DIRTY MONEY

| 12

Rogue's...

Mending her friend's broken heart has not been easy, considering that Hilda couldn't even come into work for the first two days. Everyone was worried about her because she always showed up to the salon, so they were quick to ask the most reliable source.

Bianca kept her words to a minimum, really being the only person who knew what was going on. Hilda didn't need anyone else in her business, so not even Ruth or Johanna knew.

But if anyone did know, it was because Caesar was trying to use his friends to get to Hilda by asking them to talk to her. It was embarrassing that after voluntarily ruining them, he would ask for forgiveness.

She had never experienced anything like this before, so she wasn't sure what to make of the idea that someone who claimed to love her could be so capable of being unfaithful. She felt like his cheating had something to do with her, so even as she was reflecting, she was criticizing, discrediting herself, and destroying her own value.

Hilda didn't know how to handle this, and while having her best friend by her side helped a little, it still wasn't easy to get through.

"I thought you gave me a phony address for a second," Moe said to Bianca after she opened his car door to sit down in the passenger seat. He had arrived out front of her apartment building for their date a few minutes ago, Bianca deciding to meet him downstairs instead of having him travel up to her apartment.

Joy was not in the mood she was in tonight, nor was she optimistic about where the night would take them.

"It's not like I had much of a choice," Bianca said as she shut the car door, still deceived that she had no other way around this if she wanted help.

"We're gonna have a good time," he said, taking in her appearance.

To him, she looked nice, but Bianca just threw something on. She didn't rummage through her closet for something pretty to wear like she usually does, nor did she take her time looking through her perfume selections.

She viewed this more as an outing than a 'date,' so she lacked the energy to get dressed up.

Even for their date location, she didn't look too much into it, but she did want to make sure there was some form of entertainment in case this thing went sideways. As anyone could see, she didn't have too much faith that this would even be fun for her.

"So, where we goin'?" Moe asked as he started the car, looking over at Bianca.

Buckling her seatbelt, she goes to reply, "it's this place called Rogue-"

Moe's face showed his excitement, and he stated while pointing to himself, "I know that place. Me and my boys go there all the time to play pool."

She nodded slowly with lifted brows and said, "so, I guess I don't need to give you directions then."

He shakes his head in response before saying, "you're gonna like it, though, especially the food. The pretzel bites are my favorite."

"How long have you been going there?" Bianca asked to keep the conversation going. The silence would've eaten at her, and she needed Moe to assume this could work in order to get what she wanted.

He hums lightly, "I wanna say for almost two years. It's not easy finding a place that'll be okay with us takin' over."

She knits her brows, "taking over?"

Moe nods, "when a bunch of gangsters come into a spot all the time, it's practically theirs. Not much the owner could do about it because they know how easy we could get them to shut down."