Chapter 48
Chapter
Forty-Eight
Vince
Entering the social club for what’s likely the last time, I walk down the hall, bumping into the janitor. “Morning, Vince.”
“Morning. You’re the first to hear the news: I’m closing my books. For good.”
“It’s the end of an era,” he says in shock. “What are your plans?”
“I’m opening a restaurant in Surf City.” I’m the one in delulu land, because the odds of the family letting me walk are nil. But hey, I’m going to allow myself to dream, if only for a minute.
“Good for you. I’ve got some of the money?—”
“Nah, don’t worry about it. My parting gift.”
“Vince, you don’t have to do that.”
“I do.”
Uncle Joseph’s rolling over in his grave. Good.
“Thanks, Vince. I wish you nothing but luck.”
“You believe in luck? ”
“Of course,” he says with conviction. “Here, my gift to you.” He reaches in his pocket, handing me a silver horn charm, similar to the one I gifted Luna in Naples. “ Curniciello . Keep this in the kitchen of your new restaurant for good luck.”
Thinking about Luna reminds me of the burning hole in my chest. “I will, thanks.”
I enter my office, taking in the space, as if for the first time. Everything’s neat and organized; the illusion of me having control over my life.
I angrily swipe everything off my desk with my arm, items crashing to the floor. My word of the day calendar lands right-side up, revealing today’s word.
Déclassé . Adjective. Having lost social status or standing.
A mirthlessly laugh escapes my lips as I recall Sal’s words.
How the mighty have fallen.
He wasn’t wrong, and I’m not sad about it. Some kingdoms need to crumble to dust.
I pull out my ledger, making my final tallies to close down my books. Getting on the phone, I call my bettors and schedule a time to settle up.
“Hate to see you go,” one of the guys tells me.
“All good things must come to an end, right?” There’s a knock on my door, and I say, “I’ll see you this evening at Al’s.”
Hanging up, I check the security feed before calling, “Enter.”
Fabio sticks his head in my office. “Got a minute?”
“Of course, skipper. Have a seat.”
He does so, and I comment, “I’m guessing you’ve heard the news.”
“Yeah, Romeo filled me in. Look, what happened to you and your brother was fucked up. It never crossed my mind it still might be fucking you up.” He taps his temple. “Vince, we can shut down your sportsbooks; move you to head of casino security?—”
“Sorry, Fabio, but I’m out. One way or another.”
“Is this about Luna? Boss said you paid off her debt.”
“Luna hates me, not that I blame her.”
“You didn’t answer my question.” He points to me.
“Yeah, I guess so. She made me realize what a fucked up life I’ve been living.”
“Isn’t a fucked up life better than no life at all?” Fabio counters.
“No, it isn’t.”
Fabio crosses his arms, staring me down. “You love Luna; don’t try to bullshit me.”
I shrug. “I won’t try to bullshit you.”
“So you’re not gonna fight to get her back?”
“I love her. That’s exactly why I’m not gonna fight to get her back.”
“Let’s say hypothetically the boss lets you walk. You’ve been a ‘manager’ of a social club for all these years. You gonna run an old folks’ home organizing shuffleboard?” He snorts.
“Tempting, but no. My plan’s to become a chef and open my own restaurant. I won’t step on your toes here in AC; there’s a building in Surf City I’ve got my eye on,” I tell him. “Already put my house and Aldo’s bar on the market, and we’ve put in a bid. We’re all in.”
“This life, it’s in our blood.” Fabio pounds his heart with his fist. “What are the odds you can be a law-abiding citizen?”
I shrug. “Don’t know. I’m no longer the oddsmaker.”
He sighs in frustration. “Isn’t there anything I can say to change your mind?”
“No.”
“Then good luck.”
“You believe in luck?”
“Of course,” he says with conviction .
“Then thanks, skipper.”
Fabio walks to the door, pausing. “I’m gonna be pissed if I’m the one who has to pull the trigger.”
“In that case, pull it fast.”
Luna
“It’s so great that we’re neighbors!” Bridget sits on the foot of my bed as I pack.
“Yeah,” I say, throwing in an extra hoodie in my suitcase with exaggerated force.
“What’s wrong?”
Everything. “Nothing. I’m just a little nervous about the trip.” Which is true. I’ve never flown before, except with Vince on a private jet. I don’t have the first clue about navigating the airport. “I wish we were on the same flight.”
“Me too, but it works out us being able to share a hotel room to split the cost.”
“True.” Vince always handled the logistics of my tournaments. God, the man really was the general manager of my life.
She looks at her phone. “Ah, my ride’s here.”
“See, and we could’ve shared an Uber too.”
“Uh, not an Uber,” Bridget says.
“An Aldo? “
She giggles. “I’ll see you in St. Louis.”
“See you there.”
She walks back to her apartment, and I finish packing, rolling my suitcase to the living room .
The doorbell rings, and I wonder if Bridget forgot something.
Glancing out the peephole, I answer the door. “Kat,” I say with surprise.
“Hey, can I come in? I need to talk to you.”
“Did Vince send you?” I ask.
She shakes her head. “No.”
“Then come in.”
“This your new place?”
“Yeah.”
“It’s cute. You still unpacking?” She eyes my suitcase.
“No. I’m leaving tonight for my tournament in St. Louis.”
“Good luck.”
“Is there such a thing?” Vince didn’t think so.
Kat lifts a shoulder. “I’m a big believer.”
“Have a seat. Would you like something to drink?”
“We can cut to the chase,” she tells me.
“Oh, thank God.” I sigh.
“I overheard a conversation between Fabio and Vince. Vince is in trouble.”
I bristle. “Not my concern.”
“If you care about Vince, you’ll make it your concern,” she says bluntly.
“Did you know I was being extorted by Vince? That he targeted my dad to get to me?” I spit with venom.
She waves away my statement. “And Fabio extorted me, and I’m head over heels in love with my husband. Shit happens in the family.”
I cross my arms. “Good thing I’m no longer associated with the family.”
“Luna, you’d have to be blind not to see that Vince loves you. Why else would he have personally paid off your debt and let you walk?”
“It’s not like it’s skin off his back; he’ll shake down other poor souls in no time,” I say dismissively .
“He won’t. Look, I don’t know what happened between you two, but Vince is trying to get out of the family.”
My brows crease in confusion. “What?”
She nods. “Do you understand how bad this is?”
“No,” I admit.
“Blood in, blood out. They’ll kill him before they let that happen,” she tells me quietly, and I feel like all the air’s been knocked out of my lungs. “You didn’t hear any of this from me, but I thought you should know, in case you wanted to talk some sense into him.”
Kat rises, but I can’t seem to make my feet work.
“Oh, and for the record, it’s not a bad thing to be associated with the family. I’ll lock up behind me.” She walks to the door, pausing at the entrance table. “'Hate you jar?’”
“It’s a long story.”
Kat leaves, and I pace back and forth. Grabbing the jar, I dump the bills on the carpet, counting the money. Ninety-two dollars. That’s a dollar too much, and I don’t want to owe the mob ever again.
That’s my excuse as I reschedule my Uber.
My Uber pulls up to Vince’s house, and the first thing I notice is the for sale sign. “Wait here, please.”
I hurry to the front door to use my key, but there’s a new keypad lock. Peeking through the window, I see the house is empty.
Having a mini freak out, I return to the vehicle. “Take me to Al’s Sports Bar.”
“You sure about that? It’s a pretty rough bar.”
“Just drive,” I snap.
“Don’t say I didn’t warn you,” she mumbles .
We pull in front of Al’s, and I hop out to find a barricaded door and another for sale sign in the window.
Grabbing my phone, I go to call Vince, but his number’s been scrubbed from my phone.
“You okay?” My driver asks.
You don’t have to be okay all the time.
I’m not okay. Vince isn’t okay. This entire fucked up situation isn’t okay.
“Yeah,” I lie. “To the airport, please.”