“I can keep myself out of trouble.” I whip the jump rope, turning at warp speed, two flicks of the wrist with each single jump. Nico has to back up to keep from getting slapped in the face as the rope begins to play a whirling song with each turn.
“Whatever, I’m glad she’s going.”
“Yeah, me too.”
Thursday I stop by my mom’s to check in before heading to Liv’s to pick her up and leave for the airport. She’s in better shape than most days, even sitting up on the couch and capable of having a lucid conversation.
“You look good, Ma.”
She laughs, assuming I’m pacifying her. “Thanks, Baby”
“Did Jason resurface and fix things with the two guys that were here last week?” I’ve started to ask around, the guy’s an even bigger loser than I first thought. And I didn’t think much of him to start.
Her eyes trained downward, she wrings her hands as she speaks. I know the answer before the words fall from her lips. “No, I’ve tried everything I know of to reach him, but he’s gone. Vanished.”
Shit, I knew that dirtbag was no good. Should’ve finished his sorry ass off when I had the chance the day I found him raising his hand to my mother.
“Ma, those guys aren’t screwing around. I asked around about them. They don’t make threats lightly. How much are they holding you up for?”
“Two hundred.”
“Please, please tell me that you’re kidding! Or that you mean two hundred bucks?” I begin to pace. What the hell has she done? Where am I going to get that kind of money? I figured the loser was passed out somewhere on a binge, but it’s been too long…the realization just starting to kick in that he’s probably hiding. Leaving my mother holding the bag just for vouching for him. Now I’m starting to get nervous.
“I’m sorry, Vincent.” She begins to cry. She drives me crazy, screwed up half of my childhood, and is probably responsible for my fucked up relationships with women, yet I still can’t stand to see her cry.
I sit next to her, wrap my arm around her shoulder, and pull her close. “Stop, Ma. It’s gonna be okay.” I have no idea how, but it has to be. “We’ll find him, or come up with something.” Sobs rack through her. “I promise.”
Chapter 28
Liv
Vinny’s been quiet the whole flight down to D.C. so far. He said nothing was wrong, but I could tell he wasn’t being totally forthcoming. He seems preoccupied, I wonder if maybe the exhibition match he has Saturday bothers him more than he lets on. Or maybe he really doesn’t like to fly, although it’s been a smooth flight so far.
“So after I turn my hair blue and pierce my eyebrow, I was thinking we could go to Target and buy up all the shaving cream in their stock.” Vinny nods and smiles, still not listening to a word I’m saying, so I continue, “You know, we may need a lifetime supply of shaving cream if we get that flood they’ve been predicting. We won’t be able to get to the store for a while. Don’t you agree?”
Vinny turns to me, finally realizing I’m waiting for a response. He’s looking right at me, but doesn’t really hear a word I’m saying. “Ummm, sure.”
He’s still a million miles away, even though we’re sitting so close, so I take out the bigger guns. “Oh, okay, great. I didn’t think you’d mind. I mean, I agreed to go out with him before we started seeing each other. It will only be one or two dates, so I probably won’t sleep with him more than once anyway.”
“Wait, what?” Tension shows in his face as he turns to me, I have no idea what part he heard, but clearly something finally sunk in.
“Well, welcome back.”
“Did you just tell me you’re going on a date?”
“I told you I was dyeing my hair blue and piercing my eyebrow before that and you didn’t seem to care…so I thought I’d see how far away you really were.” I smile playfully.
“Very nice. But you know what happens when I even think about another man near you don’t you?” Vinny leans forward, a menacing face in place of the one that was millions of miles away just minutes earlier.
Startled, I find myself being lifted out of my tiny plane seat and reseated onto Vinny’s lap. My protests go completely unheard as he takes my mouth in a forceful kiss with little warning. Never one for a public display of affection, I’m surprised when my traitorous body gives in to him with little coaxing. Within seconds, I’m kissing him back with all that I have, my brain unable to think with my body achingly aware of being held so tightly by this unpredictable man.
I’m so consumed with the feel of his big hands holding my face in place so he can kiss the daylights out of me, that I don’t even hear the flight attendant’s first attempt at a polite interruption.
“Sir, she’s going to need to take her own seat now. We’re getting ready for landing.”
My face crimson with embarrassment, I want to crawl under the seat when I realize that the flight attendant is speaking to us. Vinny, on the other hand, finds us being caught acting like two horny teenagers amusing. “Sorry, she just can’t help herself sometimes.” He shrugs and gives her the dimpled smile. “I’ll make her go back into her seat.”
“Vinny!” I smack his chest and mock glare at him as he winks at the flight attendant.
Once we’re checked into our hotel, Vinny seems more like himself. Without asking, he orders a bottle of the wine that I drink and a platter of fruit from room service. I consider arguing with him again about making decisions for me, but then I realize how the conversation will end. Do you want wine? Yes, but that’s not the point. Are you hungry for a little fruit? Yes, but that doesn’t mean you had to order it for me. So I settle on picking battles where I want a different end result.
“So you never told me about the interview you’re doing tomorrow. Is it anyone I’d know?” Vinny asks.
Freezing in place, panic overcomes me. Lying has never been my strong suit, but lying and guilt combined isn’t a combination easy for me to mask on my face. I’m grateful that my back is to him when I’m forced to respond.
“Ummm…I doubt it, just some Senator.”
“Senator huh?” Vinny comes up to stand behind me as I unpack my toiletries. I stop breathing, half expecting him to tell me he knows what I’m up to. Wrapping his arms around my waist, he nuzzles my neck from behind. “Is he young? Should I be jealous?” He kisses his way up to my ear.
His warm breath and light nibbling cloud my thoughts, I stand unmoving, not quite sure how to respond. Vinny nudges me playfully for an answer. My response comes out a bit too defensive, “Ummm…no, he’s old enough to be your—”
Lucky for me, we’re interrupted by room service knocking at the door. “Do you mind getting that, I need to wash up,” I ask.
“Sure.” Vinny swats my ass playfully as I practically run to the bathroom. Looking at myself in the mirror, I douse my face with water, desperate to clear my head. After a few minutes, I regain my composure enough to venture back into the bedroom and I’m surprised when I find room service still here.
“Would you mind signing an autograph for me? I’m a big fan. I’ve seen all your fights. I’m even going to the exhibition tomorrow.” The coquettish young server sways back and forth. She’s cute, in a Midwestern cheerleader type of way.
“Sure. What do you want me to sign?” I’m pretty sure he didn’t even mean the question suggestively, yet I watch as the girl’s cheeks turn pink.
Removing a piece of hotel stationary from the drawer, I walk over, interrupting their conversation. “Here you go.” I hand the girl the paper and smile. It’s a sugary smile, the type that other woman can instantly read and know the true meaning hidden beneath.