Chapter 16
Sean intervened. “You should know Armand has six bodyguards downstairs as well as two lieutenants, as does Alexei. No one is taking you anywhere.”
Armand’s phone rang. He picked it up. “It’s Rene. He’s here. Rene and Grigory are escorting him up.”
Don Ferone came into the room. “This can’t be Donal, I’ve seen Donal.”
Sean fumed. “This is Donal on his way to being healthy. I know you know Apuso controls them with drugs, but do you know that he is the one who turns them into addicts? Or were you aware of this—take your legs out from under the covers, Donal, and lift up your sweatpants. Come closer, Don Ferone, and see some of Mr. Apusoprsquo;s work.ordquo;
Sean lifted Donal’s leg. He took the stylus from his phone and separated Donal’s toes, then held up the bottom of his feet, his shank and calves.
“Gesù Cristo, young man, stop shaking. You are no longer my concern, but you must with Mr. Davidoff’s permission, answer a few questions, please.”
Donal looked at Alexei and he nodded his encouragement.
Armand interrupted. “If you feel in any way threatened, Donal. This will stop immediately with no repercussions. Do you understand?”
“Yes, sir.” Donal turned to Don Ferone and asked politely, “What do you need to know?”
“Was it Apuso himself that did this to you?” Don Ferone stared down at Donal’s scars.
“Yes, he takes great pleasure in hurting the boys himself, especially if they’re pretty and likely to be able to find someone to run to. He tortures the feet so you can never run.” Donal’s eyes were leaking again. He wiped them with his sleeve.
“Is that why Mr. Davidoff found you in the park?” Don Ferone asked gently.
“Yes. My life was a daily routine of being drugged, tortured, and raped. I wasn’t a willing rent boy. I constantly tried to escape. In the end I thought death was my only choice.”
“My information said he only ran addicts who needed protection, and we got a cut.” The mobster raised an eyebrow.
“He makesus into drug abusers, we get no funds and he takes the rest aside of what he gives to you. Also, he skims. The take is always a fourth to a third larger than he states.”
Ferone looked at Armand. “Would this boy lie to me?”
“For what reason? He’s already out. He doesn’t have to worry about retribution from Apuso, and he also knows he’s safe here from anyone else, so why would he lie?” Armand answered.
“This is true. I’m sorry Donal. I didn’t know.” Don Ferone sighed. “We’re not barbarians. I don’t countenance this type of treatment. Apuso knew I only wanted willing bodies.”
“He made us do it without condoms. I may have HIV and passed it on to customers, but I wasn’t allowed to warn them.”
“Bastardo…”
“Don Ferone, shall we take this downstairs away from the boys?”
“Mr. Davidoff, your funds will be reimbursed. Donal’s debts are erased.”
“What debts?” Alexei asked angrily.
“He paid Mr. Apuso for food and a roof over his head.”
Donal almost stood up in the bed. He completely lost it. “If you can call canned soup once a day with a cracker and a Salvation Army blanket on the cellar floor, room and board. Make an unscheduled inspection at about one. That’s when the fun starts.”
Don Ferone looked at the clock. “We’ll talk, Mr. La Marche. I find myself once again in your debt. I’d stay for coffee, but there is somewhere I have to be in force at one.”
“Yes, there is.” Armand and Alexei followed him down in the elevator.
* * * *
Donal held it together until Ferone left the floor. “We thought he knew. One of us would have tried to get to him before if we thought there was the slightest chance he didn’t know.”
“Don Ferone is not a nice man,” Sean told him, “but he is a fair man within the parameters of his profession and the dictates of his place in life. Apuso stole from him, damaged his merchandise, set him up for a host of legal complications and even took your money. Apuso will be floating in the river by tomorrow morning after he’s been burned and had a few fingers cut off for stealing. We can cause no harm to humans, but if we tell the truth and they come to harm from one of their own, it’s not our sin.” Sean shrugged.