“If you wish to consider it that approach, certain. You possibly can have no matter you need out of it.”

“I don’t need anybody else’s garments,” I mumble, considering that they hadn’t been my measurement, anyway. Angelo should go after a lot thinner girls than me.

“Then we’ll throw them out,” he says simply, as if there’s not 1000’s of {dollars} of garments and sneakers in there. “We’ll get you new stuff.”

“I can purchase my very own garments,” I mumble, sipping my espresso. It’s just a little too candy for me, but it surely’s not unhealthy espresso.

“With what, your father’s cash?” Angelo asks.

“What’s that alleged to imply?” I ask, narrowing my eyes at him.

“Nothing,” he says shortly. “Simply asking.”

I fold my arms throughout my chest, feeling defensive for no motive I can consider. Angelo doesn’t know me or my stepfather. He doesn’t know that I assist out round the home, or how my stepfather has helped deal with me and Chelsea when issues have been actually onerous.

“I’ve my very own checking account,” I say.

Angelo appears to be like at me as if to say that my stepfather places cash in it and I frown.

“How do you make your cash? You stated you are taking some out of your father.”

He factors his fork at me. “Provided that I’ve to. I’ve solely completed it a couple of occasions, when issues have been gradual.”

“When what issues have been gradual?” I prod.

Angelo cocks his head. “You reside with one of many greatest caputos in New York, kitten. You could know what we do.”

“I do know what he does,” I say stubbornly. “I don’t know what you do. Is your father a capo?”

Angelo nods. “Yeah, however I don’t work for him. Not ever. I work for Dante and some of the opposite capos within the space on an as-needed foundation.”

“As-needed,” I muse. “So, you don’t do weekly jobs?”

My stepfather had a wide range of weekly jobs he wanted completed, and he outsourced, in fact, identical to Dante. Often the fellows in cost didn’t get their arms soiled.

Angelo shakes his head. “Solely once I actually need the cash. One yr, I needed to beat up this man like ten occasions for not paying safety cash to Dante, however that’s not normal.”

I elevate an eyebrow. “So, you beat guys up for cash?”

“I don’t all the time beat them up,” he says simply. “Typically I simply shoot them.”

“You slit that man’s throat,” I say in a low tone. “What was that about?”

Angelo shrugs. “A message. Man went after Dante. We don’t tolerate that, so he had it just a little extra private than a gunshot.”

I swallow onerous, considering that is precisely the kind of life-style I wish to hold Chelsea out of. I’m decided to economize, from my stepdad or from Angelo, and squirrel it away like Chelsea’s pirate booty. When I’ve sufficient, I’ll go away, and we’ll work out custody from there.

I’m not going to chop Angelo out of Chelsea’s life, however I’ve received to get her away from all of this. Out of New York. Out of Chicago.

Someplace out west, California, possibly, the place the wiseguy life-style is simply the stuff of screenplays.

I get up and take the dishes to the sink however Angelo grabs me across the waist, pulling me down into his lap.

“I’ve a housekeeper, you understand?” he murmurs in my ear, and it makes me shudder.

“Nonetheless, no motive to offer her extra work,” I insist. I all the time load the dishwasher at my stepdad’s place after breakfast.

Earlier than Angelo can protest, my telephone rings, and I get up and seize it out of the again pocket of my shorts.

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