I let out a quiet snicker. “Don’t tell me you of all people are afraid of a little dipshit mouse.”
“Screw you, Nico.” She flips her hair and shudders next to me. “I can’t stand those disgusting little fuckers.”
“Hmm. Noted. Mice freak you out, but you’re fine walking into a restaurant that’s potentially full of assault rifles. Interesting.”
“Everyone has a…motherfucker!” Kat yelps, her body jerking backward toward what looks to be the kitchen. A thick arm winds its way under her neck, a butcher’s knife poised to pierce her skin.
“Drop the gun, fucko.” A deep voice with menacing dark eyes comes from behind Kat’s head.
“Don’t do it, Nico!” Kat gasps as his grip on her tightens.
Jesus Christ, what the fuck did I walk into?
“Who the hell are you?” I hold my gun steady, pointed directly at the ominous glare opposing me.
“We knew you’d come.” He speaks slowly and deliberately, his words dripping with disdain. “Must mean I finished the job. And now that your old man is out of the picture, looks like you’re sitting at the top. And trust me, it’s gonna be a painful fucking fall, Salesi.”
“Where’s Luca?” I grit my teeth, knowing full well he’s not here. Santino. Goddamn it, he totally fucked me, and as of this second, I can’t say for sure I’m going to be able to return the favor.
“You think he’s sitting around, waiting for you to come and blow him away for giving the order?”
My shoulders tense. “Let her go. It’s me you want. Leave her alone.”
“Fuck that, dickhead. I’m gonna have some fun with her first.” He runs a hand down the front of Kat’s chest. She cringes as his thick fingers plunge into the front of her shirt. Her shoulders shudder, quivering as the tears fall from her eyes. “Don’t cry, bitch. Not yet anyway.” He presses the knife to her neck and nods to me. “Now drop the gun before I cut into her like she’s a fucking steak.” With his free hand, he pulls her gun out of her waistband and drops it on the floor.
Kat widens her eyes as I move toward a table and drop the gun on top of it. She’s mouthing something…looks like Russian. That’s no fucking help.
Why did I think it was such a great idea to come here alone again?
The guy who always has a plan now has absolutely nothing except an apparent death wish.
“Good move, Salesi.” He yanks Kat backward, making her stumble. He’s got one hand on the knife, one hand over her chest, her gun clenched in his fingers. Her shoe gets caught on the ratty carpet as he’s dragging her and she grabs one of her spiky heels faster than I can blink. She twists away, shoving the heel of her shoe right into his beady black eye.
“Ahh, you fucking whore!” Kat’s shoe is still sticking out of the asshole’s head when he raises his arm at me and cocks her gun.
“??????? ???? ?????!” She screams in Russian, kicking him with her other shoe before ducking out of the line of fire. “Shoot him, Nico! Fucking do it now!”
Crack!
A glass vase explodes next to me as he manages to fire off a single shot.
Crack!
A pitcher shatters, liquid and glass flying through the air. I pull Kat toward me and fling her to the ground before I can pick up my gun and blow away the bastard who attacked my father. My hand juts out, my fingers gripping the cold metal.
He swings himself to a seated position and points the gun at me again. Blood pours down the side of his head, courtesy of the four-inch heel protruding from his eye socket. “You’re dead now, asshole!”
Crack! Crack! Crack!
Blood spurts out of the guy’s skull, bits and pieces of bone and brain now decorating the mouse-infested restaurant. His body lands backward on the floor with a loud thud, the knife and gun landing on the floor next to him.
“Yeah, that’s what it looks like to me, dick.” Rocco’s voice booms as he picks up the gun and swings it around his trigger finger. Good Christ, the guy won’t learn until he shoots himself in the fucking head.
“It’s still cocked!” Kat yells at Rocco. “?? ????????? ???!”
“Jesus, woman. English!” Rocco rolls his eyes and bends to free her shoe from the guy’s eyeball.
“No, he’s not fucking crazy, Kat. Just fucking stupid.” I grab the gun from him and hand it back to Kat.