The senator scoffed as he looked at Enzo and Vincenzo. "Jesus Christ, would you fucking look at these two? Like models," the man said.
Enzo made no bones about the comment, for he knew that he was very handsome—a perfect blend of his father's sexy Italian features and his mother's gorgeous Nubian features. His brown, rich skin had an almost golden gleam to it, making for a striking appearance. He was also very well aware of Vincenzo's stunning looks. The man was tall at six-three, with black hair, gray eyes, a chiseled jawline, and cheekbones that would make Michelangelo weep in envy. They both worked out, and it showed.
Enzo smirked. "I appreciate the compliment, but why are you here?" he asked, still wanting to get to the point.
The senator smiled nervously, then adjusted himself in the chair while his two aides remained standing behind him. "Trust me, I wish that I didn't have to have this meeting. But I find myself in a bind, and this couldn't be the worst time."
"A bind... and with the primaries so close? Yes, I would say that is... inconvenient," Enzo said. "What do you want from me?"
The man sneered at Enzo and looked around the room, noticing for the first time Sergio sitting on the sofa watching them. "What the hell is that kid doing in here?" he asked when he turned back to address Enzo.
"He's my bodyguard," Enzo simply stated.
The senator scoffed. "Your bodyguard? I find it hard to believe that a grown man like you keeps such a pretty boy like him around to guard your body."
The way the man said the words made Enzo's skin crawl. He didn't like what the man was implying, but he was a man of action. "I can show you better than I can tell you," Enzo said and gestured for Sergio to give a demonstration.
The sixteen-year-old assassin and bodyguard rose from the sofa and approached the senator's bodyguard, looking up at theman who stood at least five inches taller than he. "Hit me," he told the man.
The bodyguard scoffed. "What?" He looked at Enzo as if he needed confirmation that what was happening was real.
Enzo nodded in his direction, giving him permission to make a move.
"Are you fucking kidding me?" the bodyguard asked; this time, he turned to his boss. "Should I hit him?"
"He's a fucking kid."
"Hit him," Enzo said.
Both the bodyguard and the senator laughed, and the senator nodded at his bodyguard to attack. The bodyguard turned to face Sergio and swung. Sergio allowed the blow to make contact, staggering a little.
"This is fucking ridiculous," the bodyguard said. "Listen, kid, I know you think you're tough—"
His words were cut off when Sergio attacked, delivering a flurry of punches and kicks. Some the bodyguard was able to block, but not enough to win the fight. He ended up unconscious at Sergio's feet, bleeding from several lacerations. Sergio only had a cut on his lip from the first blow. He returned to his place on the sofa, his expression unreadable. Having been trained by Akari, he knew that keeping one's emotions under control was paramount.
"Jesus," the senator said as he looked down at his knocked-out and battered bodyguard, then at Sergio. He laughed and then turned to Enzo. "He's a vicious little bastard, isn't he?"
"He's exactly who I need him to be," Enzo said, then sighed. "If that satisfies your curiosity, can we get down to business? I still don't know what you want from me."
The senator looked at his guard one last time, then returned all of his focus to Enzo. "Right. Well, I find myself in a bit of trouble,you see. I'm being blackmailed by an unknown person for two hundred and seventy-five grand."
"What do they have on you?" Enzo asked.
"Some incriminating evidence that could not only totally derail my chances for re-election but quite possibly put me in jail, and neither of those options is acceptable to me," the senator said.
Enzo sighed. "Do you have any idea who could possibly have this kind of information on you?"
The senator scoffed. "If I knew that, I wouldn't need your help, now would I?"
"I take it from your charming personality that you have more enemies than friends, Senator Abbot," Enzo said.
"Look, I just need you to take care of it," the senator said.
"Do I work for you?" Enzo asked, his tone sharpening.
The senator smacked his lips. "Let us not pretend that I don't know what your family really is, shall we? Your hands are steeped in blood, and the cesspool you crawled out of is murkier than anything I know. Now, my money is good, and I'm ready to talk business."
Enzo looked at Cenzo, and the two exchanged knowing glances before Enzo returned his attention to Senator Abbot. "I've decided that I don't like you, and I don't want to help you."
