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Jeanie’s not my problem.
But I can’t bring myself to do it. I keep thinking about her, remembering her smell and taste, her smile and laugh, and wondering if I fucked up too much. If I ruined something good like Fynn and Karah said. If I overreacted and shot myself in the damn foot like I always do.
Romano’s scouting out around the perimeter. I catch his nod as he circles back around and he gestures at the bar across the room. I spot Malcolm standing with two pretty young girls on either arm, both of them fawning over everything he says. He must’ve just arrived in the last minute or two. Three of his goons hover nearby, and skulking in the shadows beyond them, sipping from a glass of wine and glaring at all the happy people, is Benedict. The only man in the world—aside from me, of course—who could possibly look grumpy in this place.
I gesture for Romano to follow my lead as I stand and leave my drink behind. I could finish it, but I need to be sharp right now.
I head into the crowd. Just another guy moving through the half gloom, shuffling past gyrating, laughing guys, screeching girls, groups forming, breaking apart, reforming, like a school of fish. Malcolm’s too busy trying to fuck those two ladies and Benedict’s too busy glaring at his boss to notice me come up from the side.
I slip a gun from my pocket. It’s small, but that doesn’t matter. At this range, it’ll kill all the same. I reach Benedict and press the barrel against his back right above his heart.
“Say a word and I’ll kill you.” I lean forward and speak in his ear. The hairs on the back of his neck tickle my lips. He smells like sour body odor and liquor. “This little piece won’t make much noise and you’ll bleed out before anyone realizes what happened.”
Benedict goes rigid. He lowers his wine glass from his lips and glances over his shoulder. “Gavino?”
“Bathrooms. Now.”
He grunts, puts the glass on the high top, and walks. He knows I don’t make idle threats. I’ve worked hard to maintain my reputation over the years. If I say I’m going to hurt someone, I make sure I hurt them twice as bad.
I keep up with him, staying close, using my body to block the gun from view. Nobody notices as we pass.
“Easy, Gavino,” Benedict says, sounding so confident, but yelling over the music. It sends a chill down my spine. Why would he feel like he’s still in control when I’m the one with a gun on him? “You wouldn’t want to do something stupid.”
Romano’s ahead, outside of the restroom. He’s clearing it out and telling drunk guys to fuck off. They’re about to riot when he shows his weapon, glaring, and I drag Benedict past them and throw him up against the sink. Romano remains outside in front of the door, making sure we’ve got privacy. There’s another bathroom. The drunk idiots can piss in there.
I keep the gun aimed at Benedict’s chest. He brushes himself off, grinning, and runs a hand through his hair.
“You could’ve just called,” he says with a shrug. “No need for all the dramatics.”
“I’ve been thinking a lot about you lately. Remember that night you were trying to carve up Jeanie’s face and someone smashed a pipe into your skull? I bet you’re desperate to figure out who it was.” I lean forward, smirking, and speak conspiratorially, like we’re sharing a secret. “I’ve been wondering if I smashed your brains loose.”
Benedict’s eyes widen and he snarls. “I knew it was you.”
“You have no clue how good it felt to knock you out, you sick motherfucker. I wanted to kill you so badly, but I knew it would only make my life harder. You’re breathing because of my mercy.”
“You hit me in the back of the head like a damn coward. You couldn’t fight me honestly.”
“You were cutting a defenseless woman’s face. You lost all honor and honesty at that point, you slimy wretch.”
His jaw works and he shakes his head. “What do you want, Gavino? Did you drag me in here just to brag? You keep pointing that fucking gun at me and I’m going to find out if you’ll really use it.”
“I want to know where Jeanie’s at.”
His face relaxes slightly and that confidence returns. All my alarm bells are going off. I had a hunch Benedict and Malcolm might know something, but the way Benedict is acting right now all but confirms it.
“I have no clue. I thought she was with you.”
It’s that goddamn smile. If he weren’t smiling right now, if he looked even remotely nervous, I might believe him. Instead, a spike of anxiety rushes down into my guts. I knew something was wrong, I fucking knew it. As soon as her phone went to voicemail, I knew it. Jim’s phone ringing with no answer only confirmed it.
“You have her.” I say it through clenched teeth.
“Gavino, come on. What do you mean, I have her?” He spreads his hands as if he’s talking to a friend. “I’m here with Malcolm. He’s out for his usual evening excursion. You think I’m involved with your girlfriend?”
“I don’t know how, but you picked her up. Was it after she saw the bookie? Did you snatch her after she left? Fuck, I bet you have all the materials, don’t you?”
He laughs, shaking his head, grinning the whole time. “You do have an imagination.”
I hit him hard in the face with the butt of my gun. He grunts and blood drips from his mouth as his head snaps to the side. He spits it into the sink and laughs.
