The Mafia Killer’s Wife by Rosa Milano

Seven

Ethan

Ifeel like laughing. I've never been wrong. If there's one thing I've always been able to do, it's read people. I know the M.O of guys like this.

I glance at the clock and then at the monitors. She's still out there and the bank door's opening. "He's coming in," I say, watching the long coat. Outfit like that, despite the warmth of the sunshine outside. It's like he wants to get caught. Scrawny guy. Slicked back hair. Shotgun by his left leg, sawn off. He's nervous about using it.

Jimmy hits the button. The guy won't have noticed, but now he can't get out until I let him go and I'm not going to do that any time soon.

I'm guessing low level soldier, using this to go from associate to made man. Making his bones by taking out Gianni's top enforcer on the verge of retirement. Maybe take my earnings too.

He's a dumb bastard. Didn't he think to ask why successful bank jobs are never one person affairs?

Shit, she's still in there too. I thought she'd gone.

He's pulling the gun out. He's just shoved her to the ground, waving the gun around at them all, yelling at the teller to put the money in the bag. The old cliche. Pretending this is about money. It's all I can do to stay here, not run out and break his spine for touching Mandy. Already I'm seeing her as my property to be protected.

"I'm not sure I can do this," Jimmy says, pacing up and down behind his desk, looking like he's about to wet his pants. "I'm not good with guns."

I feel like slapping the guy but I know his type. He'll burst into tears and be useless for the rest of the day. "You got this," I tell him. "He's nothing compared to you, Jimmy. You card counted a Gianni casino and got out with your life. You can do this. Just go out there, tell him the money's all in the safe back here. Play the game. Leave me to do the rest."

I pull the office door open. The yelling is louder. Jimmy takes a look at me and I give him the stare, the one I use when I mean business. "Go." He pulls his shoulders back, takes a deep breath, and then walks out.

I prepare myself. I stand behind the door and wait. I look up at the camera. Mandy is still down on the floor with the other customers. I swear to God, if he touches her, I'll tear him into pieces while he's still breathing.

Jimmy's got his hands above his head, saying something. It works. The guy's grabbing him by the collar, bawling into his face, dragging him toward the office. I crack my knuckles, all emotion draining from me.

Time to get to work.

The door swings open. "Where is he?" the guy's yelling. "The big pussy."

Jimmy is shoved up against the desk. I'm already taking hold of the shotgun, lifting it straight up so it's pointing at the ceiling. It goes off with a boom that makes my ears ring. I can't hear anything the guy's saying after that but it doesn't matter. My vision's still peachy.

I yank the gun from his hand, pulling him forward with enough force for him to crash into Jimmy. Before he's even turned to face me I get the butt of the gun into the back of his head.

He goes down hard, sinking to his knees, blood trickling down the back of his neck. I flip him onto his back, put a boot on his chest and press just enough to stop him breathing. I watch as he gasps like a fish. My hearing is coming back, and I can hear him protesting through the ringing sound. His voice is getting weaker, his face turning purple.

He's pulling a knife from his sock, thinking he can stick me with it. I lift my boot from his chest and drop it on his wrist, snapping it with a clean crack. The knife falls to the ground, and he starts screaming like a girl. "Who told you I was here?" I ask, pressing harder onto his broken wrist.

"Fuck you," he spits.

"Fuck me?" I say, bringing my fist down into his mouth, taking out a couple of his teeth. "That what you said? Fuck me?"

"Jeez," Jimmy is saying. "Kid, you any idea who you're talking to here? This is Ethan Gianni. Trust me, you're better off talking before he rips your balls off."

The guy glances from Jimmy to me and back again.

"Talk," I tell him. "Who sent you?" I take hold of his balls and pull them hard enough to get him squealing. "I'll rip them off and make you eat them unless you give me a name in the next five seconds. You came into a Gianni bank on Gianni turf, you dumb asshole. Talk!"

"Davis," he says in a pitch higher than any man can normally make. "Victor Davis."

I let go of him. The guy cradles his balls with his good hand, rocking side to side, no doubt wondering if he's singing soprano the rest of his life. Won't matter. He hasn't got much life left.

That's Amanda's father. Shit. "Why him?"

"Wanted to impress Mancini."

"How did he know I'd be here?"

"Some guy told him. Heard you talking about your appointment at Silhouettes last night."

That's my fault. It's good I'm retiring. That's the first real mistake I've ever made. I talked too loud last night, telling Paulie I'd be here and what time. I should have kept my big mouth shut. Now this scumbag in front of me will pay for my mistake with his life.

Word got back fast from the club to Mandy's father. He's more enmeshed with the Mancini famiglia than I would have guessed.

It must be fate. Must be. I resist smiling. "Do me a favor, Jimmy. Watch him until the cops show up."

"You want me to have him arrested?" Jimmy looks surprised. "You don't want to whack him?"

"Please," the guy is saying, stuttering with fear. "I won't last two minutes inside. You know they'll shank me for screwing this up. Please, I'm so sorry. Have mercy on me for the love of God. I just wanted to make my bones. You must know what that's like. Have mercy on me, Ethan." He's got his hands together like he's praying.

"I don't do mercy," I reply, pulling a couple of cable ties out of my pocket. I tie his hands, ignoring his cries when the bones in his broken wrist grind together. I glance up at Jimmy. "That's why I'm not whacking him. Let the inmates have their fun."

"What if he talks? He could implicate me." Jimmy gulps. "And you. Both of us."

I look down at the man on the floor. "You going to rat us out?"

He shakes his head so violently it bangs the side of the desk. "That's what I thought," I say, walking over to the door. "He keeps his mouth shut and he might get to live. Depends on how much Don Mancini wants to pay off the screws."

I'm bullshitting, but it's enough to keep him zipped for now. I know Mancini will have him dead by the end of the day for screwing this up. Maybe Victor too. "Unlock the front door. Give me two minutes to get out of here, then wipe the footage. Call it in once you've done that."

I walk out and close the door behind me. The customers are all still frozen on the floor. "Ladies and gentlemen," I shout. "All over now. Nothing to see here so you can just go on about your day."

They all make a run for the door apart from her. She's standing there, looking at me with a dazed expression on her face. There's blood trickling down from her head, where she banged it on the floor.

"You'll live," I say, putting a finger on her cut. "Get it cleaned when you get home."

She's still looking at me, so I turn her around and give her a nudge out the door.

An idea occurs to me in that moment while I'm watching her stumbling out of the bank. This time I do smile. Mandy is meant to be hooking up with Benito Mancini. Her father fucked up this job and if I go see him, he'll beg me to fix things for him so he doesn't get whacked for his man screwing up killing me.

I'll have an offer for Victor. An offer that will work out just great for me. I'll get him to agree to give Mandy to me instead of to Benito. Primo will be so pissed he'll come after me. That gives me the excuse I've been waiting for since I joined the family business. I get to kill him and his son.

Revenge for my parents. I'll take out our main rival and his only heir without provoking a war with the other families. They'll see it the same way I do. He came after me. I was only defending myself. It wasn't about revenge. That's what the commission will think.

We take over Mancini's territory. Become the biggest family in the city. Hell of a retirement gift from me to Don Gianni.

Best of all, I'll get to spend some quality time with that sweet piece of ass that just walked out of here. Maybe end up having kids after all.

I stroll out a few seconds later, taking a deep breath as I go. The foul city air never tasted sweeter.