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"Do not call my woman a bitch." I punch him in the jaw, satisfied when blood and teeth spray out of his mouth.
"Don't break his jaw so he can't talk." Zeus frowns at me.
Curly does some very creative cursing in Russian.
He's realized they aren't getting out of here, but Mo keeps looking toward the door as if he's expecting to be rescued. Not going to happen. Even if they've got trackers embedded in them somewhere, we've got the signal jammers on.
Zeus's guy has a program running that has their phones pinging off cell towers all over the city while he downloads their data too.
"Why did you want to talk to Lucia?" I ask with a friendly punch to the kidneys.
Mo groans. "Protection money. Clubs are good targets."
I am aware.
"The club is nowhere near your bar."
Curly jolts, like he's surprised we know about the bar. Which goes to show how unobservant he is. Because I saw him at the bar. He sure as hell doesn't remember seeing me.
What did they think happened to the men that went after the real estate broker's mistress? They went on a journey to find themselves?
So, I ask.
"We thought it was a street gang. We've had a few run ins with them."
They're trespassing on gang territories? Or businesses? Or both?
I learn it's both. After some not so gentle persuasion.
"The gangs aren't running protection rackets," Mo offers when Curly clams up.
He doesn't want his ball sac peeled off. I explain how it works in detail that makes him heave and then start vomiting words.
"You can't protect businesses all over the city." Not unless they have a damn army over from Russia.
"They pay to stay safe from us." Mo looks at me like I'm not very bright.
But that's not how theÁdis Adelfótitaoperate. When we charge a business tithe for protection, we protect them. And not just from the disasters that might befall them if they refuse. Which is why I've been doing so much research on the businesses we are taking on.
Geographical location is important, but so are the threats they face. We're not stepping into gang neighborhoods until we've got the numbers to take what we want and protect it when we do.
Chapter 26
ATLAS
"We need to make recruitment a priority," I say to my brothers.
Orion narrows his eyes. "Agreed. We should offer a bonus for bringing in foot soldiers."
"Already on it," Zeus says. "Constantin is sending us a contingent of soldiers. Some may choose to stay in Portland, but as long as they are here, it is our responsibility to bankroll them."
Good. It's one thing to fly under the radar while we establish our control in a city with no syndicate presence. It's another to be ready to go war.
"Our brothers will hunt you down like pigs in the street," Curly spits.
I know their real names now, but I'm sticking with Larry, Curly and Mo.
"Like you hunted us down after we dispatched the team you sent to that woman's condo?" Orion asks with derision.
