In a Hail of Bullets

Chapter 12

The couple finished their dinner in silence. More like Frank ate awkwardly while Gerard just pushed the foot around his plate. Frank wasn't sure he could keep that promise to Gerard. He knew it wasn't John that stole from him, it was one of his men. But he couldn't just start asking questions, nobody would tell him anyway.

After they wrapped up the meal, Frank escorted Gerard to bed. He told Gerard he could sleep on the large bed and Frank would sleep in a guest room down the hall. Frank was desperate for Gerard to be comfortable with him again. But he must have been making some kind of headway because before Gerard walked into the bedroom, he left a soft kiss on Frank's cheek. Frank blushed at the simple action and was giddy. Deep down he knew Gerard still loved him, he just needed to win him back. After watching the bedroom door close softly, Frank turned on his heel and headed towards his office with one thing on his mind. He fished his phone out of his pocket, dialing Ray and telling him to come immediately. Ray was a much better investigator.

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"Fuck, Frank" Ray sighed. He would never normally talk to his boss like this but it was just the two of them. "We've watched this tape fifty times I don't know why you think it's going to change anything. We know that's Ramon, who has worked for John for a little over a year."

"I know, but he's with someone. An idiot getaway driver who got out of the car to help him. And that man we don't recognize. If this is a heist, it's a badly planned and executed one" Frank thought out loud. Gerard was onto something. Watching the tape, Frank started to think maybe this wasn't Johns doing.

"What is Ramon's dealings?" Frank asked, not taking his eyes off the screen as the tape played on a continuous loop.

"Drugs" Ray said.

"If he is dealing or distributing drugs, why is he stealing counterfeit merchandise?" Frank was in the drug game. He was in the prostitution game, he owned a bar and a restaurant hell he even owned a strip club. But for the past two years, he's made the bulk of his illegal funds through counterfeit items. Things like designer purses and clothes. Woman in New York were so desperate for a name on a label they never really cared to see it wasn't quite a Gucci bag or Christian Laboutine shoes. Frank was the pioneer for this enterprise and many other families started their own counterfeit projects but they weren't nearly as successful as Frank's.

"Let me guess" Ray spoke, interrupting Frank's thoughts. "You think John is innocent."

Frank scoffed. "John is definitely not innocent, I just don't think he knows about this. We know John. He sends five of his biggest guys. These are two scrawny fucks. And stupid to boot. John isn't stupid."

It was nearly one in the morning when Frank decided he had had enough. His head was pounding and his thoughts were swimming everywhere. After wishing Ray a good night, he made his way into the guest bedroom across the hall from Ray. It wasn't as big or nicely designed as Frank's, but it still had a decently comfortable bed. Frank kicked off his shoes and dropped his pants, flinging them onto the floor. He was too tired to give a shit right now. He shut off the light and climbed under the covers. The bed was smaller than his but it felt enormous without Gerard. He tossed and turned for a while, wishing his boy was there to keep him warm.

Frank was finally almost asleep when a quiet tapping was heard on his door. At first he thought it was in his head so he just rolled over and closed his eyes until he heard it again. He got up and slowly cracked the door open to see Gerard standing there, in one of Frank's old tee shirts.

"Frankie?" Gerard whispered.

"What's wrong baby?" Frank groaned softly as he saw it was nearly 3a.

"I-I can't sleep. The storm. It's scaring me". Frank forgot all about the thunderstorm in the forecast and he knew they scared Gerard. Frank opened the door wider, motioning Gerard to come in.

"I-I'm sorry" he said softly, "I didn't m-mean to wake you".

"Come on sweetie" Frank said as he climbed into bed, holding the sheet open for Gerard to climb in next to him. Gerard did and curled up right against Frank's chest. He felt Gerard slowly relax as they cuddled together and he breathed a sigh of relief.

When Frank felt Gerard's breathing slow down and even out, he nuzzled his face in his hair.

"I love you, Gerard" he whispered sadly. Frank sighed and closed his eyes, but he was so fucking thankful he was awake a minute later when he heard it.

"I love you too, Frankie."