Velvet Lullabies

“He can do that?”

“He can do whatever the hell he wants, babe.” Lucian chuckled.

Yeah, that made her feel better.

“Thank you.”

“Hey,” Lucian used the tips of his fingers to lightly tip her head up to him. “Seriously, you know you can talk to me about anything.”

Her eyes drifted downward. She wanted to think this perfect man in front of her was 100% hers, but truthfully, she didn’t think he was. Men like him, men like her family, were loyal to only one thing, the Mafia.

Lucian made her feel like maybe, just maybe, he’d put her first. But could she really trust that feeling?

Or would it stab her in the back. Again.

“I know.” She finally responded.

“Talk to me,” Lucian pleaded. “Tell me why Maranzano would do that in there?”

“To punish me.”

“Why?” Lucian questioned.

“Because,” Adelina could put the words around how to tell him. Because he hated her? Because he blamed her? “Because it was my fault.” She told him.

“What was?”

“He died.” She whispered. “And it was my fault. So, he’s punishing me.”

“Theo?”

Adelina’s head snapped up at his name. That name felt like a bullet wound to her chest. “Yeah.”

“How was that your fault?”

“Can we not talk about it anymore.” Adelina closed h

erself off. Turning away from him. She had closed the door on Theo three years ago, and nothing was going to let her open it up again.

???

“Tell me again,” Adelina asked while she trampled over sticks and debris through the dark woods with Gemma. “Who ever thought a party in the woods was a good idea.”

“We have a flashlight,” Gemma waved the thing, lighting up the path and the trees around them. “We’re fine.”

“Yeah,” Adelina mumbled. “Until we’re not.”

“Addy!” Max called, when the girls hit the clearing where students where packed in. A keg was situated against a tree and there was a cooler of wine coolers floating around. “Come here, sing with me.”

Max was settled on the top of cooler, guitar in hand. Next to him was Tim, a guy Adelina had only met a handful of times, with a small box drum.

Adelina squeezed in between them. She hated singing in front of people, but Max was always pushing her past this fear. He strummed the guitar and Adelina found herself lost in the music.

She could no longer hear the party-goers around her, drinking and singing along. A bright fire was roaring in the background, but Adelina was oblivious. When she sang, it just her and the music.

The rising and falling of her voice, along with the guitar kept her alive.

The world around her could be crashing down and Adelina would probably never notice. Music was the only thing that kept her going, kept her sane. Her former boyfriend was dead. Her father buried along with him. Her life was handed over to the New York Mafia like she was a contract that could be passed around. But Adelina, she had music, and that was all she needed.