The Mafia Killer’s Wife by Rosa Milano

Six

Ethan

Is this fate? I walk away last night and leave her behind. I go home and put her out of my mind. I come to the bank to sort out my retirement fund and she walks into the bank thirty seconds later.

If there's one thing I can do, it's empty my mind of thoughts. In my line of work, it's an essential skill. I wouldn't be able to function if I held onto the memory of everything I've done in my life, the crimes I've committed, the people I've whacked.

I forgot all about her. I slept last night like I always do, sitting up in my chair, gun by my side, waiting for the inevitable day when my luck runs out. I got up this morning, and I heard from the Don. Told me all I've earned is in one our banks waiting for me to collect. The Sunshine Bank. An establishment that's been under our protection for years.

I'm wary on the way over here. It's not too far from Mancini's turf. If he's going to make an inroad, this would be the place. If he's got wind I'm coming in this morning, I need to be on my guard.

For a while he observed the territorial boundary laid out at the last commission conference. They spilled enough blood to set that boundary. Neither family wanted all out war to erupt over it again. But the last couple of months, Mancini has been pushing. He's denied it, of course. Says it's the work of outsiders.

The Don's got word Mancini is behind it all, trying to make us look weak, make it look like we can't offer the protection we promise, hoping to get businesses to switch sides.

I know how he'll do it. One guy, one lupara, hoping to be in and out.

He won't get me or my money.

If I ever have kids, it'll go to them but I doubt that's happening. I'm forty and no clue where to start with the things you need to do to get kids. You need to connect to someone. Anyone I connect to ends up dead, so I'm guessing my line ends with me.

I get to the bank and I'm there thirty seconds when she walks in.

Amanda. Mandy. The girl from last night, the one so wasted she almost got ripped apart by that pack of animals prowling after her. Not that she knows what I did to stop that from happening. I doubt she even remembers what I look like or how she got home last night.

She walks in and bounces off my chest. I get a sudden urge to grab her and press her to me, see how her tits feel squashed against me. See if her nipples go hard.

She's looking up at me and she's trying to work out where she knows me from, and that's when the words slip out of my mouth. "Come back for more?"

I'm glad the manager appears. How is she making that sweater look so good? No hiding her tits no matter how much she's trying.

She looks good in the daylight. Bloodshot eyes but that's to be expected. Those lips are still lush and pink. I picture them wrapped around my cock. I'm still thinking about it when I get into the manager's office.

The door closes and Jimmy's sitting down at his desk. "What can I do for you, Mr. Gianni? The Don said it was most urgent that I speak with you in person. Told me the phone was not to be used."

I glance up at the bank of monitors on the wall next to him. "You're about to get done over, Jimmy" I tell him. Cameras cover every corner of the bank and outside. I can already see the guy. He's got a lupara under his coat, pacing up and down on the street, building up the courage to come in. Or waiting for me to come out.

I can see her on the camera too. Mandy. Why isn't she leaving yet? She's joining the queue to see the only teller on duty.

"But we pay our protection," Jimmy says. "Why would the Don do this to us?"

"Not the Don," I tell Jimmy. "Mancini's side are sending a boy in."

"But why would he do that?"

I shrug. "Some associate hoping to get made into a wiseguy? Don't worry. Nothing's going to happen. You still got that silent lock for the front door?"

"Sure we do. Why?"

"Soon as he's inside, lock it. Don't let him out."

Jimmy groans. "It's Sandra on the desk. What if she gets shot when he sees the door is locked? She's got kids, Ethan." His hand is already going for the panic button under the desk.

"Leave that." I shake my head. "All you need to do is get him into the office. You think you can do that for me?"

He gulps, getting to his feet, his hands shaking. "I don't know, Mr. Gianni. I mean, if he's got a gun..." His voice trails off.

"He won't use it, trust me. I know the type. Listen, Jimmy. Remember when you needed that thing with the casino wiped off your record so you could get this job and you came to the Don for help?"

"Sure I do."

"And he said one day you might need to do a favor for him? Just bring the guy into the office. I'll do the rest."

"But what if he shoots me?"

"He won't shoot you, and you know why?"

He shakes his head, looking pale, sweat forming on his forehead as he swallows hard.

"He's here for me. He's holding his nerve together, and he's not going to take out civilians. He might pretend it's a robbery, but he's after me and by now he's probably worked out I'm in your office. Make him think I'm scared to come out, that I'm hiding, cowering under the desk with fear."

"What if he shoots me?"

"If he shoots you, I shoot him ten seconds later only I gut shoot him. Takes days to die and I don't let him get any help. I have him on the phone to Mancini the whole time, begging to be killed because the stomach acid is leaking into his body and it's nasty fucking stuff. Then I go after his family, his friends, his fucking mailman. I take them all out. He knows all that already so he's not going to shoot anyone but me."

"What if you're wrong?"