A Second Glance

15:"because after all, it is my job"

With her hands in the pockets of her side jacket, she crosses over a bench sitting opposite the person she wouldn't want anything to do with but because of current circumstances, going against him could create big problems. "You wanted to see me?", she asks, pulling a serious face. "What is with the tight face, mi amor? Aren't you glad to see me today?", Pepe asks her in an enthusiasm tone. "What do you want, Pepe?", she cuts to the chase. "Is it a crime for me to see your beautiful face, G? You haven't picked up any my calls and it's just so surprising that you would come to see me after all those efforts ignoring me?", he grins. Gianna chuckles and straightens her back, "you left me no choice, right?". 

"Did I? Oh yes, but it's a good thing that you come over because if you were even 5 minutes late, things can get pretty ugly for you, mi amor", he explains. Gianna couldn't control her temper and thumps the table separating them with her fists, "what the fuck do you want, Pepe?!". "I suggest you control your temper there, mi amor. You're going to get wrinkles from that", he calmly says while reaching for her face. She quickly pulls back, "why do you call me here? If you call me just to make my blood boil, I'm out of here. I'm busy". Pepe raises his hands in surrender, "okay okay, there is a reason why I called". Gianna looks at him, awaiting a response but he remains silent, "what the fuck do you want, Pepe?!". 

"I don't like you acting cold to me, so I want it to stop. I get it that you're not too happy about the turn of events of our little agreement..", she folds her arms, waiting for him to get to the point. He continues, "but since you do not want to Drago's bullet in your forehead, you're under my care now, or am I under yours? It's mutual I guess". "Your point, Pepe?", she is starting to lose her patience. "You care for me, mi amor? Awww, I knew you had fee-...", before Pepe could finish his sentence, Gianna steps on the table and grab Pepe's shirt, lifting him off the bench, "don't be dumb, you motherfuckin' idiot! I hate you, I do not care for you! I only come because you threatened me. So if you're half decent of a human being, you let me off of this silly deal that you manipulated and don't bother me again!". 

 "And act like nothing happened?", Pepe asks and she nods her head, "ouch, mi amor!", he touches his chest where his heart seats. "Sorry G, that ain't going to happen because you will not get a foot in the business but I have something for you to do with me". "I'm not doing anything for you!", Gianna yells at his face. 

"I got a job for you", Pepe tells her and she loosens up her grip, "what job?". He eyes on her hands on his jacket, she sighs and lets go of him. He falls onto the bench, "you are one gentle chica", he points out. "Don't waste time, tell me about the job", she demands. 

Pepe pulls out a cigarette from a packet with his lips and lights it up. "Now, you want to talk me? What happened to getting out of here?", Pepe teases her. "Cut to the chase Pepe or I'll grab your head this time and smash it on the table", Gianna threatens. 

Pepe smiles with the cigarette at the end of his mouth, "feisty, I've always liked that, G". Gianna rolls her eyes and folds her arms against her chest. "I've got a new underground business running and I'm short of men", he looks at Gianna cheekily, "but a fine and feisty lady like you would do for the moment". She ignores his words and asks, "what exactly do you want me to do?"

"I need you to retrieve some goods at the Great Lake and deliver it to the Lansing airport", he tells her. "A delivery job?", she asks. He nods, "too simple for you?"

 "I did not say such thing. What's my cut?", as per her experience in the gang for these few years, one thing she learnt was whenever a job is offered, ask two questions and only those two; what's the job and how much is the payment. Other details regarding the job is unnecessary because it's certainly going to be illegal and nothing illegal is safe.

"250", he answers bluntly. "You've got to double it", she requests. Pepe coughs as he releases smoke from his mouth and laugh at the same time, "you got some nerve. This is why I'm more attracted to you day by day, G", he points her with the tip of his cigarette. "But sorry mi amor, that's the deal, take it or leave it". "I need to use Al's truck so he has to be part of this so it's only fair he gets a cut out of it", Gianna points out. 

"I'm offering you the job, not Al and I'm only paying what I offered. You can give him a cut from your cut, that sounds fair to me", he takes a puff. 

"Well I could do that but perhaps by the end of the week, Drago would call you in to talk to you about your little start-up. Maybe he wants a piece of it too", Gianna curves her lips into a small cynical smile. "We all know how Drago is, your profit is his profit too because it's a sure bet that he's going to say that you could only get this business because of him and his contacts, so since we're being fair, it's is only fair to let him on in this right?", she explains and he widens his eyes, not believing that she returns a threat back to him.

He takes one final puff and flicks it towards Gianna as it landed right in front of her, "you think you're smart, huh?". Gianna gets up from the bench and walks backwards, "it's your call. A cut for Al or a cut for Drago". She turns her back and shouts, "call me and I'm sure to pick it up". Al hits the table and his long fringe bounces with the vibration of it. 

She gets into Al's truck, "you're okay? You don't have to pull a front like your leg is all okey-dokey, boss", Al grabs her arm and pulls her up. "I'm okay, the bite mark is receding". "So, that was a long talk with Pepe. Is he threatening you again? I told you boss, you've got talk to him or its your head on Drago's long golden dining table..", she cuts him off, "I got us a job, if only Pepe loves his money as much as he loves the women species". "What? What job? Does Drago know about this?", Al asks and she touches the steering wheel, instructing Al to start driving, "no, it's his own underground business, delivering goods to the airport. And I threatened him back to tell Drago about it if he does not make a cut for you too". 

"You threatened Pepe, for me?", Al shrugs. "Yeah, I can't deliver goods without a truck so I've got to take you with me. Plus, if I come over and asked to borrow the truck for some nights, you would be a busy-body and want to tag along, so I thought might as well you make some money while being a busy-body", she explains. "That has a lot of truth in it", he says and Gianna chuckles, " a lot? Everything I said is the truth, Al". 

"So what do you say of having a couple of burgers to celebrate this new job?", Al points out. She looks at him from the corner of her eyes, knowing which burger joint he meant and the actual reason they're heading there, "how many months did Harold skip this time?".

"Three", Al answers. "Oh Harold. You gave him three passes?", she asks him back. "business hasn't been good and I don't understand why, his burgers are the best! He lets me eat for free whenever I drop by to get the monthly doe". Gianna hits him at the back of his head, "how is he going to pay up if he keeps giving you free burgers!?". Al touches the back of his head and pouts, "okay okay, I see some sense there". She sighs, "you are a sweet guy, Al but you've got to stop being an idiot". 

"Got it boss", he says as he pulls over at the burger joint. She puts on her leather jacket, and takes a glimpse of herself in the side mirror before getting out. "Boss, there's kids in there. Try to be gentle. We do not want to cause a scene", Al advises her. 

Walking towards the burger joint and without looking at him, she says, "I can't promise that because after all, it is my job". 

------------------------------------------------------------------

a/n: hi guys! don't forget to vote & comment, please do share your honest opinions. I'm dying to know!

Much lovess xx