28. Prime
PRIME
She looks perfect in black. It’s a simple dress but it fits her body like heaven. A hint of her cleavage, a tasteful amount of her legs, and heels that lift her ass to the sky.
I want to lock her in the fucking closet.
This is all wrong. There’s no way Fontana should invite me and Deanna to his house tonight, not after what happened at the last meeting. I keep thinking this reeks, it all stinks, but maybe Deanna’s talk with Carbone really did convince them that we’re innocent.
She leans against me on the ride to the house. The driver’s some low-level Fontana man. He barely grunts in our direction as we wind out to the suburbs, going much further than I ever imagined.
“What’s he doing all the way out here?” she asks, squinting into the darkness. Bucks County is a relatively large area north of Philadelphia. Parts are affluent, and that’s exactly how I’d describe the house we’re eventually brought to.
“I don’t know,” I admit as we’re let out in front of a grand, beautiful home, all white and black with manicured gardens and huge main doors. There are trees everywhere like we’re hidden in the forest. I would’ve bet anything that Fontana lived in the city, not forty-five minutes away instead.
“It’s nice at least.” Deanna presses close to me as we ascend and ring the bell.
“Any chance I can convince you to stay in the car?”
“None whatsoever.”
“Something bad might happen tonight.”
Her grip on my arm tightens. “I know, but I don’t care. We’re in this together now, and this is what you wanted, right?”
I nod. Fontana’s house. His home base, his actual address. I stared out the window the whole drive here, memorizing street signs. I keep running through the route in my head to make sure I won’t lose anything and I already dropped a location pin in my phone’s mapping software.
What I don’t understand is why he’s trusting me now.
Fontana himself answers the door. He seems like he’s in a good mood. He shakes my hand and welcomes us both warmly. His wife is a dour older woman but even she manages to seem engaged. The only surprise is Marco Carbone sitting in the dining room drinking wine with that default scowl.
“Please, sit and have something to eat. I’d say my wife slaved away for hours, but?—“
“I made some phone calls and had it all delivered. I’d say that still counts as working hard.” She laughs at her own joke and fills her glass to the brim with prosecco.
“Mr. Spadaro. Mrs. Spadaro.” Carbone nods between us, not standing in greeting. “I’m glad you came.”
He says that last while staring right at Deanna.
A flare of anger slides into my guts but I force myself to ignore him. Fontana holds court, talking about the area mostly, complaining about property taxes and local school districts and politicians he doesn’t like. He moans about the postal system and says his neighbors are all idiots and thieves.
“I’ll be honest, after what happened at our last meeting, I didn’t expect to see you again so soon.” I do my best to stay relaxed but it isn’t easy. Fontana’s wife is chatting away at Deanna, acting like they’re best of friends.
Fontana waves that away. “In my business, these things happen.”
“Still, you’ve insulated yourself from all that.”
“Yes, it helps to be paranoid these days.” He says it slowly and carefully as he touches the rim of his glass. “Tell me something, Prime. You’ve been in our business a long time, haven’t you?”
“For most of my life.”
“How many old men do you know still doing what we do?”
“Not many,” I admit. “And even fewer of them stay sharp.”
“That’s the ticket there, isn’t it?” Fontana leans forward, talking softly.
“Staying sharp. Our business is filled with sharks. Younger, hungrier, more violent sharks, and it feels like there are a thousand of them appearing every year. It’s a constant fight, keeping them from my door.
Any number of upstarts would gladly cut my throat to take what’s mine, but I find the struggle is a part of the game.
It keeps me on top, because the moment I get complacent, the moment I let it slip—“ He slides his dinner knife across his throat and makes a gagging sound.
“Darling!” His wife covers her mouth. “Don’t be so crude!”
Fontana howls with laughter. I do my best to grin along. Carbone shows no humor, the lizard.
“Actually, dear, would you mind giving us old men a moment to talk real numbers?”
“Not at all.” His wife stands and offers Deanna her hand. “Shall we ladies retreat?”
“Actually—“ Fontana waves his wife back. “The girl stays.”
His wife frowns but shrugs primly. “Well, I know where I’m not wanted.” She winks at Deanna and walks out. “See you boys—and girls—very soon!”
Silence falls over the table as Fontana refills his glass. I touch Deanna’s hand to steady her. Carbone eyes his fork as though it’s about to start singing and dancing. After an agonizing minute, Fontana settles himself and studies me.
“Sharks, Prime.” He thumps a hand on the table. “That’s what I was talking about. Sharks everywhere. Would you consider yourself a shark?”
“Back in the days, when I was younger, I would’ve said yes.”
“Not anymore?”
“No, Mr. Fontana. I’m not a shark anymore.”
“What are you, then?”
I consider lunging across the table. I think I could get my knife in his throat before Carbone could shoot me.
The old bastard would die, but there’s no doubt I’d go with him, and no guarantee Deanna wouldn’t follow.
That’s the only thing holding me back: I’m prepared to bleed for my revenge, but I’m not going to drag her to hell with me.
“I’m Prime, that’s all.”
Fontana’s chuckle is low and humorless. “No, I don’t think so. To me, you’re more like a snake.” He hisses, showing old teeth. “You’re a snake with wonderful real estate.”
“Are we discussing business now or are you naming everyone’s spirit animal?”
“Shut your mouth,” Carbone snaps.
Fontana acts as though his lieutenant didn’t interrupt.
“I’ve looked everywhere in this city, under every rock, snooped on every low-level gangster and mighty kingpin, and do you know what I found?
Your parking lots are some of the most efficient money-makers around.
They launder, they help move goods, they facilitate meetings.
They’re the perfect cover, and somehow, they’re under your control.
It’s maddening, because I’m a shark too, Prime, and sharks must keep swimming to breathe.
That’s always been my problem. If I let the outfit stagnate, bad things happen, and I much prefer my comforts these days. ”
“That’s why we’re making our deal, isn’t it?” The chill in the air thickens. Fontana’s not smiling anymore. He looks as though he wants to light the table on fire.
“There was never a deal, Prime. That charade was a joke. You were laughing, but you didn’t know the punchline. Would you like to hear it?”
Deanna’s hand grips my knee under the table.
Fontana bends closer. “The punchline is this: I remember you. Maybe you thought I didn’t, but I sure as hell do.
Little Prime, such an aggressive shark, a hungry mother fucker and a ruthless little killer.
I thought you’d be useful back when I first found you, but like all sharks, you don’t like to stay caged.
You were growing too big, getting too hungry, and I knew you had to be removed for my own safety.
You can’t imagine how many little Primes I’ve pruned over the years. ”
My mouth goes dry. My heartrate increases. The burning, quiet rage shimmers in my stomach. “That night.”
“That night,” Fontana agrees. “You were supposed to be alone. Instead, you brought a friend! That was such a pain in my ass, dealing with the wrong body, and then you disappeared from the streets for a while. I figured I’d scared you enough, at least until you emerged with that fucking Corsetti boy. ”
I grip the edge of the table. “You were targeting me.”
“What did you think happened?” Fontana sneers at me. “Instead, you used that friend of yours as a meat shield. Oh, yes, I was mildly impressed. You always were smarter than the average shark, I’ll give you that.”
“Fuck you,” I whisper, pushing back, knife gripped in my fist.
But too slow and too late. Carbone aims a gun at Deanna’s face. “Give me an excuse. I enjoy killing pretty girls.”
Deanna gags, going still, eyes wild with animal terror.
Every muscle bunches, ready to spring, but I hold myself back.
Fontana’s beaming at me like he’s enjoying the show and he’s right fucking there.
Even if Carbone shot Deanna and turned to me, I could still get Fontana. I could do it, right here and now.
Fontana killed Shawn. He meant to kill me, and that makes it so much worse. It wasn’t an accident—it was my own fucking failure that got my friend murdered. It was me, from the start. I’ve always been death, and now Deanna’s going to die too.
But I can’t move. I want to leap forward and end this in blood and glory, except the image of Deanna on my pool table is burned into my mind.
My wife, my beautiful wife. I meant it when I said I wanted a future because of her.
I’ve been spiraling toward this moment for years with no vision of anything past it, an easy, clean ending, but I don’t want the darkness anymore.
I want a future, I want more, so long as she’s with me.
I force my hand open. The knife clatters to the floor.
“Good man,” Fontana says happily. “Here’s what’ll happen.
You’re going to give me free rein of your lots.
I have product I need to move and you have a distribution system.
You’ll let me tap into it. I’ll give you some pittance so you can pretend like it’s all fine to your boss, maybe even lie to yourself, but we both know I fucking own you now. ”
“Mr. Spadaro wouldn’t want to see Mrs. Spadaro and the whole family get hurt, isn’t that right?
” Carbone’s aim doesn’t waver as he glances at me.
“Poor Rosa and Vinnie. And that kind nurse of theirs. What’s her name?
Yolanda? She seems like a good person. We wouldn’t want their bodies on our conscience. ”
Deanna’s breathing hard. She digs her hands into my leg. “Leave my family alone,” she hisses, but Carbone remains unmoved.
“That’s where we’ll leave it then.” Fontana inspects his nails.
“You thought you were coming for me, Prime, but I’ve been coming for you this whole time.
You think I didn’t realize what you wanted?
Why you were making inquiries? You even got married for me!
You fell in love for me! You gave me fucking leverage over you, and now you’re fucking mine.
” He claps his hands gleefully. “Isn’t that incredible, Marco? ”
“Love knows no limits,” Carbone says.
“You two are so handsome together, I could fucking scream.” Fontana’s smile is psychotic, stretching across his flabby face.
“The first shipment will arrive next week. You will not make trouble. You will do as you’re told, Prime.
If you try to move your wife’s family, we’ll kill her, track them down, and kill them too. Do you understand?”
Horror like ice water splashes down my spine. This is what he wanted from the start. This is why he dragged me closer, why he pretended to make nice, why he let me spiral around him.
Augustus Fontana wanted to own me, and I walked right into his trap.
“Don’t, Prime,” Deanna whispers, voice trembling. “Don’t let them… you can’t…”
I want to burn him to the ground, revel in his blood, drain the old bastard to a withered husk.
But he’s right.
The fuck, he’s right.
I got married for him, I fell in love for him, and I gave him the perfect weapon to use against me.
Before Deanna, there was only me and my revenge.
Now there’s her.
I have a reason to keep going.
“You have a deal, Mr. Fontana.” I push back from the table and stand. Carbone’s gun remains on Deanna. “I don’t think we need to shake on it.”
“Good man!” Fontana claps again, looking like a joyous little boy. “God, Marco, I love it when a plan comes together.”
“Well done, sir.”
“I’ll be seeing you shortly, Prime. This was so fun! And Deanna, it was a pleasure. My wife will be sad you left early, but I’m sure she’ll get over it.”
“Go to hell,” Deanna says.
“Maybe one day, but not anytime soon.”
I take Deanna’s hand and hold it tightly. I pull her from the room. Carbone follows, gun aimed, until I help my wife into the back of the car. Once the doors are shut, the driver begins back toward the city, still not in the talkative mood.
Deanna drapes herself against me, hugging tight, and there’s a deep emptiness in the core of me, a stunned horror so profound I can’t name it. I wrap an arm around her, trying to find her warmth, but everything’s cold, it’s fucking midnight dark, and I don’t see another way through.