The Mafia Contract Series

The next day, I almost run to Emma’s room because she wasn’t there when I hauled my ass to bed last night. Just the bump in the bed tells me she’s sleeping way past her usual alarm of 6 am.

“Emma.” I whisper as if I’m afraid of what state she’ll be in and all I get in return is a soft groan. “It can’t be morning already. Go to bed.”

Jumping on the bed, I shake her awake. “It’s 9 am already. We’ll be late for class.”

“What the…” The comforter falls back as she sits up in a panic and rubs her eyes in astonishment. “Oh my god, why didn’t my alarm wake me, why didn’t you wake me and why didn’t God wake me?”

She makes to jump out of bed, and I pull her back, laughing. “It’s fine. It won’t matter if you’re late. It’s a study period anyway and we can make it up at lunch.”

“It’s still not right.”

She groans and falls back against the headboard and as I stare, she raises her eyes. “What?”

“You.”

“What about me?”

I shake my head. “I don’t know, you look different somehow and I can’t put my finger on…” I slap my hand to my mouth, and she says with a puzzled frown, “What?”

“You didn’t…” “Didn’t what?”

‘Flynn.”

“What about him?”

“Did he?”

“What?”

Groaning, I shake my head. “I’ll ask you a direct question and you had better answer it. Did you have sex with Flynn last night?”

“No. Oh my god is that what everyone thinks?”

She looks so worried it makes me laugh. “Relax, nobody’s said a thing.

It’s just I saw the way he looked at you and, well, I suppose I feared the worst.”

Emma has a small smile on her lips, and she sighs, her eyes glazing over as she says dreamily. “I really like Flynn, Winter. He was so kind, protective even, and I never knew he was so funny.”

Just thinking of my brother’s slightly deranged friend, I wonder if we’re talking about someone else entirely.

Settling back under the covers, she laughs softly. “You know, he made me feel so special, beautiful even. He paid me so many compliments and made sure I was warm enough, brought me drinks and made sure nobody even got close. He’s such an angel.”

“So I’ve heard.” I shake my head because what the hell is going on here?

He doesn’t seem the type at all, and I wonder what he’s playing at.

“So you didn’t…” “No, but you know what, I kind of wished we had.”

I just stare at her in total shock. “You are my friend Emma, aren’t you?

You know, the scared one who had to be dragged here under protest?”

She giggles and I don’t think I’ve ever seen her look so pretty. Wow, Flynn must have the magic touch because she’s a completely different person from yesterday.

Shrugging, I make to leave, and she pulls me back and whispers, “He asked if I’d ever been with a man before; just brought it up in conversation, along with the weather.”

“What did you say?”

I settle back down, and she grins. “No, of course. I mean, nobody even looks at me, let alone wants to, well, you know.”

She smiles as if she has a delicious secret to keep safe.

“He told me if I ever wanted to know what it felt like to ask him. One night only because he doesn’t want to form attachments. He said he would show me how amazing sex could be with the right person and couldn’t bear to think of me having a shit first time.”

“He really said that?” My mouth drops open and she sighs. “He did and you know something even more surprising …” “What?” I hold my breath as she whispers, “I’m considering it.”

“With Flynn.”

I can’t believe what I’m hearing, and she giggles. “Why not. He’s made it pretty clear there would be nothing in it. Just a lesson in love to educate me and you know how much I value education, Winter.”

Once again, she giggles, which makes me smile. “You know, honey, if that’s what you want, I think you should go for it. Just remember what he said and don’t expect anything past that one experience. You know how they are. Their fucking motto is ‘one night only’ and I think they say it aloud, so it convinces them more than anyone.”

She nods. “The only thing holding me back is how I’d feel the next day.

Would I regret it, feel like a fool? Maybe he’s using me and is just setting me up for a hard fall. It wouldn’t surprise me because guys are always messing with me and treating me as if I don’t matter.”

Resting my hand on her arm, I smile. “I don’t think Flynn’s like the rest of them, not by a long way. I just don’t want to see you get hurt, that’s all.”

“Do you think it hurts? I kind of think it must.”

“Who knows for sure, but we’ll find out one day. At least you can control your first time. Some of us don’t even own that part of them.”

She looks sad. “You don’t talk about your home life much. Mind you, neither do I. Is there any way you can leave, maybe head somewhere else and start fresh?”

“Nice thought, but no. You see, Emma, you’re right to fear my brother and his friends. We all share a hard upbringing in common and our fathers want us in the family business straight after graduation.”

“What business?”

“Best you don’t ask.”

She looks afraid. “But surely…” “No, Emma. I know what you’re going to say, and we don’t have a choice. Angelo will join the family business and I will marry into a rival one.

It’s how life works for us and there is nothing we can do about that.”

I sigh heavily. “You think living here is bad, that the guys are bad and you’re probably right, but honey, this is nothing because outside these walls, real life is one hundred times worse. So, enjoy Flynn’s attention and make it count because that guy is right to keep you at a distance, for his own sake and yours too, because if you get caught up in this life, yours may not last long.”

She says nothing and despite the fact we never talk about our families, I kind of think she knows exactly what I mean and then she says with a hint of defiance in her voice, “Then I’ll study law and make it big in Boston. I’ll help you all; you can count on me.”

“Thanks, honey.” I smile as if I really believe she can make a difference.

“You do that.”

As I head off to change, I feel happy that she’s here. At least I know what it’s like to have a friend. She’ll never believe me, but I can count on one hand how many actual friends I have, and she is the best one yet. Most of them like me for my connections. In my last school I was isolated mainly, but I had a group of friends I drifted along with. Girls who never fit in who allowed me to join their club because I couldn’t bear to mix with the popular girls and learn how easy their own lives were. I feel most at home with girls like Emma who never seem to catch a break because I’m one of them. At least I think so.

LUCKILY, the guys are sleeping in, and we manage to get out of the house without any unwanted questions, and yet I saw the disappointment in Emma’s eyes when she found Flynn missing. I wonder how long before she claims her one night with him. I’m guessing not long because, like me, she’s probably curious what it involves. My opinion of him changes the more I get to know him, and I genuinely believe he wants to make her feel special. He’s an angel of course and even fallen ones like him hide a good heart behind the madness and part of me hopes he lives up to the reputation. For her sake, anyway.