𝗕𝗟𝗢𝗢𝗗 𝗔𝗦 𝗧𝗛𝗜𝗖𝗞 𝗔𝗦 𝗪𝗔𝗧𝗘𝗥 ⚔︎

8

the day was thursday. it had been just over two weeks since giovanni was hired in the royale — and to say the least, he was doing rather well for himself.

he had recently bought a few suits and several pairs of new shoes, as well as some subtle but lavish touches of jewellery. most of the money he received was saved and stashed inside of his ruck-sack: he even had plans to open his very own bank account, which was something he had never had before.

however, not everything was treating him as pleasantly as his work was. his cousins kept bugging him about paying his fair share to contribute to the running of their apartment, and all three of them were extortionately upping his cut of the rent. it was supposed to be separated equally, but somehow, giovanni was required to pay $100 more than the rest of them.

before leaving for work that morning, he had argued terribly with aleksander about it. he was just about to leave for the subway, shrugging on a black harrington jacket over his barman's uniform, when the sound of his older cousin's voice stopped him.

"your shift is very early today," aleksander had said, dressed in his own formal attire, a dark carob brown suit with polished brogues. he was about to call his boss at the KGB headquarters in moscow from an outside line, which meant he couldn't use the phone they had in the house.

"yep," giovanni snapped, his tone sarcastic. "i have to work longer hours if i'm going to pay my rent this month, you know? wouldn't want to be on the street or anything like that."

aleksander pursed his lip. "don't be bitter, giovanni. it makes sense. you make the most money out of all of us—"

"and yet you are still living in this shithole," giovanni cut in, tying his shoe laces. "you are the one making the money, mister secret agent."

aleksander gritted his teeth in annoyance. "most of my money is sent to moscow in order to take care of grandma mila," he said, his icy blue eyes staring into giovanni's face. "she is very sick, and you know that."

giovanni tutted. "give me a break, alek. i am not blind. don't think i cannot see that new corvette parked outside."

before aleksander could bite back, giovanni left the apartment, slamming the door behind him. aleksander turned around and faced his brothers, who were still sat eating their breakfast.

"what's his problem?" viktor said.

aleksander shrugged.

dmitri narrowed his eyes. "am i the only one who saw that rolex on his wrist?" he said. he looked at his brothers with suspicion. "since when did gio have money for a rolex?"

viktor sniffed. "last time i checked, money from waiting tables and pouring drinks did not buy rolex watch."

the two looked to aleksander for his take on the situation. the eldest simply waved his hand in dismissal. "perhaps it is a... posh establishment. there are many of those in central manhattan."

still, aleksander was doubtful. he looked out of the kitchen window and onto the city below, thinking quietly to himself. his brothers were right — wages from a simple bar job did not buy rolex watches, especially ones as new and shiny as the one giovanni had.

"if he cannot cough up this month's rent, he is out," viktor warned. "i mean it, alek. we cannot afford to keep dead weight."

"he is not dead weight, viktor," aleksander said, fixing the cuffs of his suit. "he is our blood."

—

later that day, sal, mike, benny and giovanni all accompanied eddie in his home office. eddie sat in his extravagant victorian armchair, while giovanni and mike took the leather chesterfield couch beside the big bay window. sal leaned back against the mahogany desk and crossed his arms over his chest. benny was wandering around the room in front of the fireplace, talking his head off.