Right Girl for the Job

Chapter 6

"I've told you who I am before..." Matteo began, "and I'm sure you've been resourceful enough to find out I'm a highly respected business man."

Javi didn't respond.

"Since I could remember, running my businesses has been my number one priority. It's been a lot of work, complicated at times but in the end I have found it to be extremely profitable and worth while." Matteo said. "But, as I'm sure you imagine by now, we have also found that certain businesses are more lucrative than others."

"You're a criminal, aren't you?" She said bluntly with a smile. Matteo laughed.

"A criminal? That's a funny way to put it but yes, I suppose you could call us criminals." Matteo said.

"Us? Crime organization? You are the boss right?" She asked.

"I am." He said simply.

"So, you have several types of businesses, not all legitimate?" She said, nodding her head. "Sure. Of course. Okay." Javi seemed to be letting this all soak in but still her facial expression gave nothing away, something that made Jack nervous.

"My businesses are divided in two, those that most people are aware of and the ones that protect me and my family." He said.

"Your family?" She asked raising a brow. "I hardly think getting involved in a life of crime or involving your family in it can protect them." He sighed.

"Family is a very broad term to me. I hardly think it is for you to judge what is best for us but, let me explain. My organization functions like a family, we all live together in our circuit, we work together, we handle the business and we take care of ours." He said simply.

Javi stared at him, her eyes narrowing. Circuit. Circuit. What a strange word to use...

"I take care of la famiglia and they take care of me." He said.

Both men watched as a spark of recognition flickered in Javi's eyes.

"La famiglia... I've heard that before a few times... no. I heard that once." She said. Matteo nodded. Maybe she had heard someone use the name.

"I thought la famiglia was just another street gang name." She said. Jack huffed, making her turn to him.

"la famiglia is not a street gang. We are a community, a family and Matteo is our Don." Jack said suddenly.

"A don?" She said, turning back to Matteo. "the Mafia?"

Matteo didn't move, he only smiled. Javi suddenly shot up from her chair.

"Sit down." Matteo commanded and Javi was quickly back in her seat.

"Are you okay?" He asked after she had been silent and looking uncomfortable for a while.

"Are you going to kill me?" She asked, without looking up from her hands which were stained green from working with the flowers.

"I don't want to." Matteo said.

"You're a don. A fucking Don. I didn't even think Mafias existed anymore. I thought it was all urban legend. But here I am, sitting in front of a Don and I called him a motherfucker more than once... motherfucker." She said, more to herself than to him.

"But I'm real. We are real, we are here and we want you." Matteo said, making her eyes shoot up.

"Why? I thought the Mafia doesn't involve women in the business." she said. Matteo sighed.

"I've explained that you have a certain set of skills that I admire. There's a vacant position, one that I have not yet found the right person to fill." Matteo said. "Gender is irrelevant."

"but an outsider? That doesn't make sense. How do you know you can trust me?" She said.

"Finally, something I agree on." Jack mumbled.

"You didn't talk today, did you?" Matteo said. "It's complicated. I don't usually choose outsiders but in this case, it works to our advantage. Most members of la famiglia are easily recognized, they are known, they are expected but you... no one knows you."

"Javiera Garza might not even be your real name." He said. Javi shot him a glance.

"It is. I know that. I know it is." She said. Matteo shrugged.

"But you were in foster care all your life, names are consistently changed and you don't, forgive me for saying, look hispanic at all." He said. Javi stared at him- he knew everything about her.

"I am. I may not know a lot about me but I know I am." She said.

"How do you know?" He asked.

"Por que lo se." She responded in perfect Spanish.

"Where did you learn Spanish?" He asked. she shrugged.

"I've known it since I can remember." She said.  Matteo nodded.

"That's excellent. Your skill set improves at every turn." He said.

"So, what do you want from me?" She asked.

"I want you to be my new man." He said, making her raise her brow. "I need you to be an agent- for lack of a better word. The type of person who infiltrates seamlessly, gets the information I need, and gets out. You do what I ask, no questions asked- and I pay for your loyalty."

"And if I say no?" She asked.

"Then you go. But if you ever speak a word of this to anyone, we'll know and you'll... never be heard of again." he said, making her eyes widen. "Of course, if you never speak to anyone of it, then you'll never hear from us again."

"I can't do this." She said after a few minutes. "I can't. You're asking me to be a criminal. I'm an honest person... and I refuse to kill anyone."

"If you do your job right, you'll never have to." Jack said suddenly, making her turn towards him. They stared at each other for a moment, before Javi, with a blink, snapped back to reality.

"You've spent all your life bored- admit it. Bored of the reality, of what the world gave you. That's why you train, why you spend hours on your strength and agility, it's what you can control. Instinctively, you've prepared yourself your whole life for a chance like this. Javi- I'm offering you the opportunity to have that life you've never even dared to admit you dream about. Adventure, security- tell me... can you really go back to the flower shop after what you know?" Matteo asked.

Javi did not respond.

"Now's the time Javi- make your choice."