My dad got up to leave just as Marco texted me, saying he was on his way. My dad, seeing the message, sighed.
“Kid, listen ok. I don’t care who or what you date, but if you end up with him, just please for the love of god. Be careful.”
“Woah, it’s really not like that, not even close.”
“It doesn’t take long for it to be like that, though, Ambrose.”
“He’s not my type.”
“Thought you didn’t have one. That’s what you tell your mother, at least.”
“Mafia men. They are a whole type that I don’t do.”
My father really didn’t look convinced in the slightest, even though he knew my feelings about his dealings with the Mafia. They were decent people. I just didn’t want to be involved or around them or their work. Yet here I was, going willingly with Marco.
“Time will tell if that’s a rule you stick to”
“Goodbye to you too.” I muttered, crossing my arms.
“I’ll swing by and help you pack tomorrow, alright?”
“Yeah, sounds alright.”
I couldn’t actually believe my dad would put that out into the universe. If, on the slimmest chance it happened, he was fully to blame for putting that energy out there.
Finishing my watered down, once iced coffee, I jogged to the bedroom to find something to wear for the day. Pulling on some black jeans and a dark grey sweater, I hand combed my hair and slipped my feet into flip-flops. Annoyed with the way it was laying, I walked to the bathroom and wet it, before shaking it out with my fingers so that the waviness would be a little more tamed. Brushing my teeth, I paced the apartment before heading back and rinsing with mouthwash. Rinsing my toothbrush, I snapped the cover back in and placed it in the holder.
Marco called about ten minutes later to say he was just coming into town and would be here in the next five to ten minutes. Taking a deep breath, I double checked I had all my things. Once making sure I did, I left the apartment, keys in hand, and waited out front for Marco.
He pulled up a few minutes later, and I did a double take. The man was dressed down, wearing a leather jacket and jeans. He knew he was good looking, and he worked it.
“I hope this is a good time.” He said, smiling softly.
“Yeah. Better now than earlier.”
“Did something happen?”
“Not really, I passed out on the couch last night in a terrible position, woke up to my dad banging on the damn—I mean darn door and then he complained, which is normal honestly but yeah. He only left as you texted me.” I groaned, buckling up my seat belt. Glancing in the backseat, Wren was there, and he was sawing logs.
“How long has he been out?”
“The entire ride. Car rides knock him out pretty quickly.”
“Oh?”
“I spent many nights driving him around just so he would stay asleep.”
“I could never do it on my own.” I said before catching myself, “I personally just could never do it alone. I don’t think I’m that responsible and for another life? Haha.”
“I knew going into this I would do it alone, and there were some mistakes with his birth, and I’ll never live those down, but I don’t regret it.”
“Mistakes? What do you mean?”
He explained the whole thing while he drove and honestly the whole deal sounded sketchy, but who was I to judge him when he very well could be telling the truth? I had no way of proving him wrong.
“Mistakes happen. At least he took it well.”
“Yes, his partners did, too.”
“Oh, yikes, partners, that makes it more complicated.”
“Yes.”
“I mean, if it helps, you made a cute kid.” I said, looking back at Wren again.
“Thanks, I guess.”
Quiet overtook the SUV, and it was torture for me. So I broke it.
“Did you get the bar fixed up?”
“Yes. The cameras were an enormous help, in part with first-person accounts.”
“Ah. Yes, that would be helpful, and um… I’m sorry I bit you.”
“Please, you are far from the first to bite me, but I appreciate the apology, nonetheless. I would say we are even, but that’s not true.” He hummed.
“If it never happens again, I will forget it ever happened.”
“No. That’s not ok, because it happened.”
“Yes, I do not deny that. What I am saying is that if it never happens again, then there is no reason to keep bringing it up, Marco. A bad judgement call is just that, but it’s not the end of the world. I am perfectly fine, and you have expressed that it was a bad call. That’s the end of it.” I replied, before checking my phone because it vibrated. It was Mia. She was letting me know she was working on moving her things into her new apartment.
“So tell me about the apartments?”
“Oh, right? So the apartments are owned by Romeao and we use them for coworkers, under me, that don’t have places they own.”
“Coworkers, you mean henchmen, right?”
“Yes, I figured you might prefer coworkers.”
“I would prefer you not sugarcoat things for me, If I’m honest Marco. You give your men titles and I can handle them. I know a bit about the mafia, or at least Maddox’s family.”
“I will keep that in mind.”
“Moving on. Is there anything I should know?”
“It’s your standard apartment set up, clean and renovated. Most of the men living there work at night and sleep in the daytime.”
“Perfect, we will have opposite work schedules. They work while I sleep and vice versa.”
“Should work out fine, then.”
“Yes, it should. But as for the rent payments? Do you know what Romaeo charges for the rent?”
“He mentioned something about discussing it over dinner, if you liked the apartment.”
“Right, sounds good. Have a quick look around the place and then I can give you my answer about the apartment, but chances are I will take it.”
“I will let him know your choice after you see the apartment.” Marco replied.
He pulled into the driveway of an apartment building not too long after. If you didn’t know it was mafia owned, there was nothing that gave it away. It was your typical apartment building, aside from the large stone sign with the building name and the words ‘privately owned building’ tacked on the bottom. Which still really didn’t look out of the normal of this city.
Getting out first, he grabbed the baby, carrier and all.
“Would you like me to take him or help in some way?” I asked.
“Oh, no. I’ve got it, but thank you.”
Wren opened his eyes and before he could even make some kind of noise, Marco popped a soother in his mouth. Marco used a keycard to let us into the building and I followed him since he seemed to know right where he was going.
“Stairs or elevator?” He asked.
“Whatever works best for you.”
Tracking up the stairs, the man was fast, even with a baby and carrier. On the second floor, right in the middle of the hall, he used a key to open the door, and we stepped inside.
“Please, have a good look around.” He said politely before pulling out his phone and texting someone. I walked from room to room and looked around at everything. True to his word, everything looked well maintained and clean. But it was also shockingly quiet.
Returning to Marco, I told him I would take it. He nodded.
“Let me just let Romeao know. I’m going to step into the hall. Can you watch him?”
“Oh sure, take your time.”
I watched Marco leave and sat down on the wood floor beside the carrier and rocked it with my hand and not my foot like he had been doing. I wasn’t that skilled, but also, I didn’t want to get dirt or other junk particles on Wren or even close to him.
Wren opened his little eyes and his face scrunched up, before he spit that soother out and started the wail. Tucking the soother back into his mouth, he stopped screaming, but looked like he might start again. Against my better judgement, I took him out of the car seat and held him and his little blanket. He fit in the crook of my arm and any fussing he had been doing stopped. He was content, his little eyes looking up at me.
He sucked the soother and just watched me as I watched him. His eyes fluttered shut eventually. Whatever Marco was discussing, it was taking a while. I thought about tucking him back into the car seat, but I didn’t want him to scream again.
Sitting with my legs crossed on the floor was how Marco found me when he returned, his sleeping son tucked into my chest and arm.
“Sorry he was crying and—-”
“No worries. He looks just fine. Though he is probably going to get fussy soon because it’s close to the time he eats lunch normally.”
“Oh. We can head out so you can feed him.”
“We can head from here to my home, and I’ll feed him, then I can take you home.”
“Alright, but I am in no rush, so please don’t feel you need to rush me home.”
“I just don’t want to take up too much of you time while you need to pack and get ready to move things into the apartment.”
“Did he say anything about the dinner to discuss the rent when you spoke to him?”
“Ah, yes. He said dinner would have to wait. But he is asking for one thousand a month, all-inclusive.”
“Deal. I can easily afford that.”
I tucked Wren back into the carrier as Marco texted Romeao to let him know it was a deal. Wren stayed sleeping, even as I buckled him in and covered him in the light blanket. Marco picked up the carrier, and we headed out.
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