𝐌𝐢 𝐃𝐢𝐨𝐬𝐚

𝟎𝟖

I turn back around and head to one of the only people who doesn't care about telling people's business. If he wasn't so loyal to the gang, I'd take him for a snitch. I head to the gambling table to see him sitting directly in the middle. There's a game going on, but my patience hasn't always been great. I slam my hand on the table once I reach it, and plaster a calm smile on my face.

"I win. Now leave. Javier stay."

No one wastes a second- they're out of their seats and gone, leaving their earnings in a heartbeat.

Javier looks around before settling his eyes on me. "Wanna sit? Might as well, since you scared my banks away."

"No."

"Alright," he sweeps in his earnings, pocketing them, then gives me his attention. "What do you want?"

"Ambino was here," I state.

"He was..." Javier leans back in his seat, crossing his arms- but not defensively. He's getting comfortable.

I wait for him to continue, but he says nothing else. He does this. Milk you of your information first, and if you want something from him? There's almost always a catch. He's good for his information, and he knows it.

He knows I'm losing more of the patience that's already worn thin. A sly smile forms, and he offers for me to sit again.

"Sit, Malik. I know what you're wondering. I can tell you, but then you'd have to do a favor for me."

I smile at that, causing Javier's smile to widen. I pull my gun from the waistband of my joggers, and point it straight at him. Javier drops his smile, instantly, his hands going up in defense. I tilt my head in mock confusion, worrying him more.

"What?" I ask, in what seems to be confusion. "I pay favors back in blood. That won't be a problem, right?"

Javier lowers his arms, "forget the favor. So where were we?"

"Ambino."

"Right," he tries to offer me a seat, again, but I stay standing. My gun is lowered, but it's still gripped in my hand in case he decides to keep testing how patient I can be. I don't mind watching him bleed all over the table. Maybe one of the guys will feel bad enough and patch him up. Or something. "He was here."

I say nothing.

"Doing his random check in- you know the ones that we never know about- and he shit on us as usual. Bunch of bull, really."

He takes a moment to pick at his nails, and when he peeks up at me, I remain stone-faced. It looks like he accepts the fact that he won't be getting a word out of me, until he finishes telling me everything. A nod to himself later, and he's back at it.

"Everyone was there, surprisingly, and he was checking for you. Realized you weren't here, and got pissed about it. The first one he went to was Talon. That's your sidekick, yeah? Anyway, he said he didn't know. He asked us next, and we didn't know either."

"Then what?" I say, my tone hinting at the underlying anger that's starting to build up. I have a feeling about what happened, but if Javier speaks those words...it won't be pretty. For any of them.

"He went back to Talon and said, where's my dog that you're supposed to keep a leash on? Talon boy must've felt bold. He basically told boss to fuck himself, and obviously he didn't like that. Long story short? Boss shot him in the stomach. Used Zyler's gun, I think."

"And then?" I know that isn't all.

"He made him stand there while telling us to try and get the bullet out with nothing but a knife."