Miss Novocain

“So, can I finally meet your family?” he asked the brunette sitting in front of him. His question caught her off guard. She froze while taking a sip of coffee from her mug; her arm lifted and the cup still tilted towards her.

The two were sitting at a small table on the patio of the café near the west end of Queens. It was a cool day for October, much cooler than the usual muggy New York weather. The leaves had already begun to change colors, adding splashes of gold, red, and orange to the scene. It wasn’t odd for the couple to share a cup of coffee before they each parted ways, but it was odd to have a conversation where he brought up her family. She’d made it clear when they first agreed to see each other that her family wasn’t a subject she discussed.

She pushed a piece of hair behind her ear, a habit she’d adopted when she was uncomfortable. Why was he suddenly so interested in meeting her family? Had he found out who her father was?

Instead of answering right away, she studied the hand that clutched her coffee. The red polish on her fingernails that she’d applied two days ago had already begun chipping, and she was in desperate need of lotion.

“Well?” he pried. “When can I meet the people responsible for the gorgeous face that sits before me?”

Renata De Rossi looked up at Jack Barakat, the man who’d been joining her for coffee nearly every morning for the past few weeks. His hair was styled haphazardly, something she quite liked despite the clean slicked back look she was used to. She took inventory of the facial features that had caught her interest the day they met; the strong jaw line, his broad nose, the stubble that he called a beard, but her favorite feature had to be his eyes. They were dark brown, the color of ground coffee; with just about the most mesmerizing gaze she’d ever seen when he set his mind to it. She was sure he could seduce anyone with those eyes. They studied hers, looking for an answer, but instead he only got a question.

“What brought that up?” she asked, setting the mug down in front of her, turning it clockwise so the handle faced her. She rummaged through the purse that hung off the back of her chair, searching for the bottle of lotion.

“Well, I mean we’ve been seeing each other for the past month and I figured maybe it was a good idea, that’s all,” Jack shrugged, brushing off the accusations laced in her question. He was well aware that she wasn’t going to talk, but dropping this subject too quickly could complicate everything.

Renata found the bottle and applied the hand cream as she spoke. “Yes, but I mean… we’re not formally going out. We’re just sort of seeing each other from time to time.”

Two men in suits three tables over caught her attention. They were both shifted toward her and Jack, trying to listen in. Ren stared at them, completely shocked by their lack of discretion; God people these days. She tensed as one of them turned to face her. They seemed oddly familiar.

Jack noticed her staring at the occupants a few tables over and spoke up. “I just thought we were finally serious enough to introduce me to your family. So what do you say, can I meet them soon?” Jack placed his hand over hers on the tiled table to really get her attention. She visibly relaxed under his touch and gave him a small smile.

“Sorry, I just thought I recognized someone…” Ren took a deep breath. She was being ridiculous; of course she didn’t recognize those men; they simply looked like someone she’d seen around campus. She was just being paranoid; they wouldn’t be listening in. Why would they?

She focused on Jack again, looking for the right way to explain that, no; he wasn’t meeting her family anytime soon.

“Look, we don’t know where this is going and until we do, I’d rather not bring my family into it. I’ve told you that my brothers are very protective and it would just cause problems for us.”

Jack nodded, taking his hand away and grabbing his cup of coffee. “Okay I get it. We’re not ready for your family to know about us yet,” Jack lifted his mug. “I think I’m going to get a refill. Do you want more coffee?”

“No, thank you, I’m fine,” Ren answered. “Don’t be upset; it’s nothing personal.”

“Right,” Jack chuckled. “It’s not personal when the girl you’re seeing won’t introduce you to the people most important to her. Why would I take that personally?”

Renata sighed. This was what she was afraid of. She glanced at the face of her watch, the hands on it indicating she had a little less than ten minutes to walk to campus.

“Jack, please, I don’t have time to argue about this. I really should get going, I’m going to be late for my class,” Ren scooted the chair back with a dull scrape and grabbed her coat. “Please don’t be upset.”

Jack inhaled audibly and stood as well, setting the mug back down on the table. “I’m not upset. Go to class,” he reluctantly sighed.

Ren smiled and kissed his cheek. “I’ll see you later.”

“Yeah, of course,” Jack nodded, kissing her lips quickly before she ran off. He watched her cross the street and start making her way down the sidewalk, joining the crowd that passed and dissolving into it. He watched until he was sure she was out of sight before grabbing his things and joining the two men three tables over.

“So close and yet so far, huh?” Alex Gaskarth asked, chuckling. He smoothed down his blonde hair with the palm of his hand.

“If she gets too suspicious, everything gets screwed. Boss hates it when things don’t go according to plan,” Rian Dawson, added.

Alex, Rian, Jack, and another boy, Zack Merrick, had met years ago, in high school, and had become good friends. Rian was the first to open their eyes to the possibility of joining the mob. He was Carmine Esposito’s nephew, and with that alone was in. He put in a good word for the other three, and before long, they were in. Only as foot soldiers of course because of the lack of Italian heritage, but they were in.

Jack was skeptical at first, as he’d had a bit of bad history with mobs. His own father had been an associate of Giuseppe De Rossi’s until he decided Bassam was no longer needed. His mother received a check days after Bassam’s disappearance for a million dollars with the memo reading, He’s sleeping with the fishes, my sincerest apologies .

Jack was livid and vowed to get revenge. He just wasn’t sure he wanted to commit to a mob. But Rian convinced him, and with Carmine, Jack had risen above associate to soldier, the highest he’d ever get, but still better than just a tool. That was five years ago, when Carmine lost a few more associates than he’d intended and had the books open.

“Well maybe if you two wouldn’t be so damn obvious and stare, there'd be less suspicion. I’m pretty sure she’s noticed that you guys seem to be around everywhere we are,” Jack replied.

“True, but we’re just here to make sure you do your job. Carmine can’t risk this going wrong,” Rian explained.

“Besides, what if she does figure it out? You think she’s just gonna walk away? Hell no, that girl will pull out a gun and shoot you dead. We’re here to back you up just in case things go sour,” Alex told him, clapping him on the shoulder. “We’d hate for her to pop a cap in ya.”

Jack laughed. “Thanks guys, for having enough faith in me that I’m going to get taken down by a girl.”

“Not just any girl, Jack. She’s a De Rossi,” Rian said seriously. “You really don’t understand that she can be dangerous, do you?”

“Well I mean, you’ve seen her; she’s tiny,” Jack shrugged. “I don’t see how she could kill anyone.”

Rian looked at Alex, then back to Jack. “We’re talking about the girl who killed Rodney when she was sixteen. That was five years ago. I’m pretty sure she’s had more training since.”

“I know, I know. But honestly, I think I’m close enough for her to hesitate. I’m not some random guy who jumped her. I’m her boyfriend, she trusts me. She’d hesitate,” Jack replied softly, looking down at the mosaic designs on the table.

Alex studied Jack for a moment, glancing at Rian. “You’re not actually falling for her, right?”

Jack’s head snapped up and he stared at Alex. “No, of course not; she’s just my way in.”

“Better keep it that way,” Rian stated. “When everything goes down, you can’t save her. Carmine wants the entire family taken down. Giuseppe last, so he knows Carmine’s coming for him.”

Jack looked out over the street watching the people pass, fiddling with his phone. “I know what I have to do.”

“Good. Don’t forget the plan, Jack. There’s no room for feelings to be involved,” Rian reminded.

Jack was quiet for a moment. “Who kills her?” Jack asked suddenly. This was one part he hadn’t discussed.

Alex scooted his chair back, standing up. Rian mirrored his actions, joining him as they towered over Jack.

“You,” Rian answered. “She’s yours. You kill her.”

Jack nodded slowly as his friends bid him goodbye and left. He sat for a few minutes before finally getting up himself and slipping his coat on. He stepped out onto the sidewalk almost bumping into someone on his way out.

“S’cuse me,” he mumbled, taking a step back.

“Sorry,” muttered the other man. He looked up at the gentleman he’d bumped into. It was none other than his girlfriend’s eldest brother, Giovanni De Rossi; twenty-six years old, weapons expert, much like Alex. Jack nodded courteously and began walking as though passing by any other person.

Jack wouldn’t admit it, but Giovanni was probably the one De Rossi he was truly worried about. He’d heard the stories, and Zack had confirmed many of the things he’d learned about the eldest De Rossi. He was ruthless when it came to his enemies. Coldblooded was another word most used to describe him. And when it came to Renata, he was even more brutal.

Jack would have to find another way to get her to trust him completely and get the family to trust him as well. He hadn’t realized how hard this was going to be when he’d taken on the job. He’d have to approach this with even more delicacy.