Since Summers

twenty eight : worst

TYLER

Mario had taken us to a small bar only a few blocks away from his place. It was small but crowded, a perfect place to talk without having to worry about being listened to. He ordered three bottles of beer while Faith found us a table at the back of the bar, beside the pool table.

Faith sat in the middle with me on her left and Mario on her right. I took a long drink and then set the bottle on the table. "How?" I finally asked the question I had been dying to ask on our way here.

Mario wiped a few droplets of beer with the back of his hand. "Remember the guy you bumped into this afternoon?" When I did not immediately answer, he quickly added, "in front of your apartment." I vaguely remembered the guy in a black hoodie and gave Mario a nod. "That is Nicolò. He has been watching you for two months now."

I stared at Mario in disbelief. "Two months?! I only arrived in NYC about a week ago!" I blinked a few times as I tried to absorb this new information, something I had never expected before. "Did he follow me back when I was in D.C. as well?"

He nodded. "GC wanted to recruit you long before you have even graduated. The story of a boy who would do anything for money but is very loyal to his friends and organization. You are Santiano's most precious asset." Mario pointed his beer at me and then took a drink.

"No, you are wrong. Santiano's most precious asset is me, it is my friend." I swore I would never mention anyone's name and right now, even though it was unlikely that Mario would betray me, I could not take any chances. I wanted to keep Luc safe.

Yet his answer surprised me. "Oh, you mean Lucas Buchanan? We know about him. GC's son wanted him instead of you but Lucas is too deep into Santiano's organization, pulling him out now would not guarantee his full submission. It is far too risky."

"But why me? I have walked out of the organization a year ago. I was a free man."

Mario took another long drink and then set the empty bottle on the table. "GC does whatever he wants to. He does not need to explain his reasons to anyone."

"If he wants me, then why did he threaten me and tell me that I am replaceable?" It did not make any sense. If the guy had gone to so much trouble to have me in his organization, why had he kept telling me that he could kill me anytime?

Mario gave it a thought. "That is because you refused to do the job."

Now it started to annoy me. "Seriously, man?! My girlfriend was missing the whole night by the time I got home. The job was not the priority at that moment, was."

"That is exactly what GC does not like about you. Your girlfriend. You quit your old job because of her too, right?"

There was silence. Dead silence. For a full ten seconds, nothing but silence since I did not have to answer that, we both knew the truth. Autumn had been the only person who had managed to pull me from the dark hole, she had shown me light and told me that there was another way. Plus, my dad, who had been suspecting my night job at that time, would not have me doing that job.