Wicked Proposal - A Mafia Romance

I

y is a war crim

ys-old sweat radiating all the way from the dude

ahead, fingers tightening aro

ning codes, stitching gashes, and swallowing every catcall of "Hey, sweet thing" tha

s slither down my spi

d to cal

key breath and knuc

, "C'mere, sweet th

ot toda

wanted memory back into its

and piles of dog shit. The dollar store on the corner blar

ega whistle as I pass. One of them yells,

ddle finger holstered, bu

ght, though, I don't have time to pick fights with

lmost

st h

ocks to Eli. Four blocks to the brief seconds of peac

hustle my way to my second job at a bougie med spa in Tribeca, where

, though. I'm glad

ot bills

r onto my street-

ar parked behind mi

prowling in front of my building like a panther in a junkyard

be kidding m

arch of suspects. At f

ere. Across

his decrepit armpit of the city is pacing the sidewalk, phone press

my gray gaze. GQ stubble. Abs that look like you

nt, but I'd still ta

d-if I had time for

son needs his bedt

ng against my hip. "Hey! You th

look up. Just ho

I'm doing imp

strik

ir?" I step i

g. "-said to fucking find her.

s stri

arming. You're blocking my car, and I've got twenty minutes to k

e. Those light eyes rake over my scrubs, my frizz-pop

uth tw

ile-a di

urns

hell

ke t

and unleash my sweetest customer service voice. "Hi! There's a massive, illegally parked car blocking my driveway on Su

nto my building. I don

pen the door-high, bright, the sound

lur of Spider-Man pajamas and hu

hat, my day

p, staggering back. "Since when

do

shampoo and Cheez-It dust. No perfume has ever smelled so g

back to frown at me. "And I

in from the kitchenette, where she's microwaving

orror. But he still starts checking

dirty scuff marks on his shoes. And, now that I'm looking

well, relatively new. Thrifted last month

foam peeking through like guts. I see h

eel, thumbing the te

wn and mumble

h him close. "You know you c

s to pout out and tremble, and my heart picks up some trembling

nd

s chin quivers, but he drags his eyes up to mine. "I didn't c

single mom feelings, same as I a

unfairness

ld that lets such c

use I can't be there to keep my

spond, I do the same as I always do in situations like

sadness, and g

ets only

get you rocket boots next time the

ight up. "Wi

ntie Kallie with the popcor

Kallie sidles over and hip-checks me

my hands into my eyes and sigh. "Sho

. "I'll hit up the Buy Nothing group tomo

a twel

is growin

n at Eli, who is now enthusiast

ie lowers her voice. "Yo

three extra shifts, sell a kid

od idea. Men love

on my thigh. "They sure do. My last patien

ought, how much d

as he holds up the bag, kernels e

ellations on his palm. His eyelids keep drooping and struggling open as

odnight again later?" he m

to his forehead. "Even if y

re. They... blub."

Dream about happy things, okay? Rocket bo

Okay. I love

ou, too,