Trigger Happy
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DOMINIC
"Roselyn, I'm here."
I kept my phone close to my ear as I stood inside the lobby of her condo. The receptionist was eyeing me when I said Miss Roselyn's name— she was the same receptionist who was there the night Miss Roselyn and I slept together.
I think she knew (which worried me a bit) but I also think she doesn't have any malice towards Miss Roselyn to start rumors.
We didn't really think through the whole going up to her condo together and leaving together the next day.
"M'kay hun, I'll be down in a minute," Miss Roselyn replied with a hum. ".. see you soon."
I responded, "See you soon."
She then hung up and I slid my phone in my pocket.
Miss Roselyn wasn't joking when she said she wanted to learn how to properly shoot a gun tomorrow (well today now), and if I didn't know a spot we'd have to travel out of Manhatten to find a shooting range.
The elevator made a 'ding' before the doors slid open.
Miss Roselyn stepped out in probably the most casual outfit she had ever worn around me. She was wearing a velvety tracksuit that was a soft shade of green and it was zipped up slightly. I say slightly because I could see some of her cleavage peaking out from above the open zipper, and she was wearing a pair of Adidas.
Miss Roselyn chatted it up with the receptionist before she handed the woman her keys.
I pressed my lips together in a thin line— she had her thick curls tied up in that bun that I, for some reason, found so atrractive on her.
"Dominic," Miss Roselyn waved 'bye' to the receptionist before she walked over towards me. ".. good afternoon, sweetheart." She said with a smile.
Right.. it was the afternoon.
"Good afternoon, Roselyn." I replied.
Miss Roselyn pursed her lips together, ".. We're taking my pretty baby."
"This is that special of an occasion?" I snickered.
Miss Roselyn nodded with a fake-gasp, "This is very important, hun."
"I'm aware, but I'm also surprised that learning how to shoot is 'pretty baby' worthy." I say only loud enough for her to hear.
She poked my chest, "Where are we going exactly, hun?"
"Not far." I hummed.
Miss Roselyn cracked a pouty smile and placed her finger over her lips. ".. Oh I see— you're tryna be secretive." She scoffed playfully while we both walked towards the exit.
"I'm just surprising you." I corrected.
Miss Roselyn rolled her eyes with that same smile while I held open the door for her.
I sort of understood what Miss Roselyn meant by she started 'slacking' when she hired me.
I don't think that she hasn't been going into the office that much to where it was concerning (besides concerning for my paycheck). She did her work even when she didn't go in so the 'issue' wasn't really an issue in my eyes.
I followed Miss Roselyn towards where she had parked her 'pretty baby', and I tried to focus on what really mattered— find the damn car. But all my eyes were drawn to was her ass— it always looked good, no great, but this tracksuit had something else woven into the seams because when she walked it moved like water.
That or I never paid that much attention to it— her tits were what caught my eye more because I was always looking at Miss Roselyn's face.
"When we come back you gotta park her in the private garage," Miss Roselyn told me beforehand as she approached the rose gold Cadillac and gave it a small smack on the hood. ".. I need to take her out more.." Miss Roselyn sighed, taking her glossy bottom lip between her teeth.
I stared the 'pretty baby' as Miss Roselyn handed me the keys.
I wasn't taking her to the damn slums but it wasn't the greatest neighborhood to bring such a nice car. Then again for it being such a nice car people won't dare to try shit.
I unlocked the car and pulled open the passenger side door for Miss Roselyn. She scurried around the front of the car and plopped in the seat.
I shut the door once I was sure she was in there and then I walked over to the drivers side and got in.
Miss Roselyn was rummaging through her purse while I started up the car.
She looked over at me and squinted— like she forgot something.
"Is their something you need, Roselyn?" I ask her, and she leaned back in her seat while she messed with the AC.
".. No," She said softly. ".. but do you need something? Your vibes are rubbin' off on me."
I thought it over before I clicked my tongue, ".. You're actually right," I drove out of the parking space, and Miss Roselyn's eyebrows rose is a genuine bit of shock that she was actually right. ".. I washed your brothers clothes and I meant to give them to you— they're in the back of my trunk.. I'll get them after we come back."
"See," She sighed. "..and thank you for that, sweetheart— you didn't have to."
I turned onto the street and traced my thumb over her diamond steering wheel covering— this was the pretty baby for a reason.
But the windows were really tinted, even in the bright sun no one could see that shimmer through that dark glass.
Where we were going, I knew it by heart, and it wasn't far from Miss Roselyn's condo either. In fact most of my childhood was close to her, but I never cared to notice as a kid because we were living two completely different lives.
She was building up an sucessful company while I was in the streets, doing shit I had no buisness doing yet trying to be a normal teen at the same time.
I turned down a side street into a less expensive area and I could see Miss Roselyn's eyes widden through the corner of my eye.
"There's a shoot range in the strip club?" She scoffed— eyeing down the club at the end of the street.
I rolled my eyes, ".. The strip club just happens to be on the same street— actually no, it's marketing."
I drove through the parking lot and pulled into an empty spot that was right in front of our destination— Matteo's Place.
"I used to work here when I was a teenager, which was illegal till it wasn't, but the owner, Matteo, sent me home with the leftovers after every shift," I explained to Miss Roselyn before I pointed up towards the upstairs floor of the two story brick building. ".. his actual house is the second floor and he had a shooting range in the basement below the pub— he'll let us in."
She raised a brow, "It's not just public?"
"It is but Matteo locks it on game days, he doesn't want a shootout because some guys are pissed that their team lost," I muttered and Miss Roselyn nodded along. ".. it's better this way for you and like I said, he'll let us in, Roselyn."
Miss Roselyn licked her her lips, "Then let's go, hun."
I unlocked the door and turned the car off before I got out.
I walked over the otherside to open Miss Roselyn's door for her— I did so and she stepped out onto the gravely concrete, not smooth like the cement parking lot by her condo or the office. But that gravel gave me nostalgia— most of my life I grew up walking and driving gravel streets, still, I don't miss the pebbles in my shoes.
We stepped up onto the sidewalk and locked the car doors before we walked over towards the pub, I could already hear people shouting. The wirey and bright open sign lit up the street along with the large sign that read Matteo's Place.
"What kind of food do they offer here, hun?" Miss Roselyn questioned with a giggle.
I chuckled, "Anything you would expect from a pub— but their Italian is the best. Matteo would give me the choice between leftover buffalo wings or his family recipe lasagna and the lasagna won everytime."
I gripped the long door handle and push open the door for Miss Roselyn to go inside before me. People were shouting and what not and I looked around for Matteo once I entered.
I kept Miss Roselyn close to my side and then I noticed Matteo behind the bar— his son sat on the counter and Matteo ruffled his shaggy hair while the little boy scribbled on a menu.
"Come with me." I told her and we walked over to the bar area.
Matteo squinted at the sight of us before a large grin spread across his face.
"Dominic, how've ya been?" He asked— his son, Zeno, looking up at me.
"I've been good, Matteo— I brought a guest." I nodded towards Miss Roselyn who was waving at little Zeno with a small smile.
"Roselyn Sawyer? It's nice to meet ya ma'am— my wife loves yur jewelry," Matteo scoffed with wide eyes and he leaned over the bar and whispered into my ear. ".. speaking of jewelry can ya put in a good word for a discount— Becca wants new earrings for her birthday."
I laughed slightly, "I'd rather keep my job, Matteo."
The door behind the bar creaked open and I smiled at the sight of Becca. She had come out in a navy blue dress and she still wore her same signature bright, red lipstick.
I hadn't seen her in what felt like forever yet she looked the same except for the fact that she cut her curly hair to shoulder length.
Her brown eyes spotted Matteo and Zeno then she frowned, "Matty, why the hell do ya have my baby out here with these drunks?"
".. cuore mio, he wandered away from ya.." Matteo pointed out.
Becca opened her mouth to speak before her fustrated eyes caught glimpse of me and then her jaw dropped.
"Matty tell me that ain't baby-faced Dominic, is it?" She gasped— squeezing Matteo's arm and pulling at it.
"Nice to see you too, Becca." I smiled and she let go of Matteo and hurried out from behind the bar.
"Baby-faced Dominic..?" Miss Roselyn teasted quietly.
"It was a long time ago." I mumbled.
Becca stood in front of me and murmured, "..Ya still look just like yur Ma— Matty told me ya got released and that ya came by.. why'd ya take so damn long to come back," She paused and frowned. "Looking at ya now it just proves how ya were just a baby back then— it wasn't fair for ya."
I blinked slowly at her words— just a baby.
Matteo said it too, about how I was just a kid; Coach did as well.
I wasn't a kid though, not too the law, I had been an legal adult for a year at that point. Maybe I needed better laywers or maybe it was because I didn't say 'sorry' or that 'I regret it' because I didn't. I had the chance for parole and an appeal and all I had to was show some type of remorse— but I wasn't going to lie to myself, that was the one thing I made sure to repeat in my head everyday in prison.
"Oh my god," Becca glanced at Miss Roselyn. ".. is that yur girlfriend, Dominic? I didn't mean to," Becca did a double take and let out an even louder gasp than when she saw her. ".. The Roselyn Sawyer.. oh my— yur so beautiful, I love yur jewelry.." Her Italian accent made the way she said 'Sawyer' sound very smooth if that makes sense. Becca pronounces 'god' as 'gawd' and right then she pronounced 'sawyer' as 'sawyah'.
".. You're so sweet, ma'am, and just as beautiful," Miss Roselyn smiled softly and looked down at Becca's necklace. ".. that's from my winter collection from five years ago, hm?"
Becca nodded eagerly, "Mhm! My Matty bought for me as a thank you for having our baby boy—"
"— Calmati, cuore mio," Matteo pipped in and Becca shot him a glare. ".. what do ya two need 'cause I know it's important ya brought yur boss down here, Dominic."
I get what he meant— such a rich and successful woman like Miss Roselyn Sawyer at a local pub like this?
It couldn't have just been for fun because someone like her could spend her fun on a yacht.
In a situation like this where polar opposites unexpectedly find each other.. there's always a bigger reason.
"Your shooting range, Matteo.." I answered quietly so that others in the pub hear would know about this 'special treatment', and that Miss Roselyn had intentions of learing how to shoot.
"Ah," Matteo nodded and dug around his pockets before handed me his keys. "The second largest gold one for the basement and the tiny silver for the gun cabinet — don't waste my ammo."
I scoffed quietly, "I have my own gun."
Matteo folded his arms under his chest and snickered, "Miss Sawyer, did ya pull some strings for him to get that?"
Miss Roselyn gave him a lopsided smile, ".. mhm."
Matteo shooed me off with a nod, and I motioned for Miss Roselyn to follow me. I remembered which way the basement was— the only door on the right side of the hall where the bathrooms were.
We walked down the hall and I fumbled with keys until we reached the last door. I pulled out the right key and unlocked the door; Miss Roselyn went in first— gripping the rail of the creaking stairs before I flicked on the lightswitch. It was dim and smelt of fresh wood and cigars— I locked the basement door behind me before I continued down the stairs.
Miss Roselyn had already reached the bottom and turned the lights on.
The soundproof wooden walls and floors looked to be polished and painted, different from the plain, soundproof cement ones I remember from when I was a teen (also Matteo had more of a varity of guns compared to back then).
"Quite the basement.." Miss Roselyn mumbled to herself while she stared at a target that was littered with bullet holes.
I pull my glock from out of my blazer and sighed, "Are you ready to start?"
Miss Roselyn grinned, "I was a Mississippi girl before I was a New Yorker— the fact I can't properly shoot is puttin' the Southern in me to shame."
I smiled and pointed towards the middle shooting range— I hummed, "Your goal is to hit the target at the very least."
Miss Roselyn stood in front of the area and I stayed next to her as I handed her my gun with the saftey still on. She just stared at it before she tried to figure out a comfortable way to hold it.
I snickered and stood behind her— stretching out my arms to place my hands on of hers.
"Hold just like this and hold it tight," I adjusted her fingers and squeezed my hands over her own— her body was pressed right up against mine and I never really realized how short she was compared to me now that she wasn't wearing heels like usual. ".. always with two hands, Roselyn— in my eyes if a person one hands it they're either desperate or they've actually shot someone before, maybe both.." I explained to her.
Miss Roselyn muttered playfully, ".. Do you one hand it, Dominic?"
"Yeah."
She nodded slowly and I leaned down a bit to get in closer to her ear.
"Alright Roselyn, put your finger on the trigger," I flicked off the safety for her and waited until she did it. ".. aim right for the target," I let go of her hands and now she was holding the glock herself. I then covered her ears and spoke up. ".. and pull."
She chewed on her bottom lip and I could feel how tense she was up against me.
"You got it, ma," I told her— pressing my palms further over her ears. ".. I got you."
There was a sudden 'bang' as Miss Roselyn pulled the trigger and luckily my gun didn't have much recoil so it was better for her.
"Damn Roselyn," I scoffed, letting my hands fall to my sides. ".. only a couple inches off from the center. That's great aim for your first time."
She put the saftey back on and looked back at me over her shoulder. Her plump lips were slightly parted and she had that look in her eyes from that night.
I chewed on my inner cheek as she hummed, ".. Coulda did better."
".. Let's keep going until the clip's empty then I'll reload and we'll head out." I suggested.
Miss Roselyn batted her lashes and pouted, "Two rounds then we'll go."
"Oh no," I teased. ".. did I make you trigger happy, Roselyn?"
She mumbled under her breath, ".. made me feel a little more than trigger happy."
I raised a brow, "Yeah? ..What else did I make you feel?"
My breath hitched as she gave me that pouty smile before she turned back around and flicked off the safety— raising the gun towards the target.
"Don't worry, sweetheart,"
Miss Roselyn clicked her tongue.
"..you'll find out after I use up two rounds worth of ammo."
2,905 words.
ya'll forgot about Matteo huh
Anyhoo I wonder what Roselyn is refering too? Gee I have no idea!!
pew pew hoe
Sarah Angelo from Mafia: Definitive Edition is how I see Becca in my head