Boys Will Do Anything For Money

Money Makes The World Fall Down

3

“You people,” I stared at Eris, Zed and Jayden. “Are mafia?!”

“Now calm down-” Zed began.

“No, honey. This is one of those times when I’m allowed to freak out.”

“We’re not technically mafia!” Eris intercepted.

Arik gave him an arched look.

“Well, okay, we do a few jobs. But that’s just to earn money!”

“And you’re going to need a whole lot more of it.” Arik inspected the damage to his HQ.

A few people in suits similar to his seemed to be dealing with the few remaining police and my head was spinning so fast I felt seconds away from fainting.

Arik gestured to us. “Why don’t we go for a drink?” His smile was poison. “And discuss this?”

xxx

So, basically, as my life turned out, a few new facts arose over drinks at an expensive-looking uptown hotel-restaurant that I visited with my newfound mafia connections.

1. Eris, Zed and Jayden were adopted brothers.

2. They had been late to complete a job for the mafia, which was why they pulled a gun on some poor cabby who wouldn’t give them a ride for free.

3. Arik was a ‘childhood friend’ who had gotten them into this business in the first place.

4. The mafia were not patient people.

5. Nor did they happen to be understanding.

6. There was now extensive damage to Arik’s HQ.

7. Childhood friends received no mercy.

Arik checked his phone and gave us all a calm smile.

None of us had even touched our drinks.

“Well,” He said. “The damage to the property levels around one-”

“Good.” Eris murmured.

“-point three-”

“Getting bad vibes.” Jayden commented.

“-million pounds.”

“Fuck.” Zed said.

“Precisely.” Arik said. “What do you four intend to do about it?”

“Sorry?” I couldn’t help it. “‘Four’?”

“To be sure, seeing as you’re nothing but an innocent bystander in this: I could let you off. But, as I understand it, you were driving the car.”

I glared at the three guys.

“He made us.” Jayden muttered. “He used a cunning means of interrogation.”

“What?” I smirked. “He offer you free pizza or something.”

Silence.

“Oh come on! What?!”

“You could try and refuse,” Arik said smoothly. “But I think you understand the position you’re in.”

I put my head in my hands.

In hindsight, I should’ve walked to Iylie’s house.

“What do you expect us to do?” Zed demanded. “Work for you?”

Arik’s mouth twisted. “Work for me, did you say? I don’t think so. Don’t you suppose I have more than my fair share of problems cleaning up the chaos you create on your jobs for us? Only today you were running a simple errand for a downtown organization and now half a building is destroyed. In three days your debt would be tripled.”