Mafia & Miss Honey | Mafia Heirs #1 | ✓

41. Quarant­uno

"Son of a..." He stopped abruptly, making a sign of zipping his lips. Looking at me with mischief.

Gian never held himself back. Since I'd made it clear that his bad language will influence the kids in the wrong way, he made sure not come to across either one of them. He even waited 10 feet far from them when any of the kid's parents arrived late to receive them. But he had learned to not scowl at them or their parents when they finally arrived. An involuntary smile tugged on my lips. But Justin took it as an opening to flirt with me, mistaking my smile meant for him.

"I wish I had a Miss Honey like you in school. Would have saved this bad boy trips to the principal office almost every single day." He said chuckling taking a bite of prawns, moaning like he was having an orgasm. My cheeks heated at his foolishness.

"By the way, Zara. Don't you wanna know why he was taken there." David said, nudging Justin with his elbow. I glanced his way as he continued. "Justin made me do all his homework in exchange for saving me from his bully friends." Justin laughed to water down the severity of the situation. Attempting to change the topic.

I realize that he had been doing that a lot, laughing unnecessarily at David jokes that require a mere smile or snort. David is his boss and Justin turned out to be one of those employees who thinks laughing like this will benefit their career.

"You too went to high school together?" I blurted. Helen kicked me from under the table. I slightly frowned at her. Helen thinks I was picking on David's potential insecurity regarding his age, not looking as young as Justin does.

"Oh, yes." David laughed. Justin gave me a lopsided grin, but it seemed fake to me.

David told us about their high school days. Justin was there ice hockey champion. The prince jock. David had taken the past with a light heart, but Justin was too shy to admit what he used to do... and continued doing in college as well.

"So Justin are you gonna make David complete your projects too." Helen asked wiggling her brows at him. It was my turn to kick her under the table. Who's embarrassing who now? Justin laughed, raking his hand over his hair sheepishly.

The dinner went on with Helen's snide remarks about the past. I had to be actively present in the conversation in order to keep it from taking a drastic turn, like Helen throwing something on his face. And channel her street-smart persona instead of being a lady as she puts it.

*****

David suggested we check 85 Slide a bar, few restaurants away from Parallax. Justin walked with me at a slow pace. And I had to comply with him, matching his steps. A cold wind whooshed past us. Justin offered his jacket, but I just shrugged my shoulder as I already had a jacket on. He was talking during the small walk, but my gaze was fleeting over the people dining inside the other restaurants we passed, in the hope of seeing Gian among them.

Another hour passed. Helen's remark about Justin didn't occur once. That could be David talking her out of it during the small walk. In the bar, my gaze would often move to the door. Every time men in suits would come inside with an askew tie, sleeves rolled up to their elbow, and a jacket draped over their arm. My body would jerk upright to find a familiar face in them that fills the hole in my chest.

We called it at night and my anxiety grew, to go back to an empty home without Gian. My chest clawed painfully. Even Van is with his sitter, I can't knock on their door in the middle of the night to get Van back.

With all thoughts running inside my head, David and Helen managed to slip out to get the car, leaving me alone with Justin. Helen gave me a thumbs up, swaying her ass deliberately. My mouth parted at this small betrayal, among other things. I scanned the pavement nervously, scratching at the nape of my neck. I was beginning to recount every big speck of dirt on the lamppost near me when Justin broke the silence.