Total pages in book: 60
Estimated words: 57707 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 289(@200wpm)___ 231(@250wpm)___ 192(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 57707 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 289(@200wpm)___ 231(@250wpm)___ 192(@300wpm)
I trail off, not wanting to finish that sentence. I don’t want to call her just anything, but that seems to prove Tank’s unspoken point.
“Let’s do another round,” I growl, hopping to my feet and rolling my shoulders.
“You sure?”
“Fighting’s easier than talking.”
Tank laughs savagely. That’s the thing with us. Whatever happens, however many people we lose, no matter how much blood we shed, we can always find a way to laugh.
CHAPTER TEN
MAYA
“Are you sure you don’t mind?” I ask Lacey.
Mom’s nurse waves a hand at me. “You look too pretty to stay in!”
“If you don’t go, I’ll kick you out that door!” Mom croaks, and she even manages a sort of half-smile. It gives me more hope than it should, but I’ll take every light-filled moment with her I can get.
“You deserve to enjoy yourself,” Lacey says. “It’s the weekend. Let your hair down.”
“I’ve got a shift at seven a.m., but I’ll do my best.”
After giving Mom the biggest kiss and cuddle ever—being careful not to hurt her because she’s so frail these days—I catch a cab to Riley’s house. Her mom smiles when she spots me, and we make small talk, mainly about Mom. When I get to Riley’s room, I can tell she’s started the party early immediately. She’s got that hazy, slightly detached, slightly amused look on her face.
“Maya,” she yells, throwing herself into my arms.
I laugh, catching her. “Easy there.”
“It feels like it’s been years.”
“It does,” I agree.
“You want a soda?”
“Sure.”
“Our ride will be here soon.”
We walk over to her bed. She sits down, shifting slightly, full of energy. Her bracelets rattle as she hops up and down.
“You’re excited to see your new man?” I ask.
“Is it that obvious?”
“I can’t believe you haven’t even mentioned this guy.” On the phone, she was being cagey. “Do I have the honor of knowing who his holiness is yet?”
Riley grins. “You’d talk circles around most of the kids at college, seriously. His holiness. I love your way with words.”
“Don’t distract me with a compliment.”
She leans in, lowering her voice as if anybody will hear us in here all alone. I humor her, enjoying her sense of drama. She’s always had that flair that let her see life as one continuous adventure and the ups and downs as something to celebrate, not avoid.
“He’s in the Mob,” she whispers.
“The Mob, as in the Mafia?” I say. I’m not sure what I expected, but this seems so far from it, so strange, I almost laugh. “Jeez, Rye.”
“I met him on Tinder. He’s our age, but he’s been with them since he was fifteen. He’s really tough and scary, honestly.”
“And this is the person we’re meeting?” I say doubtfully.
She darts her hand out, squeezing onto mine. “Do you think I’d ever take you somewhere if I thought you were going to get hurt?”
“Tell me about the party, then.”
“It’s called Vegas Varieties,” she says. “Matteo was telling me on the phone about them just before you got here. So don’t look at me like that. I only just found out!”
I roll my eyes as her theatrical voice shudders. Okay, I love her flair for the dramatic most of the time. “Okay, so why Vegas?”
“It’s a visiting company,” Riley goes on. “Apparently, they have all kinds of shows, motorbikes, circus acts, fights, loads of stuff.”
“So we’re going to a Mafia party where there’s basically no rules?”
“We can cancel,” Riley says, but the quiver in her voice gives her away, just like the way she snatches her phone when it buzzes.
“Matteo?” I ask.
“He’s going to be here soon.”
She’s practically buzzing with excitement. Though I’m not exactly dressed up, mostly because I’m not sure what that would look like for me, I have made somewhat of an effort.
“I can text him back,” she says, raising an eyebrow. I honestly believe she’d do it, too, but I don’t want to ruin her evening. Anyway, what’s the worst that can happen?
“No,” I say quickly, putting a smile on my face. “Don’t do that. I think—I know—it’s going to be fun.”
“Are you sure?” she asks doubtfully. “Not about the fun part … I know that, but if you don’t want to go. I would’ve told you sooner, I promise.”
“I know,” I say. “Yeah, I’m sure. I have to live a little sometimes.”
“Yay!” She throws her hands up. “Anyway, what about your love life?”
“My love life?” I say, shaking my head. “Shall we talk about flying pigs, too? Or how about pots of coffee that miraculously develop the ability to speak? Anything else?”
“There’s nobody at all?” she asks.
I shrug. “Not really.”
“Not really? That’s more than you usually give me.”
“It’s nothing.”
There’s a pause, giving me time to think about that long look with Tristan. I haven’t seen him since then. He hasn’t been in the office for the past two days, not that I’ve been looking, searching, or wondering.