Golden Atonement - Chapter 67

Chapter Thirty-Three

Remi

“Remi, when is Reaper due back?” Massacre asked, sliding off his stool and pocketing his phone as I walked past the bar toward the kitchen.

Without a thought, I replied, “Sometime later today.”

Following, he continued, “So, by dinnertime?”

Passing Maria at the stove, I headed straight for the fridge, opened it, and grabbed a bottle of apple juice. Just like with Jesse, I couldn’t get enough of this crap, and as of this morning, the smell of coffee made me sick.

Fucking figures.

“Not sure. Probably before that.”

Twisting off the cap, I had barely taken a sip when the annoying brother asked, “So, between four and five, then?”

Giving the goof my undivided attention, I narrowed my eyes and glared. “Jesus, Massacre. I don’t know the exact time. I don’t have his ass LoJacked. And what’s with the interrogation? Are you hiding something you don’t want Max to know?”

“Who, me?!” he sputtered, then hightailed it out of the kitchen as Maria snickered.

“That boy will never change. Always the prankster. One of these days, he’s gonna play a prank and it’s gonna bite him in the ass. Then he will learn.”

“Not so sure about that, Maria. Massacre lives to annoy.”

Wiping her hands on a tea towel, she pulled out a chair and took a seat. “Has he ever told you why he likes pranks?”

I chuckled. “You mean there is a reason for his madness?”

Maria nodded. “Oh yes. It started right after his father left. The boys were still young, but old enough to know. Dwayne, being the oldest, tried to shield Reggie from most of the family gossip. I don’t need to tell you how fast gossip can spread within a family and the Valentinetti’s were no different. While Valentino and Nicoletta rallied around Donatella, the boys, well… they were ignored. No one in the family thought to explain anything to them.”

“How old were they when their father left?”

“Dwayne had just turned thirteen, and Reggie was eight.”

“That’s a hard time for boys to lose their father,” I muttered while Maria nodded and continued.

“Very true. More so for Reggie because he adored his dad. They were so much alike, and when Colin left, Dwayne felt it was his responsibility to step in and take care of Reggie. Can you imagine a thirteen-year-old boy raising and molding his younger brother? It became too much for Dwayne and well, that’s when the pranks began. Reggie was a sullen boy. Shy, he preferred books to people, which wasn’t conducive since he was born into a boisterous Italian family. The only one he really talked to back then was Catarina. Anyway, Dwayne, being the light-hearted and loving boy he was, decided it was time for Reggie to step out of his shell.”

I smirked. “Bet that went well. Player is still a sedate and reserved man.”

Maria chuckled. “Yes, he is. But never tell Dwayne that, because he firmly believes that Reggie is the man he is today because of everything he did.”

“What do you mean?”

“Back then, the family was different. More reserved and appearances were everything. Valentino ran the family with a firm hand and believed that the boys should always act a certain way and no matter what, the family came first.”

Shaking my head, I muttered, “Yeah. Why do I get the feeling that Massacre didn’t agree?”

“Because he didn’t. With no father as the buffer, Donatella couldn’t stop her brother from taking charge, and that’s when Dwayne exerted his own personality.”

“Pranks.”

Maria nodded. “Pranks. At first, the family said nothing because the pranks were harmless, and we all thought that Dwayne was just a typical teenage boy. However, as the years went by, the pranks became more elaborate and soon, Valentino’s own son was involved.”

“Sal?” I smirked.

“Yes. Dear Salvatore. I don’t care what anyone says, Salvatore and Dwayne were kindred spirits. Oh, don’t get me wrong, those two butted heads often, but when it came down to it, those two were thick as thieves. Where one was, you would always find the other. Anyway, as the pranks became more elaborate, Reggie slowly came out of his shell. Before any of us realized it, Reggie was laughing again. Even Giovanni noticed and sometimes helped the boys with their pranks. Then everything changed when Valentino died and Giovanni took over the family. It was like the laughter just vanished again and once more Reggie sank back into his shell.”

“When was this?”

“Reggie had just graduated high school.”

“The same time he and Catarina…”

“Yes,” Maria whispered. “All Dwayne ever wanted was for his brother to be happy, and when he found Reggie beaten and left for dead at the hands of Angelo Demarco, Catarina’s older brother and the right-hand man to Giovanni, Dwayne saw the family for what they truly were for the first time in his life.”

“Mafia.”

“Yes.”

“I don’t understand. How could Dwayne not see it before?”

“Because like most, Dwayne only saw what he wanted to see, but seeing his little brother fight to breathe, Dwayne quickly put two and two together as to why their dad left. Not that the family didn’t love Colin, we did, but he wasn’t Italian. The family considered him an outsider and always would be. Dwayne knew that if he and Reggie stayed, they would suffer the same discrimination as their dad.”

“That’s why they left.”

“Yes, and Dwayne made the right choice. I love my family, but old values run deep within the Valentinetti Clan. Cousins are less than and always have been. Unless your last name is Valentinetti, you are just fodder for the family to use when needed.”

“Is that why you moved here?”

“Yes,” Maria admitted. “I didn’t want my Romeo to end up like his father. Another victim of the family. Don’t get me wrong. I truly love my family, but too many cousins have died protecting the Valentinetti name. I didn’t want my youngest to suffer the same fate.”

“That seems reasonable.”

“Dwayne is the oldest of the cousins here. He is in charge. Even my George will follow Dwayne’s lead. Dwayne sees it as his responsibility to keep his family together and happy. That’s all he’s ever wanted. A happy family.”

Sighing, I leaned back in my chair. “And that’s why he does the pranks.”

“Yes. He doesn’t mean any harm. When things become too tense, Dwayne will revert to what he knows to lighten the mood. He doesn’t enjoy seeing his family upset.”

“Then he shouldn’t have joined the Golden Skulls.” Axel walked in, kissing his mom on the cheek. “Besides, half the drama here is his fault.”

“You leave Dwayne alone, George. He’s only doing what comes naturally to him.”

“He’s gonna get his ass kicked.” Axel chuckled, reaching for an orange from the fruit bowl on the table. “Especially when Reaper finds out, and I, for one, wouldn’t miss that for anything.”

“What are you talking about, Axel?” I asked, sitting up.

“Nothing.” The handsome brother winked while he whistled a merry tune out of the kitchen.

“Children,” Maria sighed slowly, getting to her feet. “I’m surrounded by children.”

I couldn’t help but agree wholeheartedly.

I was sitting in bed when Max finally returned home. The second I laid eyes on him, I knew things hadn’t gone well in Alabama.

Laying my book down, I asked, “The kids?”

“Home safe,” he muttered, shucking off his boots before pulling his shirt over his head. That’s when my eyes landed on the large bruise on his side.

“And that?” I asked, pointing to his rib cage.

“Fucknuts,” he growled, refusing to look at me as he headed into the bathroom, shutting the door behind him.

Sighing, I threw back the covers when I heard the shower turn on.

Well, this wasn’t good. Bad enough he was moody, which meant he learned something he didn’t like, or he didn’t get his way, but he wasn’t looking at me, which told me he did something he knew I wasn’t going to like.

Getting to my feet, I walked over to the bathroom door and opened it to find him leaning on one arm, head hanging down while the hot spray cascaded over him.

Leaning against the door, I crossed my arms over my chest and asked, “What happened?”

“Don’t want to talk about it.”

“Well, if you don’t talk about it, you will toss and turn all night. Which means I won’t get any sleep. So why don’t you do us both a favor and get it all out now, ‘cause I’m fucking tired and need some sleep.”

“Montana’s a dick.”

“I already know that. What happened?”

“He won’t listen to reason. He thinks he knows everything.”

“Again. I already know that,” I firmly said, pushing off the doorjamb. Walking over to the shower, I threw the curtain back and said, “Can we skip the obvious recap and get to the real reason you won’t look me in the eye? What did you do?”

“Baby, I just want to shower and go to bed.”

“So do I. Preferably with my husband, not the moody version standing before me. Tell me.”

Shutting off the shower, Max reached for a towel and wrapped it around his waist. He looked me dead in the eyes and said, “I called Ghost and told him to find Thena Hartley.”

“Why?” I whispered, shaking my head. “You promised me.”

“I know, but I don’t have a choice. I can still keep my promise to you, and she can still live her life free. I just need to find her first.”

“No, you need to leave her alone.”

“I CAN’T!” he shouted, causing me to jump. “You weren’t there, Remi. That fucker ordered me. ME!”

“Who? Montana?”

“No,” Max groaned, walking past me back into the bedroom. “That fucker Silas Sharp. He fucking works for Crispin Sinclair. We had just gotten new information about where the kids were being held. When we arrived, that fucker was already there. I still can’t figure out how he found them so fast? Anyway, he told me that Sinclair wanted another meeting. I told the bastard no. Well, the asshole didn’t take kindly to that and threatened me.”

“I still don’t understand how that connects to Thena.”

Sitting on the bed, he hung his head and said, “Crispin Sinclair is looking for her. He wanted me to find her and deliver her back to him before the Soulless Sinners found her.”

“When was this?”

“Back in New York. Remember that dinner,” he said, looking at me while I nodded. “Remi, he knew about Walter. I never told a living fucking soul about my time in the cages. Yet, he fucking knew. How did he fucking know?”

When I stayed silent, he continued, “Anyway, Sinclair told me he killed Walter for me. Then asked if I would find Thena. Said she belonged to him and he wanted her home. He gave me twenty-four hours to decide. I never gave him my answer. Now, he wants another meeting.”

“Why?”

“I don’t know,” Max groaned, raking his hands through his wet hair. “But I know that woman, whoever she is to him, is better off with our protection than being out there alone. I know I’m going back on my promise, baby, but I can’t let that man get his hands on her. My head fucking hurts. I can’t think anymore, but I know I don’t trust Sinclair or Silas Sharp. In fact, I will tattoo best buds on my chest with Montana’s name under it before I ever trust Crispin Sinclair.”

I chuckled, sitting next to him. “Well, don’t do anything drastic.”

He smirked, laying his head on my shoulder. “They’re pulling me back in, baby. I don’t know how to stop them.”

“You don’t. We do it together, Max.”