Page 19 of Drowned in Gold

“Uh huh.” I’m unconvinced.

“Nah. Thinking of buying Mom a new house near the water with the new jobs that’ve been rolling in. I gotta hand it to you, Cast. You’re making a name for us. Ever since I got out of the can—”

“For the sixth time,” I bark.

“Yeah, well. I don’t like when people tread on me. Besides, we got good lawyers.”

We cackle again.

“Get this. Tried giving my sis some money the other day—”

My heart does a somersault at the mention of her, then seizes when I remember the package I sent her.

Fuck, they’re on speaking terms again?

“—poor girl has terrible habits like me, I think. Wakes up in the middle of the day, in a shitty apartment that’s older than the fucking Vatican. Tried to give her some cash, but she shooed me away like I have the plague.”

I shrug. “She’s a server. Probably works late and sleeps late. I don’t take her as a cokehead gunslinger like you. And don’t you remember, she hates the mob. Probably because you beat the shit out of anyone who looks your way.”

Marco grunts. “Yeah, whatever. Still have to take care of them.”

I stare at him hard as he peers out the window. He feels my eyes on him eventually.

“What, prick?”

“Could it be? Our little psycho is growing up?”

“Screw you, jerk off.” He points the assault rifle at me, jokingly. “I’ll show you ‘grown up.’”

I start swerving the car back and forth to screw with him, and I realize we’re still those same two kids in adult bodies, with far too much power.

At a red light on the way back to base, I finally give in and glance at my phone. Two text messages, both of them make my fists clench around the steering wheel. Pick-up confirmation, vendor paid in full. And another spam text. No Gia.

My mood falls off a cliff, but I have to hide it. Why can’t she—

Bzzt.

I pick up the phone again and it hits me that maybe Marco’s right – I’m a little on edge about this whole forbidden tango Gia and I started. I freeze up when I see the text.

“Thanks for the tip, Castor, but it’s too much. Come by the Bangos tonight and pick it up.”

My heart jackhammers in my chest. Finally.

Beep! Beep!

Someone honks behind me. I’ve been sitting at a green light like an asshole, with a heavily armed hothead in my backseat. Marco’s already itching to turn the gun on the guy just for shits, so I speed forward.

“What is it?” Marco asks. “Is it Yuri?”

“Nah. Pick-ups in order for the day. Haven’t heard from the Russian since our party. He’s playing hard to get.”

“Don’t tiptoe. We aren’t little up-and-comers anymore. We call the shots.”

“Not when we’re paired with the Rigianos, we don’t,” I say.

“Fuck the Rigianos.”

“Tell me how you really feel.”

---