She stands up, lifts me out of my seat, and throws her arms around me. “I’ve missed you.” She steps away. “Just don’t tell anyone. I’m the cool cat around here, right?”
“Won’t say a word.”
“Your fella want some food?”
“You offering to cook?”
“No, but employee discount at the diner’s still good. My treat.”
“I can ask him.”
“You do that. I’ll go freshen up. Dad says hi by the way.”
“That’s nice.” We head inside. Enzo’s turned the TV off and Spock’s curled up asleep on his lap. “Maisie wants to know if you want to go out to eat?” I ask as I sit next to him. “Fancy a trip to the diner?”
“Sure. You’re paying though.”
“I am?”
“I just transferred seven figures into your account. Reckon you can front me a burger.”
“Split the bill fifty fifty?”
“That seems fair.”
“Then I’ll go get changed.”
He puts my hand in his for a moment and squeezes it lightly. “Do me a favor,” he says.
“What’s that.”
“Don’t change a thing about you.”
I smile and then fake throwing up. “That was so cheesy.”
“It was, wasn’t it? I knew it was but I couldn’t stop myself.”
“Try harder next time.”
“I’ll do my best.”
I go through to my room. Will he be sleeping in here with me tonight? The thought sends a thrill through me. I better get my washing off the floor and into the laundry basket.
He’s already seen it when he got me out of the bath. If he was going to be shocked by a few pairs of panties on the floor, it would have happened by now.
One thing I do think of though before I head back out. I make sure Old Faithful has got working batteries. I get the feeling, that when we get back, it’s going to be a very interesting evening.
42
ENZO
* * *
It’s a smaller house than I’m used to but it’s also more full of life. I’ve only been here a couple of days but already I’m finding a rhythm of existing here that I never thought possible.
Each morning, me and Chloe get woken up by her cat, the best alarm clock I’ve ever had. He jumps up and pesters me to feed him so I don’t have much choice about that.
I’m the Don of an entire crime family but apparently, Chloe’s cat is the boss of me. It’s impossible to resist his mewling when he acts hungry.