that look of caution. That look only a lost fucker would have.
A lost fucker who stirred a nest he shouldn’t have. I’m almost certain that’s what this new shit is. He’s always getting himself in trouble I have to bail him out of.
I back off my jacket, roll the sleeves up on my shirt and sit so I can watch the doll. I sit so he can see I’m watching her too.
Lucca is a man like me, he’s powerful just not when I’m around.
If I were someone else he’d probably slit my throat. If he ever tried such a thing with me though he’d be dead before he could form the thought.
“New girl?” I smile and he tenses. I’m playing with him, knowing he’s worried I might ask for the club as payment.
Fool, if I wanted it I would just take it.
“Been here for three months,” he replies with a seedy smile.
“She wasn’t here on my last visit.”
“We had special clients who wanted to break her in.” He smiles wider. The smile falters, however, when he sees that I’m not smiling back.
I know what he means, and I might be a sick fucker you don’t want to meet in a dark alley, but I’m not the same kind of monster he is.
“Pour me a scotch and tell me about the hit,” I say changing the subject.
Quickly he gets a glass and makes my drink. He hands it to me and takes a seat in front of me.
“It happened earlier today, just after lunch. I was just about to get in my car when they fired the bullet. I don’t know who it is Dante. That’s the problem,” he explains and I release a ragged sigh.
Many want to fuck with us. We have enemies who don’t like the wealth we have and others who hate us for the handle we have on our businesses. People know though not to come for us unless we send for them. This was personal, and how I know he had to have done some shit first.
He looks like he’s gearing up to tell me some dumb shit about not knowing anything at all so I give him a hard stare.
“What did you do Lucca?” I ask cutting to the chase.
His eyes go wide. “Nothing out of the ordinary.”
I stand up ready to leave his ass. They can kill him if he thinks I’m some dumb schmuck who’s gonna accept that shit.
“Wait please, Dante. I need you. They’ll kill my ass. You know I don’t know anybody else who can help me. Please,” he begs.
I turn to face him and lower back in my chair.
This guy gets on my nerves. The only reason why I bother to give his ass the time of day is because of a promise I made to my father on his deathbed. I promised him I’d look out for Lucca the way he did, and carry on the promise he made to my uncle who jumped in front of a bullet to save my father. That is the only reason why I’m even here. Promises.
Pa’s promise was made ten years ago and he never forgot. He took care of Lucca like he was his own and expected me to treat him like a brother. He and Uncle Raphael were as close as brothers could be. The expectation was for me and Lucca to be the same. The only downside is that there was never any honor in my cousin. He’s a prick who should die.
“Lucca, you motherfucker, I don’t have time for shit. I have business in Sicily I gotta take care of. I’m not here for long so you better tell me what I want to hear.”
“Fine. I wasn’t lying when I said I did nothing new. I haven’t. The only thing I can think this is about was a fucker I killed the other week who was snooping around the club selling drugs. I killed his ass. I don’t know what shit I stirred by doing that.”
He’s so stupid. He’s so trigger happy he just kills without thinking. Never considering who his bullets are knocking off and the people who could retaliate as a result.
“Give me a name,” I demand.
“Alfonse. That was his first name. Got no last name. He didn’t have ID. Just a name tag for the cinema on Main.”
That doesn’t tell me much but I’ll work with my men to check it out.
“Okay,” I grunt, already guessing the next few days are going to be shit.