Cold’s eyes never left his, whatever awkwardness he felt over such a tongue-in-cheek choice consumed by an obvious hunger.
By the time Jimmy began belting the final chorus, losing himself to the words and singing directly from his soul, all the Gentlemen were on their feet. Cold hadn’t moved, still seated, but he was leaned forward across the table, completely entranced.
Jimmy held the final note to deafening applause, grinning as he saw Cold rise to his feet to clap for him. He was smiling so warmly, prouder than Jimmy had ever seen him. Jimmy blew him kisses, taking a bow. He stepped back behind the curtains as the applause fell, exhaling sharply. Glancing curiously down at the little wire in his pocket, he hoped it hadn’t been disturbed during his performance.
Dario came over to shake his hand, cheering, “Hell of a show, man!”
“Hey, you, too! Thanks so much!” He clapped Dario on the back, making sure to avoid his injured shoulder. “I’ll see you in a bit. I’m gonna take a breather.”
Heading back to his dressing room as Cold had asked him to do, he plopped down at the vanity with a big smile. He could almost forget that his lover’s enemies were here, or that there were cops crawling around somewhere outside.
While he’d been singing, it was just him and Cold. It had been so beautiful.
Reality wasn’t as nice.
Jimmy heard a knock at the door and called out politely, “Come in!”
“You were magnificent,” Cold purred as he walked in, a giant bouquet of red roses in his arms.
“Oh, my gosh,” Jimmy gushed, quickly standing up to intercept the flowers. He took them graciously and kissed Cold with a big smile.
Holding his neck, Cold deepened the kiss for a long moment. “Mmm. Absolutely spectacular. Singing ‘Gangsta’ to a gangster? Cute pick.”
“Thank you,” Jimmy laughed, momentarily forgetting all about the world outside this room. He held the flowers close, lost in Cold’s passionate embrace. He almost didn’t notice the door opening again, blinking when he heard an unfamiliar clicking sound.
Pulling back from Cold, Jimmy gasped when he saw Rufus Corman standing there with a gun pointed right at them. The sound had been the hammer pulling back, Corman leering at them both.
“How did he get a gun in here?” Jimmy hissed, clinging to Cold fearfully. “I saw everyone being searched!”
“Mmm, I have my ways. Now, I’ll be taking that ring, thank you,” Corman said sternly, smiling wide.
Cold was eerily calm, facing Corman and pushing Jimmy behind him. “You mean the ring you took from Rafaello Luchesi after you killed him?”
“That would be the one,” Corman snorted. “Always were clever, Cold. I’ve been looking for my little trophy for quite some time, and I’d like to finally have it back, please.”
Jimmy’s eyes widened at the confession as pieces began to fall into place, pushing his way in front of Cold as he started to shout, “You! It was you! You killed my mother!”
Cold jerked him back, but Corman’s aim was now focused on Jimmy.
“All she had to do was give me the ring,” Corman snarled, his lip curling in annoyance, “but then she just wouldn’t stop fuckin’ screaming.”
Jimmy thought he might throw up, his vision starting to get hazy as the panic set in. He fought it with all of his strength, determined to keep pushing. He knew Augustus was listening in, and whoever else had that extra receiver. “You killed the Don, and then my mother? But why? Why kill her? She didn’t do anything wrong!”
“Oh, yes, she did,” Corman hissed. “She recognized the ring when I brought it to the jewelry shop to get it resized. She knew it was Don Luchesi’s. Apparently, she was the one who did the engraving, isn’t that fun? She threatened to call the cops, so I left.”
“But you went back,” Jimmy said slowly, more of the pieces clicking together. “You’re the one that broke in, looking for the ring.” That had to be the one missing item from the night of the robbery, it had to be, but it was long gone when Corman went looking for it. “Mom knew you’d come back for it, so she took it home.”
“Good thing her address was on file at the store,” Corman said with a roll of his eyes. “Too easy to find her. Shame about your daddy and the cops showing up. Didn’t have a chance to get the ring... or you.”
“Why kill her over a fucking piece of jewelry?” Jimmy demanded passionately. He had waited a lifetime for answers, tears racing down his cheeks as he screamed, “She was a beautiful and kind woman, a mother, a wife! Why? Why did you do it?”
“It’s not just a ring, you fucking simpleton,” Corman scoffed. “It’s a symbol. Why do you think I was going to get it resized? I was going to wear it and rub it all in their fucking faces.”
Jimmy couldn’t stop his tears, his mouth twisting up in anguish. The very ring on his finger was what had cost his mother her life. She had tried to do the right thing and died for it. She had to have realized that Corman had no good reason to have that particular ring, and she had called Augustus to report her suspicions. She’d had no idea Corman was going to show up at their door. She had no clue Jimmy would see a white blazer and think it was his father’s coat.
Fuck. Fuck all of it. That tiny chunk of metal and rock was what stole his mother away from him.
Jimmy wanted to throw it away, destroy it, melt it into nothing. Shove it down Corman’s throat and watch him choke on it.
