Free Harmony by Sienna Mynx Page B

hands and prayed she went for the door. She’d packed and left him. He hadn’t seen her since he had to tell her and her mother Teek was dead. But his grief made him foolish enough to attend the funeral. And one look at Annie and he succumbed to the old familiar self-loathing. Nothing in life ever came to him easily. Not even the exile his father cast upon him, or the burden he carried for his dead mother and the little brother who wanted to be like him. Why should the end of them be any less tragic?
     
    “ Answer me Vinnie! He loved you, he and Antonio both, they worship you and look what happened. He was my brother damn you! My only brother! What did we ever do to deserve this?”
     
    “ Ann-nie. I never meant for it to happen. Never.” He lifted his head and pleaded with his weary gaze for her to just leave him to his misery.
     
    She leveled an accusatory finger at him. Her eyes were red and swollen from a day’s worth of tears, her hair, a tangled knotty mess of curls. It hurt to look at her so he averted his gaze. “I put up with your drinking, your meanness, and the violence. Vincenzio Romano, the leader of the Black Hand has half of the Bronx terrified and the other half out for revenge. And here I am thinking I know better. I was wrong. It’s in you, the evil and meanness is who you are, and like a poison it destroys anyone around you. I put up with it. Do you know why? Because I love you, I have always loved you. Three years and you won’t be seen in public with me, I can’t even get you to marry me when you yourself said we should, and still I loved you. You said nothing would happen to him. You promised to protect us all. But it was a lie wasn’t it Vinnie? All of it a lie. I know the truth.”
     
    He finally met her gaze.
     
    She nodded, her face flushed and tears flowing. “You never gave a damn about his life. I know it’s your fault! You did this!!”
     
    “ Stai’ zitta! Shut your fucking mouth!!” Romano slammed his fist down repeatedly on the table. The small plotted centerpiece rattled then tipped over. “Vattene! Get the hell out!”
     
    Annie looked on horrified. Romano rose bringing the table up in a flip sending it to the floor with its legs pointed north. He glared with nostrils flared and fists clenched. What did he need with the constant bitching, the constant tears. He had a war on his hands. And she didn’t know the whole story. Antonio had done this, taking the kid out on rides with him. He’d done everything possible to separate them. Hell they even joined separate gangs. The blood and violence of their lives wasn’t all his fault. He warned them both to stay off the streets during the turf wars, but they didn’t listen. Now the kid’s death and his brother’s devastation were on his soul. Couldn’t she see it? He would give his life for them all. How was he to prevent this?
     
    “ My brother is dead. Dead. And so is my love for you.”
     
    “ I don’t give a shit…”
     
    She plucked her coat from the back of the chair and grabbed her purse.
     
    “ Annie, wait, I’m drunk, I didn’t mean it.” He raced after her and grabbed her arm. She’d pushed him too hard, the liquor and grief had him losing control. He didn’t want to lose her too. Touching her had been a mistake. She unleashed on him instantly and struck him so hard he blinked out of awareness for a moment.
     
    “ May God have pity on your black soul Vincenzio, because the devil won’t. You belong to him now. Stay away from me and Mama! I don’t ever want to see you again!” She ran for the door. Ran from him. He closed his eyes and reigned in the man who would chase after her. Fall to her knees and plead his case. She and her mother had shown him kindness when he arrived in America, destitute. Teek was a kid and followed him everywhere. When Antonio arrived only a few years older than him, they both became his shadow. She was right Teek didn’t belong in his world but he had been selfish,