Damn. What a dilemma. I don’t want to change her but I need to keep her and my baby from harm. She became the other half of my heart the moment I met her. I sure as hell can’t let her go. Maybe, I could put more obstacles in the way of bad guys and moving out of our office is a good place to start.
Resting on my side, I play with a lock of her hair, and kiss the tip of her ear. “I was thinkin’ we should take a gander at the space above Rose and Mia.”
“Really?” Her face brightens. “If you give me back my cell phone, I’ll check in with them. We can go today.”
On my knees, I reach to the top of the dresser, unlock my electronics with my fingerprint, and hand it over.
“The best part would be built-in babysitters.” While her excited thumbs text, I ponder.
With Joey on the bottom floor, and the ladies in the middle, Sam will be much less likely to get into trouble without someone knowing.
“They say we can come over now. Want to take a walk?” She’s so thrilled I almost feel guilty, especially when I recall I haven’t told her about our new employee.
After we shower, I hurry her along by unplugging her hair dryer. “Do the research. No one, not even Italians, has ever died by wet hair. Besides, it’s warm outside, it’ll dry fast.”
In the sun, we hold hands and meander down our block alongside the elevated train. We pass a sidewalk café where a tattooed couple chats. We wave at an elderly woman sitting on her stoop with The Times crossword puzzle in her lap. Others walk their dogs, their kids, and a pig.
Brooklyn in springtime. What’s not to love?
Hoping the festiveness has her in a good mood, I clear my throat. “So, ah… have you heard from your cousin?”
“Yeah, his dad fired him. My uncle said he can’t have his own son working for other bosses behind his back.”
“Did he tell you why Tony set him up?”
“Big Tony or Little Tony?”
“You tell me. I can’t get them straight.”
“Well, it seems Big Tony, that’s Little Tony’s son, was trying to cause bad blood between his family and the Vitales. You know how Joey is always hurting for money so it didn’t take much to convince him to do a little work on the side. Then, Big Tony had a couple of guys steal the package en route.”
“So, Vinny would blame Little Tony for roughing up Joey?”
“Right. And if something bad were to happen to Little Tony, Big Tony would take over, perhaps permanently. Capice?”
When she smiles, I take a deep breath and let the secret I’ve been holding fly out of my mouth. “I told Vincent I’d hire your cousin, Joey.”
“What? Why?” At her incredulous tone, mine raises.
As she is so fond of saying, this was so not my fault.“There was this little matter of your friendly hitman about to put a bullet in my head.”
Her blond brows crease. “Frankie?”
“Bingo. You do recall the statement you put out on social media?”
Her eyes close and her mouth tightens. “Shit. I love my cousin, but he’s not the sharpest tack in the bulletin board, if you get my drift.”
“I’m with you darlin’, but we could probably teach him to point and click.”
“A gun?” Again, her eyes pop, but this time even wider. Her jaw drops, too.
Chuckling, I stop walking and kiss her forehead. “No, babe, a camera. He can shoot some of our divorce work.”
“I dunno…” She shakes her head back and forth.
“Think. Most of the work is in the evenings. You could watch Kimmy and our babe while he’s out.”I’m pretty damn pleased with my plan, if I do say so myself.
“What about money? We can’t afford a new apartmentandanother employee.”
