Page 7 of The Mafia’s Girlfriend

Because losing my virginity before Antonio could demand it felt like the best kind of preemptive revenge I could pull off.

Chapter 3

Luke

Asking Tim for more shifts resulted in more money, but not as much as I could make with more or better fights. Jimmy wouldn’t budge though. He was my connection with the other fighters. That was how it was set up, someone had to sponsor you to get in the ring. Otherwise, gangs and all kinds criminal organizations would just take over. Word was that the mafia and cartel were the biggest players behind the setup, but hell, I didn’t even want to know. All I cared about was getting my cut, and I did.

I just want cuts more often. I could handle it. There was no chance Jimmy didn’t know I could take on more qualified fighters.

For a week, Tim gave me and Randy more shifts. Between the general security work we handled, being bouncers at the club on the Tropican property, or even picking up shifts with the maintenance crew, we were busy. Busy was good. Busy meant money. But it also equaled more stress.

“Dude, I don’t know what happened,” Randy said after he found me near the biggest building that housed the most frequently visited bar. The whole area opened up to the beach, and it was a prime location for scoping out eye candy in my downtime.

Randy asked me to come help him with a situation, and once I got coverage, I hurried away with him.

“I got a work order a couple of days ago. No. It was sent to Kev first, but since he sprained his ankle at the gym and called off for the rest of the week, Tim more or less shifted Kev’s stuff to me.”

“Okay.” I followed so far. He led me toward the southern edge of the property, where at the more expensive condos were. We were heading into the VIP part of the Tropican.

“I had lots of other shit to do already. Different patrols to do. Checking with whatever bullshit the VIPs’ security teams requested. You know how it goes.”

I nodded. I did. Sometimes these macho bodyguards acted like they were the Secret Service. Some of those formerly in governmental positions stayed here. Celebs did as well. And most of them were a pain in the ass. They tipped far, far less than the regular guests on the other half of the property.

“This work order was to change the locks for a VIP condo. The previous guests complained about the locks malfunctioning, and I guess they wanted to replace them altogether.”

“Is it not working?”

He cringed. “I put it off. I didn’t start on it yet. Because I looked at the reservation lists when I got the work order and it looked like no one would be in there until this weekend. So I planned to do it tomorrow. But someone changed something and guests showed up in there a couple of days ago. I didn’t look back in the system.”

“Oh. Shit. So what do you need me to do?” I nodded an acknowledgment at one of the supervisors at the customer service desk that we passed. “Keep the guest back while you work on the lock?”

A task of changing a lock panel wouldn’t take much effort, but it was something that one person could easily do without interference. With a guest hovering around in the room, it’d be easier for someone to preoccupy the guest while the other tended to the lock.

“No. Yes.”

I frowned at him as he hurried faster.

“The guest claims that someone broke in this morning.”

“Shit. Because of the lock malfunctioning?”

“I don’t know. I only got a quick look at it when security was called. I hurried over there and they’re all pissed off, threatening to call Tim and make me lose my job. All kinds of threats.”

I patted his back as we rushed there. “Hey, it’ll be all right.” It wouldn’t be the first time a guest threatened to make us lose our employment. The customers thought they were always right, and usually, we projected that concept, but Karens and Chads were a whole other animal.

“I mean, I fucked up. I didn’t do the work order sooner, but I didn’t think the place would be taken.”

“And you’re handling Kev’s shit. Don’t worry. I’ve got your back.”

“I can’t lose my job.”

I rolled my eyes. “You won’t.”

“You don’t know that.”

I didn’t. “But I know there’s not an irate guest I haven’t dealt with who can’t settle down.”

“Alyssa’s pregnant. We think Regina’s gonna need glasses and that’s not covered with insurance. I gotta be making all the money I can and the idea of losing this job is—”