Requiem

By A. Villanueva

The Four Families who make up New York City’s mafia rule it with an iron grip, and Danté Moreau is the second son of one of these families, serving as their hit man. He eliminates threats to his family's reign with an apathetic disdain and the help of his business partner, Chase Zhu.

But that all changes when cop named Ryu Alvarado makes a press statement where he says he is determined to put The Four Families away. Danté isn’t quite sure what to make of it. On one hand, he’s terrified to death, but on the other he still wants to see what Ryu’s capable of.

• Language: English
• Publisher: A. Villanueva
• Release date: Jun 18, 2019
• ISBN: 9780463706121

Book preview

Requiem

Copyright 2019 A. Villanueva

Acknowledgments

To my sister, Tara, who helped me make these characters.

Cover Photo by Sam Burriss

One

Danté Moreau took the safety off of his revolver that was pressed against a man's forehead. He checked the time on his black Rolex watch. It was 4:45 in the afternoon, and so far, he was on schedule. He had a meeting with his older brother, Xavier, at 5:30, and he couldn't be late for it. Danté wasn't quite sure what his brother wanted to talk with him about, but he knew it was something important. He thought maybe it had something to do with his brother's new prearranged fiancée, Davi. She was caught sleeping with another man just yesterday, and Xavier was not happy about it.

He took his eyes away from the young man and looked around the abandoned electric plant. There was nothing interesting about the decrepit building. It was falling apart for sure, and there wasn't even a roof above where he was standing. Obscene graffiti was everywhere, but Danté's favorite was his name, spray painted on the wall above where the young man, Tony, was sitting. Danté's name was in black and gold which were his two favorite colors. He wasn't sure who had put it there, but he was glad his name was getting around.

Danté had done plenty of business here. It was his go-to place to do his job which was killing people for money or killing those who dared to cross his family. He didn't have any particular feelings towards it, but always did what he was told. Keeping a low profile and his head down was the best way to go about his work. The last thing he wanted to do was get the cops on his trail, but it's not like they would do anything even if they opened up an investigation against him. His family paid the Police Commissioner, Emile, good money to overlook anything the Moreaus did that might not be totally legal.

If you want to live, you'll have to do better than that. Danté laughed in a thick, coarse French accent.

He didn't feel any remorse that he was going to kill him. Tony had violated an important rule that the Moreau family upheld, which was no sleeping with a Moreau's woman, and he'd broken that rule when he slept with a Davi. His death was the price he had to pay for violating the rules. It didn't matter his connections or who he was, the fact that he underestimated Moreau authority would not be tolerated by Danté or anyone else in his family.

I-I will give you anything you want! My life savings, anything! Tony wailed.

You dared to cross my family, so you have to pay the price, Danté replied.

Please just let me live—

It's nothing personal. A scrawny young man with mauve hair at Danté's right shrugged, the twang of a southern accent prominent in his voice.

It never is, Danté agreed.

It's my life of course it's personal! Tony wailed.

Shut up, Danté said, pulling the trigger.

The loud bang of a gunshot filled the room. The young man at Danté's side jolted up, startled by the sudden noise. Tony's head slumped to the side, and the insides of his brain splattered against the wall as if it were a canvas. Unphased, Danté put his gun back on his hip, under his black suit coat. He checked his watch again to see it was around 5:00, and he had to get going if he was going to be on time for the meeting.

You know what to do, Zhu, he said, turning to the round-faced young man.

Of course! But why don't you call me Chase? We've known each other all these years, but you always call me by my last name.

Chase Zhu was a recent college graduate and walked with a pep in his step. He always wore a white suit despite his messy line of work and was always happy and cheery despite the circumstances. Danté didn't know how he managed it, but he found it somewhat comforting even if he would never admit it. The only reason he put up with Chase and the constant annoyance that came with him was because of a promise he made many years ago.

Danté would handle the killing aspect of his job while Chase handled the cleanup. Chase was good at it too since the cops had yet to find a single body. Danté never knew how Chase hid the bodies, since he always insisted on keeping his methods a secret, but that was ok with Danté. As long as the cops were kept in the dark, he had no qualms with his methods.

They'd known each other since middle school, but Chase and Danté only started working together a few months after he and Chase, who's a year younger than him, graduated from college. Up until that point Danté partnered up with a bunch of lowlife grunts that worked with his family. He had plenty of close calls before teaming up with Chase since all the grunts he previously worked with proved themselves to be unreliable one way or another. They were careless and messy, leaving a trail the cops could've easily traced if not for their previous agreement with the Moreaus.

Chase never had any experience in this line of work before he started working with Danté. He barely even knew who the Moreaus were or what kind of business they did until Danté told him a few months ago when they started working together. Chase took the news surprisingly well and promised not to notify the police or government in any kind of way. The only reason Danté told him was because his father, Quentin, allowed it. Quentin told him to find a more reliable partner, and Danté was in no place to go against his father's wishes. Danté didn't exactly fully trust Chase, but he was the best option.

On the surface the Moreau family invested in local small businesses but digging down deeper things weren't all that legitimate. The Moreaus protected said businesses, but not exactly legally. The businesses paid the Moreaus for their protection from local street thugs and other low ranked gangsters. Each shop they protected had a spray painted capitalized 'M' somewhere on a window to show they couldn't be touched. If someone dared to defy the Moreaus they were executed at best or slowly tortured until they got the message.

I never call anyone by their first names. You're not special enough to be an exception, Danté said bluntly.

Chase wasn't offended but expected a response like that from Danté. Ouch, harsh.

I'm not known for my kindness.

That's painfully obvious.

I have business to attend to. Can I trust you to hide the body?

That's the dumbest question you've ever asked me. Of course, I'll hide it! What kind of business? Xavier stuff?

Yeah, he asked me to talk with him.

Tell him I said hi!

Sure, Danté said, giving Chase and the corpse one final look as he walked out of the building.

Danté walked into the parking lot to see a blacked-out Cadillac, engine started, waiting for him. He got into the car, and the driver looked at him through his rear-view window. He wasn't surprised when the driver's eyes lingered on him. The scars Danté had didn't soften his appearance.

There were two prominent scars that contrasted Danté's tanned skin along with pale blotches, the most notable being on his face, that were scattered amongst it. One scar was a long, jagged, thick line under his left eye that extended to the top of his lip and the other wrapped around his neck like a choker.

His scars were something he never talked about. No one asked for fear of offending him, and if someone had the nerve to ask him directly how he got them he wouldn't bother to answer. It's not that it was a touchy subject for him. Danté just hated explaining himself to anyone he didn't like, which was almost everyone he met. He'd been told he wouldn't make any friends that way, but as far as Danté was concerned he didn't need any friends. They were pointless in his eyes, and just loose ends his father would ask him to take care of. Even if he had a friend what would he even talk to them about? His family was out of the question, and Danté hated small talk. Friends were dangerous and would just end up getting killed.

The scar around Danté's neck, he didn't care about. He'd gotten it from a botched suicide attempt when he was twelve and still living in France. It didn't take a rocket scientist to put two and two together, and Danté assumed most people could figure out what it meant by a simple glance. The noose was faulty and not tied right, so he waited as he slowly suffocated to death. Luckily, his father found him in the nick of time, and called the police, who pulled him to safety. However, after a week-long stay in a psychiatric hospital, Quentin beat him within an inch of his life for drawing unnecessary attention from the police. The last thing Danté could do was go to the hospital and raise some questions, so the maids at his house patched him up and made sure he recovered.

However, the scar on his face was a different story. Every day he tried to fight the vicious and graphic flashbacks of the moment he got it. They were constant and aggressive, and having a flashback was just about as commonplace as breathing. He would never forget the cold metal knife against his skin, digging deeper and deeper. Danté could still smell and feel the blood rushing down his face, warm and thick. It was suffocating, and chills went down his spine every time he thought about it.

Where to sir? the driver asked, jarring him from his thoughts.

The Pink Flamingo, Danté answered.

Of course, sir. That'll be about ten minutes.

Well then, hurry up.

Sure thing, sir. We'll be on our way, the driver said nervously as he pulled out of the parking lot and onto the main road.

Danté took out his meager flip phone from his pants pocket. He didn't want a phone originally, but Quentin and Xavier forced him to get one just in case a new job opened up, or they had to contact him. It felt like a target directly on his back, and he didn't like it at all. Danté hated how cryptic he had to be on the phone, but he couldn't risk exposing his family's illegal business practices with one call. The cops could have easily wiretapped it, but that was unlikely considering how much the Moreaus paid them to overlook anything they did.

He glanced at his watch to see it was 5:03, and so far, he was still on schedule. If he was late for this meeting Xavier would not be happy, and the consequences wouldn't be pretty either. Xavier would not tolerate being stood up or ignored, especially by his younger brother. Danté dialed Xavier's number and put his phone to his ear. The phone rang twice before his older brother, who was three years his senior, picked up.

Ah, Danté, hello, Xavier said, also in a thick French accent. As opposed to Danté's voice, Xavier's was silvery and smooth.

Xavier, it's done. He's not a problem anymore, Danté replied.

Excellent. I'll tell Father right away. You're doing so well. I'm very impressed.

I've been doing this for a while.

Only until recently have you actually impressed me. A few years ago, you were difficult.

I'm better now. Is there anything else you need of me?

Yes, look presentable at the meeting. Are you wearing a suit?

Yes. It's all black.

We have to do something about your obsession with black. Xavier laughed. Anyways, I have to go. Au revoir.

Danté hung up the phone and sighed loudly. He slumped back in the backseat, and put his hand to his face, tracing his scar. He felt the slightly raised skin against the tip of his fingers and shuddered. He counted to ten in French and English to try to calm his nerves, but it didn't help. Instead, he scrolled through his contacts until he got bored. He considered calling Davi but decided not to. Xavier was pissed at her, and he didn't want to risk any of that coming his way.

Everything ok, sir? You look a little on edge, the driver asked.

Just shut up and drive, Danté hissed, and he didn't push it.

All Danté knew was that he was meeting his brother for something, but Xavier didn't specify what for. He got the hint it had something to with Davi, or it could be to debrief about executing Tony, which Xavier had arranged in the first place. Either way Danté wasn't looking forward to it. His brother wasn't exactly the easiest person to face. Xavier was the next heir of the Moreau crime empire, and once Quentin died it would all go to him.

Xavier Moreau didn't look anything like his younger brother. Both of their faces had different features, with Danté having high, defined cheekbones and a jawline as sharp as a broken piece of glass. Xavier, on the other hand, had a much rounder and softer face, and in general looked more approachable than his younger brother who always either had a scowl or uninterested look on his face. Along with their drastically different facial structures, it was rather easy to tell them apart especially with Danté's septum piercing, scars, vitiligo, and Xavier's left eyebrow slit.

Despite not really looking alike, they both had the same pale skin, purple eyes, and straight purple hair. Danté pushed it back with one strand in front of his face that could never be tamed, while Xavier preferred to keep his in a short buzzcut. Another way to tell the brothers apart was that Danté was a lot more muscular than Xavier since he spent most of his free time at the gym lifting weights and working out with Chase when he wasn't doing jobs for his family. Danté was also slightly taller than his older brother, but it didn't matter if Danté was huge compared to Xavier or that he was taller than him, Xavier was still extremely intimidating to him.

Xavier had the world in his palm. Whatever he wanted could be a reality if he asked, and he was not a man to be toyed with. Xavier was everything any logical person would fear: young, rich, and powerful. Danté was terrified of him for many reasons, but mostly because of all the power he held. He may not be the current head of the Moreau empire, but he was next in line to inherit it all. With just his command anyone he wanted dead would be gone in a matter of hours. To Danté, dealing with his brother was like walking on eggshells. If he slipped up or did something to irritate him, he could easily be killed. It didn't matter if he was a Moreau or not, he was the second son. His life had no value, and if Xavier really wanted him dead, he would already be six feet under.

How he was still alive, Danté didn't know. He wasn't sure if he should be grateful or not but took his life with a grain of salt. Danté felt like his family was testing him, waiting for him to slip up, so they could find an excuse to kill him. It was exhausting always being so cautious all the time, but he couldn't help it. If he wasn't careful, he would be dead. Danté may have a self-destructive streak, but he didn't want to be executed by his own family. That was the absolute last way he wanted to go.

It was silent for the rest of the car ride. Danté had nothing to say to a meager driver, and the driver was too scared to start a conversation. He knew who Danté was and what he did. The driver wasn't going to be stupid and ask dumb questions. Danté wasn't bothered by the silence, and found it comforting. He was never a big talker in the first place. Silence was a common and welcomed thing to him.

We're here, the driver said, killing the engine as he turned around to look at Danté.

Danté got out of the car without saying goodbye and walked to the entrance of The Pink Flamingo. He looked up at the tacky, pink neon sign that read 'The Pink Flamingo' and rolled his eyes. He'd asked Martin, the owner, to get rid of the awful thing, but he had yet to convince him. Danté thought the sign was an eyesore, but Martin absolutely loved it. He looked around and spotted a spray painted 'M' in one of the windows and tensed up. He counted as high as he could in French and walked inside.

The inside of The Pink Flamingo was loud and reeked of alcohol. There were drunk people everywhere, and the bar was filled to the brim. Danté walked over to the bar counter as the entrance door closed behind him. He sat down on an empty stool and waited for the bartender to notice him. When the bartender noticed Danté, he ignored his other customers in favor of serving him first. He flashed Danté a warm, genuine smile that made him feel a bit at ease.

What can I get you, Danté? he asked.

The usual, McGinnis, Danté said, handing him a twenty.

You know it won't kill you to call me Thomas. After all we've known each other since our college years. Thomas pocketed the money and started fashioning Danté's drink.

In a matter of seconds Thomas practically pulled a gin and tonic out of thin air. Danté always liked watching Thomas work, and thought he was good at his job too. It was easy to tell Thomas was very talented by his finished products. He garnished the drink with a lime and placed a few more inside of the medium sized glass. He slid it to Danté with a smile as he went back to serving his other customers.

Danté walked over to the bar hatch, drink in hand, and opened it. Thomas didn't bat an eye as Danté headed to the kitchen unopposed. He walked through the kitchen where some cooks and dishwashers waved at him. Danté waved back to a few of them before reaching the door at the other end. He opened it and walked into a long corridor with cameras everywhere. Once he reached the end of the hallway, Danté took a sip of his gin and tonic. He looked at the security camera closest to him and hit the button on the intercom next to the locked door.

Danté Moreau. Meeting at 5:30 with Xavier Moreau, he said into the intercom.

Suddenly, there was a click. Danté opened the door and walked into the study and closed the door behind him.

The study was originally a storage room, but after Martin agreed to his contract with the Moreaus renovations were made. The Pink Flamingo was one of the bases, the other being the Moreau manor, of the Moreau family operations that weren't all that legal. It was where Xavier did most of his dirty work. He always went on about how he adored the study, calling it a second home.

Martin renovated the storage room into a plush study with a regal mahogany desk and bookshelves lining the walls. It had a fireplace that was never lit, but the room still felt homey in some way. Across the desk were two leather chairs that looked expensive. Quentin had commissioned the room a month into the contract, but Danté never knew if he was satisfied with the results. Quentin usually never visited the Pink Flamingo, so Xavier claimed it as his.

Quentin trusted Xavier a great deal and let him handle smaller contracts and deals that were rather easy to take care of. After all, Xavier needed the training if he was going to inherit Quentin's business. However, Xavier told Danté he hated dealing with them, and thought Quentin was treating him like a child. He wanted something more challenging, but Quentin refused to give him anything of that caliber. Xavier knew better than to protest his father, who was the one man more powerful than him.

Danté looked around the study and spotted his brother, and a pale, white haired, blue eyed man at his right he recognized him instantly as Elliot Vãduvã.

Elliot Vãduvã was the heir to the Vãduvã family business that made their fortune in stocks. The Vãduvãs were a Romanian family that emigrated to the United States to secure a business deal between them and the Maos, or Davi's family. The Maos agreed that the Vãduvãs would move in exchange for turf and a portion of their vast Cambodian American cocaine ring. The Vãduvãs would get a piece of the action if they moved and would become dealers for the Maos. The Moreaus, Maos, Vãduvãs, were all business partners, and coexisted with each other.

Elliot was also Xavier's right-hand man. The two were rarely seen apart from each other, which only fueled speculations of something more going on behind their relationship. Xavier was very secretive, so any news of anything more going on between the two would probably never surface. Danté had asked about it once, but Xavier insisted he was loyal to his fiancée. Danté knew he wouldn't get a confession out of his brother, so he dropped the subject. Xavier was happy to comply, but that didn't stop Danté's hunch.

Danté had mixed feelings about Elliot. For one, he was way too over the top dramatic for him, and secondly, he treated Danté like dirt. It wasn't a secret Elliot absolutely hated Danté, and he was very vocal about it. Elliot would hurl constant insults towards him about whatever was on his mind, but Danté could care less about what Elliot thought of him. Xavier didn't bother to interfere, but Danté didn't expect him too. Danté had to take the insults if he were to please Xavier, since the consequences of making his brother unhappy were too steep.

I see you still look like shit, Elliot said, crossing his arms.

Hm, you're lucky your keeper is here, or I would punch you square in the jaw, Danté replied, sitting down in front of his brother and Elliot.

I'm pleased you've made it in one piece, Danté. I've been patiently waiting for you, Xavier chimed with a warning, icy smile.

Danté swallowed hard. Of course, what would you like of me, brother? Zhu said hi as well.

Oh? Tell Chase I said hello when you see him next. I need two things of you. Xavier held up two fingers, waving them at Danté.

Of course, anything, Danté said, biting the inside of his cheek.

Two things: talk to Davi. She's been restless these past few days and won't listen to me. Make sure to make it clear I won't tolerate this adulterous streak.

Davi and Xavier did not get along in the slightest. She was everything Xavier hated: someone who was loud, always spoke her mind, and wasn't afraid to defend herself. Davi was very vocal about how she didn't want to marry Xavier, but she didn't have much of choice. Her father, Boran Mao, was the boss of a Cambodian American drug ring and arranged her and Xavier's marriage to secure a partnership between the two families. He would not handle disobedience, especially from his own daughter. Davi retaliated by constantly cheating on Xavier with low level grunts just to piss him off, and so far, it was working. Danté of course had to kill of them for violating the rule about Moreau women, but it was his job. He could care less who he killed as long as he got paid.

I'll talk to Davi, but I doubt she'll listen to me. Danté shrugged.

She listens to you. I do not like her in the slightest, Xavier hissed.

We all have things we need to do, Elliot offered.

Yes, I suppose you're right, Elliot. Xavier sighed.

What was the second thing you wanted me to do? Danté asked.

Father wants me to find a solution to this turf war between the Alcinas and us. I have no time for that, so I need you to talk to Robyn in my place.

There were four local crime families, or crime syndicates that had a family at the head of it: the Moreaus, the Maos, the Vãduvãs, and the Alcinas. Each of these families had a boss who was in charge of it. For the Moreaus it was Quentin, the patriarch of the family. When he died it would all go to Xavier, the first-born son. For years and years this was how a boss passed on power. That was all until Robyn Alcina came along.

Robyn was famous amongst The Four Families for being the first woman to ever inherit a crime syndicate. Max, her father and current boss of the family, thought she would be a perfect candidate since she was his firstborn and only child. Robyn was very qualified and a force to be reckoned with. Many bosses disagreed with the decision, but Max's mind was made up. When he died it would all go to Robyn, and they would have to deal with it.

Despite the current turf war between the two families, Robyn and Xavier got along swimmingly. They both played lacrosse and were captains of their high school and college teams. The two of them, from what Danté knew, were best friends. Despite her being so close with his brother, Danté had never met Robyn. Xavier didn't like his friends interacting with Danté unless necessary, and this sudden allowance seemed fishy.

Me? Talk to her? Why don't you just send McGinnis to do that? Danté asked.

She's interested in you for some reason. Robyn asked me to set up a meeting between you two, Xavier answered.

Danté was suspicious at this new interest in him. He may have never met Robyn, but he already didn't trust her. He'd heard rumors from Chase about how nosy and catty she was, and he hated people like that. Danté liked keeping his secrets to himself, and the last thing he wanted was some woman poking her nose where it didn't belong. Danté, like his brother, was a very private person. He wasn't sure what Xavier told her about himself, but it couldn't have been all that good.

Well, did you? Danté inquired.

Elliot snapped his head and gave Danté a disgusted look. Watch your tone.

Now, now, Elliot. I'm sure Danté didn't mean to come off the way he did. Right, Danté? Xavier chimed, but Danté didn't believe he was coming to his aid for a second.

I didn't mean to come off as rude, Danté replied nervously.

See? He wouldn't bite his master. Xavier laughed, his smile sending chills down Danté's spine.

He's not as dumb as a dog then. Perhaps he's not so hopeless. Elliot also laughed.

Perhaps, but we will see. Xavier twirled a pen in his fingers. To answer your question, Danté, I did set up a meeting between you two. It's tomorrow at seven here at The Pink Flamingo. Might I suggest you see Davi first?

I'll talk to her. Will that be all, brother? Danté asked.

Yes, Xavier answered, getting up.

Danté did the same, and Xavier stuck out his hand. Danté looked between his brother and Elliot, and Elliot just scoffed in response. Danté cautiously took his brother's hand, and Xavier pulled him in close.

Make sure you solve this, or I will punish you, Xavier whispered into Danté's ear in French.

Of course, Danté replied weakly, also in French as Xavier let go of him.

Xavier offered Danté another icy smile as Danté walked out of the room. He glanced back at the pair one last time before closing the door behind him. Then, Danté leaned up against it, and covered his face with his hand, the glass falling onto the floor. He traced over the scar under his eye again and took a deep breath. Danté counted as high as he could in both French and English, mixing up the languages. After a few minutes, Danté took another deep breath and flipped open his phone. He thumbed through his contacts until he found Davi's number and called her. Danté put his phone to his ear and waited for her to pick up. After Danté heard three rings there was a click.

Hello? Davi's perky voice asked.

It's Danté, he replied, coolly.

Danté! To what do I owe to pleasure?

We need to talk. Meet me at The Pink Flamingo as soon as you can.

Is this about Xavier?

Yes.

He doesn't even solve his own fucking problems. Coward, I hate your brother.

Just come to The Pink Flamingo, and we'll talk about it. It's free therapy what more could you want?

She hesitated. Fine. I'll come see you, but I still hate your brother.

Alright. See you in ten minutes?

Sure. Bye talk to you later, Davi said, obviously not happy as she hung up the phone.

Danté put his phone back in his pocket and sighed loudly. He had no idea if Davi was even going to listen to him. Xavier was confident she would, but Danté knew if Davi didn't want to listen it would be impossible to get through to her. Davi was as stubborn as a mule, and the odds of her doing exactly what anyone wanted of her were next to impossible. It would take a Herculean effort to control someone like her, but the only reason she fell in line when it came to her father was because her mother asked her too. Davi had a huge soft spot for her mother and would do absolutely anything to make her happy. If that meant marrying Xavier, she would, but not without making it utter hell for everyone else involved to spite them.

There was no set date for the wedding, but Xavier and Davi's engagement was very recent. It was agreed to only a month ago, but that didn't stop her from already cheating on Xavier with up to ten different men. It was her way of showing him she couldn't be controlled, and Danté respected her greatly for it. Of course, he'd never tell anyone that to not upset Xavier, but that didn't stop him from finding it entertaining. No one had the nerve to defy Xavier up until Davi came along, and Danté would cheer her on in secret. He felt a little bad for Davi but tried not to. The last thing Davi wanted was pity, so Danté wouldn't give her any.

Danté walked back down the corridor with the cameras everywhere back into the kitchen. Some staff waved or nodded at him, and Danté waved back to the ones he recognized. The kitchen was always a maze to get through. There were so many cooks, dishwashers, and other staff running about always trying to beat the rush. Danté used to work here when he was still getting back on his feet after college, so he knew everyone in The Pink Flamingo, especially Thomas, well. It wasn't until around a month after he graduated from college that Quentin offered him a job as the family hit man. Danté was in no place to deny someone with as much power as his father, so he agreed.

He opened the door behind the bar and saw Thomas mixing a drink and chatting up customers. Thomas glanced at him and smiled, and Danté nodded in response. He lifted the hatch leading to the stools and sat down on one of them. Danté took out his phone again and scrolled through his contacts until he found Chase's number. He called him and put his phone to his ear.

After Danté heard two rings, someone picked up. Hello?

Zhu, is it done? Danté asked.

Yup! All taken care of. You don't nearly trust me enough if you have to call me to make sure I've done the task. Chase pouted.

You can never be too safe especially in our line of work. Also, my brother said hi back, Danté replied.

Really!? Awesome! He's so cool I literally want to be him, Chase gushed.

You just want his position, Danté pointed out.

I don't think I could handle it actually. Too much sneaking around, Chase concluded.

So, what does that make us? Saints? Danté asked.

Ha! He's got jokes! You can be funny if you try, Danté. Chase laughed.

I don't care if I'm funny or not. I'm just trying to get by.

And that's why you don't have a girlfriend. Seriously, lighten up, would you? You're so doom and gloom.

A girlfriend or whatever is pointless and just a loose end.

I can see why you're so popular.

I don't care about what other people think of me. It's pointless and a waste of my time.

Again, how are you so popular? Talking with you is like using a dull knife.

And what does that make you?

One of those tiny knives you can hide in armbands or something. Fun sized!

An optimist to the end. You're really hopeless.

Yeah, yeah, anyways, why did you call me? Need to talk?

God no. I was just calling to ask if you were done.

Can you see me frowning? I'm frowning, Danté. This is the saddest news I've heard in my life. I thought you wanted to talk. I'm so bummed.

I'm hanging up now.

Wait! Before you go, where are you?

The Pink Flamingo.

Of course, where else would you be? That was a stupid question. I'm coming over. See you in a bit!

Before Danté could argue, Chase hung up the phone. Danté rolled his eyes but wasn't upset Chase was dropping by. He did enjoy his company even if he found him annoying most of the time. Chase usually just rambled on and on about random gossip that Danté never paid attention to. Why Chase was so obsessed with other people's lives, Danté had no clue. He tried to understand Chase's interest, but he never could. Danté never liked gossip because it wasn't any of his business. As long as no one dug around for his secrets he didn't see a need to get involved with other people's lives.

Danté looked around the bar and saw Thomas had left him another gin and tonic. He looked around the bar again. Thomas was doing his rounds, a group of drunks were singing to his right, and to his left there was a couple making out. He laughed a bit at the couple, unsure how they could do something like that in a public place, but Danté assumed it was the alcohol's doing.

Couples never made much sense to Danté. He'd dated one person in the past, but after being betrayed by them, he swore off dating entirely. Danté knew he would never be able to trust anyone that much to be in a relationship ever again, but that didn't stop him from having casual hook ups. Then, Thomas finished up his rounds and walked over to Danté with a smile on his face, polishing a glass.

Hey, what's going on? Thomas asked.

Just finished up a meeting with the son, Danté answered.

The Moreaus had a code that only Quentin, Xavier, Danté, and informants knew. It was their way of talking about important people without tipping off any suspicion. Thomas picked it up after Xavier taught him since Thomas was a trusted Moreau informant. He would go into another family's turf and dig around for whatever Xavier or Quentin wanted. It could vary drastically from if a shipment of cocaine had arrived to what Robyn wanted for a birthday gift. The code wasn't very complex: Xavier was the son, Quentin the father, Elliot the white, Davi the daughter, Chase the casket, Robyn the canary, and Danté the second to name a few. It was easy for everyone to remember, but only the Moreaus used it. Danté wasn't sure if other families had codes also, but it was most likely considering their line of work.

Oh, I see. How'd it go? Thomas asked, frowning.

He wants me to talk to the canary, Danté scoffed.

She's lovely! Absolute doll. You know she tips me a hundred dollars every time she comes here? Honestly, I love her, Thomas said with a smile.

Ok, you're biased. I have to go to a meeting with her or something like that.

Hm, maybe she's going to interview you?

She's going to what?

Interview you. When I first met her, she asked me a bunch of questions about myself for about thirty minutes.

This was exactly what Danté was dreading. He'd heard about the whole process from Chase but didn't think that could be why Robyn was interested in him. Now it all made sense. Another reason why Robyn was infamous was for her lengthy interview process that could range from thirty minutes to an hour. From what he'd heard she would ask someone a range of personal questions, and Danté thought it was to assess incoming threats. Someone like Robyn had to be careful if she was going to hold on to all that power. Anyone from The Four Families could try to take from her any second.

Jesus Christ, Danté said, taking a swig from his gin and tonic.

Drink up. You'll need it. She doesn't gloss over anything, but then again she probably already knows plenty about you, Thomas replied.

Considering how close the son and her are.

Thomas nodded. They're very good friends.

Then, the entrance door swung open, and Danté and Thomas turned to see Davi staring at them.

I'm here, she said.

Davi Mao was five feet two inches with deep brown skin, bright blue eyes, and blonde hair. Davi wore a small, red, tight silk dress with matching red high heels and a giant fur coat. She was always very stylish considering how much she hung around Robyn. The two were infamous for their exuberant shopping sprees, which were no big deal considering how well off both of their families were.

Davi was very well known for her beauty all across New York. Many suitors tried to marry her before Xavier came along, but her father never passed his blessing to any of them. Without Davi or Boran's permission they couldn't get very far, so most of them gave up. The few who didn't mysteriously disappeared. Danté wondered why Davi wasn't arranged to marry Elliot instead, but never asked about it.

Hey. You look nice, Danté said as Davi sat down next to him.

Hm, whatever. Thomas, get me roaring drunk. I'm going to need it. Davi sighed.

The usual? Thomas asked.

Please, Davi answered.

Thomas flashed a smile before going to work crafting Davi's usual. Danté glanced at her and tried to read her expression. She looked more pissed than anything else, but then again that was obvious. She'd been pissed ever since her father told her she had to marry Xavier. Davi was a free spirit and the last thing she wanted was to be tied down, especially to someone she didn't even like. Then again, she didn't have much of a choice. If Davi disobeyed her father, she probably wouldn't live too long