I'll Settle This Score for You

It didn't take long before Marco burst through the door with two soldati from the Russo family.

The moment he saw me lying on the floor, wrapped in a trash bag, and my wrist bent at an unnatural angle, his eyes reddened as if he might cry.

"Madonna… What did they do to you…"

"Enough," I snapped, forcing the words out with what little strength I had left. "Pay her. Get me out of here."

Marco rushed forward and carefully helped me up. Behind him, the Russo family soldati set down case after case of cash, the sharp smell of fresh ink filling the room, heavy and unmistakable.

Sofia lunged at the boxes, laughing wildly, saliva almost spilling from her mouth.

"So, even a whore like you can make this much just by selling yourself. Get lost!" she barked, clutching the money to her chest. "And if I find even one fake bill, next time it will not just be a trash bag. I will chop you up and dump you in a landfill."

I didn't answer. I was afraid the moment I opened my mouth, a scream would escape.

Every inch of my body hurt, especially my hands. The pain had gone so deep they were nearly numb, as if they were no longer a part of me.

Marco and the soldati didn't waste a second. They lifted me into the car.

Once inside, Marco immediately reset my wrist with practiced efficiency and fed me painkillers, helping me swallow them with water.

"Boss, how are you holding up?"

The pills slid down my throat, and clarity slowly returned.

"This kind of injury will not break me," I said through clenched teeth, letting out a cold laugh. "But Luca really knows how to pick a girlfriend."

I dialed Paolo Ferraro, the Russo family's Capo degli Affari.

"Five minutes," I said calmly. "Replace the manager of our Central Street family hotel. Sofia is done for."

There was a brief silence on the other end, followed by a hesitant voice that sounded almost pleading.

"Boss, that manager… Sofia was personally appointed by Consigliere Luca. If we remove her, Consigliere Luca may be displeased."

"Oh?" I interrupted softly.

"So, you're afraid of Luca, but not of me?"

Paolo's voice immediately began to shake. "No, no, absolutely not. I would never disrespect you. I only wanted to inform you. I will handle it at once."

I ended the call and went straight to the hospital.

When I saw the report listing three fractured ribs, wrist joint damage, and extensive bruising, the fire in my chest burned even hotter.

This account would be settled face-to-face—with Luca.

I turned to Marco. "Where's Luca now?"

"At the St. John underground casino."

That made things simple. The casino was under my name.

By the time we arrived at the glittering entrance, the gambling inside was clearly reaching its peak. Luca's drunken, arrogant shouts as he placed his bets carried through the crowd.

No wonder he hadn't answered my calls. He was enjoying himself far too much.

Then, I heard Sofia's voice. She was speaking in a sugary tone, playing the victim as she clung to him.

"I only told her the room price. That hooker could not afford it, so she went crazy, hit me, cursed at me, and even found one of her patrons to try to get me fired…

"She's openly challenging your authority, slapping you in the face. She has no respect for you at all.

"Luca, you have to help me."

Luca grabbed Sofia's hip and laughed. "Which idiot dares to mess with my woman? Don't worry, sweetheart. Once I win this round, I'll personally find her and settle the score. I'll show her what a real mafia man can do."

Laughter and cheers rose from the crowd.

"Consigliere Luca, say the word, and we'll drag that bitch here."

"Who knows, one of us might even be her patron? Don't get soft then, hah!"

Suddenly, there was a loud bang. A bullet shattered a whiskey bottle. With that, amber liquid exploded outward, splashing across their faces.

As they wiped themselves off, they cursed and turned in anger.

"What the hell? Who fired a gun? Do you know who this is? This is Consigliere Luca of the Russo family!"

They froze. A row of dark gun barrels was aimed straight at their heads.

I slowly removed my sunglasses and smiled at them.

"I just heard someone say they wanted to settle a score with me. I'm here," I said quietly. "It's time to put an end to this."