Page 23 of Mabilia

“Younger. But don’t let his age fool you. My baby brother is more insane than… well, anyone.” I try to keep my words light, joking, but I’m serious. If I weren’t that kid’s sister, I’d run scared from him and I don’t run scared from anyone.

“Okay, two brothers. That’s it?” Tommy asks.

“Yep, and a circus tent full of cousins,” I tell him. “Speaking of, you need to manage your books better.”

Tommy stiffens. “What do you meanmy books?”

I roll my eyes. I don’t know why he wants to pretend like that bar is on the up-and-up. He already told me how he makes his money. “The books at the bar. The ones you’re using to cover that cash trail you’re trying to hide.”

“How do you know about that?” Tommy narrows his glare at me.

“My cousin told me. Like I said, you need to manage them better.”

“Fuck,” Tommy curses, running a hand through his hair. “I don’t want you involved, Mabilia. Forget you know anything.”

“I could help you,” I offer.

“No. If I get caught, it’s just me. I’m not risking your future for a few dollars,” he says.

I smile, and my heart flutters. I don’t know why, but it’s kind of sweet that he thinks a little bit of money laundering would risk my future. “Don’t worry, Tommy. I won’t let you get caught.”

I drop his hand and walk over to the cage. Monkeys. They really do remind me of my brothers. I snap a picture and send it to the family chat made up of all us cousins with the caption:Looks like they locked up Neo and Lex again.

It doesn’t take long for my phone to start pinging with messages. I turn it on silent and pocket it as I pivot back to Tommy. “What did you get up to today?”

“I had a lecture, then I did some shit at the bar.”

“How do you fit it all in? College and owning a business?” I ask him.

“Denny practically runs the bar for me, and college is easy,” he says. “But it won’t be for you if you keep skipping school now.”

I roll my eyes. “I don’t make a habit of skipping.”

“Good,” he says.

“Okay, five-year plan?”

“Hmm, pass the bar, win cases, and wake up next to you,” Tommy tells me.

My eyes widen. “In five years? You want to wake up next to me in five years?”

“I haven’t had the pleasure of waking up next to you yet, but I do know I’m going to love it.” Tommy bends his face towards mine. His lips lightly touch my mouth before he pulls away again.

I groan. I want more. “Can we go to your apartment now? Maybe we can make that dream of waking up next to each other a reality?” My fingers run up and down his chest.

“As tempting as that offer is, we haven’t seen the snow leopards yet. What kind of boyfriend would I be if I didn’t take you to see your favorite animal?” Tommy grabs my hand and continues guiding me down the path.

I do my best not to swoon. How does he do this to me? I don’t understand why I feel so giddy at his every word. “So after the snow leopards then?” I ask him.

“I wish I could, but I have to work tonight,” he says.

“Want me to come to the bar? You can serve me vodka and pretend it’s water,” I suggest.

“That’s not happening. But it’s not the bar. I have a game tonight. It got called in last minute.”

“Oh, okay.” I bite my lower lip. “Are these games… safe? Like, do I need to worry that I’m going to be single again tomorrow when you go missing?”

“They’re safe enough. Nothing is going to happen to me, babe,” Tommy says. “Trust me, you’re not waking up single.”

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