Game(12)

“Zander, huh?”

“You heard.”

“You think people don’t know you? You’re famous, Finn. Not the fame you wanted, I’m sure. But I kept to my word when I saw you fighting, Finn. Oh, I knew you were worth a lot.”

“I still am.”

“Not unless you’re dead.”

“Oh.”

Fiore rubbed his chin. “Now I sit there this morning, eating a goddamn grapefruit to keep my heart healthy, and I ask myself why you would be near Zander. At a fight. A nasty fight at that. You say you went to have a couple drinks. Sure. But then you end up fighting. Heard you fought one of his most famous guys. And, of course, you won.”

“It was more defense,” I said. “That’s all. Because he…”

Fiore threw his right hand at me. He wore a gold ring with an emerald green stone in it. It was the birthstone of his only grandson. The stone cracked against my upper lip, splitting it open with ease.

That’s how Fiore said shut up to people.

I gripped the arms of the chair. I hated to be hit like that. Like I was some f*cking punk.

“You want to fight me now?” Fiore asked. “Maybe I should do that. Before I kill you.”

“I’m really sorry,” I said.

“I want to know why!” Fiore bellowed. “What was it? Money? Greed? Power? Did Zander contact you? Why would you fight, Finn? You love money. You appreciate it. You’ve earned a lot through me. So why would you become a f*cking rat?”

“Whoa,” I said and stood up. I waved a hand. “No f*cking way in hell, Fiore. I am not a rat.”

“Then why fight?”

“I was forced to.”

“For what reason?”

I sighed. “A woman.”

“A what?”

“A f*cking woman,” I said. “Okay? I was sitting at the bar, having a drink. Some goon approached me and I smacked him in the head with a beer glass. Then I was taken to see Zander. He wanted to know who I was working for. I told him to go f*ck himself. Then he put a gun to a woman’s head. He told me I needed to fight. If I lost, I’d tell him who I was working for. If I won, the woman lived and became my prize.”

“That’s something you’re proud of?” Fiore asked.

“Not particularly, Fiore. But I wasn’t giving you up.”

“He knows you!” Fiore yelled. “My family and Zander’s people go way back. Turf wars that you wouldn’t believe if I said. Of all the places to be, Finn…” Fiore shook his head. “There’s nothing I can do.”

“What the hell does that mean?” I asked. “Look, I screwed up, okay? But I got away. I’m alive. Maybe I ruffled a few dusty feathers, but come on…”

Fiore sniffed the air. “Rat. That’s what they’re calling it. A rat.”

“I’m not…”

Fiore lifted his hand and threatened to smack me again.

The door opened and I knew what it was.

The only reason the bullet didn't tear through my head right then was because I was facing Fiore and the bullet could have gone through my skull and into his.

But when he stepped to the side, there was no reason not to shoot.

I was dead.



~



“I have her,” I said as calm as I could.

I tried to brace for the bullet, but there was no bracing. It would just happen.

“Who?” Fiore asked.

I was buying myself seconds now.

“Her. The woman. I won the fight.”

“Wait, wait, wait,” Fiore said. “You took your prize?”

“Of course I did. I’m a f*cking fighter. When I win, I get paid, Fiore. Money and woman. That’s me.”

Fiore lifted his left hand. He shushed with his hand.

That small gesture saved my life.

“Tell me more,” he said.

“She works for Zander. That’s… I have her. I took her. She’s with me right now, Fiore.”

Fiore’s eyes went wide. With a gentle nod he touched his chin again. He then folded his arms. “Bring her to me right now, Finn. She might just save your life.”

Christ, this was going to work. I’d save my life by giving Shayna’s to Fiore.

I turned and the door exploded open again. There were two men with guns. They saw Fiore and raised their weapons. I backed up and tossed Fiore to the ground. Maybe if I took a few bullets, Fiore wouldn’t think I was a rat.





10.


(Shayna)



Finn told me to stay back and sort of hide. It was kind of impossible to do considering how big and open the house was. So I just lingered near a corner in what was some kind of living room or sitting room. I stood next to a gold statue of a man making a fist. The house was so quiet.

I waited.

I couldn’t hear a thing.

All I could do was hope that Finn would emerge from wherever with some kind of a plan. Speaking of which, I needed my own plan. Zander would try and find me. He would kill me. It had been long enough with Zander and his people though. I couldn’t do it anymore. I was getting nowhere. My intention had been to find my sister and nothing else. That was years ago.

I saw a man run toward the door. He took out a gun.