Page 74 of Vows of a Mobster

“Shut up, both of you,” I spat back. “I can’t stay here for the next two weeks. I mean, this is illegal, right?”

Marissa shrugged her shoulder. “I guess so.”

“You don’t want to call the police,” Daphne whispered.

“What I don’t want to do,” I justified, “is stay here for two weeks without my kid.”

“Ask him if she can stay with you?” Marissa suggested. “And us too.”

“Aren’t you his cousin?” I asked.

“Yes, but I can’t just show up at his place and move into one of the bedrooms,” she replied.

“Why not?” I asked her. “This place is enormous.”

“Just ask him if Emma can stay with you,” Marissa suggested.

“He already suggested it,” I answered her reluctantly. “I told him she doesn’t do well with change.”

“But why?” they both asked at the same time.

“How do I explain the doctor’s visits?” I muttered. “We can’t afford for him to connect us to Giovanni’s efforts.” Silence lingered and we all knew what it meant. “It is really not sitting well with me not to be there with her. I should tell him to go to hell and leave this place, threat or no threat.”

We all sat in silence, stuck between the rock and hard place.

“You were going to spend the night there tonight anyhow,” Daphne finally broke the silence. “Just do him-”

“Daphne!” I exclaimed. “What the hell?”

“I meant, just do whatever needs to be done tonight,” she whispered. I glanced over my shoulder to ensure the bedroom door was still closed. It was stupid, because I locked the door. “And then let’s see how tomorrow goes. Emma’s visit is on Wednesday. We have another whole day to figure it out.”

“Marissa, what are the odds of changing his mind?” I asked my best friend, but her look on the small phone screen said it all.

“This is lunacy,” I muttered, pinching my nose to release tension. “I must have the worst luck with men.”

“Don’t write it off yet,” Marissa answered. “It will all work out.”

I honestly never remembered her being an optimist before.

“We could ask Giovanni to help,” Daphne suggested.

Before she even finished, both Marissa and I answered at the same time. “Absolutely not.”

The knock on the door sounded and I jumped at the sound of it.

“I have to go,” I spoke quickly. “Someone’s at the door.”

“Okay, love you. Bye.” I quickly ended FaceTime and went over to the door.

Unlocking it, I opened it just slightly. Enough to peek through it. Surprised, I recognized the man I saw.

“Hey there,” I greeted him. “I saw you yesterday. At Marissa’s birthday party.” I searched my memory for his name. Then I remembered Mateo called him Antonio. “Antonio, right?”

He smiled and for whatever reason, I found that I liked him. “Yes, I’m Antonio. I saw you earlier at the restaurant but you didn’t notice me.”

“Oh, I’m sorry,” I apologized. “It was a bit tense. Although for the life of me I couldn’t see what about. Do you know why?”

I might as well try to find out something if I can.