“I know, you’re a young female business owner who is working her way through the mob,” he says, and I can hear the smile in his voice.
“I’ll send you a picture of my toes,” I tell him and wiggle them inside of my sneakers.
What should I charge for a picture of my toes? Do people charge more if they’re painted? The polish on mine might be a little chipped, so that would probably take the price down.
“How much?” I swear it sounds like he’s holding back his laughter.
“Umm,” I stall, trying to come up with something to say back. Why does he have to put me on the spot like this? “I’ll let you know,” I blurt out and then immediately hang up.
I should ask Reddit. They always have the best advice.
* * *
Chapter 6
Mattia
I wish I could see Leo’s face right now. I bet it’s adorably scrunched up as she thinks about exactly how much to ask for. And her cheeks are probably bright pink from embarrassment.
Last night after I popped the lock on the hatch, we ate our pizza on the roof and talked for hours. I didn’t want it to end, and without realizing it, I was asking more and more questions so it didn’t have to. I could tell she didn’t want to let me go as her hostage, but I made the offer, and no matter how much I wanted to stay in our bubble, I couldn’t.
There are responsibilities that go along with what I do, and as ridiculous as Leo was about me being in the mafia, she wasn’t wrong. I had early morning meetings with several of the bosses, and I couldn’t get back to her. Sending one of my guys to her apartment with a phone seemed like a logical solution, but then I got to thinking about how easy it would have been for someone to spot me leaving her place this morning.
We might not have fucked, at least not yet, but any of my enemies could have seen me there for a few hours and assumed that’s what I was doing. Being with Leo puts a spotlight on her. One that I’ve worked my whole life to keep off of me. Having a relationship makes someone in my line of work vulnerable, and that’s not a headache I’ve ever wanted to deal with.
Even now, I know I should stop talking to Leo, but I can’t seem to. I’m telling myself this is it; I could disappear from her life right this second and she’d never have to know the reasons why. And yet I had my men stationed at her laundromat all day to keep an eye on her. Not only are my guys going to know something is up, but anyone could find out.
Meanwhile I’m stuck in the back room of a strip club while the men around me argue about the dumbest shit. I don’t want to be here, and this could have literally been an email. Yesterday felt like an alternate universe where I wasn’t a boss, or even a bad guy. I was just Mattia. Being with Leo made me feel like another world opened up and I got to escape to it. If only every day could be like that.
“There’s a delay in supplies at the docks,” someone says, but I’m busy typing out a text to Leo.
Me: I’ll give you $5 for a pinky toe.
Leo: $5!? I feel insulted.
Leo: Reddit says $500.
Me: For a pinky toe? Hmmm… That seems like a lot, but if you think that’s the going rate then I guess I should pay it.
Leo: It’s practically a bargain according to everyone on there.
I’d give her anything she asked for, but I like winding her up.
Me: What about we start with $100?
Leo: Deal.
The bubbles pop up like she’s typing, but then they go away. Is she taking the picture now?
“Mattia,” someone snaps, and I look up from my phone. “I said, can you talk to your cousin? Doesn’t he have connections at the loading docks?”
The guy asking the question is Dario. He’s an up-and-coming boss after his father died last year. He’s taken over his family’s side of town, but he’s got new ways of running things that I don’t entirely agree with. He’s the reason I had to pistol whip the guy in the laundromat yesterday. Dario is in charge of collecting debts, and that little fucker Tommy owes me too much to still be walking on unbroken legs.
“I think maybe if you addressed what our suppliers were owed then there wouldn’t be a problem with getting deliveries on time,” I tell him, and there are a few murmurs of agreement around the table.
My phone vibrates in my hand. I look down to see a picture of Leo’s tiny pinky toe, and my cock gets hard. Fuck, this is not the place, but goddamn is her toe cute. She’s got bright blue toenail polish that’s chipped, yet it’s somehow still so goddamn adorable. I stare at it for far too long and then quickly send her the money. Then I decide to tack on a hundred-dollar tip and ask for a picture of the other nine toes.
“What are you trying to say?” Dario’s voice carries across the chatter, and I look up at him. “Or is your phone more important?”
