Page 39 of Texting My Mafia Boss

Ileave Sylvie with Livia, since it’s Sunday morning and there’s no school, and drive home to grab more of my things. These trips are making me feel as if I should just load all my stuff into my car and be done with it. But this house is mine, even if my aunt kept it a secret until it was too late. Even if she wanted nothing to do with me when she was alive.

I expected to see Ettore this morning, but Livia told me he had business in the city. Now that I know who he really is – a mob boss who tries to do the right thing – this makes a little more sense. He’s trying to inject a little heaven into the hell out there. That’s if I choose to believe him.

I’ve built a prison around what happened in the middle of the night. The texts—the way they spiraled until I couldn’t stop myself from sliding my hand down my body. The release was beautiful, a whole body shaking that made me feel like he was in the room with me for a few moments.

Trembling all over, I rubbed myself, staring at his words, filthy and intimate and boiling hot. I wanted him to argue when I saidwe shouldn’t do it again. But he’s being mature. That’s agood thing. I need to believe that.

A sigh escapes me when I see the trash piling up outside my neighbor’s house. Gideon Rusk is a grumpy old drunk, but I’d help him if he’d let me. I head into the house, finding some fresh clothes and toiletries. I pack my makeup and hair straighteners too.

When I hear a clattering from the backyard, I know it’s Gideon. I look out the rear window to find him poking at the fence with a broken bottle.

I hurry downstairs and walk into the yard. “Morning, Gideon,” I say, in the most welcoming voice I can muster.

“Didn’t hear agood,” the old man grunts.

Maybe that’s because he’s out-of-his-head drunk and clearly determined to make living here a nightmare for me. “Are you still upset about the fence situation?”

“Thefence,” he snaps, staring at me with watery eyes. “You don’t know what you’re talking about.”

Maybe it’s time to swallow my pride. A mean thought hits me… I could have my protective mob boss come here and teach him some manners. But I’d never do that. Just think it for a few guilty moments.

“I was paid recently,” I say. “Let me take care of this fence.”

He looks even more annoyed at that, like this wasn’t about the fence at all, like he just wanted to fight. “Oh, you will, will you? With what money?”

“I’m a full-time nanny for one of the richest and most powerful men in the city,” I say with some pride. “This fence won’t be a problem, okay? Happy?”

“Rich and powerful.” He groans, turning his face up to the sky. “Oh, it’s always the way with you Keenes, isn’t it? The richer, the better. The more powerful, the more eager you are to jump into their maws.”

I shake my head. “I’m sorry?”

“You don’t need to be sorry. You’re not the magician.”

“You’re drunk, Gideon. I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

He leans against the broken fence, then flinches away when it threatens to fall. “They can make you go likethat.” He snaps his fingers. “Never forget that. The wrong word, the wrong deed, and…” He snaps his fingers three more times. “It’s not a big thing for them. I told your parents, the poor misers, I did. I said they should stick to themselves. But they wouldn’t listen.”

“What are you talking about?” I hiss, approaching the fence. “Talk clearly.”

“You and your rich friends,” he says in disgust. “If only they knew…”

He turns and stumbles toward his house.

“Gideon!” I snap. “Come back here and explain. What happened to my parents?”

He stops, turns, pretends to be drunker than he is. I can see the cogs moving in his head. “What about your parents?”

“Don’t gaslight me,” I snap. “You just hinted that somebody rich and powerful hurt them.”

“I didn’t say that,” he says, then turns away again.

I rush into the house, furious.

He definitelydidsay it. I try to chalk it up to drunken ranting, but I can’t.

“Look,” Sylvie says later, presenting me with a small parcel made of colored-in paper.

I look up, realizing I’ve just been sitting here, staring into space, while she colors in the corner. Employee of the month award incoming… I need to get it together.