Page 9 of Luciano

K

* * *

It was dangerous.I didn’t want to attract attention to myself. It was the reason we both agreed that sticking to two transactions a month made the most business sense when we started this business relationship. And here we were, barely half a month gone by and he was already asking for the fifth transaction. I hated to refuse it, knowing it would earn us good money, but it would be worse if we lost it all for being reckless.

Yes, we had it all secured and stashed away but it would be for nothing if we got ourselves killed or locked up.

“What is it, Grace?” Ella asked me. I raised my head to meet her gaze. Matteo was taking a nap so we both worked. “You are frowning so I know something is the matter.”

“It is the Ruthless King.” She raised her eyebrow. Usually, we liked hearing from him. “He wants another batch cleaned, but it is the fifth one this month. I just think it is too risky.”

“Just tell him no then.”

“Do you agree, though?”

She met my eyes. “I agree with you. I know you like working with him and he pays well. But it won’t help us if we are caught.”

I nodded. “I’ll just tell him we can’t do it.”

* * *

To:Ruthless King

From: The Ghost

Sorry,I can’t do another one this month.

G

* * *

I shut down my laptop.I didn’t want to get another email from him and be tempted. It was probably best if I didn’t check for any messages over the next two weeks. Temptation was a bitch and caving in to the Ruthless King in order to get to that light at the end of the tunnel too fast could be dangerous. For my son, Gabriella, and myself. And we worked too hard to keep safe.

Why did he change his monthly rule? Maybe he lost some of his other contacts. Either way, none of it was our concern. I couldn’t help but think about what was driving his need. Unlike other runners, I never connected with any of our clientele over the phone. Ella and I kept it all through scripted email messages. Each email I sent was short and to the point. I never divulged what we did, keeping the language vague. But in times like these, it was hard not to ask for specifics. It would be easier and safer to discuss over the phone, but I wasn’t willing to accidentally reveal anything about us. We just had to do this for a few more years and then we’d be out of the game. Ruthless King or any other client wouldn’t matter anymore.

Ella and Matteo were my entire world. We looked out after each other because nobody else would look after us. It was a lesson we learned the hard way.

* * *

Two hours later,Matteo and I were leaving out the door. “I’ll see you later, Ella,” I shouted before closing the door behind me.

We were in our courtyard when I saw Lucia in the neighboring courtyard. She was in her late seventies but a great woman. When we moved here, she took a chance on us and let us rent this house. This little community was very tight knit and distrustful of strangers. It was what made it perfect to live here.

“Hey there, Lucia,” I greeted my landlord. Lucia’s English was another perk. It was heavily accented, but it didn’t matter to us. It allowed us to communicate.

She gave me a big smile. “Going to the beach?”

“I wish,” I told her. “Market.”

She walked over. “And how is our boy, Matteo, doing?” Matteo wiggled excitedly. “I think that means he’s doing good.”

“I think you are right,” I agreed. God, it felt good seeing happy people all around me.

Lucia handed my son a cookie. She always kept them on her, just for him.

“What do we say, Matteo?” I reminded him.

“Grazie.”