“I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
Luiz sighed. “You took everything your father owned, Everything from his office. Don’t you think that shit is a bit suspicious?”
“Not at all. I want to know what he was into.”
“You do know you can talk to us about anything, right? We may all be fucked, but we’re bound together with each other. It’s how we survive. We always have each other’s backs.”
The temptation to blurt all of his seedy past was strong, but Tonio stopped himself. He didn’t want to talk about that shit, not with anyone.
“I just want to make sure I know what I’m up against.”
“Okay, Tonio. If you think you can handle it.”
“Can you find information out about anyone?” Tonio asked, changing the subject.
“Pretty much. I know a guy who can get me info on a lot of people. Who do you want?”
“Zara Summers. I’d like to know more about her.”
“You digging the plain girl?”
“Digging?”
“We’re still kids. I figure we have a right to still be down with our shit.”
Pulling into the underground parking, Tonio went through the necessary security codes in order to get inside.
Parking in his spot, he made his way toward Donnie’s apartment with Luiz by his side. Even in the elevator, they both were poised and ready in case of an attack.
“Shit has been quiet,” Luiz said.
“You never know, maybe they know we’re the ones that should be in charge.”
“I wish I could believe that. A lot of people liked our fathers’ way of running things. It’s not our way. I heard the O’Mara family were pissed that we didn’t organize a union for their daughter. Donnie even helped her to travel to Italy for the year so that she could be away.”
The O’Maras were sticklers for tradition.
“God. They wanted to marry Leah off?”
“Yep, to Crotus.”
Crotus was a fat old man with a bad temper. He’d already killed two previous wives by throwing them downstairs. Tonio hated the people around The Family, and they needed to cull them real fucking fast.
****
Three days later
“We haven’t got enough to pay them!” her mother said.
“It’s fine, Mom. I’ll ask for an extension.”
“God, they’re not going to listen. They don’t ever listen. You pay up or they start breaking bones, and your father—if he was here we wouldn’t be going through this…”
On and on her mother kept on talking, not making any sense. Zara rubbed at her temples, trying to zone her out. No matter how many times she looked at the figures, she couldn’t pay everyone and still keep the shop. Her father passed away when she was sixteen, and her mother took over the shop until Zara had finished high school. Zara had helped out, but when high school had finished, she’d seen the stress taking a toll on her mother, and had taken over, only to see that in the past two years, her mother had been borrowing more money. It was money the shop wasn’t making.
“Mom, shut up, and just go mop, or do something. I’ve got to think.”
Dropping the pen on the paper that had so many scribbles on it, Zara wanted to cry. Life was so unfair. She should be out, partying at some frat house, or staying up late to study, maybe even having sex with some guy who was a complete and total asshole, losing her virginity. No, what was she doing? She was trying to get out of her family’s mess, but she couldn’t find a way out.
Her stomach was cramping, she hadn’t eaten since breakfast, and she was losing weight. Yeah, that shit totally surprised her. All of her life she’d been having trouble with her weight. She’d gone on many diets, none of them working. Now, life threw her nothing but stress, and she was losing the pounds.
Nothing like no money to stop you from eating.
The hours passed, and no matter how many times she looked over the sheets with all the numbers, she couldn’t make any sense of it.
Later that night, her mother stood beside her as they looked at the five large men who’d come into her father’s old office. She was filthy from the day of making pizza, and she couldn’t stop shaking. Why did her father ever get mixed up with these men? She didn’t understand it, nor did she ever want to know.
“So, all these numbers, you can’t pay me?” Lucien West asked, sitting back in her father’s chair.
He made the chair look so small, and it creaked beneath his weight. He wasn’t a fat man. No, his muscles were from hours spent torturing people.
“I’m not trying to hide anything from you. That’s why I’m showing you all the figures.” Her mother was no good, bent head, and like she’d given up on life. Moments like these, she hated her mother. “We just need an extension.”
“I have given your father plenty of extensions.”
“He’s not here. He’s dead.” She didn’t even feel hurt by saying that. She was so fucking angry at him right now. Why couldn’t he have just closed the damn pizza shop?
“What does that mean?”
“I don’t know. I’m new. Give me a chance, please.”
Lucien glanced up and down at her, sitting back, and rubbing a finger against his lip. She didn’t like the way he was looking at her.
“Take Mrs. Summers out for a little bit. Zara and I need to have a little chat.”
“No, it’s fine. They can stay.” She didn’t want to be left alone in this room.
“Take a seat, Zara.” One of the men pressed her down into the chair across from Lucien. She listened as her mother was marched out of the office.
“I can get you the money.”
“Zara, in circumstances like these, I tend to break a person slowly. I give them enough to want to work, but make sure they know not to cross me.”
“Is this where you break something of mine?” she asked. This had to be the scariest moment of her entire life.
“You see, with you, it’s different. This is not your debt. I have to say I’m surprised you’ve lasted this long in paying me.”
“I haven’t even made a dent. Your interest rates are ridiculous.”
“It’s a shame your father didn’t have your kind of brains.”
“We both agree on that then.”
“Yes, we do. Tell me, what would you be doing if you weren’t in this situation?” he asked.
“Erm, I’d probably be studying, or partying. One of the two.”
“Right.”
She didn’t like the way he was looking at her. Avoiding staring into his eyes, she stared down at the notebooks on her desk.
“Are you a virgin?” he asked.
That she couldn’t look away from. “What?”
“There are ways of wiping this debt clean.”
Zara wasn’t an idiot, and she wasn’t going to pretend, not even in this moment. She shook her head. “No.”
“No, what?”
“I’m not a whore.”
“I wouldn’t be able to sell you. Men like to fuck, but they also like something pretty to look at.”
She didn’t even feel insulted.
“Why do you ask?”
“Because I happen to like you, Zara.”
“Yeah, right.” She cringed as she didn’t even try to hide the sarcasm.
“I’ll let that slide. I’ve never had a virgin before. I’d like to make a trade.”
“Trade?”
“Give me your cherry, and I’ll wipe the slate clean.”
“You want to have sex with me?” she asked, totally shocked. She was plain, not worth selling, but he wanted her virginity? Ew. This guy had to be in his late thirties. Sure, he was a handsome hunk, but she didn’t want her first time to be with a guy who was old enough to be her father.
“I’ve never had a virgin, and I have to say I like the idea of making you bleed.”
She froze. “No, it’s not going to happen.”
Not for her mother, not for her father, and not for some shop she hated. No, she couldn’t do it.
“Are you sure about that?”
“Yes, I’m more than sure.” The very idea made her skin crawl. There was no way she’d ever be able to let this man lay a finger on her in any of way for pleasure. Zara doubted there would be any kind of pleasure. He wanted her to bleed, which was just sick, disgusting, and sick again.
Lucien stared down at his fingers, then flicked some imaginary fleck of dust off his jacket. “Are you sure about that?” He held up his hands stopping her from answering. “I want you to think about the opportunity that I’m giving to you.”
“There’s nothing to think about. I’m not going to sleep with you because of a pizza shop.” She couldn’t help the shudder. “You should be ashamed of yourself. You’re old enough to be my father.”
He started laughing, only the sounds coming from him reminded her more of a serial killer than humor.
Dread started to fill her as she realized exactly what she had done. This man, he wasn’t the kind of man you pissed off, and that was exactly what she’d done.
“Do you really think you’re in any kind of position to insult me?” He got out of her father’s chair, and rounded the desk, gripping her arm. He tugged her up, and the pain was instant. The fingers wrapped around her arm were so tight that they would leave a bruise.