Page 87 of Doll's Eye

“Well, I promise not to taunt him with you again. I’ll pick on someone else.” I waggle my eyebrows and he laughs.

“Please don’t get anyone’s face bashed in.”

I glance at the other guy standing guard and don’t recognize him, but he must’ve had a good talking to because he won’t even look at me. “I’ll try not to. But you know I can’t promise you anything,” I joke.

We turn and walk side by side. “It’s been close to four years.”

“It has. So, tell me what you’ve been up to.”

“Well, other than the usual, I met someone.”

“Oh? Tell me about her.”

“Her name is Gia and we’ve been dating for about a year now.”

“Gia what?” I ask casually.

“Nuh uh. I’m not giving you her last name so you can case her out.”

Giggling, I stop at the top of the stairs. “Why not? I’m bored and I have a feeling I’ll be under house arrest for the unforeseeable future.” Until I can escape.

“You really think Massimo will give you access to the internet?”

I deflate. “True.” We descend the steps. “Well, tell me about her then. Entertain me.”

He tells me all about his girl next door Gia and how they met the old-fashioned way at the supermarket, and he thinks she’s the one. She’s clueless to what he does for a living and I’m sure it will be a major issue when she finds out. To the sound of it, a girl like her will never accept his lifestyle. A girl like her wants an ordinary man with a desk job or one who does something noble like construction. She’ll eventually want a church wedding and a house in the suburbs with a white picket fence and several kids and a dog.

Even as a young girl, I never dreamt of a life like that. I always saw myself marrying someone in power and staying in the mafia, though, in that dream, I had power, too. Right now, I feel powerless. Nothing is like it was before with Massimo. He put me on a pedestal, only to pull the rug from underneath it.

Monte walks with me to Massimo’s office, and I enter without knocking. “Hello,caro.” I saunter in and notice Ezzo sitting in front of his desk.

Massimo doesn’t respond right away as Ezzo stands up with a cheeky smirk to greet me. “So, good to see you, Alessia.” He kisses both of my cheeks. “How are you feeling?” He glances down at my cast.

“Feeling good. How’ve you been?”

“Good.” His smirk turns into a smile and goes to take his seat again.

Before addressing Massimo, I believe I owe someone an apology—a plethora of apologies, really. Turning around, I face Vinny, who is posted near the door. “Vinny, how are you?”

He remains stolid like a good little wooden soldier. “I’m alright.”

“And your foot?” I chew on my bottom lip biting back a smile.

The corner of his mouth twitches. “It healed.”

“I’m happy to hear.”

He nods his head once, silently accepting my half-assed apology because that’s as good as he’ll get out of me.

Still holding back my smile, I nod my head then spin back around to find Massimo watching me. “Have you eaten yet?”

“Don’t act like you’re not keeping tabs on me.” I can’t help my sharp tongue. The thought of being under twenty-four-hour watch is utterly affronting.

Narrowing his eyes at me, he visibly takes a breath. “Sarita requested to see you.”

“Is she here?”

“Somewhere.”

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