Escaping: A Mafia Romance (The O'Keefe Family Collection #2) (4 page)

Six.

Hairline Fracture

Fallyn helped Vince in every way he would let her. She acted as his crutch when he wanted to go down the steps, leading him at a snail’s pace. She noted every flinch of pain he tried to suppress. She set up the bathroom for him to shower in, going so far as getting down on her knees to slide his bloodied jeans off. “You were sent here to torture me, weren’t you,” Vince breathed, looking down on her kneeling at his feet in her powder blue bikini with unconcealed lust.

She smirked, dove into her daring and kissed a line from his knee to the middle of his thigh. “Not torture. Why would you think that?” She batted her eyelashes up at him.

“Get up here and kiss me. I don’t want you on your knees, even if I’ll be picturing you down there for the rest of the day.”

She stood and pressed her lips to his. Then she turned on the shower for him, adjusting the temperature. “The water heater takes about two minutes to kick in. You need anything else?”

“You’re babying me,” he observed. “I’m really okay. Looks worse than it is.”

“It’s not just that,” she admitted with a heavy sigh. “I’m worried you’ll wake up any day, see the six obstacles playing football out there plus the seventh one in jail and realize it’s not worth it. I’m trying to make the most of my time with you while I still have it.”

“Oh, Fal. I’ll always want you. No turning back from it now. Already survived one brother, see? Only six more to go. And Keenan’s locked up still, so that postpones his beating for a few years.” Fallyn’s face fell hard at this, so Vince backpedaled quickly. “I’m sorry. That was a stupid thing to say. I’m sure he’ll get paroled.”

“That’s a sweet lie, but I gave up that hope a long time ago. Keenan is where he is, and he won’t get out for two more years. By that time? Who knows how lucid Daddy will be.”

“You miss Keenan, huh.”

“Only every day.” She shrugged off her sadness. “Is what it is. I’ll make up your bed so it’s got fresh sheets.” She tried to leave before Vince could soothe the reminder of the hairline fracture in her heart, but he caught her arm before she could make a smooth exit. “It’s fine, Vince.”

“I don’t like to see you unhappy. It ruins the image of you in a bikini.”

“It’s no big deal. Just the normal stuff. I’ve been visiting him once a month like usual, but now that everything’s so wonky with the guys? I miss him more. Keenan’s the level-headed one these days, believe it or not. Prison’s seemed to have ironed out any remaining flare-ups of crazy.”

“Huh. I never thought of Keenan as particularly level-headed.”

“Well, look at his competition. Of the seven of them? Keenan and Kill tend to think things through at least once before acting. Usually.”

Vince studied her heavy shoulders and the frown that tugged at her lovely features. Though just standing caused him physical pain, he pulled her to him. “This is a lot for you, huh. The fighting with your brothers thing. You hold your own so well with them, I forget it must be eating you up inside.”

Fallyn nodded into his chest. “The fallout was bound to happen eventually. The worst hit’s Carrigan. He’s my best friend, Vince. My best friend beat up my boyfriend. I don’t know what to do with that.”

“Nothing. Do nothing with it. It’s between me and Carrigan, and I get why he did it. This will all blow over.”

“I love your naïve optimism. Makes me feel like I’m the older one for once. You know the truth about Santa, right?”

“I won’t let this tear your family apart. It might get rocky for a little bit, but I’ll make sure I’m not the one who takes good things away from you.”

Fallyn leaned up on her toes and kissed Vince lightly on the unbruised part of his mouth. “The water’s probably warmed up now. See you in a bit.”

Seven.

Evil Dead

The day was spent playing football and grilling too many burgers to count. When seven o’clock set in, the men were all too stubborn to admit they were exhausted, so Fallyn suggested watching a movie together. The idea brought wide grins filled with nostalgia to the O’Keefes and amicable nods from the D’Amatos. Killian pulled out a projector from the storage box and began setting it up while Declan hung a white bedsheet from the ceiling on the far wall. The newcomers started to see the thought Patrick had put into this cottage when he’d bought it years ago for his large family. The loft was the perfect place to project the movie from. The picture shot across the cabin onto the tall wooden wall on the front of the cottage, making
Evil Dead
come to life on a large scale on the white bedsheet.

Seamus made too much popcorn, which he insisted wasn’t possible. Fallyn and Danny moved the lower bunk mattresses off the frames and lined them up along the edge of the loft. There was a lever to lower the railing so the projector could shine uninhibited while the siblings dangled their legs over the edge of the loft as they sat on the pushed-together mattresses.

“This is nice,” Tony admitted. “Seriously. What a great cabin. I forgot how much I love it here. Paddy O’Keefe really outdid himself with this one.” He settled in on one of the mattresses, his scowl replaced with the anticipatory grin of a much younger boy that life and duty hadn’t allowed him to be.

Killian handed Tony a beer, and then passed a few more around to his brothers. “We haven’t used it much in the last couple years. After Mama died, and then Dad going downhill, there didn’t seem to be much point. Plus, Keenan’s gone and Fally was out of state for a long time. Not much fun with a third of the group missing.”

Declan cracked open his beer and took a drink. “Let’s start coming up here again. All of us. New brothers and old ones.” He winked at Fallyn. “And sisters.” Then his face sobered. “But not Ted Bundy, or whoever your new guy is. I don’t want him sullying the place.”

“Ted Bundy doesn’t sully things. He blows stuff up, obviously.” Fallyn resituated herself next to Seamus, her legs dangling over the edge. “He told me that if I pay for his car and cell phone, he’ll take me out any day of the week. You can’t buy loyalty like that.”

Her brothers all groaned in unison. Seamus shook his head at his sister. “Your jokes are terrible. Tell me they’re jokes.”

“Of course I don’t pay for my boyfriend’s car and cell phone. His mom does. Well, I mean, they’re her car and phone, since he still lives with her. I think it’s sweet.” She cast Seamus a simpering smile. “Putting out on the first date is how you get a guy to fall in love with you, right?”

Danny ran his hand down his face. “I swear, I know you’re joking, but I hate this guy more and more every day that I don’t meet him and see that you really are jerking our chains about all of this.”

“I really am joking, and you’re really never meeting him.”

“No girlfriends either, guys. Family only.” Declan nodded toward Vince. “So send our apologies to Maria.”

Vince shook his head. “I broke it off with Maria, so no problems there.”

“Aw, that’s a shame. She was stacked.” Declan took another swig of his beer.

With a lighthearted scoff, Vince said, “With the right bank account, any girl can be stacked. I just got tired of it all, you know? You can buy boobs, but you can’t buy someone a new personality.”

“True enough. Have you found a new piece on the west end?”

Fallyn kept her eyes trained on her knees, holding her breath until Vince answered after what felt like too long a pause. “Nope.”

It was decided that the fourth weekend of every month would be spent relaxing at the cabin together. Fallyn’s heart swelled as the movie started. Vince smiled at her from the opposite end of the row, and she could see a glimpse of what the future held for their families, praying with everything in her that she didn’t wreck it all by falling in love.

“Here, kiddo,” Carrigan whispered, squeezing in beside her and handing her a bottle of water.

“No, thanks.” She kept her frostiness to a minimum so her other brothers didn’t read too much into it and start asking questions, but she had seen too many bruises on Vince to forgive and forget. She had softened to her other brothers, but Carrigan had stooped to a lower level that Fallyn could not brush off.

Carrigan leaned down to whisper so only she could hear. “I just don’t want to see you get hurt. And make no mistake. He will hurt you.”

“You’re the only one hurting me,” she clarified. “I have to hide the most exciting thing in my life from my best friends. It breaks my heart.
You’re
breaking my heart. And the worst part? Vince actually stuck up for you. Said he understood.” She sniffed at his paltry peace offering of a bottle of water. “Make nice with Vince and I’ll forgive you. Until then, don’t bother. Go control someone else’s life. Maybe Lisa will let you tell her how to breathe.”

“Fally, come on. You know Lisa and I broke it off months ago, and it had nothing to do with me being controlling.”

“No. If I set Lisa’s hair on fire for being good to you, what are the chances you’d shrug it off? You crossed a line, and you’re trying to make up with the wrong person.” Fallyn stood under the guise of getting more popcorn, and then squeezed in between Killian and Declan. Killian’s arm went around her to tuck her into his side, and she rested her head on his shoulder to stop her anger from rising too high at Carrigan.

Vince watched as both of Fallyn’s brothers’ hands moved to her back subconsciously while they watched the movie. He saw more and more how high the bar was set by each of them. He knew he’d have to be on his top game to be the man in her life who could love her as well as they did, but he’d never shied away from a challenge before.

Vince watched the movie, but didn’t really see it. He was too busy focusing on the future, to that day they could be together without hiding, and the day he thought he would always dread, but now began planning with laser-like focus.

Eight.

Walking it Out

The weekend drew to a close, sealing the two families together more tightly than they ever had been. There’d been grilling contests, prank wars, impromptu sports and movie nights. The families parted as friends, making plans for the D’Amatos to come to family dinner the following weekend.

The D’Amatos hugged the O’Keefes with rough, manly grips, but they each softened when embracing Fallyn. They knew that of all the O’Keefes, they owed the most to her and Killian for arranging the powerful family to join in on the raid.

Fallyn kissed each of her brothers goodbye, but kissed the air next to Carrigan’s cheek instead of making contact. “I’ll give Fallyn a lift home,” he volunteered. “Kill, can you take the others? I’ve got to sort out some stuff with Fally.”

Before Fallyn could speak against this, Killian answered for her. “Sure. See you tomorrow, sweetie.” He shoved her bag in Carrigan’s trunk to seal the arrangement.

Fallyn glowered at Carrigan and shut herself in the backseat of his sedan in the spot furthest from the driver. She stared resolutely out the window, ignoring his irritated huffs when he pulled out of the long driveway. “You’re really going to be like this?”

“It’s an hour drive. I vote we skip the fight that’ll get us nowhere.”

“Do you remember Andrea? Vince’s high school girlfriend?” He shook his head. “Of course you don’t. You couldn’t have been more than five. Five years old when he was at the tail end of high school.” He paused when this did not make her rethink the whole thing. “It’s disgusting, Fal.”

Fallyn refused to be baited. She sat with her mouth shut, watching the trees pass, unfettered by Carrigan’s lecture.

“Andrea Scardini dated Vince for like, a year or something. He was a dick to her. Screwed a few girls behind her back, and then laughed about it with Declan. Poor girl looked the other way on a lot of things.” He gripped the steering will, wishing he could shake sense into the sister he loved. “I won’t see you go down like that.” He waited several minutes for Fallyn to respond, but she remained resolute in her no talking conviction. “He doesn’t deserve you, and I think you know that’s pretty obvious. Please just tell me you’re not having sex with him.”

Though she wanted to keep her mouth shut throughout the entire ride, she knew it would only make things worse if she kept quiet on this point. “We’re not having sex. How many women have you slept with?”

Carrigan glowered at her in the rearview mirror. “Don’t play that game.”

“What game? The one where you’re a misogynistic jerk who puts me in a cage? You want to talk? Let’s talk. What was the time gap between Theresa and Lisa? How many minutes exactly were you single before you slept with Theresa? Zero? That’s what I thought!”

“It’s not the same thing!”

“You want to tell me every place Vince’s been? Fine. How filthy’s your dick, Carri? Don’t you dare look down your nose at Vince. I know he’s not perfect. I don’t care how big of a dummy he was in high school. High school! You’re pulling out his mistakes from twenty years ago? Get over it!”

“Let’s talk about his more recent failures, then. He was with Maria
recently
. You want to explain that overlap?”

Fallyn was so angry, she started talking with her hands. “I don’t need to explain anything to you! I sent Vince away at first. I didn’t want to risk upsetting you guys, so I sent him back to Maria after we kissed, and he broke up with her anyways. I tried treating him like the kiss never happened. I tried distance. I tried dating someone else, but nothing worked. I’m in love with him, Carri. I don’t care if it’s not what you want to hear. I tried throwing away the most exciting thing in my life – the thing that finally made me feel alive – all because I was afraid of upsetting you guys. That’s messed up! I should be able to date a guy without you beating the crap out of him. Talk about compromising myself. Vince didn’t ask me to be less; you did!”

“That’s not… You’re twisting my words. Vince is wrong for you. End it!” He pulled into the gas station and got out to refuel, not expecting his sister to exit the car as well. She snatched his keys and unlocked the trunk, taking out her backpack and sliding it onto her back. “Where do you think you’re going?”

“You gonna add a ‘young lady’ to that? We’re done. I’m walking.” Without waiting for his furious reply, she set off toward the main road.

Carrigan filled only half the tank and drove after her, pulling over on the side of the road and launching himself out of the car in a rage. “Get in this car right now! I’m not screwing around, Fal.”

Fallyn kept walking, as if Carrigan hadn’t even spoken. When she heard his steps quicken, she ran. Even with the burden of the backpack, she made good ground. Every extra second she escaped the brother she loved felt like freedom deep in her soul. She clung to that freedom with a fierceness she didn’t know she possessed. When he grabbed onto her backpack, she shed the inconvenience and bolted, furious when he snatched at her shirt. “Let me go!” Fallyn lost her footing in the scuffle and tripped, pitching forward onto all fours and ending the chase.

“Oh! Are you okay? I didn’t mean to make you fall. Here, let me take a look.”

“Get away!” She dusted herself off and picked up her backpack, ignoring the blood dripping down her shins from her skinned knees. “I’m walking, and you’ll live with it. You don’t get to beat up my boyfriend and have me look the other way like everything’s cool. You crossed a line, Carri. We’ve always been on the same side, but this? You hurt me! You’re my… You were my best friend, and the worst part of it?” She shook her head slowly, anger churning in her gut. “The worst part is that I never expected any different from you. You sleep with whoever you want, and I never judge you or call you on it. I fall in actual love with a guy, barely get to go on a handful of dates with him and you beat him so bad, he can hardly walk! This isn’t love. You don’t love me, Carri. Stupid me for thinking you ever did. You think you own me. I’m the family pet, not an equal. Well, I’m out! You and I are done.”

Carrigan’s face soured. “You’re on your period or something. Take a day and cool off. You don’t mean that.”

Fallyn shoved her hands in her shorts pockets to keep them from flying out and punching her brother. “What a great idea. You’re right. My ovaries are the only reason I’m mad. I think I will take a day and cool off, starting with the walk home.”

Looking up to the sky in exasperation, Carrigan growled at himself and the situation. “I shouldn’t have said that. It was a low blow. Come on back to the car. I promise I won’t say a word the whole drive, if that’s what you want. It’s an hour in the car. Who knows how long it’ll take you to walk. I get the statement you’re making. You’re pissed at me.”

“Talk all you want. We’re finished. I’m walking.” With that, Fallyn turned from her brother and started the long trek home, the blood from her knees now drooling down into her socks. It would be a long day, but she was proud of herself for finally standing her ground.

Carrigan was at a loss, so he got in his car and followed his sister’s laborious pace on the side of the main road for two tedious miles before he grew frustrated again. “Get in the car, Fally!”

Fallyn kept walking, each step a victory declaring her independence. Half an hour later, Carrigan was still behind her. His was the only car on the freeway that kept a steady pace below five miles an hour on the shoulder of the freeway. There were precious few cars on the Sunday afternoon, but he felt the public shame of following a woman who would rather walk too many miles home than get in the car with him.

Five minutes later, Fallyn’s phone rang. She stopped and fished it out of her backpack, growling at Carrigan when he looked like he might get out of the car. “Yeah?” she said without looking at the caller ID.

“Hey, Fal. Just calling to make sure you got home alright. You looked like you were going to kill Carrigan when you got into his car. Do I need to send Angelo to clean up a body?” Vince joked.

“Nope.” Her succinct answer was the best she could do. She had sweat sticking her shirt to her back and her shoulders were sore from carrying her backpack for so long. Her knees still stung a little, and she was winded from the brisk nature of her walk.

“You want to talk about it?”

“Nope.”

Vince was quiet a few beats. “What’s wrong?”

“Nothing. I just want to go home and take a shower.”

“You’re not home yet?”

Fallyn heaved a sigh. “No. I decided to walk instead of dealing with Carrigan, so I’m enjoying a little time with nature.”

Vince’s alarm was evident, and Fallyn could hear his keys being picked up. “Where are you? I’m coming right now.”

“You’re barely upright. You should get some sleep. A little walk never hurt anyone. Look, see? A bird just flew by and sang me a song with my name in the lyrics. There aren’t any radio songs with ‘Fallyn’ in them. Ah, the wilderness.” She sneered at a trucker who honked at her as he drove past.

“You won’t make it home by dark if you take the back roads home. Go duck into a restaurant, order yourself something to eat and I’ll be there by the time you’re finished.”

“You know you can’t drive when you’re on those pain meds. Don’t you dare get behind the wheel. And it won’t take me till dark. I’m on the side of the highway, not the back roads. Direct route.”

“You’re walking on the side of the freeway?!” Vince shouted. “Angelo and I are on our way.” Vince hung up before Fallyn could protest.

She slid her phone into her backpack with a growl of frustration and picked up her pace. She ignored Carrigan’s creeping car and longed to run far, far away. She hadn’t visited Keenan that month yet, and the absence of his smile pushed her further into isolation from her family.

Fallyn walked long after Carrigan gave up trying to get her to turn around. He followed his sister as the sun crept overhead, tanning her skin and exhausting her. By the time Angelo’s black sedan pulled over in front of her, she was a sweaty mess, but felt proud that she’d stuck to her morals and hadn’t let Carrigan steamroll her into submission.

Carrigan flung his door open and stomped toward Vince, pausing only when Angelo got out of the car. “Get your hands off my sister!” Carrigan raged.

Vince’s arms were wrapped around his sweaty treasure. “What did he do to you?” Vince demanded, pulling back to point to her knees.

“Nothing. I just tripped, is all. I just want to go home. Since you’re here, would you mind giving me a lift?”

“Get in, babe. Carrigan O’Keefe!” Vince barked, reaching toward his belt where he kept his gun.

“No!” Fallyn’s hug mutated into a hold, blocking Vince from lunging for Carrigan. His body was already bruised and his rib cracked, but Fallyn had seen that murderous look in his eyes before. She’d seen Vince murder too many times to count. Her voice turned syrupy as she reached up and placed her hand on his cheek, her body pressed to his so he couldn’t jump at Carrigan. “Hey, look at me. Vince, nothing’s wrong. We got in a little argument over who drank the last of the milk, is all. Nothing more than stupid sibling stuff.”

“You’re bleeding!”

Fallyn grimaced. “Oh, that? I tripped over my own two feet. Carrigan wasn’t even near me.” When Vince scoffed and she heard Carrigan’s threats and insults getting louder, she cupped his face with her hands to make sure he was looking right at her. She begged him with her scared eyes not to throw the first punch. “Please, Vince. Please. Just take me home. Help me forget this stupid day.”

It was Vince she pled with, but Angelo she should’ve been watching. Angelo had Carrigan by the throat and was dragging him toward the farm in the distance away from the freeway. “No! No, Angelo! Stop!” She ran with renewed vigor toward Angelo, who had already gotten in two blows to Carrigan’s gut, knocking him to the ground. He wound up for a third, but stopped short when Fallyn threw her body over her brother’s. “I said no!”

“Fallyn, he has to learn.” Angelo warned her with his cocked fist to move away.

Fallyn held up her hand, still shielding Carrigan with her body. “This isn’t helping! Can’t anyone see that? We just had a great weekend together with both families and no fighting. If Killian hears about this, how long do you think our little truce is going to last? You still need my family to help you get your territory back on track. Think long-term, Angelo!”

Angelo’s nostrils flared. “We leave you with Carrigan, and you end up bleeding on the side of the road? Unacceptable!”

“I’ll handle my family. You handle yours. I didn’t go crying to Vince or ask him to come get me. I’m not asking you to fight my battles.” She stood, taking a chance and reaching out to put her hand over Angelo’s ready fist. “I’m asking you to fight harder for peace than your whole eye for an eye vendetta.” She moved closer to Angelo, her heart pounding. “Please. Let him go.”

“I can take Angelo, Fal. Don’t beg him like that.” Carrigan was livid as he finally found the wherewithal to stand, seething at Angelo, who was taller and far stronger.

Fallyn ignored her brother and held Angelo’s hand, leading him away from Carrigan and back toward the freeway.