Hannah and the Hitman

Chapter 64

64

HANNAH

I couldn’t remember being this nervous and scared. Not even when Joey Brains was trying to strangle me. Perhaps it was because I hadn’t had any advance notice from him. I knew Sal Reggiano was in my parents’ house. I knew he wanted me to be his little superpowered soldier.

Two weeks ago, I’d have laughed at anyone who told me the situation I was in. No way would I have ever imagined this. I couldn’t have even found this in a book.

I was weak. I was scared. I was alone.

Was.

Now I had strength. Yes, I was scared, but I wasn’t scared of my own shadow. Of living. Of being seen. And I wasn’t alone. I had Jack. Brittany, too. Maybe even my family in their own ridiculous way. Although I needed to have a little chat with Briana before I liked her again.

I could do this .

I took one last deep breath and pushed the front door open. “Hi!” I called.

“Banana, we’re in here,” Dad called from the living room, although all I had to do was turn my head to the right to see everyone.

We never sat in this room unless we had guests. Everything was always immaculate as it was never used. The fireplace in the center was cold and above the mantel was a huge, mounted elk head, the antlers sticking out almost four feet on either side.

“Where’s the potato salad?” Mom asked, rising from the couch.

I focused on Sal Reggiano, sitting in the very uncomfortable wooden rocker. He was in his sixties, with gray hair that was thinning at the top. He had a tan that matched sunny Las Vegas. His suit was navy with pin stripes, and he had a gold handkerchief tucked into the breast pocket.

It was his gray eyes that were riveting. I hadn’t seen such coldness. Such… malcontent. He was evil. It was a good thing Perry wasn’t here because Sal might burst into flames or turn to dust if he started speaking in tongues.

Dad sat in the armchair beside him. Both he and Sal had drinks in hand. From the dark color and the ice in the highball glasses, it was scotch on the rocks.

Briana was sitting cross legged tucked into the other corner of the couch, one of the decorative throw pillows in her lap. Dressed in another stretchy workout outfit, I assumed Mom had pulled her off the trampoline to help entertain.

“The best one to wow the judges is the Back Cody,” Briana said as she waved her hand. “An easy skill, but with the one and quarter somersault from front landing over to feet landing… I of course perform it with a straight three quarter back S and S. And then–”

Now I knew why Sal looked ready to kill. Briana wouldn’t shut up. I wondered how long she’d been talking.

“Well?” Mom prodded, letting Briana continue to prattle on. She was in khakis and a red polo shirt, ready to either take up a job at the big box store or as an elf’s helper for the Santa in the Summer event going on at city hall.

“No potato salad,” I said, not taking my gaze off of the older man. I hadn’t forgotten it. I had better things to worry about. “I’m not staying. Neither is Mr. Reggiano.”

“What? We’re having a nice drink!” Dad called.

“I haven’t told him about the Half-In, Back-Out yet,” Briana said, her voice having more pout than her lower lip. “Or I can show him.”

“You can’t leave, you just arrived. You didn’t even tell me you were coming and bringing a guest,” Mom said at the same time.

“It’s frustrating when someone doesn’t remember you, isn’t it?” That was snarky as hell, but I didn’t care. I needed Sal out of my parents’ house and NOW.

I tipped my head toward the front door for Sal to get his numb ass out of that chair and outside. His son, Paul, had to be here by now.

Sal slowly rose, then pulled a gun from a holster under his arm. It was so cliché, but it was also very real.

Instead of panicking like normal people, my family piped up all at once.

“Whoa.” Dad saw the gun but was probably too sloshed to panic. Plus, Sal had shared a drink with him, so he probably thought they were best buds.

“What the fuck?” Briana, with her bouncing skills, flipped over the back of the couch and peeked over the edge.

“What kinds of friends do you have in that book world of yours?” Mom only crossed her arms and looked down her nose at me, completely unfazed about the weapon. Her disappointment in me went very deep.

“Yeah, Han,” Briana said from her hiding spot. “Before he pulled out the gun, I thought this guy was a little old for you. Whatever happened to Mr. Hottie?”

“The mortician?” Dad chimed in.

“Are you a mortician, too? I mean you also wear a suit,” Briana added. While hiding, she was completely unaffected by the weapon. My parents weren’t bothered either. What the hell was wrong with them?

“I’m going with you. No need for the gun,” I said to Mr. Reggiano. Fuck. Now what did I do? We never took the gun into account. Maybe we should’ve. No maybe about it.

I couldn’t teleport out of the house like Jack wanted me to do. Sal would kill my family.

“Mortician?” Sal questioned. Then he grinned. He had better dental work than Joey Brains because his teeth were free of gold fillings and very straight. “Yes, you could say I’m a mortician. Perhaps, Hannah, your family might be interested in my services.”

Meaning they’d be dead.

“I said I’m going with you,” I repeated.

“Where is the other mortician?” Dad asked. “I meant to ask him after his cremation services for the animal innards on my projects.”

I frowned. Sal looked to my dad like he was insane. Or drunk.

“Ew, Dad,” Briana said, making a gagging face. “Gross.”

“Yes, dear, what happened to that other mortician?” Mom asked.

I met Sal’s gaze and said clearly, “We broke up.”

“I think, dear, that this one might be a little old for you?” Mom asked, leaning in closely but not tempering her voice.

Great, now she insulted the man with the gun.

“We broke up because Mr. Reggiano’s a better man. I like what he has to offer. The perks are what clinched it for me.” By perks, I meant Jack would stay alive.

“Why does a mortician need a gun?” Mom asked.