AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“Yes, Carlo. I’m fine.” I can sense him. He understands that I can’t talk, and that it’s not all my choice. I tell him, “Later. Okay?”
“Mi amore.”
The twin who gave me the phone nods in thanks as I hang up.
Tight lipped again, and without trying to disguise the sardonic look in my eye, offer the phone back to him. I can see his eyes almost smile as he makes an apologetic turn of his head. He swipes his thumb across his palm, though. He would like me to switch it off.
“Of course.” My voice drips sarcasm and I make no attempt to hide it.. “Certo.”
We’re heading way out of town. Up into the hills. I can’t remember ever visiting the Romanos’ estate, but I think that”s where we’re going.
The Romanos are the second family in Seattle. Second in this Thing of Ours. I’ve made our family almost their equals in terms of territory, wealth, and business. Power, in other words. But their traditional place is still above ours.
In terms of the order of things, they still have the right to command us. That means in theory, the right to command me.
Fixing that was on my agenda anyway, so perhaps this visit will serve a purpose for me. Assuming my destination is not a deep hole in the woods.
That seems unlikely, though. When someone kidnaps you, someone in the Life, at any rate, if they try to disguise their identity from you, it means they don’t intend to kill you.
Nobody cares about being identified by a corpse.
Of course, that does’t mean they won’t kill you. It’s always a possibility, in an encounter with anyone in the mob. We’re famous for it. It only means that it’s not their Plan A.
The twins move as one, like they’re choreographed and rehearsed. Or like they’re two bodies with a single mind. Two massive, powerful bodies. I feel it as they sit either side of me. They’re close. Their big hands in their laps make me think they could do anything, anything they wanted with me.
One either side, I’m surrounded by them. I wouldn’t have enough strength to overcome them. And, they’re guys. They’re the mob. Brute strength is the main tool of their trade.
They can do what the fuck they like. Whenever the fuck they like. And to whoever the fuck they like. How could I stop them?
Well, I do have weapons. Obviously. And they must know that. to be fair, it’s a courtesy on their part that they haven’t disarmed me. But they could seize me in an instant. Overpower me before I had any chance to resist.
I have to turn my head now to watch their eyes while I let the filthy fantasy play out in my head. They could do whatever they wanted. Take whatever they felt like having from me. Use all the parts of me that excited them.
My face is still, disconnected as I look into their eyes and allow the sweaty, thrashing daydream to wash through me. A delirium of ravenous, greedy mouths and merciless cocks, with my body twisted and used in the most awful ways.
Then, after my clothes are all ripped and torn, after all the hammering, the pounding and beating, all of the clawing and twisted cries, when they’re both spent, I reach for my pistols.
Or perhaps the knives.
No, it’s a show of respect, a gesture of fine manners that they haven’t made any attempt to unarm me, much less to search me. They could so. So easily…
Oh, no wait.
No, I can’t afford to let my mind surge down that road again. Not when we must be getting close to the Romano compound.
Still, as the back of the car makes its majestic sways, hauling up the steeper slopes into the tall trees and the dappled sunlight of the high woodlands, I keep sneaking looks at their hands. Even in the darkness as shadows swing from side to side, identical traces of ink show in the narrow flash of hefty forearms above their wrists.
CHAPTER THIRTY-THREE
The Romano estate sprawls over slopes and in clearings through the forest. I’m guessing it covers the whole top of this hill.
When we reach the very top, hidden far from the road, by the side of the river, a sprawling modern house sits in front of a much taller, older building. The newer house looks like it’s been parked in front of the older one.
They’re surrounded by smaller buildings. Some could be sheds for farming machinery, or hangars for small aircraft. Some are clearly residential, houses, gathered around like a small but extremely wealthy village.
At the heart of all the houses and gardens, is a wide, low structure in mottled greens and grays with high, dark windows and sleek metal doors. It couldn’t look more like the lair of a super-villain if it was surrounded by an army of ninjas.
The fortress is light and huge inside. Minimal and austere, with plain walls and concealed lighting. Once we’re inside, the Romano brothers exchange a look. then they pull off their ski masks.
