Everyone around us is silent and still. I can feel all eyes on me. Waiting for my next move.
A small gasp and slight movement in my periphery bring me back to why this prick needs to die right now.
“Ava. Come here.” I keep my eyes on Felipe and he flashes me a nasty look. He reaches toward his belt, and I shake my head. “Don’t fucking think about it.”
“I got it.” A man’s voice to my right sounds out and I watch as Tommy leans in and takes Felipe's gun away from him. Felipe lets go of his injured hand to grab Tommy’s wrist, but Tommy shakes him off and pulls away. Felipe sneers at him as he’s dragged across the dirt, struggling to retrieve his gun before finally giving up and letting go. He curls up on his side, still cussing and grabbing his hand. His face is distorted in rage and pain, but then he sees my face. He swallows and looks around me. I don’t follow his eyes. I know we’re surrounded.
Felipe goes pale, all blood drained from his face and his expression shows the realization that he’s about to fucking die. Good. I’m glad he knows it.
Ava skirts around Felipe slowly and he stares at her with daggers in his eyes. “Puto coño,” he cusses under his breath and then spits on the ground.
Ava’s eyes are closed and her shoulders are trembling as she stands to my left. She’s terrified. I feel like a fucking asshole for not ending him the second I came over here. But I want to give this to her. I think she needs this.
“Ava, baby, open your eyes.” She doesn’t hesitate. Her blue eyes stare up at me, pleading with me to make this stop. “Take his gun.” I tilt my head toward Tommy, although my eyes are still on Felipe. His nostrils flare and he’s cursing in Spanish under his breath. I can’t hear whatever he’s saying due to the loud crash of the waves.
I see Tommy hesitate to give her the gun. I look to him with impatience and he relents, passing her the gun in front of me. She takes it in both hands and points it at Felipe. She steadies her stance and squares her shoulders as though she’s at the gun range. I imagine with her father being the boss, that she should know how to shoot. But she’s probably never actually killed anyone before.
“What did he tell you, Ava?” I ask her. I want her to know this is what happens to men who threaten her. I want to give her this power.
She closes her eyes and I see hope flash on Felipe’s face as he leans forward. I'll make sure he never orders her around again. I point my gun at his other leg and fire off a shot. Bang!
It hits his shin, and judging from the sound of impact, the bullet is lodged in the bone. “Fuck!” he screams out, grabbing his leg. He leans on his side, whining like a little bitch.
“Eyes open, Ava.” She opens her eyes and takes in a ragged breath.
“Did he say he’d hurt you?”
“Yes,” she speaks, barely above a whisper.
I lean closer to her and whisper in her ear. “He’s never going to hurt you again.” I see her fingers tremble on the trigger. She’s reluctant to pull it. I remember my first time. I was only 17. The prick had raped a comare. He had it coming. I wanted him dead, but I still couldn’t do it. My father put his hand over mine and helped me. It was the only time I needed that support. Maybe she needs that now.
I stand behind her and keep my movements slow. I brace her arms with mine and rest my chin on her shoulder, staring down the barrel of the gun with her. I place my hand on top of hers and steady my fingers on hers, holding her hands loosely.
Felipe tries to move, but Vince points his gun at him, followed by the rest of the Valettis. The corner of my lips kick up into a smile. Felipe’s phone goes off in his pocket. An annoying ringtone is the only sound other than the waves and Ava’s ragged breathing.
Just as Felipe opens his mouth to yell out to her, her finger pulls the trigger. The bullet hits his right pec, shoving him violently onto the ground. She points the gun down, with shaking hands, but I help to steady it and she fires again. Bang! It hits his throat and blood bubbles out as his hands fly up, reaching for the wound. And again, bang! His head falls back forcefully and his body goes limp. Blood seeps into the dirt, turning black. The phone stops ringing as I slowly lower Ava’s arms and take the gun out of her hands.
It’s Felipe’s, so I’m gonna need to dispose of it. Tommy walks up to me as I debate on what to do with it. He holds out his hand and I’m happy to pass it to him. I don’t feel like dealing with this shit. We used to put them in acid. Along with people’s fingertips and teeth. I turn to look at Vince, with an arm still wrapped around Ava. I need to square this up with him. I know I fucked up. I directly disobeyed him. It only hits me right now how fucked this is. Felipe is one of Abram’s close men. This isn’t good. And it went down on Valetti property, with witnesses.
“You sure do make a mess for someone who doesn’t have backing.” I turn to face Vince, letting go of my hold on Ava. I stand between the two of them and take a look around. There are at least 10 men standing around, with everyone looking at the two of us.
I take a deep breath in through my nose. I feel like I’ve got their support, but I didn’t have the go-ahead. I know for a fucking fact I didn’t. I noticeably swallow and square my shoulders. “I’m sorry, Vince. I know better.” I return my gun to the holster on my belt and run a hand down my face. As soon as the gun is tucked away several men shift and put theirs away, too. “I fucked up.” Vince gives me a hard look. It’s real quiet for a moment, except for Ava, who’s heaving in air. I clench my fists and resist the urge to go to her. Not until he gives me the go ahead. I already directly disobeyed him in front of his famila. I can’t disrespect him like that again.
“Yeah, you did. You’re lucky I didn’t like that fucker.” He turns to his right and calls out, “Tommy!”
“Yeah, boss?” Tommy walks up to my right with a grin.
“Get the cleanup crew.” Vince looks over his shoulder at the rest of the men. “Get back to work. You didn’t see shit here.”
“I can clean it up, Vince. It’s my mess.”
“No offense Kane, but I like to do shit my way. And where the fuck are you planning on taking the body?” His eyebrows raise, and I press my lips into a line.
“I’d figure it out. I won’t get you into any shit.”
He smirks at me. “You killed Abram’s man on my turf in front of me.” Fuck, I fucking hate that he’s laying into me. I have it coming, though. “You already got me into shit.”
I keep my eye contact with him as I state, “Just let me know what to do.” I’ll make this right. I always do.
He looks at me for a long while, searching for something, and then he looks over my shoulder. I hear Ava take in a deep, ragged breath and it breaks my heart.
“Just take care of your girl.” As Vince says the words, his phone goes off.
Ava’s right behind me, staring at Felipe’s body. Her hands are clasped in front of her. She doesn’t look like she’s doing alright. She’s pale and trembling, like the fucker’s still alive and going to beat her.
I hear Vince answer his phone as I pull her into my arms and against my chest, turning her so she can’t see Felipe's body. “It’s going to be alright.”