Page 24 of Mafia and Gold Digger

I have a sudden idea.

And without another thought, I slip the button on the pocket open and swipe his wallet. Okay, it seems like a good idea at this very moment, but I’m not exactly known for making the best decisions in life. And I slip it into the pocket of my apron before picking up the ripped red petals and walking back behind the bar.

At that moment, Christian makes an appearance. “Ready?” he says to Saint.

“Yeah,” he replies, downing the rest of his drink. “Thanks,” he murmurs as he walks off toward one of the tables at the back.

“Jeez, Emerald, those flowers look a real mess,” Christian comments as he frowns at the vase of roses before following Saint.

I send a scowl after Saint, and as soon as the coast is clear, my hand slips into my pocket, my fingers wrapping around the expensive, smooth leather of his wallet.

Whipping it out, I flip it open.

And I immediately find what I’m looking for.

His driver’s license.

With his real name.

And when I see it, I huff out a sigh of disbelief.

You’ve got to be kidding me.

CHAPTERFIVE

SAINT

I can feel Emerald’s eyes on me as Christian and I walk over to one of the back tables to talk. And I can’t help thinking about the way she smiled at me for just a moment as she spoke—and the way her smile felt like sunshine.Warm,radiant,soothing.

I shake my head. I don’t need goddamn sunshine in my life. What the hell has gotten into me?

As I walk, I catch sight of Nicki Veneti and pause to give her a hug. Nicki is Christian’s cousin, and his family takes care of her. Nicki’s mom died when she was young, and then her dad and brother were killed by the cartel. Christian’s family saw taking her in as a debt of honor because her dad and brother died protecting his papà.

“Hey, Nicki.” A smile tilts up my lips as I give her a kiss on the cheek.

She beams up at me. “Hey, you!”

“You’re looking well. Long time, no see.”

“I know,” she replies. “I’ve been meaning to get down to Philadelphia to see my grandparents. Hopefully, I’ll get to visit them next month.”

“Everything good with you?”

She nods. “Yeah, all good, thanks. How about you? I can’t remember the last time I saw you in New York. Are you here for long?”

“Not sure.” I’m evasive with my answer. “Depends on how long my work takes to wrap up.” Then I tell her that I’ll take her out for lunch and a catch up while I’m here in New York, and after she waves me bye, I walk on toward the back tables.

As I walk, I type in the website I caught Emerald looking at on her phone. It’s called Chessgenius.com. And I can’t help the smirk that dances on my lips. Just what is Emerald Fiorelli up to?

She thought she hid what she was doing, but I was too quick for her. And it’s cute that she’s so secretive and defensive. Yeah, cute—but her actions only made me more curious.

My thumb taps across my screen as I sign up. Once that tedious business is out of the way, I type in the name I saw her using.Envy Eyes.A smile of satisfaction lights my face as I bookmark the tab. I might be able to find out more about what kind of player she is. It’s something that’s been on my mind since watching her play against the old guy in the park.

But my snooping will have to wait. Unfortunately. I shove my phone back into my pocket as I draw closer to the far booth where Christian has taken a seat. His face is a mask of neutrality while his fingers drum against the polished wooden top of the table. He’d look more intimidating if I didn’t have the distinct pleasure of knowing he was once scared of the dark. After my family died, I spent a lot of time with Christian and his family until I moved to Philly to live with my uncle there. And that bond formed at such a young age has given us the deepest trust with one another.

“Something funny?” he clips.

“Not allowed to smile at my favorite cousin now?” I ask with mock indignation as I slide into the booth opposite him.

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