Ruthless Spring

It's my job to notice the little things and in the last few weeks, there's been a reckless, less tamed air around Giovanni. The way he raises his voice more, how his blank mask keeps falling, the way he's taken a more active role in watching Winter.

Something is off.

I know Giovanni hasn't been up front about what he's really doing with Winter. Because we all know it isn't just to have her waitress. He could pick any broad in the city to waitress if he wanted to. Hell, we have people beating down the door to work at Delirium, with how good the base pay is and how much the clientele tips. So having Winter waitress is bullshit, and nothing more.

But I've yet to figure out what he really wants with her.

Whatever it is, it's more sinister and important enough to have him losing control.

He looks down at the crumpled man on the floor and I watch as he places his boot on the man's chest. The guard's lip is busted, blood dripping down his face as he looks up at Giovanni with fear in his eyes.

"I ought to skin you down and make you swallow your own flesh," he says in a harsh whisper, digging the toe of his shoe further into the man's chest. "But fortunately for you, torture isn't my M.O.," he tells him before clicking the safety on and holstering his gun.

Hope flashes in the guard's eyes.

What a fucking idiot.

I almost feel pity for him as he heaves a deep breath, probably counting his lucky stars and thanking his god for showing mercy.

Poor, unassuming fool.

Giovanni removes his foot from the guard's chest, taking a step back and shoving his hands into his pocket. "Maximo," he keeps his voice level, as if he hasn't just said the deadliest word in the city.

Maximo steps out of the shadows of the warehouse, and the guard's eyes go wide as he spots him. He still has blood on his face from killing the Ramos Cartel member and the grin that's curving his lips promise pain and torture, that won't be dealt quickly.

"No... no," the guard stutters, struggling to his knees. He puts his hands together, begging for his life as he looks at Giovanni. "Please don't do this, I'm so sorry," he continues to plead.

"It's too late for sorry. Your coworkers have already paid the price for your carelessness and now it's your turn," Giovanni tells him before turning on his heels and walking in the opposite direction.

Maximo prowls closer and closer to the guard.

"Vito," Giovanni calls out and I know it's my order to join him.

I follow him, listening to the guard’s whimpers before I hear scuffling.

"Oh, haven't you heard I like it when they run?" I hear Maximo ask, before he lets out a haughty laugh that sends a shiver down my spine.

The last thing I hear is the guard's scream as we step out of the warehouse. Our car is waiting, a smoke cloud floating from the exhaust pipe. Winter is quickly leaving as Spring blooms, but it's still cold in the city and likely will be for a few more weeks.

Tony, the driver, gets out, opening the door for Giovanni before moving to my side to open the door for me. The interior of the car is warm and there's a divider to keep Tony from hearing our conversation. Enzo is Giovanni's usual guard and driver, but since he's been busy babysitting Winter since she got here, we have to use members of the family who aren't as high up or trusted.

"This is becoming a problem," Giovanni says as the car begins to move.

I glance over at him, watching as he retrieves a cigar from his pocket, lighting it.

"I know." I hedge into the conversation carefully. Giovanni's moods may be more consistent than his brother's but they still aren't stable. I need to know what Giovanni I'm going to get before I fully engage in the conversation.

He takes a drag of the cigar before blowing a puff of smoke into the air. The tendrils slowly disperse. “Ever since Diamond brought his two-timing ass into the club, people have tried to target Winter."

I nod in agreement. "We should take Winter out of Delirium. It's getting unsafe for her there."

His head snaps in my direction. "No, taking her out is a sign of weakness. We'll up the bodyguards and if push comes to shove, I'll take Lucia off assignment and have her handle security."

Having Lucia Costa back in the city with Maximo for the imminent future sounds like a nightmare, but I don't disagree with him. Lucia is excellent at her job, and if anyone can whip the guards and bouncers into shape, it's her.

"Okay." I move on to the next important thing. "We need to set up a meeting with Dox. Diamond stepped out of line and Dox should have punished him for doing so, but we haven't heard an apology or anything else since it happened."

Which is even more shocking, considering the fact that Maximo shot one of their people in the head. He was in the right, since they'd been trespassing on our territory. The death probably could have been avoided if Maximo wasn’t around with his trigger-happy finger.