Chapter 171
Alcée accepted the one last squeeze from Torq’s larger hand as the cats, a small parade of them, all pulled up near the deli
Alighting from the vehicle, Alcee, Torq and twenty of their closest men, were all on their way inside the place which Tank earlier confirmed still housed the Mariani Family. Tito used a device which quickly unlocked the front door, something he’d likely used the first time he came into the place, and then they were following him.
One singular man on guard for Mercurio was leaning against the deli counter with his eyes closed and he jumped when he saw the men and Alcee filtering in. Bastiano grabbed him quickly covered his mouth and was dragging him with the crew into the room.
Alcee walked into the room first and immediately her brothers were all on their feet with guns drawn at the sudden intrusion. When Mercurio noticed her. he waved at the men to put their weapons down. They then lifted them again when Torq, Tito and Bastiano walked in behind her, shoving their lone guard to the floor at Mercurio’s feet.
“Put the weapons down, Mercurio,” Alcee said coldly, “or this is going to be even uglier than it already is.”
“You brought a fucking army?” Mercurio watched the room crowd with Torq’s men, each one bigger than the last, though none as big as the Don himself. “What the hell Alcee? If you want to talk, we can talk. No need for this drama.”
*Drama? You want to talk about drama?” she grabbed a chair and spun it backwards and sat on it, folding her arms over the back of it. “Let’s talk about how on a sunny afternoon, in broad daylight, on the streets of New York, right outside my place of employment, you pulled your weapon and threatened to shoot my guard,” she waved to the man a few feet away, “if I didn’t get into the car. If you want to talk about drama, let’s start there.” She looked at Alfio, “put your fucking weapon down, Alfio or I’m going to ask Tito teach you some manners.”
“Who the fuck does she think she is?” Alfio gritted out to his brothers.
Without hesitation, Tito moved at lightning speed, disarming Alfio, and leaving him gasping on the floor. Tito leaned over him, “she is my Donna. She is the wife of Torquato Lozano. She is so far above you in this world, you are less than the shit she wipes off her ass.”
“Classy,” Alcee said with a snicker.
“Only for you,” Tito winked at her as he stood with one foot on her youngest brother’s chest. “Are we going to play nice now or do I need to dole out a few more lessons?”
“Can you let him up?” Mercurio asked.
“No. I don’t think I can. See.” Tito cocked his head to one side and didn’t look away from Mercurio’s cold gaze, “this man, right here, under my foot, hates your sister as much your father did. I know you think you have him in line, but you don’t. While we were on our way over here, our team at the security offices, sent us a little video clip of this fucker,” Tito applied pressure to Alfio’s chest, “telling a couple of guys in a bar on the weekend how Alcee destroyed your entire family and if he was given his way, he’d shoot her in the head.”
Mercurio turned to look at his brother, “you do this?”
“She is the reason everything went sour,” Alfio spat furiously still struggling to get up from the floor, but the weight of Tito kept him pinned. “If mom never had her, things would be good.”
“You mean, you’d still be the baby of the family, you jealous little putz,” Alcee snorted. “You do realize I didn’t ask to be born. I get you were jealous of the new baby, but Dad’s decisions had nothing to do with me. He was a terrible businessman. Things were good before me because his father was still in control. After her died and Dad took over, the shit started to roll downhill. For the record, Alfio, so we’re all clear, I don’t like you either. I suggest though, if you continue to contemplate my murder, you be very much aware my husband will rip you apart with his bare hands. Tito is the appetizer to your destruction, Alfio.”
Torq’s voice was low and growly, sending a shiver down Alcee’s spine from where he stood behind her, “you make a single threat to my wife again, brother or not, I’ll pull your spine from your back while you’re still breathing and shove it down your fucking throat and choke you to death on it.”
“Oh, I remember when you tried to do that to the guy in Naples,” Bastiano quipped with a snort. “He didn’t survive the spine pulling.”
“He was the practice run,” Torq said bluntly/his eyes not leaving Alfio’s: Alfio swallowed, deeply terrified, and Torq stepped closer to Alcee, “Tito, I don’t like the way his chest is moving.”
“What do you mean?” Tito asked trying to hide the laugh in his voice.
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Chapter 171
“It shouldn’t be moving at all.”
“Can we not kill my brother?” Mercurio hissed out worriedly and shot n look to his mother who was trembling in her wheelchair, her arms wrapped around herself with tears on her checks. “Please, show some respect for my mother.”
“I bear no respect for your mother.” Torq shrugged and looked at Mercurio. “She raised four fools who think they are better than they are. I mean, I know some of it falls on the shoulders of a dead man, but I feel her hand in this,” he waved to Alfio, “especially this.”
“What do you want?” Mercurio asked boldly. “You are here to wipe us all out?”
“No. I’m here for my wife to deliver the message she wants to deliver. I’m here only as a courtesy to my wife. Moral support if you will.” He glared at Mercurio, “but make no mistake, you fucked up with me, Mercurio Mariani, and we are no longer ever going to be friends or family. The business deal I agreed to collaborate with you on is now off the table. Betrayal is a hard pass for me.” “Torq,” Mercurio immediately was backing down, “I don’t think it’s necessary to end our business.”
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