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Falling in love with a gangster and expecting them to behave like something other than who they are.

I slinganother tray of clean glasses onto the bar with more force than necessary. Roman glances up from his phone, one eyebrow raised.

"Something bothering you?"

"Nope, I'm perfectly fine." I grab one of the glasses, stacking it on the appropriate shelf.

"Sure you are." He smirks. "That's why you've been slamming things around all day."

I narrow my eyes. "Don't you have something better to do than psychoanalyze me? Like, I don't know, standing outside or whatever it is you're supposed to be doing?"

"My job is to watch you," Roman says as he pockets his phone. "And right now, watching you is like seeing a cat with its fur rubbed the wrong way."

"Well, sorry, my emotional state isn't entertaining enough." I grab a bottle of bourbon, restocking the shelf with unnecessary vigor. "Maybe Sam should've assigned you somewhere more exciting."

"Ah." Roman's face lights up with understanding. "So that's what this is about."

"This isn't about anything," I hiss, feeling heat creep up my neck. "Especially not your boss."

"Did something happen between you two?" he asks, both eyebrows now raised with amusement.

"No. No. No." I say the word too many times, my octave changing with each one.

"Uh oh." Roman moves closer, leaning in against the bar. "What did he do?"

"I'm not gossiping like schoolgirls with you." No, instead, I just take out my feelings on inanimate objects.

"Whatever you say, Liv."

"Don't call me that."

Roman lifts his hands in mock surrender and shuts his mouth.

By the time I'm done preparing for service, it's past four and the bar is open for the day. My new bartender called in sick, and the place is starting to pick up. Joey's down at one end, serving beers, while I'm mixing a drink. Even Roman has abandoned his normal spot at the bar to help ring up drinks.

Once five p.m. hits, and I refuse to leave Joey alone, Roman begins glancing at his watch and looking to me. He's sweating.I’m placing him in a battle between me and his boss. I do feel a little bad for Roman, but not enough to abandon my bar.

He eyes me again as he glances down at his phone, concern etched in his brow. I'm getting good at reading his expressions. I'd even go as far as saying that Roman and I are friends. Even if he is my permanent babysitter.

"Whatever he said, I don't want to know," I tell him as I fill another pitcher of beer for the table of jocks.

Not leaving the bar at five p.m. sharp means disobeying Sam's "rules," something that is making Roman twitchy.

"This isn't a good way to get back at the boss for whatever he did last night." Roman sighs, taking a credit card from another customer and sliding it through the machine.

Okay, maybe I am alittlemad about waking up alone. But also, there are too many people here right now for Joey to be on his own. It's not like this isallabout Sam.

Besides, if he wants to make this thing — whatever it is — between us work, then he needs to loosen his reins a bit. Not that I think Sam is capable of losing any bit of control.

"Roman." It's a woman's voice who speaks my babysitter’s name. I look up, finding her standing next to Roman, head tilted with confusion. She has dark roots that fade into teal blue-colored hair that hangs in loose waves. She's with a small group of four men and another girl. I recognize them as regulars from before Sam took me hostage and I stopped my evening shifts. "I didn't realize you got a second job. Is my cousin not paying you enough?" she teases with a smile. But then she looks around the bar until her eyes land on me. "Oh. Does that meanshe'sthe girl?" she asks, flicking her gaze back to Roman.

"Madi," Roman grumbles, clearly unenthused to see whoever this is. "Does Adrian know you're here?"

"He's not my keeper." She frowns, moving away from Roman as she steps up to the bar directly across from where I'mstanding. "Are you the girl Sam's keeping locked up in his house?"

Her directness startles me. I'm not sure how to answer her; I don't even know who she is.

Roman clears that up for me quickly. "Madi." He speaks her name with a tone of frustration. "This is Olivia." He waves at me. "Olivia, this is Madi Russo, Sam's cousin."