“I think it’s time for some entertainment while we wait for Nino to finish the tattoo.”
I clapped my hands, and one of the bartenders opened another door. A row of our most beautiful whores streamed into the room, half naked. Most of my men took me up on my offer, but a few chose drinks over female entertainment. I stepped over to my brothers. Nino was still outlining the knife. He was quick and accurate. I wouldn’t want anyone else do our tattoos. Even Savio stayed beside Adamo, but his eyes strayed through the room to look for a whore for later. Adamo’s jaw was clenched as he watched Nino ink him. The kill bothered him more than it had Savio, Nino, or myself, but like all of us, he would get over it eventually.
“Do you want a drink, Adamo?” Savio asked.
Adamo looked up in surprise. “Sure.”
“Whiskey, neat?”
Adamo gave a nod then winced when Nino started filling in the pupil of the eye. Savio came back with four glasses on a tray and handed one to each of us. I raised my glass. “Us against the world.”
“Us against the world.”
We downed the whiskey, and Adamo started coughing, not used to hard liquor. Nino lifted the needle with a frown. “I’ll mess this up if you keep moving.” He set his empty glass down and waited for Adamo to calm himself before he continued.
When the tattoo was done, Nino stood and I called my men over. The whores remained in the back. They knew they weren’t welcome. Adamo stared down at his inked arm. I held out the arm with my tattoo. Adamo closed his fingers over it, and I closed mine over his, causing him to hiss with pain. “Will you be my eye?”
“I will.”
“Will you be my knife?”
“I will.”
“Will you bleed and die for our cause?”
“I will,” Adamo said firmly.
“Today you give me your life. It’s mine to decide over till death sets you free. Welcome to the Camorra, Adamo.”
I released him and stepped back. Nino clapped his shoulder, and Savio did the same. Then my soldiers welcomed my brother into our world. Nobody paid any attention to the corpse lying in its own blood on the ground. The cleaners would remove it later.
Alcohol flowed more freely. Savio and Adamo sat together at the bar. A rare sight. Soon, two whores approached them, one latching on to Savio, the other pressed up to Adamo.
Adamo shook his head and after a moment, Savio disappeared with the two whores through the door behind the bar.
Nino joined me where I leaned against a roulette table. I’d exchanged a few words with each of my Underbosses. Most of them would return to their cities very soon, worried Dante might attack after all.
“I’m surprised you’re not fucking a whore.”
My eyes strayed to the gathered women, but none of them got my attention.
“I’ve fucked all of them before. It’s getting boring.”
Nino raised his eyebrows but didn’t comment. “We should go to Adamo.”
I nodded but we both stopped when one of the whores, C.J., sat down beside him at the bar and they began talking.
“Maybe she can talk him into losing his virginity,” I muttered.
Nino shrugged. “She’s a decent woman. He could do worse for his first time.”
I gave him a look. “Can you cut the compassionate bullshit?”
He smirked. “It’s got nothing to do with compassion. C.J. is a good, a logical choice for Adamo. She’s skilled and will try to please him. Plus, she will pretend he’s a good fuck. Pure logic.”
“You enjoy pissing me off with your logic.”
“It’s quite satisfying, yes.”
I shook my head at my brother. “One of these day, you, Savio, and Adamo will be my death.”
“The only thing that will kill you is your lack of control.”
My thoughts drifted back to Serafina, the sight of her in the skimpy nightclothes, the way her nipples had puckered in the cold. Fuck control. Fuck patience. I’d never wanted anything as much as Serafina, and yet I couldn’t have her.
Nino shook his head. “Exchange the girl for Scuderi before you’re in too deep.”
“I’ll exchange her the moment she lets me deep inside her.”
“Telling you ‘I told you so’ one day will be as satisfying as annoying you with my logic.”
“It’s my game, Nino. I’m the best player on the field. I will win.”
“There won’t be any winners, Remo.”
CHAPTER 11
SERAFINA
It was around lunchtime when someone knocked. I hadn’t seen Remo since he’d brought me back to my room after my call with Samuel yesterday. Savio brought me breakfast in the morning without a word. He was probably still pissed.
Kiara opened the door with a shy smile and two bags in her hands. “I bought clothes for you. I hope they fit.”
She stepped in followed by Nino. I hopped off the windowsill. My limbs were starting to feel sluggish from lack of use. I’d worked out almost daily before my kidnapping, and now all I did was sit around.