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It’s been a few months since I’ve seen Sia sing at Medusa’s Lounge but that hasn’t kept me from thinking of her. I’ve done everything I could to get her off my mind. I threw myself intoLa Famiglia, buying new buildings and creating new businesses to launder our money. In goes the dirty out comes the clean. It’s simple work for me, I’ve been learning it since I gained my button intothis thing of oursso it wasn’t effective in clearing my head of the sensual woman with demons in her eyes. She was perfect in every way from her haunted eyes to her combat boots.
I shake my head to stop that train of thought as I accept a drink from the bartender. My brothers and I came to Barbarity for the evening and I’ll be damned if I allow my head to be in the clouds, especially over a woman I’ve spoken to once. A woman I have no claim over but damn well wish I did.
Dammit!
I focus on the scene around me, at how much the place has changed in the years it’s been around. Barbarity is the most successful underground fighting rings in America. It was started almost ten years ago by one of our very own, Neviah “Silver” Mazzi. Yes, that’s right this fighting ring is founded and run by one of the most respected women in the state. Her father used to be asoldatofor my father.
It’s a gym by day and a fighting ring by night.
Every year Silver has a big event called Barbaric Night where the year’s fighters with the most wins face off with each other. There are weight categories from flyweight to cruiserweight, in both men and women’s divisions. Tonight is that special night and I’ve placed a lot of money on Silver’s man, Twitch. Although no one knows his real name, he’s a crowd favorite. He’s undefeated and has been for three years now. His first fight was against our guy Joseph Tanner, who was undefeated until that night. Since then Tanner and Twitch go back and forth as reigning Barbaric King and tonight we’re about to find out if Twitch will be dethroned.
“Who’d you bet on?” My youngest brother, Nico, asks as we wait for the final women’s fight to start. I can see the pinched anxiety on his face. He’s been in his feelings for Camila “Jefa” Blanca for years now. Despite havingLady Bossas her nickname, she’s Silver’s right hand woman and is the daughter of the Cartel Boss, Diego Blanca. She’s also a fighter and tonight she’s up against a tough woman who is the daughter of an Irish mobster.
That’s right. Barbarity is no man’s land; a truce territory if you will. Criminals of all cultures in New York stuff the pockets of police chiefs, politicians and lawyers to keep this place what it is today and because of that loyalty, Barbarity is home to MC Bikers, Italian Mafias, Irish Mobsters, Mexican Cartels, Russian Mafiyas and evenLeMilieu, the French Mob. There is one major rule for Barbarity; all fights are handled within the cage and anyone caught breaking this rule will be punished by the bosses and will be banned from the ring for a year.
That is, if they’re not killed first.
“This fight? My money is on Jefa. She’s the quickest fighter in this category and she has the most stamina. We’ve yet to see her lose so this will be an easy paycheck.” I try soothing his worries. Him and Jefa have had their trysts in the past but Jefa is the future cartel Boss, hence her nickname, so she is unattainable unless our fathers approve the match.
All my thoughts disappear as the lights shut off and the spotlights shine on the fighter’s entrance. A Spanish rap song called Clorox by Chino El Don just as Jefa comes walking out. We’re sitting near the cage for this event so when Jefa passes by she reaches out and taps Nico on the chest. He relaxes as the crowd begins pounding their feet against the floor chanting “Jef-a! Jef-a! Jef-a!”
Watching my brother, who is usually stoic and devoid of any emotion outside of the family, smile and cheer for his woman brings my thoughts back to Sia. Even as the Irish men and women in the crowd begin singing a ballad for their girl, my thoughts are stuck on Sia’s melodic voice. Would she enjoy this? Would she want to come here and watch this or would she be adverse to the brutality and savagery of it all? I’m a betting man and my money would be placed on her loving it.
She had this darkness about her that spoke to my own. Like a lover’s whisper, her inner demons spoke to my own, sayinghere I am, you don’t need to look further.
I’ve never been interested in a woman past the bedroom. I have no time for the messiness of relationships and with the life I live, I have no place for a woman. La Famiglia is a life built on principles and traditions-- traditions that dictate everything, even who you’ll marry. I am the future Don of the Renzetti Famiglia so I must abide by these rules. I have to marry a woman who is untouched and has a traceable Italian bloodline. She must come from a high ranked family as well. When I was just a boy my family promised me to the daughter of my father’s underboss. I don’t remember her name but she was just a baby.
Traditions, am I right?
We would have been married as soon as she reached the age of eighteen but she was killed alongside her family when she was just an infant.
My father’s old underboss, Frankie, was pop’s best friend and adopted brother but he was killed at a young age. His whole family—two kids and wife—were wiped out in the middle of the night. To this day we have no idea who murdered the family and burned the small mansion to the ground. It’s against our code to touch women and children, and whoever did this didn’t just kill Frankie and his guards. They killed the nannies and maids along with the kids and wife. It’s practically sacrilegious.
Since then my father has culled the whole organization. Spilling the blood of any known traitors and setting an example to any others. It's how my father earned the name Andino "Hangman" Renzetti. My uncle is the underboss now, since he was the youngest of the three brothers, but according to my father, Adriano is a heavy-handed, unfaithful man who doesn’t deserve the position and only got it because he’s the next brother in line.
Coming back to the present, I watch as Jefa pivot’s left and kicks her opponent’s knee causing it to snap backwards. The girl screams loudly and drops but the ref isn’t fast enough to stop Jefa fromground and poundingthe girl. Finally the ref pulls Jefa off, declaring her the winner of the bantamweight division. Marco, Drake and I laugh as Nico makes his way to the locker room tohelp her clean up, while flipping us off.
"Fratellinothinks he’s slick.” Marco laughs
“What? He’s just going to help Jefa clean off her nonexistent cuts.” Drake says with mock innocence.
We watch the rest of the fights through the night until Marco tells me Pop needs us to go and take care of someone. Seems that part of the lost cocaine shipment was found and with it is the thief.
“Need me to head out with you guys?” Drake asks while watching Lauren Tanner talk with her brother, Joseph. He just lost to Twitch but like all the Tanners, he’s all smiles with a jovial attitude.
“No brother, we’re good. We’ll be going to Temptation to take care of this guy. Let Nico know, yeah?” I turn to walk away but the way Drake bites the inside of his cheek has me remembering.
“And don’t think I’ll forgetstronzo, you owe me five thousand dollars for betting against Twitch.”
I clap him on the shoulder when he laughs. Asshole thought he was smooth, fuck that. Brother or not, you owe me you’ll pay me.
I nod my head for Marco to lead the way out to the car.
It’s time to teach the lesson to this bitch who thinks it’s smart to steal from a Renzetti.
