FAÇADE Chapter 16

I promise you that I'll make sure you never forget me
Now that you want it, now that you need it
You're trying to blame me but I'm not breaking
You make me so bulletproof
And now I'm too far gone

~Godsmack, Bulletproof

When I sort of made friends with Jasper.

The weak Seattle sun might as well have been an LED bulb stuck right in front of my face. My sunglasses weren't cutting it as I walked down the street of my territory with Jasper in tow. He'd been rather quiet with me, but he'd grilled each of my customers like he was the fed looking to bust the criminals. Some of them had heard the rumor I'd heard yesterday; Emmett had an arms shipment coming in. That wouldn't be such a problem if it weren't for the fact that they'd just had a shipment, one that they'd planned together. Jasper was furious that his brother was setting up business without him. I smelled the deceit, kept my mouth shut, and tried to think around the pounding headache threatening to blend my brains and pour them into a hollowed out pineapple like some kinda fucked up tropical drink.

Where was I going with this?

Oh, right. Emmett was betraying Jasper. Only I was positive it was Bella and Garrett setting him up. It was fucking clever, all things considered. The only thing I couldn't figure out was whether she'd actually set up a shipment and why she was scoping out warehouses with the Garrotter. I wondered what Carlisle thought of all of this.

“I heard about last night,” Jasper said as we headed toward the sandwich shop.

My brain was mush, so I hummed but didn't say anything. I wanted to be exactly sure what he was referencing before I opened my mouth.

“Not sure why Emmett is so hung up on the Swan’s daughter. Granted, she needed knocking down a few pegs when her dad died. She started acting like we owed her something. Shit.” He scoffed, like it was completely ridiculous for Bella to expect to live a decent life after her father's death.

“I dunno, man, he seems hell bent on blaming me for her bullshit. I can't control her.”

He nodded vigorously. “I know, she can't be controlled by anybody, that's what makes her such a pain in the ass. Still, I make it a policy never to show up at any of my capos’ doorsteps. We have people for that, if something needs doing.”

I scratched my chin. “I admit I lost my cool.”

Jasper opened the door when we reached the deli and headed straight to the back room, knowing nobody would stop us.

“Hey, Vinny.” The portly, middle aged man was sitting at a desk with his feet propped up. He dropped them and sat up as we entered.

“Mr. Cullen, Mr. Di Stefano.” Smart man that he was, he immediately pulled the brown paper bag out of his desk drawer and handed it to me.

I counted, then frowned and counted again. I sighed, hating this part. “Vinny…” I trailed off as I waved the light stack of cash, giving him the chance to come up with a pitiful excuse.

His hands went up in defense, palms pink and sweaty. “It's just a little short. I was hopin’ you'd be here a tad late, honestly. I'll be able to make it up by end of day.”

Some of the businesses we ‘protected’ couldn't afford their tributes. It made me uncomfortable to act the part, knowing some of their families were struggling to make ends meet. “So you thought I wouldn't notice? You couldn'ta called me?”

Jasper was watching, and I knew what I had to do. Vinny spluttered about why he didn't call and about a slow week as I advanced on him. Grabbing the back of his neck, I slammed his head down onto his desk. He grunted in pain and I pulled him back up. Paper was stuck to his forehead where a small gash had opened up.

“That's not the deal, Vincenzo. Call or get me my money, right?” He groaned and I shook him lightly. “What was that?”

“Yessir.” He didn't meet my gaze.

“Good. Now, it just so happens Jasper and I haven't had lunch yet, so get your lard ass out there and make us a couple Reubens.”

I stood back and crossed my arms as Vinny stumbled a little getting to his feet. He wasn't bleeding too badly, so I felt a tiny bit better about assaulting him. Jasper was watching me carefully, so I turned to him. “You do like Reubens, don't you?”

“Yeah, I like ‘em fine. What're you gonna do about the missing money?”

“I'll come back at end of day. If he doesn't have it, I'll have to call Two-Face.”

Jasper nodded and we made our way to the counter to sit. Vinny's staff was smart enough to wait on us hand and foot. The next time I saw the owner he had a bandaid and a good sized bruise covering his forehead.

“I promise I'll have it by six at the latest, Mr. Di Stefano.” He was wringing his hands together as he stood on the other side of the counter, waiting for my word.

“You'd better, old man. You don't want me callin’ someone to help you remember how much you pay.”

“No, no I don't.” He didn't budge, his nervousness showing in his sweaty brow and the way his eyes darted between me and Jasper as we ate.

“Pops laid inta Emmett on your behalf.” Vinny backed away as it appeared Jasper and I were done with him for the time being.

I swallowed before I could choke. “Why would he do that?”

“He reminded him that you saved the life of our father, the don. He reminded dear brother that you saved him with Biers. He reminded Emmett that we had not properly thanked you for that yet, and that he had no right assuming you were at fault for his beef with the Swan girl.” He wiped his mouth and looked at me. “I gotta admit, something about you bugs me, but you do your job well and you've gone above and beyond. I can't really be mad.”

“That means a lot, Jasper, thanks.”

My gut felt a little more settled, my headache was easing as time passed and I filled myself with caffeine and food. Jasper might be in my corner. Things might be going right for me for a change.

“So, what rumors have you heard about this shipment?”

Ah, fuck. Shoulda known. “Not much, just that there was a second one scheduled so close to the last. There's mostly been talk about Greasy Thumb takin’ one between the eyeballs.”

The waitress came to drop off a fresh drink as I said that. Her face registered shock, but she deserved credit for not saying anything and walking away.

“You hear any specifics, you tell me. Understood?” He rose, dropping his napkin on the counter and staring down at me.

“Understood,” I replied, looking back down at my plate.

He made his way out of the deli, and I relaxed marginally. I drained my second glass and got the hell out of there, too.

Bella hadn't come out of her room that morning, so I wasn't entirely sure what would greet me when I arrived back home. The rest of my day had been uneventful, and Vinny even had the rest of his money when I circled back around. Music was blasting throughout the apartment when I opened the door.

I dropped my keys on the hall table and tried to decipher which room of the house it was emanating from. It seemed to be the living room, but we didn't have a stereo. As I walked past the couch and the coffee table, I found a small speaker next to the television. It sure was loud for its diminutive size.

Just like my roommate, who came in the room yelling as I turned off the speaker.

“What the fuck is wrong with you? I was listening to that!”

“And so were all of the neighbors on this entire floor, it was up so loud. Why is it in here and not your room?” I took a good look at her before she answered. She was sweaty and flushed, wearing tiny shorts and a tank top.

“Oh, I'm terribly sorry, Mr. High and Mighty, am I not allowed in the common areas of your home? Shame on me for stepping foot out of my prison.”

“Feel free to return to your mansion, doe eyes.”

Ignoring her, I went to the kitchen to see what I could make for dinner. The fridge was pretty bare, so I contemplated ordering something. I wasn't feeling all that magnanimous at the moment, and I didn't want to share.

I turned back around and she was inches behind me, hands on her hips. “What did Jasper have to say?”

“Yes, my day was good, thank you for asking. What did you do today?”

Bella glared at me. “Plot revenge.”

Sadly, I was positive she wasn't exaggerating. “Carlisle told Emmett to back off. Jasper is suspicious about the new shipment but can't find any solid intel.”

“Good.” She turned and left me wondering what the hell was going on.

“Thanks for the stimulating conversation.”

“Welcome,” she hollered from the direction of her room.

Sighing, I went back to looking through the fridge. I gave up and pulled out a take-out menu. I wasn't going to ask her, since she seemed determined to put so much space between us. I picked what I wanted and called it in, finding a beer in the back of the fridge and vowing to keep it at one after the hangover I’d endured today. I dicked around on my burner phone, texting my code to Jake and slipping it back in its hiding space in a decorative cookie jar.

When the knock on the door came, I checked who it was out of habit. My gun was still in my waistband holster, because contrary to all evidence heretofore, I was not stupid. The young guy stood there with earbuds in, nodding his head to whatever he was listening to. I opened the door, standing back and to the side.

“Di Stefano?” He looked up and waited for my nod. “Thirteen ninety-four.”

I handed over a twenty. “Keep the change.”

“Thanks, bruh.”

I rolled my eyes and accepted my food, glancing up and down the hallway as he left. Closing and locking the door, I made a beeline for my bedroom. It was awkward in my house now, more than in the beginning when I was aching for Bella and she was either ignoring me or taunting me. When we weren't on the same page but we weren't freezing each other out either; that was better than this. I didn't know this Bella, and I wondered not for the first time how many personalities she had. She'd promised she was covering my ass, but it didn't feel like it right now. I almost preferred the shouting to the silence; at least then I knew what she was thinking. This was bullshit, this was like waiting for one of us to break first.

I turned on my small TV and tried to get comfortable in my armchair. This felt like home, if I pushed aside the thoughts of Bella and the Cullen brothers. Eating alone in front of the tube, some take-out at the end of the work day because I was too tired to cook. I suddenly missed my family and thought about this case ending so I could see them. I would take some time off, head to my parents’ place and spend some time with Victoria. She always knew how to put a smile on my face.

By the time this was done, I would be bulletproof. Throw anything at me and I could handle it. It sure as fuck couldn't be as bad as this case has been. I wasn't getting any promotions, even if I managed to take down the biggest crime family this city had seen in decades. I would be lucky if I wasn't visited behind plexiglass with nothing but a phone to tell my mother I was sorry. No, the end of this case would signal massive changes for me. On one hand, I was looking forward to it being over, and on the other I was dreading it.

Because what if I did end up in a prison cell with Carlisle and Bella as fellow inmates? Too bad Bella was planning on killing Jasper, because he seemed like less of a bastard than Emmett and he might like me enough to share a cell without killing me.

I laughed at the absurdity of my thoughts. Like I'd really made friends with someone that would slit my throat if he knew who I really was.