Just another day in the life, right?
“Hey.” Ash came into the kitchen with a bottle, not a glass, but a bottle of wine in hand. “You hanging in there?”
I frowned. “Isn’t that my line? Because I’m pretty sure we were just at a funeral, and you gave the eulogy.”
He sighed, shaking his head. “Life is so…” A grimace. “…strange.”
“Tell me about it.” I grabbed the bottle and tipped it back. It was full of tequila. I shoved it back against him. “You savage! That’s not even wine!”
He gave me a dopy grin. “Yeah, I pretty much ran out of that, two hours ago, and now I see three of you, but I don’t give a shit because at least you’re alive.”
His body swayed toward me; I took the moment to pull him into my arms and give him the hug he deserved. “I love you, Ash.”
“Not as much as I love you.” His fingers dug into me as he held me tight. “I’m so pissed you almost got yourself killed.”
“Says the guy who tied me up.” My voice was muffled against his chest.
“I expected you to fight more,” he said when he pulled back. “To confess your love in such a huge way, they’d have to listen.”
I frowned and took the bottle again. “It never occurred to me they would care. We broke the rule; we suffer the consequences. Isn’t that how it’s always been? How many times have you had to go down to the basement in your dad’s house? How many times have you taken a life because a cousin, a made man, or a businessman broke the rules?”
Ash leaned his massive body against the counter. “The thing about family, Serena. They’re always willing to listen… eventually. You did the hard thing, you did the right thing by staying by Junior’s side, but you also have to know that your dad would kill himself before letting harm come to you. I’ve never in my life seen Nixon Abandonato, badass boss, so upset as when he was up here staring at the wall like he’d just lost everything that matters because what you still don’t understand is the rules apply to them too. If they give you a free pass, it’s the entire Family in jeopardy; it’s the boss, his wife, the rest of the kids. It’s everyone, so if you don’t fight and prove your fealty, they have to let justice and blood run through, get it?”
I gulped. “How drunk are you?”
“Very.” He took a heavy step toward me. “Remember this for the future, hell remind me when I’m sober, rules apply to everyone, so if you’re gonna fucking break them, make sure you know how to survive it, mmmkay?” He patted me on the face at least six times before finally stumbling down into the living room and collapsing onto the couch.
“He’s going to be okay, right?” Violet suddenly appeared, her lipstick was a bit smudged, and her dress was wrinkled.
I eyed her suspiciously. “Did you take a nap in your clothes?”
“No.” Her eyes widened. “Why?”
“Uh, no reason.” I shook away the haze. It was my imagination, just like it was my imagination that Breaker was stomping into the room looking like he wanted to break something. “Geez, what’s his deal.”
Violet was quiet. “He’s young.”
“Yeah, we can’t use that excuse with anyone who grew up in these families, plus he turns twenty in like two weeks.”
“Yeah,” she whispered and swiped her tongue across her top lip. “I know.” And then, “It’s probably horrible timing but, I just wanted you to be the first to know since everything’s gotten a bit crazy. Sergio gave me the green light to finish med school outside of Chicago.”
I froze, my mind filled with a million questions. “Why would you do that? Why would you leave? Why would they let you?”
Her eyes filled with tears before she looked away and shrugged. “Things change, you know? Someone close to us just died, and I think—I think it might be good for me to get away, to learn and come back and help as much as I can, maybe I could have saved someone, maybe, I don’t know, just maybe.”
“Is that why you look like someone just broke your heart, then?” I reached for her hand. “What’s going on?”
“You can’t help u—m-me,” she stuttered. “Nobody really can, can they?”
“Violet, talk to me, what’s wrong?” My stomach filled with dread as she bit down on her lower lip, it trembled so much I was afraid she was going to start sobbing, and I wasn’t sure I could handle any more emotional trauma.
“Do you think—” she started when she finally got herself under control, composed and cool like she always was. “Do you think some of us are cursed?”
“What?” I reared back. “No, not even a little bit, and especially not you!”