Don Ferna (BWWM)

37.

Tobias could not hide the grin on his face as his fingers skimmed through the tens of blades he had set out.

He couldn't find the right one for the job. They were all too straight, too thick or too sharp.

A sharp knife was no fun. There was no anguish, only smoldering pain from the receiver. It was boring.

Surprisingly, the previous day had ended well. He had realized he had a high tolerance for beer and that Alvaro was not entirely selfish and conceited.

Alvaro's effort to make sure his child had a good life encouraged him to clear up the entire mess up and he was getting to the end of it. He could feel it.

He sighed dramatically as he was again met with silence... Well if you didn't count the small sniffling and heavy breathing in the background. The house was almost empty save for Luca that was resting in bed, Miguel keeping an eye on him, Olegario doing whatever Olegario would do, Franco and one or two other members.

He had sent the most of his men with Eniola so her trip to the bank would be safe. Although it would have been smarter to protect himself as well but she was more important.

If they were attacked in the house, he could easily use Giovanni as a shield or a bulletproof.

"Are ten fingers really necessary though?" He asked thoughtfully. His brows were furrowed as he tried to pick the right knife.

He reached for a small one, barely the length of his middle finger and retracted. So many choices!

He exhaled deeply and picked up another. The effort he had put into cleaning and polishing them was absurd.

Looking at his pristine collection, he was proud.

"I think this would do!" He exclaimed with a smile, turning to face Giovanni.

The little thing had changed so much since they first got him and he was beginning to like his obedience. It was too bad he would have to let go of him.

"Gio!" He sang musically.

He was still unable to stop smiling as he sat across from the judge and placed his clean hands over Giovanni's cuffed ones, the loop around the knife serving as a temporary ring for his index finger.

"It's Gio right? That's what your siblings call you?" His grin became a million times bigger when he saw that Giovanni's eyes had widened.

Well he thought they had. It was a bit difficult to see anything under the dull lightning of the room.

"Oh, did you think I wouldn't find out?" Tobias asked and Giovanni kept quiet. He didn't bother about the reply. He knew he would get answers if he really wanted them.

At least his father had thought him that much.

"Giannini, Catalina and oh, Gustavo!" He laughed lightly, patting the back of Giovanni's palms.

He had almost forgotten the most recent addition.

"Did poor Gio Judgio think I wouldn't find out?" He asked and sighed when the man didn't answer again. Oh well, straight to business then.

He removed the knife from its casing, smirking because he felt Giovanni's eyes on him as he did so.

He studied the knife carefully, tilting his head to the side to try to see it from another angle and caught the judge staring straight at him. He winked and continued what he was doing.

He thought he had used every one of his 53 blades but he appeared to be wrong. He hadn't touched this one even once.

There were no scratches from wear or blunt blurs from the bleach he had always soaked them in. He knew he did a good job filing them and sharpening them but the newness of this on bothered him.