Chapter 115
Nico
He stinks of cheap aftershave. You would think a man with his money could afford something better. “Didn’t know it was an exclusive, member’s only club, Monletto.”
“It’s by invitation only,” he says then takes a drink from his whiskey tumbler. My guards move closer since they too can see that he is carrying a piece in his holster, that is strapped across his chest.
“That doesn’t answer my question, Santangelo. Why the fuck are you in my club?” He places his glass on the black marble bar and beckons for the woman to serve him another. She obliges.
“I’m looking for Dario. I have it on good authority that he is in her with Lucien.”
We stare each other down, neither one of us yielding. The drink arrives. “You want a drink?” he asks. I think not, I don’t want anything from this dive bar. Surely, he could afford to make a better show of it. The place stinks.
“Still running girls, I see,” I tell him my voice full of disdain.
“None of your damn business what I get up to. You have your patch and I have mine. My brothers and I don’t have any issues with our business choices.” Smug bastard.
Of course they don’t. The Monletto’s have never been ones for keeping anything on the right side of the track. Drug trafficking and girls is one of the lowest forms of making money. What was wrong with good old-fashioned bootlegging back in the day or taking winnings?
“My brother is my business, however, Monletto. So, where the fuck is he? You holding him or something else I should know about?”
He scoffs. “We don’t need to hold your brother, Nico. He’s a free agent. Comes and goes where he wants when he wants. Seems to me your family have no control over that young kid brother of yours.”
He has a point. Fucked if I am going to let him know that. He takes a drink from the glass. “He’s in the back with Lucien.”
“He had better not be doing any of your drugs you bastard.” I grind my teeth. Hell, my dentist is going to have some harsh words to say when I finally get round to going. The way I grind the molars the way I do. I’ll need new ones replacing the old ones.
Monletto shrugs his shoulders. “None of my business what he’s doing out the back with Lucien. My brother can do what he wants, he practically runs the business.”
My temper is fraying. A young woman approaches me and goes to place a skinny arm around my shoulders. No doubt with track marks up them. I take one look at her and feel pity creeping in my bones. The girls don’t stand a chance. It’s common knowledge what guys like Monletto do to girls like this. She was probably pretty once. Now she looks rake thin, her lank hair hanging down to her shoulders with her collarbones jutting out and her ribs from under the bra top she wears.
One of my guards moves her arm and sends her on her way. “I just want some money and a good time,” she purrs. What’s supposed to sound sexy makes me shudder inside.
“How old is that girl?” I ask Monletto. “She can’t be more than eighteen. You’re a disgrace you know that, right?” I tell him sneering and wanting to punch him in the face to knock his sardonic smirk off his ugly face.
He merely shrugs his shoulders. “They’re business to me, who gives a fuck? You don’t like it, get the fuck out, Santangelo.”
My guards move closer to Monletto. He lets out a raucous laugh. “Get the dogs off me you motherfucker. They’re not welcome in my club. What you think you can waltz in here and threaten me in my own back yard? You ain’t seen nothin’ yet.”
“I want to see Dario,” I tell him more calmly than I am feeling. There is a gnawing sensation in the pit of my stomach. I’ve probably got an ulcer brewing. It wouldn’t surprise me at this rate.
He places two fingers in his mouth and lets out a long whistle. Out of nowhere two guys appear not dissimilar to the ones out the front. Plenty of tattoos and no skin to be seen. Their black T-shirts show off their bulging muscles.
“Intimidation won’t work, Monletto. I’m not moving until I have Dario. By the way, if you want bad publicity and the cops sniffing around, be my guest. My guys are not going to stand around to watch me be taken out by your asshole guys.”
“Get Dario, let him know his brother is here,” he tells the guys. They nod. What? Doesn’t anyone talk around here?
I drum my fingers on the bar whilst I wait. Monletto and I continue to stare at each other.
“My advice,” he says breaking the silence first. “Don’t come onto my turf again. We don’t take kindly to Santangelo’s coming here. You know you’re not welcome in Vegas full stop.”
“Tough shit. I have a casino here and who knows, maybe I’ll build a hotel bigger and better than the Mirage. I can see it now, all fountains, light shows, the best acts that money can buy. Put your sorry ass to shame.” I snark back at him. I am not the kind of man that takes lightly to being told what to do, nor threatened.
“You and your little syndicate, Monletto don’t scare me off. We have a bigger syndicate going. If it comes to it, we will go to war.”
The assholes return with Dario behind them. He sees me and goes to turn around. “Not so quick,” I tell him. “Get your sorry ass here now, we’re leaving.”
“What the fuck for? I like it here in Vegas.” Man, is he being belligerent? Moving closer to him, he fixes me with an I dare you stare. Jeez-us the kid hasn’t changed since he was five years old.
I stand close to him, close enough to whisper in his ear. “You are coming with me, Dario. That’s the end of it or you want these motherfucking asshole cunts, to see your ass whipped. Now move it. We will discuss it in the car.”
“I am not going anywhere with you, Nico. I have business here with Lucien.”
I raise my eyebrows and grab hold of his scrawny arm. He needs to eat more. “Did you do drugs out he back, Dario? I swear to God, I will knock your fucking teeth down your throat.”
“What? No, I am clean. We have other business.”
“You do not do business with these cunts. The Santangelo name does not associate itself with the Monletto family. Now fucking move it.” I drag him forward; he shuffles his feet.
“Why not? You fucked a Gianluca!” Well shit!