I slept really well after last night with Vito. We went to an Italian restaurant, had ravioli, Italian wine and walked around outside until we were cold. He was nice to talk to, and I finally felt warm in his presence.
-
"Well, then I told him to sit down and shut up or I'd hit him again," Vito laughed and I laughed too. From the heart. I grabbed his arm and leaned against him.
"I'm so glad it all worked out. At least for now," Vito broke the silence. I couldn't help but agree.
"You know what? Let's go up on a building, on a rooftop, we'll have a nice view," I yelled excitedly.
"And you won't fall? I'd hate to keep you from dying before I need to," he laughed, pulling me by the hand to the steps of the building that led up.
"What do you know, maybe I'll be the one to save you," I muttered.
We ran up the stairs together. I walked closer to the edge of the building and looked at the splendor that this height provided.
Someone's body warmed me from behind. Vito. He was looking over my shoulder with me at the view.
"I hope you don't mind me holding you like this, but I'd really hate for you to fall. What would Joe and I do without you? I've walked on all sorts of rooftops in the war, I am experienced," he said near my ear.
"Vito," I smiled and slid his hands from my waist down. "Booze's speaking."
"And you talk too much. Shut up, watch," he grabbed my hand with one hand and exhaled.
"Sit down, let's smoke. I'd love to take a picture of this place," he sat down on the raised platform and took out his cigarettes. I automatically pulled one out and sat down next to him.
"This evening is really magical," I whispered, looking at him instead of the view.
"You... nothing, um, sorry," he looked away, preferring to look at the scenery.
Me?
-
But Vito himself woke me up from this beautiful sleep. He came into my room.
"Val, wake up, Joe called, we have to go," he stammered. I was so confused that I forgot I wasn't dressed the way I wanted Vito to see me.
"Yeah, yeah, okay, wait, I'm getting up," I muttered and climbed out of bed. I automatically moved to the closet without further thought and started getting dressed. These stresses are new to me.
"What's going on?" I said more awake on my way to the bathroom.
"Some of Vinci's guys started making dope, a small brewhouse, let's go there and get the place really hot, it will look like they blew it up and hopefully they won't make another brewhouse," Vito said and I nodded.
"Oh, and I wanted to apologize for yesterday, if I said anything, I don't remember much, um, well, sorry anyway."
I looked at him in surprise.
"You don't remember anything?" I said, sad.
"No, did I do something wrong?"
"We had a nice evening, you weren't too drunk, you had a bit of a problem coming up the stairs here, but we both did," I laughed lightly, but rather sadly. And I hoped we would both remember this evening. For the sake of our relationship.
"Well, I guess it didn't do me any good. But, it's not like anything happened between us, right?" he scratched the back of his neck, adjusting his jacket out of nervousness.
"No, don't worry, it didn't," I breathed out. Still, Joe would think otherwise.
I washed my face and rushed to the cat bowl. But she already had food ready.
"I fed her so you wouldn't have to worry about it. Take the gun and let's go," he handed me the gun and I put it in my belt.
"You ever shoot?" he asked as we were coming down the stairs.
"Yeah, not at people, but at targets."
"All right, that's enough, just shoot where I tell you. And there'll be molotovs thrown, so don't get your hair wet," he winked at me and got in the driver's seat. And I am your driver?
He took off faster than I ever had. I grabbed the door handle and closed my eyes instead.
"Don't worry, it's not my first time."
After a while, we were there. Joe was waiting for us, shuffling from place to place by the open trunk.
"Hey, Vito, get the box, it's around the corner, can you pick the lock, Valentina?" Joe looked at me. I shook my head. Joe took the box and put it in my hands. It wasn't exactly light. Joe took the Thompson submachine gun from the trunk and sent Vito to unlock the door.
"Valentina, now listen to me, molotov ignites and is thrown at flammable targets, so send it everywhere where they're cooking. We have plenty of them, but don't throw it all over the place, we don't want too much glass on the ground, the bastards might realise someone's gone to burn it," Joe lectured me while Vito unlocked the door. He opened the door and we went inside.
"I'll take one, so we don't shoot for nothing," Joe whispered and ran behind the wall with the molotov. The smoke from the fire that had started in the room came up to us.
Vito grabbed another one and followed Joe. Another flash. I put the box on the floor and went after them with the molotov. Everything was on fire and the screams and voices of the burned men were pouring through the inferno.
"Throw one too," Joe patted me on the head and I threw the molotov into a place where it wasn't burning so much. But everything was on fire. It took so little and they went up in flames.
"That's it, let's go," Joe said solemnly and ran out with the box. I picked up Thompson lying on the ground and followed them.
"That was faster than I fucking expected. Those motherfuckers can't even insure their drug brewery against fire," Joe laughed. He closed the trunk of the car with the load and turned to us. "Well, I hope Eddie doesn't call me tomorrow morning at 9:00 a.m. to tell me there's been a change of plans, I wanted to get some sleep. Vito, are we going to my place?" he looked at Vito.
"I have some stuff at Valentina's, so I'll take it and come by if you want, enjoy your time off," Vito smiled. I'd like to sleep some more too.
They said goodbye and I stayed standing with Vito on the street.
"Can I come back to your place?" he looked at me pleadingly and I agreed again. I'm going to sleep anyway, so I don't really care.
We got in the car and drove back to my apartment.
"I'm feeling a lot of adrenaline," I breathed and smiled a little. Like I could do anything. And I wanted to do anything! How bored I was with the boring life of a taxi driver...
"I always feel like getting drunk after an event like this. Or at least have a cigarette."
"We'll have a cigarette at home, Vito, don't worry," I laughed and found myself studying his face again. But this time I focused more on his lips.
YOU ARE READING
roses made of lead | Vito Scaletta
FanfictionI've known two men in my life who did things with guns other than shoot roses at the fair. One was shooting, that I could eat. The other pointed a gun at my friends, at me, and in the end shot for me. And instead of rose petals, more often than not...
