Ducking my head as I climbed into the back of Antonio’s car, I settled into the seat. Dragging my palms down my thighs and shifting on the leather to get comfortable, I knew what I was feeling wasn’t nerves but pent-up energy, spreading uncontrollably under my skin.
“How’s Lily?”
Her name snapped my gaze to Antonio, finding him causally lighting a cigar.
My jaw involuntarily seized, and I looked forward as his two bodyguards climbed into the front seats. They started the car and drove out of the garage.
A traveling conversation without any chance of escape. Great.
“She’s fine,” I managed, pressing my boots into the carpeted floor of the car to keep my knee from bouncing. Remembering how I had to fight every urge in my body not to step in when Antonio gripped her shoulder. I watched as she flinched in pain but knew if I acted on impulse — possibly punched him in the face — I would’ve gotten us killed.
“Good... That’s good.”
I kept my face neutral as I watched him from the corner of my eye.
Where was he going with this?
He drew back on the cigar. “I suppose you two are quite close?”
“I guess so.”
“And you trust her?”
I couldn’t help that my eyes flared at this. “With my life.”
He smiled a little. “Relax, Dean. I’m just making sure she’ll be able to handle working in those conditions in the basement regularly. You seem to know her better than me, after all.”
I nodded, pulling my eyes to the windshield again so he didn’t see how much I hated the idea of her working so close to him.
“But Lily isn’t what I asked you to join me for,” he continued. “I have a proposition for you.”
A weird calmness suddenly settled over me. “Okay?”
“Your handling of situations like tonight, and on any other job you’ve done for me, hasn’t gone unnoticed. You have the potential to do well in this business.” The look on his face belonged to a proud father, and I frowned before he continued. “How would you feel about joining my ranks?”
No more fighting but more death threats, deals, and money. A lot of money.
I blinked but schooled my features. “I, uh... With all due respect, boss, I’m happy with what I’m doing now.”
Not really.
He watched me for a moment, his face unreadable before he nodded slowly. “Very well... Just know the offer still stands if you ever change your mind. There are always positions opening.”
Like the position of the man he was killing tonight.
“Plus, you’ve already paid off more than double your debt to me,” he added with a knowing look in his eye.
My jaw clenched at the memory from three years ago. “I know...”
Antonio let out a sigh and changed the subject as if we were just talking about the weather.
“My wife is heading into Bay Ridge tomorrow. She’s putting down a deposit on her birthday present and I want you to drive her.” His fingers curled around the end of his cane as his attention was drawn to the window beside me. “After what happened tonight, I need to know she’s in safe hands heading out alone.”
That I could understand. “Yes, boss.”
After slowly closing the front door and flicking the lock, I moved down the hallway in silence to not wake my mother and the puppy. It was well past midnight by the time Antonio dropped me off in front of the house, and I really didn’t need her waking up and fussing over the state of my arms. Or pointing out for the umpteenth time that my boss was an asshole.
I quietly slipped into the bathroom and began the tedious task of washing the cuts on my arms. Removing the tiny splinters still embedded in my skin with a pair of tweezers. When I was done, brushing my hands over my arms in case I missed any slithers of wood, I headed to bed and changed into a pair of gray sweatpants before laying down on the covers.
