"You did well," the man standing on the other side of the bar counter murmurs.
Maybe too well. Now, my entire family thinks of me as having betrayed them. She thinks I kidnapped her…which I did. Though considering I married her, perhaps it doesn’t count as a kidnapping? But the very fact that I pulled a gun on the Sovranos before I took her and left seems to point to the contrary.
I pull out the gun from the small of my back where it has been tucked into my waistband and place it on the counter, pointed at him.
He doesn’t even glance it. Asshole simply pushes his glass forward, as if he expects me to fill it. When I ignore him, he reaches for the bottle and tops himself up without acknowledging the snub.
He raises his glass, "Cheers," he clinks his glass with mine, "to the successful completion of phase one." He tosses back his own liquor, then tops up his glass with my whiskey. Forty-year-old Macallan's, which he definitely does not deserve to partake of.
"Fuck you," I say in a low voice.
He laughs, "Now, why would you say that? Considering you were the one who wanted to have your revenge on the Sovranos. Unless," he tilts his head, "unless you developed familial feelings. And if you did, I don’t blame you. After all, blood is blood, and you may have spent your life hating them, but having spent time with them, you may be feeling otherwise inclined."
"I’ll do anything to destroy them," I say in a hard voice.
"Ah," he scratches his chin, "is it the woman, then? Honest to God, I didn’t foresee that and I do think of everything, you know. But it seems even I cannot predict human nature or the power of love."
"Love," I scowl, "the fuck you talking about, man?"
"Don’t be upset now." He clicks his tongue, "It happens to the best of us. No one can avoid the power and the suddenness of love. When it hits…it hits; it has no rhyme or reason."
"Get to the point, motherfucker."
"Marrying her must have seemed like a good move, a way to get closer to the Sovranos without eliciting suspicion... A brilliant move, if I may say."
"You may not," I say through gritted teeth.
"Kidnapping her in front of the entire town was a master-stroke." He nods his fucking head. "One way to make the Sovranos' lose face, something to expose their weaknesses and have their enemies circling around them like vultures. Gotta hand it to you, boy, that’s something I wouldn’t have been able to think of. But bringing her here?" He purses his lips, "You are sending out a beacon that’s going to attract every single motherfucking friend of the Mafia to you. You’ve painted a target on your head, and by association, mine."
"I have this place guarded."
"Which is no guarantee that it will protect you against the Cosa Nostra."
I scowl at him, "You’re beginning to piss me off, Freddie."
His lips kick up. "That was not my intention. You are the strongest member of my team; you know I don’t want to lose you."
"Well, fuck that." I swig back the rest of the whiskey. "I have kicked off the beginning of the end of the Sovranos. As for phase two, it will have to wait."
"Ah," he strokes his chin, "so definitely love, then."
I glare at him.
"Enjoy the early days of your marriage, but remember, you owe me, and I always collect Axel."
I rise to my feet and jerk my chin toward the door, "Fuck off."
"Now, now. Hold on, you are not thinking straight." He raises his snifter of whiskey and anger squeezes my gut. I reach out, knock the glass out of his hand. It crashes to the floor and shatters. He stiffens, then rises to his feet and dusts off the droplets that have fallen on his jacket.
"I understand you are not thinking straight," he says in a soft voice, "but remember that you need me, Axel. You—"
I reach over, grab his collar and haul him over the counter, "I don’t need anyone, you motherfucker."
He chuckles, "Words spoken in the heat of the moment, but you know better."
I tighten my grasp on his collar. He gasps. His face turns red and the veins on his neck pop as he tries to take in a breath.
"Read my lips, you motherfucker. I don’t need you or anyone else, and if you dare to threaten me again, I will kill you." I release him and he staggers back. He straightens his collar, then draws himself up to his full height. "You are going to regret threatening the Sovranos and kidnapping her, Axe, mark my words." Turning, he walks out.