Page 77 of Hidden Ties

While that was news to her, considering she didn’t think the Carusos were allowed them, she was still happy to burst his bubble. “Bubblegum Blitz has already been fully approved by Game Hookup. They’re going to announce the release date soon,” Valerie said with pride but then had to avert her eyes down to the table. “Maybe in the next,nextone.”

Both Sadie and Valerie burst out into tearful laughter at the inside joke that he wasn’t even going to make it into her mafia video game.

Amo couldn’t help himself from getting one last dig in before he left. “Just keep the fucking noises to a minimum the next time you two go at it.”

She watched him walk away in shock from what he had said, but it took only a few seconds before both girls turned back into laughing hyenas.

“Hey, ladies.” A cold voice had sat down beside Valerie, announcing his arrival and silencing their laughter. “What joke did I miss that sent Amo away like that?”

Seeing Lucca sitting right next to her had Valerie’s heart pumping.

“Oh, nothing, just a little girl humor,” Sadie told him while winking at Valerie.

Lucca, dressed in his all-black suit, took his Zippo and cigarettes from his front pocket and lit one up. “It seems you have collected quite the winnings, Valerie.”

“Mmhmm.” She nodded nervously, adjusting her hair over her earring.

“I didn’t know you gambled,” he said, expertly blowing a cloud of smoke in her direction. “I didn’t even know you played.”

“First time,” she squeaked out after inhaling the intoxicating scent. The slight rush of nicotine made her heart rate calm enough to say her usual go-to. “Beginner’s luck, I guess.”

“That’s some beginner’s luck,” he agreed, taking in the stash carefully to count how much she had accumulated.

Her hand drifted a little bit closer to his cigarettes. “Are you going to play or …?”

“Let’s see …” He mulled the thought over before looking at Sadie. “How much did she put in?”

Sadie quickly ratted her out. “Five hundred.”

Lucca picked up five hundred dollars’ worth of her chips and took them for himself, putting them in the designated circle on the table all in one hand. It was a measly little stack in comparison to the amount she had accumulated. “I guess I will.”

“Goddammit! Abort mission! Abort mission!”

The yelling voice that rang in her ear blasted beyond its usual capabilities as the earring was then snatched from her ear by Lucca and squashed like a bug into tiny little pieces in his hand.

Her huge, wide eyes had grown so much in fear at witnessing him obliterating her hidden earpiece, she began blurting out her words like vomit.

“I’m sorry! Sal made me do it! I didn’t actually think he could really count the card—”

“It’s all right, Valerie. You can relax,” Lucca told her as he motioned for one of the servers to bring him two Jack and Cokes. “Sadie, do me a favor and go find where Amo went to. I think it’s his turn to try his hand at dealing.”

Valerie tried her best to take his advice and relax, but it was much easier when the drink arrived, followed by an upset Amo taking Sadie’s place on the other side of the table. Not a peep came out of his mouth, taking his punishment of not realizing their scheme.

Satisfied with his demands, Lucca opened his pack of cigarettes and held one out in offering to Valerie. “Now, doyou reallywant to play?”

Blinking in disbelief, she wondered if she was actually sleeping and merely just dreaming this impossible-to-believe scenario in her mind.

Fuck it.She accepted his offering; she would go back to her Twizzlers tomorrow. This was a once-in-a-lifetime experience, regardless of real or not real, and she was going to pick the brain of one of the most notorious mob bosses until he grew sick of her voice, and then she’d ask him permission to use it in her next game.

“Oh, and, Valerie.” The Boogieman gave her a sinister smile and flipped the end of his antique Zippo that was engraved with the name Caruso. “Welcome to the family.”

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