I heard him give a wistful sigh.
“I fucking mean it, Vitale. You fuck with him, then you fuck with me; there’s no going around it.”
He scoffed, then said,“I’ll be seeing you soon, Faizan.”
The call disconnected.
I squeezed my phone as I pulled it from my ear. “Fuck,” I muttered, pressing the bridge of my nose. I wanted to hit something so badly, something that looked and smelled and talked and walked like Vitale fucking Conti. Schooling my features, I turned back to Tatty and Julio. “What did I say?” I walked toward them with a grin. “He was so eager to talk about his new addition to his upcoming album.”
“That I understand, but what’s up with the gloves?”
I blew out a breath. “Every man in their family wears gloves, don’t even get me started on it. It’s like some occultic tradition they can’t talk about. Crazy.” And that was the truth. Vitale always wore gloves like Manuel, their fathers, brothers, cousins, uncles, and nephews.
The Contis were a weird society I didn’t want to getinvolved with more than I already was. I had no reason to bother them as long as they didn’t bother me.
“Let’s see… I need a shoulder tattoo, something small but symbolic.”
“Shoulder?” Julio asked, surprised. “That’s too innocent for you.”
“Trust me, I know. But I gotta cover a gunshot wound.”
Tatty gasped, eyes wide, with surprise lacing her voice. “Gunshot?”
“Yup.”
“You’re usually more careful,” Julio pointed out.
“That I am. It took me by surprise. Luckily, it wasn’t fatal,” I said, my eyes centering on a heart-shaped design. I dropped the catalog on the table, turning my head to an angle to see the shape of the design forming an E. I smirked to myself, pointing at the heart-shaped design. “This one, I want this one, but with some changes.” I looked up at Julio. “We won’t finish closing up the heart; we’ll stop the curve at this point.” I indicated with my finger. “And then from this other bit, it’s going to have, like, a thunder shape design, but… one that looks like the letterM.”
“Hmm, I can picture what you’re saying, but maybe draw it out so we’ll get the full picture?”
Tatty provided paper and a pen, and I carefully drew it out how I wanted it to look. “There, but with more expertise.”
“Got it, I’ll call up Daiyu.”
At the mention of her name, my mind became burdened by the side mission I kept safely hidden from Street and Elio.
The things I would have to do to get them off that cruise ship.
I hadn’t exactly lied to Elio about needing to get a tattoo done, I’d merely omitted the other reason this tattoo parlor was the very one I’d walked into.
CHAPTER FIFTEEN
Twelve years ago
Zahra
Mr. Handler was good.
Mr. Handler would never hurt me.
Mr. Handler cared for me, and loved me.
Mr. Handler was my friend…
But.
He made me cry. He lured me to his room. He pushed his tongue into my mouth. He carried me to his bed when I begged him to stop. He tried to touch me like our visitors did.
