Filthy: A Mafia Romance

“How are you, Todd?” I found myself asking. It was still a little odd to be making small talk with a drug delivery man. But I was becoming more familiar with these people and more used to their presence.

He shrugged, a wad of chewing tobacco shoved in his front lip. “I’m good. Old lady’s bitching about the hours, but you know.”

I smiled at him. “Charlotte doesn’t really seem like she’s on board with your…” I trailed off. I’d been about to say something that indicated his illicit affairs, but caught myself just in time. There were a handful of things I wasn’t, under any circumstances, supposed to do. Talking about the arrangement or any of the illegal things that might be connected to it was number one on that list. Offering a sheepish grin, I shrugged. “Your working hours,” I finished lamely.

Todd frowned a little at me, undoubtedly noticing my slip, but just shrugged again. “Chicks are trouble like that. What can you do?”

He helped with the last few crates heading into my shop, then tipped an invisible hat in my direction as he left. He was a strange man, but I was getting used to strange.

# # #

It was the end of the day when I got a text from Louis saying I had a payment due. I sighed and shook my head. This wasn’t exactly my idea of romantic, but of course it wasn’t supposed to be. It was business.

“The least that bastard can do is text me himself,” I muttered under my breath. Of course, I knew that was unreasonable. The whole point was to keep the two of us completely unconnected so his rivals, whoever the hell they were, wouldn’t find his newest warehouse. Still, it irked me that Louis had to be the one to tell me to come over and fuck his boss.

“Did you say something?” called Jessie from the back where she was putting things away.

“Nothing!” I responded as I started to text Louis back.

You’re a dick. I’ll be there in twenty.

Just because Ethan didn’t want me to call him names didn’t mean I couldn’t say whatever the hell I wanted to Louis. Usually I kept it pretty mild since he was huge, intimidating, and reported directly to Ethan. But still.

Now, was the text I got in return.

Irked, I thought about arguing, then just sighed. If Ethan said now, he meant now. Or his mouthpiece did. And making him wait usually caused me more problems than just biting the bullet and going. So I sighed and texted back that I was leaving.

Shoving my phone into my pocket, I caught Jessie as she came out of the back room. “I have to go.”

Instantly, she frowned. “Are you serious?”

I nodded. “Duty calls.”

She made a face, indicating how grossed out she was. But the funny thing was, I wasn’t as grossed out anymore. Sure, I hated being at Ethan’s beck and call, but I’d found that Zen place where I could convince myself this was just sex. This was just two people who needed a release and that was it. It took some lying to myself to reach that point, but it kept me sane and marginally happy.

“Are you sure there’s nothing we can do?” Jessie asked me quietly, her expression switching to one of sympathy.

I lifted a shoulder in a shrug. “You know the deal. There’s no one to go to, no one to tell. I’m Ethan’s until he’s done with me.”

Her eyes grew shiny and I felt bad for even telling her any of this. She blinked back her tears, but crossed the space between us to embrace me. Her thin arms wrapped around me and held me tightly against her. I returned the gesture, though the hopelessness in her didn’t resonate within me like it once did.

This was just another part of life.

When she pulled back, she discretely wiped at her cheeks and sniffled. Composing herself, she offered me a strong smile. “I’ve got Cody. Call me if you need anything.”

I nodded as another text came in. I rolled my eyes when I saw that it was Louis again, telling me to get my ass into the car already. “Thanks Jessie. I’ve got to go. Lock up for me?”

She nodded and I headed out, waving as I went. Parked outside was Louis’s car. He was standing by the passenger door, holding it open. Although I knew he was annoyed by his incessant texting, his expression was the same stoic one that he always wore.

“Evening, Jeeves,” I told him snidely.

He grunted.

I slid into the passenger side and when all limbs were safely inside the vehicle, he slammed the door after me. A moment later he was behind the wheel and we were heading towards whatever spot Ethan had picked this time.

Louis drove me to a hole in the wall eatery that boasted authentic Mexican food. I hadn’t ever eaten there before because it was on the side of town that I tried hard to avoid. But I’d been on this side of town more than a few times of late, so when Louis stopped in their parking lot, I wasn’t completely surprised.