she had already moved on.

There was silence coming from above and since she didn’t seem to be on high alert any longer
, he figured it might be safe to go upstairs and assess the situation. The next hurdle was getting her to stay down there while he went up with the boys.

“Garrett in my desk is a stash of chocolate, grab it for me?” The other man nodded his head and headed up the stairs. When his flower didn’t freak out
, he knew it was okay, that the danger most likely had passed. Whatever damage had been done couldn’t be too bad because of the shields.

S
till there was always the danger of flying debris and shit. He didn’t expect to find his place leveled, but then again, he had no idea what they’d used. Gramps is gonna ride his ass for sure about this one, the old man had moaned and groaned until he implemented the high tech transparent shield that was supposedly able to withstand most anything.

Not too many people could afford to have that shit surrounding their house. One: because of the cost, and two because it was military grade and he was pretty sure illegal for him to have. Gramps had his ways of skirting around such pesky bullshit though. Now he was glad he’d caved, if anything had happened to her, he didn’t think he’d survive this time.

He was in a quandary now too, because he knew the night was not gonna be over before he retaliated; but where was he gonna stash her? They’d come after him two days in a row. Both times not caring that she’d been there with him. Now he had to seriously wonder what the fuck they were thinking. If their aim was to get her back, then attacking blind like that made no fucking sense. And why the fuck would the Bonatas care anyway? Wasn’t the fight between him and Petridis the fuck?

He had to think about this shit
, because something was not adding up. Had he not been so taken with her, he maybe would’ve thought this shit through before. But finding the woman his sister had promised him was coming all those years ago, had thrown him. It wasn’t everyday you saw a walking dream or miracle, or whatever the fuck you’d call it. Now, as with everything else in his life, there was trouble attached. Only this kinda trouble could not only get him killed, but it could see her hurt and that’s not fucking acceptable.

Garrett came back with the bribe and he tried giving it to her before sneaking up the stairs. “Jenna, stay here with Willy and Sue, I’ll be right back.” She just shook her head as she bit into her chocolate, then she took his hand, which meant he wasn’t going anywhere without her. Shit. “How bad?” he posed the question to Garrett, because there was no way he was taking her up there if there was any lingering threat of danger.

“I don’t think it penetrated, just some shit from the roof fell I think
, but I didn’t see too much damage.” He still wasn’t too sure, but there was nothing for it, he wasn’t going to reach the Bonatas by hiding out in his basement.

Upstairs
, he went straight to his desk, while the others went about dealing with the bullshit. “Find me whatever it is they used, if any part of it is salvageable.” He didn’t complain when she plopped down in his lap instead of taking her chair. In fact he needed the contact.

She fired up her little toy and he picked up the phone to call gramps. “What’s happening boyo?”

“Well your shield works.”

“What? The fuck does that mean?”

“The house just took a hit, Bonata just signed his death warrant.”

“Stefan…”

“Save it, it’s done. Tonight, if I have to crawl into his mother to get him he’s a dead fuck.” He was so pissed he forgot not to cuss in front of her.

“Well
, you’re breathing fire so I guess you’re alright. I’ll get the guys together, you know where he is, which house?”

“Not yet but I’ll get on it. Doesn’t he usually run to his hideaway on Shelter Island after a strike?”

“That’s his usual MO yes, but I think too many people might be wise to that by now.”

“We’ll see, these gangster types aren’t always the smartest tools in the shed. Talk to ya later old man I’ve got shit to do.”

“Don’t move without me.”

“We’ll see.” He hung up the phone and booted up the computer. He didn’t hear the tinny sound of the cartoon playing on her little toy
, so he figured she was preoccupied with one of the one hundred games he’d downloaded for her.