Silvano sat forward, his elbows on his knees, and looked at his fellow Oligarchs. “Gentlemen, I know you’re all aware of what my chemist has been producing.”
“We’re aware,” Griffin said. “The string of dead bodies is hard to ignore.”
“Immaterial,” Silvano said. “The product’s good. It’s pure, it’s high quality, and we can manufacture it right here in the United States. Once we get the dosage down, we’ll be able to flood the market. I propose we send a few dozen shipments east and see what the soft-bellied deer over there think.”
“You want to hook a bunch of people on pills just to fuck with our eastern brothers?” Griffin asked. “That’s a bold move.”
“I’m sick of this coastal nonsense. Why should there be some invisible dividing line?”
“It’s how things have always been,” Nervosa said.
The others glanced at him. Silvano frowned and shook his head. “How it’s always been isn’t a good reason to keep doing something. The eastern Oligarchs have been busy killing each other for the last few years, and now I think it’s our turn to flex our muscles.”
“You have no muscles,” Griffin said, “and you’re insane if you think they’ll let us flood their territory with designer drugs.”
“He’s got a point,” Liam said, sounding exhausted. “This is how we expand.”
“Insanity,” Griffin said. He leaned back, shaking his head. “Nervosa, talk sense into them.”
Nervosa said nothing. He watched his fellows with a quiet, hawk-like stare. The room chilled under his withering glare and I shifted toward the exit like a rabbit cornered by foxes.
There was something about Nervosa. The others looked to him like he was their leader, though they were all equals. Nervosa had a weight and a bearing to him, like a general at the war table. Except Nervosa was young and had only come into his family in the last few years.
Though those few years were long enough for him to gain a reputation for ruthless violence.
“We vote,” Nervosa said. “Speak your last piece, Silvano.”
Silvano nodded assent. “Thank you.” He cleared his throat. “Gentlemen, the time has come for us to make a move, as they say. We can sit by and idly watch our competitors in the east kill each other and grow weaker, or we can push them aside and take what they’ve gained and destroy what they’ve built. I say we take and we destroy, and so I propose we begin by flooding their strongholds with drugs. A little creative destruction.” He finished and sat back.
“Griffin,” Nervosa said.
Griffin shook his head and took a long drink from his glass, draining it. “This is madness. The Oligarchs have been around for generations because we don’t fight each other. I see no reason to start now.” He sat back as if finished.
“Vote then,” Nervosa said. “Silvano?”
“Yes,” he said.
“Griffin?”
“No.”
“Liam?”
He sighed and rubbed his face. “Yes.”
Nervosa nodded to himself. “And I vote no. That leaves us with a tie.”
Nobody moved. The room was filled with a thick tension. I glanced toward the staff girl but she’d fled already. Smart decision.
“You’re making a mistake.” Silvano stood abruptly. He stubbed out his cigar in a crystal ash tray and absently slid his drink onto the table. Some liquid sloshed out and dripped down the side of the glass. “You of all people should realize this is the right move, Nervosa.”
“I said no,” Nervosa said, staring Silvano down.
Silvano grunted and shook his head. “Coward. You’re all a bunch of fucking cowards.” He walked to the door and left.
Silence descended. Liam stood up next. “I’ll talk to him.”
“Why bother?” Griffin asked. “You can’t talk that boy into having a damn brain.”
Liam glared at Griffin for a long breath. “Easy, old man. You won’t be around forever.” He walked after Silvano.
“Well, shit,” Griffin said softly. “I’m only forty-four. I’m not that old.”
“You’re ancient.” Nervosa stood and looked over his shoulder. “Melanie. Shall we?”
I blinked at him before peeling myself from the wall. I slipped my hand through his arm and he led me away.
“Be careful,” Griffin called out. “Those two aren’t going to accept this. Silvano especially, but you know Liam.”
“Stubborn,” Nervosa said and we left.
The hallway was empty. I heard whispered voices nearby, but nothing else. Nervosa stood, staring down the hall, until the voices disappeared.
He began to walk.
“Why did you bring me here?” I hissed in his ear. “What the hell was that? Designer drugs? Flooding the East Coast? Are you insane? My brother—”
Nervosa turned and shoved me hard against the wall. I gasped in surprise as my breath was shoved from my lungs and he pinned me there, gripping my wrists, the sudden movement faster than I would’ve guessed. He was a massive animal and the smell of him assaulted my nostrils: grass and leather and hot asphalt.
“Quiet,” he said, his lips an inch from my ear.
The staff girl from before walked down the hall. She kept her head bowed—but her eyes glanced in our direction. Her lips flattened and she hurried her pace.