Worth the Chance(45)

“You better not be.”

Picking up the jump rope, I don’t look in his direction as I speak. “Liv’s coming with me.”

“Liv’s coming?”

“Is there a damn echo in here?”

Nico laughs and shakes his head. “That’s good. She seems like she can keep you out of trouble.”

“I can keep myself out of trouble.” I whip the jump rope, turning at warp speed, two flicks of the wrist with each single jump. Nico has to back up to keep from getting slapped in the face as the rope begins to play a whirling song with each turn.

“Whatever, I’m glad she’s going.”

“Yeah, me too.”



Thursday I stop by my mom’s to check in before heading to Liv’s to pick her up and leave for the airport. She’s in better shape than most days, even sitting up on the couch and capable of having a lucid conversation.

“You look good, Ma.”

She laughs, assuming I’m pacifying her. “Thanks, Baby”

“Did Jason resurface and fix things with the two guys that were here last week?” I’ve started to ask around, the guy’s an even bigger loser than I first thought. And I didn’t think much of him to start.

Her eyes trained downward, she wrings her hands as she speaks. I know the answer before the words fall from her lips. “No, I’ve tried everything I know of to reach him, but he’s gone. Vanished.”

Shit, I knew that dirtbag was no good. Should’ve finished his sorry ass off when I had the chance the day I found him raising his hand to my mother.

“Ma, those guys aren’t screwing around. I asked around about them. They don’t make threats lightly. How much are they holding you up for?”

“Two hundred.”

“Please, please tell me that you’re kidding! Or that you mean two hundred bucks?” I begin to pace. What the hell has she done? Where am I going to get that kind of money? I figured the loser was passed out somewhere on a binge, but it’s been too long…the realization just starting to kick in that he’s probably hiding. Leaving my mother holding the bag just for vouching for him. Now I’m starting to get nervous.

“I’m sorry, Vincent.” She begins to cry. She drives me crazy, screwed up half of my childhood, and is probably responsible for my fucked up relationships with women, yet I still can’t stand to see her cry.

I sit next to her, wrap my arm around her shoulder, and pull her close. “Stop, Ma. It’s gonna be okay.” I have no idea how, but it has to be. “We’ll find him, or come up with something.” Sobs rack through her. “I promise.”





Chapter 28



Liv

Vinny’s been quiet the whole flight down to D.C. so far. He said nothing was wrong, but I could tell he wasn’t being totally forthcoming. He seems preoccupied, I wonder if maybe the exhibition match he has Saturday bothers him more than he lets on. Or maybe he really doesn’t like to fly, although it’s been a smooth flight so far.

“So after I turn my hair blue and pierce my eyebrow, I was thinking we could go to Target and buy up all the shaving cream in their stock.” Vinny nods and smiles, still not listening to a word I’m saying, so I continue, “You know, we may need a lifetime supply of shaving cream if we get that flood they’ve been predicting. We won’t be able to get to the store for a while. Don’t you agree?”

Vinny turns to me, finally realizing I’m waiting for a response. He’s looking right at me, but doesn’t really hear a word I’m saying. “Ummm, sure.”

He’s still a million miles away, even though we’re sitting so close, so I take out the bigger guns. “Oh, okay, great. I didn’t think you’d mind. I mean, I agreed to go out with him before we started seeing each other. It will only be one or two dates, so I probably won’t sleep with him more than once anyway.”

“Wait, what?” Tension shows in his face as he turns to me, I have no idea what part he heard, but clearly something finally sunk in.

“Well, welcome back.”

“Did you just tell me you’re going on a date?”

“I told you I was dyeing my hair blue and piercing my eyebrow before that and you didn’t seem to care…so I thought I’d see how far away you really were.” I smile playfully.

“Very nice. But you know what happens when I even think about another man near you don’t you?” Vinny leans forward, a menacing face in place of the one that was millions of miles away just minutes earlier.

Startled, I find myself being lifted out of my tiny plane seat and reseated onto Vinny’s lap. My protests go completely unheard as he takes my mouth in a forceful kiss with little warning. Never one for a public display of affection, I’m surprised when my traitorous body gives in to him with little coaxing. Within seconds, I’m kissing him back with all that I have, my brain unable to think with my body achingly aware of being held so tightly by this unpredictable man.