Falling For The Mob

08 Cacciatrici

Sam

This office reeks of stale coffee and sweat. I still need to go home and shower before my board meeting at SHH, yet he continues to waste my time. At this rate, I will definitely be late.

"Mr. Morton, I find it unwise for you to keep testing my patience." He coughs before spitting up a small pool of blood.

"Sam, I don't know what you're talking about. I would never betray you or your father, there must be some mistake. Someone is lying to you, and it's not me."

"Are your bank statements lying, Mr. Morton? They show payments from a third party, or do you wish to deny this as well?"

His features grow hard. "Fine, you caught me. What are you going to do about it? Run to your daddy and have him take care of me?"

With the raise of my hand, Nico steps in and delivers a hard blow to the side of his head, making him and the chair he is tied to fall sideways.

"If you are trying to offend me, you needn't bother. We both know I have been successfully in charge of the Claymore family for years, which means right now I am in charge of whether you live to see another day."

He tries hiding his panic behind a laugh, but the fear is in his eyes. I get up from behind his desk and circle his office. There are several pictures of him and his dockworkers scattered around, along with his personal items and other trinkets.

My eyes find their way to a framed photo of Paul Morton laying in the grass with two girls smiling brightly at him.

I return to his field of view with it in my hand. "Maggie must be about sixteen, and that would make Allyson twelve, am I correct, Mr. Morton?"

His eyes shoot up to me. "Leave them out of this. My family doesn't need to know what I am involved in." Veins pop on his forehead, and he grits his teeth in a failed attempt to threaten me. The entire room reeks of his desperation.

"Tell me who you have been allowing to ship cocaine in through my ports." I demand as Nico delivers another hard punch to his stomach and face. My brutish bodyguard is getting antsy, he knows that Paul Morton will begin talking soon and just wants to get a few last strikes in before I call him off.

"Your family will already know what you are involved in when they see you coming home in this state, if you come home at all. Now tell me what I want to know." Till now, he managed to keep his dignity intact, but as I make it clear how little I value his life, the mask drops.

"You are trying my patience, Mr. Morton." Immediately he begins spilling the information I asked for along with a few miserable sobs and stutters.

I give no indication of whether he has received my mercy. The man needs to be reminded never to disrespect me. "I suggest you leave town, Mr. Morton. Pack up your family and as much as you can carry, then disappear out of the state. If I or any of my people see you again, I will reconsider letting you live."

I make my way towards the door but stop before exiting. Smashing the frame, I remove the picture and put it in my pocket. "An insurance policy."

The state we leave him in will serve as a warning to all his workers. A message for his future replacement to remember who they answer to.

~~~

Regardless of my efforts, we still walk into the conference room twenty minutes later than planned. I find punctuality very important, and even if Addy informed the board of our delay, it did little to lessen my frustrations.

During the meeting, Addy and Dr. DeLuca are perfectly synchronized. I have come to notice their fast friendship, and as a result, I find myself constantly on the receiving end of Zoë stories. From the first day, it has been apparent that she is a hard worker and very dedicated to her patients, but it has now also become clear how passionate and caring she is as well. I cannot comprehend why she cares so much for strangers, but I have become capable of respecting it.