In an underground world of fast cars, violence, and mobsters, finding a little slice of
normal is damn near impossible. Until your boss throws you into college on protective detail to babysit the heir to his Empire.
Easy, right?
I waited at the bottom of the steps in the lobby of our building, Giovanni and Elsie were still absent. I clicked open my phone for the seventh time, waiting for a response from one of my very many texts. Of course, he would accuse me to be the one that would make us late, yet here he was, taking his sweet ass time.
Elsie came barreling through the double doors, frantic.
"Woah, girl. Where's the party?" I laughed. Instantly, I was no longer bothered by their tardiness, just the state of her being near me put my nerves at ease.
"Jay, I'm so sorry I'm la-...." She looked up and her eyes widened. "Wow. You're really kind of hot."
I shook my head a little. "Are you alright?"
"I'm fine. But seriously, you clean up good." She complimented again.
"Only kind of, though, right?" I shoulder bumped her.
"Right."
Oops! This image does not follow our content guidelines. To continue publishing, please remove it or upload a different image.
I really didn't think much of my choice of clothes, other than I had spent the entire day playing dress up, and I really just needed a moment to feel like me again. Elsie messed with the strap of my black camisole, that incidentally poked out from underneath my spare leather jacket. I didn't prefer this jacket, but at least it didn't have any distinguishable marks. It felt like a second skin, sticking in all the wrong places.
As a matter of fact, I wasn't sure whether it was the clothing that made me uncomfortable or the fact that Gio insisted on putting us in situations outside of my control. My skinny jeans hugged too tightly, and I felt like at any point my feet would start sweating in my combat boots.
"Oh, hey. You did something with your hair." Gio quipped up behind us.
I didn't even turn to offer him more attention than he deserved. "I do that from time to time."
"I like the curls, Jay." Elsie interceded.
"Kiss ass." Gio snorted.
Elsie just stuck out her tongue. It was childish, but I laughed anyways.
"Come on, guys. We're already late."
It didn't take long to reach the SUV and Elsie gasped. "Wow. It's really nice."
It was like a kid in a candy store. She ooh'd and ahh'd at the interior when we shuffled in. It was like she hadn't seen the inside of a vehicle before. It took me a moment to realize, a little sheepishly at that, that Elsie had probably never ridden in something quite as extravagant as one of Black's personal rides. I felt bad for her.
"Seatbelts."
We arrived at the bar half past, but I remained silent as Giovanni and Elsie swapped insults back and forth for the entire car ride over. I didn't see a sense in carrying on with them, when my nerves were completely shot. I was probably worrying over nothing, but if I failed to do this job, I would be failing at my life. Dominik Black would hang me by my ankles and watch the blood drain out of my body. I shivered as I slammed the truck in park, looking around instantly for any unknown threat. Elsie already stepped out and closed her door, but Gio remained planted in his seat. He knew the drill.
