Page 2 of Vicious Vows

Ever since Mom died, Dad has spent his life building this jewelry store up to what it is. I hate that a man who knows nothing, who hasn’t lifted a finger to help us, can walk in here and profit off us. And we hoped when the old man died suddenly of a heart attack that they’d leave us alone. But they found a new leader quickly, and his men have been here three times this week alone to collect what they think is theirs. Meanwhile, we’re the ones who take all the risk.

If the police found out we were laundering money through this shop, they’d arrest my father, not the man responsible. I’d like to meet him just so I can give him a piece of my mind, butmen like him are untouchable. He’s probably sitting somewhere, holed up with his bitches and a lot of whiskey, smoking cigars and laughing at all the people he micromanages.

“I just want you to be careful. That’s all, dear.” Dad cups my cheek and pats it. “You’re just as beautiful as your mother, smarter than she was. But you’re a risk taker, Micah. You’re going to get caught, and you’re going to have to face the consequences. I’d rather you just quit while we’re ahead. It’s not worth it.”

My heart squeezes in my chest. I love my Dad, but he’s wrong. These people have to pay. It’s totally worth the risk. Besides, I won't be caught. I’m the best at what I do. I didn’t graduate from some shitty state college. I was Magna Cum Laude at MIT, for Christ’s sake.

“I know what I’m doing, Dad.” I peck him on the cheek again and gesture at Will. “Come on. Let’s go celebrate. After that, I think I can afford the fro-yo.” I wink at him, and he follows me out.

“See ya, Mr. DeSantis!” he calls as the bell over the door to the store chimes.

The sun is hot as our sneakers slap the pavement. He falls into step beside me, and I turn north on Broadway to head toward our favorite ice cream parlor. I have a skip in my step as we walk. The feeling of victory after a race like that always gets my juices flowing.

“So, what do you think we should do with the money?” I ask Will, thinking about how we could help spruce up the neighborhood a little. The woman who owns the pet shop a few doors down from Dad’s jewelry store needs a new awning over the front of her store. Maybe we could do that.

“Not sure what you want to do with yours, but when summer break is up, I have to pay my tuition for my last year. MIT isn’t cheap.” He tugs his computer bag strap over his head so it matches mine, falling crossways over his chest. “I think your dad needs a new hat. The one he’s wearing now has a hole in it.”

I nod at a petite woman who walks past with her toy poodle. She’s polite, unlike most New Yorkers. Will’s astute observation is a bit misguided, though. “Dad wears that hat because it belonged to his father. Poppy had a strong sense of style, and I think Dad thinks wearing that hat will bring him good fortune. So, good luck getting him to wear a different one.”

We strut up to the corner, standing in the shade of the buildings, and I push the walk button on the lamp post. The “don’t walk” signal flashes, preparing pedestrians to cross when the light turns, but a few folks look both ways and scurry across the street illegally, anyway.

“Ah… Well, I still think he’d like a new hat. And I think you need a new computer. That one is getting a workout.” He nudges my computer bag and chuckles, and I turn to roll my eyes at him, and as I do, I hear tires squealing.

I whip around to see a car jerk to a stop near the curb. My heart slams against my ribcage as three large, black-clad men jump out with guns in their hands, pointed at me.

“Fuck,” I hear Will mutter, and I reach for him, but he’s gone, racing up the street like I should be, but my feet are stuck to the ground, cemented in place.

“Get in the car, bitch,” one of the men says, and I think I may vomit.

This can’t be happening.

2

LUKE

Ihold my mother against my chest tightly. Her shoulders shake with her sobs as she cries into my chest. It’s hard to lose someone you love, but to lose the partner you built your entire life with so suddenly must feel like having your own heart torn out. Dad’s death shocked us all—found dead in his shower after an early morning heart attack. But I don’t get the luxury of grieving the way others may.

“I miss him, Luciano…” Using my given name rather than the informal “Luke” which other people refer to me as is common for her. Her heart is rooted in the homeland, where her parents still live, and where she may end up before this is all said and done. She spent fifty years with the same man building this life, and now he’s gone. After losing my brother when he was just a teen, she’s seen a lot of grief and pain.

“We all miss him, Mom.” I slide my hands to her shoulders and pry her away from my body. I’d stand here holding her all day if I knew it would really take her pain away, but nothing will truly ease the ache other than time and creating new habits and patterns.

Mourning someone is difficult. Rising above it and moving on is the only way to respect and honor my father’s memory. I’ll never tell my mother she can’t wallow in self-pity and sorrow, though I’ll help her see that life isn’t over for those who remain. Still, I have a job to do, one that won’t wait for anyone. If I don’t take the reins of this family and get things under control, we’ll go belly up in no time.

“Why don’t you let Gabriel take you home, Mom?” The pain in her eyes as I look into them says it all. She doesn’t want to go home, unless home is wherever my father is, but short of a freak accident or tragedy, I’m not sending her there any time soon. She’s ten years younger than he was and still in the prime of her life at sixty-five.

“Yes, okay…” She sighs and her chin drops. “Will you stop by for dinner?” The handkerchief she has worried between her fragile fingers is moist with tears, and she folds it before dabbing her face again.

“I’ll try to. I have to see to some business today. You know Dad would expect me to keep things in line before relaxing. But if I can’t make it I will at least call you this evening.” I kiss her forehead and nod at Gabriel, her personal driver and bodyguard. The man, in his late fifties, has been by her side the better part of a decade, and oftentimes, I think there might be a spark between them, but I’d never whisper a word of it. Dad had his mistresses. Mom is entitled to some comfort now.

She nods and turns, her steps light as she crosses the room toward Gabriel. His hand is outstretched toward her, a warm smile on his face. I watch them pause at the doorway before stepping into the bustling hallway beyond. As they disappear from my view, I move to take a seat behind my desk, ready to receive whatever news they bring. Within seconds, Christopherbursts through the door with a sense of urgency, shutting it behind him. Striding confidently toward my desk, he holds a tablet in one hand and his appearance exudes power and control. Despite being my head of security, he always dresses as if he's vying for my position.

“Sir, we have the hacker. They’re enroute.” He slides his tablet across my desk with the screen lit up. The numbers don’t lie. This hacker has cost me nearly a million dollars in the past week alone, and that’s not counting the months of skimming we discovered when my new computer tech did an audit of our systems.

“Who is it? What’s his name?” I draw the tablet across my desk to look more closely at it. It’s only information, numbers, account names, and dates of transactions. This person made it look good too, like I willingly and knowingly transferred these large amounts to the accounts listed here. I look up at Christopher and scowl. How did we miss this? How did Dad miss this?

“Name is Micah DeSantis. All we know is it’s related to that jewelry store on Broadway that cleans our cash.” He stands with one hand clasped around the opposite wrist with his shoulders squared. I can’t blame him for not knowing. He’s not the type to get into the details of my finances. He watches my casino to make sure things here are secure.

I’m not sure whom to blame, anyway. Dad was so old-fashioned that he hardly got into the tech game at all. Everything here is done analog, including cash drops at the bank every night and armored vehicles to move large amounts of money. He had no interest in going digital until I forced him into it following a heist attempt by our enemies. That was more than ten years ago, and now the entire world is digital.

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