“No, it’s not, but it’s also important.” I squeeze her hips tightly. “You can’t know these people if you don’t know who’s fucking who, who’s coming inside of whom, who’s sucking off who, who’s riding—”
“I get it,” she says, blushing furiously. “You don’t have to talk like that all the time.”
“This is the real world, filthy girl. You told me about their business relationships, about their family relationships, but you never once mentioned so-and-so is pegging such-and-such in the ass each night with an expensive wine bottle.”
“People do that?”
“People doeverything, filthy girl.”
“You’re disgusting.”
“And so are you, so is everyone.” I want to make her understand that this isn’t dirty, it isn’t shameful, it’s just human nature. People want to fuck because fucking feels good, and they do it in every different and weird way imaginable because it’s goddamn fun, and people are dirty little animals under all the layers of polite social breeding. Brice is no different, only her repression is deeper and more intense than most.
But I don’t find the words in time. A shadow detaches itself from the storefront next door and a man steps onto the sidewalk, drawing my attention away from Brice. He’s wearing a big puffer jacket and a black baseball cap pulled low over his eyes, and he’s got his hands in his pocket. His gaze catches mine and he’s not smiling.
I move Brice to the side as he approaches and put myself between her and him, my hand moving to my hip where I’ve got a compact 9mm pistol tucked into a holster under my jacket. It’s not much, but it’s better than nothing.
However, the man holds up his hands, indicating that he’s not here to try anything. “Carmine Scavo. I’d like a word. My employer sent me to find you and speak with you.”
He doesn’t need to say who his employer is, I can see it written all over his face.
“Panagos sent you here?”
The man nods. “My name’s Spiros—”
Anger gets the better of it. It always does. “I couldn’t give a single fuck who you are,” I snarl at him, rage driving me into a frenzy. “I should draw my weapon and gun you down right here and now, you worthless sack of flesh.”
Spiros’s eyes widen. He’s got heavy lids, dark hair, thin lips. Typical Greek bastard. “What the hell is wrong with you? I said I’m only here to talk.”
“What’s wrong with me?” I step forward, trembling with a barely restrained need to kill this fucker. “I’m here having dinner with my fiancée, and you track me down like some second-rate hitman and ambush us outside of the restaurant. You wonder what’s wrong withme?”
Spiros turns pale. “I only meant—”
“I know what you meant, you cheap fucking Greek gangster. You tell Stephen that if he wants to talk to me then he can make an appointment like a fucking man instead of sending a rat to do his work for him. Now fuck off back to your pathetic little family, you worthless writhing maggot.”
His jaw works, trying to find words to reply, but I turn my back on him. It’s a risk, but I’m doing this on purpose. I can’t let Stephen and his little minions think I’m weak—letting them think I’m weak for a single second is like dropping a bunch of chum in shark-infested waters. They’ll swarm and things will get ugly. I want them to think twice before they try something stupid.
“The girl’s father owes us a lot of money,” Spiros calls as I start to lead Brice away, back toward where the limo’s parked a few cars down. She’s moving woodenly and her face is pale with terror. “He owes us ten fucking million.”
My hand grips her arm tighter.Ten fucking million?Brice goes stiff and I can tell she had no clue how bad this was.
And it’sverybad.
A couple hundred thousand I could make disappear. I don’t want to, and I’d make it as hard on Panagos as possible, but it’s a number I could potentially absorb. But ten million? That’s beyond even me to pay off outright. At least on short notice. I’d have to liquidate a lot of illiquid assets to gather that level of cash.
“You can run and threaten all you want, Scavo, but we’re gonna get paid,” Spiros calls out. “My boss isn’t afraid of the fucking Scavo Famiglia, you second-rate has-beens.”
I turn, my hand brushing aside my jacket and gripping the butt of my gun, but Brice is there in my face. “Stop it,” she hisses. “Don’t let him bait you.”
“I can kill him now and make sure he’s not a threat in the future,” I say staring at him over her shoulder. “I want to make that motherfucker bleed.”
“Carmine. Be better than this.” She turns and looks at Spiros. “Tell your boss that if my father and him have business, they can work it out themselves, but the Rowe family has nothing to do with any of that.”
“Cute, real cute, but it won’t work, the boss knows you fucking Rowe motherfuckers got a lot of money,” Spiros says, grinning. “He just wants you to make him whole, is all.”
Brice pushes at me. “Move,” she hisses. She’s pale and trembling, but she’s taking charge despite the terror. I’m actually kind of proud. “Get going. Right now.”
I have to admit I’m impressed by her balls and it’s the only thing keeping me from killing Spiros here and now. I let her guide me away and we get into the limo. The driver pulls out and says nothing as I roll up the privacy divider.