Matt didn’t want to wait too long to see Antonio, so when it seemed like a good time, he headed over to the restaurant where Antonio did his business.

From the outside, it was a legitimate business. People came in, ordered food, ate food, and left. But in the back rooms, plenty of illegitimate business took place. Antonio had an office of sorts there, and he often met with people there since the restaurant provided the perfect cover.

Matt went inside and to the door that led to the back rooms. He nodded at the bartender, who was closest to the door and posed as a sort of guard. Matt had been here often enough, though. The bartender nodded back and Matt pushed through the door.

At the next door, he knocked on the door labeled “Maintenance,” gave his name, and was allowed inside to see Antonio.

Antonio sat at a table, smoking a cigar with two of his crew members. He looked over at Matt, looked him up and down, then took a long drag of his cigar.

“I’ve been told that you don’t have the payment for what you lost,” Antonio said.

“They turned on me.” Matt tried to explain without sounding like he was making excuses. “I did everything just as you said, but they decided they didn’t want to pay for what they wanted. They tried to shoot me and they beat me.”

“I see that. Did you go to the hospital?”

“Of course not. I stayed with a friend who took care of me while I recovered.”

“And I assume that’s why it took you so long to show up here?”

“Yes. I had a concussion and was unconscious for a long time.”

“Well, Matty Boy.” Antonio tapped out his cigar, then turned to face him full on. “I have to say, I’m not too impressed with your performance in this matter. And you know what happens when someone fails to impress me.”

Matt swallowed hard. This was the part he’d been dreading. He might be killed. Or beaten more. Or he might become Antonio’s slave for life.

“I’m sorry, sir,” Matt said.

“How exactly do you plan to make this up to me?”

“However you want me to.” Was his voice shaking as badly as his knees and hands were?

“You recall what the punishment is for messing up a job of mine?”

“Yes, but—”

“Oh Matt. Matty Matt Matt.” Antonio shook his head. “How could I do that to you? You’re so pathetic looking already. Black eye, covered in bruises. You’re a mess. Do you really think I’m so cruel as to have you beaten more than you’ve already been?”

This must be a trick question. If he said yes, Antonio would be pissed that he’d called him cruel. If he said no, Antonio would be pissed that he thought he was soft. He found an answer that didn’t really answer the question. “I know you always do what’s fair.”

Antonio nodded slowly. “And what do you think is fair in this situation? What would you do if you were me?”

“I’ll pay you back. For the drugs that were taken, for the guns I didn’t get for you. I have money. Just tell me how much you need, and I’ll hand it right over.”

“Money? You want to pay me with money for what you lost for me?”

“I can pay whatever you want. I’ll pay what my father owes, too.”

“And where did you suddenly find all this money?”

“Here and there.” Matt had learned a thing from being around Antonio and the other mob guys and doing work for them. An opportunity had arisen, and Matt had done something he’d never thought he’d do. He’d stolen. A lot. But he did it so that he could be free of this obligation. “I’ll give you more than what my dad owes.”

“The thing is, Matt. I don’t need your money. I have plenty of my own. I run quite a successful business. And I didn’t get so successful by letting people screw me over. Your father tried to screw me over, Matt. And money alone won’t pay for that. I need everyone to know what happens when you try to screw over Antonio. And do you know how I do that, Matty?”

He opened his mouth to respond, but Antonio kept going.

“I do that by making examples. You’re a great example. You’re working for me, paying off your father’s debt as one of my soldiers. I like this arrangement. You keep your money. I don’t want it. But I do want you to do something else for me. Do you think you can handle doing another task for me?”

“Sure.” Matt gritted his teeth. Why couldn’t Antonio just take the money and let him be? Hopefully, this task would go better, and he’d be done with this.

“Sure?”

“I mean, yes sir.”

Antonio smiled. “That’s better. Do you think you can manage to do it right this time?”

“Yes sir.”

“Good. Because Matt? I don’t want to feel like I can’t trust you. Because if I can’t trust you, then I have to kill you. And I don’t like doing that. I can trust you, can’t I?”

“Absolutely, sir. I’ve already pledged myself to you until I pay off my father’s debt. I made a mistake, but I’m going to do whatever I have to make it right.”

“That’s what I like to hear. Remember, there are worse things a person can lose besides money.” He gave him a wide grin.

Matt wasn’t even going think about everything that threat implied.

“Go now,” Antonio said. “I have something in the works, and I’ll send for you when I’m ready for you.”

“Thank you, sir.”

Matt hurried out of there before the conversation could turn bad. Dealing with Antonio was tough. If Matt said or did the wrong thing, he might pull out his gun and pop him right there. The stress of dealing with the mafia just made his anger and bitterness toward his father even stronger.

As Matt drove home, he thought of Maya. How badly he’d wanted to kiss her. How badly he wished he could be someone that could be with someone like her. She was too good to be true. Who would really be that kind to a dangerous stranger? She was a rare gem.

He considered driving by her house, but there was no point. She was too special for him to dirty up her life. And he cared about her enough to stay away. She deserved some great guy. Some doctor who could give her the life she dreamed of. Matt was not that guy. He’d only bring her down.

He was feeling tired as he drove and decided to try out the local coffee shop. Normally, he would hit a gas station, but when he saw the name of the shop, “Black Joe’s,” it made him think of Maya. She’d had a mug with that logo on it.

He turned and went inside. As he approached the counter, he saw Maya before she saw him. The shock took a moment to pass through his mind. That’s why she had the mug. She worked here. He’d just play it cool, but inside, he was dying to jump across the counter and gab her into an embrace.

He watched her ring up a customer, making sure the sleeve was on the cup just right and that the order was as the woman wanted. Maya was so pleasant and beautiful. They probably loved her here. She was too good for this place.

When she turned to him, she got half a sentence out before freezing. “Can I hel—” She recovered and broke into a smile. “Matt. How did you know I worked here?”

“I didn’t. I saw the sign and remembered your mug and thought coffee would be nice. Can I get one to go?”

“Sure. How are you feeling? I didn’t get to check on you this morning.”

“I’m great, thanks to you,” he said.

“You left something at my place, you know.”

“Anything I left behind is yours now.”

She set the full cup on the counter and snapped a lid in place. “I can’t accept that.”

When he reached for the cup, his hand closed over hers, the warmth between them extending beyond their hands and the cup. He held her gaze, trying to read her. Did she have any interest in him at all?

“You said you helped me because you didn’t want the guilt of not helping me. So, let me do the same. I can’t take your hospitality and not give you something in return. Please.”

She held his gaze back, their hands still touching. “Okay,” she said softly. “I wouldn’t want you to be distressed over it. I’ll do something good with it.”

“Blow it all on yourself,” he said, handing her a twenty. “And keep the change.”

“Matt!”

She held the bill out to him, but he turned and walked away. He left the shop, forcing himself not to look back at her. If he looked back, he might go back. He might find a way to make her his, and that would end badly for her. He couldn’t do that to her.

Instead, he sat in his car, sipping his coffee, watching her through the shop’s front window. She was a hard worker. Rushing around the place, making coffee, serving people, cleaning up. She didn’t stop moving for a moment. She didn’t pause to talk with co-workers or day dream.

He shook his head. Did this girl have a single flaw? He drove away, wishing he was as good of a person as she was.