They clearly didn’t know I’d been raised in an Irish family withfiveother kids.
We used to tie each other up like this for shits and giggles!
Instead of empowering me, the thought made me want to cry.
You’ll see them again.
You’ll see them again.
You’ll see them again.
Chant ongoing, my eyes flicked to the door when someone knocked.
I didn’t speak Italian, but I knew enough to register it. It was like Sicilian but not.
The same singsong Romance tones, but not.
I tilted my head slightly, enough to see the man looming in the doorway. My swollen eyes only allowed me to form a general impression of a shitty suit.
I’d been caught up in enough conversations between my brothers to know that Italians worked for Stan’s family now—but as far as I could tell, there was no greater sin than being Italian to him.
TheFamigliahad come to blows with theFamigghiaand the Valentinis had won, but power was fractious, fickle.
Wasthisa grab for power?
With Mr. Cavity distracted by Cheap Suit, I scanned the room for something I could attack him with. The only useful thing I sourced was the lamp on the nightstand beside me—complete with a crooked lampshade.
It looked as bad as I felt. I got the feeling it had ‘decorated’ this room for at least twenty years, so maybe it was heavy? If nothing else, it’d withstood the test of time. My eyesight wasn’t as sharp as I’d like, but I gained the impression of it being metal and it appeared to have a heavy base… Heavy enough to cave in his skull?
Fingers crossed.
That was when I heard a word that needed little translation—assassinare.
Assassinate.
Someone was losing their life tonight and it wasn’t going to be me.
“Basta!” Cheap Suit hollered before growling at Mr. Cavity, who’d been given the task of hosting me, and stomping off.
A slurry of Slavic-sounding words came next as Mr. Cavity slammed the door shut, giving me the impression that the Italian was in charge here.
He turned to face me, his temper twisting into sadistic glee that sent a rush of fear singing through my blood.
I didn’t need Ma’s Sight to know that this was my now or never.
But I refused to die a pawn.
The only way I’d go out was in style.
TWO
KITTY
Playlist recommendation:
Say Yes To Heaven - Lana Del Rey
Laughter was my initial weapon.
