Exploding: A Mafia Romance (The O'Keefe Family Collection #1) (17 page)

T
ony was livid
, wishing he could hand his baby off to the nurse, who had gone missing. “I can’t watch this. Papa would roll over in his grave! What are you thinking, Vince?”

Fallyn’s tone was sharp, refusing to be bulldozed. “Watch it, Tony. You’re here to hold babies, not insult your brother. Now sit down and do your job. Antonia’s fragile, and she can feel when you’re upset.”

“You’ll watch how you talk to me, Little Keefer. This little thing you’ve done to my brother doesn’t change who you are.”

“You mean who my family is! I’ve never done a thing to you or your family. I come here every Saturday to clean up your mess! I loved Mama Antonia and Papa D, and I love your brother, so deal with it!”

Vince looked down on Fallyn in amazement, enraptured by the beauty in her rage. “You love me?”

Fallyn closed her eyes, nodding her culpability. “You know I do.” She sunk to the floor, leaning against the counter of medical supplies. “I love you, Vince. I’m sorry. I’m so sorry.”

Tony stood abruptly, moving into the nursery to put down baby Antonia. He came back unable to look at his brother. “If this is what you want, I can’t stop you. But I also can’t watch you go down like this. I’m out, Vince.”

Vince stiffened. “I dragged you out of the crack dens high as anything, and this is the thanks I get?” He handed William to Fallyn, and faced his younger brother with the stance of an enemy, not a brother. “Do what you have to, but do it on your own. And if you can’t get on board with me cleaning out the dealers, then you should move.”

Tony’s angular jaw tightened, making him look hawk-like. “I can still help with the neighborhood, but I don’t want to see her on our land. I don’t want to hear about her. I don’t want to so much as look at you when you’re daydreaming about throwing your life away for her. None of it.” Then he sneered down at Fallyn holding the screaming boy and spat on her, as he’d done to her mother’s casket when she’d passed away.

Vince’s response was so quick, Fallyn scarcely had the time to process it all. Instead of going for the obvious punch, Vince cuffed his brother around the throat and squeezed, lowering the full-grown man to his knees. Tony pawed at his brother as his face turned red. Angelo was on his feet, scooping up Joey’s baby and taking the two infants to the nursery. When he came back, Vince was snarling at his brother, whose eyes were bugging out. “Apologize to her,” he demanded, his tone cool and deadly.

“No, Vince!” Fallyn cried. “This isn’t what I want!”

“This is who I am, Fallyn! I won’t stand back and let people spit on you like you’re trash.”

Angelo’s hands gripped Vince’s wrist, slowly prying his fingers loose so Tony could sneak in a breath. “Easy, Vince. You can’t kill Tony like this.”

“Fallyn, take the baby out of here,” Vince warned, his eyes fixed on Tony’s panic after he released his brother. He waited for Fallyn to run the baby to the nursery before he spoke. “Listen good, all of you. Fallyn’s with me now, and you’ll do well to remember that I’m the head of this family. I make the calls, and this is the only thing I’m telling you I want. You’ll let me have this one thing, and you’ll stand by me all the way, or you’ll leave and never come back.”

Joey held up his hands, standing before his big brother. “I already said I’m with you.”

“Me, too.” Angelo stood next to Tony, who was still drawing in ragged breaths on the floor.

Vince nodded, his eyes on Tony. When Tony’s reply came, it was whispered through his sore throat. “Fine. I won’t stand with you on this, but I won’t stand in your way.”

“Good enough.” Vince looked at his family with a glare to freeze fire. “Fallyn and I are taking a day away. I’ll be back after dark to help bust up Seventh Street, just like we planned.” When he noticed Fallyn standing near the doorway, he made his way to her. “Let’s get out of here.”

F
allyn was
grateful they had to take two cars. She didn’t want her crying to be witnessed as she fell apart in her silver sedan. She wiped her tears away as she pulled into the large mall that was on the furthest edges of the city, hoping Vince wouldn’t notice her breakdown.

He pulled up next to her and got out of his car, opening her door for her and pulling her into his arms. “
Tesoro
, I’m sorry. I didn’t want to let it all out like that, but I just couldn’t help myself. You were so beautiful holding William. All I could think was how much I wanted you. Maybe I shouldn’t have told them. I don’t know.”

“Not here,” Fallyn warned him, pulling away and looking around in fear. “Not anywhere near the city. We have to go farther away than this if we want time together.”

Vince moved with his hand on the small of her back to his black car that had a big trunk and tinted windows. He opened her door for her and closed her inside before jogging to the driver’s seat and starting up the car. “Where did you want to go?”

“I don’t care. Just drive away from Fairfield.” Fallyn began to calm down once they crossed the city limits. She drew comfort from the tinted windows that she knew were also bulletproof. His car smelled of his cologne and faintly of bleach. She watched the office buildings and shops disappear to the countryside, the trees promising to keep their secret. “I didn’t want you to have to choose like that. Me or your family. How can you be so sure about us?”

Vince reached out and held her hand, checking his rearview mirror for tails out of habit. “Fally, I’ve known you since you were born. All it took was flipping that switch, getting me to see you as a possibility, and that was it. There’s not a huge learning curve, since you know my backstory too. You know me, and you love me. I don’t get a lot of that, so I know to hold onto it when it crosses my path.” He took in her wide eyes at his declaration. “Are you freaking out?”

“Yes! Of course I am! I’ve never told a guy I loved him before, and then when I do, he has to choke out his own brother just to get us out in one piece!”

“Do you want me to take you back?”

Fallyn considered this. “No. I do want a day with you. I think I just need a minute to process all that.”

“Take as many minutes as you need. I’m here.” He rubbed the back of her hand with his thumb.

Something clicked in Fallyn’s mind. “The bleach I smell. You’re transporting bodies in your trunk, aren’t you?” She turned to look at him. “That’s what you’re doing tonight with the guys, isn’t it?”

Vince kept his eyes on the road. “You know what I do and how I take care of problems. The dealers who won’t leave on their own leave in the trunk of my car. I’m done being patient, Fal. They’ve had enough warnings.”

Fallyn squeezed his hand. “I get it. I just don’t want you to think you have to hide your work from me. I can handle it. If we’re going to be in this together, it has to be together.”

“Fair enough. If you’re sure. I never told Maria any of this stuff, though I’m sure she knew enough. I didn’t think you’d want to hear it.”

Fallyn shot him a baleful look, finally reclaiming a bit of her personality. “Here’s a tip on women from me to you: don’t confess you love us and then tell us how your ex-girl likes it.”

Vince chuckled, relaxing at her sass that was finally unveiled from underneath her fear. “Noted. I don’t have a problem talking to you about work, but you have to tell me if something upsets you too much. You’re the baby-holding type, so it’s hard to get a read on what’s over the line.”

Fallyn sat up straighter. “Actually, I’m also the bashing in my brothers’ windshields type, so factor that in accordingly. We’re equals or we’re nothing. I’m tired of being big-brothered. I don’t want to fall into that landmine with you.”

“Well, if we’re saying things we don’t want, I might as well come clean. I don’t want fake. If we’re doing this, you have to be straight with me, and I promise not to fly off the handle. Trust is a big deal to me, so don’t make me question you.”

“Don’t look for reasons to question me, and we’re square. I’ll break things off with James tonight over the phone, not in person. Didn’t get a chance to last night.” Fallyn looked out the window, her eye catching on a lake in the distance. “Oh, pull over!”

Vince drove off on a trail that led to a small clearing where a lake was encased in trees with the other end of the water half a mile away. Vince scarcely had his seatbelt off when Fallyn tore out of the car and ran to the country setting, tearing off her shoes and running to the water. Vince jogged up behind her, watching with amusement her happiness at seeing nature instead of commerce. “It’s nice,” he offered, looking out at the peaceful setting.

Fallyn scoffed. “Nice? That’s all you’ve got? Take your shoes off, tough guy. Come on. We’re going swimming. We need a change of scenery and a memory that’s ours. Just ours. Everything we’ve got has our families all over it. This place belongs to us.” She looked around for other people, but grinned when she saw they were alone. She tore off her scrubs shirt to reveal a light green tank top. With a click of her pink lacy bra, it was fed through her tank top and cast to the ground, along with her hospital pants. While her bathing suit was far more revealing, there was something about being clad only in a tank top and pink lace panties that made her thrill at her daring. There was no one around to tell her who to be or how to live. Fallyn was finally granted a day with a man she was in love with, and she was determined to make the most of it. “You coming?”

Vince’s eyes were wide as he took in her young and firm form. “I thought you said you were a virgin.”

“I am, and I still will be after today. Funny thing about swimsuits on the fly. You can still be a virgin and wear a tank top and bottoms. Get in here.”

He’d never been skinny dipping before and wasn’t even sure this counted, but before he knew it, his white dress shirt and undershirt were on the grass. “I can’t remember the last time I went swimming,” he admitted, casting her an uncertain smile before unbuckling his belt and stepping out of his pants. He followed her into the water, which was freezing, despite the mild early fall weather. “Ho! And now I remember why. That’s too cold.”

Fallyn took his hand and dragged him forward until she was in up to her waist. She bit her lip and took the plunge, dipping completely under the water to immerse herself in the freeze. The freedom of the morning was overwhelming, and when she surfaced, she let out several giggles through her chattering teeth. “Come on!” she urged him. When he hesitated still, she jumped up, wrapped her arms around his neck and dragged him under, laughing as he screamed under the water.

Vince let out several long expletives in English and Italian when his head broke the surface. “This? This is the memory you want? I can’t feel my toes anymore!”

She batted her wet lashes at him and swam closer. “Then let me warm you up, sailor.” Her kiss was his only heat source, so he devoured her lips like they were his lifeline. His arms went around her as she pressed her body to his, her curves no longer hidden, but standing proud to greet him. She was buoyant, so she wrapped her long legs around his waist, moaning as he traced the line of her panties and bit at her lower lip. “How are you feeling now?” Her fingertips grazed his chest, and she smirked at his hiss.

“I’m feeling like I want to tear off these panties and make sweet love to you right there on the grass.”

“One day,” she promised herself as much as him. “I like this place. I like
you
in this place. You look happy, and it’s the sweetest thing.”

“I’m so in love with you,” he confessed again. “The way you handle yourself with your family and with mine. I love that you’re kind, but you can fight if you need to. I like that I don’t have to hide things from you. I like that you run your own store. That’s one of the sexiest things about you.” He kissed her, meeting her playful gaze with a serious one. “Seeing you with William? I’ve never had those kinds of thoughts before. The permanent kind. I love you, Fallyn.”

“I love you,” she breathed between kisses, rubbing her body to his and seeking out friction where she could get it. Her breasts dragged against his chest, lighting them both afire with lust that matched the connection they knew they couldn’t sever, even if for the greater good.

He palmed her perfect backside, massaging sweetly between savage grabs at the swell he’d spent too much time pondering. He swallowed her girlish squeaks with a sly smile. “We can meet here every Sunday. Hold babies together and then sneak away to our place.”

“I’ll bring a proper bathing suit next time.” Fallyn kissed Vince for an eternity, giving more of herself to him than she ever had before. They kissed and held each other, laughing and pledging until they were both too cold to keep going. When they stumbled out of the water and dressed in their clothes, Fallyn spent the next few hours sitting between Vince’s legs under a tall oak tree, her back leaning to his chest with his fingers in her hair as they talked about the things they wanted.

“A larger winery,” Vince admitted. “Our family owns a vineyard in Italy. I love it there. I want to expand what we’ve already got going. Once Fairfield isn’t taking up so much of my attention, I want to build up the family fortune that way.”

“I could picture you running a winery. Really, I could picture you succeeding at anything you do. You’re too stubborn to fail.”

Vince’s chest moved as he chuckled, kissing her neck as they watched a family of ducks swim across the lake. “This is nice. Do you think we can have more of this? More than once a week?”

“I wish, but I don’t see how. I can live with being this happy once a week. Can you?”

“It’s better than never taking the time to be happy at all, that’s for sure. But I want you every day.”

Fallyn reached up and patted his cheek, dragging her fingers along the stubble. “One day, honey. One day.”

The two fell asleep under the tree, wrapped around each other and held together with a comfort they had never before experienced.

A few hours later, Vince drove Fallyn back to the mall where her car was parked. The sun was just starting to set when they finally decided they should stop making out in the backseat of his car like teenagers. “I know I’m not supposed to say this, but I’m too old for backseat necking,” Vince admitted.

Fallyn responded by rubbing his shoulders, easing the tension there that built from falling asleep on the grass and then bending at odd angles to wrap around each other in the backseat. “Sorry about that. I forget you’re getting on in years. Next time we’ll just hold hands.”

“Not a chance. Get back here. Let me feel those lips again.”

“You have to go home!” she protested with a laugh. She tried to leave, but he pulled her across his lap so he could kiss her a few more times. “Goodnight, boyfriend,” she said, kissing his lips one more time.

“
Buonanotte, moglie
,” he breathed.

Fallyn stopped short halfway out of the car and turned to narrow her eyes at him. “Hey, I speak enough Italian to know what that means. This was our first date, Vince. I’m not your wife yet.”

Vince shrugged off her concern that things were moving too fast. “Soon enough,
dolcezza
. Soon enough.”

Fallyn kissed her index finger and pressed it to his heart. “I love you. Be careful tonight.”

“
Bambina
, don’t you know? I’m only careful with you.”

* * *

“
I
didn’t expect
you to pick up,” Fallyn admitted.

James’ voice was pinched with anxiety when he answered. “Isn’t one of your brothers a cop?”

“Yes. Carrigan is. Why?”

She could hear shuffling of fabric on his end. “Because there’s been a cop car parked outside of my building all day! Is it your brother?”

Fallyn sighed her frustration. “Probably. I’ll get him out of there as soon as we hang up. Sorry about that.”

“This is my day off, Fallyn. Your family’s psychotic! This isn’t… It’s not what I signed on for.”

“I know. You’re right. I’ll call Carri off, and you’ll never have to hear from us again.”

“For the record, I liked you. It’s them I don’t like. And the way you are around them. I’ve never seen you like that.”

Fallyn swallowed her tart response. “I’ll make sure your life goes back to normal. It was nice meeting you, James.”

The succinct farewell was expected, but was a weight lifted all the same from both their shoulders.

Fallyn hung up the phone with a firm determination that only Vince was strong enough to stand up to her family by her side.