Page 13 of Mafia Baby

“Dom, you wishing my little sister a happy birthday?” William is back at my side, handing me another beer. I take it gratefully and nod.

It’s better that Will doesn’t know about his sister being harassed in the club. I can’t answer any questions he might ask about her time under my roof without tattling on myself.

“Cool, cool. So, uh, you know she’s only twenty-two, right?”

I look at him and smile slightly.

“You worried about me and your sister, Will? Like I can’t get any other girl in Chicago?”

Will chuckles nervously. “Not worried. It’d be a blast to have you as a brother, don’t get me wrong. But Gianna is young, and I don’t think she’s ready for anything serious, you know? She’s been away at boarding school and just finished college. It’s time for her to figure things out for her future.”

“Got you.” I take a swig of my beer, hoping the conversation is over.

I get what he’s saying — keep your blood and gore away from my little sister. And I don’t blame him.

I’m not about to push the situation. Gianna is gorgeous, but definitely not my usual type.

I typically fuck women who are a little bit older, women I know won’t get attached. Young women who just got their college degrees and who are barely old enough to legally drink are not really my style. Even if she gave me one of the best orgasms I have ever experienced and squirted all over my desk twice as she came.

Will is still stumbling over his words.

“I just don’t want to have to warn you, y’know, to stay away from her.” William Bianchi is not a soft guy, but I can see he’s trying not to make this a bigger scene than it already is.

My instincts are yelling to tell him to go and fuck himself, and then to fuck his sister again as a final point. But that’s mostly because I can’t stand anyone trying to tell me what to do, or what not to do.

“Will, you’re my buddy and she’s your sister. I know the boundaries.” I don’t let the dark thoughts win.

Will is one of the first real friends I’ve had, and he’s not inside my world, which gives me the perfect break away from the ugliness of how I live.

I’d rather keep the peace with him for now.

***

I swallow down the last of my whiskey and stand up. I’ve had one too many, which was a mistake. One of my rules for myself is never to get drunk. I can’t afford to lose control of my surroundings. Ever.

It’s time for me to leave. I make my way around the room of cigar-smoking old men and end up by Will and his dad, thanking them for having me over.

“Thanks for coming,” Will slurs. He’s had about five too many, but he’s at home and can let his guard down whenever he wants to. His father isn’t much more sober than him, and he hugs me, calling me son as I’m leaving. Deep down, this family isn’t all too bad.

I catch Mrs. Bianchi in the kitchen, ordering the cleaning staff around, and I thank her as well.

She places a container of leftover cake in my hands, and I take it to make her happy. She’s always trying to feed me, as if she thinks I’m incapable of ordering a burger.

As I get to the door, my phone rings. I see it’s Vince calling, so I step to the side to take the call.

“Vince.”

“Dominic.” He never calls me that. Something is wrong. “What the fuck did you do to that guy yesterday?”

“I roughed him up a bit, let him know we were serious. Why?”

“He offed himself, he’s fucking gone, and all of my money with him!”

“Shit.” Hooking the phone between my ear and shoulder, I rub my face, trying to get as sober as I can. “That’s…how?”

“Pills. I had Jerry keeping an eye on him and the police and ambulances have just left the place.”

“Motherfucker.” There’s an old woman walking out of the door that catches just that part of the conversation and throws a disapproving look my way. I roll my eyes.

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