Page 100 of Vow of Silence

I cross the room to remove the binds as he talks.

“This second guy,” he says. “Well, he’s been telling the shop owners that not only do they need to pay for protection, but they also pay to make sure this family”—he points to my father and brother—“leave them alone too. But you know what I think?” Jacob taps his head with a stiff finger. “The second guy—the one I’m collecting for—has to be connected to promise that. If the first guy don’t know about him, the second guy must have some influence over him other than muscle.” He grins. “So I say this to the guy who gave me the job, and he looks at me like I’m crazy. ‘Why you asking so many questions?’ he says. Said it made him nervous about giving me better paying work.” Jacob chuckles. “And, man, of course, I’m gonna be interested when he says that. The missus is breaking my balls over shit we can’t afford. So I ask. I say, what kind of work? And he tells me about this friend of his who got paid five Gs to make this woman crash her car.”

Arseni’s jaw tenses, and he shifts on his seat.

“I’m like five large. Imagine what I could do with that. Until he says they had to shoot her ’cause they fucked it up. But I reckon they would have shot her anyway.” He drops his voice to a loud whisper. “They did it through the eye, you know? Like they was sending a message.” The fool lifts one leg, then the other, once he realizes they’re free. The loops around his stomach are all that hold him in place now. “Goddamn, that’s so much better.”

I back up a step and gag at the smell emanating from his pants.

“Tell my friend where you’ve been invited.” Papa points to Jacob’s fresh cut. “Why you got yourself nice and cleaned up yesterday.”

“He’s going to swear us in.” The fool grins. “Tonight.”

“Who is?” Arseni gripes.

“Romulus.” Jacob thumbs the ropes still around his waist and glances at my father in silent question. “He said it’s time we became family.”

The gunshot’s echo deafens me as it bounces off the room’s stone walls. Arseni twists his head and flinches, Dion putting a finger in his ear to wriggle it around.

My father tilts his head at a screaming Jacob and sighs. “I’m a reasonable guy. Do you know why? Because I left you with one leg to stand on.” He slips the safety on his gun and stows it away. “Make sure it’s a good one.”

“The fuck, man?” Jacob strains at the remaining ties to reach his blown-out kneecap. “I told him all the same shit I told you!”

“And I’m grateful.” Papa stands behind Nastasya’s tense father, placing a hand on Arseni’s shoulder. “Which is why I want to make you an offer.”

“You’re crazy! No wonder your fuckin’ son is insane.”

“You did a great job, Jacob,” Papa soothes, squeezing Arseni’s shoulder. “Keen eyes for a wise guy who’s not paid to be so smart.”

Thepakhanshifts, twisting his torso to move his shoulder down and away.

My father squeezes tighter. “But I’m not satisfied yet. And that’s why you’re going to work for me.” He snaps his fingers at Dion.

My brother steps forward, producing a card from his pocket. A saint. He holds it between two fingers, standing before Jacob while he waits for the guy to wise up to what’s happening. Our new friend pants through his pain and lifts a shaky hand, palm up.

Dion shifts the card to his other hand and then produces a pocket knife, flipping the blade open to prick Jacob’s palm. Myfather moves from behind Arseni to stand beside thepakhan, stoic with pride as he watches his middle son complete the ritual.

“By spilling this blood, you are now family.” Dion presses the saint to Jacob’s palm and closes his over the top. “You enter alive. You leave dead.” He removes the card and sets fire to one corner, passing it to a shaking Jacob. “Disrespect the family, and just as this card burns, so will your soul. Do you swear by the saints to uphold the code by which we live?”

Jacob winces as the flames near his fingers. “Yeah, sure.”

My father takes a step forward.

“I do,” the idiot exclaims. “I do. Yeah. I do.” He drops the final cinders to the floor, wincing as the pain in his leg steals his focus again.

My brother sets both hands to the sides of Jacob’s face with a wolfish grin. “Welcome to the Family.”

“Let him down,” Papa instructs me. “Take the man inside and get him cleaned up. Make sure he eats. And that the doctor sees to that leg.” He turns back to Arseni. “You seen enough for now, my friend?”

The old Russian licks his lips. “I think so.”

“Good.” My father turns, catching my eye. He gives a small smile and an almost imperceptible nod.You did well.“I think it’s time we all had a drink.”

THIRTY-FIVE

Nastasya

“Ilike this color on you.” Brigida holds a sheer blouse before me, leaning back to get a better perspective. “Maybe we could find something more fitted, though. You have great curves, Nastasya. Use them.”

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