ARAWN
I watch Danny walk up the stairs to the front door of his house and disappear into it before I take my phone out.
As I don’t really know what to say or to ask, I turn it in my hands for several minutes, before I dial Dario’s number.
“Boss, is everything alright?”
“Yeah,” I murmur, taking a deep breath. “You didn’t tell me about the night you picked up Nerthus. Is there something I should know?”
He doesn’t answer straight away as he is probably weighing out his options. “No, I don’t think so, boss.”
What’s with them and their loyalty towards her?
Even if I want to be mad at it, it actually has me smiling.
“Is there something she asked you not to tell me?” I push again, lighting my cigarette. “Like something that happened that evening?”
He clears his throat, my patience running thin. “Yes, boss.”
“What is it?”
“I didn’t get much of it. But I got a call from Jenna, who asked me to go to the Sin Palace and pick up her friend.”
“Jenna called you?”
“Yes, apparently Nerthus wouldn’t be able to dispose of her phone anymore.”
“What?” I grab my steering wheel, my temper rising.
“As I came to the premises, Nerthus ran to me immediately. And Jensen was still taunting her. But unfortunately, I didn’t get the whole picture.” He takes another deep breath before he adds. “As I asked if you knew about that, she said no and that we should leave you out of the picture.”
“And you good tin soldier did!” I growl.
“Erm, but there is more.”
“More to what?” I ask with my teeth clenched.
“One of our drivers came to me a few days ago, telling me how he was afraid of having his bones crushed, as he drove Jensen to pick up a girl who apparently didn’t want to be with him. He thought nothing of it until she brought up your name and scared him so much that he left her out of the car.”
Pinching the bridge of my nose, I try to take calming breaths. “When was that?”
As he tells me the day and date of it, I realize that it is the day when I got the confusing telephone from Nerthus, who started screaming at me as soon as I had picked up. I was already so angry at her that I didn’t even care to understand what she was trying to tell me.
But now it dawned on me.
If you want to share me, you have to ask me first, prepare me.
Send someone that is my type.
Fuck!
“Get me those fucking tapes from Bernie! I want to see them! And send the driver and the bouncers that witnessed it!”
“Subito, boss” He confirms that he will do it right away before I disconnect the call.
Without even thinking, I dial Nerthus’ number, and as she takes the call right away, I have to say that I’m surprised.
And apparently, she is as well.
“Oh, I wasn’t planning on doing that.” She says lowly, making me grin.
“Don’t you dare ignore me, woman.”
She sighs, and I fear that she is going to hang up. “If you start with this attitude, I’m going to cut the call right here.”
“No, wait. I-”
“If it’s because of Danny, don’t. I invited him up, and he can stay whenever he wants. Please don’t be too strict on him. He just wanted to watch some funny movies, and I’m feeding him, promise.”
“I don’t have anything against him being at your place, but don’t let my men lie to me. Or hide anything from me.”
“Is there something you want to tell me, Arawn?” I can literally see her crossing her arms as she rolls her eyes at me.
“You said you wanted to talk about Jensen. What was it about?”
She gasps but doesn’t answer me. After a few seconds that I wait for her to speak, I say her name, making her scoff.
“There is nothing left to talk about, Arawn.”
I can’t even protest as she cuts the call.
***
I have my head propped up in my hand, my finger sinking into my forehead as I stare at the little device on my desk.
“I don’t want you to touch me! I will tell Arawn about this!”
I close my eyes as Nerthus’ voice hits me like an actual blow. But it’s making my blood boil as I hear his answer. “And who do you think he is going to believe? Huh? Me or a lowlife whore?”
Taking a deep breath, I sit up witnessing the further scene playing out registered by the cameras in and outside the club.
I can’t help to feel pain as I think of what she told me as we were alone in the catacombs.
How I wouldn’t care if a girl like her would come to tell me what was happening in my territory.
Because it’s normal.
Because it’s daily business.
Things like this happen all the time.
“Why didn’t you interfere with them?” I ask the two bouncers of the night who are currently standing in front of my desk.
“It’s Jensen, boss. We never interfere when he does his business.”
Tapping my finger to my lips, I ponder over something that hurts me to my bones.
What would have happened if she hadn’t had the possibility to call Jenna?
“From now on you do. If he says something, you will call me. Is that something you can work with?”
“Of course, boss.” The other bulky one answers in a strong East European accent.
Dismissing them, I turn my attention to the small man who is playing with his cap while sitting in a leather chair of mine.
“Antonio,” I say, lifting a single sheet of paper off my desk. “You came here, what? Seven years ago?”
“Yes, sir.” He nods, clutching his cap. “My brother… eh, helped me get in.”
I sigh, amazed by the fact that his Italian accent isn’t by far the strongest I have ever heard.
“Messina.” I smile, putting the paper back down. “My mother was from there. Do you miss it?”
He nods saddened before he answers. “Very much.”
“I have to thank you for stopping the car and letting my woman out. You saved her.” Before I have even ended the sentence, he is already shaking his hands in front of him dismissively.
“Oh, no, no. Capo, I did nothing.”
Leaning back into my chair, I play with my pen. “Dario told me about the fact. Why didn’t you come to me?”
“Oh, but I am just driver! I could never!” He points his hands to him, as he scoops forward in his chair.
These Sicilians have some sense of hierarchy.
“Well, you telling me would have prevented a lot of problems as I was thinking that my woman was sleeping with my men.”
He lowers his gaze to the floor as he gesticulates with his hands. “I apologize. I was scared.”
“Scared?” I ask, holding my pen to my lips.
“Yes, he always lets me drive him around. I hear many things that happen back there. That woman was a fighter, and I could let her out because she told me about you. Many I could not save.” He shifts in his seat as he adds. “The first time I asked him about a girl. And he said he shoot me. So, I hold my mouth.”
He tears up as he brings his hands together, shaking them back and forth. “I have two daughters. I… I… Mannaggia.” [Damn it]
His curse is the last thing he utters before he starts crying, and I clear my throat.
“Okay, that’s enough. Antonio!” He doesn’t calm down, I gesture to Dario to get him out of my office.
As he returns, I wait patiently as he fills me in about him, naturally reading it out of a silly notebook.
“Get him to cover another territory. Or ask Harvey if he knows someone who needs a good driver. If Jensen asks, tell him I put him there because Harvey asked me to. Fill Harvey in. Afterwards, you get one of my drivers, maybe Aleksei, and give him to Jensen. I’ll have a talk with him, and he is not the one who is afraid of someone threatening him with a gun.”
“Terra bruciata?” He asks, making me smirk.
“Terra bruciata.” [brunt earth]
“Will be done, boss.” He bows slightly, about to turn around as I stop him.
“And Dario,” I say, making him look at me expectantly. “Send Nerthus a fucking army.”