Page 68 of Filthy Little Lies

“And now he’s asking you to cheat the card tables in one of my clubs. He has no regard for your or Cassie’s safety.”

“We told him no,” she reminds me. “But that’s what got him so upset. He can’t do it on his own, and he needs cash.”

“Do you know where he’s staying?”

“Why? Gabriel, leave him alone. Promise me you’ll leave him alone.” She reaches across the couch and squeezes my arm. “Promise me.”

“I’m not going to hurt him, Savvy. But if he’s that desperate, I want eyes on him.”

She loosens her grip. “Maybe you could hire him.”

“You said he’s using again. He’s not going to be able to work for anyone in that condition.” Although, tossing him into a rehab facility might not be the worst idea. I’ll make a mental note to bring it up to Roman. He’s had a friend go through a program.

“That’s true.” She scrunches up her lips, like she’s trying to solve the problems of the world. For a woman who has been failed time and time again, she’s still held onto her own humanity.

I’ll have Roman run down who’s actually fronting those storefronts. If Ricci’s washing money through them, I want to know before Tony finds out the hard way what kind of men he’s borrowing from.

“Maybe there’s something we can do for him. But we’ll deal with that later.” I make a point of checking my watch. “If you’re going to meet Cassie at three, we need to get started.”

“Started with what?”

I maneuver her leg so it’s behind me, and I crawl up the length of her body.

“Your reward. Now take these fucking jeans off so I can kiss your pussy.”

CHAPTER 20

Savvy

“You’re glowing. You know that, right?” Cassie gawks at me while sealing up the last box in her apartment.

“I am not.”

“You sure as shit are.” She laughs. “It’s good, though. Your mobster, he’s being good to you.”

“He’s not my mobster.”

She shakes her head. “Of course he is, and it’s okay to admit it, Sav. You like him.” She scribbles living room on the side of the box. “You might even love him.”

“Ew. No.” I turn away from her, so she won’t see my face burn up.

“Ew?” She laughs again.

“I don’t love him.”

“But you love how he makes you feel? Not just when he’s got his dick in you, right?”

“Oh my god. Why do I tell you things?”

“Because who else are you going to tell?”

When I glare at her, she frowns. “You hate me for going?”

“No. I get it.” I turn and drop the marker I was using onto the windowsill. “And the job sounds good.”

“Almost twice as much as I was making here when you consider all the benefits.”

“Yeah, it’s a smart move,” I say. “And St. Louis isn’t that far. Once I get my car back, I can make a weekend trip down there.”