14. Gemma
Chapter fourteen
Gemma
“ H ow do you do this?” I ask Alessia while we’re sitting on the couch in my apartment, drinking a glass of wine after eating the dinner she and Enzo brought over.
Since the threat of the Russians emerged, Enzo has gone everywhere with her and is currently sitting in one of my chairs watching a televised MMA fight. It’s just like old times when we lived together in college. Except we’re older and have better taste in wine.
“Do what?” she asks, turning her attention from the TV screen to me.
“The waiting. You’re cool as a fucking cucumber, and I’m over here sweating bullets.”
Since Eoghan left this morning to firm up plans with Finn, I’ve been a nervous wreck. I attempted to do some work—that’s always been my go-to in the past to get my mind off whatever’s going on—but after going over the same spreadsheet three times and still not comprehending the numbers on the page, I finally gave up. I cleaned my apartment from top to bottom, hoping the mundane tasks would calm my racing mind. But apparently, I need to move into a bigger place if I keep seeing Eoghan because it didn’t take long enough. I considered going to the gym but was afraid I’d miss a call or Eoghan coming back, even though he said he wouldn’t be home until well past midnight. Finally, I called Alessia and she came over with takeout and alcohol.
“Trust me, sister, I’m anything but. I’ve just had more practice with the waiting. It doesn’t get easier. Not by a long shot.”
“I’m sorry. Does talking about the worry go against some rule in the mob wife handbook?”
Enzo grins and Alessia laughs outright.
“There’s no handbook. And I sure as hell wouldn’t have followed any of the rules if there were.”
This is the first time I’ve been in the thick of the dangers that only pertained to my best friend’s world in all the years we’ve known each other. When things went down with Cataldi, I had no idea it was happening. If I had known that Eoghan was calling me from the Black Roses clubhouse that night a couple weeks ago, I wouldn’t have been so damn glib with him. Maybe. Okay, probably not. I was still firmly of the mind that we were never going to get together. But knowing he’s out there doing something incredibly dangerous so he can weaken the threat against me and will most likely eventually kill the man who fathered me, well, it’s scaring the absolute shit out of me.
“We’ll be the new generation. You, me, and Giada.”
Alessia eyes me with interest over the rim of her glass. “But you're not an actual mob wife.”
“It won’t be a requirement,” I say, shrugging as I take a sip of the wine. I don’t want to get drunk tonight. I mean, I do, but I’m not going to. This will be my only glass, just in case…well, just in case.
“It’s kind of in the name, sweetie.”
“Oh, come on, Alessia. We’re breaking rules and bucking traditions here.”
“I just find it interesting that you’re including yourself in anything pertaining to any sort of wife title, mob or not.”
Alessia and I haven’t talked a lot about what’s going on between me and Eoghan. Honestly, we haven’t had time. Or opportunity.
“We can talk later,” she says, her eyes traveling to Enzo.
I wave off her concerns. “Please, the man knew my menstrual schedule when we were roommates.”
“I did not,” Enzo says without taking his eyes from the fight.
“We sent you to the store the same time every month for ice cream.”
“I just thought you liked ice cream.” He shrugs.
“Anyways,” I say, turning back to Alessia. “Things with Eoghan are…different than what I expected.”
I’ve never needed someone the way I need Eoghan. The feelings I had for my ex weren’t even in the same ballpark as what I feel for the man currently risking his life for me. I never expected to feel this way about the cocky asshole I met at my best friend’s wedding. Honestly, I never expected to feel this way about anyone. I’d only ever cared about two things—my career and not turning out as anything even remotely resembling my mother. Now, Eoghan has firmly rooted himself in a part of me I didn’t know existed, and I’m sitting here with my best friend, trying to distract myself from this feeling of impending doom.
“I’ll say. I didn’t even know you had any expectations.”
“There wasn’t for a while, but he finally wore me down, I guess.”
“Ah, that’s a great start to a lasting love story,” Alessia says, and we both laugh.
I tell her the story of him “randomly” showing up at the gym and the club and how I kept denying my attraction. I tell her about the horrible date I had with the asshole photographer and that Eoghan, once again, showed up there.
“God, it sounds like he was stalking you or something. How the hell did he keep finding you?”
“I have no idea, but I don’t think it was by any legal means or any sort of coincidence like he tried to play it off as.”
“Jesus, he’s lucky you didn’t file a restraining order. Or tell his brother that he was bothering you.”
“I don’t think Eoghan would have cared if his brother told him to stop. He was like a dog with a fucking bone.”
“And now he takes you to pound town every night.”
I choke on my wine, nearly spitting it all over my sofa. “That was so bad, Alessia. Jesus .”
Even Enzo is shaking his head at her ridiculous joke.
I’m still laughing when I hear my phone ring from the table next to me. Unknown Caller. There’s only one person this could be. I consider not answering, but fuck that. I have a few things to say.
“Hello, Angela.”
Alessia’s expression turns cold when she hears the name I say out loud. If there’s one person who hates my mother as much as I do, it’s her. Not because she’s brought trouble to her doorstep, though that’s a big part of it, but because of all the shit she put me through and is still putting me through. When I told Alessia that Nikolai was sending someone to keep an eye on her in Virginia, she didn’t understand why I would bother, saying she deserves what comes to her. I don’t know; what I said to Eoghan still holds true. I don’t wish her dead, even though she deserves it. But that doesn't mean I want to have anything to do with her.
“Hey, baby,” she says, and I can tell right away she’s been drinking or getting high. Probably both now that she has some money from Viktor. “Listen, I'm sorry about the last time we talked. It’s been stressful here. And I think Reggie has been running around on me. I need money so I can get the hell out of here.”
“What you got from Viktor isn’t enough?”
My mom is silent on the other end.
“Yeah, Angela, Daddy Dearest and I had a nice little chat after you sold my whereabouts to him.”
She’s quiet for so long I actually check to see if the call disconnected. Since she’s still on the line, I know she’s thinking hard about how she’s going to spin this to her advantage.
“I know how these guys think, Jenny. He would have a nice, rich husband picked out for you in no time. You would be set for life. A powerful husband with a home of your own. Isn’t that the goal?”
“Are you fucking kidding me? You ran from the man when you were pregnant because he has a reputation for killing pregnant mistresses. In what world do you see him picking out a nice, rich husband for me? The only thing he wants from me is to marry me off so he can get more power. Do you really think anyone he chose for me would be able to give me a happy life?”
“Happiness is overrated. You always had some notion that being happy was what’s important in life. The best we can hope for is a man who takes care of us.”
“Wrong. That’s the best you can hope for. I have no intention of settling for a man who’s rich and will probably beat the hell out of me anytime he pleases, just for fun. You put everyone I love in danger when you made that call. Including yourself. And for what? Because you needed to feed your habit and I refused to be your personal bank account?”
“I told you. I needed money to leave Reggie and—”
“I don’t fucking believe you!”
Alessia is staring at me with her mouth gaping wide, but this conversation is a long time coming. When I was in college, we would get into some pretty good fights over the phone, but instead of ever telling her exactly how I felt, I changed my number and cut contact with her. I never told her what a horrible parent she was.
“All you ever cared about is where your next fix was going to come from and what man you could scam to get it. Turns out, once I grew up and got some money of my own, I was the person you were hell-bent on bleeding dry. Let me be one-hundred-percent clear on this. I will not give you money. You played the only hand you had left with Viktor. Now that it’s blown up in your face, I’m the last person who will give you a fucking dime.”
“I did it so you can have a secure future. He wants you to have a husband,” she tries to justify in that obnoxious pleading tone of hers that used to work like a fucking charm. “I just hope when you have children, they aren’t as ungrateful as you turned out to be.”
I have to take a moment to absorb what she said. It doesn’t surprise me at all. This isn’t the first time she’s spouted the same rhetoric toward me. But it is the first time I’ve had a man and a family of my own making who I know would have my back and handle any sort of dangerous person in my life. And my mom has proven herself to be the most dangerous one of all.
“I really need you to hear me on this, Angela,” I say in a low, collected voice that holds all the menace I feel for the woman on the other end. “If you think Viktor is scary, you have no idea who you're speaking to right now. There are people in my life who won’t sit idly by while you put me in danger. Do you understand what I’m saying? If you ever call me again, or Viktor for that matter, I’ll be sure to send a lovely bouquet to your funeral that will be taking place a hell of a lot sooner than you think.”
“Are you threatening me?” she seethes.
“No. Threats are empty. What I’m doing is making a promise to you. Daughter to mother. If you try to interfere with my life ever again, I’ll make damn sure it’s the last thing you do.”
I disconnect the call and wish like hell I had one of those old phones that you can slam down. It would have been so much more satisfying. I stare at the dark screen, then a giggle erupts from my throat at that thought. Alessia looks at me as though I’ve lost my damn mind.
“You think she got the hint?” she asks, still unsure that I’m not completely cracking under pressure.
“I sure as hell hope so.”
“You know, the Monaghans have a rule about women and children, but after what your mom did, I have a strong feeling Eoghan would make an exception for your mother.” She sips her wine and turns back to the television. “And if he didn’t, I would.”
I smile at my best friend and squeeze her arm in thanks. Nothing like a little threat of matricide to bring two best friends even closer together.
Enzo and Alessia head home an hour after both of us received a text that Eoghan and Finn were on their way back from New York. It calmed the nervous anxiety I had thrumming through my body all day to know that everything went smoothly and they were safe.
When I feel a hand brush my cheek and smell the woodsy, citrus scent that is distinctly Eoghan, a smile stretches across my face before I open my eyes. When I do, his soft blue gaze is directed at me. He sits on the edge of my bed as I turn my entire body to him.
“You’re back,” I whisper into the dimly lit room.
“Of course I am. Did you think you were getting rid of me?”
“If I could only be so lucky,” I reply with a wink.
“Sorry, blondie. I’m superglue, remember?”
My eyes roll toward the ceiling, and Eoghan’s low chuckle sends shivers down my spine. “What time is it?”
“About two. I’m going to take a shower before I come to bed. Go back to sleep.” He leans down and kisses me sweetly on the forehead.
When I hear the shower turn on in the bathroom, images of him naked in the shower with all that water running over the hard planes of his chest and back, down his muscular thighs that look damn fine in a pair of workout shorts…yeah, I’m not going back to sleep.
Slipping the covers off my body, I walk into the bathroom and hear the sounds of Eoghan washing his body on the other side of the curtain. I slip out of the T-shirt I stole from him that I was sleeping in when he got home. I’m almost embarrassed to admit I needed something so damn sappy to comfort me, but as soon as I pull back the curtain and see Eoghan’s tight muscles rippling while he scrubs at his face, all thoughts of anything other than feeling his body under my touch drift away.
Then I notice the dark bruise forming on his left side.
“Jesus, Eoghan. What the hell happened?”
He spins in the shower and faces me, seeing where my eyes have landed. “One of the security guards got a punch in. No biggie.”
My finger grazes the discolored flesh. “Does it hurt?”
He winces when I press. “Only when you do that.” He takes my hand in his and brings it to his lips, kissing my knuckles. “It’s fine, sweetheart.”
Then I notice his swollen knuckles. I turn my hand and hold his between us. “What about this?”
“Same guard. They got the jump on us when we were just about to leave.”
“You didn’t…” I don’t want to ask if they killed anyone tonight, but I need to know. I need to know if this shit with my father spilled onto innocent men just trying to do their jobs.
Eoghan shakes his head, his gaze softening as he looks into my eyes. “No, Gemma. No,” he assures me as his palms slide to my cheeks, holding me in place. “We knocked them out and left. They were employees of the port. A few guys there to do their job. We don’t kill people over that.”
Relief washes through me. Innocent people didn’t get caught up in this shit. At least not tonight.
“Sorry, I’m still getting used to this. I don’t know what I can ask or what women normally ask or know in general.”
Eoghan shrugs. “You can ask me anything. Tell me anything. If you want the full story, I’ll give it to you.” And it really is as simple as that for him.
“I talked to my mother tonight. She called while Alessia was here.”
Eoghan’s jaw tics, as it has every time my mother has been brought up in conversation this past week. “What the hell did she have to say for herself?”
“She was calling for money again. I told her I knew Viktor paid her for the information on me.”
“God, I hate that woman. I know she’s your mother, but fuck her.”
“I certainly don’t hold any warm and fuzzy feelings for her. She tried the whole she did me a favor, that I was going to be set up to marry a rich and powerful man and never want for anything. Then it turned into I’m an ungrateful daughter and she hopes I never know the pain of having a child like me. Same shit, different day.” I look at him through my dampening lashes. “Then I told her if she calls me or contacts Viktor again, I’d kill her.”
Eoghan isn’t surprised by my statement. Or if he is, he doesn’t let it show. “Do you want to call Nikolai’s man off her? Let fate decide if she lives or dies?”
I shake my head before he can finish his sentence. “No. Once all this is over then she can make her decisions. I told her the consequences if she chooses poorly. Call it my last favor to her for getting us out of New York. But this is it. She tries to fuck with me or puts the people I love in danger, she’s finished.”
“I’d do it, you know. If you decided that she was too much of a liability in your life, I’d end hers for you.”
Most girls would be completely freaked out by such a statement, but I’ve been learning more and more throughout my relationship with Eoghan that I’m not most girls. And some people are evil and don’t deserve to breathe the same air as those around them. My mother is one of them.
“Is it weird I find that incredibly sweet?” I ask, wrapping my arms around his middle. “God, I must be fucked in the head.”
“If this is you fucked in the head, then I like it,” Eoghan says with a sly smile. “But I’d rather you get fucked somewhere else.”
“Oh yeah?” I purr as he backs me up into the wall of the shower.
When he kneels in front of me and slides my leg over his shoulder, all thoughts of my mother and this mess with Viktor evaporate from my mind. Some girls may want to be held and have reassurances whispered in their ears. Me? I’ll take the Irish mobster worshiping me on his knees any day of the week.