Page 70 of Princess's Revenge
We’ve gone to a butcher, a grocer, an adult toy store, a sporting goods warehouse and now we pull up to a little neighborhood bar.
Everything’s going smoothly so far…sort of. Andrea has been introducing herself. The butcher and the grocer were both being run by the sons of people Andrea’s father had dealt with.
They were happy to meet her and had no problem giving her their envelopes instead of giving them to Joshua’s people.
The adult toy store was new. He’d heard of us but had been paying Josh from the time he opened up. But he was quickly taken care of.
Andrea hit him in the face with a pocket pussy when he said—No—kicked him in the nuts and threatened to burn his house down…after that, he gladly agreed to give us his money.
The guy at the sporting goods warehouse called his boss. Andrea spoke to him on the phone and he agreed to her terms when she pointed a gun at his employee and asked him very nicely.
I have to say, she’s more ruthless than any of us would’ve ever imagined.
I like it.
I love it, actually. It turns me on.
After I park at the curb, we both get out. On the way to the door of the bar, Andrea squeezes my butt and winks at me.I think it’ll be my turn tonight.Last night she was with Chrissy.
I push through the doors of the little tavern and find a scattering of small tables, all in dark wood, with a dark wood floor, even a dark wood bar counter.
I can’t tell if it’s from age or by design. The place is dusty, and cold. There’s a bartender with only one patron at the counter.
Thatman, is dressed in a fine Italian suit and seemingly engaged in an energetic conversation…from the way he’s gesturing with his hands.
The bartender, an elderly, paunchy man with gray hair and weather-beaten skin locks eyes with us. The man in the suit turns around, looks us over, then goes back to his drink and the story he’s telling.
We walk up to the counter and Andrea flashes one of her beaming smiles, “Mr. Buscemi, it’s been quite a day so far. We’ll have two of whatever you have on tap please.”
“Do I know you,” he asks innocently enough.
“I’m Donna Lupertazzi,” Andrea holds her hand out to him.
He takes her hand and they shake.
“The Bertinelli family is under new management and Joshua de Soto’s territory is now mine. You’ll be givingmeyour envelopes from now on.”
“Uh…maybe you ought to tellhimthat,” Buscemi nods to the guy in the suit.
I turn to look at him, it seems he’s been watching us the whole time. The brute in the suit says, “That’ll happen over my dead body, little girl. I didn’t know what you looked like, but now that I do…”
He’s bald, bearded and has the kind of mug that looks like he used to be a boxer who retired after one too many blows to the head.
“Don Bertinelli might have lost his balls, but Mr. de Soto hasn’t and this is his neighborhood. You’re no boss. You want this envelope,” he taps his coat, “you’re going to have to take it from me.”
Andrea looks to me and smiles, but I’m not exactly sure what to do. This dude could probably turn me into chunky salsa. The only thing I can do is shoot him.But should I? That might be taking things too far.
He goes on, “I heard what you did this morning. That’s why I’ve been waiting here for you. This is my route and these are my stops. You’ve got four envelopes that belong to me. You can put them down right here and I’ll let you walk out of this place.”
Andrea rolls her eyes and says to me, “I guess that means Joshy isn’t going to fuck off and die like he’s supposed to.”
She calmly strolls over to the other side of the guy so that I’m on his right and she’s on his left. He’s not going to be able to watch both of us.
He’s big but he’s not clairvoyant. He turns to listen to her.I could take him out right now.
“You’re threatening a boss and you have my money,” Andrea raises her brow at him, frowning playfully. “Why don’t you get Josh on the phone so we can clear this up without any violence?”
I watch the guy take a sip of his drink like he doesn’t have a care in the world. “You’ve been watching too many movies kid. Joshua says you ain’t nobody. You’re playing gangster but you ain’t got no idea the trouble you’re about to get yourself into. Now, put my money on the table and—”