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My whole body tenses, fists clenched under the table. He’s being flirtier than usual – maybe hoping this is the night he gets lucky with the Don’s daughter.
He shakes his finger at me. “It doesn’t matter how hard you try to blend in, a girl like you can never be invisible. You’re teeming with fire.”
The words seep in, and a small part of me wants to explore the tingling sensation it evokes, but his smirk ignites a domineering fear that can’t be ignored.
Just run away and find a normal guy. Just get through this.
Paul is a murderer, just like the rest of them. I heard the stories from my brother about how he got rich on a cop’s salary. A drug bust in a house in the projects left no survivors – including his own partner. And conveniently the stash of cash was nowhere to be found.
“What would my dad say if he heard you talking like this?” I fold my arms, closing myself off entirely.
“Something not even his own guards could hear, considering he’s in solitary.” Paul’s smirk widens. “Fear tactics don’t work anymore, Ellie. Neither does guilt.” He picks up his newspaper like I’m not even there. “Ronny Shadow is getting every bit of karma he deserves. Trafficking all those poor girls. Even when he has his own beautiful daughter in plain sight. The man is so sociopathic and sick, he can’t even picture you in place of them.”
“Are you suggesting you could’ve done a better job raising me?”
“Me? Naw. But at least I knew not to have kids in my line of work. You’re cursed, kid. Your family saw to that.”
I feel lost, because Paul’s right. I am cursed. Or at least I have been up until this point. Today marks an end to all that.
He snaps his tongue. “My how the mighty have fallen.” He flips the page. “The mob used to stand for something once. Now it’s just a bunch of rats scrounging for the last bits in the darkest corners.”
Does that include you?
“Couldn’t agree more.” I raise my eyebrows.
He’s taking his time glancing over an article. Reminds me of when I was young, always ignored by the men of the house as the boys took all the attention. Clean the dishes, wipe the table. Be groomed to be a good wife. It’s like I’m stuck in some awful time warp while the rest of the world gets to progress. No, worse than that. I was playing house in a room full of criminals.
Well, this is the last day I get dragged around because of someone else’s actions.
With a sigh, I get up from my seat, terrified he’ll demand another payment – as most slimy snakes tend to do. “Well, I guess we’re done here. Goodbye, Paul.”
He puckers his lips and takes his time averting his gaze from the newspaper. “That’s it? Not a thank you, no kiss for Uncle Paulie?”
“There’s a kiss and a hug in that bag. Plenty of them. All green. Goodbye, Paul.” There’s a lump in my throat as I turn. Every muscle is tense. I’m naked without a bag or a phone.
“Be careful out there, kid. The world is getting darker by the day.”
I squeeze my eyes tight, not allowing myself to feel the freedom yet. But there’s so much relief in his dismissive words, like a weighted vest was lifted off of me.
The Dunkin’ Donuts door chimes a final exit, and I stare up at the flickering light overhead.
It’s over. I exhale, letting it sink in. My final payment.
I’m free.
I smile and play with my hair nervously as I walk to my car. Paul was my last connection to this old life. Now that I’m out of his debt, I can go anywhere I want.
I check the back seat again, smiling at my own reflection. I take one more look to see Paul with one ankle crossed over his leg, lost in whatever article he was reading. Then I look back at my window and I freeze.
A shadow sprints up to me, and before I can react, there’s a gigantic hand over my mouth.
No!
My neck muscles tighten as a muffled scream goes nowhere. I try to bite, but his index finger presses hard on my nose until I stop.
Tears fill my eyes.
I kick and flail for Paul to come save me. But when I glimpse him smirking as he takes a sip of his coffee, I know this was his doing.
