Stalked By the Mob (Miami Mafia 1)

Chapter3

I woke up wide awake, even though I'd only slept for four hours. It was a packed day, and a packed day meant an anxiety filled day. There was nothing to get my butt out of bed like a good dose of anxiety.

Mentally, I went through my schedule as I got dressed so I could pull out any changes of clothes I would need. Opening at the coffee shop only required shorts and a t-shirt. Since whatever I wore was covered by the giant company apron it didn't much matter what was beneath.

From there I would go to the public library for my online English course and any studying I could fit in, and then my World Civilizations midterm. And then I was working the closing shift at Carlito's.

Working the bar required a very specific outfit. I needed the exact amount of skin to get tips but not encourage too much groping. I could wear a nun outfit and I'd still get my butt grabbed a dozen times.

Usually, jeans and a tank top were the best way to go. One time, and only once, I tried to wear a skirt to see if the tips were worth it. Any extra I'd made in tips were lost in the number of glasses I'd broken while having to fend off hands slipping between my legs.

Carlito's wasn't known for the respectful clientele. Carlito himself was more likely to laugh at our discomfort than actually stand up for us.

But I wasn't going to focus on the butt grabbers now. Today was midterm day and I was going to do awesome.

Even though I wasn't late, I dashed through the apartment, grabbing everything I might need for the day. After speed showering, I put on a quick layer of makeup. Since I'd be gone for the entire day, the more makeup I put on in the morning, the worse I'd look as it fell down my face. It wasn't like I could afford the good stuff.

After packing up the clothes I'd need to change into for the bar, along with my school supplies, I moved into the kitchen.

Well, the kitchen area. The entire apartment was about the size of a closet. It was a one-bedroom, but Becks and I split it up so that Becks turned the living room into her bedroom.

In order to not wake her up, I tip-toed to the pantry and grabbed some granola bars. Sure, she hated my dietary choices, but they were dirt cheap at the grocery store and easy to transport.

To make her happy, I threw a Pop-tart in my bag as well.

From there, I hauled my book bag and my oversized tote bag, which doubled as a purse and would get me through the day. I snuck out the door as quietly as possible, which was a joke considering how loudly it squeaked on the hinges. I locked it behind me, and then went down the four flights of stairs.

The dark, dank building gave way to already humid morning air, even though the sun hadn't risen yet.

It was going to be another hot one. Even though I'd lived in Florida all my life, I still wasn't used to it. Still, I would prefer to sweat all year than to be cold. I was a warm-blooded creature through and through.

As I moved towards the bus stop, I maneuvered my bags to pull out my headphones and phone. Fitz and The Tantrums started to play in my ears, and I let the upbeat tempo flow into my steps.

Yep. This was going to be a good day. I just had to make it happen.