Lena walks right up to the four older men and puts her hand on the paunchy Italian guy’s stomach. “Aren’t you the cutest in the whole world?”
“Maybe don’t rub the Mob boss’s belly. He’s killed at least seventeen people that I’m aware of,” Alana states with zero joy in her voice.
So, the mob is standing in my apartment. I beat up some mobster like a 1930’s detective. But they do seem to be emotionally attached to Alana. Friends? Found Family? Either way, I should probably be a better host. I brighten my tone and ask, “Can I get anyone any water?”
The guy in the business suit slides onto the bar stool by the island and braces his head in his hands. His grumbly nature falters as he takes a few deep breaths. Something about it triggers my memory.
“Hey, I know you.” I hit on him a few months ago to prove I wasn’t hitting on his date. He has a cute dog. “Did things work out with you and that girl?”
“Yeah, she lives with me,” he says with pride.
“Congrats!”
“Thanks,” he grunts.
While I go back into the kitchen, Lena continues with her greetings of the older men.
“You’re Gio, right? Was your daughter’s wedding everything you wished it would be?”
“It was better than I imagined.” He has an old man's voice with an Italian accent. “I couldn’t be happier.”
“My bestie talks about you guys all the time. But since she’s being stingy with the visitation, I did my own research.” Lena speaks to the man Alana called Duncan. “I saw the piece Hospitality magazine did on Waverly’s hotel. It’s stunning.”
“I’m very proud of her.” This is the first time he speaks, but Lena’s attention has already moved onto the older Hispanic man.
“Oh my God, you must be Maria's grandpa! How can you get any work done with that cutie running around?”
He answers with a laugh, “It is very difficult.”
As I pass out bottles of water to the fallen men, Lena suddenly stops and stares down Uri. Who is still sitting on the couch and won’t look at me. Ignoring his embarrassment, Lena’s gaze slides between him and the older man, also studying the floor.
“Hey Uri?” He finally lifts his head to peer up at her, and he’s biting his fingernails and bouncing his left leg up and down. “Alana said I traumatized you when I told you that thing about her and Grae. And that’s like a big deal because you hooked up with him.”
Oh Jesus Christ.
After a quick scan of the room, most of the men are shocked with various reactions of disbelief. Uri covers his face with his hands, but Alana rolls her eyes. Cool, so the one guy I take home after meeting at a bar in like five years turns out to be Alana’s friend. Goddammit.
“Damn Uri, good pull,” Donny says, still in his spot on the floor. Hmm, I’m flattered, but my annoyance and embarrassment don’t really make up for it.
With his hands still covering his face Uri sighs, “This is much worse.”
“Sorry, but I’m about to make it up to you.” She points to the man in front of her. “Is this your dad who sent you to Russia?” But before he can answer, Lena’s fist with laser focus targets the man’s throat. He coughs and drops to his knees, gasping for breath and spits little speckles of blood on my hardwood floor.
Alana moves her arm in a sweeping gesture. “And that’s the reason I didn’t want you to meet the Four Families. It’s for their safety.” She’s starting to lose control of the situation, which she must hate. “Can someone please explain what the hell is going on? How did you even get in here?” The men shoot glances around the room.
“We’re not snitches.” The guy with the dog says. She is completely unamused.
“So, Lance gave you the access codes. Awesome. I will deal with him later.” Then she turns to Lena. "And why did Grae invite you here?”
“Because Grae is giving me his couch.”
“Uh huh.” She interrogates me next. “And why are you getting rid of the fifteen-thousand-dollar couch?” Uri jumps off said couch and puts as much distance between him and it as he can.
“It’s not comfortable and I don’t need it.”
“It’s a really nice couch. It pulls the whole room together.” She tilts her head, adding, “I like this couch. I had a very good time on it. Several good times, in fact.”
“Are you sure you want it now?” Donny calls over to Lena.