Page 6 of Mob Star

“Sal, you’re on speaker at the bar. Enrique’s on the line too. I’m calling Maks.”

I hear the phone ring twice before a man’s Russian-flavored accent fills the bar that is now so silent a pin could drop.

“Mother—”

“Maks, you’re on with Sal and Enrique. I’m turning this into a video call. I’m at McGinty’s. There’s someone all of you need to meet. He’s already banned from O’Rourke establishments. I want him banned from yours, too.”

The man named Enrique doesn’t agree. “You don’t tell me who can and can’t come to my businesses.”

“You’ll swallow those words when you hear what he just said to a woman in my bar. A woman he’s dating.”

“Was dating.” I blurt that as I get close. “’Scuse me.”

I push my way through two cardiologists who are blocking my way. As they both look over their shoulders at me, I realize they’re purposely blocking me. I don’t know if they’re trying to protect Tony from me. Trying to keep me safe from winding up near a fight if it breaks out. Or just not willing to give up their front row spots. I still make it through.

“I was dating him. Never again. Tony, you can go fuck yourself. And believe you me, there isn’t a woman at the hospital who’ll want you after they find out what you said about me and hear about your micro dick.”

It’s not quite micro, but I can promise you, it isn’t anything like the outline of what’s pressing against the front of Finn’s pants.

Finn looks at me and smirks. “Not surprising.”

“I’m waiting.”

That’s Salvatore Mancinelli. The accent is straight up New York Italian. I don’t know who he is either, but he sounds like a man used to being in charge.

“Fecker, repeat what you said.” Finn looks at me as he speaks.

I want to crawl into a corner. I don’t want to hear it again.

“Wait. Hold on.” Finn drags Tony with him as he heads toward the back. “I don’t want the lady to hear it again.”

“That bad?” It’s the guy named Maks. He must be one of the Kutsenkos.

Tony and Finn disappear, and I’m left not knowing where to look or what to do. The anticlimactic moment tempts me to grab my purse and make a break for it. But I want to see what happens to Tony. I hope he comes out with his face fucked-up. Finn seems smart enough not to do more than fist Tony’s shirt in public. What’s happening right now, wherever they went, is anyone’s guess. What I want most is to thank Finn for defending me twice. The way he looked at me just now… It made my toes curl. He’s pissed on my behalf. But the expression was—reassuring. Like he was silently promising to take care of everything, so in turn, take care of me. It made me feel safe.

Dana walks up to me and hands me my purse. “Wanna split an Uber?”

“I want to know what happens.” I need to know what happens.

“It looks like the closest car is like ten minutes away. We’ve got time. But I’m getting out of here. I’m not associating with Tony anymore. Are you all right? I should have asked that first.”

“Yeah. It’s not the worst thing I’ve been called. But it blind-sided me.”

It makes me feel utterly shitty about myself to know he made some other racial comment the last time we were here, and I gave him a pass. I figured Finn overreacted when Tony downplayed it. But watching Finn tonight— he doesn’t strike me as a man prone to overreacting. He strikes me as a man who’s methodical in everything. A man who isn’t easily rattled or dissuaded from anything.

“I can’t believe he’s a racist.” Dana offers me a sympathetic smile. I refuse to consider it might be pity.

“Neither can I. I never would have?—”

“Ally, you don’t need to explain. I know you wouldn’t. I feel shitty for you. I’m sorry.”

“It’s not your fault.”

“Yeah, but?—”

She doesn’t get to finish because Finn returns with Tony, except it’s not just the two of them. The two guys from last time are back along with identical twins. The five men bear striking resemblances to one another. Finn must be the twins’ older brother. Maybe the other two are cousins or something.

Finn hands Tony off to one of his brothers— I’m assuming that’s who they are —and turns toward the waitress who said it was okay to be here.

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