Tony snaps back at them in a panic. “Get her in and let’s get out of here.”
The two of them shake their heads, stepping away from the van, almost bowing as they walk toward me. “Mr. Felici. We would never have agreed to this if we’d had any idea they belonged to you.”
I wait for them to reach me. Once they’re in range, I grab their heads and slam them together with a sickening crack. The two of them fall to the ground, not moving.
I step over them, not taking my eyes off Tony for a second. He manages a weak smile. “Let’s talk about this,” he says. “I think there’s maybe been a misunderstanding, Mr. Felici. You don’t want to do this. You’re going straight. We all heard. Feds will come for you. Your chance of becoming Don will disappear. Commission will fuck you up if you break the truce. We can sort this out.”
“Sure we can,” I say, still walking his way. “I shoot you for touching my girl. You die. There, that’s it sorted out.”
He reaches for his gun but he’s not got a prayer. I lunge for him before he gets his hand in his jacket. I pick him up and hurl him against the wall, watching as the air is forced from his lungs.
He lands and starts gasping like a fish out of water, gulping for oxygen and trying to get to his feet.
I pick him up and throw him again. This time something cracks inside him. I’m guessing a rib or two. He falls heavier, his movements slower. I pick him up a third time, throwing him again. This time when he falls, he doesn’t move.
I pull out my gun and point it at his head.
Rocky steps out from the other side of the van. “He’s right. You kill him and the Beluccis might go to the commission.”
“They’ll lose. He spiked two civilians.”
Rocky shakes his head. “Do they still count as civilians if we’ve claimed them?”
I look down at Tony and I want to pull the trigger but I know Rocky’s right. The truce was hard won. Do I want to break it for a piece of shit like him?
“Let’s get them in the car,” I say, hoisting Ophelia over my shoulder.
“Where are we taking them?”
“They can recover at mine. I’ll get the doc to give them a once over.”
He grabs hold of Cathy and between us, we head out to my car. It only takes a few seconds to get them in the back. Anyone walking our way pointedly looks away. They know my reputation and I know something more important. No matter how many cops turn up to investigate, no one will tell them a thing. Not even Tony, if he survives. Right now, I don’t give a shit either way.
“Fuck it,” I say. “Wait there.” I think of him spiking her drink, how close he came to spiriting her away from me.
I leave Rocky in the car, walking back into the alleyway. I pick up her handbag and the cellphone lying beside it. Tony is moving, looking at me. “She’s just a woman,” he says. “You want to ruin everything over one woman?”
“You hurt her,” I say to him, walking over until I’m standing over him.
“So fucking what? What’s one slut to you, anyway? There are a million more out there.”
“No one hurts her and gets to live.”
I pull my gun out and fire a single shot into his head. At the last moment his eyes widen in terror but it’s too late. He’s dead.
I return to the car. “What did you do?” Rocky asks.
“Reminded them who I am,” I reply. “Let’s move.”
I look back at Ophelia and Cathy passed out on the back seats. They’ve no idea how close they came to disaster.
I feel an anger I’ve not felt for a long time. I almost lost her. The thought fills me with a gnawing sensation I don’t like. It’s fear, not an emotion I’m used to experiencing.
I need to keep her safe. She did nothing to deserve what happened to her.
Wouldn’t have happened if she’d never met me.
That’s the worst part. The reason why I should never have anything to do with her. This is what happens to people I get close to.