Chapter 1

My alarm goes off at 12:47pm, and I don’t hit snooze because snoozing costs minutes I don’t have.

The studio smells like old coffee and a heater I can’t afford to run, and the money in my account isn’t enough to feed me for a month, talk less of paying house rent. I did the math last night, and the math still doesn’t work this morning. I’m 21 today.

I pull on the black dress, Velvet’s uniform, two sizes too big since Dad died and I stopped eating. The name tag says ARIA in faded letters, the shoes say blisters. Velvet opens at 6pm but I’m on prep at 3pm, because birthdays don’t pay bills and neither do tears.

The bus is late, so I walk the last six blocks in wet socks and get to the back door at 2:58pm with a headache. Mia is smoking by the dumpster, she’s been here three years and she hates me. "Happy birthday," she says, and she doesn’t mean it. "Thanks," I say, and I don’t mean it either.

The kitchen is loud. Pots banging, someone yelling about fish, the walk-in humming like it’s about to die. I chop onions until my eyes burn, I plate salads until my hands cramp, and I don’t think about the fact that my dad’s been dead a year and I haven’t cried about it in months. Grief is a luxury, and I can’t afford it.

At 5:30pm Mr. Russo calls us to the line. He’s got that pinched look he gets when rich people are coming. "Table 12 tonight," he says. "The Morettis. Don’t mess it up."

The Morettis. Every girl in this city knows the name. Five brothers. Money older than God. Luca, Marco, Nico, Enzo, Dante. They come every Friday, sit at table 12, don’t talk, don’t tip. Other waitresses fight to serve them because proximity to power feels like power. I got them because I’m new and no one else wants the headache. "And Victoria Caruso is coming," Russo adds. "So smile. Bow. Be grateful."

Victoria Caruso. Red dress, diamond necklace, mouth like a knife. She’s been hanging off Luca Moretti for three years, posting pictures, claiming territory. I nod. I don’t care.

Doors open at 6:02pm, and by 6:15pm Velvet is full of black marble and low light and people who spend $400 on wine like it’s water. The air smells like truffle oil and cologne I can’t pronounce. I carry trays, I pour water, I say "Can I get you anything else?" forty-seven times. My feet start hurting at 6:40.

At 7:30pm they walk in, and the room changes.

I’ve seen them before, every Friday, but tonight I notice. Luca first, tall in a black suit, face like he’s never laughed. eyes scanning the room like he’s counting exits and threats. Marco next grinning leaning on the doorframe like he owns it, which he probably does. Nico, softer hair messy looks tired like he hasn’t slept. Enzo, quiet, hands in pockets, watching everything and saying nothing. And Dante last, doesn’t look at anyone, just walks like the floor owes him space.

They don’t look at me. I don’t look at them. That’s the rule.

I take their drink order, whiskey neat, all five, and set the glasses down without shaking. I’m proud of that. Small wins.

Then Victoria walks in. Red dress, red lips, red everything. She kisses Luca on the cheek, he doesn’t kiss her back. She sits, she laughs too loud, she looks at me like I’m dirt on her shoe. "Water," she says, like I’m deaf and she’s doing me a favor by speaking.

I fill her glass. My tray is heavy, my feet hurt, and I’m turning to leave when her elbow catches it. On purpose? Maybe. Doesn’t matter.

The water goes everywhere. All over her, the red dress, the table, the floor. The restaurant goes silent. 200 people pretending not to watch.

"Are you stupid?" she snaps, water dripping from her necklace. "I’m sorry," I say, because that’s what I’m paid to do, but I don’t bow, I don’t cry, I don’t fall apart. I just stand there, wet, tired, 21 today.

"You didn’t even say sorry right," Victoria says. "Do you know who I am?" "Yes," I say. "Miss Caruso." "Then act like it."

I look past her, to table 12. Luca is watching me, not her. His expression doesn’t change but his jaw ticks once. Marco is smirking into his whiskey. Nico looks concerned. Enzo’s eyes are on the spill, calculating. Dante hasn’t moved.

I should apologize again. I should grovel. I don’t. "I’ll get towels," I say, and I walk away.

Big mistake.

Russo pulls me into the office ten minutes later. The office smells like bleach and bad decisions. "Victoria complained," he says. "She said you were rude." "I wasn’t rude." "You didn’t smile." "I spilled water on her." "You didn’t apologize properly." He sighs like I’m exhausting him. Like I’m the problem. "Aria, I can’t keep you. Not after this."

The words hit like a slap. "What? Today? It’s my—" "Effective immediately. Clean out your locker."

I stare at him. "I need this job." "You should’ve thought of that before you disrespected a Caruso."

My throat closes. "Can I at least get my last check?" "It’ll be mailed."

I walk out with my apron in my hands, and the kitchen keeps working like I was never there. Mia doesn’t even look up.

It’s 8:17pm and it’s raining. Cold rain that soaks through the thin dress in seconds. I’m standing on the curb outside Velvet with nowhere to go when a black car pulls up and the window rolls down. Luca Moretti.

He doesn’t get out. "You’re fired," he says, not a question.

"Yeah," I say, my voice small. "Happy birthday to me."

He watches me a second too long. "Get in."

I should say no. I should walk. But it’s raining and I’m broke and I’m 21 and I’m so tired, so I get in.

The car smells like leather and his cologne, something dark and expensive. The other brothers are in the back. None of them speak. Marco glances at me in the rearview and winks. Nico offers me his jacket. I don’t take it. My pride is all I have left.

We don’t talk for ten minutes. The city blurs past. Then Luca says, "You didn’t have to apologize to her."

I look at him. "I was doing my job."

"You did it better than anyone else here."

He pulls up in front of my building, the one with peeling paint and a lock that doesn’t work and neighbors who fight at 2am. "You live here?" Nico asks quietly.

"Yeah," I say.

Luca turns in his seat. His eyes are cold but not cruel. "Come see me tomorrow. 10am. Velvet. My office."

"What for?"

"Job offer."

He says it like it’s not a question, like I don’t have a choice. Maybe I don’t.

I get out, and the rain hits me immediately. Behind me I hear Marco: "She’s got guts."

And Dante, so quiet I almost miss it: "She didn’t bow."

The car pulls away. I stand there, soaked, fired on my birthday, and the five men who got me fired just offered me a job. God help me.