Blush (31 page)

The feel of blood, thick and hot; the coppery smell
of it as I lay there, my eyes searching the crowd. Wondering who
would do this, why? Then I see him. I can only see through a
pinpoint as the darkness starts closing in but it's enough time to
see him standing there smug, grinning. That is, until he sees me
focused on him. Then he frowns as I narrow my gaze at him, knowing
I'm essentially giving myself away as well as calling him out, but
I'm a fucking Russo after all. We don't back down and I know this
isn't random. I recognize Sera's cousin, Emilio, with his short
blonde hair sticking up in spikes, tattoos covering the arms that
are bared with the short-short sleeved black Falling Down tee he's
wearing. He's got piercings now as well and he's also got a gun
tucked into the waistband of his jeans.

I wink and smirk at him.

He's reaching for his gun just as I lose
consciousness.

I sit up with a gasp.

“Lucy?“ I hear Sera ask. I look over and
she's standing beside the bed.

“I saw it. I remember it. Can you get them?“
I ask her. She nods and leaves the room. Jesse comes rushing
in.

“Baby, are you alright?“ he asks, pulling me
close.

I nod. “Yeah. Yeah.“ I'm breathless. I didn't
realize I was breathless. I'm also shaking.

“He's going to kill me because I saw him,“ I
whisper.

“Who?“ Gampy asks.

I remember it all. I replay what happened as
Jesse cradles me to his chest, soothing me as his hand rubs my
back.

“Who was it?“ Cage asks this time.

“Emilio Manzini.“

Gampy nods and sends Cage and Damian a
knowing look. Sera gasps and I press my lips together so I don't
burst into tears or curse like a sailor.

“We used to play with him as children!“ Sera
bites out.

I nod. “I don't know what stopped him from
shooting me, but he had his gun ready and he knows how to get away
with shooting someone in public.“

“Motherfucker,“ Damian curses.

“This presents a problem, no?“ my dad
asks.

“No, it does not,“ Gampy tells him. “We knew
who they sent. It's no matter that he's their childhood friend. No
one hurts a Russo.“ He looks to Sera. “You are a Russo, not a
Manzini just as you are Regina. You are all under my protection and
I will not tolerate this.“

“He meant to kill me with that ice ball. You
saw where it hit. I'm not sure why he missed. He never misses,“ I
comment.

Sera nods, sits on the bed next to me and
holds my hand. I allow it because in spite of the secrets and
feelings of betrayal, she's my sister and what's going on now is a
bigger betrayal than anyone could have imagined.

“What are you going to do?“ mama asks.

“You know what needs to be done,“ Gampy tells
her and she nods once.

“Why Lucy? Why not me?“ Sera asks. “The
threats were toward me for how long, and now they turn it on Luce?
Something's going on there.“

Cage nods. “It's being handled. This won't
happen again. To any of you.“

“You can't know that,“ Meggie says.

Cage tilts his head and that look, the one
that shows just how lethal he is underneath it all, the one that
separates the businessman from the mobster, shows for just a brief
moment and Meggie gasps and meets my gaze.

“I'm sorry you're involved in this, Megs. The
offer Jesse made you while I was off in my unconscious Land of Make
Believe still stands for you all to take a vacation far away until
this settles down. We've got a couple months before the tour picks
back up,“ I tell everyone in the room.

“Are you fucking kidding me?“ she replies,
sounding insulted. “I'm made of tougher stuff than that. What they
did was chicken shit. If they want to threaten, they need to step
up their game and stop with the lurking in the fucking shadows
bullshit. Bitches, that's what they are, pure and simple.“

Cage smirks and my grandpa winks at her.

“They'll get theirs, little Meggie,“ Damian
reassures her. “I can promise you that.“

I WALK PAST Sera's bedroom in the suite and I hear
her retching. I go in and knock on the bathroom door just as I hear
a flush.

“Who is it?“ she calls out.

“It's just me,“ I murmur softly.

“You never have to knock, Luce. You know
that.“

“Well, vomiting is a bad thing,“ I say
opening the door.

“I hate puking.“

“Me too. What did the doctor say when they
all forced you to get checked out while I was out of it?“

“It's nothing bad. It'll run its course and
I'll be fine again soon.“

I nod. “Good. I don’t like seeing you suffer
like this.“

“I'm okay.“

“Hmm. Debatable. Let's go get some vitamin
water,“ I tell her.

“Okay. You know I really like that
pomegranate kind.“

“Me too! We're going to end up fighting over
them, aren't we?“ I smirk.

“Probably, but you've got the Kingston Litter
on board so I'll have to let you win,“ she tells me then laughs out
loud.

“Kingston Litter,“ I laugh with her. “I have
a feeling Jesse's not going to like that one.“

“Probably not but it's always fun riling him
up.“

I nod.

“And he does have it coming. I mean, he
doesn't think I've forgotten the shit he's pulled, does he?“

I snort.

“I may forgive, but I never forget,“ she
tells me.

“Oh how well I know.“

“Luce, I've got to tell you something,“ she
deadpans.

My heart drops into my stomach. “What is
it?“

“Well, I think it's only right for me to tell
you...“

“Tell me what?“ she's making me so
nervous.

“Luce, you're going to be big as a
whale.“

I gasp and she laughs.

“Bitch!“

“You know it's true!“ she laughs when I give
her hair a not-so-gentle tug.

“That's just so mean. You know I know I'm
going to be ginormous. You don't need to remind me! Why can't you
all just lie to me once in a while?“ I ask, then freeze when I
realize what I've said. She did lie to me. For how knows how
long.

“Luce…“ she begins.

I just look at her.

“I'm sorry I didn't tell you. There's so
much… and so many reasons why I couldn't. The main one is I wanted
you to be safe. Knowing less is best in this case. I promise you.
And I'll tell you everything you want to know when we get back to
CFD, okay?“

“Where?“

“Casa Falling Down. I'm just too lazy to say
all that every time.“

I snort. “I'm not going to say it's okay that
you went through this and didn't let me in. I'm your sister, Sera.
We've always done everything together—especially the bad.“

“I know. I'm sorry.“

“I don't understand why you'd keep this from
me. This is a major thing, Sera.“

“It is,“ she nods, “but you were dealing with
a shitload of other major things as well, weren't you? So why would
I dump more onto that plate when it's already overflowing?“

“Because I will always have room for you and
that's at the top of the list. Always.“ I sigh. “Promise me you
won't do this again. Please. Always tell me everything.“

She meets my gaze head on. “It's not safe
right now, Lucy. Not for any of us. I worry if—no, when they find
out about the babies, especially knowing it's triplets, that
they'll do something to you. I won't survive that. I just
won't.“

“Then it's a good thing I know now, right? I
can be extra attentive so I'll be safe. Besides, security is going
to be insane at CFD. We'll be okay,“ I reassure her.

“We will, I have no doubt. Gampy, Cage,
Damian, and Jesse all working together? Yeah, I wouldn't be
surprised if they all knew when we went pee, how many times, and
how much,“ she snickers.

“Well, they're going to be taking a lot of
notes because look,“ I say, lifting my shirt, “My tummy is popping
out and there's not a damn thing I can do about it.“

Her hand curves over the bump. “Three
babies.“

“Yeah,“ I whisper.

She blows out a breath and I wrinkle my
nose.

“You really should brush your teeth. You've
got puke breath,“ I chide.

She laughs and pretends like she's going to
blow out another breath in my face. “Don't even think it. I'll puke
all over the place and it won't be pretty. I had bacon and eggs for
breakfast,“ I tease.

“Eww. Nice visual, whore.“

“You're welcome,“ I tell her as she finishes
brushing her teeth.

“Let's go see what everyone's up to. Maybe
Xander'll start humping Ben's leg again.“

I laugh. “Oh, God, that was hilarious. Let's
go see if we can coerce him into it.“

She snorts. “Coerce? All we have to do is
ask. That man needs no coercion.“

“Truer words were never spoken.“

Xander's in the sitting area when we get out
there and we just look at each other, then look at Xander who looks
back at us and smirks.

“Don't even think about it,“ Jesse whispers
in my ear.

I cross my arms over my chest. “I didn't do
anything.“

He chuckles. “You didn't have to.“

I give Xander and Sera wide eyes.

“Did anyone bring you that water, Luce?“
Xander asks, and I have no idea what he's talking about. Then it
clicks.

I pout. “No. I should go get one,“ I say,
starting to get up.

“Just sit, Cupcake. I'll get it for you.“

“Thanks, babe,“ I tell him with a wide smile.
When he leaves the room Xander rubs his hands together and heads
straight for Ben.

Oh boy.

“I'M SURPRISED YOUR grandfather is letting us do
this,“ Jesse tells me, holding my hand as we walk through the
double doors.

“We're not exactly alone,“ I tell him, making
note of the four security guards and Damian surrounding us.

“You know it's not even the security,“ Damian
says as he walks beside me. “It's those angel eyes you flash at
people when you want to get your way.“

“Whatever do you mean?“ I blink
innocently.

“You know exactly what I mean,“ he chuckles.
“I've seen you use them more than once. Hell, you used them on me
and I fell for it. I'm trained not to fall for that shit.“

I can't help it, I giggle. “I'm just too
good. Growing up with my grandpa, can you blame me for having to
fight dirty?“

“Hell no,“ Jesse tells me.

“Dude,“ Damian begins, “she only has to look
at you for you to fall at her feet.“

“Fucking A. That's my wife and she gives me
rewards, isn't that right, baby?“ Jesse asks before leaning in for
a kiss.

“Mhmm. Really amazing, toe-curling rewards,“
I agree and Damian scoffs.

We get to the airport checkpoint and I look
at Jesse and pout. “I have to take my rings off.“

“Only for a second. They'll give them right
back.“

“I know, it's just…“

“Aww, babe.“ He pulls me close.

I had Celeste contact Dave Richardson, my
favorite reporter, the one who was pulling for me and Jesse at the
press conference from hell. He and Margo Phelan will always be my
go-to reporters.

“You two gonna be alright from here?“ Damian
asks, looking us over and smirking.

“We'll be okay. Besides there are others
inside. I'm not stupid,“ I tell him.

He shakes his head. “You're going to draw
attention to yourselves. Hell, you already are,“ he says, nodding
at mine and Jesse's matching jerseys.

I shrug. “Worth every second.“

“Be safe,“ Damian states then backs up,
waiting until we get through the airport security checkpoint. When
we're through, I give him a wave and a small smile and that's when
I see him. Emilio. I look at Damian giving him the look, the one my
grandpa taught me to give. Damian taps a button on his phone,
pretending like nothing's going on, but Emilio isn't a novice. He
knows, he sees the look. He smirks and in a blink he's gone.

“Go,“ Damian tells me and I nod. Do I tell
Jesse about this? Yeah, yeah I will when we get on the plane.