“The Favaros would put them in their fighting pit,” Chad inserted coolly.
“A quick death, then,” I added. “Unlike with us.”
The cockroach’s mouth trembled. “If I tell you, once you corroborate it, you’ll leave them alone?”
“Depends on how good your secrets are.” I eyed the needle. “Of course, I could protect your family. Make sure that they were moved to another state, give them false IDs…”
His gaze turned hopeful. “You’d do that?”
“Depends on how good your secrets are,” I repeated. “But time’s running out for you and yours, Dante… I’m not a patient man. So, how deeply involved are the Favaros?”
He blanched. “You know about them?”
“We do. Were the Messinas and Puglisis also a part of this?”
“N-No.”
“Bonu, it’s time for answers.”
“I can’t?—”
“Sure you can. We already know a Favaro shell company owned the brothel.” When he began weeping, I tutted. “Let’s get this show on the road.”
“No, please!”
“Just remember, you asked for this, Dante. I could have played nice. Put you out of your misery. Instead, I’m going to create some more for you. Just as a parting gift before you rot in hell.”
Eyes wide with terror, he bucked when I went to stab him with the needle, and Chad did me the honor of stomping his foot on the fucker’s torso.
As he screamed in agony, I tutted again and jabbed him in the lower abdomen.
“You thought you knew what pain was, traitor. Let me teach you what it means to betray the house of Valentini.”
TWENTY
STAN
“When he dies, take him to the pig farm, Luigi,” I ordered four hours later.
“Se, Capo,” he mumbled, but I could tell he didn’t really know what he’d agreed to.
The rest of myStiddahovered in place, watching a man who’d been one of their own last week roll and writhe in his shit and vomit.
C-L-O had performed like a charm.
Everything I’d said, he’dseenwith his own eyes.
Fucking up his nervous system, making him lose faith in his senses.
Once upon a time, Luc had accused me of being distinctly uncerebral. I’d taken the criticism to heart and created something that turned a man’s brain against him.
Every scream Dante released had made even my hardened foot soldiers grimace.
As I made a mental note to do ‘show and tell’ with my concoctions every couple months, just a little reminder of what I was capable of, I barked, “Luigi!”
His head whipped to the side to find me. “Yes, Stan?”
“You heard me?”
