Page 19 of Savage Throne
It felt dangerous and exciting all at once.
“You want a Tiffany box? You can’t just buy one.” Leo shook his head. “You can’t just walk in and ask for one, no matter how much money you have. That box is only given with something they sell. And that’s how they made it coveted.”
“I see.”
His hands moved swiftly, rolling the joint tight. “It’s like how I branded the East. We don’t just let anyone in, do we? We have rules, exclusivity. People want in because not everyone can get in. It’s the same idea.”
He finished rolling and held it up, admiring his work.
The joint had a faint blue tint, almost glowing in the soft moonlight.
“I like Tiffany's. The color, the box, the idea. It’s all about making people want something they can’t have.” He looked at me. “Do you understand?”
“Yes.”
The hum of the helicopter was almost soothing now.
Below us, the city stretched out as a vast sea of blue and silver lights twinkling in the night.
Leo placed the joint between his lips and lit it.
Seconds later, he took a deep drag, held it for a moment, and then exhaled slowly.
To my surprise, blue smoke curled around him.
“Very nice.” He handed it to me.
I hesitated. “No, thank you.”
“You’ll need it.”
“Why?”
“My lessons are hard ones but the ones I will give in this helicopter should be enjoyed with a nice joint.”
“Okay.” I reached out, taking the joint between my fingers. The air around us seemed to still as I brought it to my lips. I took a slow drag, feeling the warmth fill my lungs.
He watched me the whole time as if assessing my every move.
The first thing I noticed with this Tiffany strain was that the flavor was sharp, with a slight sweetness that lingered on my tongue.
The strain was good, too…strong.
Jo is going to love this.
I tried to hand it back but he shook his head. “Take another hit.”
I obliged.
Smoke filled my lungs.
He leaned back in his seat, stretching his arms above his head like a man settling in for a story. “At first the Four Aces’ color was white. Then, I changed it to black but that didn’t stick in my mind either.”
Song frowned. “I liked when it was black.”
“Yeah, but there was no vision with black.” Leo smiled. “Back when I first formed the group, there was no color, no symbol. We were just a bunch of guys—thieves, murderers, outcasts, selling guns to whoever would buy them. I had a vision. I knew we needed more than just violence and weapons. We neededidentity. Something that would set us apart, make us legendary. Something like Tiffany Blue.”
Leo stared off in the distance. “I bought a bracelet for my wife in Tiffany’s. It was myfirstexpensive gift. I got it after a big gun sale. I was so. . .proud to be able to walk in that store and get her something. However, I never knew that moment would change my life.”
