“Commitment?” She shook her head. “You sound kind of nuts.”
“I know.” I stopped pacing. “You’re going to think it’s insane, but we have one goal.”
“Okay. What is it?”
“To control this city. No more Leone family, no more Volkov family. We’re going to be the power in Philadelphia, and we’re going to make this city a better fucking place to live.”
She stared at me with those wide pretty eyes.
Then laughed.
I grimaced and looked away.
“Sorry, it’s just… you’re killers. And you’re talking about making the city a better place to live.”
“The big families have been tearing the city apart for a long time. They’ve been carving it up into little kingdoms and going to war with each other. But when we’re in charge, no more wars, no more bullshit. Yeah, okay, we’ll still sell drugs and run girls and do all the illegal shit the other families did. But we’ll do it in an orderly fashion and bring everyone on board. Fewer profits, but less violence.”
“Idealistic. Weirdly idealistic.” She shook her head. “But you’ll be no better than the Leones or the Volkovs or any other gang before them. It always comes back to violence and control.”
“Maybe, maybe not, but we have to let this shit play out to find out.”
She shook her head and wrapped her blanket tighter. I stared at her leg again and felt that thrill.
“Why are you telling me this?”
“Because I want you to understand who you’re working with and what our goals are. We’re not just some small-time douchebags trying to start a war. We’ve been preparing for this for years. We’re serious, we have muscle and money and manpower. And when it’s over, we plan on making changes. I want you on our side, little birdie, and not just because you’re mad at your uncle.”
“You want me to buy in.”
I shrugged. “I guess I do.”
She didn’t speak for a couple minutes. She picked at her toast and drank her coffee while I turned away and looked out the window. I wanted her to see the city the way I saw it, with all its twisted allegiances and avenues of violence.
I wanted her to taste the future the way I tasted it. A future where we’d be in control, where violence wouldn’t be the only way anymore.
“I’m not going to do that just yet,” she said. “But I’ll be open to it at least.”
I looked back. “That’s all I can ask for.”
She stood up and took off the blanket. She gave me a look, and I knew what she was thinking as she turned around and walked back to the bedroom door.
I watched her ass sway back and forth. She wanted me to look, and I couldn’t help myself.
She went inside, shut the door behind her, and started the shower.
Fucking hell, this girl. I’ve met strong women before, but none that drove me wild like her.
Sooner or later, she’d see shit my way.* * *I parked outside of an old abandoned elementary school. The grass had gone jungle-long and vines snaked up the fence. Other cars were parked all around, mostly locals looking for an easy spot, though I recognized a few.
“This way,” I said, getting out.
“Where are we going?” Robin climbed out her side and hurried to keep up with me. She wore black boots, high socks, short jean shorts, and a button-down flannel. Her hair was up in a tight bun.
“Inside.”
“This school?”
“Yep.” I angled away from the front door and snaked around the right side of the building. It was old red brick. The windows were covered in boards. Graffiti tags covered half the available surfaces.
“This is pretty weird.”
“I know, but trust me.” I pushed through a bunch of overgrown bushes and came out into a small clearing. A doorway was tucked into a small alcove on the left. I walked to it, knocked three times, then pushed it open.
The school was dark inside.
“I’m not in love with the idea of going in there.” Robin picked a leaf off her shoulder. “If I’m being honest with you.”
“I appreciate that honesty,” I said. “But we’re still going inside. So come on.”
I walked into a short hallway. I heard Robin hesitate then follow.
The hall led past a storage closet then up a flight of stairs. Double doors creaked open into a large room with a long bank of high windows on the far side. The ceiling was high with exposed steel beams. The floor was linoleum, cracked and peeling in places. The walls were painted cinder blocks. More doors were boarded up to the left. Trash, needles, empty cups, rat shit, spider webs, and other detritus covered half the floor, though the other half was swept away. Long tables were folded up and stacked against the far wall, except for one.
Hedeon sat at the head of the table with three other men. They all looked over as I approached.