Love and Sacrifice (11 page)

             
Walking to the window that looks over the city, Mickey puts his hands in his pockets, staring outside. “Do you have something you need to tell me?”

             
I decide to go for it. “More like, I have something I need to ask you.” He shakes his head and faces me.

             
“Mickey, I don’t ask anything from you. If I didn’t agree with it, I did whatever you demanded of me. You’re the closest thing I have to family… to a father.” I walk closer to him. “I need you… I need you not to hurt Roman Pierce’s family. I need you not to tell me to kill her.”

             
“Her?” Mickey says. “Come on, say her name. Say her name!”

             
“Ella. I need Ella to stay alive.”

             
He looks away and curses to himself. “I warned you. I warned you not to get too close!”

             
“Well, if you knew, why the hell would you send me there?!”

             
“Because I never thought you would have betrayed me!” Mickey kicks a chair over.

             
“I haven’t! I haven’t betrayed you, Mickey. You can have Roman Pierce. An eye for an eye, right? But his family, they don’t deserve it.”

             
“Are you sure Roman Pierce deserves it? If you care about this girl, you care about everyone she loves and she loves her father!”

             
“Just do this… for me. I will sacrifice her so she can live.”

             
He lets out a harsh laugh, brushing his hair back as he inhales and exhales. “I want you back in the city the day after tomorrow. I’m going to have Roman Pierce’s head on a stake. His family might − might − be left unharmed. Now get the fuck out of here.”

Chapter 19

“One Last Moment”

Ella

              I watch my cousin Lola kiss her husband on the lips in front of their families and friends in the Catholic Church. We stand and clap for the new married couple. The wedding was absolutely breathtaking. I’ve never admitted it to anyone, but I can’t wait to get married. I don’t want to get married just to be married, but I want to marry the person I love more than anything, in front of the people we care about. I think it’s one of the hardest and best things you can do, if it’s the right person.

             
After the wedding we travel to reception.

My father kisses and congratulates Lola, slipping a couple hundred dollars in her husband’s hand. I don’t care if you’re Sicilian, Italian, Jewish, Irish, or a simple white guy like my father, if your family is a part of the organized crime world, you get side money at a wedding, no matter what. I don’t know how it started, but that’s the way it is.

              My brother and Claudia are staring at each other lovingly as usual, but this time is different. There’s a glow to them. I think their love grows every day. Their adoration for each other is extraordinary. Two people that had to fight for each other like they did, of course their love is amazing.

             
My origin isn’t as epic as theirs, but I never wanted anything like that. I just wanted something good. And what I have with Tommy now is good, still complicated, but good. I do wish he was here, though.

             
“Save me a dance, sweetheart?” my dad asks me as he gets up from our table. I think he notices my mood.

             
“Of course,” I smile genuinely at him and drift back to Tommy.

Tommy

              “I was invited,” I tell the bodyguard.

             
“Your name isn’t on the list,” he says to me, looking at his clipboard. I’m not worried. I can easily sneak into this place, which I plan to do.

             
“He’s with me.” Roman Pierce stands just past the bodyguard, wearing a tux and holding a drink.

             
The bodyguard looks at him and moves out of my way. “Of course Mr. Pierce.” Roman looks at me and I think I see a slight smirk on his face.

             
He doesn’t say anything but nods his head and walks towards the banquet hall. I follow.

Ella

            
 
“Can I have this dance?” my brother asks Claudia.

             
“Of course,” she says, smiling. I watch them walk to the dance floor to join everyone, including the bride and groom.

             
I guess I could ask Emile to dance, but I’m taller than him in these heels. Besides, he is too busy drinking at the open bar. I think he got in a fight with Jade. Even though he acts like he doesn’t care, it’s pretty obvious he does.

             
My father gets back, so I can dance with him.

             
“So, Dad, how about that dance?” I ask.

             
“Sweetie, I think your mom promised me this one,” he says, reaching out for her.

             
“I did?” she asks, jokingly.

             
“Yes.” She takes his hand and stands up. “Besides, I think someone else would like to dance with you.” He nods in the direction behind me.

             
I turn around in my seat and see Tommy standing across the room … in a suit and tie. I stand up and can’t stop the wide grin spreading across my face as he walks over to me. I meet him halfway, taking in his black, fitted suit and tie that is loosely around his neck. I love it.

             
He looks nervous as he gazes at me in my long green strapless dress.

             
“I thought you didn’t wear suits and ties,” I joke.

             
He eases a little and smirks. “Well, I didn’t do a lot of things before I met you.”

             
“Is that a good thing or a bad thing?”

             
“I’ll let you know by the end of the night.”

             
I glance down at the light blue gift box in his hand. “You brought a wedding gift?”

             
His smile fades. “No.” He sets the box on the table and opens it. I don’t see what he is pulling out until he presents me with a corsage, ivory, with a hint of pink. My mouth drops and I’m speechless.

             
He gently grabs my right wrist. “I think this thing goes on your right wrist,” he says, sliding it on.

             
“I ─ I think you’re right,” I stutter. I blink excessively to bring back the tears trying to spill out. I don’t cry all the time and it usually takes something really horrible to make me cry, but never has anything so sweet and good caused me to cry. 

             
I have to ask. “Why did you come?”

             
He stares at me for a moment, as if thinking about what to say. He shrugs his shoulders. “Because you wanted me to and I wanted… ” He pauses. “I
want
to make you happy.”

             
“You know, Tommy,” I walk a little closer to him. “Everything you are… is enough for me.”

             
He is shocked by my statement. I know how he doubts his nonchalant attitude and his simple ways might not be enough for me, but they are. I just love him. I love him for me.

             
“Would you like to dance with me?” he asks.

             
“I would love to,” I smile and grab his hand.

             
We walk onto the dance floor and keeping my hand locked in his, I lay my head on his shoulder and let the music and the warm feeling of being in his arms take me away.

Tommy

            
 
“Thank you, for coming,” I Donovan says, standing next to me. I look back at Ella who is talking to her cousin, the bride. “It really means a lot to her.”

             
“I know. That’s why I came,” I tell him.

             
We face each other and he sighs. “Look, I don’t know you. And I’m not gonna lie, I’m protective of my family and my little sister means a lot to me. But as long as you make her happy, you’re alright with me.”

             
He puts out his hand for me to shake and I’m hesitant to take it because I respect the guy, and truthfully, he is not the only one I respect in this family. I shake his hand and leave it that.

             
“How do you know I make her happy?” I ask him out of nowhere.

             
He looks at his sister and smiles to himself. “Well, she looks at you like Claudia looks at me. Like my father looks at my mother, like you look at her.”

             
I take in his words and it only it makes it worse. Letting her go. I plan on this being the last night I ever see Ella. I’m going to tell Joey about an anonymous attack on the Pierce family. No names. I don’t know what else to do.

             
“She’s on a date.” Donovan’s short friend comes up to us and he smells like merlot. “I mean can you believe that?”

             
“But she isn’t your girlfriend, so why would you care?” Donovan jokes with his friend.

             
Ella had told me that he and Claudia’s best friend secretly had a love and hate thing going on.

             
“Aw man, screw you,” he whines and walks away.

             
“Come on, Emile. I was kidding,” Donovan laughs and follows his friend.

             
I continue standing there and I find myself wishing I was someone else. I wish I was friends with Donovan and his short friend and that I was dating Ella freely without consequences. I wish I wasn’t loyal to Mickey and more importantly, I find myself asking a question: Why the hell do I have to be loyal to him?

             
My question is interrupted by Ella, walking towards me.

             
“Hey,” she says to me. “Enquiring minds would like to know what my brother was bothering you about.”

             
“Nothing, he was just saying thanks for coming here and making you happy.”

             
“Really?”

             
“Yeah, your brother loves you very much.”

             
“Yeah, I guess I love him too.” She makes a goofy face.

             
“He also says he knows you got it bad for me because you stare at me like his girlfriend stares at him.” I arch my brow at her and joke.

             
“He’s right.” My smile falls because the way she is looking at me right now, I know what she is about to tell me. “I do. I never thought I would, but I do. I think you’re amazing. I stare at you like you’re… everything. I stare at you like that, Tommy because… ”

             
God, please don’t say it. Don’t say it.

             
Her bottom lip trembles and her eyes glisten and I know she is trying to find the strength to admit it.

             
“I love you.” She bites her lip and wipes her eyes. “You don’t have to say it back. Just don’t disappear. Don’t make me regret saying it.”

             
I clench my jaw and blink excessively trying to hold back my emotions. I can’t do anything about it. She can’t love me, but she does. And I can’t admit it. She told me not to break her heart and if I tell her the whole truth, I will do more than break it. I will obliterate it, so  I don’t say anything. I pull her into me and press my lips onto hers, hugging her tightly and trying to enjoy the moment as she exhales in my arms, feeling safe and in love with me, a man that does not deserve her love. I don’t deserve her at all.

             
“Ella.” We are interrupted by their drunk friend, Emile. “Can you call Jade for me?”

             
“What Emile? I don’t even have Jade’s number. Get Claudia to do it,” she tells him.

             
“Claudia left.”

             
“Why?”

             
“She didn’t feel so good so she took a taxi to our apartment.”

             
Shit.

             
Claudia, going to Donovan’s apartment by herself with no one there would be the perfect time for Terry. I know Terry, he doesn’t care. When he wants something, he gets it. I trust my gut and my gut is telling me that something is going to happen to Claudia.

             
“I’ll be right back, okay?” Ella says to me and drags Emile away, but I don’t pay attention to them as I look through the crowd for Donovan.

             
I finally spot him and hesitate. I could tell him, but then maybe not. But if I don’t, Ella loses her best friend, and Donovan loses the love of his life. I know how that feels because I’m about to lose mine.

             
“Donovan.” I approach him while he’s looking at his cell phone. “When did Claudia leave?”

             
“Um.” He still looks at his phone and holds it to his ear. “About thirty minutes ago. She isn’t answering her phone. She was supposed to text me when she got there.”

             
“Donovan, listen to me.” He faces me with his phone still to his ear. “You need to get your dad’s best men and go to your apartment, right now.”

             
His face drops along with his phone. “What the hell are you talking about?”

             
“Just go, man.”

             
“What the hell are you talking about?” His question is full of anger and panic. He walks closer with his jaw clenched and pushes me. “Is she in danger?”

             
“If you don’t go now, she is going to die.” His eyes widen at my confession and without hesitation he grabs me by the collar of my jacket and slams me on top of one the tables. I feel a glass break against my back and Donovan punches me in the face.

             
“What did you do?!” he screams.

             
His bodyguards quickly pull him off of me.

             
“Donovan!” Mrs. Pierce yells while Roman Pierce grabs their son.

             
“What the hell are you doing?!” he asks his Donovan, pushing him.

             
“Dad!” Donovan points at me. “He says if we don’t get to Claudia, she is going to die!”

             
The Pierces stare at me with anger and confusion.

             
“Benny, Mark, Kay, go with Donovan,” Roman orders his men. They run out as Ella runs over to us, scared and confused. One of the bodyguards puts his hand over his gun, strapped on his side.