I glanced over towards the passenger seat, staring at Adrianna as she looked out the window of the car. I reached down and took her hand in mine causing her to look at me and smile. The past few months have been grueling on both of us living amongst chaos had consequences. I wish I could say that once we came home from Florida, we jumped right into living a normal life but that wasn’t the case. Adrianna had a rough time dealing with the backlash of her father’s confession and trial. The whole family did, but made it her job to take care of her mother, providing comfort to a woman who had lost her husband after thirty years of marriage. She sat in that courthouse every day until they sentenced Victor and shipped him to a federal prison. She hasn’t found it in her to visit him yet and I think that once she does she can finally be healed. I won’t push her though, that’s something she needs to do on her own terms.
I spent the duration of Vic’s trial trying to live up to my end of the bargain I had made with Jack. It was true I was going soft. After Vic cleared the path for me to be with his daughter, I couldn’t forget I had promised Jack I’d help him uncover the truth about his brother’s death. The old me would’ve said fuck it, and told him he was on his own. I may have gotten Adrianna but not due to the original plan, still, I was a man of my word.
I took a chance, and asked Victor for help. I don’t know why I caved and went to the man I felt had always been against me but after the shoot-out I felt that Vic had changed. I will not lie, he impressed me with his actions. A man in Vic’s position, with the power he had, didn’t just turn himself in, not for anyone or anything, but he had. I didn’t think the man had it in him not to be a selfish bastard, I thought he was just an evil fuck who cared for himself. That wasn’t the case, that man loved his children.
The mob boss came through one final time for me, giving Jack the information he needed to put his brother’s death to rest. I don’t know what Jack plans to do to Jimmy. If I was a gambling man I’d bet the house Jimmy’s days were numbered.
Vic summoned Jimmy and me up to Ryker’s before his sentencing. He told Jimmy he knew all about the murder and that he had the proof Danny hadn’t died because of some faulty attic fan. Jimmy went ballistic, the key to the kingdom was still in Vic’s possession until the day he was sentenced, and Jimmy was next in line. He figured he had blown his chance at being the boss but Vic assured him he’d still be the one to run things as long as he cut me loose. In exchange for my pardon, Vic vowed to destroy the evidence against Jimmy.
Of course, Jimmy agreed.
I was pardoned, released from my duties as an enforcer.
Vic handed the evidence over to Jack.
Jimmy’s fucked. Vic’s fucked.
But me? I’m free. Free to reclaim my life and do the things I should’ve done years ago.
“Where are we going? C’mon Bianci, you know I hate surprises. Loathe them.” She said exasperated.
I tore my hand from hers, leaned over her, opening the glove box, and threw the bag onto her lap.
“When in doubt…” I murmured.
She glanced down at the bag of Reese’s Pieces and laughed.
“Reese’s,” she said, tearing open the bag and pouring some into her hand. “You wouldn’t happen to have a bag of popcorn would you?”
“Sorry, the bodega was out of the freshly popped,” I said sarcastically as I made a turn. “We’re almost there.”
“You’re lucky I love you,” She said, with her mouth full. I glanced at her from the corner of my eye, watching as she closed her eyes and moaned. A grunt escaped my mouth and she grinned. I couldn’t wait to fill her mouth with something else. My dick strained against my jeans causing a groan to slip from lips.
“Problem?” She asked innocently.
“Cut it out,” I gritted, as I pulled the car over and turned off the ignition. She leaned over me and glanced out my window.
“Oh, hell no!” She said, staring up at the sign plastered to the building we’d parked in front of.
I chuckled slightly, tucking her hair behind her ear. “It’s not what you think,” I said, softly.
She diverted her eyes, staring at me skeptically. “You trust me, Reese’s?”
She sighed. “Yes but that doesn’t mean…” I placed my finger to her lips and winked at her.
“Just say yes, okay?” I cleared my throat quickly trying to mask the emotion in my voice. I pulled my finger away from her lips, replacing it with my mouth and kissed her softly. Her arms wrapped around my neck and she leaned further over the console to deepen the kiss. I could easily be distracted by her mouth and forgo everything I planned so I slowly tore my mouth from hers.
“There’s something I want to show you,” I said huskily, staring into her lustful eyes.
“Fine, but I’m not exerting myself,” she said pointedly, sliding back into her seat and opening the door. I reached for her, tugging on the hem of her shirt so she fell back into her seat.
“I promise you, you’ll be exerting yourself once we’re done here.” I released her shirt and climbed out of the car. She slammed the door and walked around to meet me on the sidewalk. I took her hand, watched as she lifted her eyes to the building we were standing in front of, zeroing in on the sign.
“Xhonerated?” She asked, turning to face me.
“Yeah,” I replied, as I shoved my hands in my pockets and stared up at the building I owned.
“Anthony is this…”