I pull the trigger. His skull explodes in blood and brain, his tongue tearing in half, jaw missing. His arms give one last twitch before flopping down lifeless, worthless, dead and bloody.
I step back, looming over the body of the man I hated for so long, waiting to feel something, waiting for the revenge I’ve dreamed about to hit me.
Except there’s nothing.
Only the smell of smoke, of shit and death, his ruined face a smear across his pillow.
I turn away and shove my gun back into my belt.
He never mattered. I should’ve seen it sooner, but I’ve been so lost in my grief that I’ve never been able to process it. Fontana’s worthless. He’s nothing but a bloated corpse and has been for years. His outfit crumbled with the tiniest bit of pressure because they’ve been on the edge of failure for a very long time.
There’s nothing for me here anymore.
I stride over to the windows and push them open. I climb out onto the back porch, slip once, nearly slide down the roof. Icatch myself and clamber onto a drainpipe, an old cast iron thing bolted into the side, and lower down.
Flames lick the back door. I watch them for a few minutes, wondering if his wife got out. I’m sure she did. I doubt there was ever real love in this place.
I turn my back to the inferno and walk away, my shadow cast long across the grass, a big smile on my face.
I’m looking forward to getting home.
CHAPTER 38
PRIME
Two Weeks Later
“You knowI don’t want to do this.” Stellan flicks a lighter open and closed. “But there have to be consequences.”
“I know.” I cross my legs and take a long drink from a glass of bourbon. The good stuff. I love coming here. Stellan’s a lot of things, but he’s not cheap and he never reaches for the bottom-shelf bottles when I’m around, God bless his soul for that. “I can take it.”
“I’m taking half your parking properties and spreading them around to other Capos. You’ll retain control over your westernmost area. You’ll owe me higher tribute for the next three years, and once that’s paid, you can start to expand again. Until then, consider yourself under tight scrutiny. Anything you do, I want to hear about it first. Understand me, Prime?”
“Yes, sir.” I raise my glass. “Anything else?”
“You want worse?”
“Not particularly, but I wouldn’t presume.”
“You’re such a dick.” He smiles though, tight and small, like he’s trying to hold it back. “You know you’re getting off easy, right?”
God damn right I am. By rights, I should be dead. Nobody would blame Stellan for putting a bullet in the back of my head. The other Capos will grumble that I’m not being dragged over burning coals by my toenails for this, but giving them my property, and I’m guessing a big chunk of my tribute, will go a long way toward keeping them happy.
It’ll hurt financially. Three years is a long time. But I have other investments, I have my savings, and best of all?—
I have my wife.
“All I know is, my life is for the Corsetti and I bleed for the Don.” I bow my head so he can’t see me grinning in return. “Your will is mine to obey.”
“Oh fuck off, Prime.” Stellan slumps behind his desk and raises his glass. “Here’s to starting over. Did I ever tell you how much we got from the Fontana outfit in the end?”
“You never mentioned it.”
“Turns out his Capos aren’t half bad. You’re going to keep an eye on them still, but I’m pleased so far. They’re not loyal, but they could be, given the right incentives.”
“Fontana had incentives until he didn’t.”
“I’m not that old bastard.”
