Page 28 of The Mafia's Captive

“And you’ve practically moved out. You took most of your things.”

“That’s something only you know.”

She leans in. “So, are you, like, living with him?”

He’s holding me hostage. “Yeah.”

“Has he,” she looks around and lowers her voice, “said anything about me.”

“What do you mean?”

“Has anything about… has he mentioned me in any way?”

I doubt Dante barely noticed her. He barely noticed me until he decided I was his worst enemy. “No. Why would he?”

“Nothing. I’m probably overthinking it.”

“Jesse? Something wrong? You know you can tell me if there’s anything going on.”

She plasters a big smile. “Nothing is going on. I was just curious, that’s all.” Her explanation is flat and unconvincing. I can tell she’s hiding something, but it doesn’t seem like she’s going to tell me anything. I want to probe further, warn her not to get involved with the mafia, but I don’t know how to do that without sounding like a hypocrite. I decide to blurt it all out.

“I know about the money.”

Her eyes widen and she plasters a weary smile. “W-What money. I don’t know what you're talking about.”

“Come on Jesse. Where the fuck did you get three hundred grand?” Her gaze dart around the room and down at the camera on the table. She looks guilty as fuck. I lower my voice. “And why did you hide it in my room?”

“You found it.”

“Not me. Dante.”

“Oh. What did he say?”

“Did you steal it?” From here, I mouth.

She sits there frozen. She doesn’t need to say more. The answer is written on her face.

“Why?”

“I need it to—”

“Corina.” We both turn to see Brian walking towards us. Jesse mutters a curse underneath her breath. My sentiments are similar to hers.

“I thought you had flown the coop,” he says as he stands in front of us. He has an odd way of invading your space. Standing too close as he was doing now, or being a little too handsy.

“I didn’t and here I am.”

He chuckles and leans in. I can smell his raw coffee and cigarette breath and it takes a lot for me not to wrinkle my nose. “If I had known you had dick sucking skills that good, I would have asked you out earlier.”

“I didn’t suck anyone to get my job back, you asshole.”

“Really? So, you coming down from the penthouse with the boss is a mass hallucination, then?”

He’s leaning so close to me I’m forced to take a step back to keep some space between us until I feel the table behind me digging into my back.

“Is there any reason you’re here? Or you’re just a big gossip?” Jesse says.

He turns his gaze away from me and towards Jesse. I feel a little relieved not to be under his leering gaze. “You’re changing tables,” he says to her, “Now that she’s here, Corina’s getting her table back. You’re going back to the blue room.”

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