Page 11 of Checkmate

I shrug. “Sure, want me to drive?” I offer.

“Yeah, sounds good.”

We head out to my car and once we’re inside, he immediately changes the station to some 90s rock. I can’t help but laugh. “So, Starbucks?”

Leo shakes his head. “Nah, you know Yellow Brix just off the strip?”

I had heard of the coffee shop, but I had never actually been in there. “I know of it.”

“Go there. They’re better,” Leo comments quietly. He gets a faraway look in his eyes.

I smile. “You got some girl that works there or something?”

Leo laughs. “Nah, my sister though, she used to love them.”

It seems odd for the top mafia family to choose a small, home-owned business like Yellow Brix over a place like Starbucks. I keep expecting this family to be all about the name and flash of things. Starbucks is exactly that, but they keep shocking me and it’s knocking me off guard. “That’s cool.”

“Yeah, any time I miss her I go grab a double mocha cappuccino, they were her favorite,” Leo explains before he starts singing along to some Green Day song playing on the radio.

As I come back to reality, I check my watch and see it’s just about time. I get up and make my way to Vivianna’s bedroom door and knock. She invites me in, and we actually have a bit of a discussion before it’s time to head out to the estate’s cemetery.

After talking with Vivianna, it’s evident that she trusts no one, but then I guess if I had grown up in this world, I could be the same way. We head down the stairs and out of the house to the limo that will drive Gio, Matteo, Luz, Vivianna, and myself out to the part of the estate where we will say goodbye to Leo. The back of the limo is quiet and tense. Gio and Vivianna don’t speak or acknowledge one another. The awkwardness lasts the entire ride, which thankfully isn’t too long. I open the door and climb out first, then extend my hand to Vivianna. She takes my help, but as soon as she’s standing, she releases it and I miss the warmth of her skin-to-skin contact. She looks at me and those gray eyes are unreadable.

I step in front of her and lead us up to the packed area. I’ve never had to attend one of these for the Giordano family, so I’m not sure what to expect. I can see Vivianna scanning the area, assessing every person in attendance. We stand side by side where a gravestone has Leo’s name and dates of birth and death. I guess I expected a casket, but there’s not one.

Gio and Matteo both say things as well as the priest and then we are dismissed. We start to head back to the limo, but I can tell by the way that Vivianna is holding her jaw, that she’s beyond upset. “I’m not riding with them.”

I turn around and look at her. Her eyes swim with moisture, but it looks like she’s biting the inside of her cheek. Her posture is rim-rod straight, shoulders squared, and her chin held high, but it’s so tense, I think she might break a bone. “Okay, what do you want to do?”

“I’m going to walk back.” I immediately look down at her shoes. Vivianna scoffs. “I was born in heels. I live in New York City and walk most of the time. I can handle this. You don’t have to follow me. You can ride back with them.” Her words turn into a sneer as she mentions them.

I shake my head and close what little distance is between us. “I’m going with you.” Vivianna eyes me and I can tell she wants to be alone, so I quickly add, “I won’t speak at all. I just don’t want you going off by yourself with all of these people around. I know you can take care of yourself, but I feel better if I come with you… please.”

She stares at me for what feels like forever, before finally she sighs then nods. “Okay.” Vivianna turns on her heels and starts to head back toward the house. It’s a good walk and I know I’m fine for it, but I do worry about her making it in those heels. I won’t say anything because she’s so damn stubborn she’d make it to the house bleeding from her feet just to prove me wrong.

Fourteen

Vivianna

Standing here, surrounded by people that have been our enemies for years, and who are now crying fake tears and trying to act sympathetic, makes my stomach churn with anger. I don’t want to be angry today. I really don’t, but to see all these people and know that someone standing here placed a hit on my brother, makes it’s impossible not to see red. These people weren’t here for Leo. I wasn’t even sure my own father was here for him. I was questioning everybody at this point.

No one knew Leo the way I did. We had a relationship and friendship that was once in a lifetime. These people didn’t know him at all, aside from the fact that he was a Giordano, which in this world means he was powerful. That’s all they saw, that’s all they cared about.

I remembered my brother as the boy with a goofy grin. Leo singing off-key while driving us around Las Vegas because I hated driving. Leo and I having movie nights in the movie theatre in the basement. He watched every single one of those old Hollywood movies I loved so much. I know secretly he loved Dial M for Murder and The Misfits just as much as I did. I remember him bringing me soup and Jell-O when I was sick. He was like the big brother turned almost father to me after our mother died. He took care of me. He helped me escape this nightmare of a life. He sacrificed his life, himself, for me and what I wanted.

Tears prick at the back of my eyes, clog my throat, and make it difficult to breathe. I can feel the emotional break about to happen. But not here, not now, not in front of this audience of people. Taking a deep breath, I will myself to zone out.

I’m no longer standing next to Luca in the Giordano estate cemetery. I’m back in the Porsche that Leo drove in high school. He’ssitting behind the wheel with the sunroof open, looking casual in his jeans and t-shirt. His black hair is shaggy, like a skateboarder. We’re sitting at a red light with Green Day playing. Leo drums his fingers to the rhythm of the song on the steering wheel.

I sigh and he looks over at me. “What’s going on, Vieve?” He always called me Vieve instead of Vivianna when it was just the two of us.

I heavily sighed again and dropped my head back against the headrest before looking over at him. “I am so over this music!”

Leo laughs, his eyes scrunching up in the corners. “Okay, okay you big baby. How about a compromise?”

I roll my eyes and shake my head. “Already trying to negotiate, I see. You’ll fit in just fine with the family business.”

“Vieve,” he says my name with a hint of frustration. Leo hated when I brought up the family business. He was already being prepped to take over for my father and he knew it. I could never tell if he hated it or liked the idea of it. I do know he didn’t like to be reminded that he would fit right in with the rest of the mobsters. “You know it’s not like that.”

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