Indecent Pawn: What price is too high to pay for another person’s debt?

by Harris, K.

  “Derogatory statements huh?” Ernesto fixed himself another drink before seeming unfazed at anything Antonio had to say.

  “Once again, he won’t be hearing any other rumors in this life time. No matter how much he begged I just couldn’t be bothered with his lies any longer. The numerous amount of lies he’s heard is what ultimately ended his pathetic existence.” Antonio finished off his statement by removing another picture from the breast pocket of his jacket.

  In the picture there was a clear shot from one ear to the other. Because of the damage that was displayed it was clear the shot was fired from a close range. The blast was a clean shot but the impact was explosive. Antonio was sure that if a medical examiner was called there was no doubt they could look straight through from hole to hole. The first shot was to clear out the wax and dumb ass thoughts of ever betraying him. While the second shot fired was to clear the path of any remnants left behind.

  “…”

  “While visiting Diego, who sends his warmest affections by the way. I was given the best gift a ‘Don’ could receive.”

  “And what gift was that?”

  “Wouldn’t you know it? Franco had been sent there to collect on the books and it seems his fingers had been too sticky during his last visit.” Antonio reported calmly. “Diego also wanted to alert me of your terrible customer service skills. Care to fill me in on why you felt the need to shake a few of our alliances down. Hassle them like some common street thug.”

  “You believed that spigotty. Come on…” He exclaimed with a scowl. “He and his gang are a bunch of lazy bums. I don’t even know why we still do business with them. Il avo would be turning over in their graves to know we do business with the likes of these people. Break bread with them.”

  Out of nowhere two unsuspecting guests came into the room as quiet as ever. Since his back was to the door, he relied on the shocked expression on Ernesto’s face. Standing to his feet, he removed his jacket and placed it on the chair he just vacated. Walking to the bar, he refilled his cousin’s drink with the good stuff while he tried to make conversation with the new comers.

  “Giovanni? Roberto? When did you two get in? We weren’t expecting you.” The shiver in his voice gave away just how frightened he had become.

  “…” Neither of them bothered responding to the greeting. Instead they gave a brief head nod to Antonio and a sneer towards Ernesto before they turned to leave.

  “What was that about?”

  “Oh come on now, cugino. Il mio sangue. La mia famiglia.” Antonio had already dismantled the gun he had at the bar. The pin was so easy to remove he didn’t stand a chance. His cousin wasn’t capable of even being Capo Bastone.

  “I don’t know what you are referring to.”

  “Oh come now. You don’t take me for that big of a fool do you? Oh, I forgot.” Antonio reclaimed his seat. “What were some of the terms you used when trying to create a mutiny amongst the associates, alliances, and bosses?”

  “…”

  “Io sono una figa. Isn’t that what you have been saying behind my back?” Antonio asked. “News flash, there’s nothing pussy about me. Although I love pussy, I prefer not to resemble it. You on the other hand…”

  “I hear the cunt on that piccola cagna nera you keep around is quite tight. The boys had fun sampling it.”

  “You think so?”

  “Tell me cousin, how much is that little razza mista bastardo worth to you?” Ernesto still thought he had the upper hand on Antonio. So dang delusional. By calling his unborn a mix-breed mutt he thought he could make him act out of character. Too bad for him. “If the boys don’t hear from me by the stroke of midnight, it’s over for your little well-kept secret.”

  “For your information my nascituro means the world to me. Thanks for asking. And as for my fidanzata, well, the only person sampling that for the rest of my time on this Earth will be me. Every single, sweet inch of it.” Antonio’s smile widened just thinking about how he left his woman sprawled out on the couch. “Actually I must thank you.”

  “Thank me?”

  “Thank you for slapping some since into me. You did what no one else could to help me realize what a mistake I was making.” Antonio said fishing the other picture from his pocket. “If you hadn’t of sent such a sloppy little shit after her, I wouldn’t have realized how much I care for her.”

  “…” From the ticking of his jaw, Antonio could tell he was starting to see no light at the end of the tunnel for him.

  “I must admit, I am very proud of my bella. The force and angle of the blade was dead on. Wouldn’t you say?”

  “What do you want?”

  “It’s simple really.” Antonio laced his hands in his lap. “I want to know why? Why would you betray your own flesh and blood? What I had you had so what else was there?”

  “You don’t deserve to be Don. You never wanted this lifestyle to begin with. It should be MINE!”

  “How do you figure this should be yours? What the hell have done to build up this empire? You’ve made it your mission to tear what has been built down with your selfishness and greed.”

  “Grandfather told me so, that’s why.”

  “What?”

  “Grandfather Baldassare taught me enough before he died. He’d said you would fail as a Don because you lacked heart. You didn’t have the guts to be in charge of this cut throat industry.” Ernesto chuckled with a slur to his speech. “He was right. My mother was right. Your father was a wimp who fell for a woman of equally weak genes.” Antonio had heard it all before. No one believed his mother was good enough for his father and the throne he’d taken over.

  In truth the type of women they claim he was to be with were the weak ones. The ones that were easily distracted with temptation. Uncle Carmine’s wife was put to death mysteriously for her infidelity with her guard. Roberto’s mother ran away to parts of Greece to hide away with her family. Her harsh treatment towards Roberto and his chosen lifestyle warranted several threats from Miss Carlina Mucciono in the flesh. They mistook his mother for a weak woman when in fact she could be just as ruthless as anyone of them but only when she felt her children were being threatened.

  “Now you are tainting the blood line further by shacking up with that…”

  “Careful now. I won’t allow you to speak anymore blasphemy of my mother nor my wife to be. This has nothing to do with them but has everything to do with you. Your mother and our late nonno did a real number on you.”

  “Fuck both of those puttanna’s!” Ernesto shouted. “Others will come. You won’t see them coming. This isn’t over. You’re weak! You will fail.”

  “Why kill your father? What did you gain from that?” Antonio asked squashing the emotions he felt trying to resurface. “Did Zio Carmine find out about your terrible deeds? No need to answer that because he confided in another before you could get to him. Thanks to your sloppy work and inability to cover your tracks properly, your plans have been scrutinized for a while.” At his silence, Antonio continued to taunt the self-righteous son of a bitch.

  “I must admit the club incident was a nice little trick. Calling in the Chinese to work out a deed such as that is commendable but not quite good enough.” Antonio chuckled darkly. “Thanks to you though, he has been handled like the rest of the puttanna’s you had in your favor.”

  “What are you speaking of? I haven’t done anything to Chon.”

  “I never said his name but thanks for confirming what he had to say as well.” Antonio smirked. “Furthermore, are you sure? That wasn’t what the news just reported.” With a pen from his pocket he used it as a stylus to push the buttons on the tablets remote to flip the television on. With a few more flips the news footage of some sort of major wreckage was displayed on the screen.

  ‘Reporters on the scene are pulling the wreckage from the horrific helicopter explosion carrying the Chinese Businessman Keung Chon. Authorities have been tipped off that it could have been a deliberate explosion not a mechanica
l malfunction. Possible suspect names are being withheld pending further review. Sources close to the Chon family link connections to an individual out of Italy as a person of interest. It seems the two have been at odds for reasons unknown at this hour.’ The more the reporter spoke the more blood seemed to drain from Ernesto’s heavily tanned face.

  “How can you be sure you didn’t send out a hit on Chon? You’ve issued so many in the recent months. After all it was you who has been spreading vicious gossip like a little puttanna about not doing anything to avenge Carmine’s murder. Tuo padre, mio zio.”

  “I can tell you where the money is.”

  “No need, I already know and it’s already been recovered.”

  “…” Antonio saw the panic on his face suddenly appear. His eyes started to dart around and breathing was hyped up a notch.

  “Game over.” The housekeeper already removed the gun from under the conference room table and he’d just disabled the one at the bar. Not that he would have a chance in hell getting to it. By the time the thought to retrieve his baby backup from his ankle, his life will have officially ended.

  “The heat will all turn on you when my body is discovered.”

  “Who says your body will be discoverable? You have no people. You’re people work for me and always has from day one. Who will care to look for you besides the authorities? And even then that is to arrest you for the brutal murdering spree you have just gone on.”

  “What then? When they can’t find me all fingers will point to you. I have people in unsuspecting places. The truth will be revealed.”

  “I would say let me worry about that but why put up the charade.” Antonio said calmly. “All of your loose ends and stones left turned over have all been dealt with. Those fools hidden in the recesses of Chicago, the gutter. They are no more. That pathetic family you claim because of that cunt of a mother of yours, they were only using you. So sorry to break the news to you. Once the buck stopped and the money dries up, they could care less.”

  “Have mercy on me Don, I will just disappear.” His body became so discombobulated. The sweat started to pour down his face. Loosening his tie, he stood to his feet. Whatever he had laced the drink he intended for Antonio with was making him hallucinate.

  “Yes you will.” Antonio stated lowly watching his cousin’s behavior. Falling to the floor with a thud, he noticed he couldn’t find his bearings in order to defend himself. The stupid prick had just disabled himself.

  Rising to his feet he sauntered over to the pezzo di merda and watched him wiggle around like the snake he was. Blood was supposed to be better than what this porca miseria had reverted them to. It should have been the both them on the same team ready to concur the world just as their father’s before them. There was no honor among thieves, he’d better remember that. Antonio placed a foot on each one of Ernesto’s arms to cage him in just where he wanted him. Up until that moment he didn’t know just what he wanted to do to him. His next words although slurred helped him to solidify his decision.

  “Che ti morisse la madre!” Ernesto started to chant all sorts of evil thoughts while struggling to remove Antonio from restraining him. “A fanabla!”

  “Salvami un sedile.” Antonio told him to save him a seat and slid his knife from it’s holster that was strapped to his back. The shimmer from the blade made the mumbling idiot shut up quickly. “Open wide.” At his resistance, Antonio swiped the sharp blade across his right ear causing him to scream out. A strong grip then applied pressure to his neck at the proper pressure points to cause him to cough uncontrollably. While his mouth was ajar, Antonio grabbed his tongue pulling with such a strong grip that the pain in his ear was long forgotten. Without a second thought, Antonio cut a nice chunk of his tongue off.

  “See, hear, nor SPEAK no more evil.” The thick blood gushed to the opened wound and puddled into his mouth. Tears of pure pain ran from his eyes like a faucet.

  Once he thought he could show compassion to the misguided soul into leaving the bad seeds his mother planted into him. His mother, father, and even his uncle had spoken to him fervently about his poor cousin. He’d broken his Zio’s heart, this he knew. As an afterthought, he slammed the cold jagged blade into the place where his heart should have laid. He’d broken so many hearts with the wake of his deceit it was only fair he suffer the same fate. With no remorse, Antonio watched the deceitful sack of shit he once loved as family drift into the abyss.

  Chapter 25

  Allison woke up for what felt like the hundredth time since she has been back in Italy. Technically it’s only been a full day since she has been back. In the distance she could hear a lot of rustling going on. Looking for the clock to see what time it was, she realized she was still on the couch where the last rump was dealt. Thankfully Antonio had thought to cover her up because she was indeed very naked. Why didn’t he wake her?

  Standing to her feet to make a bee-line to the bathroom she saw one of the housekeepers in the room. It seems she was changing the linen and straightening the room up. Even though she was trying to be quiet, Allison could then comprehend what the rustling sound was that she heard. On her way to the bathroom she could hear her apologize for waking her but Allison had to go too bad. Only accepting her apology and checking the time in passing.

  Memories of what took place in that very shower just that morning brought a blush to her cheeks. Antonio definitely had a way with his body. Having only been with two men in her entire life she felt ecstatic to find the one that rocked her world the second time around. Although it would have been ideal to have a man such as this as the first instead of the second but who is to say they would have ever met if it weren’t for her disastrous marriage.

  That is one thing that she sends a big ‘thank you’ to Derek for. Wherever he will spend eternity that is. If it had not been for her no good, unlucky, extreme gambling husband she would have never been used as a pawn. A very Indecent Pawn at that, she never would have been acquainted with such a powerful force of a man such as Antonio Mucciono. An indecent pawn that will shape, mold, and form the rest of her life.

  This once terrible, unmoral arrangement has been both a blessing and a curse. The blessing being the life she now carries. A life that in her modest opinion is a love child. What better way to bring a life into the world than it being out of love? If he didn’t love her that’s fine with her but she wouldn’t lie and say she didn’t love him. It took some serious thinking and pondering but the fact remains, Allison is in love with Antonio.

  Unfortunately that is where the curse comes into play. Enough people have lost their lives around her and one in particular by her very own hands. She can’t help but feel remorse for their souls and guilt in her heart feeling at fault in one way or the other. Sure she didn’t physically kill Derek, nor did she believe Antonio had anything to do with it but karma did bite him in the ass. Karma for all the abuse he dealt to her innocent being and probably others before her, sending him into a cruel reality. At least that’s how she feels.

  Antonio made no qualms about feeling pretty much the same way as they spoke about it. Still quite a few deaths around her were mainly her fault. They were after her. Mainly because of him and wanting to hurt him but the fact remains, she is the center of the pawn game. Unlike when things were getting really rough, she didn’t feel alone through it all. Allison had faith that Antonio would never leave her side again. She had to have faith in this cruel world no matter the hardships she has faced. The love she has for him would just have to suffice and stand for them both.

  “Good afternoon caro.” Carlina greeted Allison when she finally emerged.

  “Good afternoon Carlina.” She hugged her mother figure. “Sorry about last night.”

  “What are you apologizing for? You have been through so much Allison. There is no need for that.”

  “I’m glad to hear you speak. Girl you had me worried.” Stephanie hugged her next.

  “Sorry Steph. I guess I was in shock. At least that’s wha
t Antonio said.”

  “You were. WE were all worried.” Steph said and Carlina nodded. “Gio and Rob blamed themselves for not protecting you.”

  “Oh God, they shouldn’t. If it weren’t for them teaching me a bit about protecting myself, I possibly wouldn’t be here right now.” Allison confessed. “Well, added with the determination to be here to tell Antonio about this one.”

  “Speaking of that young lady, I have a bone to pick with you.” Carlina looked at her accusingly. “Why didn’t you tell me I am going to be una nonna?” She gushed.

  “I wanted Antonio to know first. The only reason why everyone else knows is because I was having black out spells and things. Steph has been my home care doctor.”

  “I am so happy!” Carlina exclaimed bringing both girls in for a group hug. She was squeezing the life out of them. “Both of my boys have found their life partners.” Allison was starting to become a bit claustrophobic and then her stomach growled rather loudly.

  “Excuse me. So embarrassing. That’s been happening a lot.” Both women laughed.

  “We better get you fed. Did Antonio not make sure you got the soup and sandwiches? He made us promise to stay away.” Carlina fussed.

  “No Carlina, he more like warned us to stay away.” Steph joked.

  “He didn’t?”

  “Yes ma’am he did.”

  “Speaking of Antonio, is he around? As a matter of fact, where are any of the boys?”

  “No caro, they left earlier for their last meeting. Antonio didn’t tell you before he left?”

  “No.” Allison couldn’t stop the negative thoughts from circling her mind like vultures over road kill. ‘What if he regretted saying some things?’ ‘What if it was all a dream?’ ‘What if something happened to him?’ She would die if anything happened to him. Especially after she has entertained the notion that she indeed wanting more with and from him. Most importantly, what if he suddenly decided he didn’t want her as much as he wanted his baby?