Fight For You

Chapter 14

Red.

It was all I could see. From the blood that stained my hands to the visions that coursed through my brain.

The police came and so did the ambulance, but I barely heard them. The restaurant cleared out as soon as the police gave everyone the okay to leave. No one wants to stay and eat after a man is shot on the front lawn. All I could hear was the echo of the gunshot ringing through my ears. The EMTs loaded Phil on a stretcher, leaving me sitting on the lawn. They didn't know if he was going to make it. I heard them whispering as they loaded him in the ambulance but I tried to block it out. I wanted to block out the whole fucking world, but I couldn't.

The police came to question me, but I didn't want to talk to them. I couldn't talk to them. The only words that wanted to escape me were screams. Screams for my cousin who shouldn't have been shot.

It should have been me.

"Witnesses said they saw a black SUV pull up. Did you see who was driving?"

"Did you get a license plate?"

"Did the person say anything before they shot Phil Catania?"

The officer fired question after question at me, but I just stared at my hands. My blood red hands. There was no mercy, no passion to the crime. They just drove up and shot him, then fled like cowards. There was no honor in that. All the anger boiled up in me. I wanted to destroy them.

"I think that's enough questioning of my son for now." I looked up to see my father standing next to the officer. His very presence made the police officer do a double-take and then close his notebook, his hands now shaking. The man has the same effect on me.

Dad didn't smile and he didn't frown, but his eyes held mine, even though his conversation was with the officer. "Our lawyer will be in touch with you when my son is ready to talk."

"Yes, sir. I understand. We should be wrapping up here shortly." The officer strode away, leaving just me standing there with my dad.

I sucked in a deep breath and exhaled as I spoke. I had to regain my composure because all I really wanted to do was yell out a slew of swear words and then tell him that we had to go find the bastards and destroy them all. "Thanks."

"Just because you're done talking to the officer, doesn't mean our conversation is finished." He put his hands into his pocket, raising his eyebrows high on his head. "From what Guido tells me, it appears we have a lot to discuss."

I nodded, ready to see what his plans were for revenge. "Yeah. We do."

"Nick?" Jackie's voice came out in a choked whisper.

I turned slowly to see her standing wide eyed, her arms tightly wrapped around herself. "Um, Haley is here to pick me up. I hope that's okay. I didn't think you'd be leaving for awhile." Her eyes flitted between me and my dad. Shit. I was going to have to make introductions, and this wasn't the moment I wanted her to meet my father.

"And who is this beautiful young woman, Nicky?" Dad turned on the charm, stepping next to me, clasping one hand on my shoulder like we were old friends. I tried not to wince.

"Dad, this is my girlfriend, Jackie. Jackie, this is my father, Vince."

"Oh." Her eyes widened so big I swore they were going to bust out of their sockets. "Pleased to meet you Mr. Ragusa. I've heard so much about you." She put her hand out and shook his. While she was nervous with my cousins and uncle, with my dad her whole body visibly shook and it wasn't just because night had fallen and it was cold out now.