Page 4 of Mafia and Gold Digger

The back door is open, giving me a view of the rundown interior. The planter box I need is just in reach.

Hurrying forward, I shove the bag into the box, snatch the envelope of cash taped to the top, run back out through the door, and hop the fence back into the alleyway.

Done!Thank God that it’s done.

I pull my hoodie from my body, tying it around my waist. The moment I hit the main street again, the vise on my chest slightly lessens. My body sags as I make my way in the opposite direction from where I came. I just need to put distance between me and that mess back there.

Fishing my phone from my pocket, I send a thumbs up to Ronnie. His response is another thumbs up and an offer to meet back at his office. And just like that, the terror of facing the night on the streets vanishes.

For another month, at least.

The stress of the last few days is catching up with me.

I know I’m doing things that are wrong. Very wrong.

My life’s a mess.

But I don’t know how to make everything okay again.

* * *

The next day, I’m behind the bar at Casino Venice and about to start my shift. I finished high school a few weeks ago, and now, I try to pick up as many shifts here as I can. My whole life seems surreal to me. Up until last month, I was still juggling school and homework as well as working at the casino. Yeah, it’s definitely surreal.

I’m glad to leave school behind. If only shaking off the past years could be that easy…

Addison, another bartender, sighs as she polishes a glass, a deep frown marring her features.

“Is everything okay, Addison?”

She gives me a quick smile. “Yeah.”

“Aaron issues?” Aaron is her loser ex-husband.

“Is it that obvious?” she says with a grimace. “He was supposed to have the kids this weekend, but he says he can’t now because his latest girlfriend apparently can’t stand children. I’m supposed to be working on Saturday, and I’ve asked around, but no one can swap with me.”

“Doesn’t Janice owe you as you swapped a lot with her recently?”

“Yeah, she definitely owes me.” She pulls a face. “But she said she has a mani-pedi plannedwhichshe can’t possibly cancel, and then she’s busy the rest of Saturday getting her cat Botox or some shit like that.”

Christ, Janice really is awful. She takes advantage of Addison’s kind nature, but she always wheedles out of returning all the favors. And I desperately hope that she isn’t really subjecting her cat to Botox. I mean, what the heck? “I can swap with you,” I tell Addison.

“I can’t let you do that,” she says quickly. “You already swapped with me this week, and you haven’t had a Saturday off in ages.”

“It’s no problem. I’ve nothing planned anyway.” I cross my fingers behind my back. I have a date on Saturday, and my heart dips a little because I was really looking forward to it, but Addison is a single mom, and her own mother can’t help her out right now as she’s recovering from a heart attack.

She hesitates. “Are you sure?”

“Of course,” I say, squeezing her hand.

It’s busy here, and I start to check through more glasses as Addison goes to collect fresh liquor bottles from the storeroom. She’s back a minute later, carrying a tray of new bottles, and she calls over to me as she approaches. “Emerald, there’s a call for you. It’s your mom. She needs to speak to you.”

All eyes swivel toward me, and my heart sinks in my hollow chest as I hear her words.

“Does your mom need help to give a double blowjob to her latest john?” Ria Gioberti sneers in her annoyingly nasal voice.

Addison shoots me a sympathetic look as snickers sound all around me.

Ria is the leader of the mean girls’ clique who hang around the casino, trying to snare a rich mafia husband while passing the time by making my life hell. She made sure to insult me almost the entire time we were at school together, and it appears she’s determined to carry on doing the same thing now.

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