Page 117 of Mafia and Gold Digger

Her expression is stormy, her eyes narrowed. The bear, a wilting rose, and the card are clutched in her hand. “What in God’s name, Saint?”

“What?” I say with a casual shrug of my shoulders.

She holds the ruined gifts and stares at me. “What on earth is wrong with you?”

“Lots of things. But you already knew that.”

She follows me up the staircase to our bedroom. “Why did you throw these in the trash?”

“Why did you accept flowers from your ex?”

“It was a birthday present.”

“From your goddamn ex.”

As soon as she sets the crumpled birthday card on the dresser, I pull out my gun and shoot it to smithereens.Pop! The honey-colored bear is fucking next. Two quickpops, and the stuffing litters the dresser top just like the card.

“Jesus! Can't you just find a human to kill and leave my bear alone? You don't like roses, bears, or being nice to kids at grocery stores. You're crazy, you know that?”

“Why is Ronnie sending you red goddamn roses? I didn’t realize you two were getting so cozy again. Something I should know?”

She blinks at me before her face screws up again. “Excuse me? You’re blaming me because you’re acting like a psycho?”

“Answer the question.”

“You first!” She gets louder when she gets angry. I don’t.

I turn to face her now, my shirt half undone. The sleeves are dotted with blood from an already shitty day turning worse. The muscle in my jaw ticks, and I narrow my eyes. “Why is Ronnie sending you flowers?” I repeat, a dangerous chill to my voice.

“Because it’s my birthday? Because he’s being nice? Because we’re friends?”

“Friends?” I bark out a laugh. “You’re not friends with exes, Emerald.”

“Well, I am.”

“The hell you are.”

“What on earth does that mean? Do you think I’d lie about what’s going on with him? I’m not you, Saint! I don’t lie to people.”

“Watch it, Emerald,” I warn, stepping toward her like a predator on the prowl.

“No, this isn’t okay!”

My nostrils flare as I glare down at her.

“You can’t just throw my stuff in the trash like this. They don’t mean what you clearly think they do. Ronnie and I arefriends. Just because you’re being a grumpy jerk doesn’t mean I should pay the price.”

Something about her words slices into me. The green haze clouding my mind parts just slightly, and I swallow.

“They were just flowers. Jacquetta and Christian got me flowers as well. You going to throw those away too?”

“No,” I huff.

“Then what’s the problem with Ronnie’s?”

“Because they’re from him!” My voice booms around the room, and her eyes widen. “Because they’refrom him, Emerald. A man who literally tossed you aside like trash! Do you know how hard it was to watch you deal with that? And now things are just what? Hunky-dory between you two?”

“What’s this really about, Saint?”

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