“What deal?”
“We’ll get the feds off your scent, but we want fifty percent of your business.”
“Are you fucking nuts? The feds aren’t onto me at all.”
“That’s right, you think because you have a couple police officers on the take that you’re safe. We know otherwise. See, when our guy fucked up and started skimming from his deliveries, we checked into his personal dealings. Your name came up.”
“I don’t have anything to do with Eddie Walsh.”
“We didn’t mention his fucking name, so how the fuck did you know who we were talking about?”
“Um… see, that’s because he’s the only one who constantly owes me money.”
“That’s interesting, because we know that’s not true. He pays you well because you’ve got him skimming from us, but that’s not it. It’s not why I’ve asked you here. You created a mess we had to clean up. We offed a beautiful woman named Mariana because she saw something she shouldn’t have.”
“She’s dead? Fuck. I’ve been on the hunt for that bitch. She stole my money and didn’t pay it back like she promised.”
“Wait, are you the one who pretended to be her boyfriend to my contact?”
“Oh, you mean your cop friend who tried to get her back for you? You should know your officer buddy is under internal investigation. Did you know that?”
“Bullshit.”
“Don’t believe us, but he’s in the middle of ratting you out to the cops to save his ass.”
“He wouldn’t.”
“No? We have our own connections, and he’s crossed too many lines that his people took notice of.” I slip on my gloves quietly. I might be a big guy, but I’m stealthy.
“I can’t believe it.”
“Well, that’s tough because it’s true.” I toss a rope around his throat and then Dom ties his hands with a zip tie. I loosen my grip just one inch to let him breathe.
The next words out of his mouth force my hand. Torture it is. “It’s all because of that stupid bitch. She couldn’t do a single thing right. I wish you would have let me hit that before you took her out. She was a fucking virgin.” I lose control and strike him in the face.
Grabbing his face forcefully, I say, “I didn’t kill her. She’s mine, and the fact that you threatened her, insulted her, and then tried to find her means you crossed a line with me that’s not acceptable.”
“Come on. Take it easy. She’s just a piece of ass, and you cost me a good two hundred thou on her virginity.” I lose it and bash him in the face with my elbow.
“Enough, Nero. Do what is needed. Goodbye, Mr. Gordon. May God have mercy on you because Nero here will not.” I lead the fucker out of the house with a gun to his head.
“Come on! We can work this out.”
“No, we can’t.”
“I can give you information on anyone. I have it all.”
“Start talking.” He does. And for an hour all the way back to his club, which has had a sudden power outage and has been evacuated for safety, he spills his guts about more than his activities. I have enough information to sink several public officials who are aiding this piece-of-shit bottom feeder.
“We’re here in your club. It’s time to get out.”
“What about my car?” This fool thinks I’m going to let him go. Nothing but death is good enough for this bastard.
“Relax, your car is right here.” Tony D. pulls up beside us. “I’d make sure all your shit’s there because Tony’s a bit of a klepto,” I lie. I just want his fingerprints all over his vehicle before I kill him. He climbs in and I know he’s looking for his gun, but that’s gone.
“Looking for this? Come on, now. Did you think he’d leave you with a weapon to shoot us with?”
“Get inside the club. We’re not done discussing everything you’ve given me.”
He does so like a fool, but the place has been set up for just what I need. Sliding a mask over my face, I welcome the several junkies just in time to do their part. My work is done forty-five minutes later, and we do our best to remove any traces of our presence. Tony D. takes off the fat suit he donned for his role as Gordon.
“Damn, that felt disgusting.”
“Now, it’s getting late, and I have to check in with Dom.”
“You mean so you can get home as fast as possible so that the newest edition to the Bianchi family is well cared for.”
“Damn right.”
Once I brief Dom on everything, I creep back to my house. It’s already two in the morning, but I need to check on my queen. Did she get pissed and trash the place? I go inside, and everything is as good as it always is. I see the apple pie she made just for me. Dom told me that she’d gone out of her way to bake for me. Fuck, I have to make it up to her. I picked up the ring yesterday and I’ve been itching to give it to her, but right now probably isn’t the best time. I go upstairs and into my bedroom, changing out of my clothes and hopping in the shower to wash away the filth from today.