The party was mostly contained to the patio. Lights had been strung up, the old garden starting to look like it did when Pops had it going, and the smell of barbecue floated in the air, along with the scent of beer. Keely and her family could drink the best of the best under the table.
Once we were there for a while, I started to relax, able to take in the state of the house. It was in good shape, like eleven years hadn’t passed. Even the mural Jocelyn and I had done in the hallway was still there. She had let me pick, and I had picked a blue butterfly to paint.
As evening came, bringing with it a sweet breeze, I noticed Keely going inside. I hadn’t had a chance to get her alone to ask her who the house belonged to. And I also wanted to ask her about Detective Stone. She had told me the day before that she had invited him, but he couldn’t make it. An emergency had come up. Some politician had gone missing and all manpower had been called in.
I excused myself from Capo’s side—he was deep in conversation with Keely’s dad and uncle—and went back into the house. I looked for Keely but couldn’t find her. Keely’s Mam was in the kitchen, and she asked me if I wouldn’t mind arranging a dessert tray and making coffee. Her sister was about to leave, and she wanted to say goodbye. I knew my way around the kitchen, and to be honest, it felt good to be back home.
Home.
Footsteps sounded on the floor, but I continued to arrange the little cakes, pies, and muffins. A second or two later, Harrison stood next to me. I looked down, trying to concentrate on what I was doing. My nails were dark, almost black, and in contrast to the white cakes, it made them stand out even more. It was something, anything, to distract me from the heat I felt coming from him. He smelled like a bar.
He stood close to me, his hip leaning against the counter. “You smell good, Strings,” he said.
“It’s new,” I said, trying to keep my voice even. He had never made me nervous before, but I could sense his disappointment, or maybe his anger toward me.
“It smells natural. Like you’re not wearing anything, but you are.”
I thought the same thing. The perfume worked like magic with my chemistry. But this was petty conversation. He was moving us along, bringing us somewhere. I didn’t like where we were headed, so I murmured, “uh huh” before turning to the coffee pot.
“You’ve changed so much. I hardly recognize you.”
“I got a job, Harrison. I’m able to afford things now.”
“New hair.” He took a strand and analyzed it. “New clothes.” He nodded toward my purple silk camisole. I had paired it with a pair of blue jeans and heels that showed a lot of toe. Since I planned on wearing a pair for the wedding, I’d been practicing. “I’d say that job pays really well, Strings.”
“It pays enough.” I finished filling the filter with coffee and set it in the pot to brew. I didn’t want to turn and look at him. The hurt in his eyes was too much. I just wanted to be the way we used to be. “I’d say your job pays really good, too. Seems like you’re doing better.”
“Keely told you I bought this place?”
I turned on him so fast that I could feel the breath of air that circulated between us. Pistachio drifted off of me. “You bought this house?”
He nodded, picking up his glass from the counter, taking another drink of whiskey. “I didn’t take you for the kind of woman to be attracted to golden things, Strings.”
“What do you mean? Golden things?”
“Golden things,” he repeated, his voice slurred some. “The man outside. Capo. The ring on your finger. Not this house. It’s a paper thing compared to what he can offer you.”
“I’d never think of this house as a paper thing,” I said, turning from him again. “This house is the only home I’ve ever known. Even if it was a paper thing, I’d still call it home.”
Only a few people could get to me. I never allowed anyone in. But Harrison could get to me because I loved him like a brother, and it was hard to pretend like everything was okay between us when it wasn’t.
“There’s a war going on,” he said, throwing me for a loop.
Maybe he was drunk off his ass. That was usually Owen, but there were a few times I’d seen Harrison drunk, too. He was usually more relaxed.
“I’ve heard about it.”
“I doubt you’ve heard about this one,” he said. “Right here. Home soil. New York.”
I turned to him again. “What are you talking about?”
He grinned at me. “Someone’s fucking with the five families. Whoever it is started a war. One family is blaming another. Territories are being crossed. Even the Irish are getting in on it. Whoever’s fucking with them killed a dangerous name in that world, too. Serious turmoil.”
“Are you drunk?”
“Maybe.” He grinned. “A little.”
“That explains a fucking lot,” I said, about to turn around again when he took me by the arm and forced me to look at him. His stare was too…much. “Why would you even care?” I rushed out. “About all of that?”
He shrugged. “I don’t. Just bringing up recent news. You work for the Faustis. I thought you should know.”
“I doubt they’d get involved. No one touches them.”
He shrugged again. “I want you to be careful.”
I tried to remove my arm from his hold. “Noted.”
Time seemed to stand still while we stared at each other. He wasn’t leaving me any room to squirm away from him. I didn’t want to cause a scene. I didn’t trust Capo. What would he do if he walked in and saw the way we were standing? I didn’t want to find out.
“Do you know why I call you Strings?” Harrison said, finally breaking the tension some. “You never asked.”
“No,” I shook my head. “I thought it was just a cute nickname.”
He laughed some, his breath fanning over my face. “Cute,” he repeated. “The first time I saw you, you tangled me up, Strings. They’re still wrapped around my heart. I want you to marry me, Mari. Live here with me. I want to take care of you. Kindness doesn’t mean you owe me anything. We can be kind to each other. That’s what a husband and wife do. Be kind to each other when they’re not tearing each other apart from too much passion. Love. It does wicked things, but it’s good. So good, too.”
“Harrison,” I said, trying to remove myself from his hold. From the situation entirely, but he wanted an answer. I wanted to run. “We’re family.”
“No,” he said. “Keely is family. You’re family because I want you to be mine. I’ve always wanted you to be mine. You know how many nights I couldn’t sleep because I was worried that something might happen to you? And you turned down every offer of help I ever offered. I’m not taking no for an answer this time, Mari. Kindness is not your enemy. Love isn’t your enemy, either. You deserve love. My love.”
“I—” I tried to move away, afraid that if I said the words, I don’t love you like that, I’d lose my entire family.
“You don’t love him, Strings.” His hold on my arm grew tighter, but he wasn’t hurting me. “You hardly know him. He’s just another rich bastard who thinks he can turn a poor girl into something he wants her to be. I love you the way you are. Kiss me, Mari. Kiss me once.”