Page 59 of Mafia King

They each shake their head and I curse.

“I need to call and check in. I can’t worry him like that after everything he has done for me.”

“Maybe ask our guard dog?” Izzy says flippantly as she flicks through channels on the tv.

I roll my eyes and go to the door. As soon as I open it the guard turns to look at me.

“Hey Luca. I didn’t know you were here.”

“It seems I ended up with the job of protecting you after all, Sofia. What can I do for you?”

His slightly flirty tone throws me off, but I decide to ignore it.

“I need a phone.”

He shakes his head.

“No can do. Boss man said no outside contact until he is sure everything is contained.”

I sigh. Of course he did.

“Can I talk to him then?”

“I will send a message and let you know.”

I growl in frustration. I close the door and go sit back on the bed.

“That went about as well as I thought it would.” Izzy quips.

“What is your problem, Iz? Are you mad at me? Do you hate me after all? I can’t take all this shade you are throwing my way.”

I huff out. It wasn’t fair to her. I am just angry, not necessarily at her. Her eyes soften a bit as she reaches out and grabs my hand.

“I’m not mad at you and I don’t hate you. I meant what I said downstairs. I am here for you until the end. You can’t get rid of me. “

“Then what is it?” Mia sets her book down.

Izzy sighs. “You guys know I grew up here. Let’s just say this isn’t the first time I have been mixed up with the mafia. I once really cared about a guy that was just a lower level goon back then, but damn it did the excitement of it all thrill me. I get the appeal for you guys because I was there. Turns out, these men aren’t all they are cracked up to be. This one broke my heart and left me cold. I have successfully avoided him since, until you brought him back into my life.”

She gives me a pointed look.

“Giovanni.” I whisper and she nods. “I am so sorry, Iz. I had no clue. You don’t have to worry about me though. I am not going to fall for Bash. I know the score.”

“I know you do, Sof. I thought the same thing. I just want you to be careful. This world is a dark and rough one. Only the strongest survive. If anyone can walk away relatively unscathed it’s you.” She turns to Mia. “It’s you that I really worry about. Lorenzo is a dangerous man. I remember him even back then. Some of the stories? They would chill you to the bone.”

Mia turns bright red.

“I am not a child, Isabella! I am a grown woman and I know what I am doing. It seems we all kept secrets from each other. Obviously, this isn’t my first stroll down the dark road either. Lorenzo is just a friend I like to flirt with, nothing more. I would appreciate it if you would respect my privacy and be a good friend and just trust me for once. I know you think you have to protect me because I am younger than you and seem innocent, but there is a side to me you haven’t seen and I hope you never have to.”

The hardness behind her eyes is eerie. There is a lot of pain behind that façade she has done so well of keeping up, even for us.

“We need to all cool down. This is getting a little heated.”

I try to redirect. I am shocked. When I came into the picture Mia and Izzy had already been friends for a couple of years and lived together for one of them.

Mia picks up her book and sits in the window seat. Izzy turns back to the tv in a huff and starts flipping through channels for the umpteenth time.

I sigh. I don’t know how to fix this fracture in their friendship. I can see where Izzy is coming from now knowing a little of her past, but Mia is right too. There is more to her than we know and we don’t have a right to dictate how she lives her life.

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