of Shooters, and the door had seen better days. But it only seemed to amuse Benny as we ducked inside.
Some bluesy track spilled out of a jukebox in the corner of the room and a few guys sat around drinking beer and playing cards.
“Benny.” One of them gave him a sharp nod.
Felix and Dimitri fanned out, one of them hovering by the door, the other moving to the door to the restrooms. One hand casually rested inside their jacket, their expressions void of emotion. The temperature in the bar cooled significantly.
The group of guys drinking seemed unaffected though, going about their game of poker as if it was just business as usual. And it probably was. People involved with the Family knew the score. They knew that at least once a month guys like me and Benny would come around to collect. Sometimes they paid for protection, sometimes they paid to do business on Marchetti territory, and sometimes they paid because they had a debt to the Family. Either way, when the date came you paid up.
And if you didn’t... well, that was a whole other story.
“Yo, Gino, you back there?” Benny called out. He was standing at another doorway, this one concealed by a heavy black curtain. There was some shuffling and cussing and then a muscled guy appeared wearing a white wifebeater, tattoos snaking up his arm and around his neck.
“What the fuck, Benny? You can’t cut a guy a little slack?”
I smirked. It was always the same with these coglioni. They knew the order of things, yet nine times out of ten they tried to wiggle out of paying up.
“You know, Gino, I thought you’d get a fucking clue by now.”
A couple of the guys at the table glanced over, and Felix inched forward. I felt for my own piece but Benny shot me a look that said, ‘we’ve got this’.
“Gino,” a petite woman appeared, grinding to a halt when she spotted us. “Oh, hey, Benny. Gino didn’t say you were coming around.”
“Seems Gino has a little problem keeping a check on the date.”
“Let me get you guys a drink?” She added, “Maybe something to eat?”
“For fuck’s sake, Jen, they don’t want a drink.”
“Actually, I could take a drink.” Benny glanced over at me. “What about you, Nic? You want a drink?”
I shrugged. I wasn’t here to play games; I was here to distract myself.
“Sure thing, Benny, let me see to you guys.” She started moving around the bar, but Gino’s hand shot out grabbing her wrist. “Go out back and fucking stay there.”
“Don’t be that way, baby.” She smiled, but it didn’t reach her eyes. “We have guests. We should show them a proper Shooters welcome.”
He leaned into her space, pressing his face up against hers. I lunged forward, but Benny’s hand shot out. Anger simmered in my veins. She was half his size and Gino was staring at her as if she was the devil incarnate.
“I said get in the fucking back, puttana.”
“Gino.” She laughed, but it was strangled. “Please, we have guests.” Her eyes pleaded with him, but it only made his nostrils flare.
She went to move around him, but he grabbed her wrist again, and pain etched into her expression. “Okay, I’m going... I’m going, stop making a scene.”
Gino muttered to himself as she disappeared through the curtain. “Fucking broad doesn’t know when to keep her mouth shut.”
Benny sucked in a harsh breath. “You kiss your mother with that mouth?”
“Fuck my mother. Stupid whore didn’t know her place either.”
“Nice to see you keeping it classy, Gino,” Felix deadpanned, his expression tight with contempt as he pulled to his full height.
“We came here to do business, not to shoot the shit, so can we move this along?” Benny raised a brow.
“More like came here to fuck me in the ass.”
“I hate to break it to you, stronzo,” Felix barked out a laugh. “But you’re not my type.”
Gino grunted, pulling out a money tin. The group of guys seated at the table paid him no attention as he pulled out a chain from around his neck and unlocked it. “It’s been a slow month.”
“Tell it to someone who cares.” Benny smirked, advancing on the bar. “Make sure it’s all there,” he ordered.
“Yeah, yeah, keep your hair on.”
I tsked under my breath. The guy was a real piece of work, and he was grating on my last nerve.
“Here you go.” He shoved a fat envelope at Benny. “Now get the fuck out my bar.”