“When did you?”I ask.“But no, don’t tell me, must’ve been when you butchered that young priest.”
He hits the side of the door with the lens as he lowers the camera to glare at me.“What do you know about that, huh?What do you think you know?I did what needed doing.”
That’s not how the story went.The guy he killed, Father Vincent, was a nice guy, worked with street kids, devoted his short life to bringing light to the downtrodden.And what did Zane do?He’s been bringing nothing but darkness practically his whole life.Yeah, I know some things about all that.And I’m not about to listen to any of his bullshit.
“Just stay away from Bella,” I say.
He’s still glaring at me, his previously so innocent eyes full of the darkness that’s more his speed.He wants to say more, wants to argue, maybe wants to plunge that huge knife he carries on his belt into my guts.I’d like to see him try.I let my eyes do the talking on that one.
He looks away first, sighing as he gazes back at the restaurant.“I don’t think that brother of hers is having the best time with Dante.He’s been standing in the back all through this lunch.They haven’t given him anything to eat, they haven’t even let him sit down.And he looks like maybe he’s been beaten up recently.”
I look over at the restaurant and raise the binoculars to my face.Matteo is indeed standing with his back to the wall, a scowl on his face.But all the guys in there seem to be scowling.He’s also sporting what could be the beginning of a black eye, but we’re too far away to be sure.
“How’d you get all that just by looking at the guy?”I ask.“As far as I can tell, he hasn’t even moved.”
“Trust me,” Zane says, picking perhaps the least likely thing I’ll ever do.“I’ve been where he is.I know the look.”
“Been where?”
“Hated, despised, friendless… and beat on because of all that.”
I sneak a glance at him out the sides of my eyes, feeling something for the guy despite how much I despise him.It’s the sincerity in his voice and something raw that can’t be faked.I could tell him he brought it on himself.But what good’s that gonna do more than a decade after everything went to shit for him.
“You’re gonna have to earn my friendship back,” I say.
He grins and it’s not an altogether cold thing.Just mostly.“I guess that’s a start.”
The men in the restaurant have finally finished their lunch and are starting to get up and head out.No one speaks to Matteo, and he’s one of the last to leave.Maybe Zane is onto something as regards his low standing with the Moretti family.But I’m not about to tell Bella about it.She’ll go straight to him and I don’t think that’s gonna do either of them any good.
“So what now?We follow them some more?”Zane asks.“But who?”
The men are getting into their various rides—all of which are shiny black cars of various makes and models but all with tinted windows.Moretti got into a Rolls Royce.
“We’re going back to the clubhouse,” I say, making an executive decision.“We need to figure out who’s who in all those photos we’ve been taking, then make a game plan.They don’t seem to be an immediate threat to the MC.”
And I’ll have Skye look into Matteo and what he’s doing with Dante Moretti.Then, and only once I’m armed with some concrete facts, will I decide how much to tell Bella.It’s for the best that way.They’d written her off, after all.It’s best she does the same.
18
Bella
I didn’t expect Blade’s mom to agree when I walked up to the house to ask if she wanted that first tattoo now.But here she is, half-lying in my new chair in just a tank top, her white-grey hair pulled back from her face.
“How much is this going to hurt?”she asks, but I hear no trepidation in her voice, no backing out.
“It’s going to hurt, I’m not gonna lie,” I tell her and grin.“So if you want to change your mind…”
She shakes her head resolutely.Good.Because I already have my latex gloves on and my needle and colors ready.I also already have a firm mental image of what I will draw on her skin.
“So, a butterfly?”I ask.
“Yes, because they represent rebirth and transformation,” she says.“But also because I just really love them.I planted a few special bushes in the garden that I read would draw them in to my garden, but so far, no luck.Maybe it’s all the smog in this city.I really should move to the country.”
Most of my customers get chatty, especially first timers.It’s the nerves and anticipation of pain, so I just smile along and listen.
“I’ll give you the most beautiful butterfly to have with you all the time,” I say.“We could even make it a little family of butterflies?What do you say?”
The shock on her face says all I need to hear.A big no.
