Beggin' DeVito's Story

Renee started a new shift at the casino shortly after having Frankie much to Tommys dismay, he didn't like her working there, the sleazy guys that frequented the place copping and eyefull and maybe even a cheeky feel of his wife the thought made his blood boil and he'd like to punch out every last one of them but he knew he had to keep his head down and co-operate with Gyp if he had any hope of getting back to Jersey, what he did enjoy was the time with his son, he had taken to fatherhood like a duck to water and was loving every second between nappy changes and singing him to sleep of an evening, Ragdoll seemed to be the baby's favorite, it chilled him to think he nearly walked away from it all but he came back didn't he? he was the good guy? but everyone remembers it how they want to,

-

Tommy stared at her blankly for a second as if her words hadn't sunk in, then it registered suddenly she saw the panic as he pulled away from her quickly and began throwing his clothes back on, terrified and with only the duvet to cover her Renee sat up,

"You're not in love with me" he said bluntly "this situation does not require love"

she felt her heartbreak inside her chest and whispered "Why?"

"Cause Tommy DeVito don't love anybody okay?" he began to raise his voice

with the duvet still wrapped around her she slid from the bed standing face to face with him "Why is it so impossible for you to love someone?" she demanded and answer,

"look I've got a million other versions of you out there, why would In settle with just the one when I can have every fucking one else too" he spat

she felt tears prick her eyes

"So it doesn't mean anything to you? you think I throw that term around lightly and say it to everyone? I'm not you Tommy!"

"what do you want from me babydoll?"

"Don't call me babydoll" she hissed his eyes met hers but she couldnt read his expression, she stepped closer to him able to feel the familiar heat between their bodies she placed her hand on the side of his face running her thumb along his jaw line,

"Tell me you don't feel a damn fuckin' thing"

their eyes locked together for a few seconds before he tore himself away from her he focused on tucking his shirt in and straightening it out the tension hung in the air like a storm cloud

"So tell me Mr DeVito whats wrong with loving someone?"

He whipped around suddenly his voice errupting in to a shout

"Because I don't need anyone I've been alone for 20 fuckin' years me and my brother on the streets and look at where I am now all off my own back, youre a fuckin' accessory Renee and if you think I'm giving this all up for you you got another thing coming"

She trembled with anger, deeply wounded she still didn't hate him there was a long silent moment between the two he said nothing and didn't move she cupped the back of his neck with her hand playing with the ends of his short hair, he still didn't move just looked at her with no expression, she pulled him in for another kiss, he didn't pull away and a tiny flame flickered in the back of Renee's mnd that maybe he had changed his mind, she heard his breathing hitch as he suddenly reacted to her soft touch, he violently shoved her backwards sending her stumbling to the ground, there it was she looked up at him tears in her eyes but instead of anger all she saw was fear as if even he was shocked by his behaviour, he straightened himself up to his full height and made his way out of the room,

"I aint coming back"

He spat

She sat rooted to the spot on the floor where she had landed listening to his footsteps as they lead down the stairs soon enough she heard the front door slam behind him, only then did she break, she lay numb on the floor for a few hours before taking a long hot shower, she swore to herself she wouldn't cry over him again after that.

The months slipped by and Renee had kept herself busy with work, she hadn't seen hide nor hair of Tommy DeVito and her life had plunged in to a bittersweet loneliness, with only the girls at work for company she had become almost reclusive spending her lonely evenings on the sofa in front of the TV

"So this is where it all began"

She thought to herself one night out of the blue, her thoughts had been doing that recently, slipping back to him forcing her to relive that violent shove the look on his face bringing around a new and fresh heartbreak.

His shoes echoed around him his heart beat through his chest and sweat began to pool at the bottom of his back, life had not been kind to Tommy DeVito, he was lucky enough to still be able to run after the week he had, after hooking up with a married woman he had a feeling if caught he wouldn't be able to run for much longer.

He had wasted the past few months performing in some small clubs in back alleys the pay wasn't great but it got him by, not once did Renee leave his thoughts the way she had shaken on the floor at his feet, after he had laid his hands on her, his dad would clip him round the ear for daring to even raise his voice at a woman never mind being as spiteful as he was towards the one person who had looked out for him since he had been in this hell hole.

His room had remained untouched exactly how he had left it incase he ever were to come back, Renee scolded her self multiple times for not being brave enough to go in and throw his meagre possessions out just in case he came back for them, she glanced at the time 1:34am, her eyes widened slightly as she stood from the sofa and switched the TV off.

She lay in her darkened room her eyelids heavy as sleep drew closer a sudden bang from downstairs forced her body up right she looked around the room in a panic, the banging wouldn't stop loud and persistent it rang through the house as she slowly slipped down the stairs she realised there was someone banging in the door, she undone the chain and flicked the catch edging the door open, a man bolted in to her front room,

"What the fuck!!"

She screamed in to the darkness the voice replied quickly and quietly,

"Shut the fuckin' door and get down"

"Tommy?"

"Shhhh"

She felt her pulse rise as anger and surprise crept through her

"You've got some fucking nerve showing up here Tommy DeVito"

"Babydoll we can talk in a minute just please get down"

She did as she was asked the reappearance of Tommy DeVito making her stomach convulse in to an unbearable sickness

"Tell me if a black van goes by"

He whispered in to the dark she didn't respond choosing instead to keep her knees close to her chest trying to hide her silent sobs.

Twenty long minutes dragged by the heavy silence occasionally shattered by one of them moving or tommys chesty cough, she felt bad for him it obviously wasn't a smokers cough meaning he had been sleeping rough again, she wrestled with her sympathies for him,

"The vans just gone by"

She whispered her voice breaking slightly

"Did it stop"

"I don't think so"

She stood off of the floor and re-adjusted her night gown, this one was her favourite a light satin material in a dark purple that ended just a over her knee and Tommy couldn't keep his eyes off of her petite figure from her long bare legs to her dark hair that framed her heart shaped face he was intoxicated by her,

"Why are you even here Tommy? You don't need me remember?"
Within seconds he had his arms around her his lips on hers his tongue almost begging for access she kissed him back for a few seconds before pushing him away "this is wrong I can't do this not after what you did"

"It's not wrong"

He whispered trailing small feather light kisses down her neck and on to her collar bones turning her in to putty in his hands her body melted in to his strong frame as she placed a hand on The back of his neck her finger tips edging slightly in to his thick dark hair, one of her favourite things about him.

It all ended abruptly he remembered her squeezing his waist tightly, he remembered hitting the floor her on top of him, it took a few seconds before reality struck, with his ears ringing he looked around, the front door now in the hallway lay splintered, the air around him hung with faint smoke, a patch of his shirt had become warm, he blinked away the daze and stood by the door was an older man his face twisted in to an evil smirk,

"We told you to watch yourself DeVito, enjoy your night"

He turned and left as silently as he arrived, Tommy lay stunned on the floor his arms around Renee

"Babydoll you okay?"

She didn't respond, with his heartbeat pounding in his ears he rolled her off of him, a violent wretch rose from his throat as the blood became apparent, she had been shot, the warm patch on his stomach was her blood.

-

The twinge in her ribs was a constant reminder of the past it wasn't often it happened but often enough for her to still shake from the memory she should have walked away from him then and there, washed her hands of him once she had left the hospital but he feelings were too deep rooted she would have gladly died in his arms that night but the thought of him being without broke her she wouldn't see anyone she loved roughed up on the cold hard streets if Vegas why should Tommy be any different.

She pushed the dark thoughts to the back of her mind and continued to serve her next customer with a smile.