“Pretty sure your dick is always hard, Emilio. You should probably get that checked out. Could be a health thing.”
“It’s having a hot-as-fuck girlfriend thing,” I tell her.
“Thanks.” Frankie smiles widely.
A waitress comes by our table. “Morning. What can I get y’all?” she asks.
“I’ll have a coffee, black, and chicken and waffles. She’ll have a chocolate milkshake and waffles with strawberries and cream. Thanks.” I hand the girl the menu I was holding, then snatch Frankie’s from her and hand it over as well.
The waitress turns to Frankie. “Is that what you want?”
Frankie smiles at her. “Oh, I’m going to make him tip you big. I like you. Yes, thank you. He knows me too well.”
“Right, I’ll get your order in. Your drinks will be right out.” Without a second look at me, the waitress turns and walks away.
“I would be careful about your food. I think she might spit in it.” Frankie laughs.
“What did I do?”
“You ordered for me, assumed you knew what I wanted,” she says. “It’s the twenty-first century. Us women have voices and can order for ourselves.”
“I’m aware you have a voice, Frankie, but I knew what you wanted. It would be rude if I didn’t order for you,” I tell her.
“Maybe, maybe not.” She shrugs. “So, what’d you get up to last night with my brother?”
“Nothing interesting. He did save me from a bullet, though.”
Frankie blinks at me. She doesn’t say a word, just sits across from me blinking.
“What’s wrong?”
“What do you mean he saved you from a bullet?”
“Some asshole shot at me. Alfie pushed me down before the bullet could hit me.” I keep my voice low.
“I wish I didn’t ask,” Frankie mumbles. “Is my brother okay?”
“Yes,” I tell her. “How’d your lunch with Elias go?”
“He’s annoying,” she groans. “And grouchy.”
“Yeah, he is,” I agree.
The waitress brings out our drinks. She smiles at Frankie as she puts a milkshake in front of her. “I gave you extra chocolate,”she says and then places a mug of coffee in front of me without a word.
I notice that my cup is only three quarters full. I normally wouldn’t tolerate this kind of blatant disrespect. But right now, I’m with Frankie and I don’t care what anyone else is doing.
“How long is Elias here for?” Frankie asks.
“No idea. He turned up yesterday morning. There are some issues with work. We’re trying to sort them out.”
“Are you safe?”
“As safe as houses, babe.” I smirk. “No one is taking me out. I just got the life I’ve been waiting for.”
“What life is that?”
“The one where I get to call Frankie Giuliani my girlfriend.”