Page 3 of Sinful Empire (Mount Trilogy 3)
Morello rubbed a hand across his dark mustache that was already going silver and studied me some more. “How old are you, Mount?”
The more he said the name I’d just picked, the more I liked it. It felt right. Like I was born to it.
I straightened my shoulders, despite the blinding pain. I had pride, and that was stronger. “Fifteen, almost sixteen.” I made up the last part because I didn’t have a clue when my birthday actually was.
Morello dropped his hand from his mustache and drilled me with a stare. “You got three choices today, Mount, because I’m feeling generous.”
I kept quiet, waiting to hear what judgment he was gonna deliver.
“One, I hand you over to the cops and they try you as an adult, toss your ass in prison. I doubt you make it a day before you’re someone’s favorite bitch.”
I forced myself not to react, even though his statement made me want to hurl my guts up, because I knew he was right.
“Two, Frankie will shoot you right here for fucking up my favorite car, and we’ll leave your body in the gutter, which is probably where you figured you’d die.”
He wasn’t wrong about that, but I didn’t say shit to reply.
“Or three, you get in the backseat, we take you to the doc to get patched up, and you work your debt off to me until you’ve paid for every penny of repairs to my car. If you don’t fuck that up, we’ll see how you fit in, and maybe you’ll have yourself a real
job instead of picking tourist pockets.”
One of the cops finally found the balls to speak. “Mr. Morello, sir, we can take him from here. There’s no need for you to bother yourself with—”
Morello’s attention snapped toward him, cutting off his words. “If I wanted your opinion, pig, I’d ask for it. Now, shut the fuck up.”
His gaze cut back to mine as I heard the slide of a gun. I assumed it was Frankie, Morello’s goon, getting ready to either carry out option two or kill a cop in broad daylight.
My insides turned liquid, but I wouldn’t show fear. I made the only decision I could.
“Three, sir. I choose option three.”
Morello nodded. “That’s what I figured, because you’re not a fucking moron like those assholes.” He jerked his head at the cops before glancing over my shoulder. “Put him in the car. Call Doc. Have him meet us.”
As soon as the man’s hands landed on me, I spun around, grinding my teeth to keep from screaming out in pain. “I can help myself into the car.”
A glimmer of amusement flitted through Frankie’s eyes. “Get in the front seat, kid.”
I hobbled toward the door and opened it, practically collapsing inside before slamming it shut. Thankfully, no one could hear my hiss of pain because Morello and Frankie were still outside, facing Ernie and the cops. Their voices came loud and clear through the open back door.
“Sir, with all due respect—”
“You’ve never heard the name Lachlan Mount. You will never repeat it. You’ve never seen him before. You will forget he exists. He’s part of my organization now, and if you so much as think about going after him, I’ll watch while my people skin you alive and laugh when you squeal like the pigs you are. Then I’ll put bullets in the heads of everyone you love. How’s that sound?”
All three men, including the two in uniform, bobbed their heads like idiots and sputtered out replies.
“Understood, sir.”
“Never heard of him before.”
“Don’t know who you’re talking about, Mr. Morello. We’re just heading back to the station.”
Their fear of Morello rolled off them like stink. Or maybe one of them shit themselves. From the way the cops’ legs were quivering, I’d believe it. And then there was the wet spot spreading down Ernie’s pants.
He really did piss himself. No fucking way.
Then again, I wasn’t surprised. Morello’s posture was rigid. His orders absolute. I had no doubt in my mind he’d kill them all right here and follow through on everything he said.
I’d never seen that kind of power in action before. Never seen that kind of fear on any cop’s face. I soaked it up.
