I grabbed a nearby empty chair and placed it at the head of their table before I took a seat. “Let me save you both some time, alright?” I turned to Hector. “Don Mancini is the only arms distributor in Sicily, and that monopoly is growing. If you want something cheaper, then deal with the Russians. But remember—you get what you pay for. Our product is designed by the military. What does it matter how light your wallet is when your gun jams and you end up dead? And then your wife loses everything because your enemies take it all from her when you aren’t there to protect her. She’ll end up a seamstress, working her fingers bloody into her nineties. You want that for her?”
Don Mancini initially flashed me an annoyed look, though he didn’t make himself look weak by reprimanding me. But once he glanced at Hector’s reaction, that ire started to fade.
“You know how many other meetings we have this month?” I asked Hector. “If you don’t want our product,we don’t give a shit. There’s a line of men who do. So don’t waste our time if you’re too cheap to do business.” We didn’t have a line of men who wanted our product—yet. But that would change quickly.
Hector studied me before he looked at the don. “Where did you find him?”
Don Mancini stared at him like he didn’t appreciate the question. “He was a stray.”
“And no one is more loyal than a stray who finds his forever home,” I said. “So are we doing business or not?”
Hector stared at me for a moment longer before he looked at Don Mancini again. “The highest we’ll go is?—”
“Pay our asking price or leave.”
Elio turned to me. “Wolfe?—”
“Do we look like vendors at the market?” I snapped. “We’re not here to barter or negotiate on price. Take it or leave it. Waste another moment of the don’s time, and I’ll skin your two bodyguards over there and turn them into pork rinds.”
Hector looked at Don Mancini like he would contradict me.
He didn’t.
Hector then turned to his associate, and they had a quiet conversation exchanged in whispers before he looked at the don again. “Alright, we accept the price. But we would like to discuss a wholesale price in the future as a possible third-party distributor—if you’re open to the idea.”
“I’ll consider it,” Don Mancini said. “Now let’s finish our dinner and make the handoff for dessert.”
We transported the guns to their nearby warehouse. Cash was paid, and the deal was done.
Before we parted ways, Don Mancini pulled me aside. “Wolfe, I appreciate your loyalty to me, but you have to remember that your intervention undermines my authority. I know you mean well, but you need to take a step back.”
I gave a nod in understanding. “I know you have everything under control, Don. I just get irritated when people jerk our chains.”
“I understand.”
“I hate when people waste time like it’s not the most precious commodity in the world.”
He gave a nod.
“You took time out of your life to meet him. You don’t need him, but he needs you. And to spend so much time asking for a fucking handout is obnoxious. The price is the price—get the fuck over it.”
“I know we have different approaches to business, Wolfe. The blood of Cosa Nostra is still red in your veins.”
“Yeah…a bit.”
“I prefer the longer road of patience and calm, even if it takes twice as long to reach the destination. I’m in the business of relationships, not sales. Because of my vast network of contacts, I’ve been able to remain the biggest seller of both wine and product. I have a good name and a great reputation. I want to keep it that way.”
“I understand, boss.”
He stepped toward me and gave me a pat on the shoulder. “You kept us alive when we faced off with Luigi. I should have listened to you then. But in situations where we aren’t about to get our heads blown off, leave it to me.”
“Yes, Don.”
He patted me on the shoulder again and gave me a slight smile. “Goodnight, Wolfe.”
“Goodnight, Don Mancini.”
He walked back to Elio, and his men followed him to the vehicle before he drove off.
