Page 69 of Riding the Edge

“What about you?” I ask.

“Frankie’s holding out for the right girl,” Enzo supplies, rolling his eyes. “Until then, it’s him and his hand.”

“Shut the fuck up,” Frankie growls.

“There ain’t nothin’ wrong with that,” I say.

At his age, I was already doing time in juvie and had an impressive number of notches under my belt. If someone offered me a million dollars, I wouldn’t be able to name any of them. Hell, I wouldn’t be able to tell you if they were blonde or brunette. So, what he didn’t start young, it doesn’t make it wrong. If anything, maybe he’ll break the cycle and be the first Scotto lucky in love.

God, I sound like a fucking pussy.

Throwing an arm around his shoulders, I force Frankie’s attention away from his brother.

“I’ve got a girlfriend,” he admits. “Her name is Carina, and she’s a sophomore. She isn’t ready to have sex and I’m okay with waiting because unlike this idiot,” he says, jutting a finger to his brother. “I know a good girl is hard to find.”

“They’re hard to keep too,” I tell him, drawing out a sigh.

“That’s why I don’t keep anyone. Who the fuck needs that kind of headache?” Enzo says. “No fucking thank you.”

Looks like we’re making a pit stop after this. Fuck the happy meals, everyone’s getting condoms.

Frankie starts schooling Enzo on the importance of monogamy and I spot Lenny stepping away from the crowd. Watching him closely, I excuse myself from my feuding sons and follow the scumbag into the bathroom. Expecting to find him with his junk in his hand, I’m surprised to see him leaning against the sink with his arms crossed against his chest.

“I figured you were here for me,” Lenny says, cocking his head to the side. “Is this easy enough for you?”

Narrowing my eyes, I step closer.

“Excuse me?”

“Come on,” he urges. “I won’t even hit back.”

“I’m not lookin’ to hit you,” I tell him. As appealing as the thought is, smacking this putz around won’t get Maria her money back. “What’s the deal with you and Maria?” I ask instead.

“We’re friends,” he says simply. “Look, we used to see each other a while back but like everything in my life, I fucked that up. If you’re going to ask me to stay away from her, that won’t happen. She’s a good person and I don’t got too many of those in my life.”

How can I argue with him when everything he’s saying I can relate to? I didn’t like his answer, but he deserved respect for keeping it real.

“You owe her money,” I state.

“That’s between me and her,” he replies.

“Not anymore it’s not,” I say with a shake of my head.

“I don’t know what she’s told you or what you think that money was for but, Maria knows I don’t have the money to pay her back right now. As soon as I do, I will make sure she’s paid in full.”

“Fair enough,” I say.

“Is this why she called out tonight? So, you can shake me down in the bathroom like her son did earlier?”

“Maria called out sick?” I question, ignoring the bit about Anthony.

“Conveniently,” he mutters. “Then, just before the start of what would’ve been her shift, her son shows up, throwing around his weight and making threats,” he says with a shake of his head. “Now, here you are… the new guy.”

He continues to ramble on as I reach into my pocket and pull out my phone. Bringing up Maria’s number, I hit send and look at Lenny.

“You speak to her today?” I question, cutting him off in the middle of his tirade.

“Oh, what are you going to tell me I can’t talk to her too?”

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