Page 39 of The Arrangement

“I wonder if you’ll beg,” Anton mused. “I’ve made bigger and better men than you do it.”

“For no man,” Vito bit out.

“Would you for God?”

Despite the bloodshot eyes, matted, bloody hair, and the bruises and cuts marring up his features, Vito still appeared to be determined and arrogant.

Anton would enjoy breaking him.

When Anton reached for the ballpoint hammer, a flicker of fear passed over Vito’s features.

“Pray.”

“Wh-what?” the Italian asked.

Sweat dampened Vito's forehead, the beads of perspiration running lines down his face. Staring up at Anton with wide eyes and a bloody mouth, he didn't seem to have a clue what the Russian wanted. Anton stayed quiet as Boris snatched up the pliers and paring knife and moved to his Boss’s side, taking the knife when it was passed to him.

With the sharp tip of the blade pointed out, Anton held the knife under Vito’s chin. He greatly enjoyed seeing Vito’s nervous swallow as he twisted the weapon slowly. The smallest amount of blood rose to the surface of Vito’s skin, sliding down the metal blade.

“Pray,” Anton repeated. “It's the only thing that might save you.”

“P-praying?” Blood sprayed from Vito’s mouth as he stuttered over the words. “You're going to let me go?”

“No. But, you tried to hurt an angel today, so God might.”

Finally, Vito understood. The lines trailing over his cheeks were no longer created by his sweat, but by his tears. They drew pathways through the blood, spit, and dirt, marking him clean in only those salt-touched spots.

“Th-the Lord is my shepherd ...”

“Good,” Anton praised. “Like I said, this is going to hurt.”

The hammer in Anton’s grasp swung to and fro. The Italian's eyes watched the movement with terror choking his words out in a breath. “I shall not want ...”

“Boris, when we’re done, keep the tongue,” Anton said. “Perhaps Sonny would like a gift.”

• • •

Viviana stayed quiet as Sasha paced the space between hospital waiting room chairs. It had been a rough day, to say the least. Anton was on his way. She called him without thinking he might have been handling something and just sending a text instead. Lucky for her that he wasn’t, but now he was in a panic and that wouldn’t lead to anything good.

“He’s going to be terribly angry,” the older woman said, shaking her head sadly.

“Anton?” Not for a minute, Viviana thought. Heartbroken was more like it. He adored his father.

Sasha chirped out a bitter laugh. “Oh, no. I meant Daniil. He despises the hospitals. I can only imagine how hard of a time he’s giving them while they take x-rays of his lungs.”

“How long?” Viviana asked.

“What?”

“Daniil. How long has he been this sick?”

It wasn’t like she hadn’t noticed the medical supplies and the doctor who came and went throughout the day. She had, but Viviana just assumed that they were treating Anton’s father, not waiting out his failing health. They didn’t talk about it, and she could understand that because for one thing, it hurt the family to do so. And secondly, maybe Daniil didn’t want the grief of others over his sickness to be the last of what he witnessed for his final months.

Sasha’s sadness turned into a teary gaze. “Awhile. He’s far too sick to continue with chemo. It’s only killing him instead of helping. The pain has been getting worse the last couple of months, but he’s lasted longer than his doctors predicted and a constant morphine drip helps.”

That was the worst thing about having the lifestyle they did. Sometimes having everything you ever wanted at the simple drop of a hat could come back and bite you in the worst way when there was something you finally couldn’t have. Life, for example. Sickness couldn’t be bought away. Sure, the best doctors and medicine would be brought in without hesitation, but death would still come if there was nothing that could be done. No amount of money could buy health.

Up until then, another week had passed Anton and Viviana by in an almost blissful silence, minus Vito showing up and scaring the living hell out of her. When Anton came home that night stony and silent, she decided she didn’t want to know what became of Vito.