𝐎𝐅 𝐊𝐈𝐍𝐆𝐒 𝐀𝐍𝐃 𝐐𝐔𝐄𝐄𝐍𝐒

𝐭𝐞𝐧 | 𝐣𝐨𝐛

d.c.
I lay on a table, wincing as they remove the stitches, the scissors grazing healed skin. I can hear the metallic snipping of scissors on metallic wire as they remove my stitches.
     "Alright, Devin, you're done. Take it easy for a couple more days until you're fully healed up." Ryan says, pulling me up into a sitting position.
     I nod, I pull my shirt back down over my chest, standing. I nod at him and leave. My phone buzzes in my back pocket. I reach for it, removing it. A message from Frasier.
"Meet me in my office. Ten minutes. Come alone."
I raise an eyebrow and look around the room. I look up the stairs and see one of Frasier's maids standing at the top of the stairs, watching me.
"You're Devin, correct?" She asks, bunching her apron up in her hands.
I nod, raising an eyebrow at her. She has long black curly hair and crystal blue eyes. Her skin is tan and her voice has a thick Spanish accent.
     "Who are you? I don't believe I've ever seen you around here before." I state.
     Her eyes lift from her apron and she looks around the foyer of Frasier's home.
     "I'm Maria. I'm here on a work Visa." She says. "Frasier helped my Mama when I was a little girl. He offered me the same help when he found out I was in Prostitution to make money."
     She's tall and thin. I never would've guessed that she'd be into Prostitution.
     "Frasier can be a nice guy, but in all honesty, it's because he doesn't want to clean his own house," I say.
     Her eyes narrow and she lifts one eyebrow, her lips tugged into a frown.
     "What do you mean?" She asks. "Is Frasier using me? Did he use my Mama?"
     I shake my head, tugging at my shirt uncomfortably.
     "No, I wasn't saying that. It's just—it's obvious. Frasier builds huge Multi-Million dollar estates and then doesn't lift a finger to clean them." I say. "Speaking of Frasier, I have a meeting I need to get to. I'll see you around, Maria."
She nods, allowing me to get to my meeting. She waves as I leave, returning to her work. I hold my jacket in my hand, walking through the halls towards Frasier's office. I approach the mahogany door, knocking twice. The door opens and Frasier walks James Duncan, the underboss, out of his office.
     "Ah, Devin, my boy. Glad to see you again." James says.
He pats my shoulder twice with a clap of his palm then leaves. Frasier smiles at me and walks me into his office, closing the door behind us. He takes a seat opposite from me at his desk and points to the chair next to me. His smiles fades and I sit, folding one hand over the other.
     "What did you tell her?" He asks, his thick accent nearly impossible to understand.
     When he gets angry, his Scottish accent peaks through stronger than ever. He's always had an accent, but when he's mad, it peaks stronger than usual.
     "What? What do you mean? Who?" I ask, thinking he's asking about Maria from the Hall.
     He narrows his eyes and folds one hand over the other atop his desk. The large ring on his pinky finger glimmers as he twists it anxiously.
     "You know who. Ayleigh. Miss. Cochran from a couple weeks ago." He says, raising an eyebrow. "You told her something. What did you say?"
Unexpectedly, my throat is dry and my throat itches.
"Oh, yes, Devin. Don't think I don't know. I know that you told her something that you shouldn't have and now I want to know what it was." He says.
I squeeze my fists together tightly to stop them from shaking. I raise an eyebrow and smile coolly.
"What makes you think that I'd turn on the family like that?" I ask. "I've been your most loyal soldier from day one. When I turned Seventeen, you asked me to join and work for you officially, not under the table like before, and I said yes. I could have easily said no, finished out high school, gone to college, and became a Doctor like I wanted. But, no, I decided to work for you. I decided to give up my dream for this family. I decided that the Mafia was my family. Family helps family. I wouldn't turn tail and out you like that. Not to some girl. I'm not like him..."
     His green eyes grow wide and he raises and eyebrow.
     "I'm sorry to offend you, son, it's just that you were seen with her out in public recently by a couple of our associates." He says. "We're just trying to keep everything secret. You know how it is."
     I shrug, squeezing my hands together. I've always been a good liar. Lying has come easy in this Mafia.
"It's nothing more than a crush," I lie. "She's pretty. She helped me out. But, if it comes between this girl and the family, you know which one I'll pick."
     Lying to Frasier has come easy. He doesn't suspect much from me because he practically raised me. He doesn't think I'd lie to him, but, in reality, lies are all I ever tell him anymore.
"We have a new case starting. It should be ready in a week. I want you on this one." He says.
     I raise an eyebrow and lean back in my chair, my hands crossed in front of me.
     "What kind of case?" I ask, staring at him as he reaches into a drawer.
     He retrieves a file, setting it on the desk. I raise an eyebrow, grabbing it.
     "Someone is onto us. They're tracking us, starting from the very beginning of the trail. Soon enough, it'll lead back to us and then we're done for. In two weeks, you'll get a package at your home. Inside will be a gun, a hit card, and a mask. You'll know what to do." He says.
     He stands, walking me to the door. I step into the hall, walking down the stairs. He closes the door behind me and I reach into my pocket, retrieving my cellphone. I need to talk to Ayleigh.