No one steps forward.
“Fucking cowards,” Ricky mutters, disappointment laced in each word.
“Indeed,” Stefano agrees smoothly.“If you’re not against me, am I to assume you’rewithme?”
A chorus of muttered affirmations ensues.Varying versions of “Always, boss.Loyalty to death.”
Stefano rubs his jaw, drawing out the moment, stretching the tension thin.Letting themfeelit.
“Like all of you,” he begins, “Garro once pledged loyalty to this empire.But as it turns out, he’s been working with outside forces to bring it down.Even murdered one of our own on his lunch break.”His gaze sweeps the men, his voice calm, deliberate.“But when I caught up to him, he didn’tbegfor his life.He didn’t try to backtrack.Heownedhis betrayal.Stood by the side he chose.”
He pats the top of Ricky’s head like a proud father.“And that kind of courage should be commended, don’t you think?”A slow smile curves his lips.“I’m in a merciful mood.So I’m willing to let him go.Because he wasn’t a coward.He told me exactly what he thought of me.To my face.A quality that will make him aworthy adversaryon the other side.”
Ricky perks up at the prospect of being spared.His bowed head lifting now, chin jutting out with pride, eyes sparkling with victory as he stares the men down, basking in Stefano’s praise.Completely oblivious to the devious set up.
Until one of the men steps forward, expression grim as he grits out, “Hell nah.I don’t fuck with traitors.”
With that, he points his gun and shoots Ricky in the gut.
Eyes widening in shock, Ricky shudders and topples over.
Another man steps up.“You fuck with the family, you don’t deserve to breathe.”
Bang.A shot to the thigh.
A third man moves forward.“Death before dishonor.”
Bang.A shot to the chest.
One by one, they come forward.Each putting a bullet somewhere new.Each making a statement.
By the time Luca steps up—having appeared at some point—Ricky’s body is riddled with holes.He delivers the kill.
Bang.One clean shot right between the eyes.
As Ricky’s body goes still, his lifeless gaze frozen in shock, Luca spits at him and grumbles, “I fucking hate traitors.”
Stefano tsks.“Good Lord, you men aremerciless.”He exhales dramatically, shaking his head.“Remind me never to piss you off.”
Dipping my head, I bite back a smile.He’s so full of shit.
“Ricky’s been pulling a lot of questionable shit lately,” one of the men comments.“But being a Judas?That’s where I draw the line.”
Stefano taps a finger against his chin, scanning their faces one by one.
“Don’t think for a second that I don’tknow,” he says evenly.“There are quislings standing here, looking me in the face, lying about being loyal to the family.”His voice hardens.“My mercy expires at the end of the hour.You have until then to pick your side andfucking go.Prove yourself to the man on the other side.Then…” He pauses, the air stretching tight.“You can meet me on the battlefield like arealfucking soldier.Not slither around and sneak up on me like a grimy, dishonorable snake.”
Intense silence stretches as he stares them down, waiting for the Trojan horses to reveal themselves.
No one moves.
No one dares.
He continues, “Pass the message on—to the off-duty Uppermen, the Soldati, the Mid Troopers, the Footers, and even the goddamn Tyros: I’mawake.And I.Am.Hunting.”His voice drops, slow and deliberate.“You’ve been working against me?Then run while you still can.Or be prepared to fuckingdancewhen the music catches you.”
With that, he returns to the cart.
And I don’t wait.I slam the pedal and speed off.
