It's amazing how words affected the world. Authors could become heroes writing revolutionary works. A speaker could influence with a speech. Gossip ruined lives. And jesters claimed ownership. Jesters like Adam.
He already left, but I was still racking my brain for a comeback—something sassy and fierce—but I came up blank.
My mood was foul the whole night until the next day because of it. I should've said my piece—the snarky, b*tchy piece of my mind. But no. I was too muddled to say 'F*ck off'.
I was still grinding my teeth on the elevator up to where Adam called for me. This time, he better not say things he didn't mean just for fun. Business. He should stick to business.
The Fortunello, waiting outside the private office, exchanged looks upon my arrival.
I entered the room after I was given permission. Adam was laughing with Anson Koni, Hawaii's business magnate by day and crook by night. He was even on the Commission's high-profile watch list.
He was nicknamed 'Fresh Koni' in his early days. Cheesy, just like how gangsters give an alias to themselves.
"How's Zachary?" he asked Adam, with a cigar between his grinning lips. He was fit, despite the age pushing sixty, and liked hunting sports and women.
"My little brother?" he said with emphasis, "Oh, he's dead."
"That's surprising." Then he puffed a smoke. "I thought he's hiding. Well, he's a coward. He turned his back against the Mafia for a new life. Shame."
"A coward, huh..." Adam stared at his wine as if searching for treasures at the dark liquid. "That's an interesting word choice, don't you think?" His face lifted up to me, asking for an opinion.
I shrugged, just glad he finally acknowledged my presence to get this over with. Zachary Orleonne was not dead; Adam just liked to play with words.
"Eevi, this is our friend Anson Koni."
The man finally gave me an acknowledging nod, lingering longer on my chest and greeting, "Aloha."
I knew a pervert when I see one, and he definitely fitted the category, same with the Joker beside him.
"You may not know it, but I saw you last night marching in the hallway in your robe. You look more beautiful up close."
Die, geezer. "Thank you, Sir." I figured out where this is going just a minute ago, but my itching fingers wouldn't touch the trigger for now.
"No need to call me sir, leimomi. I am still in my fifties. Call me Anson."
Fifties my ass. Late fifties! Fifty-eight to be exact, you filthy swine. And how dare he call me in an endearment as a "beautiful pearl"?
I glanced at Adam, who was surely hiding his smirk behind the wineglass. I really hoped he'll choke from whatever treasures are floating in it.
"Does this satisfy you, my friend?" Adam leaned on the couch.
"She is... a lovely bonus," Anson replied.
"The deal is set then." He then turned to me. "You'd be rewarded greatly after this."
Right on the dot. This Orleonne animal made me an additional tip for his negotiations, like a f*cking sacrificial lamb, to be butchered by another mammal.
The two conniving hyenas ogled at me like a piece of a big, fat and juicy meat, with additional spices. I never killed animals, should I start now?
'You don't have a choice. I own you now. You betrayed us, remember?'
Oh, right.
It's time to pay my dues.
I was also trained for this. Ad Hoc Agency used girls and created the Eve Project for this reason. Women could feign innocence. Women could tempt the righteous and sway the hesitant.
'And women have vaginas,' as our instructor told us. 'Men like vaginas.'
Damn it. My fingers were still itching to pull that trigger.
"Care to join me in my penthouse tonight?" Anson asked. In my head, my hands had traveled down between his thighs and uprooted whatever wrinkly, tiny thing there. Let's see if he could still use that disgustingly honey voice on me.
But business is business. A night with a man for benefits would be no different than the others.
"I'd love to," I said with my own disgustingly honey voice eyes on Adam. I demand a big payment after this, my whole identity, perhaps.
A little droopy eye, slow bat of the lashes, and breathy words of—"I'll give you the sweetest dessert after—"
Then it's done.
I gazed at Adam with the same allure and mouthed, 'Watch me.' I'd ride the old man like a rodeo drive, Adam would be so proud to be a pimp.
I left with my head up high and never uttered a word to the others. Once in my room, I found the patterns of my hotel doormat interesting, so I sat on it.
Somehow, my eyes were warm. It must be the heat. Or something I ate, that's why I felt heavy all of a sudden.
It must be that bastard.
Jerk.
He did sell me like a merchant would. At least he stuck to 'Business only' policy.
Still. You a*s.
I holed in my room and phoned every food on the menu just for the heck of it. But I only took a bite of the expensive-sounding sandwich and lounged in front of the TV. The longer I sat, the heavier and weaker I felt. An hour after lunch, Adam knocked into my room.
"Never thought you liked travel shows," he said, glancing at the screen.
"Why are you here?" I asked, unmoving by the door, arms crossed.
"I thought you'd kill me after I sold you. I was waiting, you know."
"Why would I?" I shrugged and finished the last bite of the sandwich in my hand.
"You're a good actress," he stated, slightly busting my facade.
"If it gets things done, so be it."
"I heard that before." His eyes glanced back on the television. "You remind me of someone. She's hardheaded like you and sometimes selfish too."
"Would she sell herself too, if needed?"
He looked up at the ceiling, looking for answers. "Hmm, I think she would. But, no one could afford her worth."
"Even you?"
"What do you think?"
Why would I answer that? The arrogant him would say he could, yet I felt that he didn't want to answer.
"I think that even if you couldn't afford her, she'd force herself on you if she had to. Something like that." He weakly shook his head in disappointment. "Is it wrong?"
"No." Adam smiled as if terrifyingly sincere. "But leave something for yourself. Giving too much, even sleeping with men, will make you a whore."
I stood with my stance a little wider and hands on my hips. "First of all, you sold me. Second, what's new? Flesh trade is normal in the Mafia. At least, my client is a mob boss. I'd be a whore if that will finally get me what I want."
As if I had a choice. It's even unsettling that we ended talking a little more personal than usual. Before I knew it, I was trapped against the door, his arms on my side. "Then... be my own personal whore."
My palms kissed his right cheek, most violently.
Personal.
Then the left cheek.
Whore.
The force was enough to turn his face in a different direction each time.
He chuckled, looking amused as he caressed his red cheeks like he was kissed instead of being in pain.
"See? I'm right." The hit didn't even stain his face, and the sculpted viciousness remained. "I'm always right. You don't want to be sold."
"Shut up. It's part of the job."
He let me push him away.
"The deal is off."
I stopped and turned with evident suspicion.
"Pack your things, we're leaving. Vacation's over."
"What—it's off? Wha—?""
"I couldn't give you away."
Obviously, he's a better actor than me. His acting made it into truth, and it's frightening. I was afraid that I'd fall for it.
Then the warmth disappeared. "Do as I say," he said with finality. He even waited as I packed all of my things, which wasn't much. The clothes were all bought at the hotel. The others were waiting, and they handed a bag of money at the reception as payment. Makes sense, electronic transactions could be traced.
Before we could enter our cars, Anson Koni's men stopped us. He showed himself from his office window above, looking down on us. A man handed Adam a cellphone. The Joker, acting as he pleased, put it on speaker.
[I want a souvenir, leave the girl.]
Eyes zeroed on me. "What?" I asked like it has nothing to do with me.
"If I say no?" Adam dared.
[You know what will happen.]
Instead of an answer, he looked at us and whined like a bullied child. "Anson Koni is a bad person, isn't he?"
"We know..." Bino agreed, unaffected by Adam's antics. "So are you, and everyone here."
"I know, but he's worse. He called Zachary a coward. C-O-W-A-R-D. You know, a sissy, a wuss, a chicken. They called your beloved Zachary Orleonne a coward."
His last smile wasn't cute at all as it was provoking. "Are you all okay with that?"
Of course not. Their suppressed murderous intent had seeped like dirty water on an overflowing polluted river. Inno and Q weren't as kind as they used to be. Even Jah had his droopy eyes wide open. Bino didn't need to curse; his face did it for him.
I facepalmed. These lucky dogs are simple-minded with ultimate loyalty, unforgiving to those who insult the Orleonnes.
Adam's smile switched to sinister. He was not adorable at all. Scheming monster.
"Hey, Anson, really, I couldn't give our precious Eevi," he declined casually over the phone.
[Oh Adam... young Adam. You know how it works. If talking doesn't work, violence is the only way.]
"Oh Anson... Old Anson..." he retorted, a free hand went into his pocket. "There's only one way..."
[And what is it?]
He took out a small and flat device with a button. "My way," he whispered, then pressed it.
"Happy New Year, motherf*cker!" Bino screamed along with an explosion from Anson's office.
Pink shoved a gun into my hand. "Use it well!" Then he did his forte—killing and not being killed, just like the rest. Q was already in the van with Jah and they sped away, leaving us with the mess.
Well, our vacation officially ended. Being a criminal had its inconvenience. If we weren't fighting the good guys, we're pulling triggers against our own kind. Such a waste to spill blood on the land of Hawaii, the paradise.
"I thought you guys see eye to eye?" I screamed at Adam just to hear me.
"We did until you let me give you to him. I don't share what's mine."
"And when did I become yours?"
He winked. "Soon." Then he went out of hiding to kill more people.
I left my position too, and forced my mind not to be occupied by his stupid joking face. I ended up hiding in the entrance statues like the others.
"CCTV?" Bino asked, crouching awkwardly in one of the statues. Despite everything, I thought he looked funny. Big guys had their shortcomings too.
"Destroyed!" Inno shouted back. "They didn't actually turn it off like he said!"
"And the rest?"
"Secured!" he answered like a responsible boy that he is.
"Hey Eevi," Greco called, suddenly appeared beside me with his open palm stretched out. "Blow."
"What? I'm busy!" Between ducking from gunshots and reloading my gun, I didn't have time to play with him. "Go find your own spot to hide!"
"Come on..." he urged, and didn't mind the current chaos. "Today is a good day. Blow the invisible candle on the invisible cake."
I rolled my eyes but did so.
Then he put another small remote on his palm and pushed it. "Happy birthday, Eevi!"
The small building farther behind and some parts of the resort exploded like a third rate action movie. Boom. Followed by another boom. Then another boom.
"It's not my birthday!" I screamed, speeding towards the van. "What's with you and these lines of special occasions? It's not cool!"
"Happy birthday anyway," he followed and closed the door. On the wheel, Q was driving like a maniac, Bino beside him. The others rested at the back.
"Hey crackhead, nice bomb," Greco said, tapping Jah's shoulders, smelling himself and frowned. "Better than your dynamite years ago. And why do you smell like a rotten onion?"
But the other didn't reply. He was already sleeping.
"Unbelievable," I mumbled unconsciously. "How could you all act so normal?"
"We've been through worse than this," Inno replied. "Believe me, this is much easier. Adam planned it all."
"Yeah," Pink agreed, smelling his brother and frowned too. "Must be that suspicious soup at lunch. Told you it was nasty." He then turned to me, "Believe in Inno. Virgins don't lie."
"I'm not!"
"A virgin?"
"A liar!" Inno's face blushed pink then glanced my way.
"Don't tease Inno," Adam said after a call to prepare for our departure. "He's a nice boy. He followed instructions. Well, all of you did."
The others shrugged, while the latter became more embarrassed.
"Wait," I muttered after a moment. "You all knew this would happen? No one bothered to tell me?!" I feel like firing guns again.
"I can feel your hatred choking me from behind," Adam commented. "No reason to be mad Eevi, it was sudden. Chill. At least we had a blast."
"Yeah, a blast. Literally."
He chuckled, not even bothering to look back at me.
"The hotel staff?" I asked.
"They..." Inno played with his fingers. "They uhm, I-I tied and gagged them."
How could he look so uncertain and innocent with that?
"But, but they are in the basement. There's no bomb there, and it's fireproof. I swear, I studied the blueprint."
"What if they tell the police?"
They laughed.
"Then we'll be wanted in Hawaii too," Greco bragged after the hearty chuckle.
"The Commission is after our heads, so it means we're globally in demand," Bino explained.
"Don't make it sound like we're trendy pop stars," I snapped and closed my eyes.