Page 82 of My Mafia King

I’m nervous for a million reasons.

Some have to do with hearing my sister’s voice and possibly running into Damaso tonight, while others have to do with an uncertain future.

Things happen fast, changing from one moment to another, making my head spin.

I glance at the clock on the nightstand before snatching up my phone and dialing my best friend’s phone number.

Moments later, her phone rings, and she answers right away.

“She’s here,” Jen says, and they talk in the background before Jen tells my sister to join her outside.

Seconds later, I have Tina at the other end of the line.

“Hello…”

“Hi, Tin-Tin. How are you?” I ask, so happy to hear her voice.

“I’m good,” she says quietly, a smile lining her voice.

“How are things with Edith?”

“Things are fine. How are you?”

“I’m good. I got the job. And I’m working tonight.”

“Yay. I’m happy for you.”

“I’m happy too. Can you stay there a little longer?”

“Uh-huh. Edith said yes.”

“Have you heard from Stella?”

“No.”

“That’s good. Hopefully, she keeps him busy, so he leaves you alone when he returns.”

“I’m not so sure about that,” she says, worried, making more sense than I do.

Of course, he’ll notice that we’re gone.

The only circumstance in which, maybe, he wouldn’t notice we were gone would be if he had a new stash of drugs or didn’t need me.

He doesn’t need my sister, for sure. He’ll look for me before asking about her.

It’s hard to believe he’s still working, considering his crazy life. He’s always motivated to get cash so he can blow it on alcohol, drugs, and his girlfriends.

Regardless, he’ll know I’m not home.

And that’s what I fear the most.

“Listen. We’ll get out of this. All right? If things get dire, I’ll have someone pick you up. Or have Jen bring you here.”

“Can you do that?”

Oh, the excitement in her voice is killing me.

“I might be able to do that, but then you’ll need to go to a different school.”

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