you always were a prick."
Ernesto nods. "Run along, Cesare, or you'll get a spanking later."
Cesare reaches for his gun and before he gets it out of his waistband, Ernesto has his gun pressed to Cesare's temple. Cesare remains frozen, hand close, but oh, so far away from his weapon.
His eyes bounce around the room and he notices that not only does he have Russo guns aimed at him, but also Manzini.
"Looks to me, cousin, " Massimo begins, "you're going to get more than a spanking. Vinny, if you could please relieve Cesare of his weapon."
The other man steps forward slowly and carefully, so as not to set anyone off, and takes the gun from Cesare's waistband, then tucks it into his own.
"You're making a big mistake here, Massimo," Cesare begins.
"I don't think so," Massimo replies. "Vinny and Angelo are going to escort you to see the boss."
"Cousin—" Cesare begins.
Massimo smirks. "Too little too late. Now you'll face the consequences of disregarding the request I gave you. Salvatore hates insubordination."
No one relaxes. All guns are still trained on Cesare as he stares down his cousin this time, hatred evident in his expression.
"Your time has come," Cesare tells him and Massimo raises a brow.
"I think you're reading the situation wrong. It is your time that has come. And," Massimo tells him, taking a step forward, "don't you ever threaten me again or I'll put a bullet through your brain before you even blink."
Cesare clenches his fists in anger, frustration, and hate. The hate radiating off of him is palpable, and I can't help but wonder just what the hell is going on with the Manzinis, and does Salvatore Manzini know about it. Likely if he did, Cesare would already be dead.
"Let's go," Vinny tells him and they turn, heading toward the door. When the door closes behind them, everyone lowers their weapons at Massimo's and Ernesto's commands—but they aren't put away.
The tension in this room is so thick you could cut it with a knife. I feel a bead of sweat roll down my back and hope like hell we can get the fuck out of here before it starts popping out on my forehead. Show no sign of weakness . That's what Ernesto and Giovanni taught me, and it's a lesson I learned quickly and very, very well. There's no room for trial and error out on the street, where your life depends on your reaction and quick thinking, which also means there is no room for anxiety, panic, or any of the telltale signs signaling either.
"I apologize for Cesare," Massimo tells Ernesto, who nods. "He's out of control and tonight is the meeting where Salvatore will determine his fate."
"Seems like a good decision. He's making mistakes, Massimo. Mistakes that are going to have our families back at war. None of us want that," Ernesto admits.
"No, we do not."
A door slams and all weapons raise and train on the two men who enter. Giovanni and Salvatore. The hair on the back of my neck stands up. I can't believe what I'm seeing. Sworn enemies. Holy shit.
"Lower your weapons, Russos," Gio orders.
"You as well Manzinis," Salvatore agrees.
All weapons lower.
"Cesare has been dealt with," Mr. Manzini announces.
"Fuck. I was hoping I'd get to handle that," Massimo says.
Ernesto smirks. "I'd have fought you to carry out that task."
"Get in line," another of the Manzinis says.
"Men," Salvatore commands, and everyone quiets down. "You will deliver and unload the weapons Cesare took from the Russos, without direction or permission, at Giovanni Russo's choice of location."
They all nod in agreement.
"Ernesto," Giovanni states, "I need you and Nickels to come with me."
Ernesto directs me over with a tilt of his head and we follow Giovanni out the door. I don't tuck the gun away and neither does Ernesto. Now we're not only responsible for our lives, we're also responsible for our boss's. Christ on a crutch.
When I enter the limo, I'm not really all that surprised by the scene before me. Cesare Manzini, being held at gunpoint by one of our men.
Ernesto nods. "Run along, Cesare, or you'll get a spanking later."
Cesare reaches for his gun and before he gets it out of his waistband, Ernesto has his gun pressed to Cesare's temple. Cesare remains frozen, hand close, but oh, so far away from his weapon.
His eyes bounce around the room and he notices that not only does he have Russo guns aimed at him, but also Manzini.
"Looks to me, cousin, " Massimo begins, "you're going to get more than a spanking. Vinny, if you could please relieve Cesare of his weapon."
The other man steps forward slowly and carefully, so as not to set anyone off, and takes the gun from Cesare's waistband, then tucks it into his own.
"You're making a big mistake here, Massimo," Cesare begins.
"I don't think so," Massimo replies. "Vinny and Angelo are going to escort you to see the boss."
"Cousin—" Cesare begins.
Massimo smirks. "Too little too late. Now you'll face the consequences of disregarding the request I gave you. Salvatore hates insubordination."
No one relaxes. All guns are still trained on Cesare as he stares down his cousin this time, hatred evident in his expression.
"Your time has come," Cesare tells him and Massimo raises a brow.
"I think you're reading the situation wrong. It is your time that has come. And," Massimo tells him, taking a step forward, "don't you ever threaten me again or I'll put a bullet through your brain before you even blink."
Cesare clenches his fists in anger, frustration, and hate. The hate radiating off of him is palpable, and I can't help but wonder just what the hell is going on with the Manzinis, and does Salvatore Manzini know about it. Likely if he did, Cesare would already be dead.
"Let's go," Vinny tells him and they turn, heading toward the door. When the door closes behind them, everyone lowers their weapons at Massimo's and Ernesto's commands—but they aren't put away.
The tension in this room is so thick you could cut it with a knife. I feel a bead of sweat roll down my back and hope like hell we can get the fuck out of here before it starts popping out on my forehead. Show no sign of weakness . That's what Ernesto and Giovanni taught me, and it's a lesson I learned quickly and very, very well. There's no room for trial and error out on the street, where your life depends on your reaction and quick thinking, which also means there is no room for anxiety, panic, or any of the telltale signs signaling either.
"I apologize for Cesare," Massimo tells Ernesto, who nods. "He's out of control and tonight is the meeting where Salvatore will determine his fate."
"Seems like a good decision. He's making mistakes, Massimo. Mistakes that are going to have our families back at war. None of us want that," Ernesto admits.
"No, we do not."
A door slams and all weapons raise and train on the two men who enter. Giovanni and Salvatore. The hair on the back of my neck stands up. I can't believe what I'm seeing. Sworn enemies. Holy shit.
"Lower your weapons, Russos," Gio orders.
"You as well Manzinis," Salvatore agrees.
All weapons lower.
"Cesare has been dealt with," Mr. Manzini announces.
"Fuck. I was hoping I'd get to handle that," Massimo says.
Ernesto smirks. "I'd have fought you to carry out that task."
"Get in line," another of the Manzinis says.
"Men," Salvatore commands, and everyone quiets down. "You will deliver and unload the weapons Cesare took from the Russos, without direction or permission, at Giovanni Russo's choice of location."
They all nod in agreement.
"Ernesto," Giovanni states, "I need you and Nickels to come with me."
Ernesto directs me over with a tilt of his head and we follow Giovanni out the door. I don't tuck the gun away and neither does Ernesto. Now we're not only responsible for our lives, we're also responsible for our boss's. Christ on a crutch.
When I enter the limo, I'm not really all that surprised by the scene before me. Cesare Manzini, being held at gunpoint by one of our men.
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