“Thank you, Officer Andy, will do,” Rico says.
“This is a nice car, sweetheart. Drive carefully. Have a good night,” he says as he hands Rico back his documents.
“Oh my God,” I breathe and sag in my seat.
I wait for the cop to get back into his car, then turn to Rico with my mouth hanging open. He’s sitting there with a smug grin on his lips. I toss my thumb over my shoulder.
“What the fuck was that?”
He winks at me. “I told you I had it. Come on. Let me get you fed. I have some shit I need to do tonight once I get you to the house.”
“Hot date?” I tease before I can stop myself.
My face begins to burn. I want to palm my forehead. Way to put my foot in my mouth.
“Jealous?”
His eyes light up as he looks me over. I squirm in my seat, feeling flustered. Not wanting to answer him, I turn and start the car to take off.
Rico roars with laughter beside me. I’m glad he’s so amused. I’m starting to wonder if this was such a great idea.
But what other option did I have?
He reaches to brush my braids from my face and tuck them behind my ear. I shiver a bit, causing him to chuckle, making me feel stupid. I need to get my shit together.
I’m here for the summer to pay my debts and stay alive. Nothing more, nothing less. I’m not a silly girl.
I have one weakness: cars. I’m not about to add a second. Catching feelings for Rico Gallo is out of the question.
“Stop overthinking, Oni. I’m here for business. Pleasure is the last thing on my mind. I have to keep focused. If I want to sit at the top, I have to set myself apart and prove to my uncle I’m the one.”
“Your uncle?”
“Yeah, I want more than my father’s capo position. I want to be Don.”
Rico
“Doyou mind if I ask you a question?” Oni says as she wipes gravy from her mouth.
I got us some pasta from my favorite spot. Since my family owns the place, I was able to walk right in and collect our orderbefore heading home to come out here by the pool to sit and eat. Oni is sitting cross-legged with her plate in her lap.
I shrug my shoulders as I chew my food then clean my teeth with my tongue. She tilts her head and stares at me. I can’t help feeling like she sees through me.
“Yeah, what’s up?”
“You said you want to be don, right?” she whispers.
I smile and nod my head. I don’t miss that she understands this isn’t something to go around yelling about. I’m liking this chick the more I’m around her.
That’s probably why I’m sitting here with her, instead of making sure that car is unloaded. My guys will get it done. They all know the consequences if they don’t.
“Yeah, you got it.”
“What’s the difference?”
“As Capo, I will only run things in my father’s New York territory. As Don, I get it all. Italy, New York, Miami, Vegas. I’d sit at the top and run shit. None of this small-time shit to prove myself.”
“Okay, I think I get it. Capo, we’re stuck in New York. Don, we-own-the-world-type shit,” she says.
