21. Selene

21

SELENE

W hen the SUV rolled up on Moreno’s private marina, I was stunned. Living in LA, you get used to seeing vast displays of opulent wealth.

But this is on a whole different level. I expected the heavy security, but the stone walls and defensive embankments made the exterior look like a castle.

Inside, the marina proves no less impressive, but the gigantic yacht floating at the dock grabs all my attention. I almost don’t notice the three men standing guard with assault weapons brazenly held in the open.

“Pretty sweet, right?” Moreno slaps me on the shoulder like we’re old friends. “It belonged to a studio exec who…well, let’s just say he owed me a favor or two. Now it’s all mine. One of these days I’m going to sail it all the way to Italy, show it off to the motherland.”

“Make sure you go around South America. I hear it’s the best,” I grumble.

He scowls, and Petty laughs. Moreno turns his glare on Petty.

“She just burned you, boss. Cape Horn is full of bad storms and…”

Moreno continues to stare .

“I mean, there’s hundred-foot waves and you’d have to be a real lunatic or fucking stupid to…ah…it’s not important.”

He coughs and busies himself with getting out of the vehicle. The rest of us follow suit. Nobody bothers to bully me around or hold a gun on me. There’s no point. Even if I weren’t held hostage by Justin’s welfare, I couldn’t get past the guards at the gate, nor hope to climb the walls.

In fact, I’m worried that Dane won’t be able to reach me at all. If he even understands my message. I didn’t have any time to think it out, and I needed an excuse to write something kind of long. Let’s hope he remembers that conversation we had about acrostic messages.

When our party reaches the gangplank of the yacht, I balk.

“I want to see my brother. Now.”

“You’ll see him when I’m good and ready,” Moreno says.

“I’m not going to help you until I get to see him, so you might as well just get it over with.”

Moreno fixes me with his glare. I wilt on the inside, but I keep up a stubborn facade on the outside. Eventually he shrugs.

“Ah, what the Hell? Nunzio, take her to see Justin. Then give our ringer a call and see what his hold up is. I knew I shouldn't have paid him in advance. Fucking cokehead.”

I’m led to the yacht’s upper deck, and ushered into an elegantly appointed room with wooden floors polished to a sheen. An impressionist painting of a fisherman hangs on the wall. It could be a suite in a five-star hotel anywhere in the world.

“Justin?” I call out.

A moment later, Justin appears in the doorway to the adjacent room. His eyes widen, and then he enters the suite’s main room, carefully closing the door behind him.

“Oh, thank God you’re alright.”

I run to him and we embrace. He hugs me back, but awkwardly. His whole body is stiff. I chalk it up to him being scared that the Morenos have caught me, too.

“Hey, Sis, how are you holding up? ”

“I’ve had better days. Damn it, Justin, did you have to get yourself involved with mobsters?”

He doesn’t reply, other than to look even more guilty. I assess his condition. Justin doesn’t appear to be injured. In fact, he looks to be in great shape. Then I notice his brand new, tailored Italian suit, and matching leather loafers.

“Why are you dressed like Moreno’s mini-me?” I ask, suspicion creeping into my tone.

“Ah, well, it’s complicated, Selene.” He sighs. “You’ve got to understand the situation I’m in.”

I cover my face with my hands.

“You’re not Moreno’s prisoner. You’re working with him.”

“I’m not working with him,” he says quickly. “Nobody works ‘with’ Moreno. You work for him, or you get a bullet in the back of your head. That’s the way it goes.”

I heave a long sigh and peer out between my splayed fingers. Justin looks more stubborn than guilty now. Like he’s in full justification mode. I’ve seen this before way too many times.

“Why are you doing this? You know he’s just going to throw you away when he’s done with you. And me too, for that matter.”

I shove him hard on the shoulder. He takes a step back.

“You can fuck up your own life all you want, but you have no right to mess mine up, too.”

Justin scowls, a line forming between his eyebrows.

“Hey, you’re wrong. After you do this job, I’m going to be a Made Man.”

“You’re not Italian, Justin.”

“You don’t gotta be anymore. It’s the new era. Hell, I heard one of the capo’s sons is openly gay. The mafia relies on fresh recruits like any other organization. The new generation aren’t quite as stuffy or traditionalist.”

“Great, so now the woke mob is a thing,” I groan. “You put my life in danger, Justin. And for what? Fancy suits? Cuban cigars?”

“I’m tired of being a loser, Selene. I wanna be a winner. And the only way to be a winner is to pick the winning team.” He sighs. “I’m really sorry about this, Selene, but in the end it’s going to be a boon for you, too. Not only will you get a sweet payday, like way more than you’d make in five years of working on that show, but you’ll have one of the most powerful men in LA owing you a favor.”

“I don’t want to get even more twisted up with Moreno. I’m not like you.”

Justin rolls his eyes.

“Here we go again. You always did think you were better than me. Always talking down to me, acting like you knew better.”

“Justin, I was looking out for you, not talking down to you. There’s a huge difference.”

“Not from where I’m sitting, there’s not. Just do what Moreno wants and we’ll all go home happy, all right?”

“No, it’s not all right. I don’t want to break the law, or help a guilty man go free. I don’t care how much money he’s paying me, or you for that matter.”

Justin shakes his head. “You don't understand, Sis. Right now, they’re being nice. If you don’t do what they want, they’re going to stop being nice. And they’re still going to get what they want. Trust me, they’re very creative.”

A haunted look comes into his eyes, and I feel more sympathy for him than I did a moment ago. Justin is so far tangled up in this life that he can’t hope to find his way out again. He needs help, but maybe not the kind I can provide. Not anymore.

“Justin,” I say slowly. “I know what I’m going to say will upset you, but I’m done. No matter what happens with Moreno, if he tortures me until I break and do his stupid plan that won’t work, I’ll never have anything to do with you again. Ever.”

Justin’s eyes soften with hurt.

“Selene, come on, don’t be like that. You know, we’re the only family each other has got.”

He reaches for me, but I slap his hand away.

“Don’t touch me. I’m sick of you and your puppy dog expressions, your constant pleading that you just need one more chance, just one more time you’ll lean on me and then you’ll be strong enough to go on your own.”

“Selene…”

“No, Justin. Enough is enough. If you make me go through with this, I’ll never speak to you again. You will be dead to me. You understand?”

Justin sighs and scratches behind his head.

“You’re just upset right now because you're scared. Moreno can have that effect on people. Look, just take a few minutes, make yourself a drink, watch some television, and relax. When you’re calmed down, I’m sure it won’t seem so bad anymore.”

I open my mouth to retort, but a sustained crackling sound cuts me off, followed by hollers and an extended scream. Justin’s jaw goes slack and he looks out the window at the marina gates.

“What’s going on?” he asks.

A joyous, hopeful laugh rips out of my core.

“What’s going on is, Dane is here. And anyone who gets in his way is a walking dead man.”