The Mafia's prize

AP

owe," he ordered the ma

w. Littered everywhere were bloodsta

!" He or

a young girl struggling to live

ose who don't play my games. Now, w

00 is all I have. P

love your mothe

erything

ther chance to save h

'another chance' was, I was relieved, as long as

u could get me my money in a few yea

mean exactly??"I didn't seem

That's the only way I can get my money, since you

hat are you saying?""Not

t brought me inside, but, with just a gl

my body! You're breaking the law!" I yell

. It's me you want, not

" He ordered hi

e," sh

ain when you pay m

ay," some

ed to sta

revealed his masculine build, he seemed to have been created differently from every other man alive. This see

he casino leader

ecessary. How much

ou can't pay."

He was so calm an

50,

you $500,000," my mother prot

ne brought a briefcase to him. "Here," he

ed, surprised. "$6

counting, he looked at him with s

let th

efore him. I didn't even know what to say. I had so many questi

ho are you

ere," he answere

insisted I go on a dinner date with him. Though I didn'

im when we had settled down at t

y I was m

eal

es

w we were there

as meant t

now what to say

, offering me his h

I said, oblig

't sure how I was going to raise that money, but I didn't have a choic

ou would have to work for more than a decade without eating or drinking to be

blunt. Well, a debtor has no right to question his creditor's choice o

ed. I just felt there was

ver," he

meet me today and talk about relationships? Is that

ill a st

olut

bt and saved you from death

and we are both in

y?" he

ry emphatic, determ

t change anything,

idn't hear w

ask you, and I would love an hon

e you a

r the quest

't," I reluc

ay be first in line, but that doesn't mean he will remain there. Tim

feet. "I shouldn't be here with you. Thank

aid, remonstrating with his hands as he sou

gain. I had forgotten his name, a

rim smile. "Okay, I'm sorry about the thing

sked him, no

o know what someone like you was doing in that dangerous ghetto. Why did yo

t one person. How did he expect me

lways gets herself stuck in some trouble and leaves me to clean up her mess. I only went there

st sensitive statement he had made all night. "I'm really sor

to talk abou

y n

t, of course, it was for work. Besides, my boyfriend, Bridge, was coming over that night to be with me. I did

n return, just to make him think he made sense. "There's som

ough I really wanted to hear what he had to say, I couldn't keep Bridge waiting any longer. He had j

ed. "Here's my card. Call me when you'

ried out. He watched u

finally

....................