A hip-hop playlist reverberated off the high ceilings, its seductive pulse threading its way through Annie’s skin ? claiming her every sexy little move ? shoulders back, wiggling her hips. Igniting the dirtiest pieces of Bruno’s soul. It was hard to imagine what was to come that night.
When one of her friends spotted her man, she tapped Annie on the shoulder, whispering in her ear.
When she turned around, he saw her eyes scan him, all suited up, and she gave him a warm grin of approval. She rushed over to meet him at the bottom of the stairs. Giving him a peck on the cheek, she draped her arm loosely over his, lip syncing to the live music playing. Her favorite pop group fresh from LA. “Isn’t it wonderful!” She gasped softly.
Bruno smiled, but he wasn’t listening one iota. Panning the room with his eyes, his gaze fell on Marco and his mind immediately reverted to thoughts of Antonio’s betrayal. He leaned in close to Annie’s ear. “Let me go see if I can’t find some better champagne.”
She smiled with a giddy excitement.
Crossing the floor, he made a beeline for the kitchen, then went down into the cellar. The second the door shut, Bruno immediately picked up the phone there on the wall pulled and dialed Antonio’s number. When the man answered, Bruno, didn’t make time for conversation. Told the man what he needed to know: a time, a place, and, most importantly….to come alone. Meanwhile, he reached into a top cupboard and pulled out his .22 hidden there then went out.
He snatched a black duffel bag from the pantry and slung it over his shoulder. He sneaked out the back door and hopped the fence into the driveway. He started down the street and hadn’t got twenty steps from the house when Charlie caught up with him and grabbed Bruno’s arm. “Hold up, brother. Where do you think you’re going at this hour?”
Jerking his head around, Bruno turned back. “It’s nothing.’ Don’t worry about it. Enjoy the party.”
Charlie sent his brother a knowing look and he sighed. “You need any help?”
Bruno shook his head. “No. Go on. Get out of here.” He smiled but he knew his brother wouldn’t believe it.
Charlie stared at Bruno for a long moment,you-don’t-have-to-do-thisscreaming from his eyes, but he didn’t fight it, didn’t try to stop him. It was no use. Bruno was a train and had always been a train and there would be no stopping him. Instead, he gave a singular nod. “Alright. Be careful out there.” Slowly, he turned back towards the house.
The big man marched around the block, to somewhere dark and discrete in the neighborhood and to where he had one of his cars waiting for him. Slipping into the driver’s seat, he pulled away. In his mind, he imagined pulling the trigger. How it would feel. Out on the bridge that ran over the lake where no one could hear. In the darkness, where yellow street lights weren’t blazing.
Arriving at the bridge, Bruno killed the engine. With the headlights out and nobody around, he pulled plastic gloves on and his disguise from out of the duffel bag. He twisted the silencer onto the gun and waited.
Eleven p.m. was fast approaching. Bruno got out of his car, marched down the street and onto the bridge.
He waited on the pavement, right at the center. Right where he wanted the filthy traitor to die.
To get his mind off what he was about to do, Bruno glanced around. There was, of course, no one about. Only silence as severe and eerie as the darkness.
After a few minutes, the sound of footsteps steadily drew closer, closer and suddenly, it was all too clear again.
Antonio was a bad man, too dangerous, too evil to survive.
Bruno checked his gun a final time.
Closing the gap between himself and his ugly fate, Antonio walked briskly towards him with no idea that he had less than ten minutes to live.
As Antonio neared the big man, Bruno watched as the fool who’d betrayed him walk toward him, cool and unaware. Impeccably dressed.
He smiled when he saw Bruno, but when Bruno did not return his smile his smile faded.
Antonio stopped dead.
In that moment, Bruno was almost certain the man knew that death stood no more than three casket’s length away.
With his hands clasped behind him, Bruno clicked the safety off his gun. Then, holding it behind his back he pulled off his dark shades. “You got anything to say to me?”
Antonio shook his head, slow and cautious.
A man of few words, Bruno cut right to it. “You’re in trouble with the mob council, Antonio. It’s their wish to have you retired by the time the sun comes up.”
Antonio shifted the balance on his feet uneasily. “Christ,” he muttered. “What did I do?”
Bruno narrowed his eyes but didn’t say a word. His face betrayed no intention, no feeling.
“So my future’s in limbo. And you’re here to get me out of it, right?” Antonio asked.
