Total pages in book: 78
Estimated words: 75373 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 377(@200wpm)___ 301(@250wpm)___ 251(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 75373 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 377(@200wpm)___ 301(@250wpm)___ 251(@300wpm)
“Hey,” she greeted Dom, lips turning up a bit, but she was quick to duck her head, not wanting a stranger to look at her damaged face.
“Dasha, this is my cousin Domenico. Dom, this is Dasha.”
“Nice to meet you,” Dasha said, letting me hook an arm around her and pull her against my side.
Dom made a grunting noise in response as he dropped back down on his chair to attack his pasta once more.
“I ordered from Lucky’s,” I told her. “Feeling any better after the bath?”
“I’m just tired,” she admitted.
“Here, I’ll tuck you in on the couch while we wait for the food. I want to get something in your stomach before you go to bed,” I told her, leading her back out to the living room. “I have all the streaming channels,” I told her, placing the remote next to her as she climbed up on the couch. “And…” I trailed off as I went into the hall closet, finding the housewarming gift from one of my cousin’s wives—a fancy, soft, cashmere blanket in an off-white color—and bringing it back to the couch. “As promised, a blanket.”
“Thank you,” Dasha said, giving me a soft smile as I tucked her in. “Am I not allowed to sleep?” she asked.
“What?”
“Because I hit my head?”
“Oh, no. No, that’s mostly an old wives’ tale. Unless someone has a really severe concussion. You can rest your eyes while we wait for the food. You’ll be okay,” I assured her, running a finger down her cheek that was still tear-stained from earlier. “I’ll wake you when the food comes.”
“Santo?” she called, making me turn back.
“Yeah?”
“Thank you. For coming to get me. And bringing me back here. And—“
“You don’t have to thank me for any of that,” I cut her off. “But you can thank me for the brownies later,” I told her, shooting her a wink before walking back to the kitchen to find Dom trying to figure out how to put his bowl and fork into the dishwasher.
Brushing him away, I handled it myself.
“Surprised you didn’t ask her what happened,” I said as I set the dishwasher to run.
“Looks like she’d been through enough. Didn’t need me loading her down with questions.”
I hadn’t seen Dom since we were all in our early twenties. He’d always been a quiet guy, but there was a quiet intensity and wisdom to him now that was at odds with the carefree, sometimes reckless, young man I’d known.
“She that ‘sort of work’ emergency?”
“Yeah. Dasha inherited a business that pays us protection money. But… things have been… going on with us for a bit. Tonight, I got a call that she’d been attacked at work. Hence the ruined meal.”
“That you were already making for her.”
“Yep.”
“You need me to go hang out at her work?”
“Not right now. I might take you up on that, if you don’t have any other jobs going on. I’m gonna need some cameras up in the office and waiting room there.”
“This an ongoing thing?”
“I don’t really know what it is yet. I noticed she was anxious at work last time I was there. And one of the mechanics gave her shit once. I get the feeling they’re giving her a hard time.”
“That’s not a hard time.” He gestured out toward the living room, where a laugh track floated in our direction.
“No. But I don’t even know if it was one of her employees. The lights were all off and he had a hood up. He didn’t speak either. So… I dunno.”
“So cameras.”
“Cameras,” I agreed.
“She do any damage? Could keep an eye out.”
“She said she kicked him in the balls. But by tomorrow…”
“Is she gonna go back like that?”
“I didn’t ask yet. If it wasn’t someone at work, it would be good to know to be on the lookout. And if it was…”
“Can let ‘em know she’s not gonna back down.”
“Yeah,” I agreed as the doorbell rang.
I grabbed my wallet and headed toward the door. Only to have it push open.
Then there was Lucky himself delivering.
“This was on my way ho—the fuck?” he cut off as Dasha leaned up to look over the back of the couch when she heard more voices.
“Dom’ll explain,” I said, waving him back to the kitchen. “Sorry, sweetheart. I wasn’t expecting any company.”
“It’s okay. It’s kind of sweet that your family pops over.”
“Did you drift off?” I asked, brushing her damp hair behind her ear.
“Maybe for a second.” She started to throw off her covers.
“You can stay. I can bring you your food.”
“No, your couch is new,” she said. “And I think this blanket must have cost more than my car.”
“Don’t worry about it,” I insisted. “What do you want to drink? I’ve got soda, water, wine, some harder stuff…”
“I wouldn’t turn down a glass of wine.”
“Okay. I’ll be right back.”
“Santo, the fuck?” Lucky asked when I walked into the kitchen to find that Dom had already started to portion out the food.