Part 18 (1/2)
Walking over to her so she didn't have to leave her baby she shut the back door, quickly moving around to the pa.s.sage side.
Looking at the baby in the back my mouth hit the floor it was Denny in baby form, black hair, deep blue eyes, same mouth, nose, everything just a lot smaller. Holy something really big, Denny had a kid.
”Here,” Rachel said handing me a huge bouquet of yellow roses. ”They were at your door when I pulled up I didn't want them to get ruined by the rain so I picked them up.”
Jonah had sent me flowers; I knew they were from him without looking at the card because the yellow rose tattoo on his rib cage was imprinted on my brain. ”Thanks.” I said taking the flowers from her.
”Jonah's girlfriend I'm guessing?” Rachel said nodding to the flowers.
”Why do you say that?”
”They tend not to wear s.h.i.+rts in their house like ever, I've seen the rose tattoo more times than I can count. I always figured he would be a rose guy when he finally fell for someone.”
So Rachel was Denny's ex not just some chick he knocked up. It was rude but I had to ask, ”Why aren't you with Denny anymore?” I asked my eyes going back to beautiful baby in the backseat.
”He walked away from me.” She said sadly, her eyes following mine to her baby boy.
That didn't seem like Denny and to leave his child too no Denny wouldn't do that. Would he? Nodding because there wasn't much else I could say I watched her leave wondering what had happened between her and Denny and what could possible be in the yellow envelope.
Letting myself into the apartment I put the flowers on the kitchen table taking out the little white envelope stuck in the middle of the flowers. One line was written across the card in black ink, Remember me not the person you think I am.
Throwing the card on the table I walked to the bathroom stripped out of my wet clothes and got into the shower letting the hot water warm my skin.
What did that card mean? Was I thinking of Jonah as a different person since finding out about the drug business? Yes I'd thought of him as a different person the moment I saw him in that alley. The Jonah in that alley was cold and mean and nothing like my real Jonah who was sweet and caring and didn't care that I cried too much or that I had controlling parents and panic attacks. He loved me, he took care of me and he bought me a puppy. But even when he was being mean and cold Jonah and acting like a completely different person he was still looking out for me. Was I really willing to let all that go for a mistake he made almost eight years ago?
Staying in the shower until the water turned cold I let myself really feel what it would be like without Jonah in my life and the feeling had me sinking to my knees the pain too much to take. I had to do something because living without Jonah was not an option; I had to find away to move past Jonah's mistake.
While getting dressed a knock came from the front door. Pulling my s.h.i.+rt over my head I jogged to the door hesitating for half a second before opening the door to Mason and Miss Daisy. ”What are you doing here?” I screeched taking my bouncing Miss Daisy from his hands so I could fuss over her.
”Jonah asked me to bring Miss Daisy to you, he thought you might want to see her. I also thought you and I could talk.”
Waving him in I shut the door and put Miss Daisy on the floor to explore.
”What did you want to talk about?” I said sounding a lot colder then I meant too.
”I know about Jonah and Denny, what they do for Vinnie. I thought you might need to talk to someone about it.”
”How long have you known?” I asked sitting on the floor so I could love on Miss Daisy some more.
”Since they first started.” He admitted crossing his arms and leaning against the wall.
”Do you like what they do?”
”Not at all.”
”Then why are you sticking by them?” I asked looking up at him and hugging Miss Daisy to my chest.
”I've known Jonah and Denny since I was twelve they took me in showed me what it was like to have a friend, over time they turned into my brothers. When Vinnie took them into his business he didn't really give them a choice but for me I had a choice, give up the only family I ever had or stay and hope one day they get out.”
”I understand they never wanted to be apart of Vinnie's business but the fact is they are a part of his business.” I stressed shaking my head and pus.h.i.+ng down the tears that wanted to fall.
”Jonah told you Vinnie gave him a choice right?” Nodding my head yes Mason carried on, ”Vinnie may have said Jonah had a choice but it was a done deal saying no would have only meant Vinnie would've had to convince him. You saw how Vinnie convinces people, what he did to Jonah's face the other day, that was child's play compared to what Vinnie is known for. ”
”Vinnie would have seriously hurt him if he didn't join?” I whispered my eyes pleading with Mason to tell me no.
”Vinnie would have beaten him till he said yes, if he never said yes he would have had him killed.”
Gasping and letting Miss Daisy go so I could chew on my fingernail, I shook my head, ”Jonah didn't tell me that.” I said quietly appalled and disgusted that any human being could be that evil.
”He wouldn't.” Mason said a small smile lining his lips.
”Why not?” I asked my face scrunching up in confusion.
”Do you have any idea what Jonah thinks about you?”
”No.” I said shaking my head because honestly I didn't know why a person as gorgeous as Jonah would want someone like me.
”Jonah calls you his angel.” Oh my, I liked that. ”The life Jonah has led for the last eight years has shown him the harsher side to life. Before you came he'd forgot that there are still people and things in this world that are pure, sweet and innocent. Jonah would do anything to keep you from seeing the darker parts of his life, he doesn't want to risk loosing his pure, sweet, innocent angel.”
Gosh I like that, but it wasn't true far from it. ”I'm none of those things Mason.”
”Maybe not, but to Jonah you are.”
To Jonah I was, I didn't like that, I loved that.
Chuckling lightly Mason whistled for Miss Daisy, grabbing her to give her one last hug I let her to go to Mason. ”Think about what I've told you Olivia, Jonah can't change the past but he is trying to change his future.”
”Can Jonah get out?” I asked hugging my knees to my chest.
”It's going to be hard but if he plays it right he might be able to break away clean. It's not going to happen overnight Olivia it's going to take time. But from what Denny told me Jonah's not doing himself any favors.”
”What do you mean?”
”Jonah's convinced you won't come back to him at all let alone if he is still working for Vinnie. If something doesn't change soon he's going to get himself killed Olivia.” Looking truly worried now Mason picked up Miss Daisy and left quickly.
I would not let Jonah get himself killed because of me. I understood why Jonah and Denny started working for Vinnie, did understanding make it right, no nothing would ever make what they did right but they were paying for their mistake every day and had been paying for it since the day they took a risk to work for Vinnie. Mistakes didn't make a person, the clean up did. As long as I could get Jonah out I could get past it, and if I was really lucky I could get Denny out too.
I managed to wait an hour after Mason left before I threw on jeans and a t-s.h.i.+rt and headed for Jonah's. I didn't want to go to Jonah right after Mason left because I didn't want Jonah thinking I was only coming back because Mason had come to see me. I was going to wait a little longer more but I couldn't wait, I needed to see Jonah.
Locking my apartment door I turned to walk to my car and ran into a solid wall of man. Stumbling backwards my upper arm was grabbed roughly by a man with a shaved head and a tattoo on his face, two other men were flanking tattoo face and each one looked as mean as h.e.l.l.
Screaming as loud as I could, I kicked out hitting someone and tried to run. I managed to turn myself around before my head was pulled back painfully by a hand tangled in my hair and something hard and cold hit me on the forehead making everything go black.
Chapter 19.
My head was pounding to the beat of my heart, the pain in my forehead was awful and the smell of dust and cigarette smoke was doing nothing to help my nauseous stomach. As I became more awake I realized pain and a nauseous stomach were the least of my worries, my hands were tied behind my back and voices I did not know were talking around me.