Page 38 of Keep

“No it doesn’t. And it’s that kind of attitude that holds you back from becoming the leader, the man you should be.”

He frowned, piercing me with his stare, but then he said, “Don’t make this about me, Vasile. Lecturing me isn’t going to change the fact that you’re too fucking stupid and stubborn to celebrate a blessing. Something we don’t get all that often.”

I stared at him and shook my head. “Don’t you understand the risk? They’re targets now.”

“Yeah, so? She was a target before,” he said.

“‘Yeah, so.’ I should fucking punch you, prostu pulii.”

“Not if I punch you first. Father, Grandfather, his father before him, they all had kids. This shit works out.”

“How many uncles have we lost?” I said.

Sorin shrugged. “Across the generations. Twenty. Maybe more. But so what? The Feds could bust in here right now, send us to prison for the rest of our lives. Deport us. Some other clan could try to take us out and take control of the organization. A fucking tornado could rip this building to shreds and us with it. So what, because bad things can happen, we run and hide?

“Get your head out of your ass, Vasile, and try to be happy for once. The shit’s gonna touch us, and all of us aren’t going to make it out, but right now, you should be with your woman. Celebrating. Asshole,” he said with a shake of his head.

I looked at my brother with new eyes, wondering when he had started to grow up.

“Perhaps,” I said grudgingly.

He smiled again, reminding me of the pesky, cocky kid that had been like my shadow. “Perhaps?” he said. “You know I’m right, brother, but I won’t make you admit it. I’m going to celebrate,” he said, rubbing his hands together gleefully.

I put a hand on his arm. “Sorin, keep this quiet, okay?”

“Yeah, yeah,” he said, and then he headed off.

After he left, I thought about what he’d said. Maybe he was onto something. And then again, maybe he wasn’t. But in this thing he spoke the truth. This was a time for celebration, and I should spend it with my woman.

When I arrived home, I found her sleeping. I crawled into bed beside her, wrapped my arms around her waist, put my hands on her belly, and fell asleep with images of my new family filling my mind.

TWENTY-ONE

Fawn

“You’re driving today?” I asked.

“Yes. I want to be alone,” Vasile said.

The churn in my gut sped to hurricane speed, and I worried I might pass out from the wave of dizziness that hit me.

I’d been nauseous for a couple of weeks, but this bout was not brought on by what had been confirmed as a pregnancy, at least in my mind.

No. This was dread pure and simple. Disbelief that he was making me do this.

“Fawn, we must go. We don’t want to keep the doctor waiting,” Vasile said.

He looked at me patiently but expectantly, hand on the door handle, and though my mind screamed at me to run, I complied. He got in after me, and then drove off, guiding the car with sure, efficient movements. He was intense as always, but he didn’t seem especially bothered. He glanced over at me quickly before turning his eyes back to the road.

“It’s early, but I wanted to see the doctor before he opened for the day. We’re going out of town because I want this to stay secret. But it will be quick. Don’t worry.”

I gripped the door handle, surprised when I didn’t toss whatever meager contents remained in my stomach.

Left hand on the steering wheel, he reached over and patted my knee. “You’ll be fine.”

“I don’t want to do this,” I said, hating the weakness in my voice, terrified of how he might react.

“Why not? Are you afraid of doctors? My grandmother, she was too.”