Worth the Chance (16 page)

“Okay.”

Vinny turns me to face him. “Okay?” A questioning smile on his face, he looks so young and happy. Seeing him so stress free and light, it makes me feel like I’m doing the right thing. I don’t remember him even looking this carefree in high school.

“Sure, it sounds like fun. Do I get to see your exhibition?” I tease.

“You get to see me kick someone’s ass.” He plants a chaste kiss on my mouth before tearing off the towel wrapped around my body and hauling me over his shoulder.

“What are you doing?”

“Taking you back to bed.”

“I can walk.”

“I can carry you.”

“Maybe, but I’ll make it quicker to the bed.”

Chapter 27

Vince

“Don’t give Preach a hard time. He’s doing me a favor going down with you to D.C. since Elle can’t travel.”

“I’ll be fine.”

“That’s what you said the night before your first fight and I had to pick you up down at the police station at two in the morning.”

“I won’t be in a bar at two in the morning this time.” I jump from the chin up bar, landing in front of Nico. He stands his ground.

“You better not be.”

Picking up the jump rope, I don’t look in his direction as I speak. “Liv’s coming with me.”

“Liv’s coming?”

“Is there a damn echo in here?”

Nico laughs and shakes his head. “That’s good. She seems like she can keep you out of trouble.”

“I can keep myself out of trouble.” I whip the jump rope, turning at warp speed, two flicks of the wrist with each single jump. Nico has to back up to keep from getting slapped in the face as the rope begins to play a whirling song with each turn.

“Whatever, I’m glad she’s going.”

“Yeah, me too.”

***

Thursday I stop by my mom’s to check in before heading to Liv’s to pick her up and leave for the airport. She’s in better shape than most days, even sitting up on the couch and capable of having a lucid conversation.

“You look good, Ma.”

She laughs, assuming I’m pacifying her. “Thanks, Baby”

“Did Jason resurface and fix things with the two guys that were here last week?” I’ve started to ask around, the guy’s an even bigger loser than I first thought. And I didn’t think much of him to start.

Her eyes trained downward, she wrings her hands as she speaks. I know the answer before the words fall from her lips. “No, I’ve tried everything I know of to reach him, but he’s gone. Vanished.”

Shit, I knew that dirtbag was no good. Should’ve finished his sorry ass off when I had the chance the day I found him raising his hand to my mother.

“Ma, those guys aren’t screwing around. I asked around about them. They don’t make threats lightly. How much are they holding you up for?”

“Two hundred.”

“Please, please tell me that you’re kidding! Or that you mean two hundred bucks?” I begin to pace. What the hell has she done? Where am I going to get that kind of money? I figured the loser was passed out somewhere on a binge, but it’s been too long…the realization just starting to kick in that he’s probably hiding. Leaving my mother holding the bag just for vouching for him. Now I’m starting to get nervous.

“I’m sorry, Vincent.” She begins to cry. She drives me crazy, screwed up half of my childhood, and is probably responsible for my fucked up relationships with women, yet I still can’t stand to see her cry.

I sit next to her, wrap my arm around her shoulder, and pull her close. “Stop, Ma. It’s gonna be okay.” I have no idea how, but it has to be. “We’ll find him, or come up with something.” Sobs rack through her. “I promise.”

Chapter 28

Liv

Vinny’s been quiet the whole flight down to D.C. so far. He said nothing was wrong, but I could tell he wasn’t being totally forthcoming. He seems preoccupied, I wonder if maybe the exhibition match he has Saturday bothers him more than he lets on. Or maybe he really doesn’t like to fly, although it’s been a smooth flight so far.

“So after I turn my hair blue and pierce my eyebrow, I was thinking we could go to Target and buy up all the shaving cream in their stock.” Vinny nods and smiles, still not listening to a word I’m saying, so I continue, “You know, we may need a lifetime supply of shaving cream if we get that flood they’ve been predicting. We won’t be able to get to the store for a while. Don’t you agree?”

Vinny turns to me, finally realizing I’m waiting for a response. He’s looking right at me, but doesn’t really hear a word I’m saying. “Ummm, sure.”

He’s still a million miles away, even though we’re sitting so close, so I take out the bigger guns. “Oh, okay, great. I didn’t think you’d mind. I mean, I agreed to go out with him before we started seeing each other. It will only be one or two dates, so I probably won’t sleep with him more than once anyway.”

“Wait, what?” Tension shows in his face as he turns to me, I have no idea what part he heard, but clearly something finally sunk in.

“Well, welcome back.”

“Did you just tell me you’re going on a date?”

“I told you I was dyeing my hair blue and piercing my eyebrow before that and you didn’t seem to care…so I thought I’d see how far away you really were.” I smile playfully.

“Very nice. But you know what happens when I even think about another man near you don’t you?” Vinny leans forward, a menacing face in place of the one that was millions of miles away just minutes earlier.

Startled, I find myself being lifted out of my tiny plane seat and reseated onto Vinny’s lap. My protests go completely unheard as he takes my mouth in a forceful kiss with little warning. Never one for a public display of affection, I’m surprised when my traitorous body gives in to him with little coaxing. Within seconds, I’m kissing him back with all that I have, my brain unable to think with my body achingly aware of being held so tightly by this unpredictable man.

I’m so consumed with the feel of his big hands holding my face in place so he can kiss the daylights out of me, that I don’t even hear the flight attendant’s first attempt at a polite interruption.

“Sir, she’s going to need to take her own seat now. We’re getting ready for landing.”

My face crimson with embarrassment, I want to crawl under the seat when I realize that the flight attendant is speaking to us. Vinny, on the other hand, finds us being caught acting like two horny teenagers amusing. “Sorry, she just can’t help herself sometimes.” He shrugs and gives her the dimpled smile. “I’ll make her go back into her seat.”

“Vinny!” I smack his chest and mock glare at him as he winks at the flight attendant.

***

Once we’re checked into our hotel, Vinny seems more like himself. Without asking, he orders a bottle of the wine that I drink and a platter of fruit from room service. I consider arguing with him again about making decisions for me, but then I realize how the conversation will end.
Do you want wine? Yes, but that’s not the point. Are you hungry for a little fruit? Yes, but that doesn’t mean you had to order it for me.
So I settle on picking battles where I want a different end result.

“So you never told me about the interview you’re doing tomorrow. Is it anyone I’d know?” Vinny asks.

Freezing in place, panic overcomes me. Lying has never been my strong suit, but lying and guilt combined isn’t a combination easy for me to mask on my face. I’m grateful that my back is to him when I’m forced to respond.

“Ummm…I doubt it, just some Senator.”

“Senator huh?” Vinny comes up to stand behind me as I unpack my toiletries. I stop breathing, half expecting him to tell me he knows what I’m up to. Wrapping his arms around my waist, he nuzzles my neck from behind. “Is he young? Should I be jealous?” He kisses his way up to my ear.

His warm breath and light nibbling cloud my thoughts, I stand unmoving, not quite sure how to respond. Vinny nudges me playfully for an answer. My response comes out a bit too defensive, “Ummm…no, he’s old enough to be your—”

Lucky for me, we’re interrupted by room service knocking at the door. “Do you mind getting that, I need to wash up,” I ask.

“Sure.” Vinny swats my ass playfully as I practically run to the bathroom. Looking at myself in the mirror, I douse my face with water, desperate to clear my head. After a few minutes, I regain my composure enough to venture back into the bedroom and I’m surprised when I find room service still here.

“Would you mind signing an autograph for me? I’m a big fan. I’ve seen all your fights. I’m even going to the exhibition tomorrow.” The coquettish young server sways back and forth. She’s cute, in a Midwestern cheerleader type of way.

“Sure. What do you want me to sign?” I’m pretty sure he didn’t even mean the question suggestively, yet I watch as the girl’s cheeks turn pink.

Removing a piece of hotel stationary from the drawer, I walk over, interrupting their conversation. “Here you go.” I hand the girl the paper and smile. It’s a sugary smile, the type that other woman can instantly read and know the true meaning hidden beneath.

Vinny looks at me curiously before taking the paper and scribbling his name.

The little tart bounces up and down excitedly, taking the autograph from his hand before turning back to me, reading my face, and taking the hint. “I’ll see you Saturday, Mr. Stone.”

I have a full glass of the already uncorked wine poured, before Vinny even gets back from seeing her out. Popping a strawberry into my mouth, I smile and raise an eyebrow. “She was cute.”

“Oh yeah? Not my type. Guess I didn’t notice.” He takes two grapes from the platter, tossing one into his mouth, and gently slips one between my lips.

Sipping my wine, I decide I probably don’t want to know, yet I can’t stop myself from asking, “So what is your type,
Mr. Stone
?” I mimic the server in response.

Vinny takes my wine glass from my hand and sets it down on the cart. Wrapping his arms around my waist, he pulls me close to him. “I only have one type.”

“And that is?”

“You.”

I roll my eyes, but down deep, I love his response. He kisses the tip of my nose and pulls me close to him in an unexpected, tender hug.

“What do you want to do tonight?” I ask, content in just staying right where I am for the next three or four decades.

“Whatever you want.”

“Really?” I pull back to look him in the face.

“Sure, as long as whatever you want entails staying in this room and me inside of you.”

Yet another decision I choose not to argue about.

Chapter 29

Liv

“Morning.” Vinny’s gravelly voice tells me he hasn’t been up for long either. I snuggle closer to him, our legs and arms still tangled, my head resting peacefully on his chest as I listen to his heartbeat. Inhaling deeply, I dread the thought of getting out of bed and getting on the roller coaster of a day I have planned.

Vinny trails his finger up and down my naked back, lightly tracing figure eights. The motion soothes me, makes it even harder for me to get out of bed. He does that to me, makes me want to close the door to the outside world and forget it even exists. Especially today. I want to stay in the little bubble of this room, feeding each other fruit and drinking wine between trysts.

The alarm on my phone goes off too soon and I groan as I reach over, turn it off, and begin to climb out of bed. A strong arm pulls me back down. “Where are you going?”

“I have to get in the shower, my appointment is at ten and I need to meet the photographer a half hour before that.”

“Give me that mouth.”

“But I haven’t brushed my teeth.”

“Then give me something else to kiss. I’m laying here looking at you naked, if you don’t make it fast, you’re definitely going to be late.”

Kissing him chastely on the lips, I jump out of bed before he can pull me back, even though I’d much rather stay in bed and have him make me late.

***

Paul Flanders, one of the dozens of staff photographers from the
Daily Sun Times
, and I arrive at Senator Knight’s home. Brick pillars hold two large wrought iron gates in place. A camera mounted on top of one of the tall pillars pivots in our direction as we slow to the waiting intercom.

“Can I help you?” A man’s voice booms from the little box, mixed with static.

“I have a ten o’clock appointment with Senator Knight. My name is Olivia Michaels, from the
Daily Sun Times
.”

“Hold your ID up to the red x on the box.”

Fishing out my license, I do as instructed and watch as the camera moves again. A moment later, the gate opens. “Drive to the top of the hill, park in front of one of the garages.”

One
of the garages? A long road surrounded by manicured green lawns leads up to a stately home looming at the top of the hill. I park the car and look around at the stunning view. Built on a peak, the spectacular storybook home is perched on the top, offering a bird’s eye view of the city of Washington, D.C. off in the distance.

“Not going to be hard to find a place to recreate the Kennedy compound feel at this place,” Paul jokes as we stand in front of the intimidating, towering, white double doors, waiting to be greeted.

The doors open and I’m surprised to find Senator Knight standing before me. A home like this, I half expected a butler in a full suit with tails to greet us with a fine British accent.

“You must be Miss Michaels and Mr. Flanders. Please come in.” Senator Knight smiles and extends his hand to greet us individually as we enter.

Wearing a navy blue sweater and khakis, he looks casually elegant. I find myself staring as he speaks. I’m barely inside, yet I’m already searching his face for telltale signs of Vinny’s lineage.

Luckily, the Senator and Paul spend a few minutes discussing places that Paul can shoot on the grounds. It gives me a chance to take in his face without having to participate in the conversation.

His pale blue eyes are strikingly beautiful, contrasting starkly with his deep tan skin. There’s no mistaking that the color is almost an exact match to Vinny’s, but there’s something vastly different too, although I can’t put my finger on exactly what it is.