Taming the Monster by K.J. Thomas
Chapter 11
Avery
As soon as Mac whistles for the end of fighting, my ass limps over to the grassy area next to the basketball court, and I fall like I haven’t slept in weeks and I just found my bed. I am fucking spent.
We never had training this hard when I was younger, yeah my parents wanted to make sure that I knew everything. But never in my life have I felt like I wanted to die right after I was done. Shit, right now I’m praying for the end of this pain.
Someone walks up and blocks the sun, casting a shadow right over my misery.
I’m way too tired to try to move out of the way or at least move to the side to figure out who it is. So I just lay there with my hand over my eyes. I know as soon as I get up to look at whoever’s there, they’re going to move and the sun’s going to hit me straight in the eyeball.
Fuck being whiny, but this hurts.
Vito starts to chuckle as he holds his hand out to me. “Come on, Avery. Let’s get you some much needed water and food.”
I extend my hand as he yanks me up. He might be my grandfather and a lot older but the man still reeks of strength.
We walk side-by-side as my mind wanders from the stories that I’ve heard. Ever since I was a kid, I’ve heard about how much Vito can fight. Apparently my grandfather loves to just use his hands and fists, that’s what he’s best at. If it came down to it, I know he’ll use the guns and knives especially if he’s trying to save one of us. I groan as we continue to walk. It’s not that far, just to the side entrance of the house but it feels like it’s ten miles.
“You need to make sure that you’re well hydrated and fed before you start training or you’re going to end up like this every single time,” Vito says as he smiles. The perfect way to deliver a lecture without it being insensitive. I nod my head, he’s right and I know it. My dumbass is trying to overachieve.
I know everybody’s dealing with this because of me, if Luca wasn’t coming after me then we wouldn’t have this problem. I needed to show everyone that I’m not this weak little being that they have to save. I need to earn my keep around here, especially the respect if I’m going to take over. Nobody has to stay here, but I know they will for a while out of love for my grandfather. I just pray that respect can pass down to me, and in return they’ll take care of our shit and keep me alive.
As soon as he sits me down at the kitchen table I can actually feel myself starting to relax, maybe laying in the grass helped.
I can feel the swishing of Vito’s hands, he’s telling the cooks to whip up something.
A bottle of water and lightly buttered toast are placed in front of me. I mumble out a thank you and scarf everything down, including the bottle of water.
Instantly I’m already starting to feel better. If my old trainer could see me now, he would make it ingrained into my memory to not let myself get so dehydrated.
I actually feel really bad, like everything he worked with in training me, I just ruined it. I let out a sigh of relief that my old trainer is not here to give me shit.
My grandfather gets a hot cup of coffee and then sits next to me at the island. I watch as he calmly sips here and there while the cooks keep bringing me food. I didn’t ask for it, but I sure as shit won’t reject it. They’re bringing me simple and bland stuff.
I finished four pieces of toast and now I’m on some gritty soup. I think it’s clam chowder but I’m not sure, it’s so good I don’t care.
I’ve been wanting to talk to Vito for a while, it’s been in my head there’s just something that hasn’t made sense to me. Since both of us are sitting here with no other distractions, besides some of the house staff, there’s no time like the present.
“How come you never had a right-hand man?” Vito stills for a second as he takes a drink of his coffee. It’s like the wheels are turning in his head and he’s letting the question sink in.
“I don’t trust anyone,” my gramps clears his throat and takes another drink of his coffee before setting it back down. “My father and my grandfather had one but it was my grandfather’s who turned on him, shot him straight between the eyes. Tried to take over the East Coast before my father ended him.”
My mouth was slightly open a little bit in shock. That means that my great-great grandfather was knocked off by his right-hand man. That doesn’t leave a good feeling inside me, actually leaves a shitty one.
“I always thought it better to have several men I can trust. It’s worked well for me all this time.” My grandfather gives me a smile before he goes back to sipping his coffee. Even though I’m gonna ask, I have a feeling he already knows my intentions.
“Would Mac be a good candidate?” The words are so soft when they come out of my mouth, it’s like I can take them back if they don’t feel comfortable anymore. I don’t know why I’m so nervous, we’re just talking. I know that it probably hurts my grandfather to talk about me taking over when he’s still in charge and he’s still alive.
“Mac would be an excellent choice.” He smiles a little too big, letting me see all of his pearly whites. For a man of his age he has really good damn teeth. My grandfather’s being a little too devious and playful right now.
I’m kind of stumped for words. I’m not exactly sure what to say because he’s acting a little strange, maybe the medicine is getting to his head. I don’t see how that will happen, because from my understanding he rejected all the medicine.
“We planned it that way. Even though Mac has no idea, I was hoping he’d be the one you would choose.” My grandfather squeezes my shoulder and then goes back to smiling and sipping his coffee. I still rarely drink the shit, but it smells wonderful. I exhale the breath that I was holding in. It wasn’t quiet, either, so I know my grandfather heard, his slight chuckle tips me off.
I smile to myself, Mac is my right-hand man. This is going to be awesome and epic. Shit, I just hope he agrees.
I angle my head to my grandfather and he smiles again. My mouth starts to slightly open as he holds up his hand. “He would love the position.”
That’s all I needed to know. My grinning is infectious, just like my grandfather’s. I wrap my arms around him and squeeze, standing like that for a few minutes, my energy is not allowing me to sit down in my seat anymore. I’m too excited by all the possibilities of what’s to come.
I would lose it all in a second, though, just for my grandfather to be okay, he knows that and so does everybody else. But one thing’s for sure, I’m not gonna sit here and be in denial after everything that’s happened in my life. People can leave you in an instant, so this time I’m going to prepare like he’s helping me to.
I’m also going to pray. Even if we only get four or five more months as per what the doctor said, maybe, just maybe, he can squeeze in a few more months, maybe even a year. Of course my main goal is that the cancer just goes away and there’s no more problems, but I’m not an idiot, and I’ve lived in this life long enough to know there’s not much anyone else can do. From now on we need to deal with everything as it happens.
Vito slightly turns in the chair and angles his body toward mine. He grabs my hand in a comforting and sweet way. “Mac knows the ins and outs of the business. When I found out that I was sick, we bumped him all the way up. He’s in all of our meetings and knows everything that’s going down. He will be perfect, loyal and trustworthy for you.”
I smile big, the same time the tears start to come down. “You’ve thought of everything.” That’s all I manage to say before I start ugly sobbing.
Vito being the superb human being that he is lets me cry as he holds me. I know deep in my heart that Mac is the perfect guy to pretty much run the business for us. I just hope he feels the same way. Vito brought him in because he was sick, but I’m not sure if Mac knows exactly why.
* * *
I spentthe rest of the afternoon in a complete daze wandering around the house. I get to do things I missed doing as a kid, growing up and being at my grandparents’ house. Snooping.
As a child I should’ve known every nook and cranny of this beautiful cabin. Since I never had that option, I’m learning it now.
It’s not one of those extremely older places where there’s most likely a tunnel or a pathway or even a room that you haven’t found. I’m not even sure Vito has done that, when you need a place to store all of his important documents besides his office, besides a small safe. You never know when the bad guys are going to break in and want to look at everything or just destroy it all.
This is something I might ask Mac or even Asher. It breaks my heart every time I need to do this with my grandfather. I know it needs to be done. But it just feels deep down in my soul like there’s never going to be enough time to go through everything, we’re just trying to get through the basics and anything that might be important.
“Avery,” Tate says. I can see her jogging to catch up with me. “What are you doing?”
I smile at her. I should’ve went and grabbed her right when I started this little adventure. She’s the perfect person for it.
“I’m snooping. I couldn’t do this shit as a kid, so I figured I should probably learn where everything is now. Even the stuff they don’t tell us about.”
Tate’s face morphs into one of glee as she jumps up and down clapping her hands. Perfect partner in crime.
Together, if there’s something to be uncovered in this house, the both of us will find it, hopefully.
Twenty minutes later and we’re on our fourth bedroom snooping and giggling. Even though we’re not finding anything, the fun factor is still pretty high.
Tate asks me. “Have you decided what you’re going to do yet?” She turns around and it looks like she’s pointing to the room, but she’s actually mimicking the whole house. “What are you going to do about everything?”
Tate applied earlier to the colleges in Northern California and she was accepted into one of the most known and accredited universities. We screamed and cried, I was so happy for her. My grades are okay but not enough to get me into a decent college. I’m not sure if I even want to do that right now.
“I think I’m gonna apply to the community college for business. I can do it online, and it’s only a two year course.” Tate starts to nod her head, at least I got somewhat of a plan. “I need all the freaking information I can get, especially if I’m going to turn everything around.”
I grab her hand tight as we start to walk. Tate’s going to leave around the beginning to the middle of August to set up her stuff and get ready for school. I’m gonna miss her like freaking crazy.
The thought hits me again that my grandfather’s leaving and never coming back and Tate’s leaving, too. I’m taking deep breaths as I pretend to look at something on one of the spare bedroom’s dressers. I do everything in my power to shake these thoughts away right now, I can do this. I have my grandfather right now and I want to take time hanging out with him. Plus, Tate’s going to be clear across the country, but she’s still here, right now. I just hope to God that she comes back to the East Coast later.
Tate and I finish thoroughly going through another room coming up completely empty again. “This house blows, there’s no cool things.”
Tate starts to giggle. “When you and Asher have children, you guys really need to do something here and make some hidden pathways and shit like that. This house is too big not to be exceptionally cool for children.”
I nod my head very dramatically, totally agreeing with her. Yeah, there needs to be more cool shit in here. Maybe like a movie theater.
Both of us are getting ready to go into another room, one that I haven’t seen on this floor even. Commotion toward the front door snaps our attention in that direction.
We don’t have that much else to do besides snoop. Tate and I look at each other and smile, we both know what we’re doing as we walk down the hallway toward the stairs. There’s a perfect view at the top of the stairs that lets you look over the foyer. It gives you a good view of the beams and you could see all the wood that sprouted around. It’s absolutely stunning.
I look down below and watch as the guards bring in vase after vase of white roses in different states of decay.
“What the fuck!” Tate snaps as she grabs my hand and starts dragging me down the stairs.
These flowers are not beautiful at all, they’re dead. The vases that they come in are pretty, but that’s about it.
The guards stack the flowers in every area they can reach. There are nice little end tables set out through the foyer plus glass tops located here and there. Too much if you ask me, but rich people need places to set all of their rich people shit.
“Just set it on the floor,” I say as they keep looking for places to put the never-ending vases that are coming in.
Tate has been collecting all of the cards in her hand, moving from flower to flower. When she is almost done that’s when the foyer fills up with more guards including Vito, Asher, Mac and Carter.
Asher comes and stands next to me in a defensive position just making sure I’m okay. Vito comes and stands on my other side, while Carter moves close to Tate and takes the little notes out of her hand. She goes to snap at him but then shuts her mouth when she sees the rest of us watching. Even though he’s being a good little asshole bringing the notes back to Vito.
Asher snatches the notes out of Carter’s hand. I can feel his demeanor as he gets more intense and more pissed the more he reads through them. Vito’s not looking, he’s walking around the different flowers, which there has to be at least one-hundred vases of twelve-dozen roses. That’s a lot of fucking flowers.
I can tell at first that Asher doesn’t want to pass over the notes. I poke him in his side multiple times before he stiffly hands them to me. There’s about twenty or thirty guards, plus us in the foyer all staring at me wondering what the fuck is going on and why someone would deliver dead flowers.
We all know who it is, but it’s better to not take a chance.
You’re dead to me.
No longer a conquest, but a competition.
Soon Avery.
I plan on burying you, right next to your parents.
Your mom was a screamer, wasn’t she?
We could’ve been beautiful together.
The tears start to fall and Vito snatches the cards out of my hand, reading them aloud. Shit, I thought that’s what I was doing, but I guess I wasn’t, I was just quickly sifting through them, letting Luca’s hatred consume me.
“Fuck!” Vito Romano roars, scaring the shit out of all of us. Even Asher and Tate jumped. My grandfather does not roar, my grandfather’s not one-hundred percent himself at this time. It had to be soul crushing for him to read those things about my mom, his daughter.
In the short amount of time I’ve known him, I’ve never heard him yell. Arya and Garett always said that he was cool, calm and collected, especially when dealing with work.
He stomps away and all I want to do is go after him and make him feel better. Asher grabs my hand and pulls me to his side, not letting me move.
I’m pretty sure I have the answer, but I need to make sure. “Does this mean what I think it means?” My voice is so soft as I speak to Asher through the angry cries and promises of revenge from my guards.
Asher nods, pulling me into a full embrace putting his mouth down toward my ear and whispering, “Luca Delano now thinks of you as the enemy, like he did before. When Vito Romano passes away, that makes you his huge competition. You will be at the top of the food chain so to speak, the place that Luca has always wanted to be.”
Asher rubs my shoulders up and down as I take in this new information.
I nod my head as everything makes sense now. The Romano’s are a more powerful entity than the Delano’s and even if we come together, I would still be in charge. He would have to physically make me do what he wants and that won’t be possible with all the guards, especially with Mac as my right-hand man. The only viable option for Luca is to kill me.
I glance at Mac out of the corner of my eye. My heart feels a little lighter as I watch my favorite guard yelling out orders getting guys to move. Several of the men had chased after the flower truck delivery driver just to get any information they can. Every little bit helps, maybe Luca messed up and we can go right back to where he’s located at. But I doubt it.
I can’t pinpoint how I’m feeling. I mean things are better, but I know that if Luca grabbed me right now he’s not going to kidnap me and take me away where he could rape me and make me spit out babies. No, if Luca grabbed me right now he would put a bullet in my head. I feel relieved but also more angry and scared. I didn’t get this far and work this hard to get a bullet in my head because Luca can’t figure out the right way to get up to the top without killing everybody, or listening to his useless parents.
“Meeting. Everybody,” Vito shouts as he stomps his way back into the foyer. At least he was able to take care of what he needed to do.
I had a feeling this time we would be invited, especially if we wanted to go in and listen, but I don’t want to. My grandfather is rightfully in charge now, and I don’t even want to go into that meeting and hear any of it. The same shit we’ve been dealing with for over a year.
Vito comes up and gives me a hug, more of a silent apology of him overreacting. He leans down and whispers in my ear, “Luca is dead.”
Those were the words I needed to hear, especially coming from him because I know that’s going to be our main focus from now on, putting a bullet in Luca’s head before he gets to us.
* * *
For the nexttwo weeks my mind has shifted to match everybody else’s, fight mode. We are at the point in time where we need to figure out how to end all this madness, so that we can move on with our lives. Everybody is retrained, and if they’re good enough in some areas, then they’re trained in others or used as teachers.
Poor Tate is miserable, but I work with her every day and we bust our asses.
This is what the guys had their meeting about. What they wanted us to do, train hard for two weeks. Tate shocked us all by becoming really good with knives. Now she has them strapped to her thighs and she looks like a freaking badass.
Everybody in this house is deadlier and more trained than regular guards, not because we know how to use everything and we’re undefeated. No, because we have heart. All of the guards were busted up over how sick Vito Romano is. His team is loyal and true, they would lay down their lives for him. Which is more than I could say for whatever guards that Luca might have.
A week after Vito made the announcement that we’re going to be excessively training, they started calling the Delano’s, seeing if they can talk some sense into them, by getting their son off our backs. From what Asher told me they were worse than Luca himself.
Luca needs to die, and I agree 100% with them. I just kind of wish I could do it myself.
I want all of this over so I can spend the last remaining months that I have with my grandfather. It might not even be months anymore, it might only be weeks.
My heart breaks more every day. A piece of it shatters every time more shit happens or someone else is taken away from me. I’m sick and tired of losing everybody, no more. I might not be ready but I’m fighting back like a mother fucker now, it’s time to put this thing to bed, and Luca in the ground.