“Just tell me what the fuck it is you want already!” My dad pleaded sounding as if he was losing whatever little shred of control he had left.
“Now you get it.” Deke said, rising from his chair as he paced in front of me. “As you know for years I have been trying to push my product through the New York harbor, but you are always standing in my way shutting me down. You’ve been a thorn in my side for a long time Victor. You’ve cost me thousands upon thousands of dollars and I don’t take it lightly when someone hurts my pocket. You have exactly twenty-four hours to relinquish your power of the docks meaning that the Longshoreman, you have in your pocket will be employed by me and turn their cheeks to my shipments. I’m serious Victor if I don’t get what I want I will kill your daughter. I’ll be in touch.” The corners of his mouth lifted as he smiled like the wicked bastard that he was and ended the call before my father could speak another word.
Deke’s eyes found mine again. “Better say your prayers little girl and hope daddy comes through for you.” He bent down to pick up the bagel that lay on the dirty floor and then threw it on my lap. “In case you get hungry.” He said, chuckling and started to walk away, but stopped in his tracks turning back to me.
I peered up at him, hoping that he could see the hatred I had for him reflected in my eyes and not the fear. I didn’t want to give him any satisfaction whatsoever.
“I haven’t been very nice to you.” Deke said pointedly. “I owe you a great deal.” I turned my head as he pulled up the chair and sat directly across from me. He leaned forward and cupped my chin twisting my head so that I was looking at him. “I won’t tolerate rudeness.”
“There’s nothing you have to say that I want to hear.” I said forcefully turning my head again.
“Really? Not even the slightest bit curious as to what your whole part in this was?”
I turned around quickly clenching my teeth as I spoke. “I had nothing to do with this you miserable fuck.”
Deke tilted his head back laughing in amusement. “That’s what you think. I should be on my hands and knees thanking you for being a stupid little bitch and making this whole thing possible.”
“Fuck you.” I hissed. His hand lurched backward before connecting with my cheek the force behind his slap so strong that the chair I was tied to rocked back on its legs.
“I said I won’t tolerate your rudeness.” He cracked his knuckles. “Now where was I… oh yes, I was telling you what a stupid cunt you were.” He smiled proud with the way his words degraded me. “You see many years ago, my father and I made a play for Victor’s territory, but that underboss of his stepped in our way. Val was too smart and too wise to our moves shutting us down before we could ever make a dime sticking us with thousands of dollars in drugs and ultimately sending my father to rot in prison.” He balled his fists at his sides as he spoke. “After he set my dad up I put a hit out on your father. The wrong man died in front of that bakery Val should’ve never gotten in the way, but he was too fucking loyal to Victor and his loyalty wound up getting him killed.”
“What does any of this have to do with me?” I asked, not understanding how I played a part in any of that when I was just a kid.
“Your father avenged Val’s death killing the hitman that murdered him, he probably would’ve killed my old man too for ordering the hit, but we had him transferred to a maximum security prison. Victor thought he was fooling us by sending his soldier Anthony Bianchi to the same prison my father was in he thought Anthony would get close enough to kill him. Victor went to extreme measures to destroy my father, but we were one step ahead of him.”
I held a straight face even as he shocked me with the truth of why Anthony had gone to jail, leaving my sister and the life they were meant to have behind. Still, none of this had anything to do with me.
“Fast forward to a little over a year ago when I found the perfect opportunity to finally conquer what my family had set out to accomplish years ago. It was really a brilliant idea if you think about it. I’d not only be able to gain the control of the harbor, but I’d also give the son of the hitman your father killed a chance to punish the man who killed his father. Are you connecting the dots?”
I rolled my eyes at him. I was fucking exhausted my wrists hurt my face still felt the sting of where he slapped me and to top it off I was probably going to die. I didn’t feel like entertaining this son of a bitch and didn’t care what the fuck riddle he was trying to deliver me.