“Because that’s what Mei-ling told me to do.”
“But – ”
“I asked if she was sure,” Massimo said, “and she told me she was, in no uncertain terms.”
Adriano scowled. “Dude – ”
“Just give her a chance, alright?”
“Fine,” Adriano grumbled.
Roberto, Adriano, and I watched as Massimo went back outside to finish the setup. Niccolo followed him.
There was a circle of lights – the ones we’d bought in the sex shop – illuminating a patch in the center of the concrete floor. The poles were extended as high as they could go, so the lights were shining down from overhead.
Placed between the lights were five camera tripods, spaced at regular intervals. Massimo went to each one and began clipping our phones into special holders.
“Ohhhh,” Roberto realized. “She’s going to film it.”
Adriano nodded approvingly. “Good. We’ll make a fuckin’ snuff film to send theCamorraas a warning.”
There was also a small table at the edge of the circle of lights. Currently, there was nothing on it.
The lights and tripods were all centered on one thing in the center of the circle:
The wooden structure we’d bought in the sex shop.
It looked like a pommel horse – one of those things male gymnasts spin around on, their legs flying through the air.
But in this case, theCamorrathug was bent over the pommel horse, his ass in the air. His legs and arms were spread, with his wrists and ankles handcuffed to special metal rings welded to the pommel horse’s base.
It had taken Massimo a great deal of effort to get the gorilla into position. The thug had fought him so hard that Massimo had eventually just punched the fucker until he was stunned. While he was dazed, Massimo unlocked his cuffs, threw him over the pommel horse, and then relocked everything.
Now the asshole was back to screaming vile obscenities.
Once he was finished, Massimo came back into the office and joined me, Adriano, and Roberto.
Niccolo stood on the periphery of the scene, just beyond the light stands.
TheCamorrathug kept taunting him, but Niccolo stayed silent.
And then…
Mei-ling walked out of the shadows.
Her hair was up in a bun. Her makeup was flawless.
She carried one of the black bags from the sex shop at her side, dangling from one hand.
She wore a long black trench coat, black leather boots with stiletto heels, and black gloves.
Vaguely threatening…
But very sexy, too.
“What the fuck?” Massimo muttered.
“I’ll bet she’s wearing the trench coat so she doesn’t get blood all over her,” Adriano said confidently.
