Mox.
And herself.
For Priscilla, this was a test; a test of her strength, will and courage; a test to see if she really could get beyond her disturbing past experiences and devote her every minute to building a solid, communicable relationship; a test to see if she could open her heart and truly love another human being; a test of her diligence; a test of her faith.
Staring at the ceiling, she made a promise. A troth to herself and to Mox that from this day on she would stand by his side until he was able to fully recover and return to his normal state. Meanwhile, she would do anything in her power to find Brandi’s whereabouts and get her back.
It was time for Priscilla to throw her game face on and turn the heat up in the kitchen. It was time for her to make a return.
CHAPTER SEVEN
The music played at a moderate level as the drinks flowed and cries of laughter filled the atmosphere in Vito’s Bar & Grill. The Partygoers mingled amongst themselves in celebration of Billy Telesco’s return home from a four and a half year prison bid for an assault charge.
Mikey stood at the center of the dining area, raised his glass of champagne and yelled. “Felicitazioni!” (Congrats!) and the entire room followed suit.
Billy Telesco aka ‘The Butcher’ was Vinny’s oldest nephew and had been labeled a certified knucklehead by his longtime peers. He earned his nickname, ‘The Butcher’ as a hard boiled teen who never took kindly to the word ‘no’, and honestly loved the sight of blood.
As a youth, Billy was into stick-ups and friendly extortion as he rose to power on his way to becoming a made man. His lanky figure and brash demeanor could never go unnoticed when he entered a room. Those who knew him well, kept their distance.
__________
Five years ago, on a foggy September evening in Queens Village NY, twenty-four year old Billy ‘The Butcher’ and twenty-one year old Mikey T strutted into the Silver Moon Diner at 23520 Hillside Avenue. They were hungry, tired, and fed up with how the day’s events had played out. All they wanted was a hot meal and a few stiff drinks.
“I’m tellin’ ya’ Mikey, I should’a wacked his fuckin’ ass when I had the chance.” Billy was heated. He was dressed in his usual designer slim fit metallic Valentino suit, shiny black shoes and dark shades.
They pulled chairs from under the table and sat down.
Mikey replied. “Naw, if you would have done that, then you really wouldn’t have gotten paid. I think he got the message.”
A waiter approached the duo. “Welcome to the Silver Moon, my name is Dick. I’ll be your waiter this evening.” He placed two menus on the table. “Can I get you guys something to drink?”
Billy chuckled. “Yeah Dick,” he laughed again. “Bring us a bottle of that expensive French shit y’all got back there.”
Dick pulled a small drink menu from his pocket. “Will it be the Chateau Lafite, Margaux or the Haut Brion?”
Billy’s smile turned to a serious scowl. “Now do I look like I know what the fuck that is? Pick one. Now beat it, Dick!” He pounded his fist on the table in amusement.
The waiter turned his lip, sucked his teeth and pranced off in a fit.
“Be nice Billy,” Mikey giggled.
After forty minutes at the table, Mikey was stuffed and Billy was tipsy, due to finishing half the bottle of wine by himself.
“Hey, I gotta take a whizz.” Billy got up and walked through the dining area to the men’s restroom.
On his way out, he thought he saw a familiar face, but he didn’t stop until he got back to the table. “Mikey, doesn’t that look like that fuckin’ scumbag, Jimmy Rovelli over there?”
Mikey glanced over, trying not to be obvious. “Yup, that’s him.”
“I knew it!” Billy downed the rest of the wine in his glass and wiped his mouth with a handkerchief. “Lemme see your gun, Mikey.”
“I left it in the car.”
“You left it in the car?? What the fuck Mikey? Fuck it.” He stormed off toward the kitchen, and when he returned, Mikey caught a glimpse of the ten inch carbon steel blade he was gripping.
He tried to stop him, but it was too late.
“Hey Jimmy, lemme talk to you for a second.” Billy forced a fake smile and held the steak knife at his side.
Hey, Billy, what’s goin’ on? I know you didn’t jus’ come from the kitchen, you workin’ here now?” he smirked. He acted nonchalant, but Jimmy knew exactly what Billy wanted to talk about.
Billy matched his smirk. “Yeah, somethin’ like that. Hey, where’s that ten large you owe me?”
Jimmy’s chipper expression turned to a glower. “C’mon, Billy this is not the place or the time to discuss this. We both know that.”
Billy looked at Mikey and clenched the knife tighter. “Jimmy you must think ‘cause you wake up every mornin’ and slip into your little blue suit that you command some type of authority or somethin’.”
Jimmy looked down and saw the knife in his hand. “Billy, don’t do it. You know you can’t get away with this.”
“Who said I gave a fuck about gettin’ away?” He reached out, snatched Jimmy by his collar, and put the blade to his throat.
Jimmy’s wife scurried to his side. “Please don’t hurt him.”
“Bitch, shut up!” he pressed the stainless steel harder into Jimmy’s neck. “Mikey, c’mere.”
A nervous Mikey T wanted to hesitate, but he knew better, so he hurried over to where Billy was.
The other three couples that were sitting at nearby tables, pushed their food to the side and rushed for the door.
Mikey got in close on Billy’s ear. “You know this guy’s a fuckin’ cop right?”
Billy displayed his thirty-two’s. “I know,” he whispered. “That makes it allll the better.”
“Billy, please, gimme a week.” Saliva slid down the side of Jimmy’s mouth.
“You been dippin’ n dodgin’ me for two months, Jimmy. It’s the principles.” He laughed.
Jimmy begged. “Pleeeaaasee.”
“Mikey, grab his hand.”
Jimmy’s wife was screaming at the top of her lungs.
Mikey snatched Jimmy’s arm and slammed his hand on the table.
“The pinky Mikey, I want the pinky.”
“Please, no!” Jimmy wailed.
Billy sneered at Mrs. Rovelli. “Next time, it’ll be his dick!”
He raised the knife and smashed it down on Jimmy’s pinky finger.
“Ahhhhhhhhh!!”
You could hear the splitting of the bone on contact.
Blood shot from the wound and sprinkled Billy’s expensive suit. “Shit!” he jumped back and attempted to wipe the stain, but only smeared it. “You muthafucka!” he lifted the blade and went to strike Jimmy a second time, but Mikey grabbed his arm.
“That’s enough, Billy!”
Mrs. Rovelli snatched a handkerchief, wrapped it around her husband’s bleeding hand, and pulled out her cell phone. “I’m calling the cops, Jimmy!”
“Gimme that goddamn phone.” Billy snatched it from her hand and flung it into the closest wall, shattering it to pieces. He looked down at Jimmy’s severed finger and smiled. “You’ll get this back when I get my money.”
He tossed the bloody extremity into his pocket and walked out.
__________
On the grounds of Billy being a made guy, the department made a deal with the Telescos that would exonerate Mikey of all charges and induce the minimum sentence of four years on Billy. Those four years flew by.
“Great to see you back home kid,” Vinny hugged his nephew and kissed the sides of his cheeks.
“Good to see you too, Unc, but I’m still pissed about missing Vito’s funeral.”
Vinny grabbed the young Mafioso by the shoulder and led him through the crowd towards the bar. “Don’t get your nuts in a bunch over it. Some things we have no control over. Excuse me.” Vinny put his hand to his mouth and coughed. “Tonight we celebrate your freedom. Hey, Tony, get me that envelope I gave t
o you earlier.”
Tony reached under the bar and slid a manila envelope down to Vinny.
“What’s this?” Billy shook the envelope when Vinny handed it to him.
“That’s what it’s about now Billy, get as much of it as you can.”
Billy stuck his hand in the envelope and pulled the stack of fifties from it. “Thanks Uncle Vinny.”
“No problem, make sure you get laid tonight and call me in the morning. I got a job for you.”
Billy smiled and began counting the bills in his hand.
Mikey walked over.
“You ready to get ya’ balls out the sand?” He gestured to a tall brunette with huge tits and a slim waist that was standing about thirty feet away.
Billy licked his lips. “It’s been long enough Mikey!”
The bells on the front door jingled, and when Billy looked up, the face staring back at him was one he sure didn’t expect to see.
“Billy Telesco. You still look the same.” Jimmy said, walking in with his partner.
Over the years, he had put on a few pounds, so Billy didn’t recognize him at first glance. He removed the shades from his face and walked to the bar.
“You got some fuckin’ nerve showin’ up here, Jimmy.” Billy got off the stool he was sitting on and shot him an ice grill.
“Now, now Billy, don’t you think it’s been long enough? I mean, I’ve forgiven you.” Jimmy smirked. “I see you’re still wearing those cheap ass suits.”
“Fuck you.”
“Did he just say fuck me?” Jimmy pointed at himself and then looked to his partner. “Naw, I think you’re the one that’s been gettin’ fucked, little Billy. Hey, I heard you got butter fingers. How many times you drop the soap!?” he and his partner broke out in boisterous laughter.
Billy reached out, snatched Jimmy by his throat and whipped a steel handled blade out the inside pocket of his suit jacket.
Jimmy’s partner unlatched the weapon on his waistline and drew it on Billy.
“Grab his hand Mikey!”
Mikey froze.
“Put the weapon down!” The officer warned.
“Mikey! Grab his fuckin’ hand!”
Jimmy tried to speak, but Billy tightened his grip.
“Drop the fucking knife!”
His hand was shaking. This was the first time he ever had to draw his gun on a civilian.
Billy shifted his attention to the officer. “If you was gon’ shoot, you would’a done it already, fuckin’ rookie.” his focus went back to Jimmy. “This time I’ma cut ya’ fuckin’ dick off!”
“Hey! Hey!” Vinny pushed his way through the crowd. “Jimmy! Put the goddamn knife down and let ‘em go.”
“But, Unc…”
Vinny’s eyes got beady and his temper flared, his old age was beginning to get the best of him. “Don’t fuckin’ but me Billy. Jus’ do what I say.” He covered his mouth and coughed hard.
Billy slowly put the blade away and loosened his grip on Jimmy’s neck. “You’re lucky… fuckin’ prick.” He looked down at the badge on his chest and spit on it. “Fuck the boys in blue.”
Jimmy’s partner went to grab Billy’s arm, but a straight left hand landed on the tip of his nose and his top lip.
The rookie stumbled back, touched his nose and blood started to drip down his hand. “You bastard!” he grumbled and went to charge at Billy.
“C’mon muthafucka!” Billy flashed the knife again, but this time he was going to use it.
Mikey stepped between the two men. “Not here, Billy.” he put his arm around him and they walked to the back.
Jimmy was wiping the saliva off his badge. “You’re going back to jail, Billy!” he shouted.
“Nobody’s going anywhere.” Vinny tossed a clean handkerchief to the bleeding rookie. “Clean yourself up.” He turned to Jimmy. “You had no fuckin’ right comin’ here in the first place, you work in the city. What the hell you doin’ in Westchester County?”
“No disrespect Vinny, but…”
Vinny cut him off. “Get the fuck outta my restaurant.”
Jimmy knew better than to challenge Vinny, so he tapped his partner on the shoulder and the two blue suits walked out.
CHAPTER EIGHT
Chris slightly pressed the brakes, and then hit the lights on the Town Car as he cruised across the empty street. The dark vehicle merged with the shadowy black night atmosphere, came to a full stop. He parallel parked between a blue work van and a Cadillac truck.
“Is this close enough?” he asked.
Cleo blew the smoke from his cigarette at the roof, then looked down at the chrome lined, wood stock, Romanian AK-47 that sat in his lap. “Yeah, this is good.”
He pulled out a pair of black Nike baseball gloves from the back of the front passenger seat, slipped one on his left hand, and then picked up the thirty round magazine that was right next to him. He pressed the cartridge into the weapon and glanced at his reflection in the tinted window.
“I’ma make these muthafuckas pay for what they did to me.”
He had fifty-six stiches on the side of his face and his right hand was fully wrapped in a bandage.
Chris looked in the rearview at Cleo. “How long we gotta wait?”
Cleo made a pained expression when he lifted the AK with his injured hand, but he managed to pull the hammer back, and a bullet slid into the chamber. “Until I say move.” He pressed a button on the door panel and the window slowly came down. “It’s nice out here tonight too.” a relaxed summer breeze entered the vehicle and kissed his face. “Chris, you ever read The Art of War by Sun Tzu?”
“Nah, why you ask?”
Cleo settled back in the seat, grasping the military issued firearm. “When I was back there on that kitchen table at your homeboy’s house gettin’ stitched up, I thought about a quote I remembered from that book. Sun Tzu said, in conflict, direct confrontation will lead to engagement, and surprise will lead to victory. Cleo pressed the button, and the widow went back up. “If I would’a been thinkin’ like that from the start, I wouldn’t have been on that table.” He brushed the side of the weapon. “This time I got a surprise for dey ass.”
An hour and twenty minutes had passed, but Cleo was just as alert as he had been when they pulled up. Besides a passing car every ten minutes, the streets were abandoned and the only establishment open was the Bar & Grill directly across the street from where the Town Car was parked.
Cleo heard what he thought was laughter. He looked up, and saw that the door to the Bar & Grill was open and patrons were funneling out.
He tapped Chris on the shoulder, awakening him from his doze. “Chris, wake up. It’s time.”
__________
“Hey Pop, could you grab my keys for me? I’m gonna drop Billy off to the hotel.” Mikey said while he waited by the exit.
Billy pushed the front door open to leave. “Ahh, don’t worry about me, Mikey, I’m alright.”
“Oh yeah?” Mikey looked down at Billy’s feet. “So, why you ain’t got no shoes on tough guy?”
Billy dropped his eyes to the cement and burst out in laughter. “Way to go Mikey!” he stumbled out the exit and into the desolate night air.
“Pop, you alright? You need a ride?” Mikey asked.
Vinny swirled the shot of whiskey in his glass, downed it, and then ordered another one. “Yeah, I’m okay Mikey. Go ahead and get your cousin home safe. I’ll see yous tomorrow.”
“Cool.” Mikey scratched his head trying to think about where he parked his vehicle. “Shit! Hey Billy, where the hell did I park the car?”
Billy was bent down trying to get his shoe onto his foot. “Do I look I know where the fuck you parked, Mikey?”
“Alright, calm down. We’ll find it.”
Partygoers were filing out of the restaurant when a dark colored car with no headlights came barreling down the block.
The roar of the engine made Billy lift his head. “What the fu—”
__________
> “I don’t think that’s him, Cleo.” Chris hugged the steering wheel and eased off the gas.
“Slow up… slow up,” Cleo let the window down halfway and fastened his hand around the weapon. “That’s that muthafucka Billy… I heard he was home, pull up on ‘em.”
The Union II Page 6