As the daughter of a Mafia Boss, Camilia Caruso knows to keep a secret. After 3 years of flying under the radar at Dalton Preparatory Academy, Camilia Caruso's long kept secret of her family's business is discovered by the last person she'd expect;...
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Perry Gildman wiped his foggy glasses. The night club was usually calm on a Tuesday night, however the scene before him was anything but. Tony Caruso, second eldest son of Horatio Caruso was chugging down his 3rd pint in a beer race. Tony was downing those jugs in astonishing speed and as a precaution, Perry had the family doctor on speed dial.
It wouldn't be the first time he'd call an ambulance because of the Caruso kids. Even the police operators were aware of the shenanigans that went down the three spawns of Horatio Caruso, the city's most notorious mob boss. However, they were always let off with a warning because the city operated in a delicate ecosystem. Messing with the Caruso family would disrupt that ecosystem and the friendly agreement between the crime family and the police; don't mess with our business and we don't mess with yours.
The competitor, a 400 pound muscle man with heavy, bulging biceps, double the size of Tony's did not look pleased to be losing.
"You wanna place a bet, Donkey Kong?" Tony had said to the man when he ignorantly remarked that this wasn't a kids play area to the son of the mob boss. Donkey Kong was a fitting name for the man, whose huge arms looked cartoonish on his leaner body. He also was arrogant enough to think that he could win against Tony "Trigger" Caruso. Perry was relieved to find Tony wasn't carrying tonight or they would've gotten a demonstration on why he was called Trigger on the streets.
Perry recalled the time he had to carry Tony's body into the car after he drank a barrel of lager on his 21st birthday. Perry was monitoring the competition, making sure Tony wouldn't push himself to the brink of death again.
His job as a night club manager for the past ten years had given him experience in dealing with a lot of things but whenever the Carusos' arrived, it always felt like his first day on the job. Things were bound to get unpredictable.
After the fifth pint, Perry had to stop the game. Tony got up, eyes nearly shut, swaying back and forth.
"Hic-you lose," he jabbed a finger, missing Donkey Kong and toppled over. Perry rushed over, checking his pulse, performing CPR, praying that his job would be the only thing he would lose. "I'm fine, I'm fine," Tony slurred, swatting Perry's hand away. Perry helped him get up on his seat.
Donkey Kong was red like a kettle about to blow. Perry saw the cause when Camilia Caruso came into view. Tonight she was dressed in her signature outfit. Leather jacket, ripped jeans, a choker that Perry had seen his own daughter wearing in her rebellious phase.
"Dad, it's a statement," his daughter whined.
"Statement for what? Failing your science test?" Perry remarked.
But that was just his daughter's phase, trying to mimic the recent trends.
Perry had no idea how a 17-year-old girl could be this ruthless. Often times, Camilia would be the one accompanying her father to business meetings in the back. Often times, Perry had seen a bruise or a black eye on the girl's face. When Camilia had first entered the night club, Perry offered her a sweet, trying to busy her mind so the little girl wouldn't see the bad things going around her. It was a wasted effort because Camillia had seen worse things than 45-year old Perry had seen in his whole life.
"Hand it over," Camilia's voice was low and Perry could hear her patience hanging by a tread. The prize Donkey Kong wagered in this bet was his Harley motorcycle parked out front.
"Or what?" He stood up, pushing the chair and table away from him. Perry's jumped back just in time to not be pushed. Donkey Kong was a 6 foot 5 towering beast. Perry whimpered at the sight of him next to 5 foot 7 Camilia.
"Or she's gonna beat you up!" Tony slurred, waving his fist drunkenly at a nearby patron.
"Over there," Perry shifted him in the right direction.
Donkey Kong bellowed a laugh that made Perry's bones rattle.
"Get out of my way little girl before I make you."
"Final warning," Camilia said. Perry nervously looked around. He motioned at the security, not to assist but to clean up the mess after.
Donkey Kong stared at the look in her eyes. His mistake was dismissing that look. His arm reached out to push her out of the way but Camilia grabbed it in an instant, pushed it down on the table and cracked it clean. His scream was drowned out in the music.
Perry shut his eyes and turned away from the scene. He led Tony to the bar. The DJ was playing his favorite song, Rocket Man.
"Can't handle a little fight, Perry?" Tony said with a lazy smile.
"Prefer not to get blood on the new suit. My wife can never get it out in the washing." Perry replied. Truth was, he was scared of the fights and the unpredictability. He had just been a simple janitor before Horatio took over the night club. After seeing Horatio pull out of a gun on a rival gang boss and not open his mouth to the police, Horatio had come to Perry with a promotion. In fear and a little bravado, Perry agreed.
"Have some liquid courage," Tony grinned, passing a glass of whiskey to him, "And get me a bucket, I feel like I'm going to throw up my spleen."
"Right away,"
When he came back with the bucket, Camilia was on the bar stool, blood dripping down her nose. She wiped it with the back of her hand, smearing it across her mouth to cheek. Security was gathered around the body of Donkey Kong. Camilia tossed a pair of bloody keys in the air and caught it with a smile on her face, while her brother slept on the counter beside her.
Perry imagined his daughter in place of Camilia. His daughter was young, the same age when Camilia had first entered his club when she was ten. He realized he could not imagine it and was thankful for the simple life he had. He allowed himself to feel pride from these kids. He had seen these kids grow up. When a guest got physical with Perry, Tony had set him in his place. They had treated him with respect and trusted him.
Camilia smiled her bloody teeth when she spotted him, dangling the keys as if she were a child with a sweet.
