Page 168 of The Tempted

Chapter Twenty-Nine

2015

The harsh sound of knuckles rapping against the door woke me from the restless sleep I had succumbed to. I groggily listened again for the door, making sure my ears weren’t playing tricks on me and glanced down at Adrianna who was fast asleep in my arms. She was exhausted, both physically and mentally, the last thing she needed right now was to be woken up only to relive the nightmare she was featuring in. I unraveled my arms from her body and reached for the pillow behind my head. I gently lifted her head from my chest and laid it upon the pillow, carefully slipping my legs from under her. She curled onto her side, clutching the soft blanket to her body and continued to sleep.

I stood up and grabbed my pants, which were laid out by the fire so they could dry and stepped into them. Another hasty knock came from the door as I zipped the front of my pants. I reached for my gun that was on the coffee table and padded barefoot across the wooden floor to the door.

I kept my gun cocked, aimed it at the door and peeked out the side window to see who it was. The first person my eyes zeroed in on was the man holding Luca in his arms, a young guy in his mid-twenties, dressed in jeans and a leather jacket. He wore a baseball hat backwards and the ends of his dark hair curled under the hat. I had never met the man before but he was just as Jack had described Riggs would be. He looked over his shoulder at the woman behind him. My eyes widened when I saw my mother, her hands tied together in front of her, and bandana tied around her mouth. I tucked my gun into the back of my pants and pulled opened the door furiously.

“Why the fuck is my mother gagged?” I barked at the man who held Luca out like he was a foreign object the moment I opened the door.

“First, hello to you too,” he said, depositing Luca into my arms.

“Ant-nee!” Luca exclaimed, clapping his chubby little hands the second he was in my arms. My anger disappeared as I looked down at the little boy and smiled.

“Hey buddy.” I kissed the top of his head before looking back at Riggs, treating him to a deadly glare.

Riggs turned around, took my mother by her wrist, and pulled her forward shoving her towards me.

“I believe this one belongs to you too,” he said, snarling at my mother before he rubbed his eye. I peered at him noticing the purple bruise that surrounded his eye.

“Next time you mob folk ask for help, remind Madea over here that we’re the good guys.”

“Who the fuck is Madea?” I asked.

Riggs looked at me as if I had asked him what color the sky was. “Madea, Tyler Perry Madea. Oh come on man, there’s more to life than Goodfella’s and Scarface.” He rolled his eyes, reaching for my mother’s hand and started to untie her but paused when she mumbled something.

“Listen here lady, if I untie you … you have to promise you’ll behave,” he gave her a warning glance before looking at me. “She’s got some swing,” he lifted his hand to his black eye. “Hit me with a frying pan.”

I looked at my mother who rolled her eyes and started shouting something inaudible.

“Relax ma,” I said calmly, adjusting Luca in my arms as I looked at Riggs. “Would you untie her and take the fucking gag out of my mother’s mouth?”

“Sure, she’s all yours man but I should warn you she’s not a happy camper.” He untied her wrists and the second she became free she lunged at Riggs, wrapping her hands around his throat.

“Ma!” I shouted, holding Luca with one hand and reaching for her with the other, pulling her off Jack’s prospect before she choked him. I pried her off Riggs and turned her around by her shoulder, pulling the bandana down from her mouth so it hung around her chin.

“You son of a bitch!” she wailed.

“Is that anyway to talk to the guy who helped you and Dennis the Menace over there get to safety? A thank you Riggs, I appreciate you risking your ass for us would be nice!” He shrugged his shoulders, crossing his arms against his chest. “I’m just saying…”

I turned to my mother. “Why did you hit him a frying pan?”

Her eyes widened with fury causing me to take a step back from her.

“Why did I hit him with a frying pan?” she asked incredulously.

“I’m sorry what should I have done when a man looking the way he looks, kicks in my door and orders me to pack a bag for me and the kid because he’s taking us away? Should I have put on a pot of coffee and asked him if he liked it black or with a fucking spot of cream?” She reached forward and smacked me upside my head, just like she used to when I was a kid that refused to listen.

“I take my coffee light and sweet,” Riggs added.

I looked over my mother’s shoulder toward Riggs and shook my head. “You better quit while you’re ahead.”

“And you, Anthony Joseph Bianci, better start explaining!” My mother said, causing me to cringe at the use of my full name. She took Luca from my arms and positioned the toddler on her hip. “This poor boy had to be woken in middle of the night by the leather clad joker!”

“I don’t think she likes me very much,” Riggs said, scratching the top of his hat.

“That’s the first intelligent thing you’ve said since you barged into my home!” She spat.

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