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“So, what if we stay? What could he possibly want with me? I’m illegal for him to date…surely he won’t want to draw attention?”
“The Salvatore’s pay off more law enforcement people than all the cartels in Mexico. You think he’ll care?”
“Fine. I’ll dye my hair blue, pierce my nose and date someone my own age,” I snap my fingers.
He waved his hand. “No. I’ll take care of it. You get dressed.”
Shame filled me. Zio’s been so much to me and I’ve let him down. I’ve never disobeyed him, or ever done anything that could put us in jeopardy. But I knew I’d made a grave mistake. There might not be any option but to run. My shoulders sagged.
On the way home Zio stopped at a drugstore. Pulling my hoodie low, I bought a box of bright blue hair dye and some bright pink lipstick. Using an app on my phone, I bought more colored contacts this time is deep indigo. Blue hair and blue eyes.
Zio grunted when I told him. “Eat. You need to get fat.”
“Are you serious? I trained hard. I burned too many calories.” He grunted, pulling into a fast food drive through. He ordered a loaded burger and large fries with a super-sized milkshake. “This is child abuse!”
He responded by shoving a handful of warm, salty fries in my mouth.
“Mmm, they are yummy though.”
“Go to your room,” Zio commanded when we got home. I didn’t even talk back. I finished wolfing down the food and opened the blue hair dye. I wished I could call Tati for help, but I knew I needed to keep her at a distance in case she’d already been made. How could I tell her to stay away without telling her why?
I tapped my fingers on the counter and waited while my hair was full of blue dye. Taking out my cell, I called her and hoped she believed the lies about to spill from my mouth.
“Girl? Where are you? Casey is having a party at her place. Her older sister is at Chappa Delta at Princeton…I hear she invited some of the frat guys…”
I smacked my head, leaving a blue handprint on my forehead. “I can’t. I’m grounded. Zio found out about the last party.”
“What? How?”
“He has an anti-theft GPS app on his phone. When he checked his cell the next morning I was busted.”
“Damn your old uncle is smart.”
“I know.”
“Fine. Sneak out. I’ll drive.”
“I can’t.”
“You can. You owe me.”
“For what?”
“Um, ending my night with Le Blanc. I heard he’s going… looking for a certain high school girl.”
“That means…”
“Yes, it does. They’ll all be there. Johnny, Rafe, and Ralph.”
“His name isn’t Ralph.”
“Oh yeah, what is it then?”
“Ass-wipe.”
“Well, ass-wipe has the hots for you. I’m parking down the block. Get your ass out on the roof and jump down. You’ve got two hours.”
“Shit!” I exhaled as she ended the call. Pacing with the blue sudsy dye plastered to my head, I make my way downstairs.