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I really should get a hazmat suit.
It would probably amp up the scare factor, but I really like to see the fear in a grown man's eyes when they realize they've gone past my enforcer and straight to the Don – the devil of the city.A spotlight shines straight down on Brodsky, his two henchmen already dead or close to it. That's okay. I don't mind playing the reaper. Actually...
"Hey Sasha?"
"Oi?"
"Put on my playlist." It's not one I put on often – mostly just for special occasions such as these. The first song to pop up is Raven's dark cello rendition ofDon't Fear the Reaper. Now, knowing her history, I find it both ironic and amusing. I'll admit she's growing on me – kind of like a little tumor.
I sniff, smiling up at the guy chained up between what looks like two crash car dummies caked in blood. "Ahhh Brodsky. So nice of you to visit. How are you?" I ask in Russian.
He spits a bloody loogie at my feet, and I grin. I grin because he's predictable – so predictable that I was able to move my Gucci’s to the side before he ruined them. "Andrei, Andrei, Andrei." Itsk, shifting my sight to Sasha so he can pull the chains connected to the handcuffs on Andrei Brodsky's wrists. He switches the mechanism on, and the pulley makes him rise quickly until he's only on the tips of his toes. We have the same mechanism in a room in Inferno. "Ya by skazal 'privet,' no, pokhozhe, vy menya uzhe znayete."I would say 'hello’, but it appears you know me already. "I believe no further introductions are necessary."
Again, the bastard spits. This time, and lands on the new Tom Ford suit my wife gifted me. I watch the saliva roll down the lapel and before I can even think, my fist connects with his jaw. He grunts. I clear my throat and run my hand through my hair. “My wife gave me this suit, Andrei. It’s like youwantto die.” Sabrina’s been shopping lately. Every time she goes out, she brings me back something she thinks I would like.
My wife is very thoughtful.
“Fuck you.”
I carefully unbutton my suit jacket and throw it at Niko, who I can hear catch it, and fold it nicely. If he puts it somewhere, I have no clue. All I know is, this motherfucker no longer deserves to breathe. I cast my eyes upon him. Sure, he’s giant – taller than me – especially now that he’s swaying and balancing on nothing but the tips of his toes. Tribal type tattoos race up his ribs, to the underside of his arms, and up to his wrists. But there’s a special little one that gives him – and his little entourage – away.
I’ve seen him before.
Blond. Blue eyed. He blends. He’s nothing special. He knows it.
I eye the little brown bear with a tutu on the side of his wrist. Meant to look innocent.
“It was smart to begin your attacks by simply slipping drugs into my club. Trust me, the ones selling have already been gutted and dealt with. I’m sure you know them by name - as do I. But… going after a different Capo… that was fucking brave, Andrei.” I wag a finger at him like I’m scolding a child. “You could have started a war between the famiglias, which is exactly what I'm assuming you wanted." I pause. “Unfortunately, you thought any little thing could tear us apart and begin wars again. Fortunately, you were so very, very wrong. See, we’re thicker than thieves. We use our brains – not our dicks – to figure out what the fuck is going on, unlike your little…operation,where you bark at each other like rabid dogs instead of hunting together.” I begin to unfasten my shirt, also throwing it to Niko. No idea if he catches it or not.
I don’t think I care. It’s a shirtIpurchased, not my wife. So it has no significant meaning.
Andrei's still twirling about from my punch, toes slipping on the epoxied floor beneath him, but he doesn’t answer me. No… he is strategizing – wondering what he can say to hurt me psychologically since anything else he’s thrust my way hasn’t worked out for him.
But he’s taking too long, and it’s boring me.
I have things to do and a wife to please - it’s the best part of my day.
I deliver a blow to his diaphragm and watch him gasp as he sways.
I nod again toward Sasha. He pushes the button that causes the pulley to lift Andrei higher while I grab a surgical scalpel. I slash the sides of Andrei’s legs to render them as useless as possible – so he doesn’t try to kick me. Yes, that’s happened before. Everyone has to start somewhere. Andrei gasps when his shoulders pop out of their sockets under his own weight.
I yawn. “Well, if you don’t begin your villainous monologue now, I’m just going to keep slicing and then have my guys here send you back to Moscow. Either way,” I shrug, then blink up at him. “Here, let me get you started, since I have a very…dullfeeling about your little origin – beginning almost thirty years ago.”
“Fuck you, you half-breed slimy bitch.” Again with the spitting.He’s also still twirling and he fucking stinks.
I pinch the bridge of my nose. “Sasha, you got your lucky icepick?”
“Of course.”
“Can you go ahead and get this over with? I’m bored. My wife’s at home. I have things I need to deal with before the fight tonight.”
“It was thirty-five fuckin years ago,” Andrei grits out between clenched teeth.
I deadpan; more upset that he’s chosen to start talkingnow –just when I was about to leave. I keep my mouth shut to see if he’s going to continue. He tries to kick me, but I step away in time. “Uh-huh…” I make a motion with my hand for him to hurry the fuck up.
“Pachan Dimitri Sokolov makes a last minute decision to marry his daughter Tavisha toyourfather, Aristide. A decision that ended wars but caused so many more. It broke the houses in Moscow – so many brotherhoods had to decide whether to stay loyal to Dimitri, and trust in his decisions, or fight to gain the right to reign.”
“The drugs into Eden – why?” I ask.”