Wild Horses

Gangster Stuff

Lira was sitting back with her feet up on her desk. Lovecat was sleeping in her lap, and she had a cloth covering her eyes. Someone tried to enter the shop, but the door was locked. They knocked. "Closed on Saturdays," Lira yelled. She was not in the mood to be bothered.

"Open up girl, it's Fugo."

Lovecat jumped off Lira's lap, walked to the door, and stretched up to unlock it. Fugo let himself in and saw Lira still reclined. "How'd you..." he started before seeing Lovecat in front of him, "Oh, Lovecat's getting stronger," he finished.

"Yea," Lira sighed.

"So, Abbacchio spilled the tea and everyone ganged up on Bucciarati until he straight up walked out of Libeccio. Narancia was seriously about to cut him and Mista even lectured him about mixed signals," Fugo reported. "It's pretty clear everyone thinks Bucci is being an asshole."

Lira let out an amused huff. "He hasn't apologized," she said, taking the cloth off her face. "What's his deal? One minute, he's showing off his zipper thong, and the next he's telling me to not ask how he's been."

"It's probably hard for him," Fugo said. "Guys in the famiglia can't really date. If anyone wanted to hit him where it hurts, they'd snatch the lover first. I wouldn't be surprised if he's never even had a girlfriend, to be honest."

"You seem to date Narancia just fine."

"But Narancia can take care of himself," Fugo countered. Lira shot him a dirty look. "Lovecat isn't going to work on everyone the way Aerosmith does, we both know that," he clarified.

Lira huffed. "Ok, I can see it that way, I guess. He did say something about it being dangerous." She twirled her hair in her fingers.

"He cares about you."

"His way of caring is to act like he doesn't. Cool," she groaned.

They stopped talking as they heard the unpleasant sound of something scraping across the sidewalk outside. The noise got closer until the door swung open, revealing Leaky Eye Luca dragging his shovel behind him.

"Ciao," he let the door close behind him. "I was told you could sew this button back on my shirt real quick," he said before briefly acknowledging Fugo.

Lira sat up in her chair, taking her feet off the desk and trying not to roll her eyes. "Yea, give it here," she said tersely. The man propped his shovel against a shelf as he undid the rest of the buttons and removed his shirt, revealing a skinny frame.

"Heyyyy, I know you. Bucciarati's little doll!" his face lit with recognition as he handed the shirt and button over. "I didn't think he was into the seamstress type, ya know? Usually he goes for my kinda gal, if you know what I mean." He leaned his chin on his shovel handle and winked. Lira's chest tightened and her mouth went sour as she began hand-stitching the button back on. "I don't know what you mean," she forced out through her quickly drying throat.

"Well, you can find out if you wanna be one of my gals, too," he smirked. "You just have to audition first, if you catch my drift." Lovecat began circling Luca before rubbing against his calves and shins.

Lira stood up and angrily shoved the finished shirt back into Luca's arms. "I already auditioned, remember? It was the best night of your life. I drove you absolutely crazy with passion," she said casually as she looked him in the eyes.

"Yea, oh yea bella, you passed the audition with flying colors!" he exclaimed, rubbing his hands together. "If only Bucciarati had been there, we could have tested you out together like we used to do with the new girls." He threw his business card on her desk. "Call me when you wanna start, amore. Ciao. Ciao, Fugo." He turned and left.