Page 44 of Waste of Worth

The place was filled with Outfit people.

It was also the very last place Dino wanted to be.

He found a quiet corner away from the bulk of the chatting guests, and tried to stay out of the way for the most part. It was easier to do with a drink in his hand, so when a server walked past with a tray of poured whiskeys, Dino was quick to grab one and down over half of it in a single gulp.

The burn of the liquor sliding down his throat was heavenly.

He eyed the people as they mingled, wishing he was far across town in a quiet apartment that didn’t belong to him with a brown-eyed girl that somehow managed to make him feel far more content in his own skin than these people ever had.

Dino had grown up being told the Outfit was his family, and so, he should treat it as such and protect it the same way. He’d never understood that sentiment.

How could he, when it seemed like the only thing the Outfit had ever done for Dino—or even his siblings, really—had been to hurt them?

Murdering his parents …

Leaving them orphans …

Pretending they didn’t know the monsters they were left with …

Uncaring if they did know …

It was a strange mindset to have—to care for these people as if they were his family.

“You’re awfully quiet over here,” Ben said as he leaned back into the wall, mimicking Dino’s position. “I barely noticed you.”

Dino had known his uncle was approaching, if only because it was damn near impossible to not see Ben DeLuca in a crowd, but he had ignored the man, hoping he would overlook him. Clearly, he had hoped for too much.

“Having a drink,” Dino said, lifting his glass to show the few sips of whiskey he had left.

“Shame your sister is missing this,” Ben mused.

Dino resisted the urge to roll his eyes, instead taking a drink to get the burn in his throat again to keep him quiet.

“Lily would enjoy this,” Ben continued.

Dino couldn’t stay quiet at that. “Lily would hate something like this.”

Ben’s brow lifted. “Being celebrated and treated like a princess?”

“Being in the spotlight.”

A dry chuckle escaped Ben.

“Well, she would learn to like it, I suppose.”

Dino hid his frown by looking away, knowing that wasn’t true but unwilling to argue the point any further with Ben. No matter what he said, Ben was stuck in his beliefs, and it was pointless to attempt any change.

“Speaking of Lily,” Ben continued, clearly unaware of Dino’s lack of attention to the conversation, “have you spoken to her?”

“Briefly,” Dino said.

That was a lie.

Over the last few months, Lily’s calls had dissipated into practically nothing at all. The postcards she sent each time she arrived somewhere new, had also slowed down—going from three a month, to one every couple of months if Dino was lucky. He wasn’t worried about his sister, as far as that went, but it did bother him on some level.

Lily had left Chicago because she wanted to get away. She wanted to leave the Outfit and the people behind, and she didn’t want to be stuck here, living for what benefited the family, instead of what benefited her.

She’d long held a grudge where the Outfit was concerned for taking away her mother and father, and the dreams and ideals she’d held as a child.