Page 29 of Mafia Toy

Even though I didn’t like Bethany, she and Laila seemed like they were good friends. I’d go as far as to saybest friends.Do they not go out and do things together?

“I’m sorry if I offended you,” I whispered, trailing after her. “I didn’t mean it.”

“Sage, it’s fine,” she said, stopping in front of the next art piece.

Whatever it was … it wasn’t fine. She couldn’t even look at me when she spoke, but I didn’t want to mess with her anymore, didn’t want to nag her or have her hate me. This was still so new to me.

Maybe it has to do with Constantino? Last night?

“If there is something wrong, you can talk to me,” I said, lingering a couple of feet away from her while I stared up at the artwork. I hated when people were angry with me. I was a damn people pleaser to the very end. “I don’t want you to be mad at me.”

She snapped her head toward me. “I’m not angry with you.”

I peeked over at her, heart racing, and stayed quiet. She sure seemed like it.

When I turned toward the art, she grabbed my wrist. “Sorry. That wasn’t supposed to come out bitchy. I just … I’m not used to going to see art with friends. I don’t want you to be bored. Bethany doesn’t like going to museums with me. She’s more of a spa and mimosa girl.”

Did that mean Bethanyneverwent with her to museums? Did they only do things Bethany wanted? I mean, I doubted it because Laila seemed like a spa and mimosa girl too. High-maintenance. But … I mean …

“It’s okay,” I said.

She gripped my wrist tighter, her fingers hovering close to mine. But before she grabbed my hand completely, she glanced around at the room at the other visitors and then at our bodyguards standing at the entrance.

The guards watched us, so she released my hand and moved closer to me. She turned back to the painting, but her knuckles brushed against mine at our sides.

Her lips twitched into a small smile. “You being here means more to me than you know.”

17

laila

After the MoMA,Constantino texted me to meet him at Cantu Boutique for high-end designer clothing. Tucked away on a quiet street corner in Manhattan, Cantu Boutique didn’t get much traffic from the wealthy—yet. It was my and Constantino’s gem of a designer clothing shop. We found all my clothes there.

I pulled up to the side of the street, finally weaving out of traffic, and parked. Rain pattered against the windshield. The guards parked the other cars in front and behind us, protecting us on either side.

A moment later, Constantino walked down the sidewalk toward us with a large umbrella in one hand and his other stuffed into his pants pocket. He walked around the car, opened my door first, and helped me out. Then, he did the same for Sage.

Especially because Bethany had already suspected something was going on between Sage and Constantino, I usually didn’t want to be out in public with us all together. But Bethany wouldn’t be out today as rain poured down on the sidewalks. She’d be too afraid of ruining her makeup.

Constantino held a large umbrella over us from the car to the entrance of Cantu. Before we walked into the shop, Constantino closed the umbrella and left it outside with all three of our guards.

“Laila,dear,” Viola—one of the designers—said, hurrying over and kissing me on either cheek.

I inhaled a mouthful of her perfume.

“Beautiful as always!” When she stepped back, she gazed over at Sage and smiled tensely. “And who is this?”

My mouth dried as Sage shifted nervously at my side.

Fuck. What do I say?

Constantino stepped forward. “A family friend. We’d like for you to style her.”

Viola’s eyes widened in excitement. “Of course! Follow me,” Viola said to Sage, marching through the store to the fitting room.

Sage followed behind her, her short legs moving quickly to keep up with Viola. I held back a giggle, knowing that Viola was about to give Sage about fifty pieces of clothing to try on, like she had the first time I met her.

After gazing over her shoulder, Sage widened her eyes, as if to say,Help me.

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