Awakening the Mobster by Amy Rachiele Read Free Book Online Page B

a lot but you’re gonna have to toughen up that skin of yours.”
    Troy comes over, “What’s going on?” he asks.
    “Go away Troy! I don’t want to see you!” Erin screams.
    “Hey, don’t take this out on Troy.” I tell her.
    Jake moves forward and stands, listening and observing this exchange. Then he says, “I’ll hang out with her for a while ‘til everybody cools off.” His voice is sympathetic. Erin and I are still crouched on the ground; she’s sobbing.
    “I don’t fuckin’ know you,” Antonio spits. “Vito’s right, you shouldn’t have been touching her!”
    “What?!” Jake ricochets back. “I was just being nice, keeping everyone together! I wasn’t making a move!”
    I know from the short time we’ve been together that Antonio is about ready to go after Jake. He’s getting angry. I move to hug Antonio from behind. I feel the hard, rough outline of a gun in the waist of his jeans.
    “Hey, Jake’s a nice guy!” Troy pipes in.
    This is turning a mole hill into Mount Everest.
    “Why don’t we go wait in the car for Vito?” I suggest.
    Tension leaves Antonio a little, a very little. I am learning quickly his triggers and responses. I reach down and help up my humiliated sister.
    “Come on, Jake,” Troy says quietly. “Let’s go see how Vito is doing.”
    Antonio pulls out his cigarettes and lights up as Troy and Jake walk away.
    “I can’t believe you did that to me!” Erin yells when Troy and Jake are out of earshot. “You and Vito can go to hell!” Erin storms away towards the car, the darkness swallowing her up again.
    I look to Antonio who’s taking a drag off his cigarette. He shrugs his shoulders and blows out smoke. “Well, at least it’s better than being curled up in a fuckin’ ball,” he comments. I shake my head, and we follow Erin.
    Antonio and I get in the front and Erin sits in the back. We settle in, and Antonio turns around.
    “I know you’re naďve but a guy doesn’t take a girl’s hand like that who barely fuckin’ knows her unless he’s interested... He’s not just nice.”
    “Well, maybe I was interested. Did you ever think of that?” Erin is seething.
    “Nope. Not gonna happen,” Antonio says matter-of-factly, laying down the law. “That chooch is too fuckin’ old for you.”
    “What?!” Erin screeches. “Who died and made you boss?”
    “Nobody yet,” Antonio says playfully. “But I’m still in charge.”
    We sit in silence for a minute or two when the side door opens. Vito is standing there holding his coat, shirt, and shoes. Most people would probably look exhausted after taking on some many people, but Vito is glowing. I bet he could do this all night.
    “Troy said you guys went to the car,” he says. “Hey, what’s up with you?” he says to Erin, and taps her on the knee.
    “Are you kidding?” she yells,then directs her anger back to Antonio. “How come Vito can touch me?” her voice escalates. “And...sleep in my bed?!”
    Antonio responds calmly as he backs the Porsche out of the spot, “Because he’s like a big brother, not a pedophile.”
    “Pedophile! What am I three?!” she yells again.
    It is clear that Erin is going through some phases. They must be related to what has happened. First she was unresponsive, now she’s getting overtly angry. She definitely has a lot to overcome.

Chapter 7
     
    Sfatcheem (s-fa-cheam): a pain in the ass!
     
    Megan:
     
    We made it back to the suite with less yelling. Vito was quiet. We all disperse when we got back. Erin went to her room and slammed the door. Vito mumbled he was showering and going to bed. It’s Antonio’s turn to sleep on our couch.
    Antonio and I are alone in the living room. He takes my face in his hands and kisses me slowly. My body immediately responds to his touch. He lays me on the couch. I run my fingers through his hair and down his back. We lay kissing and touching for a while. Then without warning, Antonio picks me up. My legs wrap around his