Dante
Money. Money doesn't lie. Money doesn't cheat. Money doesn't manipulate you. Money doesn't abuse you. Money doesn't break your trust. Money doesn't kill. Money doesn't betray. Money doesn't break you. And Money doesn't treat you like you're a worthless bag of shit.
Money is all I've got. Me, myself and fucking money. Most days I love it. And other days it's an absolute shatter to the heart.
"Right here." I ordered my driver. He stops in front of Diana's apartment complex.
Giving him a time to return I get out of the car and walk up the steps to her door.
108. How many God damn apartments are in the complex?
I knock on the door and wait a second before knocking again after no one answers the first time.
"Alright, alright, hold your horses, I'm coming!" I hear Diana yell.
The door soon opens and Diana stands at the door. I walk past her and glance around the apartment as I find a seat.
"Yes, please do come in." I hear her reply sarcastically as she closes the door.
"Nice spot." I say.
It was homey. The furniture reminded me of when I was a little boy in Nana's house. The smell of freshly baked cookies filled the air every time I woke up.
"Thanks."
I take a seat on a chair at her kitchen table. "So, let's talk business." I didn't have time to sit and chitchat. This morning had already started shitty and pretending I cared about anyone wasn't on my agenda today.
She takes a seat at the table in the chair across from me and I take a look at her appearance. She was a gorgeous woman. I had noticed that from the day we met. Diana had the hair color of red hot cinnamon. Her long wavy hair now pushed around messily. Her pale skin was the silk of white rose petals and there was something about her hazel eyes. They were a radiating brown sun warmed with inner gold.
I could tell there was something about her from the moment I saw her. Something no one like me would be able to treat the right way. She was delicate on the inside, yet strong on the out. Which is exactly why this was a business deal only. I didn't need or want to be caught up in anything that involved real feelings with anyone.
I can tell she has just woken up as she rubs her eyes before speaking. "I thought we already discussed everything the other day. What else is there to talk about?"
"Rules. We need rules."
"Alright, and what's your rules?"
"Pretty simple. I need to know of your plans for the next five months. I need t-"
"Five months! You told me just until the cops were off your back?"
"You are. I figured that's how long they'll be targeting me. They know I've been in this business for a while now. But they don't have anything on me and they won't get anything. After a while, if we continue to show them I'm a practical boring suck up engaged to a nurse, they'll give up."
She shakes her head."No. I'm not pretending like I can stand you for five months. There has to be some other way."
"You want your fucking money, don't you?"
She goes silent for a minute before replying, "Fine. But you know I have a set of rules, myself right?"
"I need a cigarette for this."
"Why?"
"I have to listen to someone that's not my own conscious. "
I get up and walk over to her counter. Taking a cigarette from my pocket and lighting it right before sitting down on the counter. Diana stands in front of me, folds her arms and rolls her eyes.
"I absolutely hate cigarettes."
"Good thing I don't smoke 'em for you, Diana."
She rolls her eyes again, "You know that stuff can kill you, right?"
I grin, ''It's almost as if that's why I smoke 'em."
"Whatever. " She unfolds her arms. "Starting with the most important rule. I don't want anyone to know about Fiona. Th-"
"Who's that?"
"My daughter. You know, the one you kidnapped."
"Oh, sorry 'bout that." I was actually serious about that.
"As I was saying. I don't want anyone to know about her. I don't want her involved in any of this and I don't want anyone, including you, around her without my permission. Got it?"
"Got it."
"Two. No touching. No kissing. No any of that. This is a business deal and nothing more. Understood?"
"Yep." I reply, taking a hit off my cigarette.
"Three-"
"That's it. "
"What?" She asks, surprised.
"That's it. After the third rule, I usually stop listening to people when they are giving rules to me. So unless you want me to continue to act like I'm paying attention to the rest of this, I advise you to stop there."
"You're an asshole."
I shrug, "Everyone is one now and then."
"Yeah, now and then. Since I've met you, you've been nothing but an asshole."
"You call it being an asshole, I call it an honest person." With one last hit, I let the cigarette out on her counter. Letting the ashes fall to the ground. "Here." I say, pulling a ring out of my pocket and handing it to her.
"What is this for?"
"To play the part. You gotta broom?" I ask, getting off the counter as she inspects the ring.
"In the closet in the hallway,"
I go to the hallway and get the broom from the closet. I notice a dustpan is in there as well, so I grab it. When I am finished sweeping the ashes and have put the broom and dustpan away, she is still inspecting it.
"Gross." She finally says.
"What's wrong with the damn ring?" I had spent at least fifty dollars at the pawn shop on it. Not to mention it was a looker, too. Had a real nice bling to it.
"It doesn't have any meaning to it. It's average. Someone sees this ring, they'll automatically assume I'm an average city girl who's only traumatic experience was Starbucks running out of cake pops for a day."
"And you believe they'll gather all that from a ring?"
"Yes."
"You've got to be fucking kidding me. It's a damn ring, Diana. Wear it so you look the part,"
She moves to the kitchen and I sit back on the counter. I watch as she turns her coffee pot on and walks back over to the counter. When she rolls her sleeves up, I immediately glance at it and see a glimpse of what looks like a scar on her wrist.
"Where did you get that?"
She looks at where I am staring and immediately rolls her sleeves back down. "None of your business."
Although I was extremely curious as to where or maybe even who she had gotten the scar from, I didn't bug her about it. After all, I wouldn't want someone I barely knew asking me personal questions like that.
"Tuesday is my casino opening, so I need you to be there,"
She looks up, surprised. "You own a casino?"
"I needed a cover. Do you know how suspicious it would look if I didn't have another job other than running a Mafia, Diana? Plus, it pays well and I get to watch people lose their money willingly."
"Hey, no need to get defensive. I was only asking. I just didn't peg you as the type to own a casino. "
"And I didn't peg you as the type to be a nurse. " I reply, grinning.
"Touche." I catch a hint of a smile, but she quickly hides it when she notices I am looking.
After discussing some of the things that will be going on at the opening, I get up from the counter.
"One more thing." I say, facing the door.
"What now?"
"The detective that started this whole investigation has a few questions for us tomorrow morning in his office. He wants to see if we're legit. You need me to pick you up?"
"I don't need your help. I can get there just fine my damn self."
"I didn't mean it like that, but do what you want." I say, as I walk out.
•••
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