Page 11 of Bobby

I glance back at Willow, who catches my eye with a look that reads straight through my bullshit. It’s not even six. There’s no way he’s had dinner. I usually don’t even eat until closer to eight myself. I’m not keeping him outside to watch my car, or because I don’t think they have enough to feed him as well. Though it is painfully obvious that Willow and her girls are scrimping by, yet have no problem sharing their meager blessings with someone who can buy this building without even putting a dent in my daily income.

No, it’s because I’m selfish. And I enjoy having their attention on me and me alone.

I’ve lived a very nice life. Sure, some of it was dark—death always is. Whether I’d sentenced someone to it or it occurred around me, it was always there, but I never wanted for anything. The darkness never overtook the light.

I grew up in a loving home with my parents until my father was killed when I was barely learning to drive, but I still grew up well. My family and the famiglia made sure of that. I was raised well, but not silver-spoon fed. I worked, doing what needed to get done and making sure others did as well. I didn’t look down on someone who had less, only thought less of someone who didn’t work but wanted more. You make your own way in my opinion. Nothing should ever be handed to someone. Something I’m sure not everyone believes in this day and age.

Being here with Willow and her girls has me appreciating what I have. It’s humbling. And it’s the exact thing I needed. Life has become predictable of late. No surprises. Nothing to make me see humanity as anything but greedy bastards. My job, both the legal one and the one Vinny and the famiglia deal more in, has me seeing men and women all for the grabbing and taking. Being on top seems to bring out those types of people more than ever.

Tommy’s girl, Payton, isn’t like that, but he’s already called dibs on her. And other than a pretty face, nothing called me to her. I might like the cover of a woman, what society calls “pretty,” but it’s her mind that I fall for. It’s been a while since I’ve found my match.

But Willow has surprised me more than once today with how clever she is and how quickly she picked up on the issues at my company that apparently have been going on for half a decade and no one else noticed. Or they just looked the other way because it required actual work, digging in by hand and not just letting an algorithm or some AI program do it for them.

“Dinner’s ready.”

I turn and smile wide at the “fancy pasta.” Ramen. It’s absolutely perfect.

The scrape of furniture has me turning to see the girls pull a coffee table, which was in the corner by the only window in the place with plants atop it a second ago, to in front of the television. The plants are now on the ground by the window. I move quickly, lift it, and set it down where Lily had moved her pictures.

“Lily, Ivy, let Mr. Leone have the couch. You two get the floor.”

“Oh, I don’t mind.” I grab the two bowls out of her hands and set them down, then go back and bring in the others while she and the girls carry the milk. “My brothers and I used to have fort dinners with our mama when we were kids. Some of my best memories were eating in them.”

I can tell from the look Willow gives me as she sits on the other side of me on the floor that she doesn’t believe me. But that’s fine. I don’t need her to believe me for it to be true. I’ll also do just about anything at this moment to keep the little girls smiling. Something about each one loosens something inside me. What I once thought was just a dark hole in my chest is slowly beginning to see sunlight.

“Boss,” Marco greets me as I exit the building with a nod. He’s standing right by the man I want to see.

I hold out my hand and shake Jimmy’s. “Jimmy.”

“Sir.” He gives me all the respect I earned from not only my family’s name but my own.

“What are you doing here?”

“Tommy told me to keep eyes on his property.”

I raise an eyebrow at that. “Property.” I let it out slowly. That one word can mean a lot of things in the famiglia.

“Yes, sir. He bought the apartment building a few weeks back. Gift to his girl or something. I’m to keep eyes on it and make sure it keeps standing.”

Interesting. I wonder if this is the same property Payton was staying in, or if it’s just a random one he bought for her. I don’t recall seeing a deed come across my desk, so he must have bought it with his own funds and not the family’s. We all have our own way to make income outside the famiglia. It helps with taxes and keeps us from relying on a group fund. I deal in investments, and Tommy gets his extra spending cash from underground fighting clubs. He’s got several women who win enough to keep him living well.

“Want to double your payout?” I ask without a second thought.

“Sir?”

“The woman and girls I walked in with. I see you know them.”

He glances at Marco a second before looking at me and nodding. Good. He needs to be worried, at least a little. Makes me think he’s smart enough to do what I ask.

“Keep eyes on them too.” I don’t involve myself with things like this.

Then I walk away and enter the car without Marco holding the door. I know he’s ironing out the details with Jimmy. He does the minute tasks, while I focus on the big picture.

Willow is smart and sees things my business needs so we can stay on top and not lose out on any more money. Having her and her girls looked after is a financial investment to help me save money long-term if she finds any more files like the last two.

Sure, I could have someone else do it, but I trust her. Willow isn’t after a payday. She didn’t seek me out to get my attention for something else that might win her some favor. She only brought it up to save time for me when she thought I was behind on something. Something I had no clue was an issue until she brought it to me.

No, having Jimmy look after her is a good business decision.