Page 73 of Hart of Vengeance
Tito loved power. He loved being in charge. He hated that Hector was revered by those who’d worked for him and even by people who hadn’t.
His arm was steady, his finger primed on the trigger. “I know you’re trying to stall me.”
Tito was also a hothead, and the feat had always gotten him into trouble. Hector had had to clean up his messes several times.
“You’re right. I am. Honestly, I have no fucking clue what’s going on here. In one breath, I think Duke is trying to kill me. In another, you are. The tables keep switching. Frankly, I’m fucking tired. I didn’t get out of prison only to die.” My voice was even.
The skin around his nearly black eyes loosened, but the gun was still trained at my head.
“Tito, you know me. We’ve been through shit. We can work this out.” Hector had talked Tito down from the ledge many times. Hopefully, I could do the same.
“How? Are you going to get me into Duke’s organization?”
“Tell me more, man. I can help. I’ll talk to Duke.” Duke wouldn’t listen to me, but I needed to make Tito believe he would.
Tito lowered the gun.
Inwardly, I thanked someone above.
“Word on the street is Duke made a deal with the Colombian cartel about two months ago. He would be their front man to move drugs and guns through Boston. But the only way to do that was to engage some of the bigger gangs in the city. So Duke invited leaders from certain gangs to sit down and negotiate a plan where everyone at the table would benefit.”
“And Duke didn’t pick you.”
I couldn’t argue with Duke’s choice not to do business with Tito. It wasn’t that he was a lowlife as Duke had said, but Tito drew too much attention, particularly if he didn’t get his way. I didn’t know much about Duke’s business dealings, but I knew my brother. He was big on trust and little on attention.
Tito tucked the gun in the waist of his jeans. “I have more connections than most of the gangs. Fuck, I could get rid of one shipment in the blink of an eye.”
“Are you bragging or serious, man? Because, look, Duke has little patience for someone who talks the talk. He wants someone who gets shit done.”
He scratched his head of dark hair. “You know I get shit done. The Creepers have made more money than ever since I’ve been at the helm.”
“Give me something to work with, and I’ll take that to Duke.”
He glanced at the floor then up at me. “Throw him a bone?”
“A big fucking bone, man. Otherwise, he won’t bite.”
He bobbed his head, his mind wandering. “I can do that.”
“Then cut me loose, and I’ll get you that spot at the table.” The last sentence came out a little too fast. Whether I could or not, I only needed him to believe me.
He laughed. “Your brother doesn’t want anything to do with you.”
“Duke was blowing smoke up your ass. He cares.” Not one part of anything I’d just said was true.
“Why should I believe you?”
“Believe me or not. But if you deliver my dead body to my brother, you can hang up any chance of getting in. You’ve already got one strike against you.”
He considered me for a long minute, if not more, chewing on his bottom lip. “Lou! Get your ass in here!”
I closed my eyes as several cuss words fell from my lips.
Lou rushed in, looking excited to start torturing me.
“Cut him down,” Tito ordered.
Lou pouted like he’d just lost his pliers. “Why? I had plans for him.”
