Page 103 of Promise to Break

"You're right. If we stay here, we're going to become meat for the alligators. If we move, we can at least take some with us."

"It's northern Italy. Bears are more likely to feed on our bones."

"This isn't the time to pull out your big brain."

"It's not the only big thing I have, mate. Look there." Liam points to a man with a gait I would recognize in my sleep. Kai always had the strut of a king looking down on his peasants, and if rumors are right, he's a hidden legacy to the last Russian Tsar. No one really knows what the pakhan of the Russian mafia does in his clean business. Not even my father and I know Franco looked into it.

"Your heads!" A barrage of gunshots rings in the air until the sound of gunfire finally dies.

"How many?" I ask Kai.

"Four left. I killed three of them. Although, there might be more."

Liam stands to his full height, already knowing where to go to seek the first one. I do the same with my target, finding two of the assholes. Good. I needed this today.

"Franco will be very disappointed that his soldiers don't know how to shoot. Shame. You see him?" I point to Kai standing there with two branches with spikes for days. This is going to hurt. "He's going to shove those things up your asshole if you don't tell me where the amulet is."

One of the poor things tries to kick me to the balls. "Such a pussy move. That's a move meant for women, not for the soldiers of the capo." I kick that one in the abdomen, making him cry like a baby. "My newborn niece cries less than you, fucker. And you?" I say, aiming my weapon at the second one's head. "Aren't you going to try your luck at killing me? I assure you the capo doesn't want me home, so try."

"Please don't kill me." The boy can't be more than thirteen years old. What the hell is he doing shooting at the son of the capo.

"I won't kill you, and I won't kill him either." I make a show out of kicking the kid beneath me just to make him cry again. I don't even put much power behind it. ."But for that, you'll give me the amulet and tell me how many men are going for me and my friends."

"The capo will kill us if we do that."

"He might." Deception is something I thrive on, but I don't imagine it will work this time around. I help the poor fuck get to his feet and wait for Liam and Kai to join me with their cattle.

"Fuck. They're younger than we imagined."

"Franco likes them young. Easier to manipulate," I explain as one of my captives spits a trail of blood onto the ground in a sign of disrespect. Interesting. The little ginger boy with too many freckles to count has fight in him. He reminds me of the lost boy in the House of Dreams.

"How old are you?" Liam asks.

"Eleven."

"And let me guess. You're trying to make us kill the four of you because you think that we're going to do it as fast as possible." The brown eyes on the boy's face look darker as his fair skin appears almost transparent now. Fear. Good. Fear is a sign of intelligence. "Well, Gingerhead—"

"My name is Elio."

Liam smirks. "Well, Elio, I like Gingerhead more. It suits you. One day, you'll make a name for yourself with that nickname."

"Are you going to make the capo kill us?" he asks, turning his attention back to me.

"I might. I wasn't the one who asked for your service, am I?"

"Can you pay our parents? They need the money for medicine."

Fucking Franco. He's the best at making poor kids like this one sell his life for a few pennies.

"Do your parents know you're selling me your life?" He shrugs. "They don't," I state, and he says nothing. The fight in this one is strong. He would probably succeed in life if he had the chance.

"I'll swear on your life, and you'll get two hundred and fifty percent more than was promised if you give me the amulet."

"This thing?" He takes a small coin that looks ancient from his pocket, giving it to me without any regard.

"Yes, this. But you have to promise me something."

"I gave you what you wanted. You can't change the deal now."

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