The Spitfire

Chapter 3: ARIANNA

That's right, Ari, dig your grave just that much deeper by being a smart ass.

"Are you on some kind of medication for this s**t lady?"

"What s**t, you think I'm crazy cause I'm not afraid of you, Capone?" He put his head in his hands and started muttering under his breath. I think he was saying the Latin mass sounded like something I'd heard in church eons ago.

"Babe, seriously answer the f*****g question so we can both get on with our lives."

"What difference does it make, you're not going to believe me over your precious brother anyway, and I hate wasting my breath. You never know when you'll end up in an enclosed room with no air, and you'll wish you'd saved that wasted breath."

Okay, I heard that loud and clear this time; he'd muttered an insult under his breath but not far enough under. He's been doing that the whole time.

"Well, if you wish I'd save my breath this time, stop asking me questions." I was on a roll, I think. The big guy in the corner was red-faced, and he kept puffing out his cheeks. I think he might be constipated, poor thing.

"Arianna, answer the f*****g, question."

Okay, he didn't yell but let me tell you, those words, said in that particular tone, in that particular way, meant business. I'm not stupid. I wanna live; I've got s**t I wanna do.

"He put his hands ...somewhere he shouldn't."

I saw him straighten up in his chair on full alert. What the hell?

"What did you say?"

Oh, yeah, I had kinda whispered that, but I'm sure he heard me. I repeated it louder anyway and watched as his face reddened. I hope that anger wasn't at me. Stupid, why didn't you grab your gun on the way out the door? Because I didn't have time, that's why.

"Tell me."

And I knew this was not the time to be snarky. He was pissed the f**k off. I don't know why though, the guy killed people for a living; why should he care if his brother grabbed my ass?

"Not much to tell, he grabbed my ass, I gave him the impression I was interested and wanted to go put on something sexy just so I could get to my gun in the other room, at which time he saw said gun and tried to run, that's why he got it in the ass and not the balls."

"You were going to shoot him in the nuts for touching your ass?"

"My ass, my territory, I call the shots."

He looked over his shoulder kinda.

"Get his ass in here."

"Well, if you're having a family reunion, I need to be going. I've got s**t to do."

"Sit down, Rossi."

"Look, buddy, you might have all day to sit around and pal around, but I've got to make a living. And since you've closed down this pub where I made that living, I need to hit the pavement to find a job. Capisce? "

"I'm not Italian." I rolled my eyes at that; I've heard that word in every mafia movie known to man.

"Maybe we can work out the same kind of arrangement you had with the old man."

"What kind of arrangement?"

"I don't know, what kind of arrangement did you have? I mean your rent is a joke, no way that's the going rate in this neighborhood, even if it is a piece a s**t. So you must've been paying it off some other way, plus he gave you a job right downstairs, pretty cushy if you ask me."

"Are you implying, ...did you just, ... where's my gun? Hey you, in the corner, let me see your gun for a minute?"

"Ahhhh." that was his bright answer.

"Would you settle down?"

"No, I will not settle down; I'm eighteen years old; Paulie has to be a hundred and ten, and you're implying that I slept with him for a job and a subpar apartment? How dare you?"

"Calm the f**k down, Rossi, before I make you, and the next time you threaten me, you better be ready to back that s**t the f**k up, don't think for a second that I won't do a woman."

I was mad as hell, but I was also unarmed and defenseless, not that I would really draw down on him, I'm not entirely stupid, but damn he made me mad with that crack.

"I'm not apologizing to you, so stop sulking." Oh, will the insults never cease? I gave him a good glare for that one.

"Go f**k yourself." Oy, where the hell did that come from? Thankfully it just seemed to stun him, not send him into a homicidal rage.

"What am I gonna do with you?"

"Let me go find a job."

"Is waitressing your only qualification?"

"I'm in school, waitressing is flexible, and it pays well." I shrugged my shoulders.

"How about I give you a job in one of my clubs or restaurants, whatever you choose? I'm sure you'll be making a hell of a lot more than you were here."

"What's the catch?"

"I need you to move out of here in a week. I'll hook you up with a nicer place for the same s**t money you're paying here. Do we have a deal?"

"Two things, first I have to see the apartment and the club, and second as long as you remember, my last name is Rossi and not Magdalene."

"What the f**k?"

"I think that's the lady in the bible..."

"I know who it is, Mikey."

"Well, now that we've got that covered, when can I see this place?"

"Just like that, after two weeks of your bullshit?"

"You didn't ask before, you ordered."

"Ord...Are you f*****g shitting me?"

"I s**t you not."