Sinners & Gin - Top Shelf

I did.

I cared very much.

I decided to call Kenneth so he could call a meeting and fill all the men in on the details rather than me calling each of them back.

“It’s about time you called me,” Kenneth said when he answered the phone. “Honeymoon is over. I want Tennessee back, and you have a mess to clean up.”

“I know. We’ll head back first thing tomorrow morning. I need to get the house closed up, pack and…” I almost said ‘say goodbye’ but caught myself. “Can you charter a flight for me again for tomorrow morning? I don’t know how long I’ll have a signal.”

“Yeah, fine. And what about Vittorio?”

“Tell Harley to set up the meeting. I’ll have Aria Costa with me, and we can make the exchange tomorrow. First thing.”

“You better hope you don’t end up dead.”

“I’m not worried.”

I hung up the phone and made my way back to Aria who looked up at me with the warmest smile. “Did you make your calls?”

I nodded. “Made arrangements for us all to leave tomorrow.”

Her smile faded. “Leave? Go where?”

“We’re going to New Orleans. Your father will be meeting us there with what he stole from me. We’ll be making the exchange and you’ll be free to go home with him.” Saying the words bit at my insides. I didn’t like saying them out loud, and I definitely didn’t like the way her happiness from seconds ago seemed to completely slip away at my news.

Aria remained silent and turned her head to stare out at the flowing water.

“We should probably head back to the house and tell Tennessee to pack up and get the house ready for us to leave. We’ll have to throw out the food and stuff since I have no idea when anyone will return. I don’t use this house often.”

She nodded and silently stood.

“Aria?” I took hold of her arm and pulled her closer until she looked up into my eyes. “Have I upset you by telling you this? Aren’t you happy it’s all over? Or at least will be tomorrow.”

She painted the fakest smile I had ever seen onto her face. “Sure. I’m happy.”

“Why do I feel you are lying?”

The fake smile remained. “Glad you’re getting your precious belongings back. My father isn’t one to lose, so I’m surprised by this is all. Congrats.”

I didn’t release her arm. “I don’t like games. I can see something is wrong. What?”

Her fake smile disappeared, and her lip quivered instead as she looked down toward the ground. “I guess I just…” She shrugged her shoulders and shook her head. “I had just been living in a false sense of reality I suppose.”

I released her arm and tipped her chin with my fingertip to force her to look up at me. I saw hints of tears in the depths of her dark eyes. “What’s going on?”

“What if I don’t want to leave?” A single tear escaped to run down her cheek. Her question was so soft and so vulnerable that I wasn’t sure what to say in response.

“Why would you not want to leave? Are you afraid? Because if you are, I can assure you that everything will happen flawlessly. At the end of the day, your father and I are businessmen, and this is going to go down like any other business transaction.”

“And that’s what I am? A business transaction?” More tears fell.

I was hurting her which was not my intent.

“I don’t mean that to sound cold or heartless,” I said. “I’m just trying to tell you that you aren’t in any danger.”

“I’m not worried about danger,” she snapped, walking away. “Don’t you get it? Fuck!” She stormed off, back toward the house.

“Aria!” I called out, jogging after her. I took hold of her arm again. “Why wouldn’t you want to leave then? If you aren’t afraid, then why?”

She jerked her arm away so hard that if I’d had held on to her, I would have bruised her. “For you, you prick! Are you so blind? Or maybe I’m the one who is blind. I thought… I thought that something was happening between us. But I guess I’m just the young, naive, virginal mafia princess who is also a stupid idiot.” Rage replaced the sadness that had just been in her eyes. “But you said it yourself. I’m just a business transaction. I just didn’t want to hear you. But I get it now. Loud and clear. One possession for another. I guess I should be happy that I’m at least being exchanged for something of such high value.”

“For me? What are you talking about? You would want to stay here for me? Forever?” The absurdity of her words had my head spinning. Why in the world would she even consider that? To be a prisoner forever? “Why wouldn’t you want your freedom returned?”