Total pages in book: 145
Estimated words: 136731 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 684(@200wpm)___ 547(@250wpm)___ 456(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 136731 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 684(@200wpm)___ 547(@250wpm)___ 456(@300wpm)
Castillo stands, tears in his eyes, and spits, “Friend? You are no friend of mine. I am ashamed to be connected to you and your filth.” He begins to sob. “No more. It ends here. It was a mistake to see this through.” He sobers a moment, to get out, “I take full blame. As of this day, let it be known we are no longer indebted to each other, Gambino.”
Gambino pales further. He knows if he doesn’t get out of here now, he’s not leaving. Period. “Eduardo, I don’t know what to say. I’m sorry you feel that way.” He edges toward the door, but the entire room takes a single step closer to him, and some of Gambino’s men attempt to follow their retreating leader. The others know their fate and wait patiently for the ball to drop.
Two of Castillo’s men move to block Vito from the open doorway, and when he realizes he’s trapped, Vito blurts out, “Just ask Alejandra. She’ll tell you I didn’t know. I didn’t know!”
“I can’t do that,” I tell him. I reach into my pocket and retrieve the white rectangular jewelry box. I move to throw it at him, and he catches it.
Swallowing hard, Vito opens the box and, closing his eyes in disbelief, lowers the box, and the severed finger falls to the ground in the view of the entire room.
I reiterate my previous statement. “I can’t do that, Gambino, because your son got to her, and although I don’t want to believe it, deep inside I know she’s already dead.” If that didn’t hit him, this will. “He killed my wife, my wife whom I loved very much. On top of that, my partner is missing. The only thing I found of her was a pricey heel outside of her open and abandoned car. If you knew my partner, you’d know why that goddamn shoe is the reason I’m assuming she’s dead too.” I take a deep breath, and reply on an exhale, “I only had her for a second, old man, and he took her away from me.” My throat thickening with emotion, I tell them all, “She was finally happy with me. And, by God, she deserved to be.”
Defeat lines Vito’s leathery face as his shoulders slump. “Wait, please. Let’s be reasonable.”
I take a step back, pushing the crowd with me. “I am being reasonable.” With a jerk of my chin toward his chest, Vito glances down and sighs. Five gleaming red dots appear there, and I tell him, “See, I’m reasonable. I’ll make this quick.” I clear my throat and announce, “Anyone not directly related to the Gambino family should make a move. This is not going to be pretty.”
With a quick glance to the surrounding windows, I spot my men. All carrying semi-auto machine guns, thanks to my pal Titus, Marcos Demitriou, Titus Okoye, Lars Odegard, Luka Pavlovic and Elias Munoz all wait solemnly for my signal.
I may have called in every marker I was owed to get them here, but as my eyes meet theirs, I incline my head in appreciation.
I take a moment to lower my head and rub at my eyes.
I’m so very tired of this life.
As men file out, they offer their condolences to Eduardo Castillo over the deaths of his children. The Gambino soldiers are cornered by the Castillo’s like stray sheep, and at the look of their frightened faces, a sick sense of satisfaction radiates through me.
Finally, in the quiet of the midafternoon, we paint the Gambino house red.
Gio fits himself behind me, his clumsy hands gripping my waist tight enough to bruise, and when he presses his body into mine, I fight the shudder of disgust that wishes to be freed.
He wants me to scream for him. He craves my fear.
But he doesn’t know me anymore. I’m different now. I’m no longer the same person I was yesterday.
The man sitting in the corner of the room, watching Gio do his thing, chuckles, laughing at my lack of dignity, and I hate him. But that chuckle fuels something inside of me. It’s with great strength that I burrow deep into my mind and hide there, in my happy place.
A mere moment into the assault, his phone begins to ring, and with a harsh sigh, he slides out of me, moving over to the wooden table to answer it.
I don’t know what is being said, but whatever the news, blind rage takes hold of him. I hear the cell crash onto the floor. He cries out, clutching the sides of his head, his chest heaving.
My heart stutters a single moment before it calms. Gio may not know me anymore, but I still know him. Whatever has hurt him, it’s going to be me to take the punishment.
I know it’s coming and mentally prepare for it. I accept it.