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It was the least I could do.
“You got it, boss.”
None of the men at the table bothered to react, knowing that by even looking me in the eye when I was like this could place them in harm’s way. I took four long strides, lifting Sammy up by the throat, hammering him brutally against the wall. After raking my hand through my disheveled hair, I glared him in the eye. “I’m wearing a ten-thousand-dollar suit, Sammy boy, something I just purchased. I don’t desire to burn it after drenching it with blood tonight. I happen to like the cut and the feel. Do you understand what I’m saying to you?”
“Yes, sir,” he said, half wheezing.
“Good. I’m glad you understand. Now, we’re going to sit down like gentlemen and have a nice discussion. If what you’re about to tell me is worth the deal you made with my lieutenant, then I’m happy to pay you. Not a penny more. I am a businessman after all.”
“Understood, sir.”
I let him go, adjusting the sleeves of my jacket before heading back to the barstool. We both sat down like two good friends and nothing more. I even nodded to Rocco to hand the man another beer in good faith. He knew better than to cross me again.
Or so I hoped.
Weasel blood created a permanent stain. “Now, talk. What do you know? Who is targeting my family?”
“Did you ever hear of a man named Raphael Alturo?”
Alturo. He was a lowlife out of Cartagena. At least it’s what I remembered from something my father had told me. “Maybe. Go on.”
“He’s been waiting to come into the States. He’s headed to New Orleans and Florida.”
“How would you know this?”
“Because I owe him money. The fucker tricked me on an internet bet. He said it was the only way to pay off my debt.” By now, he was shaking so badly he almost slipped off the stool.
“What the fuck did you tell him?”
“What he wanted to know. You gotta understand, he had my balls in a vise ready to crush them. I had to tell him something.”
I pulled my weapon from my jacket, jamming the barrel under his chin. “What did you tell him?”
“He only wanted to know who was in charge of what operations within your corporation. That’s it. I figured that was public knowledge. That’s all he wanted, like he was confirming what the family controlled.”
The man must think I was an idiot. “Okay. How do you know he’s coming into the two cities?”
“Because I overheard him talking to one of his men. He laughed about the fact he’d finally found a weakness a couple weeks ago.”
A weakness. The timing was perfect, Delaney falling perfectly into a trap.
I twisted the weapon, digging it into his skin. “What else?”
“Nothing, but you should know he has killers working for him in several cities, including Key West. LA as well.”
“Interesting.” I threw back a solid gulp of my drink. Then I patted him on the back before easing off the barstool. He’d provided what little usefulness he could. However, the stupid fool had fallen into a trap as well, used by Alturo. Maybe. “You did okay, Sammy. I’ll have my associate handle the rest of the business arrangement.”
He appeared relieved when I slipped my weapon back into my jacket. I walked away from the bar, Rocco following me.
“What now, boss?” he asked.
“Pay the man. Take him outside to do it. Then handle him. Unfortunately, Sammy is going to experience our full-service payment treatment tonight.”
“Good thing, boss. Did you learn anything?”
“More than the little weasel thinks I’ve learned. Maybe I should call our Sammy a stool pigeon.” The poor dumb fuck had no clue he’d been used by Alturo. The enemy had finally revealed himself, still playing with me. Which meant there was a personal connection, especially since he’d come into my family’s city unannounced.
Perhaps it was time to revisit my father’s tactics from before.
