‹ Prequel: One Life To Live
Status: Going slow because I am busy with other works but will try to update ASAP!

Two Lives As One

In Hindsight and Foresight

I had just arrived at the warehouse when I heard strings of cuss words echoing from inside the threshold. I sighed, still irritated from Paul calling my date short. And all this break-in drama just had to pop up over Christmas break, didn’t it? I didn’t have shit for good luck. I stomped my feet onto the concrete flooring, and tilted my head to the side to spot Meg and Paul scoping around.

Paul caught a glimpse of me, and smirked, like the twenty minute phone call of insults didn’t happen. Asshole. “Well, hey there loverboy.”

“Brother, so good to see you, but I have to admit, Mel’s got a much prettier face.” I ragged. I loved giving my brother shit.

He shook his head, and gave me a look that said: you’re pathetic. “You two are so inseparable, it’s disgusting.”

“Oh yeah ‘cause I’ve seen her loads of times these past weeks.” I responded with heavy sarcasm.

Before Paul could make a comeback, Meg shot us both a steely eyed glare. “Would you two cut it out? This isn’t Oprah. Someone just broke into this place. Idiots.”

This wasn’t the first time I thought Meg sounded like Dad. Hell, she took her job as lookout as serious as if she were a hitman taking out people. The only reason she got involved in the Mafia was because she begged Dad, and then Ma made him give her a spot. Dad wasn’t too keen on getting women involved under any circumstances, but she insisted. I could wrap my head around why she wanted it so bad. She was smart – why couldn’t she go to college like Mel is? I’d be a much better outlook for her instead of being cooped up around guys that live dangerous lives.

“Sis, when you gonna get yourself a boyfriend or somethin’? God knows you need one.” Paul muttered, clearly annoyed.

I cringed. That was a little harsh, and from the look on Meg’s face, she took it personal. “Paul, come on—” I started, not in the mood for his antics.

“No,” he interrupted, charged up, “she needs to hear it. Been in everyone’s hair since the fight with Giorgio. She needs to calm the fuck down.”

Meg sneered, covering the brief spasm of hurt that flashed across her face. “I’ll get a man when I fuckin’ feel like gettin’ one. Why don’t you mind your own business and do what we’re here to do and be done with it?”

Just then, Dad came through the back door, hearing the tail end of our conversation. “Hey now, let’s all just settle down. Meg, sweetie, why don’t you ask Macharelli and the boys what they found out on radar and report back?”

Her eyes were still crossed at Paul, but without another word, she left, her black ponytail swishing angrily behind her.

Once we heard the back door slam, Dad eyed Paul. “Paul, don’t talk to your sister like that.”

He huffed, throwing Dad a disbelieving look. Dad wasn’t having any of it. “You better listen up. She takes this business seriously – more serious than you bastards do. Cut her some slack. She’s the only sister you got.”

“Yeah, yeah.” Paul just wanted to drop it. “What’s the deal here, anyway? What’d you find out?”

For how critical Dad was on Paul just now, you could tell he was relieved in the change of subject. He didn’t like parenting us and we knew it. “Can’t tell for sure, but we got ourselves a new set of enemies, or so it seems. I didn’t recognize any of the group a guys from the recording tape.” He scratched his chin, perplexed. “Either Giorgio’s hired some new men, or it was someone else.”

“Great.” I said, pinching the bridge of my nose. More fucking mysteries, I added silently.

Dad just stood there, nodding.

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I threw open the back door, a scowl on my face. I’ve never wanted so bad to give Paul a mouthful more than I had tonight. Why don’t you find yourself a man? Maybe I will just so I can make him kick my brother’s ass.

Wind blew by, and the coolness sent a shiver down my spine. Nothing I hated more than winter time. Macharelli, Dean, and the men were there, their heads huddled together like they were discussing something important. They all turned curiously when they heard my heeled boots sounding on the asphalt alleyway.

“Meg, darling, how’s it going?” It was Macharelli, the smooth talker. If he had it his way, I’d’ve already slept with him – multiple times. My brother would love that.

I skewered him with a look, but didn’t pay him any attention. “What’d you guys find out, then? He wants to know.” I didn’t need to specify who ‘He’ was – they all knew that.

Macharelli spoke, foregoing his flirtations until after his boys were gone, I assumed. “We tracked down the car on Park and 42nd street, but lost it.”

“You lost it?” My voice cut like a razor. That was the only good evidence we had to go on!
Macharelli met me at eye level. His voice was husky, but calm. “We got a good look at ‘em before they sped off. Didn’t look like Mastrani’s men, but we’re gonna find out real soon.”

“You better.” I released my breath, and it shown white against the night air. I shook my head, feeling more hopeless now than ever. What was Dad going to say when I came back with news he already knew? If Macharelli and the boys couldn’t catch the culprits how in the hell would Vinn, Paul, or Lance find them? Vinn hated working for the family, and Paul and Lance had their heads so far up their girlfriends’ asses, they weren’t paying any attention. I rubbed my temples, stressed out, before whipping around and clomping back up the steps from which I came.

Before I could swing open the foot-and-a-half thick steel door, Macharelli called out for me to wait up. He told his boys he’d take it from here and they left eagerly, not second guessing his command. I heard their cat calls as they disappeared around the corner, heightening the tension I felt building in my head. I gave Macharelli a blank look, wishing he’d leave me alone already.

“Rough day?” He asked, a hint of a smile playing on his lips.

I was not going to play this game of cat and mouse with him – not now. “Why are you wasting my time, Macharelli?”

“Tony,” he corrected pleasantly, with an amused glint in his brown eyes. “The boys call me Macharelli.”

“Is there a difference?” I sighed, exhausted.

“Yes.” He took a step toward me, and quietly spoke in his deep voice. “I prefer beautiful women call me Tony.”

I laughed. The sound was bleak. “You’d think you’d’ve taken a hint by now. I don’t have time for an affair or anything else with you.”

“Blunt as always,” he smirked, “you sure are your father’s girl.”

I didn’t respond, just waited, tapping my foot.

“I didn’t say anything about an affair. I was thinking we could start off slow. Take a little time for you to warm up to me.”

I shook my head once more, before he was even done. “Like I said, I don’t have time. And how don’t I know you’re not gettin’ paid by my brothers to keep me preoccupied and forget The Business? God knows they don’t want me here, or anywhere.”

I hadn’t meant for that last confession to come out. I sure as hell didn’t want people thinking I was weak or sensitive and couldn’t handle things.

But against my wishes, his eyes softened, a new understanding of me changing his aloof expression. “Ah, Meg. They just don’t want their little sis gettin’ better at the game than they are.” He smiled, and sauntered to me until we were both at the same height, the steps boosting me up. “Plus, they got girls they wanna be with.”

I scoffed, “Exactly.”

Macharelli smiled knowingly. “It ain’t such a bad thing, y’know. Bein’ in love like that.”

I had no clue why he was getting all sentimental.

Before I could trek back into that hellhole of a warehouse, he winked, and kissed the back of my hand. The second he let it go, I was gone, twisting the door knob until I was once again locked inside.
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I got home late, and thought about calling Mel up to stay at the apartment with me, but knew she’d be asleep by now. We’d sifted through all the information we gained, only to end up with more questions going unsolved, and stakes set higher than before with this new threat.

I crashed into my king-sized bed, and flicked on the TV, the news broadcast blaring through the speakers.

“Reporter Angelica Davis on the scene, taking a closer look at the robbery of a suburban home off of the intersection of Delancey and 2nd. Witnesses say there were two men in black breaking the door down, but couldn’t give us a visual description of facial features. Well, viewers, keep your windows and doors shut tight, and be sure to call the hotline below if you have any further—”

Delancey. Shit. That was the street Mel and I were on earlier tonight. Was it possible we could’ve passed by them?

I clicked the TV off, and went to dial Pops at home, but it shrilled once my hand was on it. I picked it up and spoke into the receiver, “Looks like our friends had a little fun.”

“They just gave us their hot spot,” Dad confirmed.
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Oooh! :) Suspense!
Did you like Meg's POV? You will be seeing a lot more of her in the future chapters, and she is very important for the storyline! *Wink* *wink*
Paulie was a bit of an asshole this chapter, but what can you do? Brothers are brothers.
Feedback is loved!
Hugs,
Lauren.