Free Men of Mayhem by Anthology

how close I was to begging him to strip off my clothes. Or how disappointed I felt when Carmela interrupted us.
    My stomach heaved, and I covered my mouth. Oh my God, I hooked up with the male version of my best friend. With my hands trembling, I stepped into the street, frantically flagging down any and every taxi in the proximity.
    I climbed inside the first one that stopped, and I finally felt like I could breathe normally. I gave the driver Carmela’s address, and I closed my eyes. Lately, my life had been one mistake after another. Tears snuck out of the corners of my eyes, and I wanted to slap myself. I was so sick of crying.
    The taxi stopped moving, and I opened my eyes, discreetly wiping my face with the back of my hand.
    “It’ll be twenty-five bucks,” the driver said.
    I reached for my purse, then I remembered I had left it on the sofa in Gian’s office. “Shit.” I threaded my fingers through my hair. “I’m sorry. I left my purse at the bar. Would you mind driving back?”
    The driver glanced over his shoulder. “Do you have money in your house? I can wait.”
    “I don’t have a key. It’s in my purse.”
    The driver rubbed a hand down the side of his face. “Are you serious? Your purse might not be there anymore.”
    “Look.” I swallowed back the sobs crawling up the walls of my throat. “I left it in the owner’s office. Nobody will take it, and you can double the fare.”
    “The owner?” he said, his voice softer than a few seconds ago.
    “Yes. I’m friends with the owner and his sister.”
    He pulled away from the curb. “I’ll take you back. Don’t worry about doubling the fare. I’m happy to help out a friend of the Trassatos.”
    My eyes narrowed momentarily as my mind contemplated his rapid mood change. Maybe what my friends whispered about the Trassato family was true. I smoothed the front of my shirt, then decided it didn’t matter either way. So what? I kissed Gianluca Trassato. It wasn’t a big deal. If the rumors about him were true, Gian had plenty of women coming and going in his life. He’d probably dismissed me from his thoughts the minute I walked out of his office. I’d be smart to do the same.
    “That’d be great. Thanks for your help,” I replied, already feeling better.
    Fifteen minutes later, the driver pulled up in front of Gian’s nightclub. “I’ll be right back,” I said as I opened the door.
    “Don’t worry. Take your time.”
    I walked directly to the bouncer at the front door, circumventing the line to get in the bar. It hadn’t decreased much since I went in the first time. After a quick explanation to the bouncer, he unhooked the red velvet rope and let me inside again. Not stopping to look for Kevin, Carmela, Gian, or anyone else I might know, I darted through the crowds of people to the back area of the bar leading to Gian’s office.
    Unlike the last time I followed Gian through the No Admittance doorway, a large man stood in front the door. He wore a black suit, an impeccably starched white shirt, and a dark tie.
    “I need to get back there,” I blurted out.
    Folding his bulky arms across his chest, he glanced at me, a frown on his face and his dark eyes narrowed. A wave of cold rushed through me. Something about him made me grateful I hadn’t run into him in a dark alley.
    “No.”
    “I left my purse in Gian’s office. I had a meeting with him earlier.”
    He rolled his eyes, a dubious look on his face. “The answer is still no. He’s busy right now. Come back in an hour.”
    I heaved a worn out sigh. “I need to pay the taxi outside, and I don’t have any money.”
    He shrugged. “Find someone who cares.”
    I waved my hand in the air. “Can you go back there and get it for me? I left it on the sofa in his office. It’s a small black rectangular purse.”
    “No. No one is allowed back there right now. Not even me.”
    “What the hell am I supposed to do?”
    He arched one eyebrow. “I don’t care. Just find somewhere