Page 171 of My Mafia Queen

What I thought would be a significant milestone in our lives proved to be nothing in the end.

The right amount of money removed our father from our lives. And all the pain he had inflicted on us had finally come to an end. All the pain and tears and the abuse.

He can no longer threaten us, and we can finally sleep without jerking upright in the middle of the night at the sound of a slammed door and a slurred voice.

All that hell he had put us through is now gone.

Gone for good.

And you know what?

It’s worth every dollar Damaso has spent to make him go away.

Without much fuss, I signal to Tina.

She can’t look at my father, or perhaps she doesn’t want to.

I don’t blame her.

She pushes to her feet while Vito collects her bag, and unceremoniously, we all leave my childhood place as if walking out of a train station where we’ve spent too much time waiting for the next train.

Two SUVs await us in front of the house, and the neighbors peek at us from across the street.

The entire neighborhood is patrolled by Damaso’s men, and there’s a reason for that.

We’re at war.

A lot of things have happened since last week. Things he hasn’t talked to me about just yet. All I know is that we’re protected around the clock, and Damaso’s crew has doubled.

* * *

CARMINA

LAS VEGAS

Despite being in a hotel,Tina’s space looks like a teenage girl's room. Pink pillows. Fuzzy throws. Art on the wall. Flowers. Tablets. And music.

Her pajama set is cute––a short tank top and long pants with a gray and brown puppy print.

We’re still talking about the dog and the cat since we’re not sure where we’ll be living next. But she knows I’m good for my promise.

It’s not that she can’t have a dog or a cat or both here.

It’s just that she agrees a hotel is maybe not the best place for a puppy.

For now, she spends her days learning––she’s homeschooled––reading, swimming, playing tennis, and working out with me.

She’s never had such a great time in her life.

Jen will come here tomorrow, and my sister can’t wait to see her.

I can’t wait to see her either.

“Okay. I’ll let you go to sleep.”

“I can’t sleep,” she says, sitting cross-legged on the bed and munching on an apple.”I’m reading.”

“Okay. Reading,” I say, smiling.

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