Son of the Devil

Chapter Two: The Devil

I was born by the devil

I was left here to die

I lost hell out of ransom on the cold summer sky

I was told not to love him

I was told not to try

I was lonely the only 'till he said he'd be mine...

[Written in the Water - Song by Gin Wigmore]

Enzo couldn't shake off the tune playing in his head as he and his friends found themselves in the living room, facing Lucio Moretti and his two striking companions. Despite their refined appearance, Lucio stood out as the most captivating figure in the room. A cut above the rest.

The Son of the Devil. Yep. That was him. Enzo thought so ruefully. There was an unmistakable lack of fear in his eyes.

"So, Papi...any idea what we should talk about?" Lucio's voice broke through the tension, prompting Enzo to clear his throat nervously. He glanced around the room, noticing his friends were sweating bullets beside him. Fonsie looked like he was close to losing his cool, especially with Nero Panicucci's dog nonchalantly feasting on their apartment floor.

"Uh... about what?" Enzo tried to feign ignorance, hoping to buy some time. At this point, he was ready to play dumb if it meant saving their skins.

Lucio's gaze never wavered from Enzo, as if he had already singled him out as the leader of their ragtag team and therefore the man he should be dealing with. He wasn't interested in looking at the others---just Enzo. Enzo, on his part, wished Lucio would divert his attention to the others. It would have made it easier for him to breathe! Whether Lucio remembered their drunken encounter or not didn't matter anymore. Their survival was the top priority!

After Enzo's response, Lucio's smile grew even more pleasant. "Where is my money?"

The mention of the money sent each one of them into a petrified state. Enzo stammered, "Your...money?"

This time, Lucio did more than smirk; he actually laughed. It did nothing but terrify Giorgio, Fonsie, Stef, and Tina. The other two members, Nero and Sandro, surrounded them, their eyes fixed on the group, guns resting in front of them. Lucio stepped closer and bent so that his face leveled with Enzo's. He leaned in closer until their faces were a mere inch apart.

"Papi, as much as I find you pretty, don't dare lie to me. Do you know what happened to the last person who lied to me? I burned 'em alive." Enzo swallowed hard, eyes wide with fright as Lucio moved away and started to wander around the apartment. He continued, "I suppose you may have heard about the robbery nearby?"

"You mean that exclusive members-only grocery store?" Fonsie suddenly found his voice and spoke.

Lucio looked at him over his shoulder and smirked. "Yeah, that's right."

Enzo eyed Fonsie, who appeared to be on the verge of cardiac arrest. "We didn't know you owned that store."

Lucio laughed, and his gang members joined in. He turned back to face them, his gaze fixed on Enzo. "Let's just say we've got certain arrangements with some local businesses around here. We sort of...help each other out."

Enzo shot Fonsie a sharp look, silently urging him to keep quiet. But Fonsie seemed to be on a roll. "Like...money laundering and drugs?" he blurted out, unable to contain his nervousness.

Lucio's smile faded, replaced by a steely glare. "I suggest for your own sake, that you stop worrying about my business dealings and start figuring out how you're going to get my money back."