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“You don’t need to bypass dogs with the product I’m moving. All you need is men, with muscle.” I glance at the duffel bag, throwing salt on the wound.
“Ten won’t even get a wiggle on my penis. You want to do business with Patrovski?” He puts his hands on his chest. “You have to make Patrovski rock hard.”
“Fifteen,” I offer. “To get you at a cool million. You know my crew can handle it. We’ve been through the logistics. You know my men.”
I’m willing to go double that, in truth. And I’d still come out ahead of what I told the dons. Under-promise, over-deliver.
He grits his teeth. “I felt something down there,” he cackles to himself. “Might be going in the right direction.”
“We have to make our margins, Yuri. Commodities aren’t like dust. Don’t play dumb, you know the business,” I counter, cooling his metaphorical erection.
He knows I have eyes on his men, he knows I’m offended. Killing me here would do nothing but cripple his business. The cards have been laid out.
“Under normal circumstances, I would say twenty and shake your hand. But you have shown great disrespect to me this day, and I have only shown you little disrespect. You want to blow past our… hm, how do you say… unreconciled differences? Ok. Twenty-five percent. We bury this thing.”
I pretend I’m thinking it over, because if I don’t, he’ll think he’s getting a shit deal. In truth, the deal is decent – just swayed ten percent in my favor.
After the appropriate amount of time, I lift my hand and wait for his. He eyes me hard, offering a cold gaze with no smile, until he finally breaks and seals the deal.
He puts his other hand over mine. “What’s done is done, Castor. But… I cannot speak for any actions I took prior to this moment. Hm?” He winks and turns away, leaving one hand up to say goodbye. “I look forward to doing business with you. I just hope… you’re able to continue.”
My heart pounds inside my chest.
Did he get to Gia again?
No… no. I scoped everything out and even have an enforcer from an outside crew watching her back. What the fuck kind of threat was that?
I take a deep breath and pick up my phone.
“Ace, it’s done.”
Chapter 22
Gia
I’ve been on edge all evening. I don’t know why I didn’t take a shift at Bangos tonight. Thinking about Castor’s ‘big day’ left a pit in the bottom of my stomach since morning. I have no idea if he’s safe, in danger, at gunpoint.
Shit.
What if my jackass brother doesn’t show for his part of the job?
Or what if the Russians sabotage him before he can even say a word?
I bite my lip while ripping past my latest portrait. It’s like ever since I met him, the serene landscapes that took me all the way to three in the morning don’t do anything for me anymore. Everything is dark, gritty. Men with sunken faces, cigarettes, knives. Whatever, it gets the worry out of my head, so that’s what I’m going to keep doing.
Bzzt!
My heart stalls when I hear my phone going off in the other room where its charging. I drop my brush and run like I’m being chased.
Bzzt! Bzzt!
It’s a call, not a text.
Castor!
“Hello?” I’m out of breath.
“It’s done,” his deep voice purrs on the other end. “Come outside in five. We’re celebrating.”
