Everyone leaves, just as I’d ordered, except for Diego.
He leans against the Escalade, muscular arms folded. He looks up at me as the cars drive away, his dark eyes flat. But then again, they always are. Diego has one hell of a poker face. The only reason I know he’s curious is because of the set of his shoulders, the way his eyebrow is raised slightly.
When you’re friends as long as me and Diego, you pick stuff like that up.
“Don’t start,” I mumble, and he raises his hands.
“I didn’t say a word.”
“You didn’t have to.”
He reaches into his back pocket for his cigarettes, lighting one and taking a drag. My hands twitch. I want one badly, but I’d quit years ago.
There are enough ways to die in this business without making more for myself.
I settle for smelling the tobacco. It’s oddly soothing to me, since I’ve been around it my whole life. Reminds me of when Diego and I were kids, sneaking my father’s cigars and his mother’s cigarettes.
“Blow it out the window, you idiot,” I’d groaned, and Diego blew smoke straight in my face.
I came at him and we wrestled around until Father heard us and came looking. Diego had the presence of mind to toss his cigarette out the open window.
I, on the other hand, was struck stock-still and terrified, because Father wasn’t afraid to use his belt. I knew the buckle’s imprint by heart.
Father’s footsteps got louder and louder and I just stood there, frozen.
Diego snatched the cigarette from my fingertips just as Father opened the door.
He looked my father right in the eyes as he took a puff, and Father beat him bloody for it.
Diego never said a word.
“Who is she?” Diego asks quietly, startling me out of my thoughts. He takes another drag.
I’d told them not to question me, but Diego knows he’s earned the right to ask questions. The others haven’t. Besides, some of them are skimming money from Nico’s fighting ring. I know it. I just haven’t punished them yet. That’s supposed to be Nico’s job, but he’s too drunk and high these days to do it.
“I told you. She just showed up pretending to be a model.”
“Gotta say,Caputo. I don’t believe you.”
I groan and run a hand through my hair again before I can stop myself.
“Alright. Fine. She’s a girl I met a while back.”
Diego grins slightly, raising an eyebrow. “Oh? Boss is finally gonna start getting laid?”
I scoff. “I get laid.”
“Not much. But I since there’s more to this story, otherwise you would have just taken her home instead of ordering me to grab her.”
I look at him for a long moment.
“You can’t tell Father. Or Nico,” I warn.
Diego makes a motion of zipping his lips. It was a stupid warning. I know Diego won’t say anything. I know he’s loyal. But I had to make sure. Because if this gets out…I won’t have to worry about whether or not I’m going to kill Sophia. The decision will be made for me.
“She’s a cop,” I say in a low voice and Diego doesn’t react other than a widening of his eyes.
“Fuck,” he responds, and I nod, sighing heavily.
