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Unlike with me,everyoneknew Flavio’s face. Openly disrespecting the second most influential man in my clan was a fool’s gamble, and one I felt he was about to lose.
“Apologies for my momentary absence,” Flavio said as he swung the door open, walking in ahead of me. Following behind him like an obedient underling, I peered around quickly.
The café was empty, as Flavio had commanded, since we didn’t want to risk civilians overhearing, and the only person there was the shaking middle-aged woman behind the counter, who clearly knew she was a rabbit in a lion’s den.
If I had to guess, she was terminable, someone totally average who no one would make a fuss over if she heard what she shouldn’t and had to be dealt with. She was there only to provide the coffee Greco demanded.
“This soldier had a message for me. Coffee, Sal?” Flavio asked me.
“Should he really be in here?” Greco asked, leaning back in his chair with a careless air. “You said to limit outside ears…” I turned to the terrified barista.
“Espresso, double,” I ordered. She jumped at being addressed, quickly looking away from me and murmuring a little ‘yes, sir,’ as she set to work. Greco scowled.
“He is not an ‘outsider’,” Flavio said shortly. “He has pledged his life to this family.”
“Right,” Greco said with obviously fake sincerity. “I meant that it seemed this meeting might involve information that’s a little too sensitive, if ya’ know what I mean, that’s all.”
Flavio pursed his lips together, unimpressed. Then Greco had the nerve to turn to me with a smarmy little grin. “Hierarchy is strict, young man.”
“Yes, sir.” I said, pulling out Flavio’s chair for him.
“He is allowed to stay,” Flavio said with finality, sitting down.
I stayed standing just behind his chair.
Greco didn’t try to push it any further, likely knowing when to pick his battles, especially against those above him in our ‘strict hierarchy.’
Still, I could tell he was testing the waters, feeling out what boundaries he could slowly but surely push until they collapsed.
This was thewrongkind of ambitious.
Greco just crossed his ankle over his knee casually, nodding along. “Whatever you say, Sottocapo. So, does this meeting have anything to do with the news about Pellico’s kid?”
Internally I scoffed. As if this self-important lump of flesh could ever be special enough to be involved in a matter that vital.
“No,” Flavio said, placing his arms on the table. “No, we have another concern.”
“Oh? Do tell. I will happily lend a hand.”
“That’s good of you,” Flavio hummed.
“Anything for the family,” Greco smiled, lying through his viper’s fangs. He was poison in our water supply, I could tell.
I kept watch the barista out of the corner of my eye as she made me drink, half expecting her to slosh it out the top of the cup with how hard she was shaking.
She was a liability, but she was a civilian.
I was a hard and jaded man, underhanded when necessary, but I took myCosa Nostravows seriously. We did no harm to women or children, and we always left civilians out of mafia business.
She placed the cup on the counter like it was a loaded bomb and I looked down at Flavio for ‘permission’ to get it, which he gave with an absent wave of his hand.
I turned towards the counter before the woman could decide if she wanted to risk calling out or not.
“You see, Greco,” Flavio said simply, “we’ve received a few concerning reports from your area recently and we need to investigate them.”
I reached the counter and gripped the cup, looking the frightened woman dead in the eyes.
“Go!,” I said lowly.
Wide eyed, she fled into the back without any further questions.
Good. I stalked back to the table, ready to get all the answers I could from this walking garbage.
I smirked to myself, counting to a slow ten before turning around and heading back.
Time to get started.
