Page 119 of Mafia Kings: Valentino

If I’d had a pistol, I would have gunned them all down.

“Please, Signore,” the old man said, nearly crying. “I have to close the shop when I take her – ”

“Then fuckin’ hire somebody, you old cheapskate.”

“I can’t afford to hire anyone – no one wants to work for what I can pay – ”

“I don’t give a shit about your problems, Nazzareno. I only care about my fuckin’ money, and this is the second time in two months that you’re late,” Rocco said.

Another asshole ripped down a display of t-shirts hanging on the wall. Dozens of shirts collapsed to the ground.

The old man glanced in terror at the guy who’d torn down the display, then looked back at Rocco. “I know, Signore, but – ”

“You know what we do to people who’re late?” Rocco asked in a low, threatening voice.

Nazzareno winced. “Please, Signor Vicari – I can give you everything in the cash register, but – ”

“But it’s not gonna be enough, is it?” Rocco said with fake sympathy.

Another asshole sent a tabletop of snow globes crashing to the floor.

All the glass shattered, and water spilled over the floor in a wave.

Nazzareno hurriedly opened the cash register and held out a handful of small bills.

“Here – I can give you eighty – no, a hundred!” Then he dug coins out of the register and held them out, too. “This is another eight euros – nine – eleven – ”

Before he could finish counting, Rocco slapped his hand and sent the coins clattering to the floor.

“I don’t want your fuckin’ pocket change,” Rocco snarled. “I want my fuckin’ money in twenties, fifties, and hundreds.You know that.”

Then he grabbed the bills out of the old man’s hand. “Looks like you’re four hundred short, Nazzareno. Now I’m gonna have to take it out of your hide.”

Rocco pulled back his hand in a fist –

“STOP,” I shouted.

Rocco looked back at me in utter shock. “What the fuck’re you doing?”

I pulled out my wallet and fished out four bills. “I’m giving him a loan.”

Rocco stared at me like I’d grown a second head.

For that matter, so did the old man –andall the mouth-breathers Rocco called friends.

“Well?” I said as I held out the cash.

Rocco looked at the money, then at me – and his entire face turned into a scowl. “OUTSIDE.NOW.”

I let him stomp past me, then followed him into the street.

“What the fuck’re you doing?!” he seethed as soon as we were outside.

“Don’t you think this is beneath you?” I asked.

“‘Beneathme’?! Who the fuck do you think youare,Mother Fuckin’ Teresa?”

“Beating up old men isn’t going to make these people respect you.”

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