Ties That Bind (21 page)

“Can you at least cover yourself?” Mitch grimaced, looking away with as much distaste as he could manage. “Will she be staying the night?”

“Not if you need otherwise,” Jimmie answered without bothering to lower his voice.

“I just need a few minutes privately.”

“I'll be right down.”

“Only a minute really. Balcony perhaps?”

“Of course,” Jimmie nodded then glanced at the woman in his bed. “Cover yourself up, will you?  I'll be back in a minute.”

Mitch was quick in his report to Jimmie, letting him know why to anticipate the extra guards around the residence and in particular, within the house itself. After assuring him it had nothing to do with their own turmoil, he skirted out of the room before the girl could flaunt herself again.

When he returned to the parlor, the laughter could be heard from down the hallway. Another voice, Gino’s, had joined their little group and Mitch couldn't keep the uncertainty from rising in his stomach. Upon entering the laughing ceased and all eyes turned his direction. He leaned against the door frame, watching each one in turn.

“So you couldn’t find something else to gossip about,” he surmised, shaking his head.

“Bedtime for me,” Toni chirped and moved to kiss his cheek. “He loves you, Mitch. He’s only worried for your safety.”

“I know that. Teddy, will you see Toni to her room and check on where Ashli disappeared to? I haven’t seen her since we arrived.”

“Yes, sir.” Teddy nodded his goodbye to Gino. “Don Palmese.”

Mitch moved to fix himself a glass of water, his eyes never leaving Gino’s. “They told you about California.”

“Yes.”

“Because you asked?”

“Yes. Have no doubt they wouldn’t have mentioned it without my prodding,” he assured him.

“I wasn’t doubting.” He sank into a chair opposite Gino, sliding a glass of grappa his direction. “You were stalling this conversation to learn more information.”

“Of course,” he replied laughing. “Would you have done any different?”

“Probably not,” he admitted. “And what did you learn?”

“That the devil is trying very hard to chain your soul.”

“Gino,” Mitch had quieted, his voice barely audible, “I need to know about Nicolai.”

“No, you want to know,” he corrected, exhaling. “And I can't blame you. But Mitch-”

“Don't patronize me. If these deaths are on my hands, if this is something following me around, I have a right to know.”

“You think this is him?” Gino hissed. “I will kill him with my bare fucking hands.”

“I don’t know it. But it’s a possibility, isn’t it? Don’t tell me it hasn’t crossed your mind. You wouldn’t be following my movements in such microscopic detail if it wasn’t a possibility.”

Gino hesitated. “Yes, it has. But-”

“You cannot shield me from him, Gino,” Mitch argued. “Unless you are shielding him?”

Gino spat on the floor in response, his eyes flashing.

“Then tell me what I’m not seeing!”

“I can’t.”

“Can’t or won’t?”

“You have spent two years secluding yourself from everyone. Including me. How do you expect me to know the answers?”

Mitch stood, his calm starting to wear thin. He moved to refill his glass just to keep his hands occupied. “You had Nicolai send Antoinette away, didn't you?”

“Yes. You knew that.”

“But not away from her father as you’ve led me to believe all these years. You,” Mitch accused, “sent her away from me.”

Gino was beside him now, his hand heavy on his shoulder. “Yes. That’s true. And deep down you know why. So does she.”

“I'd almost forgotten about her,” he murmured, not bothering to look at Gino.

“Then you forget about her again!” he roared.

“He sent her to my bed, Gino,” he said, his voice breaking as he whirled on him. “Like a common whore. Sent her into my room in the dead of night while he sat, two floors below, gorging himself on cannoli.”

Gino lifted his eyes. “And did you-”

“Of course not!  I didn't leave once for her safety only to take away her virtue a decade later.”

“I doubt you would be-” Gino dropped off, knowing better than to finish the statement. “You must forget her again, Mitchell. She's made her choice and she's chosen to stand beside her father.”

“She chose nothing,” he growled. “She was forced into this just like every other woman in
la familia
is forced to do the bidding of the men around her.”

“You don't know-”

“I do know. I've seen her. I see it in her eyes and they don't lie. I failed her once,” he mumbled. “I won't do it again.”

“Is this a private fight or can anyone join in?” Jimmie's voice was solemn, as if waiting for Mitch and Gino to shoot him where he stood for the intrusion in their private affairs. Although Mitch's eyes flashed, he didn't protest and Gino exhaled a heavy sigh, waving Jimmie permission to enter.

“Perhaps you can reason with him. I seem to be getting nowhere.”

“I don't anticipate being able to change Mitch's mind on anything once he's set his course,” Jimmie chuckled. “I doubt anyone has that ability. Did he learn that commitment from you, Gino?”

“Commitment?  More like stubbornness,” Gino scoffed but then his eyes narrowed, his voice lowering. “If you don't expect to change his mind then you presume to influence mine?”

Jimmie raised his hands as a peace offering. “I hope to only offer some objectivity.”

“And you think yourself capable of that?  You can't even keep your own family together. Are you objective where your sister is concerned, then?  Have you changed so much in such a short time?”

Jimmie hesitated, Gino's words cutting into him. Mitch opened his mouth to intervene but Jimmie raised his hand to silence him. “My family is here. Safe. Ashli, Mitch, Teddy,” his voice dropped to a whisper, “Antoinette. And in some bizarre twist that I don't even pretend to understand you, Gino.”

Mitch chuckled.

“You cannot claim Antoinette.”

“I'm not claiming anything,” Jimmie said, shaking his head. “She's free to do whatever she chooses. But we can offer her protection should she ever need it. She will be welcome at our side.”

“And if she doesn't want to be there?”

“Then I would venture to guess I'm going to have many, many long nights babysitting an intoxicated Mitchell Kerlin.”

“You act as if this is a choice that has to be made now,” Mitch interrupted. “It's not. I only want her safe. She's a kid. She doesn't need to be making any life altering decisions at this point.”

“We had this discussion two decades ago,” Gino grumbled. “Being at your side is not safe. There are things even you can't protect her from. Did your mother's death teach you nothing?”

Jimmie glanced from Gino's fury to the heartbreak etched on Mitch's face and his jumbled thoughts began to clear. Being at the hand of a mafioso was a death sentence - something you never did to someone you cared about. It was why they lived such solitary lives, why a true relationship was a weakness none of them could afford. From Mitch’s broken look, Jimmie knew...it was this life that had taken hers.

“I know that,” Mitch placed a hand on Gino's arm. “And I would never be so irresponsible as to fall in love with her. She's a friend. An extremely close one, yes, but a friend. But if she needs safe haven, I-”

“We,” Jimmie corrected.

“We,” he allowed,” will never forsake her. I don't give a damn who her father is. I will protect her, Gino. No matter what it costs me. Or you.”

Gino looked from one to the other, his emotions unreadable. After a few moments, his eyes closed and he squeezed Mitch’s hand. “So be it.”

CHAPTER THIRTY-FOUR

“He's amazingly protective of her, almost like a daughter.” Jimmie's voice held a note of question.

Mitch smiled. “Or a sister.”

“Touché.”

“He seems to accept dissension from you far more readily than anyone else.”

“It's not dissension.” Mitch shook his head. “He knows my loyalty to him can never be questioned. Disagreements are just that – differences of opinions and nothing more. Sometimes I win, sometimes he does.”

Jimmie could stand it no longer and his eyes burned with curiosity. “And you came about this level of equality with Don Palmese how exactly?”

He hesitated, turning to face Jimmie. “It's nothing secretive, really. It's just easier if well, if some ties remain quiet ones.”

“That's actually the definition of secret, Mitch.”

Mitch was thoughtful, his mind streaming with the extreme effort Jimmie had gone to for him. He had feared Gino, perhaps still did, and yet had swallowed that to help him try and explain about Toni. It cost Mitch nothing to fight with Gino but it could have cost Jimmie everything and yet he still did it – for Mitch's sake. Mitch lifted his eyes to Jimmie. “Grab us some breakfast and meet me down at the patio, all right?  I need to check on Toni.”

“She knows we've been fighting about her,” he warned.

Mitch snickered. “Of course she does. She's Toni.”

He was halfway through the hallways when Ashli materialized at his side, her arms flinging around him to stop him in his tracks.

“Are you still drunk?” he hissed, wrenching Ashli's arms from around his waist as he checked the corridors for any witnesses nearby.

“High as a kite, actually,” she responded, her voice several octaves higher than normal.

Mitch grabbed her arm, shaking her. “Have you lost your mind completely now?  You brought drugs into Gino Palmese's home?”

“No. It was that guy at the party.” Her head tilted, as if trying to determine what she'd done wrong. Her thoughts wouldn't clear though so she gave up and pressed her body closer to his. “It's so beautiful here, isn't it?  Romantic?”

“Teddy!” Mitch roared, trying to hold her an arm's distance away without hurting her.

“Mitch, we could help each other. If you'd only listen…”

“Whatever you say, Ashli,” he grumbled, his hand twitching impatiently as he waited for Teddy to appear.

Her body pressed into his, her lips crushing against his before he had the chance to push her away. It only took a second for him to gain his senses and his hands shoved her backwards not caring if she knocked herself unconscious. His eyes blazed with fury but a calming hand was on his shoulder instantly.

“I'll take care of her,” Toni whispered. “Keep her away from Gino until she sobers.”

“No you won't.”

“Afraid her bitter disposition and nymphomaniac tendencies will wear off on me?” she chuckled and kissed his cheek. “Teddy and I can handle her.”

“No.” His voice was strong, commanding. It was an order and she shrank back.

“He's right,” Teddy's voice was softer beside them, his arm looped around Ashli's waist. “You shouldn't be alone with her. People will talk.”

“I care little-”

“I care,” Mitch interjected, taking her arm. “Come, I need a drink.”

Taking her hand in his, he dragged her back to the bar to grab a bottle of vodka before joining Jimmie on the patio. He planted her in a seat next to Jimmie then cracked open the vodka and tipped it in his orange juice.

“You were gone for five minutes. How the hell could something have gone wrong already?”

“Your sister,” Toni spat. She opened her mouth to say more but Mitch cut her off.

“Don’t be judgmental. You were naked with three guys last night.”

“Swimming,” she clarified before spearing fruit from Jimmie’s plate and popping it into her mouth.

Jimmie sighed. “I’ll go.”

“No.” Mitch shook his head. “Stay.”

“Pardon?”

“Even Gino’s hospitality has its limits.”

Jimmie’s eyes narrowed at the carefully measured words. “What the hell did she do?”

“Drugs,” Toni provided. “She was completely stoned and making moves on Mitch in the damn hallway where the whole world could-”

“Enough.” Mitch silenced her. “Teddy is secluding her until she gets her act together.”

“And Gino?”

Mitch shook his head. “He doesn’t know.”

“Thank you.”

He nodded and tilted the bottle toward him. When Jimmie nodded, Mitch poured a heavy draft into his glass. They drank in silence, both their eyes focused on Toni as she continued to steal food from each of their plates. When she finally stopped for a breath, she looked up to meet their eyes.

“What? I’m starving.”

Jimmie grinned. “Being naked with three guys will do that to you.”

“You are such a smart ass.”

“And you love that about me.”

She flung a croissant at him, missing him by inches, but grinned. “Yeah, Jimmie, I kind of do.”

Picking up his fork, Mitch took a bite of the nearly cold omelet Jimmie had brought for him. In between bites, he watched the two banter back and forth. As if they had known each other all their lives, he thought. He exhaled.  “Jimmie is interested in our history. Yours, mine, Gino’s.”