Rachel Dyken - Elect

I braced her body against mine and wrapped my arms around her in order to help her position the gun. “That’s why it takes practice.”

“Why does it look so easy on TV?”

“Because it’s TV,” I whispered in her ear. “Now, focus on the target. Remember pistols always have a slight kick. Do you want the earplugs?”

“No.” She breathed. “Because then I can’t hear you and for some reason having you behind me, helping me, it’s easier to concentrate.”

Funny. I was just thinking the exact opposite. It was damned difficult to concentrate on breathing, let alone shooting an actual target with her body squirming in front of mine.

“Remember,” I whispered. “You want to relax but also take a stance that allows you to breathe and take the hit.”

“Hit?” Her voice dripped with dread.

“From the kick, not a bullet. I wouldn’t let you get shot.”

She straightened her shoulders and pulled the trigger, hitting a good foot away from the actual target.

“Not too bad,” I lied.

Trace handed me the gun. “I can’t be awful at this, not when we’re still in danger.”

“Hey.” I took the gun and placed it on the wood stump next to us. “You’re not terrible and it’s not like you’re supposed to know how to do this well. You’re just a little rusty and used to shooting rifles on a farm. Not a smaller gun that doesn’t have great aim.”

“I know.” She looked back toward the mansion. “I take it Sergio isn’t going to join us at all?”

I cringed, thinking it best to keep most of the truth from her. The more she knew, the more in danger she would be. “He doesn’t like to involve himself in the business.”

Trace grabbed my hand and pulled me down to sit on the wooden table with all the ammo. “I don’t understand. Why help you, then?”

“Sergio’s what I like to call a ghost. He doesn’t exist. He likes it that way. After his father was put in prison, well, it was easy for him to get out. The feds were sniffing around too much and the family basically let him go off on his own. Of course, he’s still watched, but he’s basically free to live his life as he sees fit. He helps me when he can; he’s brilliant when it comes to computer hacking and research.”

Trace squinted. She had that look on her face, the one that meant she was thinking really hard about something. “So if Sergio decided he wanted to just up and marry some normal girl and live a normal life out with the cows… he could?” Her eyes looked hopeful. Damn, but I hated being the one snuffing out that hope.

“In theory,” I answered slowly. “But Trace, you’re never really free from this. You’re always going to be watching your back. You’ll always carry a gun with you just in case, and you’ll still never trust the other families or sometimes, even your own.”

She exhaled. “Sounds kind of awful.”

I cupped her chin with my hand. “It used to be. But now”—I kissed her softly across the lips—“not so much.”

“Are you afraid?” Her eyelashes fanned across her high cheekbones.

“I’ve known fear twice in my life. Once when I was little and watched my mother get beat and then suffered at my own father’s hands. And now…”

“Now?” she prompted.

“With you. Every damn second fear threatens to overtake my sense of peace. Because, in the end, I can’t control anyone’s decisions but my own.”

“I’m sorry”—Trace laid her head on my shoulder—“for making you feel that way.”

“Hey.” I pulled back and held her head firmly between my hands. “You make me feel—incredible. I think of the fear as something healthy. It means I’m that much more careful with the treasure I’ve been given.”

“You just called me a treasure.” She sighed happily.

“That I did.”

“Chase would say you’ve gone soft.”

“Chase can kiss my ass,” I grumbled. “And I’m not soft. I’m just…”

“Just?”

I kissed her forehead and laughed. “I’m in love.”

“Who is she!” Trace jumped to her feet and yelled. “I demand to know the person who holds your affection.”

“ ‘It is the East! And Juliet is the sun!’ ” I jumped off the table. “ ‘Arise fair sun, and kill the envious moon, who is already sick and pale with grief, that thou her maid are far more fair than she, but not her maid since she is envious: Her vestal livery is but sick and green: And none but fools do wear it. Cast it off!’ ” I stalked toward her and grasped her hands. “ ‘It is my lady, oh, it is my love.’ ” I touched her face and whispered, “ ‘Oh that she knew she were.’ ”

Trace’s eyes fluttered closed as she leaned into my hand. “That was…”—a small smile played at the corner of her mouth—“the sexiest thing I’ve ever experienced.”

I chuckled. “Clearly I’ve been slacking then. You know, all the shooting in my direction and keeping a sworn enemy in hiding.”

“Excuses, excuses.” She opened her eyes and wrapped her arms around my neck. “I promise I won’t tell anyone you have scenes from Romeo and Juliet memorized if you say more of it to me.”

“And if I say no?”

“Then I tell.”

“Pretty sure that’s bribery, perhaps bordering on extortion.”

“I’m an Alfero; what do you expect?”

“Everything.” I took her lower lip tenderly between my teeth. “From you—I want everything.”

* * *

I hated how easy it was with Trace. When we were alone it was almost like we were actually alone and we could do whatever we wanted. In a perfect world things would be different; it just sucked that our world was as far from perfect as a person could get.

I jumped out of the SUV and opened Trace’s door. It was getting late and I still needed the final confirmation that we were going to meet that evening with the Nicolosi family.

Trace and I walked into my house and found Mo drinking a glass of wine and reading a book.

“I’m gonna go shower.” Trace got up on her tiptoes and kissed me on the cheek, then took off down the hall just as my cell went off.

Tonight. 7:00

After my afternoon with Trace, I knew she was more of a sitting duck than I’d care to admit. But I needed the guys with me for this meeting. I ran my hands through my hair and sighed.

Mo looked up from her book, her face pinched with worry. “What is it?”

“I have to steal Chase for the evening, okay?” I shoved my hands in my pockets and tried to look as if I was discussing the weather or a football game, when really I was stressed beyond belief.

Mo frowned. “And Tex? Is he going with you guys?”

“Probably.” I shrugged. “No big deal, just business. Make sure you lock the doors, put on the alarms. I’ll make sure Uncle Tony knows you guys are alone and have him send over some men.”

“Great.” Mo huffed and pulled her shoulders back tighter against her body. “More assassins. Sign me up.”

“Sorry. You know the rules.”

“I hate the damn rules.”

“The rules—”

“Keep us safe,” Mo finished. “I know. I just wish we could walk around like normal people without the fear of getting shot at. If Trace had any idea how bad it really was—”

“She won’t find out.” I felt my control snapping as I glared at my twin. “Right? Because I’m sure as hell not telling her.”

“Nixon…” Mo swore. “Sometimes I really hate you.”

Sometimes I hated me, too. Mo crossed her arms and scowled at the ground.

I cursed and rubbed my face with my hands. I didn’t want to have to deal with family drama. Mo could act like a spoiled mafia princess on her own watch. “Get in line. Now, do what I say.”

“Yes sir.” She saluted me with her middle finger.

Cracking a smile, I patted her on the shoulder. “Love you, too.”

The only positive thing about the entire day going to hell—business was booming. Or so my dad said when I went home to get fresh clothes before I met up with Nixon.

“How is the girl?” Anthony asked. I never referred to him as “Father”—he’d never given me the impression that it was something I was allowed to do. And I wasn’t about to disrespect him.

“The girl”—I stuffed some shirts into my bag—“is fine. She’s going to school and safe.”

“Thanks in part to you.” Anthony laughed bitterly. “So Nixon’s put you on security detail? How do you think that looks?”

“Hmm.” I paused and turned to face him. “How do I think it looks that the boss entrusts me with the love of his life and nobody else, not even you? Pretty damn good, thanks for asking.”

“He’s young.”

“He’s the boss.” I clenched my teeth and tried not to lose my cool in front of him but he really pissed me off.

“It should have been you.” Anthony swore. “God knows it should have been you.”

Had my father been spying on my mind during the day or something? I mean, I know I wished it was me, but only because of Trace; not because I wanted the responsibility of a century-old Sicilian family hanging on my shoulders. No thank you.

“Yeah, well.” I put my bag over my shoulder. “Sorry I wasn’t born before him, sorry he’s still alive. Just what do you want me to apologize for? I’m not going to apologize for being loyal, or for thinking he’s what’s best for this family.”

“He may get us all killed.”

I wasn’t an idiot. My mind had come up with every worst-case scenario, every possible outcome, and I knew that we weren’t exactly on the right side of the odds. Hell, we weren’t even in the same universe. But I couldn’t get myself to care about the family when all I really cared about was keeping Trace safe. I’d die before anything happened to her. Anthony could go to hell for all I cared.

“Not if I can prevent it.” I pushed past Anthony and grabbed the keys to my Range Rover.

“You cannot prevent what is coming. It has been hanging over our heads for years,” Tony said from behind me. I didn’t know if he wanted me to answer him, but I chose to ignore him. Ever since Nixon’s father had died last year—things had been in upheaval. Half the family thought it was good to have fresh blood leading the Abandonatos. After all, Nixon’s dad had literally beat the shit out of Nixon and his ma on a regular basis when Nixon was little. And possibly, he’d killed Trace’s parents out of a jealous rage because he’d loved Trace’s mom more than life itself and she didn’t choose him.

Shit, that hit way to close to home.

Whatever.

As far as I was concerned it was old drama and the rest of the family could either get on board or go screw themselves. Nixon was doing the best job he could at twenty-one. Shit, I’d probably be having a nervous breakdown if I had a few multi-billion-dollar companies underneath me.

Granted, Nixon had business associates that dealt with most of the money, but still. It was a lot of responsibility.

I drove the ten miles to his house. He lived on the other side of the city, where houses had gates and people had helipads in their backyards.

Our houses were pretty similar. Only mine contained just me and Anthony. My mom had died several years ago, just like Nixon’s. I wondered if that was a bad sign, or some sort of prophecy. Women never lasted in our family.

Refusing to think about Trace and the life ahead of her if she stayed with us, I pulled into Nixon’s gate, swiped my card, and honked my horn.

Nixon came flying out of the house with Tex.

Good. They were laughing.

“Dude, what took you so long?” Tex said from the backseat. “The girls were watching stupid chick flicks again.”

Nixon snorted. “Right, and since they pulled each DVD from your collection—I’d probably stop complaining.”

Tex grinned. “So, who we killing?”

My laugh was hollow.

Tex had always seemed so easygoing about the business. I, however, still hated doing the dirty work. I didn’t mind watching others do it, but doing it myself? Let’s just say I’m not as scary as people would like to think I am. No, that nomination goes to Nixon. The things I’d seen that guy do would put nightmares into even the worst sort of prisoner.

“We have a meeting,” Nixon said in an even voice. “With the Nicolosi family.”

“Son of a bitch!” I slammed on the brakes in the middle of the driveway. “The Sicilians? We’re going to meet them? Now? Are you freaking insane?”

“No.” Nixon pulled out his cell phone. “We’ve only got twenty minutes to get to downtown Chicago. I’d hurry.”

“Great.” I blasted the accelerator and swore. “What the hell, Nixon? It’s like you want us to die.”

“They won’t kill us.” Why was he so damn calm! “They can’t. We have too much money. Besides, by now Faust will have reported back.”