Lucia waved. “Say hi to your whores for me, G.G.”
“Lucia!” Bianca yelled.
Lucia looked around again, like she was searching for someone. “Nonna?! Nonna, whereareyou?!”
As the women traded quips back and forth, Adriano took me to the front of the store and held out three thick wads of cash wrapped in rubber bands.
From past experience, I knew that each bundle had 5000 euros in 100-euro bills.
“I’m probably not even gonna needoneof them,” I said, “much lessthree.”
“Better to have it and not need it than need it and not have it,” Adriano said as he handed me the money.
I stashed it inside my jacket. “Hope springs eternal, I guess.”
“For my brother, anyway.” He meant Don Rosolini. “Go cover Isolotto today.”
“Okay.”
“And see you at six-thirty.”
“You got it, boss.” I looked past him and called out,“Ciao,Signoras!”
“Ciao,Giorgio!” Bianca replied.
“Don’t fuck any whores!” Lucia yelled. “Not unless they’re really good-looking! But wrap your jimmy! We don’t want any little Gorgeous Georges running around! Not unless you put a ring on it!”
I shook my head as I exited the shop…
And decided to make a quick detour for an espresso.
4
Emilia
Iwas working at the counter when averyhandsome guy walked in.
Six foot two…
Broad shoulders…
Dark, wavy hair…
Strong jaw with just a hint of stubble…
And soft brown eyes that reminded me of a puppy dog.
He looked to be a few years older than me – maybe 26 or 27.
I would have immediately fallen in lust with him if it hadn’t been for one thing:
The uniform.
It was a suit – a verynicesuit. And by the look of the material, quite expensive.
It was black and perfectly tailored to show off his muscular chest and big arms.
A black silk tie was knotted at the collar of his white dress shirt.
