AllFreeNovel
Share Us
I grew up with basically seven brothers— until Matteo’s older brother fucked up and got banished to Jersey —and one little sister. I’ve shared everything with everyone and been happy to do it. It wasn’t easy being a new kid who didn’t speak the language and didn’t have any siblings to rely on. Maria and Carmine are my age, and we used to sit together at lunch, trading our sardine sandwiches and salami sandwiches among us. We were the only ones who had fresh cheese our mothers made. I don’t know any other ten-year-old who took bruschetta to school unless you count the other members of the Mancinelli family when they were our age. We’re the babies of the family. With that many kids always around me, I didn’t grow up possessive of anything. Now I look at Sinead sitting across a table from some guy I don’t even know, and I want to go apeshit. I’ve known the woman a week, half of which she was in a courtroom nowhere near me. I’m totally fucked up.
“Do you want anything to eat, Mr. Scotto?”
Fucking Lolita. Like really, that’s her name. She’s way too close. We hooked up once like a year ago, and she still thinks I’m interested. It was not that great. It wasn’t even good. She may look sexy as sin, but she sucks at sex. Most boring lay I’ve ever had. But now she’s pressing her tits to my arm as though she’s whispering sweet nothings to me. I shake my head and step away, but it’s too late. Sinead’s staring straight at me as someone opens the men’s room door right behind me, shining light on Lolita and me. I cross my arms and raise my chin.
“No, thank you.”
“Let me know when you change your mind.”
“I won’t.”
She shifts her gaze to see who I’m looking at, but I’m looking in the far-left corner when Sinead is off to the right. Lolita saunters away, and I want to barf. Her nasty-ass cloying perfume is hanging in the air. I remember getting home after being with her and taking a shower because all I could smell was roses and cherries. You live, you learn.
I settle my attention back on Sinead, and she’s smiling again. She looks like she’s having a good time. It doesn’t match the dread she had earlier. Did Josh turn out to not be such an a-hole after all? She looks amazing. Her hair looks black when it’s up, but under the light, I can see hints of gold and copper. I watch as she leans forward, the muscles in her back shifting. I know the front of her halter top covers her up to her throat, but I hate the idea that he might look at her breasts.
Once again, the possessiveness is foreign to me and wholly disconcerting. It keeps coming back to me. I even declared she was mine while we were in the restroom, eavesdropping on men who would have killed us without a second thought.
I make sure I’m back in the shadow for the rest of their meal. I would have accepted something to eat if anyone but Lolita offered. I’m starving.
“Hey.”
Manny, the manager— not like no one’s teased him about that a thousand times —walks over and jerks his chin in a what’s up.
“Hey.”
“I saw Lolita come over here. Ruin your appetite?”
“Something like that.”
“Figured you were hungry.”
I look at the oddly concocted cheeseburger and fries. This is not a restaurant where you can get either of those. It’s more like sliders, I suppose, made on pumpernickel bread. The fries are fresh because they were regular potatoes twenty minutes ago. But it’s delicious and easy to eat. Though it always grosses me out having to eat near restrooms. Such is life when you’re on the clock.
“I don’t see your family, but Enzo said to make sure the woman who walked in with Pauly gets her food fast.”
“Yeah. Special job for a family connection. I guess she wasn’t looking forward to her date. I don’t know her very well. Just met her the other day.”
I’m reminding myself of that more than I’m letting Manny know. He probably doesn’t care, and I better shut the fuck up before I say too much.
“You might want to let her know he was here last night with some other woman and a different one the night before. He comes here pretty often, and he’s got Lolita as a side piece.”
Motherfucking douchey asshole.
“I’ll mention it. Thanks for the heads up.”
“You’re welcome.”
I eat as I watch Sinead and Josh finish their food. I hurry to scarf mine down when I realize Josh just got the check. She gets up and turns toward me. I step back farther until I’m beside the ladies' room.
“We’re walking over to Spotlight.”
She doesn’t stop to tell me, instead talking as she walks past and into the restroom. I wait for her to come out, and I’ve just finished my dinner. She’s about to go by without saying anything. I grab her arm, and she whirls around on me. She tugs it loose and glares as me.
“What’s the matter?”
“I’m scared as shit after what you found in my place. You said you were going to watch out for me. The first time I look to make sure you’re there, so I feel safe, you’re chatting with your girlfriend.”
“Girlfriend? That woman is not my girlfriend. I’ve known her since she started working here because I’m here often. We hooked up once a year ago. You’ve had my attention the entire night. If I was with someone, last night never would have happened.”
