Chapter Eight
Summer
Reaching through the sleeve of Rob’s large sweatshirt, I feel the sweat break out all over my body.
“OW FUCK!”
I grit my teeth together, taking a deep breath.
Letting out a low breath, I wait for the sharp pain to subside.
“You OK?”
Eva pokes her head around the door, passing me a pair of leggings.
“Thanks, and yeah, just everything hurts.”
I shrug, taking a seat at the end of the bed.
“You took a pretty nasty tumble from that van, you’re lucky you didn’t break anything.”
I grunt, sitting on the edge of the bed. I slide each leg into the yoga pants before shimmying them over my ass. Even as the material travels over my skin, I can feel each scab, cut and bruise get caught along the way. Taking a deep breath, I wait for the pain to die off. Catching sight of Eva eyeing me from the doorway, she chews on her thumb whilst a worried look crosses her face.
“What is it?” I ask.
“Is it safe for you?”
I chew on the inside of my mouth; I’ve been in Rob and Eva’s home for a little under twenty-four hours. I’ve essentially fallen into their laps, they’ve taken care of me, shown me kindness, and not pressed as to how I got myself into such a fucked-up situation.
“Why didn’t you and Rob press, you know, when I told you how I ended up here?”
I ask curiously.
Eva moves her jaw from side to side slightly, her eyes travel the room before landing back on me. I see the conflict in her expression, for a moment I see the fear before it passes by. As though she’s been taught to be scared the majority of her life, not have any independence of her own and be told she needs to rely on a man.
She sounds like me.
She approaches, taking a seat next to me on the bed. Placing her palms in her lap, she looks towards the open door before speaking.
“Mine and Rob’s dad, he wasn’t a good man, I can’t even say he was a good father to us.”
She swallows hard, her fingers lock together and her shoulders fall. “He ran with the wrong people and ended up getting himself killed when he tried to steal from them.”
“What happened?”
“I don’t know the full story, I never wanted to. I was ten or so, Mom asked me to run across to the store to get some milk one morning. I swung the door open and there he was.
Hanging from the porch.”
She sucks in a breath. “They’d tortured him….before eviscerating him.”
My jaw falls open, I feel the chills and goosebumps slither over my skin. My eyes locked on Eva, whilst she continues the story.
“God, I screamed so loud. I slid in the blood and fell to the floor. Mom came out, I’ll never forget the noise she made. Pure horror, something I’ve never heard since. Neighbours all rushed out; I’ve never seen so many people freeze in fear all at once. No one knew what to do, what to say, it was a silent nightmare running up and down the street.”
“Jesus, I’m so sorry, Eva.”
I lean over to take her hand in mine before a cold voice booms from the doorway.
“I think you’ve left out the part where he left mom to struggle, whilst he fucked his way through New York, or how when she finally got a backbone, he beat her so badly she was in hospital for a week.”
My neck snaps to Rob, stepping into the bedroom. Their haunting pasts still weighing them down with his words, the betrayal he still feels and the hurt that nearly broke his family apart. I feel his gaze burning holes into Eva’s head, but she looks away. Both still too traumatised in their own way at how their childhood was so cruelly tarnished by the evil in this city and the people that roam it. Eva slowly nods, acknowledging their father’s shortcomings, even years after his death they’re still tortured by what they had to face.
“We didn’t ask you, Summer, because we know what goes on in this city. We know the nasty brutal side to it and that it doesn’t take much for it to latch on to you and never let you go.”
Rob’s words are haunting, but all too true. It lurks around every corner and if you’re not careful you’ll be chewed up and spat out without a second thought.
“They left his body outside our house as a warning. A warning to never utter the truth because Dad was family by blood, imagine what they would do to anyone else.”
My eyes grow wide, Rob’s words whirling around in my head.
“Your own family did that to him?”
Unable to hide the horror in my voice, I look between the siblings. “What the fuck?”
“He tried to steal from them, that’s what happens to thieves and that’s what happens to those who fuck with Aldo Bernardi.”
He shrugs.
All warmth immediately drains from the room, I feel the intense icy shivers rush over my body, my eyes fly to Rob’s. With my jaw wide open, I just stare at him. I feel Eva tense beside me, but I can’t pull my eyes from Rob’s and it’s a look he’s all too familiar with.
“You’ve heard of him?”
He speaks threateningly low. My eyes begin to flick between Rob and the doorway, working out if I can make my way out before he catches me. “I wouldn’t try that, Summer.”
I swallow hard, feeling the sweat begin to form all over my body. I feel my limbs shake and tremble with fear.
“We aren’t anything like them.”
I turn to Eva as she whispers, I see a single tear trickle down her cheek before she quickly swipes it away and wipes her nose.
“Who are you, Summer?” Rob asks.
Looking between Rob, Eva, and the door, I know I can’t get away, I’ve ended up here by pure coincidence, haven’t I? Yet, I feel as though fate and my life have gotten together to have a big “fuck you”
at my expense. No one could have foreseen this, from arriving in New York, Two/Face, the killings and now this. I’ve moved from one insane situation to another, I guess it would make sense in some weird way that the people who saved me from that van would somehow be tied up in this one way or another. Realising right now, I have little to lose, I decide to be honest.
“I’m here because my father was killed, but potentially under the orders of Luca Bernardi.”
I feel the temperature in the room continue to plummet, at the mention of his name. Both Rob and Eva’s eyes widen, the flicker of recognition and dread all rolled into one.
“He’s our older cousin.”
Eva speaks quietly.
I feel my entire body tense, my nails gripping into my palms. Shifting uncomfortably in my seat, I feel I’ve fallen into a fucking shark trap.
“Right.”
I awkwardly look to Eva then to Rob, taking another deep breath. “So you’re Eva and Rob….Bernardi?”
I shudder.
They both nod and I click my tongue against the roof of my mouth. The room feels as though it’s getting smaller and smaller, the dark hole beneath me getting bigger, trying to pull me down. Right now, I’d gladly allow it to, how the hell have I managed to walk into this?
I’ve been here for a day, neither of them have tried to kill me ….yet.
“I’ve been living at my dad’s apartment since his death. Yesterday morning I was going through his stuff in his room, and I found photos hidden in a jacket pocket. When I spread them along the floor, I saw pictures of Luca meeting with different people, at different times and in different locations.”
I feel my stomach drop, at the image that sent me into a spiral. Running a shaky hand through my hair, I push through. “I saw him with my mother. They looked fucking cozy, let’s put it that way.”
Shaking my head, I run my tongue along the inside of my mouth. I let out a frustrated huff, realising all along this was my selfish bitch of a mother. It was her the whole time, manipulating everyone in her path to get what she wants. And saying it out loud, makes me sick with anger and hatred towards her.
“I ran to grab my phone and call Bhodi, then, when he didn’t answer, I tried James. Someone shot through the apartment door, I didn’t realise I’d been hit until I saw the blood, I ran to the bathroom and locked the door. I must have passed out, they set a fire, I think. I could smell smoke…I woke up in the van later.”
“Who’s Bhodi and James?”
Eva asks quietly.
Even the mention of his name gives me butterflies, for a moment I feel myself zone out and take myself to a happier safer time.
“He … Bhodi is the detective working my dad’s case and James is…was my dad’s lawyer. They’re pretty much the only two people I know here.”
I shrug. “I only know where James lives, please can you take me there? I don’t want to bring you any trouble, I just need to see them.”
My eyes plead with theirs, but Rob’s expression seems to remain unreadable. We’ve all just dumped our emotional baggage on each other, and we are strangers.
“Why do you think Luca killed your father?” Rob asks.
My ex-fiancé, Harry, followed me to New York immediately after I arrived. I was here a couple days before I ran into him and Luca. I didn’t know who he was until Bhodi told me, that’s when I found outwhat he does. I shoot Rob a knowing look.
“Fuck sake,”
Rob mutters. “Even now, he’s like fucking cancer to us,”
Running his hand over his face, he begins pacing the room, shaking his head.
“You need to leave.”
He snaps. “You need to get the fuck away from us now!”
“You can’t be fucking serious, Rob?”
Eva jumps up from the bed, her eyes are wild. “
“You know what will happen if he finds out, Eva! Stop being so fucking na?ve.”
“I’m not!”
“He’ll fucking kill us, if he finds this shit out!”
“How?”
She throws her arms in the air. “I’m not going to tell him, are you?”
“No, but that doesn’t mean he won’t find out! And then what? He’ll come for us; he has no fucking loyalties to anyone. Look what they did to Dad!”
Eva visibly stiffens, taking a step back and her head drops. After a moment, her entire body deflates, Rob’s words cutting her deep. She looks to me and her eyes soften.
“Give me your car keys, I’ll take her.”
She holds her hand out.
“No, Eva, we’re not getting involved.”
“It’s a bit late for that, now give me the keys.”
Speaking through gritted teeth, she straightens her back, staring her brother down.
I feel myself begin to sink awkwardly into the bed, watching them both. Neither of them are willing to back down, and I know the best thing for me to do is leave.
“I’m going to leave.”
I rise from my seat.
“Good.”
“NO! I’m going to drive Summer to Manhattan, take her to her friend where she’ll be safe and you’re going to come with me. Because we stick together, and you know Mom would be turning in her grave if she knew you were treating someone this way. Someone who’s been sucked in by our fucked-up family.”
Rob’s eyes drop to the floor as soon as his mom is mentioned, I hate being the reason for this argument. Eva’s shaking in anger, her hands are trembling as tears fill her eyes. He finally lifts his head, switching his gaze between myself and his sister. I can see he’s not being cruel to me; I know he’s truly trying to protect them both from what their family is capable of.
“Fine, but we drop her off and come straight back.”
Eva breaks into a smile, throwing her arms around her brother and holding him tight.
“Thank you, Rob,”
she quietly whispers. Breaking the hug, she turns to me. “Ready to go?”
Moving through the house, I admire the vast size. Reaching for the handrail, I move slowly down the stairs towards the front door, eyeing a few family photos framed on the walls. My joints continue to ache with each step I take and my muscles twinge all over, I never thought a short fall could cause so much pain.
“It’s the black BMW parked outside.”
Rob swings open the door of the house.
Clicking the fob the car in front of the house unlocks. Squinting at the mid-morning sun and throwing my hand up to shield my eyes, I find myself glancing around the street. I feel my anxiety begin to swirl around my body, that feeling of being watched slithering over me again. My eyes continue to dart around as we move towards the car, but as soon as my hand connects with the door handle, I hear it.
“Eva?”
The voice comes from up the street.
My neck snaps towards Eva who stops in her tracks, I see the colour immediately drain from her face. Rob stands next to her, his jaw tics as the voice calls out again.
“Eva?”
This time it’s a little more frustrated.
Slowly turning around, I spot the man approaching. I feel my stomach almost fall from my ass when he looks towards me. I see the images strewn across Dad’s bedroom floor flash through my mind, I see his face in multiple images with Luca and others. My heart begins to thunder in my chest. Feeling the dread rush through me, I wrench the car door open.
“Get in! Get in! It’s him!”
“What?”
“Just get in the fucking car and drive!”
I frantically beg.
Within a matter of seconds, Rob and Eva pile into the car. Whoever the stranger is, sprints towards us and begins pounding hard on the glass just as Rob locks the car. I feel myself press further into the leather seat, watching as his wild eyes meet mine. He halts for a moment, a flicker of recognition crosses his face. Rob immediately tears away and the tyres shriek along the road. taking an immediate left then right, I feel my body being thrown around, hanging onto the door for support, I white-knuckle the seat beneath me and feel my stomach turn with each aggressive move.
“Who was that?”
I turn back in my seat.
“My ex, Daniel.”
Eva wipes the tears from her eyes, shaking her head.
“How the fuck do you know him?”
Rob spits out, his focus darting between the road and me.
Falling back into the seat, I throw my head into the headrest. The adrenaline coursing through me, I shake my head in disbelief.
“He’s one of the men I saw in the photos with Luca.”
“Are you sure?”
Eva asks quietly from the backseat.
I turn to face her, my face softens when I see the betrayal in her eyes. I slowly nod before looking to Rob, whose teeth are clenched so tight they could crack.
“I told you he was a piece of shit,”
he mutters under his breath.
“I don’t need this shit, Rob, I know what a prick he is! Why do you think I haven’t left the fucking house?”
Rob’s attitude changes, looking into the rearview mirror, the anger immediately washes away from his face when he sees the tears in Eva’s eyes.
“Why didn’t you tell me what was going on?”
he asks softly.
I glance to Eva who visibly stiffens in her seat. Squeezing her eyes shut, she shakes her head before a sob escapes her throat.
“Because I didn’t want you to know what he was making me do.”
Her voice breaks and she throws her head in her hands.
Her fear and embarrassment I know all too well. Shame runs over you like ice water, but having to admit the things they did to you out loud and to someone who cares for you, it’s heartbreakingly raw. It brings out a vulnerability you’ve tried to keep hidden for too long. The car remains silent, neither Rob nor Eva speak. The tension in the car is thick and I know this will be a tough conversation for Eva later. Aside from asking for James’s address, we don’t speak through the entire drive. I spent the remainder of the journey checking we aren’t being followed and making a note of any car that gets too close. My hands remain clenched in my lap, the familiar surroundings begin to appear as the car nears James’s home. I feel my body begin to relax when Rob pulls up outside. I glance up at the brownstone and feel the tears fill my eyes. I turn to Rob, wiping the tears away,
“I can’t thank you enough for this.”
I look to Eva and she nods. “What are you going to do now?”
I ask curiously.
“We need to leave the city for a while, I knew Daniel was a piece of shit but now it’s confirmed he’s working with Luca.”
“Where will you go?”
“Somewhere quiet, we can work out the rest later.”
The idea of moving instantly doesn’t seem to bother them, as though they’re used to leaving at a moment’s notice. In a strange twist of fate, I fell into these people’s lives, and they’ve done nothing but help me, it’s only right I do the same for them.
“Come with me to see James, please I’m sure he can help you.”
“Summer, we learnt a long time ago to not rely on people we don’t know.”
“But you know me, please. I can help you.”
Rob looks to the rearview mirror again, he and Eva having a silent conversation that I’m not privy to. I hold my breath, hoping they’ll agree to trust me. The look in Daniel’s eyes confirmed what I feared, they already know I’m missing, and Luca is likely looking for me.
We were only driving for thirty minutes, by now Daniel has likely made people around him aware of what he’s seen, which means that the word is getting around the precincts.
Maybe Bhodi will find out and come looking for me.
But did he already know about the dirty cops?
I roll my bottom lip between my teeth, more questions beginning to swirl in this never-ending shit show I call my life. My head snaps towards the front of James’s as he flies from the front door and down the steps, towards a waiting car.
“What the fuck?” I mutter.
When he reaches his vehicle, I throw the car door open and step out.
“James?”
I call out.
His eyes immediately find mine, with his car door already wrenched open. He freezes, the colour draining from his face as he continues to stare at me from across the street. His features are haunted, as though he’s just seen a ghost.