Forever in My Heart Page 16

That one subtle—or maybe not—comment caused her heartbeat to increase. Then there was the gentle nibbling of her lobe before he lingered at the spot beneath, causing tingles to run down her spine. Yeah, she bet he knew his away around a kitchen just fine.

  Clean-up was like foreplay with all the subtext in their banter, plus the playful touching. When he reached to pick up the wet rag to wipe the counter, his hand accidently—yeah, right—brushed across her breast, causing it to peak in arousal. By the time they were finished, Vicky was practically ready to pin him against the counter, even with her parents in the other room.

  As they sipped coffee, she worked on steadying her breathing. No easy feat with Jamie next to her.

  “Your Italian cream cake is the best, Mrs. D.,” he said, falling back to the nickname he used to call her growing up.

  “I’m glad you like it. I’ll give you a piece to take with you.”

  Something had been bothering her since earlier that day, and it was time to probe her parents for information. “Kate was upset at seeing Jamie in the prayer garden today. She was around him at Lucas’s birthday party without any issues. Why was she so freaked today?”

  Her parents exchanged glances, something which caused Vicky to dread what they were about to spill.

  “Last December, your sister had an encounter with Sal in the prayer garden,” Carmen said.

  Jamie stiffened beside her. “What kind of encounter?”

  “He followed her and trapped her against a statue. He made some perverted comments, including that he wanted her to have his baby.” Her mother wiped at her eyes and made the sign of the cross. “To make up for the one she’d lost.”

  “What? Why didn’t anyone ever tell me about this?” Vicky demanded.

  “We were trying to keep it quiet. Only Edward, us, and Nick knew what happened,” her father added.

  Vicky slid a look at Jamie. When their eyes met, she knew he was thinking the same thing she was—the flash drive could be in the prayer garden.

  “I can’t say enough times how sorry I am for the pain both my brothers have caused your family. I appreciate that you included me at dinner tonight.”

  “You always were different from your brothers, Jamie. I like to think you’re a better man than they were,” her mother said.

  “I’m an honest one, ma’am.” He clasped Vicky’s hand. “I give you my word I won’t intentionally do anything to hurt your family.”

  “We believe you, son,” Joe said.

  With those four words, the tightness in Vicky’s chest loosened.

  “How are your parents?” Carmen asked.

  “Pop is better after the heart attack but needs to increase his exercise and watch his diet, two things he hates most in life. I got Ma into a rehab program outside the city. It’s close so I can visit with her once a week. She seems to be doing better.”

  “I’m glad. Tell them we said hi. I miss spending time with Barbara. I tried to talk to her several times since your brothers died, but she never returned my calls or answered the door when I stopped by.”

  Jamie wrinkled his brow. “She made it seem as though no one bothered with her and my father after Mario’s death.”

  “Your mother pushed us away. Please let her know I was asking for her and would love to see her when she’s up to it.”

  “I will and thanks. I’m sure that will mean a lot to her.”

  They left shortly after, loaded down with leftovers. Jamie was quiet as they cut through the cemetery. He stopped when Vicky paused beside a grave.

  “My nephew’s grave,” he said, glancing down at the tombstone.

  “I thought you may want to see it.”

  He kneeled down and brushed away dirt that was dusted across the top. When he turned, raw pain covered his face. “Tell me the rest of what happened between my brothers and your family. I need to know all of it.”

  Chapter Sixteen

  “Are you sure you want to hear it?” Vicky asked. “It’s not a pretty story.”

  He nodded and followed her to the bench across the path.

  Vicky sat and patted the seat beside her. “What exactly do you know about the circumstances surrounding Mario’s death?”

  “Not much. My father told me Kate and Mario were in a car chase, and both cars were hit when they ran a red light. My mother refuses to talk about it.”

  Vicky figured that despite Mario’s faults, losing a child—at any age—had to have been difficult. And to lose two of her sons was certainly difficult on Jamie’s mom.

  “Mario had lost his job. He started classes at a culinary institute, but got depressed, started drinking, and smacked Kate around.”

  “I’d heard rumors. How bad was it?” Jamie asked, outrage on his handsome face.

  “Nothing too obvious, at least at first. When my parents found out, they tried to get her to leave him. She wouldn’t because of Tony. Then Kate got pregnant again.”

  She clasped his hand. “One night Mario came home, drunk, and annoyed when he tripped over one of Tony’s toys. He almost hit him, but Kate knocked Mario down. He must have drunk a lot because he blacked out for a moment, giving Kate enough time to get Tony into the car. Mario followed her onto Roosevelt Boulevard and caught up to her. He banged into her car and finally slammed her into an intersection when she tried to brake at a red light. He followed and got them both plowed into by a delivery truck. Both Mario and Tony died instantly.”

  Jamie’s face was pale, his eyes in shock from the devastation of her words. Her heart broke for him.

  “Jesus Christ.” He let go of her hand and walked over to the grave.

  He sank down to his knees with his head down as though in prayer. Once, she saw him wipe his eyes. She gave him a moment to compose himself.

  “I’d hoped the abuse was a one-time thing. I never imagined this. This is so much worse.”

  “It was a long time ago.”

  “Not for me. I have to live with the embarrassment and repercussions of what my brothers have done to your family.” He turned, pain evident on his face. “What else? What about Sal?”

  She exhaled. If he thought Mario’s death was bad, Sal’s was even worse.

  “I told you most of it when you first came to town.”

  “There’s more, though, isn’t there?”

  There was no way to sugarcoat it, so she dove in. “He sent Kate dead roses, trashed her apartment, took pictures of her at various events.”

  “He stalked her?”

  She nodded. “We learned today that Kate ran into him at the cemetery. There were other times Kate sensed she was being watched, but didn’t see anyone. On Christmas Eve, he threw a brick with a dead rose tied around it through the window of the café.”

  “Did anyone get hurt?”

  “Thankfully, no. He made his point. No offense, but your brother was pretty messed up. During the brief time I spent with him, he kept repeating wanting to give your mother a grandchild to replace Tony. I thought he was going to rape me, but it was Kate he wanted. The rest of the story you know.”

  Jamie paced in front of the grave, hands fisted at his side. She didn’t know what to do or how to help him. Fury and grief were an odd mixture of emotions and could cause a person to do things they wouldn’t ordinarily do. How would Jamie handle both emotions combined?

  “Jamie. Talk to me.”

  “While I was off fighting a war, my brothers were making one of their own here, and I didn’t even know it. I could have come home, tried to help. Instead, my mother is an alcoholic, and the town hates my family.”

  “They don’t hate your family; they feel bad for your parents.”

  “Oh, and sympathy is so much better. They definitely don’t like me, or maybe they’re waiting for me to go off the deep end, too.” He swung around sharply. “Is that what you and your family think?”

  She stepped up to him, although she only came up to his shoulders, to block him from storming past her. “If you can think that after last night and this mo
rning, then you’re as crazy as your brothers.”

  He was breathing heavily as though he’d run five miles. And although he radiated anger, she wasn’t afraid of him.

  She clasped his hand and attempted to unclench his fingers. “I wouldn’t have been with you if I thought you were capable of going off the deep end the way Mario and Sal did.”

  With a raw groan, he dropped to the grass. He held up his hand and helped her down, pulling her between his legs.

  He leaned his forehead against hers. “Thanks for telling me all this. I’m sure it wasn’t easy. I’ve asked my mother, and she gave me the seriously pared down version.”

  “I’m sure it must be difficult for her to talk about what two of her children did.”

  He shrugged. “I suppose.” He brushed at a strand of hair that had fallen out of her ponytail. “I know you wouldn’t have been with me if you didn’t believe in me. That means a lot to me.”

  She looked into his blue eyes, so filled with uncertainty. “You’re a good man. Give my family and the town time, and they’ll see it, too.”

  He pulled her into a fierce hug.

  “Come, let’s go back to the café and drop off this food. Maybe we can catch up with Lucy and Tristan later.”

  “Can you do that? First, I need to make a stop.” He rose to his feet and helped her up.

  “Where?”

  “To see someone who maybe can shed more light on the mindset of Sal and help us move on with our lives.”

  ****

  Jamie pulled into the lot at New Beginnings Rehabilitation Center. After getting out of the car and locking the door, he leaned against it and pondered all he’d just heard from Vicky. It was humiliating knowing so much pain had transpired while he was off at war. While he worried about not getting blown up, his brothers had detonated their own grenade on Vicky’s family. And while the explosion didn’t have the same impact as those he’d dealt with, in many ways it was as deadly.

  He pushed away from the car and headed toward the entrance. After sweet-talking his way with the receptionist since it wasn’t a planned visitation day, he waited in the garden while they located his mother.

  “Jamie?”

  Barbara DiSilva had always been a beautiful woman, but the years hadn’t been kind. Jamie had been shocked when he returned home to find his mother had gained weight and was significantly gray. The woman who walked toward him now seemed more like the mother he remembered. While she still was gray, she’d lost weight since he’d last seen her, and the lines on her face weren’t as deep.

  “Hi, Ma.” He leaned down and gave her a kiss and hug. “You look great.”

  “Hi, honey.” She gripped him tight, and he let her, realizing how much he missed her.

  “How are you doing? Are you still gardening?”

  “I am. I planted an herb and vegetable garden, and it’s starting to grow. A few other women help me maintain it.”

  “I’m glad you’ve found something you enjoy. Maybe you should start one when you come home. Or maybe we can find you a job at a florist shop.”

  She shrugged. “We’ll see. Now, tell me what’s the matter.”

  “Why do you think something’s wrong?”

  He hated how she could tell when something bothered him. Even all these years later she could still tell.

  “I’m your mother. I know these things.”

  “Nothing’s wrong, but there is something I needed to talk with you about.”

  “Okay, tell me already.”

  “I had dinner at the DiFrancesco’s today.”

  She raised an eyebrow. “How did you manage that?” She pulled away and took a closer look at him. “Ah, I see. It’s that little Vicky, isn’t it?”

  “She’s not little any more, Ma, and yes, it’s Vicky.”

  “You always did have a thing for her. ’Bout time if you ask me, although I’m sure Carmen and Joe aren’t pleased with you and their baby daughter getting together.”

  It was somewhat uncomfortable realizing his mom knew about his attraction to Vicky. And here he thought he’d been so cool at hiding his feelings. Apparently not.

  “There was some tension at first, but they seem to be okay with it. Her brothers and sister are another story.”

  His mother touched his knee. “It will be tough to win over Kate. She’s been through so much. And Nick and Vinnie always have been protective of both their sisters.”

  “We’re working through it. It would have helped if I knew everything. If I understood all the evil Mario and Sal did. I know now. Why didn’t you tell me?”

  His mother stiffened and yanked back her hand. “Your brothers were dead. The rest was just details.”

  “Details I needed to understand. I left the army only to return home to a different war zone. One I’m not prepared to deal with because you withheld important details from me.”

  “I did what I thought was best for you.” Her voice trembled, and tears had formed in her eyes.

  Jamie cursed himself for putting her through this. Her condition was delicate, and here he was forcing her to face details she probably had pushed far to the back of her mind.

  He turned and clasped her hands. “I’m sorry to dredge this up, Ma. I think you need to talk about what happened. If not with me, then with the counselors you see here. If you don’t, then how will we know you’ll be ready to go home and face your friends?”

  “What friends? They don’t care about me. They see me as the mother of two sick men.”

  “You’re wrong. Just today, Mrs. D. was asking for you. She wants to see you when you feel strong enough.”

  “Oh, she was probably saying that to be polite.”

  “She wasn’t. She initiated the conversation. I saw her face, and she meant it. Did she call you after Mario and Sal died?”

  His mother lowered her head and nodded. “A few times, I think.”

  “Did you ever return her calls?”

  She shook her head. “I didn’t want to hear the false sympathy or see my friends feel sorry for me.”

  “Maybe they wanted to be there to support you. Did that ever cross your mind?”

  “I wasn’t always in the right state of mind.”

  “Meaning you were drunk.”

  “Yes, dammit. Do you want me to say it?” She jerked to her feet. “I’m an alcoholic. I can’t change the past, but I sure as hell am not going back to drinking.”

  He faced her, proud she was taking a stand. “I believe in you, Ma. So do your friends and Pop. We all want you to get better. You’re not alone. We’re all here to support you.”

  She reached up and touched his cheek. “I want to believe that more than anything, but I’m afraid.”

  “Take as much time as you need until you’re sure.”

  She nodded, and he folded her into his arms. She seemed so small and frail. He wished he could take this pain away from her, that he didn’t need to press more.

  He held her at arm’s length. “Ma, I need to ask you about when Sal was released from prison.”

  “What about it?”

  “Did he ever confide in you about hiding something or give you something to hold for him?”

  Her forehead creased as she considered his question. “He was secretive, that one. I never knew what he was thinking the way I did with you and Mario. He was smart enough to have been a lawyer. Instead, he wasted it all on criminal activities. Look where it got him.”

  He wasn’t sure how much his mother knew, but Sal had taught him how to pick pockets and a lock before he could ride a bike. Sal thought it was a fun game for his baby brother to pick the pockets of people at the mall while he distracted them with some mundane question. Jamie was ashamed of what he allowed his brother to bully him into doing.

  “You can’t blame yourself. You raised us all the same. Sure, we all did dumb things. Mario and I straightened up—well, I did, at least.”

  “I thank the Lord the day you left for the army. It probably saved your life. It save
d you from being under the influence of your brother.”

  As horrible as it sounded, he knew his mother was right. Sal had been pressuring Jamie to help him with small jobs. It embarrassed him to admit he’d been lookout a few times and had been compensated for his part. He hadn’t liked it. In fact, the times he’d been coerced into it, he’d dumped the money in the church collection basket. For him, it was tainted, and he refused to spend it on something to benefit himself. That didn’t mean the money couldn’t help other people, though.

  As Jamie got older, Sal wanted him to do more than surveillance. Jamie had gotten his ass kicked several times for speaking his mind and telling his brother to rot in hell. Sal needed to feel powerful. As the oldest brother, he loved to hold that power over both Jamie and Mario.

  It wasn’t until Jamie had started using weights in high school and started to bulk up that he was able to defend himself. Although that had worked for a while, joining the army had seemed a simple solution. The idea of college was too normal, and Jamie felt nothing like a normal eighteen-year-old.

  “You’re right, Ma. It did. Now tell me about Sal’s routine after he was released from prison.”

  He tucked her arm through his, and they walked through the sunny courtyard.

  “He had to meet with his parole officer weekly. He never skipped. I made sure of that. They helped him get a job at Di Bruno’s Italian Market on Ninth Street. He worked from eight in the morning until around six.”

  “Did he have any problems with anyone? Get into any fights?”

  “Not that I’m aware of. He said being in jail changed him, and he wanted to work hard to make your father and me proud. I believed him. No. I wanted to believe him.”

  “Sal was a master manipulator, and he played on your emotions. It’s not your fault.”

  “He seemed different. Calmer, more in control of his anger. When I heard about all the revolting things he did to poor Kate, it made me sick.”

  “I know it did, Ma. No one blames you. Kate is fine now. She’s married and pregnant. She adopted a little boy who lost his family in a car accident. He’s a cute kid. About the same age as Tony would have been.”

  “Thank you, dear God.” She made the sign of the cross. “I can’t think of anything odd your brother did or asked me to keep for him.”