Seize it (mob Tom x reader)

Chapter 16: an open book

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even though I had no plan, when Tom turned back to the liquor cabinet, I walked up to him and laid my hand on his arm. He winced and looked at me. His jaw was clenched, and his nostrils flared. "What the fuck do you want?" he asked. I wasn't oblivious to the crack in his voice. "I'm not going to tell you about my fucking life, so if that's what you want-"

"I don't want that," I said with a shake of my head.

"Then what?" he snapped.

I hesitated and glanced at April and Harrison who were watching me intently. "I want to go for a walk," I said.

"So go for a walk," Tom snapped.

"Can't go anywhere alone," I said with a shrug. Yeah. I didn't have a plan. I just felt obligated to do something since I was the one in the first place who had pried like I had and had basically started the whole thing. After a bit of contemplating, Tom gave me a short nod and headed out the back slider door. I spared one last look at Harrison and April before following him.

Tom and I walked outside and started down the sidewalk in the same direction as where the building with the shooting range was. I put my hands in the back pocket of my jeans, and Tom shoved his in his hoodie pocket. We were both quiet as we walked, nothing but the sound of gravel crunching beneath our feet. I didn't know what to do. I was half wishing I hadn't put myself in this situation, but I couldn't help it. It was my fault that Harrison had been punched. I felt like I needed to do something about it.

"I shouldn't have asked Harrison about your life," I told Tom. "It was out of line." Tom looked up at me, and I noticed the edges of his eyes were still red.

"You asked him?" Tom said. I nodded and stared down at the ground again.

"I shouldn't have done that," I said. "I just, I guess I was confused. I was hoping he could clear things up."

"Clear what things up?" Tom asked. I licked my lips and kicked a stone we came across on the path. I decided that honesty was better than lying to him. If we were going to be friends -or at least not enemies- then I wasn't going to hide anything.

"You were such an asshole to me," I said. "From the moment I met you, you were rude and arrogant and, and just a total dick."

"You weren't exactly America's sweetheart," he said.

"No, you're right," I said, "but you can't deny that you didn't even give me a chance."

"I could say the same about you."

We were both quiet again, and I took a moment to recollect my thoughts. If we kept talking this way, I'd probably end up yelling, which was the last thing I wanted. "So we're both at fault," I said. "But what changed? All of a sudden, after you brought me home that night, you wanted the truce?" I shook my head. "It didn't make sense. You still have no obligation to help me, but you are. Why? I figured there had to be a real, or some sort of real reason, so I asked Harrison." Tom was quiet then. I wanted to push him to talk, but I knew better. He was clearly high and moody, and I didn't want to set him off.

"I'm not going to suddenly give you a rundown of my life," Tom said, still not looking at me. His eyes were trained on his feet. "I'm not going to tell you about my mum or any of that shit. So let's just say I had a change of heart and leave it at that." I scoffed, and Tom let puff of air pass his lips. "I don't like when innocent people are hurt because of me."

"So why are you doing this?" I asked. "Why are you in this whole business?" I asked stopping in my tracks.

"I didn't ask for it," he said also stopping to face me, his eyes narrowing. "What, you think there's an interview to be a mafia boss?"