If You Were Ours

Chapter Seventy One - Dane

Adriana was sitting on the couch with her head on Vincent's shoulder, clearly still feeling as shitty as Kinsley, but trying to hide it.

Vincent had one arm wrapped around Adriana when we entered, but had an expression that I couldn't read. Like he wanted to say something but didn't know how.

We settled Kinsley on the couch between us, letting her lean on us as she snuggled down onto the couch cushions.

"Everything okay Adriana?" Kinsley asked, concerned for her friend.

"No. Everything's not okay...Vincent you need to tell them right now or I will. Enough is enough."

Adriana's words made Tyson and I sit at attention as all eyes fell on Vincent who reluctantly sat up and prepared to speak.

What the fuck are you hiding?

Vincent let out a sigh and hung his head before lifting it to speak directly to Tyson and myself.

"I think I knew that bartender." Vincent admitted.

"How the fuck do you think you someone. You either know them or you don't." Tyson muttered.

"Explain." I demanded, tightening my hold on Kinsley.

"About four years ago, I worked for Angelo D'amico." Vincent admitted.

Tyson stood abruptly positioning himself in front of Kinsley, ready to lunge at Vincent.

"Tyson wait! Listen to him!" Adriana begged.

Xander had moved himself directly behind Vincent on the couch with one hand on his weapon, ready to end Vincent if he made one wrong move.

What the fuck is going on? Did Adriana know about this shit when she started dating him?

"Talk. Now." Tyson snarled.

"I worked for Angelo for a few years, but he lost his fucking mind. Became obsessed with the families and reclaiming what he thought was his rightful seat at the table. Said he had ties with your parents Santoro, but once they were killed no one honored their deals and they were thrown out and shunned by the rest of the families."

Tyson cracked his neck side to side at the mention of his parents and huffed out an irritated breath that he was having to discuss them with a stranger.

"Angelo's family was rejected by the families because they were doing backdoor deals with numerous buyers without sharing the profits. They let random assholes run shit through our territory without permission or discussion and kept the profits a secret. As much as Angelo wanted to believe it was some sort of betrayal or conspiracy, it wasn't. They were shady as fuck and they betrayed the L.A. Mafia."

"I know that, hell everyone knows that, but Angelo wouldn't accept it. He wanted revenge for his family and started to raise a fucking army. At first I simply followed orders and tried to find a way to rationalize what he was telling us to do, but he started giving us jobs that I couldn't stomach. Kill orders and hits on wives and children...for no other reason than clout and fear. That fucking bartender had just joined the ranks when I was on my way out four years ago and clearly recognized me when we were down in the basement." Vincent explained.

So did you kill him to prove your loyalty or to shut him up?

"If you were so loyal to Angelo then, how do we know you aren't loyal to him now? How the fuck can we trust you?" Tyson said with hatred in his voice.

Vincent struggled with Tyson's words and took hold of Adriana's hand before he answered.

"Because I love Adriana. And I killed five of Angelo's men who tried to harm her."

His words sunk in deep and the room was quiet for a second or two as we tried to sort truth from lies.

"When?" Tyson said sharply.

"Four months ago. There was a hit on her family and I intervened. Killed five of my friends and would have killed Angelo himself if given the opportunity."

I could see fire in Vincent's eyes as he spoke about killing Angelo. There was an element of disgust that Tyson and I were very familiar with when it came to Angelo and his lack of business ethics. My eyes swept over Vincent and his tight grip on Adriana and part of me understood that type of protective devotion.

"You realize if you're lying we're going to find out," I warned.

"He's not lying." Adriana said in Vincent's defense. "I watched him do it."

"And you never thought to tell us about this?" I asked, pissed off that Adriana would keep something like this from us. She had put herself in danger along her with family.

"I knew you wouldn't understand. That the second you heard about his previous ties to Angelo, you'd kill him and I couldn't let you do that. Vincent has taken care of me...and I love him."

Tyson dragged his palm down his face, irritated with the situation before he spoke his final words to Vincent and Adriana.

"I'm putting a security detail on Adriana. Eyes on you all fucking day and night, you understand?" Tyson growled.

"Are you kidding me Tyson?" Adriana sassed. "Dane, talk some sense into him."

"I don't want to fucking hear it Adriana, you do what he says." I added.

"He's right. If that's what it takes to prove my loyalty then so be it." Vincent said, agreeing to our terms.

"This is bullshit." Adriana said harshly. "I'm not into being controlled, I'm not Kinsley."

Her words made my spine straighten and forced Tyson's lip to snarl up in disgust, but before we could defend our girl, she spoke up for herself, sitting up and leaning forward as soon as her name was mentioned.

"It's not about control Adriana, it's about trust. You need to trust that everyone in this room is acting in your best interest and trying to protect you. Quit fighting them and let them take care of you." Kinsley's sweet tone had hardened as she challenged her friend.

Adriana locked eyes with Kinsley and I watched as the attitude drained from Adriana's face. Kinsley was the voice of reason. Kinsley was love and compassion and Adriana softened as soon as Kinsley bristled.

"You're right Kins. I'm sorry...I didn't mean..."

"I know what you meant and I know its difficult for you to understand my relationship dynamic with Tyson and Dane. But please don't sit over there and think I'm weak and powerless. I gift them my control every single day out of my own free will because I trust them with my whole heart."

"I know, I'm sorry. I'm just upset and I feel like shit." Adriana hated that she'd upset and insulted Kinsley and stood to give Kinsley a hug with her arms outstretched and open.

Our sweet girl stood immediately and embraced Adriana with nothing but forgiveness for her friend.

Too pure for this earth. We don't deserve you Kins.

Tyson and Vincent discussed security going forward and the expectations that went along with it. While Tyson and I were reluctant, we didn't seem to have a choice at the moment. We had to keep tabs on Vincent and needed more information before we could decide what his true motives were and if Adriana insisted on being in the middle of that then so be it. We weren't going to be able to convince her otherwise. 

You better pray your story checks out, Vincent. 

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Thoughts or theories about Vincent?