Beautiful Assassin (2 page)

I slammed the door after my little bombshell and stood outside
waiting for her reaction.

"One two three..."she came flying through the door,
skidding to a halt when she saw me leaning against the wall.

"You take that back."

"What, my seed, I think it might be too late for that."
I smirked at her and to add insult to injury, I pulled her towards me, putting
my hand flat against her stomach.

"I think he's right about...here." I pressed my fingers
into her tummy softly.

She stomped her foot pissed way the fuck off so I decided to fuck
with her even more.

"Watch that stomping shit before you dislodge my kid."
Oh this was going to be fun.

She punched me in the gut and tried to head butt me; see what I
mean? Crazy fuck. 

"You hit like a girl." I had to hold her hands behind
her back to keep her from dismembering me. While I had her there I might as
well steal a kiss, or two, so I did. Sweet. 

"You can't know that, there's no way you can know if you
knocked me up or not." She was out of breath from my kisses but still had
a whole lot of fight left in her.

"I had an epiphany or some shit, I'm telling you, its
real." 

"What the hell are you talking about?"

"When I was fucking you the other night, I felt it,
something, I don't know what the fuck, I just know that I knocked you up.
Besides, what did you think was going to happen if you kept letting me hit it
without a cover?"

"I don't know, that first time you blindsided me, and after...after
I just didn't think about it okay. I can't have a baby right now Shane."

"And why the fuck not?"

"Because I just can't."  Arms folded, she looked at
me like I was responsible for all the wrongs in the world.

"Well if I'm right and he's already in there then it's a done
deal, nothing you can do about it now."

"I will kill you in your sleep mob boy."

"You saying you don't want my kid?" I scowled at her,
what the fuck, was she seriously rejecting my kid?

"I didn't say that twit, I just said not now, I have things
to do..." 

"So you do want to have my kids?" I grinned like the
fucking sap I'd become.

"Kids, how did we go from one imaginary child to
many?" 

I looked down at her hand with my ring on it; at least she hadn't
taken it off.

I thought it best to change the subject for now since she looked
like she was about to go ape shit on my ass.

"You didn't tell me if you like your ring, I thought it was
perfect."

"It is perfect, but shit Shane, almost five million
dollars."

I pulled her in for a kiss. "I would've spent more, my girl
deserves only the best. Now you want to tell me why you think you can't have my
kid now?" So much for changing the subject; great now she's got me
confusing my own fucking self.

She looked away guiltily, fuck me.

"Mouth...." I was starting to get a sick feeling in my
gut.

Just then we heard the elevator and my family came out, the women
dressed pretty much like Mouth, the two boobs in Armani suits.

"Later Eddie boy, we'll talk later."

I'd forgotten all about my eye until my sister-in-law Michael
mentioned it.

"Nice shiner there bro another knockout bout with the
champ?"

"Oh Shane, we heard all about you getting beat up, my poor
boy did the mean little girl hurt you?"

Ma kissed my cheek while stifling laughter.

The bigmouthed duo was cracking themselves up and my adoring
sisters were smirking. Everybody was a damn comedian around here.

"Very funny let's go."

"I need my purse and jacket." She ran back inside to get
her stuff.

"So why did she clock you this time?"

"What are you, a reporter? Why don't you see to your own
wife? I seem to remember Sophie kicking your ass a time or two, moron."

"Nah, that was Tony and Anna, me and my Sophie don't engage
in that type of behavior."

"Yeah, who was it that had a fat lip and a broken nose six
months ago?"

"Never mind that, we were talking about you." 

"No we weren't."

Tony thank God was busy sucking face with Anna so he had no time
to stick his nose in my business, ma and Sophie had gone into the apartment
after the terrible one, so it was just me and the yenta.

We heard screams and laughter followed by 'Anna get in here and oh
Shane you did good' that last one was from ma. I guess they'd finally seen the
rock on my baby's hand; it was kinda hard to miss.

   
I
distracted the Bobsie twins with talk of work, there's no way I was discussing
weddings and shit with their nosy asses.

"Anything out of Taylor yet?" 

"Plenty, I hear he's been talking up a storm after getting
his knees busted."

"Anything of importance?" 

They looked at each other before Tony turned to me with a serious
look.

"You want to do this now with the girls here?"

I stood up from the wall studying him; we knew each other very
well so I could read between the lines.

"That serious huh."

"Yeah you could say that."

Okay, I know my people, from Mikey's body language I figure he
knows I'm going to lose my shit when I hear whatever it is they have to
say. 

"Just tell me this one thing, is my woman in any
danger?"

"In direct danger no, not really."

"You sure? Be very sure that whatever it is you have to tell
me does not in anyway pertain to her safety."

"Nah we would've told you already if that was the case bro
you know that."

Yeah I knew that I just wanted to be sure, I could deal with all
the shit out there just not with anyone fucking with her.

Steven Taylor is a dirty cop who's been playing both sides of the
fence. He'd been feeding my guys Intel, which he wasn't the only cop I owned, I
owned plenty, some in very high positions even up to the mayors' office and
beyond, but it seems he'd also been selling information to the Staccos.

I inherited these dirty fucks from Poppy; ever since I've been
trying to go legit there've been grumblings. If I went legit a lot of these
guys would lose their kickbacks, which were sometimes more than they made in a
year according to what they did for me, it wasn't cheap to turn a blind eye
these days.

We went down together in the elevator ma and the girls oohing and
aahing over the ring and throwing around wedding questions, ma was already
planning shit. That's my girl.

Mouth was still giving me looks but not saying anything in front
of the others. I didn't say anything either because I figured we needed to talk
first, I wanted to know why she seemed afraid to have my kid. 

Drawing her stiff form under my arm I whispered in her ear."
Be good okay, I'll see you later, have fun shopping."

She softened a little when I kissed her temple softly as the doors
opened.

There were three cars on them with Tommy in charge that fuck. I'm
sure mouth will have a lot to say about the heavy security but she'll have to
get over that shit.

I watched as they left the underground garage before climbing into
my own car with the boys.

"Tell me."

"Ricci's on the take." Tony took the lead this time.

"Say what now?"

"Yeah very recent, it seems our boy Taylor had his own
sideline going, he's been taping conversations in the club, well some areas
anyway, he was only able to plant one listening device."

"We sweep every week." I gotta deal with this bullshit
now on top of everything else? Fucking dirty cops no loyalty and no ethics
whatsoever, why the fuck Poppy ever got into bed with them in the first place
was a mystery. I say just shoot the fucks on sight if they get in your way and
be done with it.

"He moves it around accordingly, anyway we have Ricci talking
to someone we believe is James Foster, the conversation took place right around
the time he came in and you took care of him. I think from the sounds of it it's
some kind of jealousy thing, you love Arianna, she's trying to get with you..."

"I thought you said this didn't involve Mouth?"

"It doesn't not really, well not in anyway that we can't
handle; the bigger issue is what Taylor might've gotten on his surveillance
. The Ricci thing is just female drama."

"You think that makes a fucking difference? So what, she
brought James in to cause static or was there something else?"

"Something like that, from what we heard, and the shit's a
little convoluted, you'll probably make more sense of it when you hear it
yourself, but she seems to have gone around the bend. Her thinking's all
whacked.

"You think? If the trick thought to go up against me she's
not just fucked in the head she's got a fucking death wish. What did she expect
him to do to Mouth anyway?

"Um...take her out to hurt you, but like I said we knew there
was no way that shit was going to happen. Mouth is safe bro, you've got her
covered from all angles nothing to worry about on that score."

I tightened my fist, my first inclination was to turn around go
get mouth, take her home and lock her away somewhere. I had about as much chance
of pulling that shit off as I did pulling down the space needle one handed.
Fuck.

Pulling out my phone I called her anyway just to hear her voice.

"What Falconi?"

"That fucking mouth, where are you mob girl?"

"In the car on the way to Nordstrom where I plan to spend
every dime of your money before going off to Neiman Marcus and Hermes to get
started on your card."

I guess she thought that would scare me.

"Spend as much as you like there's more where that came from,
I'll see you later baby." I hung up on her snort.

"Where's Ricci now?"

"She's at the club."

"It's time to clean house, if the twat betrayed me in this
who knows what else she's been up to."

"So far it's just her and the cop, but you already know the
cops are trying to keep you in the mix, legit business is no benefit to
them."

"We're almost there anyway, I'm still gonna keep my hand in
in some things but it's time to clean this shit up. I think Mouth would like
that."

"You are so gone." Mikey snorted at me.

"A real man thinks about his woman's happiness, only a
fucking ape wouldn't, now you two are a whole other story, you're just plain
whipped."

"And what are you, getting married and shit, she's
domesticating you, next thing you know you'll be wearing an apron and cooking
her breakfast in bed."

"That's Tony's deal." Mikey and I razzed him a little
because he really was such a wife, I'd be fucked if Mouth was going to turn me
into het stooge.

"Hey, it keeps my girl smiling, fuck you two. Assholes, you
don't know shit."

Mikey and I laughed, it was good to ease the tension that had
risen, soon enough we'd be knee deep in somebody's blood. Fuck I'm tired. I
just wanted to take my mouthy one and hide from the rest of this shit for a
while, but the chances of that happening anytime soon were slim to none. First
because with her I doubt I'd ever have another moment's peace for the rest of
my days and two I still had a fuck load of shit to clean up before my kid was
born.

I didn't spend too much time on Taylor, I just had one question for
him and that was what info he'd sold to the Staccos, now with father and son
gone that organization would be over run by the violence of underlings trying
to be top dog unless I moved in and dismantled the shit, which is what I
planned on doing anyway. 

The next few months were going to be hell with me trying to clean
shit up in my backyard. I'll have the cops and the fucking criminals breathing
down my neck, if I could get some of the others on board to go legit things
might be easier. A few of the old timers were already on board, but there were
still a few more who didn't see the benefit. I'll make sure and show them the
error of their ways. I'm going to make this city safe for my son or daughter if
it fucking kills me.

By the time Taylor's carcass was being nibbled on by fish in the
deep, I was on my way to deal with Ricci.

My phone went off alerting me to a call from Tommy, my heart went
haywire before I even answered the call.

"What is it?"

"Someone made a play, we're headed to your family estate,
meet you there."

"Where's my fucking woman?"

"She's safe, they're all safe but I'm taking them in until we
know more, this old boy was from back home."

"The fuck?" My heart actually fucking hurt it was
beating so hard. 

I hung up and called Mouth, I needed to year her voice for myself,
be sure she was okay.

"You okay?"

"Well hello to you too."

Fucking girl could never do what I expected. 

"Arianna stop fucking around, are, you, okay?"

"We're fine the girls are all excited, except for Pia, I
think she might need a sedative or something, nothing much really happened, I
just happened to recognize someone from back home; I didn't think he was here
for the scenery so I alerted your goon squad and voila. We've been herded like
sheep and being packed off to God knows where. Needless to say, we are not
amused, there's a pair of Loubotins with my name on them." 

"I'm coming to you, just do what the fuck your cousin tells
you to and for heaven's sake none of your bullshit, you pull any shit Mouth and
I swear it's gonna be your ass."

 "See what I mean, never a sweet word, you're such a
sweetheart, I can't tell you what a pleasure it is looking forward to spending
the rest of my life with you." 

This fucking girl. 

"Mouth, now's not the time, somebody made a play for you, don't
you get that?" 

"Shane, how much do you know about my father and his
organization? Somebody's always making a play for me; I'm the hottest
bargaining chip in the underworld. Why do you think I do what I do?" 

My stomach hurt hearing that shit, I never considered it like
that, she was too fucking young to be dealing with that shit.

"Baby..." Fuck. "We'll talk when I get there, I'll
see you soon, I love you."

I hung up the phone on her gasp. 

Shit, did I just say that, I hadn't meant to, she just drew it out
of me with her nonchalant way of describing her life as the daughter of the
head honcho in the mob world. Yes it was easy to believe that she would've been
the pampered, protected princess in her gilded cage, but there was the other
side to that, the one where her father's enemies would try to use her to bring
him down. Fuck, no wonder she was so tough; I'm such a dick for not putting it
together sooner.

 I still didn't want her involved in this shit, now more than
ever I needed to go legit; I had to make her life safer. Before it was just
something I wanted to do, I didn’t want to play the heavy for the rest of my
life like poppy, now it was about my family, me and Mouth and whatever kids we
might have.

"Head to the estate guys."

Damn this shit was making me tired.

We pulled into the driveway of my parents' home, there were way
more cars there than I expected, Mikey and Tony were as pissed as I was, after
all their wives were involved too, and who knows what kind of shape ma was in.
Shit, dad was not going to be too pleased with this shit.

I jumped out of the car before it came to a stop and went looking
for her. There were lots of voices coming from inside as the boys came in
behind me, hot on my heels. 

They'd heard bits and pieces from my conversation with Tommy on
the phone as well as the little bit I'd filled them in on; as much fun as we
had picking on each other, these guys were serious as fuck when it came down to
it, you fuck with their wives they'd go mental on a motherfucker, I might end
up having to rein them in.

I bypassed everyone else, which included her father and uncle, and
even Poppy, I don't want to know, I'll get to the bottom of that mess later,
right now I needed to see my baby, make sure she was in one piece.

I should've known the nut would be fine, she was in the kitchen
with ma and the girls, ma was sitting with a cup of tea, the cook Gerty was
bustling around the kitchen throwing out orders as usual, the girls were
regaling her with their latest adventure, and Arianna was looking through a
magazine. 

"Hey." I got halfway to her before the magazine came
flying at my head. 

"What the fuck?"

"Shane!" 

"Ma..."

"You jerk..." 

"What did I do now? Is it the price of gas...a new war broke
out somewhere, one of your handbags went up another couple thousand,
what?" 

  
I kept going
towards her, it had escaped my notice that everyone else had gone quiet; I was
focused entirely on her. It didn't matter to me what the hell crazy notion she
was on this time, she was whole, and she was fine. She was pissed.

"You tell me you love me for the first time over the
phone?"

"What?"  

I pulled her from the chair and into my arms before kissing the
breath out of her. 

"Oh Shane, how could you?" 

"Ma, why are you always siding with Mouth? I thought I was
your darling son here?"

 The girls snickered just as Mikey and Tony came to see about
them, hopefully they'd drag them off somewhere so they could stay the hell
outta my business. I should've known better. 

"You are my darling son, but you're also a man, tsk, tsk,
tsk, and after all my hard work." 

"What, you tried to turn me into a girl or some shit?" I
was confused. 

"No dear, but I did try to instill some sense into you, you
know, so things like this didn't happen. All those lessons down the drain,
you're locking your future wife away in closets, threatening her with all
manner of things and now this. No candlelight Shane, not even a flower?"
She shook her head like I was an imbecile.

"Ma, Mouth doesn't need that shit..."

"And her name is Arianna."

Mouth poked her tongue out at me. Cute.

"Ma I love ya, but you have no idea what's going on here
trust me, as for me telling her I love her over the phone at least I said it,
that should be good enough."

"That's right Casanova, you tell them." Mouth snarked at
me, she even had the nerve to roll her eyes at me after saying that shit, like
she'd been professing her undying love for me or some shit. I'm so not having
this fucking conversation right now; can you imagine the two nightingales?
Shit.

"Forget this shit, is somebody going to tell me what the hell
happened?"

She elbowed me in the gut and then gave a slight shake of the head
before indicating ma.

Oh I get it; we're pretending everything was okay for ma's sake.

"What the hell is she doing here?"

"Hey look it's Jimmy, how the hell is it sitting Jimmy
bean?"

Fuck me, I forgot about him, the two jackasses started laughing,
ma wanted to know how Ari knew her James and my sisters were looking back and
forth between them with a quizzical look. It only took Poppy and the two old
murdering bastards to join the fray to round out the circus, looks like dad
wasn't here yet. 

"Hey junior, no love for your Pop Pop? Quite a looker you got
there, and I hear she's nifty with a bow and arrow." He howled with laugher
like that shit was funny. 

Kill me, kill me now.