Reborn: I Won't Be His Fall Girl Again

The underground fight club smelled of sweat, blood, and rotgut vodka.

"Hey doll, hike that skirt up a bit and I'll give you a hundred."

A thug with a meaty, jowly face tried to grab my thigh.

I clamped onto his wrist, digging my thumb into a pressure point.

He screamed and let go.

"Cash only. No touching." I slammed a water bottle on the table.

I needed five grand for that damn Academy ticket.

This was my fourteenth night putting up with this harassment.

3 AM. The club finally closed.

I changed and walked out the back door, only to find two familiar figures blocking the alley.

Luca, and his foster mother, Martha.

Martha looked at the envelope in my hand like I was a thief.

"Elena, how can you be so selfish?" Martha charged at me, finger in my face.

"Luca hasn't slept in days because of that incident! He needs that money to grease some palms and clear his name."

"At least you know your place, working to pay your debts. Hand it over!"

The woman was screeching.

I looked at Luca.

He stood silent in the shadows behind her, wearing a jacket that didn't fit, looking gloomy and greedy.

I laughed and shook my head.

"No. This is my pay."

I tucked the envelope into my inside pocket.

"He is the only hope for this district!" Martha shrieked.

"It should be your honor to sacrifice for his future!"

"Honor?" I looked at Luca. "Letting a woman take the fall for you—is that how a future Don acts?"

Luca’s face went white. A few local thugs passing by started laughing.

"Shut up!" Martha, humiliated and angry, raised her hand to slap me.

I caught her wrist in mid-air. Hard. She yelped in pain.

I shoved her back, and she stumbled into Luca.

"Don't touch me," I stared at Luca. "If you're that broke, go beg on the corner like the rest of the bums. Stop looking at me."

I turned and walked away.

Three months passed. I never saw Luca again.

I finally scraped together the tuition. I didn't want to wait another second, so I went to the boss to cash out.

"Five thousand dollars total," I said. "Give it to me, and I'm gone."

In the office, the boss had his boots on the desk, toying with a silver revolver.

He looked up like he’d heard a joke.

"What money?" He sneered. "Tony was here yesterday. He said that cash covers the interest on his loan here."

My blood ran cold.

"That is my money! Why did you let someone else take it?"

I clenched my fists, ready to fight for it.

I took one step forward.

The boss was faster.

He jumped up and kicked me hard in the stomach.

Pain dropped me to my knees. My stomach churned.

A cold gun barrel pressed against my forehead.

"Wages?" He looked down at me, eyes full of cruel amusement.

"Trash like you exists because the Family allows it. You think you have the right to discuss wages? Say one more word, and tonight you go in a shipping container straight to the Mexican border."