Tallying Up

Tommaso

I blinked and walked around the bench to sit on the other end. I’d debated the pond for a long time, thinking it might be hard to maintain, but the breeze and the wildlife made Paige’s question feel a little less lonely in the quiet.

“What do you mean, why?” I asked.

She threw her hands up then pulled the coat close again. “I mean, you’re in the mafia. A new crime lord, or Killian’s new crime lord, or what the hell ever.”

“Yeah.” I frowned at her. “So?”

“So flying halfway around the world to”—she glanced away—“find a girl you’ve never met isn’t exactly traditional setting-up-shop behavior.”

I stared out over the water. I’d taken the Polaroid I’d carried for so long out of my pocket before I went to her room, too scared of what she’d think if she found it on me, but I could still picture it. Her bright hair, her fiery eyes. I’d looked at it a million times. I’d never forget the look on her face.

“I mean, what about the other girls?” She crossed her arms. “There were five of us