Page 99 of My Mafia King

“You both know what I want. It’s just that I can’t do it now.”

They both nod their heads.

I continue.

“They’ll be in town for a while. And if they go, they’ll come back. Maybe. They’ll lose more money. They don’t care. He’ll get a loan from me again and put it all on the gambling table. He’ll win and give it back to me with interest. But he is not in town for nothing. Everything he did this evening hinted at that. And he’s not here to discuss territories. He’s here to destroy or take over some territories. But… That won’t stop me from making money off him before we’re done.”

“Okay,” Vito says.

“Anything else?” I ask, sliding my legs off and my elbows onto my desk.

“You said you didn’t want to talk about her,” Vito says.

“What about her?”

“Her car is in the shop, getting fixed.”

“She won’t need it. Put it into one of our garages when it’s done.”

He nods, and then we talk about something else.

Minutes later, I’m alone in the room.

I put my jacket on, empty my drink, and leave my office, heading to the casino.

* * *

CARMINA

I stareat the view outside while the man and the woman set the guest room for me behind me.

“Do you want me to leave the lights on?” the woman asks, and I glance at her over my shoulder.

“No. Turn them off, please.”

She does that, and they both exit the room.

And then I hear them talking in the living room before their voices trail away, and soon after, there’s only silence.

The sole light in my room comes from outside, and it’s not much.

I shift my focus back to the city.

You know those times when people are convinced that everything is fixable.

And things always turn out great in the end.

Well, color me incredulous.

The only reason I don’t put my fists into the wall or scream out my frustration is that I’m numb.

How could I move away from an uncertain life only to become a fugitive and then a kingpin’s captive?

And when I think about it… The man just saved my life.

My emotions are so screwed, I laugh at first at how ridiculous this sounds, and then cry because of how broken I feel over this.

I don’t see how I can turn this around.

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