Trapped in his End Game (Series)

I have a bizarre inclination to laugh.

At the sight of me, he smiles cordially and motions for me to sit down. I take my place dreamily, staring at a balding man with dark eyes and a big, Roman nose. Jack settles down next to me.

“How you doin’? I’m Tony.” He speaks with a strong Jersey accent.

I take his proffered hand, confused by the warmth in his voice. He nods to Jack.

“Thanks for coming, both of you.”

“Sure, Tone.”

I look at Jack, who looks just as perplexed as I am.

There’s nothing but the sound of a fan’s blades slowly revolving above us with a slight humming sound. My eyes water from staring at him.

“I know Vince probably told you what I want you to do for me, right?”

“Y-yeah.”

“Listen, I’m not interested in punishing Vince.” He smiles at me, and I notice one of his front teeth is crooked. “What I want from you is something a little bit more sensitive. Something I couldn’t talk about in front of Vince.” He shifts his massive bulk, sighing suddenly.

My face feels hot. I feel like something’s closing in on me. “I don’t understand why I’m here.”ConTEent bel0ngs to Nôv(e)lD/rama(.)Org .

The small eyes narrow at me. “I’ll tell you in a minute.”

“Um-okay.”

There’s a beat of silence where he stares at me, as if trying to evaluate whether I’m trustworthy.

“I want you to get close to one of my captains, the one who will be working with you at the casino.”

I swallow hard. “What do you mean?”

“Get friendly with him. Gain his trust.”

Jack’s tone is suspicious. “What’s going on, Tony?”

“I think one of my captains is talking to the Feds, and I need someone to investigate him for me. His name is Carmine Lucchesi. We’ve suspected him for a while, but none of my guys have ever found anything on him. What I really need is someone who will exploit his weakness, someone like you.”

Stunned, I look at his face for any hint of humor. Any sign that this is a practical joke. “Me? What are you talking about? What could I possibly do?”

I glance at Jack, and he looks just as dumbstruck as I feel.

“He’s always had a bit of a blind spot when it comes to broads, and you just happen to owe me a debt.” He smirks suddenly and I feel a rush of hatred for him. “You’ll work under him at the casino, get close to him, and who knows? Maybe he’ll let something slip. What I really need is someone to search through his apartment while he’s there. He’s got to have a wire hidden somewhere.”

“How would I know what to even look for?”

“Look in his fucking phone. Get him to take off his clothes and look through them carefully.”

A wave of hot rage crashes over me. Does he expect me to suck his cock and cheat on Vince? I don’t know whether to slap him or scream at him.

“You’re the boss. Why can’t you just order him to take his clothes off?”

I meant to offend him, but he merely smiles at me. “There are certain privileges that belong to made men. I can’t just do that. Besides, his guard might be already up. I’ve already had my guys search through his apartment several times when he wasn’t there. Nothing.”

How fucking convenient.

“She’s engaged to one of my captains, Tony.” The edge in Jack’s voice surprises me. At least someone’s angry on my behalf.

“I won’t do it,” I sputter. “Never. Vince would find out, he’d go nuts.”

Tony reaches forward and pats my hand in what he must think is a sympathetic gesture. “You’ll have to break up with him. Just for a little while.”

I snatch my hand away. I don’t care if he’s the boss of New Jersey. “No fucking way!”

“Couldn’t she just tell him that it’s only temporary?”

I glare at Jack. Like Vince would ever agree to this.

“No. First off, he would never let her do it. Second, he’s too emotional. He’d ruin the whole thing. That’s why he needs to believe this is real.”

“I don’t know, Tony.”

I cross my arms firmly over my chest, glaring at both of them. “It doesn’t matter, because I’m not doing it.”

Tony’s eyes snap towards me and the heat in them sends another jolt to my heart. “Doesn’t your mother live in Bushwick?”

My stomach is cold.

He gives me a grin, malice shining in his eyes. “Bad area. Something awful could happen to her.”

Like I give a fuck.

But then a vision of my mom lying on the floor, dead makes the nausea double in my throat. I swallow hard as I look into his black eyes. Eyes that remind me of tunnels.

“I don’t c-care.”

“If you don’t help me, well, something might happen to your mother. And maybe to your fiance. Who knows?”

Jack slams his fist against the table and Tony merely glances at him.

“If you’re making threats against my guys, we’re going to have a fucking problem.”

“Please, give me a fucking reason to put a bullet in that asshole’s head. You know that I have every right to get rid of him after everything he’s done. And I know he killed those two guys. I may not have proof, but I know he fucking did it.”

Jack stares back into Tony’s eyes, red-face but determined.

Holy shit, he’s going to kill Vince.

This is spiraling out of control. I don’t want to be here. I want to be anywhere but here. The light in the room darkens and I blink rapidly, trying to get a grip over myself.

“Maybe I’ll just go to the police!”

Both men freeze when I say that. I didn’t mean to say it-it just burst from my mouth.

Shit.

“Are you fucking kidding me?” he says with a laugh in his voice.

Jack opens his mouth to speak, but I cut him off.

“You’re not giving me much of a choice.”

He smiles his terrifying grin. “If you mean that, then I’ll kill you right now.” To prove it, he removes a small pistol from his jacket and points it at my chest. “You better convince me that you didn’t mean what you just said.”

The last time I stared into a gun, I was on my knees. The carpet burned my skin. Nicky was shot and two others were killed. Heat flushes my face and the air is thinner. I’m not made for this. I’m not Vince. I don’t have one iota of his strength. I can’t even fucking save myself, how am I supposed to save him? Then I look into his fat face and remind myself that he was probably responsible for my father’s death.

“Your family killed my father. Go ahead and do it. I won’t work for you.”

I’ve never said something so stupid in my life, but right now I’m so angry that I don’t care if I’m dead.

Tony grins at me, looking amused at my bravado.

“What if he gives you the name of the man who killed your father?” Jack asks, his grip on my knee is so forceful that I know there will be bruises later.

He’s trying to say: Shut your fucking mouth.

Tony’s small eyes squint at me. “You’re still upset about that? It was an accident.”

“Tell me who it was, and I’ll do it.”

“Your life and Vince’s life on the line aren’t enough?”

“This is something I’ve wanted for a very long time. It’s the least you can do.”

He stares into my eyes, looking shocked. “Fine. I’ll tell you, but not until you’ve fulfilled your end of the bargain.”

A shuddering breath leaves my mouth and I wipe my hands on my jeans. Jesus, I came so close to dying. I need a drink right now.

“What makes you think I can find out whatever it is you want me to find out? What makes you think I can even get close to him?”

The sweet smile on his face is completely at odds with the dead look in his eyes. “Because you made a guy whose reputation was to stick his dick in everything that moved fall head over heels for you. I’m sure you’ll do fine with Carmine.”

“I’m not an actor. I’m just a college student.”

I can’t do this. There’s no way. I open my mouth to argue, but I know by looking into Tony’s runty little eyes that it’s no good.

“If you do this and you expose Carmine, we’ll erase all the debts from your family, you’ll know who was responsible for your dad’s death, and you’ll never hear from me again. I swear it.”

“And Vince?” I ask, my voice trembling. “Will you leave him alone and stop hunting him down?”

“Sure,” he says in a voice that’s not at all convincing. “I promise.”

I know that I’m one of those people he preys on-compassionate, trusting people-idiots, in other words. The thought of anything horrible happening to my mother turns my stomach, but if anything happened to Vince I just don’t understand how I’d be able to go on.

Jack refuses to shake Tony’s hand as we leave, but I do it. It’s another one of those gestures. A handshake seals a deal, which neither party can break. Those are the laws of physics. I’m desperate enough to believe that it’ll mean something to this man.

Yeah, I’m an idiot.

“I’ll be in touch, Ms. Baldino.”

I leave the purse store and hold it all together, eyeing a clutch that I’m almost tempted to rip off the hanger because I’m so upset. I hold it together until Jack falls into step behind me and takes my arm, making me stop.

“Adriana,” he hisses in a low voice, “you don’t have to do this. We’ll find some other way to settle things.”

My lip quivers as I look into Jack’s angry, worried face. “Did you not look into that psycho’s eyes? This is the only way,” I say miserably.

I can’t believe he’s actually trying to stop me.

“We can hide your mother,” he suggests feebly. He doesn’t mean it. He doesn’t mean any of it.

“Oh, please. Like you wouldn’t be glad to see her gone.”

He heaves a long sigh and I twist the engagement ring around my finger, and I look at it in the darkness. Even in the low light of the streets, it shines. Tears slowly fill my eyes until it’s nothing but a smear of grey in my vision.

My voice is so thick, I can barely sound out works. “He’s going to be so-How am I supposed to do this? How am I supposed to tell him that it’s over?”

I look at Jack pleadingly, but I can’t make out his face. He’s just a blur of colors.

“I’m sorry, hon.” The softness in his voice somehow breaks through my armor. He pulls me into his chest and I can’t help but burst into tears and cling onto his arms.

This is so fucked up.