Strapped: A Second Chance Mafia Romance by Emma Spring Read Free Book Online

he right? Should I keep away from Olivia? When I’ve thought about our future before, it’s only been about me and her, I’ve never seen the bigger picture.
    But now I’m thinking about it all.
    She will have a great job, and a nice house, and all that junk. I’m just gutter trash, deserving of nothing. I won’t be able to afford to give her the life she deserves, no matter what I do, so maybe I should get out now before I get left behind, before I become something that she resents...

    * * *
    1 st October 2014

    I slump back into my seat in the booth that has always been ‘ours’ for many, many years. Teasers is a strip club owned by one of the mafia members, so it’s almost as much of a part of us as each and every member. Sure, the names and faces of the groups might change over time, but it’ll always be ours.
    The strippers are so used to us, and vice versa, that we all know each other by first name. Of course, most of us have all hooked up with one another at some point, which helps, but aside from that we’re all like a twisted little family.
    I try to listen to what one of the guys is trying to tell me, but my mind is undeniably elsewhere, thinking about Olivia. It seems that it doesn’t matter how hard I try to stay away from her, to let her live the life that I know she deserves without someone like me, but I can’t seem to stick to it. She’s just so damn tempting.
    And after that amazing blowjob she gave me, completely by surprise, I don't think I’ll ever be able to keep away from her again.
    In fact, I might just blow this off right now and go and hang out with her...
    Ring, ring.
    I roll my eyes in frustration as my phone blasts out in my pocket, because I know for a fact that it’s going to be work.
    “Yo,” I call into the receiver, trying to disguise my annoyance. “What’s up, Carmine?”
    “Dude, we have a rat, and he needs to be dealt with.” His tone is all business, which makes me even more frustrated. “Tonight.”
    “Okay,” I sigh, resignedly. I guess I won’t be carrying out my own plans after all. “Who, where, when, etc...?”
    “He’s named Justin Hall, I’ll text you his address. No slacking this time, get it done.”
    His warning is enough to have me a little worried. I screwed up once when I first saw Olivia in Jesters, and I really can’t afford to make that mistake again.
    “I won’t,” I promise. “I’m on my bike now. I’ll get it done within the hour.”

    * * *
    I stand outside Hall’s home, breathing deeply while I steady my thoughts. I’m good at killing, it’s what I do best, so it isn’t that which has me worried. It’s just the recent upheaval in my life that has me pausing.
    It’s Olivia – she’s affecting me in ways that I haven’t experienced in a very long time.
    Bang, bang, bang.
    I hammer on the door quickly, wanting to get this done, then I shove it open without giving him the chance to answer. People like Hall always know that we’re coming, and they will do anything to hide...
    But it seems like I’m wrong when it comes to this idiot. He’s simply standing in the middle of his front room, with bloodshot eyes and a ridiculously blank expression on his face, making him look like a total idiot. I roll my eyes in disgust when I notice the joint between his fingers, and the obvious smell of cannabis that’s consuming his apartment.
    “What... what...?” He stammers slowly and frustratingly.
    I don't feel like I have the patience for this tonight, not when my head is all over the place, so I snap quickly, getting it all out. “I know that you’re a rat,” I tell him. I like to explain to people why I’m killing them. I want them to know what they’ve done before I end their life, so they know that what I’m doing is fair. I have an odd sense of justice like that. “You’ve fucked over some of my boys, and for that you have to pay.”
    He so clearly doesn’t get it because he’s off on another planet somewhere, so I