Chapter 29
Cipriana
Two months have gone by since the worst day of my life. Nicky’s stone-cold gaze still obscures my vision now and again. The way he teased a knife down my face, pretending to split it open. I mean… what was he going to do, wear my skin?
Sick bastard.
Thank God for Trino. My dark knight.
Not only are we done with the Sonny debacle, but we’re finally free of the Lucrazis’ hold thanks to one meeting .
It makes me wonder if we should’ve gone to the dons in the first place.
Nah. Nicky wouldn’t have rested until my father and I were wiped from the Earth, regardless of orders. It had to go down this way, I guess.
Trino is a stroke of street-smart genius. He had our wedding documents forged a year earlier, and told Don Vino of a vendetta Sonny and Nicky had against himself and Stanzo. He convinced the most hot-headed don for generations that his men were in the wrong. And for it? My man is a capo.
The capo, if you ask me.
Now I’m driving down the Jersey Turnpike to heed a challenge I made for myself. I’m no longer Capri Dotelli, the do-good lawyer stuck in a library, scared of her shadow. Now I’m Capri DeMatteo – the badass lawyer stripping bitch who finishes what she starts.
I step on the gas to emphasize my point. Rolling up to a familiar hotel building makes me remember a different time. An easier one. A boring one . Not anymore.
Shutting the door of my new black-on-white BMW X5 and strutting into the lobby, I wink at the manager, who waves as I make a sharp turn left. Down the hall I go, right to the women’s locker room where a familiar scuba suit is waiting for me.
I’m smirking at it, remembering when I flailed in an undying panic.
Now when my heart thunders in my ears, I never think more clearly.
Grabbing for the suit, I notice the beautiful ring Trino bought for me, how it shines even in the dullest light.
Yeah, the pillow-cut diamond is perfect, but that’s not my favorite part about it.
When I took it off to clean it one night, I found another surprise inside.
‘C&T’ engraved with a ribbon under it – to remind me of our kinky sexcapades.
It gave me tingles up and down my leg… and it’s happening again right now.
There’s so much in this ring I never thought I’d have. Love, appreciation. The proposal.
To think, we started out hating one another so hard. Yeah, he was hot, but that was it. I thought he was a dumb Jackie Junior. Now he’s something better than even Toretto.
My dark knight.
I hop into the tight one-piece suit, my skin burning as it scrunches inside. This used to make me feel claustrophobic. I’m good, now. Better than good. I’m ready for Gil to put on that heavy ass tank and watch me swim like a dolphin under there.
I walk out in my flip-flops and that skintight water-suit, holding my flippers under my arms. Gil’s waiting for me with a sad sort of smile. Not sure if it’s because he still has a little thing for me, or maybe he’s not the strong man he thought he was.
It’s true. He didn’t hold it together very well in Nicky’s torture chamber. But I don’t blame him. We all thought we were going to die in there. I remember Jacky shaking like a leaf as she held onto me. My poor friends.
The trauma is subsiding though. It’s just going to take time.
“Capri! You look ready.” Gil grabs the tank and holds the flaps open for me to slide into like a backpack.
I give him a kiss on the cheek and then slide right in. A part of me wonders if Trino would be mad right now if he saw this. But if he only knew how little I ever felt for any other guy. It’s like my entire body is only drawn to his darkness. If nothing else, this lack of spark only proves it more.
“When am I going to see you back at the law firm?”
“Maybe after the wedding. Well, maybe after the honeymoon, really. Eeee!” I squeal, then remember it might be in bad taste if Gil still has a crush.
He offers a fake laugh. “I’m happy for you.”
I look over at him, analyzing his face.
“What? I am .”
“Not sour about us never dating?”
“I wouldn’t have invited you to scuba if I was. Besides…” He laughs nervously. “I can’t keep up with you. Seeing you on that stage was the shock of my life.”
“Mine too.”
We both laugh.
“I’m going to need you to erase those memories of my dance moves, please.”
“Yeah, sure.” His eyes widen like he’s envisioning it right now, making me slap him playfully on the shoulder.
“It’s back to legal Capri for you,” I say.
“I’ll believe it when you’re actually back at your desk. There’s a gaping hole at that table. But the rest of us share a special bond now.”
“Yeah, about that. I appreciate you all not going to the cops.”
“How many times are you going to tell us? We’re your friends, and we’re alive . Besides, Trino said we’d all be dead in a week by the Lucrazis if we ‘sung.’”
I tilt my head. It’s probably true.
“Capri.”
“Hm?”
“I’m sorry I led the mob straight to you. I know you asked us to give you your space…”
“Forget it, Gil. It’s over. You couldn’t have known.”
“Mhm.” He nods.
“Shall we?” I stuff the breathing apparatus in my mouth, strap on my flippers, and pull down my goggles. After giving him a dorky thumbs up, I hop right into the deep end of the pool.
Fshh!
Bubbles kick up all around me as I stare at the fine detail of the stone decorations of the pool siding.
It’s so weird down here. Peaceful, kind of. It’s like having noise cancelling headphones on. Only… it’s hard to breathe in this thing. Like, really hard. Last time Gil said I’d get used to it. Whatever. This is nothing compared to dancing near-naked for horny men.
I’ve survived car chases, mobsters ready to kill me, mobsters who nearly killed me, and the mortification of all my friends watching my bare ass twerk. This is nothing.
I swim leisurely, ignoring the bubbles of Gil hopping in beside me. He gives a thumbs up, asking if I’m alright. I give one right back.
This is a nice break from wedding planning. The big day is coming up so fast.
Thinking of Trino’s big arms wrapped around me makes me feel like I’m floating on a cloud.
Not even this tank on my back that once felt like three hundred pounds is weighing me down.
Ironically, all the working out Diamond and Ruby made me do has made this easier.
I’m not a weakly stick that fell off a tree anymore.
Thanks, girlies.
My mind is drifting to the first dance I’ve been forcing Trino to practice with me.
He grunts whenever I pull him, but he doesn’t resist. He’s changed since he rescued me.
Not only the declaration of love, but the way he finds little nooks throughout his day to give me a squeeze, it means everything.
I find myself smiling as I bite down on this breathing regulator. My dad’s free. He’s going to be at my wedding. My real wedding.
After a few laps back and forth, Gil points up for me to follow him. When I break water and pull out that awful thing that kept me alive underwater, we’re both smiling.
“What the hell!” he says.
“What?”
“It’s like you’re a different person under there.”
I smile at him, feeling all giddy that I conquered yet another fear.
“You should’ve been a stripper from the beginning.”
Whack!
“Ow!” I hold my hand because I hit a metal part of his suit by accident.
He laughs. “You’re still a goof, though.”
My smile turns into a playful frown, before I stuff the mouthpiece back in and pretend to flail like I’m drowning.
This turned out to be a fun day.
I’m happy to be alive.