Page 17 of King of the Bronx

Chapter Seven

Raven

I sat at the desk and counted the money in the safe. I hadn’t gone to the underground in a couple days. I was still pissed at Enzo for coming in here and killing a guy, and then telling me how to run my business. I haven’t needed anyone else in a long time, and I wasn’t going to need anyone now. If the Irish taught me anything, it was that getting the mafia involved only meant making problems worse. I was also shaken by how quick Enzo was to shoot someone. He didn’t hesitate or try to de-escalate the situation. Is that what would happen to me if he found out I was cheating? Would he shoot me right between the eyes without a second thought? A chill ran over my body the more I thought about it.

“You leaving tonight?” Erica asked as she leaned against the desk.

“I don’t know.”

“Go. We’ll be fine. You’ve barely left this place in two days. We can handle things here for a few hours. Just go get your money.”

I stayed quiet, continuing to count the money in my hand.

“Is this because of that big sexy man who came in here guns blazing? You’re scared of him?”

“Wouldn’t you be?” I asked, looking up from the handful of money.

“Not if I knew him.”

“What do you mean?” I put the money down, giving Erica my full attention.

“What do you think I mean? Can’t you do with him the same thing we do here? Get to know him, seduce him, do what you gotta do so that he won’t even notice or care when you take $30,000 from him.”

I scoffed. “I think he’d know.” He wasn’t stupid.

Erica shrugged. “Well, then, maybe he won’t care.”

It was far-fetched, but I had thought about it before. Could Enzo be manipulated enough that he wouldn’t come after me once I took the $30,000 and disappeared? Could I convince him that I just got really lucky one night and didn’t want to gamble it away?

I sat back in the office chair. “Do you think we need help around here…ya know, like protection?”

“Honestly? Yeah. I think it would make the girls feel a lot better if we had a little more than a baseball bat.”

I sighed. Maybe Enzo was right. Maybe I was naive thinking I could keep all the girls safe by myself.

“Listen, if you don’t want to hire someone or get anyone involved in your business, I understand. The Irish have caused enough trouble for us anyway.”

I grabbed the money from the safe and stuffed it into my purse. “I’ll be back in a few hours,” I told Erica as I stood up.

Erica waved at me. “We’ll be fine. Go get your money.”

*****

The underground was packed tonight. There weren’t any seats open at the blackjack table, so I sat at the bar and had a drink while waiting for something to open up. I sensed his presence before even turning around. He was dressed in a three-piece suit, like a true businessman. His watch glistened in the dim lights from above. I loved that I had his full attention and I didn’t even have to do anything to get it. I grabbed my drink and took a sip, keeping my eyes on him as he crossed the room.

“You still mad at me?” he asked, his voice deep. It must be the alcohol that was making my body feel so warm.

“A little bit,” I admitted.

“You aren’t playing tonight?”

“I’m waiting for a table to open up.”

He looked around the room as if just noticing that the place was completely packed. “Give me a minute.”

He walked over to the blackjack table and leaned down to talk to one of the men at the table. The man nodded quickly and took his money before standing up from the table and walking away. He smiled at me and waved me over. I rolled my eyes, downed the rest of my drink, and then took the spot the man had left.

“Really? Bullying people?” I asked.

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