Tony
Pepper Heart is no less mesmerizing on stage the second night. I’m in the special box seat area overlooking the stage, along with Nico, his brother Stefano, and their partners, Sondra and Corey.
“So, you’re telling me she’s lip synching.” It’s not a question, it’s a statement, infused with all the disappointment and condemnation I deserve. Nico gives me one of those looks he’s cultivated; the kind that says heads are gonna roll. Even considering he’s been my best friend since we were twelve, it still sort of works on me.
He’s the boss, after all. I was raised to bend my knee to the don, his father. I owe the man my life. My ma and I would probably both be dead by now if he hadn’t given me a gun and permission to take our future and safety into my own hands. And when I did, he cleaned up my mess and gave me a job. Be Nico’s back up. His bodyguard, if he needs it.
My mom and I never wanted for anything after that. We were fed, clothed, housed. Protected. I became part of the family and that held weight. We no longer cowered and feared for our lives in our own house.
“Yeah. I know. Bobby and Leo cleaned out the manager’s house today for fucking me on this. She’s been sick for three weeks, and he didn’t give me a call to talk it over.”
Nico broods while Sondra, his new bride, bops beside her cousin Corey, singing along. The men are here for their women, who wanted to come to the show and meet Pepper afterward.
“You gonna let this go on? Even if the audience doesn’t pick it up, the set, the crew, our people are gonna notice by the time she’s played an identical show ten nights in a row.”
I rub my face, my gut tight with the decision I already made. “I’m gonna cancel. Give her a week off, reschedule the shows and hope she heals fast.”
Nico raises his brows but doesn’t comment. After a minute, he says, “Yeah, that’s the only option. You cleaned out the manager?”
“Yeah.”
“Good. Clean out the parents, too, if you need to. Put them on warning to get their shit together.”
My skin pricks with unease. I couldn’t even bring myself to threaten her parents today. I couldn’t bring myself to do a goddamn thing, even when she disobeyed me by using her voice. The moment I realized she was afraid-of me-I felt sick.
Nico watches Pepper strut around the stage for a few minutes. “What aren’t you telling me?” He doesn’t turn to look at me.
I startle like I’ve been caught with my hand in the cookie jar.
“You having a hard time leaning on her?” Of course Nico would know my weak spot.
“Yeah. Hard time not fucking her, too.”
Now he turns, his brows flying up in surprise. “Yeah?” He looks back at Pepper, the glimmer of a smile appearing on his lips.
“I mean, I already did,” I admit.
“Col cavolo!”
“But I won’t again.” A lie. I haven’t stopped thinking of the things I want to do to Pepper Heart if she ever looks at me again.
But she won’t. I made sure of that this afternoon.
“She’s hot,” Nico says, like he’s just now seeing it. My hands close into fists. I don’t give a shit if he’s my best friend, I want to smash his face in for looking at her body. Not that every stronzo in the place isn’t eyeing up those perfect legs. That flat, bare belly.
Pepper finishes with her finale and we duck backstage so the women can meet our starlet. I would feel guilty about making her meeting the boss’ wife, except, yeah, she owes the Tacones nine hundred grand. So if they bother to come hear her sing, she can damn well kiss up to them after the show.
We get backstage and I see Pepper, standing in front of her dressing room, getting chewed out by Hugh.
I can’t hear the words, but anger between them is obvious in their posture. A blue-haired woman-the stage manager, I think-hovers nearby like she’s ready to intervene if necessary. I gnash my teeth when Hugh pokes his finger at her.
“You know what? Fuck you!” We all hear her words, loud and clear.
“Stop yelling. Do not use your voice.”
“I will damn well use my voice when I need to. Don’t pretend this situation is anyone’s fault but your own.” Pepper blows out her voice again, her vocal chords cutting out on the last words.
Hugh’s hand shoots out and he slaps her across the face.
“Hey, back off!” the stage manager yells.
I snap, black and red violence bleeding into my vision as I lunge forward, closing the distance in three long strides. I slam Hugh up against a wall. My hand missed his throat, catching his face instead, so he’s pinned with half his face smashed against the plaster.
“Tony!” I dimly hear the scratch of Pepper’s voice, but I’m not done with Hugh.
“You don’t lay a hand on her. You don’t ever fucking touch her, do you understand me?”
Pepper’s bodyguard hovers nearby, but does nothing.
“Get off me,” Hugh sputters. “I’m trying to keep her from using her voice-for you.”
I release his jaw to slap his face. Yeah, I could smash his nose, but sometimes a slap is more humiliating. Plus, I gotta give back what he gave to her. “Don’t you fucking put that on me. If you were worried about me or your debt to the Tacones, you’d be treating the talent like the queen of fucking England.” I grip his throat this time, closing my fist around his windpipe.
“Has he hit you before?” I ask Pepper. Her stage manager stands at her shoulder, showing solidarity without physical contact.
When I look at her, I grow even more enraged, because she’s terrified, her face pale except for the pink fingerprints on her cheek, her brown eyes wide. Somewhere through the fog of anger, I know it’s me she’s afraid of, but that only pisses me off more.
“Has he?” I snap.
She shakes her head. “N-no.”
“Corey, Sondra, why don’t you take Ms. Heart somewhere else?” It’s Stefano who suggests it. In the back of my mind, I know it’s to keep Pepper from witnessing the violence, my violence, but I still can’t get my temper in check.
The women, all four of them, leave.
“And what the fuck are you doing?” I growl at her bodyguard. “You just stand there and let this guy hit her?”
“No, man. You just got there first,” he says, which may be true, but I’m not buying it. The little slip of a stage manager was more ready to jump in and save Pepper than he was.
I punch Hugh in the gut, then summon enough willpower to release him and step back. Stefano and Nico stand behind me, watching the whole thing coolly. They wouldn’t interfere, even if I totally went completely off the rails. They come from the same violent world I do, even if they’re trying to distance themselves from it.
“Show’s cancelled for the next week,” I inform Hugh. He’s doubled over, holding his ribs. “Everyone who’s part of the show will remain here, in the casino, during the hiatus. No more tricks, no funny business. I’m running this production now. Capiche?”
Hugh staggers up, sweat dripping down his hairline. “Yeah, I got it.” He has the nerve to look pissed off.
I start to walk away, toward Nico and Stefano. “Oh, and meet the Tacone brothers.” I wave a hand in their direction. “The men holding your balls in a vise right now.”
I don’t wait for a response. The three of us walk off, like nothing just happened, leaving Hugh wheezing and coughing in the hall.