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“She died when I o But I’d already gone to live with Vidone and Theodora Covello by then”

I shifted closer to hi “Why?” I asked “Your mother couldn’t care for you?”

Vaughn shook his head “She was a showgirl… in Atlantic City Do you knohere that is?”

“No,” I said “But it’s like Las Vegas, right? People go there to lose money so they can try and win more money”

Vaughn smiled and I felt it ease some of the pressure inon around s and he looked at aveinto my head

“Exactly,” he responded “My father was already engaged to Luca’s mother when he went to Atlantic City for as supposed to have been his bachelor party He drank too ht in the entertained”

“Entertainment,” I repeated as I tried to make sense of the word

“Being a showgirl didn’t pay all the bills,” Vaughn said softly

Understanding dawned and I dropped hn”

I shot hi “It hat it was When uess she saw a chance to fund her showgirl stint for a bit longer”

“What does that mean?” I asked

“Luca’s dad was pretty well-known around New York and New Jersey, just not for the right reasons”

I must have looked confused because he clarified, “His business dealings weren’t always aboveboard”

I realized what that meant… his father had been a criminal

“Anyway, my mother saw the chance to make a buck and took me to his house in the city His neife answered the door”

“Oh,” I whispered in disbelief

“My mother proceeded to tell Theodora Covello all about her husband’s indiscretion the weekend they’d gotten married nine months earlier She told Luca’s mother if she wanted it to stay quiet, she’d pay her ten thousand dollars Want to knohat Theodora did?” he asked me

I nodded

“Gave her twenty thousand, took h I’”

“Me neither,” I whispered

“I know,” Vaughn said softly I looked at hi sensation returned and I wanted to yell at it for having the worst ti ever