Vinny "The Snake" Russo's POV
The office smells like old cigars and desperation. The girl still don't know her name is glaring at me from the chair, her hazel eyes spitting fire. She's got guts, I'll give her that. Most folks would be begging by now, but she's sitting there, chin up, like she's daring me to make a move. I lean against the desk, arms crossed, smirking just to mess with her.
Sal's off in the corner, fumbling with a stack of marriage papers, muttering curses under his breath. My crew's outside, keeping the hall clear, and Mikey's probably downstairs charming the manager into free drinks. Typical.
"Yo, Sal," I call, not taking my eyes off her. "How long's this gonna take? I ain't got all night to play wedding planner."
"Gimme five, boss," Sal grumbles, flipping through forms like he's decoding the Bible. "This legal crap's a nightmare."
The girl scoffs, loud enough to make my eyebrow twitch. "You're insane if you think I'm signing anything," she snaps, voice sharp but shaky. Her gold gown's a little torn from our stunt, and her hair's a wild mess, but damn, she's still a knockout. I was a little impressed and a bit angry.
"Oh, darling," I mused, walked towards her, "You see, you aren't in the right position to make negotiations. Tony wants you as his trophy? I'm making sure he gets nothing but a kick in the teeth." I pause, letting that sink in. "Play nice, and you might walk outta here."
Her eyes narrow, but there's a flicker of curiosity. "And if I don't?"
I chuckle, low and dangerous. "Then you're stuck with me. And trust me, I'm a lot worse than Tony." Total bluff, but she don't need to know that. I'm not in the business of hurting dames, but I need her spooked enough to cooperate.
Before she can fire back, the door swings open, and Mikey struts in, all grins and slicked-back hair. "Vin, you gotta see the bar downstairs. They got whiskey older than Nonna." He stops, clocks the girl, and whistles. "Who's the princess?"
"Trouble," I mutter, shooting him a look. "Focus, Mikey. Tony's still breathing, and I ain't happy about it."
Mikey shrugs, plopping into a chair. "Chill, big bro. Sal's got the traitor angle covered, right?" He winks at Sal, who flips him off without looking up. These two are like bickering kids, but they're my family, loyal to the bone.
The girl's watching us, like she's piecing together a puzzle. I can practically hear her brain whirring. Smart. Dangerous. I like it. "What's your name, anyway?" I asked her with a friendly tone, like two people having a cup of coffee and not plotting any gangster war.
The girl hesitated for a moment before lifting her chin. "Lila."
"Lila," I repeated the name as if tasting it. "Fits you. Now, Lila, here's the deal: Tony's got a hard-on for power, and you're his latest obsession. I'm crashing his party, and you're my ticket to making him bleed."
Her jaw tightens, but she don't argue. Good. I'm about to lay out the plan when my phone buzzes. Text from one of my guys, Frankie: Tony's on the move. Third floor, heading down. My blood spikes. He's slipping through my fingers, and I ain't having it.
"Sal, papers now," I bark, grabbing my coat. "Mikey, you're with me. Lila, you stay put. Try anything cute, and my boys outside ain't as friendly as me." I flash her a grin, but my mind's already on Tony. Time to hunt.
We hit the elevator, my ten best shooters crammed in behind me. Mikey's cracking his knuckles, hyped like a kid before a street fight. "We popping him tonight, Vin?" he asks, eyes gleaming.
"Not yet," I say, voice low. "I want him to feel this. Death's too easy." The doors ding open on the third floor, and it's chaos partygoers screaming, tables flipped, broken glass everywhere. Tony's goons are herding people toward the stairs, guns out. My crew spreads out, blending into the panic, waiting for my signal.
I spot Tony across the room, barking orders, his slick suit rumpled. He looks rattled, like he knows I'm close. Good. I want him sweating. My hand hovers over my gun, but then I see something that stops me cold. Lila's there, in the middle of the mess, flanked by two of Tony's guys. Her hands are zip-tied, and she's struggling, but her eyes lock on mine. How the hell did she get here? I left her upstairs!
Mikey curses under his breath. "Vin, what's the play?"
My brain's racing. Lila's supposed to be safe, not caught in the crossfire. Did she slip my guys? Or did Tony's crew snatch her? Either way, this changes everything. I'm about to signal a move when Tony grabs a mic from a nearby DJ booth, his voice booming over the chaos.
"Russo!" He screamed my name, sighting me. "Do you think you are that cool, hung? Come take what's mine!" He yanks Lila by the arm, pressing a gun to her temple.
Her face was hard get I could sense and see fear all of it. My stomach suddenly growl.
This ain't just about revenge anymore.
"Tony, you are so dead," I yelled back at him , walked forward, my hands up in surrender just to make things look cool. "You know that you are digging your own grave, right? Let her go, and maybe I don't skin you alive."
He laughs, manic. "You want her? Fine. But you're gonna watch her bleed first." He tightens his grip, and Lila flinches. My crew's itching to shoot, but one wrong move, and she's done.
Then, out of nowhere, Lila stomps on Tony's foot, hard, and elbows him in the gut. He stumbles, cursing, and she bolts, diving behind a flipped table. The crowd screams, and Tony's goons open fire. My guys return the favor, and the room's a warzone, bullets flying, glass shattering. I duck behind a pillar, pulling Mikey with me.
"Vin, she's nuts!" Mikey yells, grinning despite the chaos. "I like her!"
"Shut up and cover me," I snap, peering out.
Lila was down low, her eyes searching for an escape route. She may be tough but always full of herself. I need to get to her before Tony does.
I'm about to make a run for it when Sal appears, out of breath, blood on his shirt. "Vin, we got a problem," he pants. "Tony's got a mole in our crew. Been feeding him our moves all night."
My blood runs cold. A traitor? In my family? "Who?" I growl, grabbing his collar.
Sal's eyes dart, guilty. "I… I didn't know, Vin. It's Frankie. He's been with Tony the whole time."
Frankie. My own guy. The one who texted me Tony's location. This whole night's a setup. My head spins, rage and betrayal choking me. Frankie's been playing me, and now Lila's caught in the middle. Tony's goons are closing in on her, and I'm out of time.
I shove Sal away, pulling my gun. "Mikey, find Frankie. End him." Mikey nods, disappearing into the chaos. I lock eyes with Lila across the room. She's scared but ready to fight. I give her a nod hold on.and charge into the fray, bullets whistling past me.
Tony's screaming my name, but I'm focused. Lila's not dying tonight. Neither am I. But Frankie? He's a dead man. And when I find him, he'll wish he never crossed Vinny Russo.