Chapter 84

I’m dressed very poshly today as Frankie and I walk into Lupa, perfectly on time for my lunch shift. Nico insisted I look good – not at all try to hide myself away in any clothes that made me look shy or innocent. No, he insisted I dress like I always do – or sexier, if I’m being honest.

I didn’t think it was a bad plan this morning, but I gulp as I walk in now, wishing I had a mile or two of fabric to hide under.

“Confidence,” Frankie murmurs under his breath, giving me a cool smile. I smile back, grateful for him as we move through the staff room and towards the bar. I’m jealous too – because how on earth does he manage to be so cool and collected under all of this pressure?

We got word, this morning, that the police had found and identified Edwards body – that his family had been informed. And as predicted, there’s a great deal of upset in the mafia community – everyone speculating about whether this was a hit or, as the police are maintaining, an incident of road-rage gone wrong.

So far, no one has said Christian’s name in connection to Edward’s death. However, mine has come up, quite a few times.

And as we predicted, today is not going to be easy.

The moment we walk in, Andre locks eyes with Frankie, and then with me, and storms over to us. “What the fuck happened?” he hisses, his voice no louder than a whisper for how angry it is. But Andre’s attempts at keeping a low profile don’t exactly work – every eye in the place turns towards us, because this is big news in the mafia world, and here I am, at the center of it.

My throat closes up and I go still, staring at Andre, suddenly forgetting everything Nico told me to say – everything I was coached through this morning. Andre’s just glaring at me so hard – like he hates me –

And this isn’t even going to be the hardest conversation I have to have today! God, can I do this?

Frankie, seeing my reaction, sighs and steps forward, putting a hand out towards Andre. “Easy,” he murmurs, shaking his head. “Bambi had a bad night too last night, Andre. She didn’t do anything wrong.”

Andre smacks Frankie’s hand away, keeping his eyes on me. “What. Happened.”

I sigh, but bolstered by Frankie’s support, I hold Andre’s gaze. “I wasn’t there, Andre,” I say, my voice timid but solid. “I bailed early on the date – he got handsy, and we got in a fight, and I got out of the car in the middle of the city. He screamed at me and peeled out, leaving me alone in the rain. That’s all I know.”

Andre lets out a long, slow breath, staring at me. And then he flicks his eyes back to Frankie, his little brother, and slowly begins to shake his head. I have no idea if he believes me, if he bought my story. He’s too much of a lockbox to tell.

“That’s it?” he asks Frankie, raising an eyebrow.

“That’s it,” Frankie says, crossing his arms and staring hard at his brother, his jaw set. Something passes between them then – something I don’t quite understand. But the two just stare at each other, tense, for a long moment before Andre gives a sharp nod.

“Fine,” Andre says, snapping his eyes back to me. “Get to work, Bambi. We’re done talking about this.” And then he strides away, waving over his shoulder for me, beckoning me to come along. Frankie gives me a warm pat on the back before he heads over to his spot at the corner of the bar, his movements loose and easy, as they always are.

And I sigh, and duck behind the bar, following Andre and getting to work on my usual tasks. For a moment I wonder why Andre didn’t ask more questions, didn’t push for details. But then, as I begin to polish glasses and put them in their places, I remember what Frankie said – that Andre’s in a tough spot, between his little brother and his boss.

Probably, Andre doesn’t want to know. Doesn’t want information that will make him choose a side.

I glance over at Frankie, who is on his phone as usual.

And then I put my head down, working hard to be completely normal, to lose myself in my work. I think I fail, a little bit, but…well, maybe that’s natural for a girl who found out this morning that the guy she was on a date with last night is dead? I don’t know.

The bar is busy and tense today, everyone – workers and guests alike – keeping an eye on the door, knowing that the mafia world exploded last night and that shit is going to go down. None of the guests – I can tell – are tourists. Just insiders today, which I suppose makes sense. Until this is all sorted out, the five mafia families that control our city are very likely to keep everything on lockdown.

Lupa goes quiet later in the afternoon, right before lunch shift ends, and I don’t have to guess at all what the cause is. Not an ounce of me is surprised when I look up from the limes I’m slicing and see Don Romano striding into the bar, Christian at his side. I go still in my spot when I see that his eyes are fixed on me.

“You,” he growls, pointing a thick finger directly at my face. “Office. Now.”

I grit my teeth in anxiety but put down my knife, quickly wiping my hands on a towel and looking at Andre. But he just rolls his eyes and gestures to the door to the staff area where Romano and Christian have disappeared, indicating that obviously I need to go. So I scurry after them, knowing it will only be worse if I dawdle.

The door to Romano’s secret, tiny office is open and I take a deep breath as I slip inside, pressing the door shut after me. “Sir?” I say, quiet, taking in Romano behind his desk, Christian standing behind him, his shoulders against the wall. I fix my eyes on Christian’s just for a moment, and he gives me a subtle nod, letting me know that the plans haven’t changed.

“My son filled me in,” Romano snaps, glaring at me, and I anxiously tuck my hands behind my back, “on your story that you got out of the Marino boy’s car before he was killed.”

I do my best to hold his gaze, but my eyes fall a little as I start to tremble. Romano – god, he’s just so scary. “Yes, sir,” I say, soft.

“And what the fuck were you doing,” Romano growls, his words almost vibrating through the room, “getting out of the car?”

“What?” I whisper, shocked into words. I lift my head a little, frowning, confused. Of all the questions that Nico and Christian asked me this morning, this was not one of them.

“Why the fuck did you get out of the car!?” He’s yelling now, which always undoes me. I fall back a step.

“I – he frightened me, sir!” I say, stumbling over my response. “I…I was scared! He was really drunk, and had been doing drugs, and I – I didn’t want to –“

“You didn’t want to!?” Romano shouts, leaning forward, his voice a little mocking now. “Do you think I give a fuck,” he slams his fist on the desk now, making me jump, “what you want?”

I just shake my head, my mouth hanging open a little and tears starting in my eyes. Behind my back, my fingers wind together so tightly that they hurt.

“What were you told to give him, Bambi?” Romano asks, leaning forward to glare into my eyes, his voice laced with danger.

“Whatever he wanted,” I whisper, instant.

“And did I say whatever he wanted, as long as you were comfortable with it? Whatever he wanted, as long as you weren’t scared?”

I flush, horrified, realizing the hole in our story. That Nico was right – the Bambi we’re creating is acting like Christian’s pet, not one of Romano’s girls that’s his to treat however he wants. And while Don Marino might buy it…

Romano’s not happy about it.

“Answer me!” Romano shouts, pounding his fist again, and I realize that I’ve just been staring at him, terrified, agape. I jump again, tears starting to spill down my cheeks.

“I’m sorry!” I sputter out, instantly, shaken. “I – I wasn’t thinking – I’m so sorry – you’re right –“

Romano rolls his eyes, disgusted with what he assumes are my feminine hysterics, and waves a hand to silence me. I snap my mouth shut, my lips trembling a little as I wait to hear my fate. But, unfortunately, it’s not that simple.