Closed
Anthony Bandini looked up from his desk at the knock. Mikey, one of his bodyguards, leaned in. "They're here, boss."
Anthony nodded. Mikey opened the door and ushered in two clearly anxious people.
Nominally leading the way was a lanky man with dark blond hair. He might be good looking in the right light, but his unkempt appearance detracted significantly. Three days growth of beard lined his jaw and his eyes had dark pockets under them that suggested he'd been some time without sleep. His movements had a jittery quality, suggesting either nervousness or too much caffeine. The suit he wore had once been expensive, but it fit him poorly and showed significant wear.
At his side followed a stunning beauty. Her hand clasped the jittery man's upper arm and her face was drawn into a beautiful portrait of worry. Her dress was a bit less pricey than his, but it was well-maintained. So was the rest of her; her jewelry, makeup, and hair all suggested someone striving to make the most out of a modest budget.
The one exception was the diamond ring on her finger. It was large enough to be ostentatious, but even from several feet away, Anthony could recognize the inferiority of the stone. Someone who didn't know about quality had picked that out. The jittery man seemed the most likely candidate.
The dress attempted to be modest, falling below the knee by a fair margin. The woman's body, however, would not be so easily concealed. Her breasts strained at the material in a manner suggesting her cup size was measured in letters towards the back half of the alphabet. Her gorgeous orbs swelled out of a frame almost ridiculously slender by comparison. Her waist was waspishly thin before swelling into a delightful pair of hips.
Together, the two looked vaguely like Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie, albeit not quite so hunky and she vastly more voluptuous than their Hollywood counterparts. Pity for them that this was no movie.
"Tommy Winters," Anthony greeted the pair as he reached his desk and took a seat in the guest chairs. "You know who I am, so we'll skip the introductions. Frankly it'd have been in your best interest if I'd never had cause to know your name, but I do, so there's no fixing that. Now you're here-
"Listen, I can explain! There's no need-
Anthony nodded at Mikey, who promptly clipped Tommy's temple with a swift left from behind. Mikey had three inches and 50 pounds on Tommy, so the blow almost knocked him out of the chair.
Anthony continued. "You're here because you owe Slim who owes Jimmy Fish who owes me. In short, you owe me." He smiled without warmth. "Do you have my money?"
Jimmy looked nervous. "No. I mean not yet! But please, Anthony-!"
This time Anthony didn't even have to nod. Mikey's fist caught Tommy in the cheek this time. "That's Mr. Bandini to you, shithead," growled the big man.
"No, you don't," Anthony sighed. "Do you know why? Because you're a fucking loser, Tommy. You gamble too much, smoke too much, and screw up too much. You're a waste of space."
"Yes somehow you did one right thing. You married well." Anthony's eyes appraised the seated beauty. "Extremely well.* And that might be your salvation."
Anthony's steely gaze returned to Tommy. "You know what happens to people who can't pay me," he declared. "But you have a chance to make alternate restitution. Instead of my money, I'll take payment in trade."
"I'll take it from your wife."
Anthony Bandini looked up from his desk at the knock. Mikey, one of his bodyguards, leaned in. "They're here, boss."
Anthony nodded. Mikey opened the door and ushered in two clearly anxious people.
Nominally leading the way was a lanky man with dark blond hair. He might be good looking in the right light, but his unkempt appearance detracted significantly. Three days growth of beard lined his jaw and his eyes had dark pockets under them that suggested he'd been some time without sleep. His movements had a jittery quality, suggesting either nervousness or too much caffeine. The suit he wore had once been expensive, but it fit him poorly and showed significant wear.
At his side followed a stunning beauty. Her hand clasped the jittery man's upper arm and her face was drawn into a beautiful portrait of worry. Her dress was a bit less pricey than his, but it was well-maintained. So was the rest of her; her jewelry, makeup, and hair all suggested someone striving to make the most out of a modest budget.
The one exception was the diamond ring on her finger. It was large enough to be ostentatious, but even from several feet away, Anthony could recognize the inferiority of the stone. Someone who didn't know about quality had picked that out. The jittery man seemed the most likely candidate.
The dress attempted to be modest, falling below the knee by a fair margin. The woman's body, however, would not be so easily concealed. Her breasts strained at the material in a manner suggesting her cup size was measured in letters towards the back half of the alphabet. Her gorgeous orbs swelled out of a frame almost ridiculously slender by comparison. Her waist was waspishly thin before swelling into a delightful pair of hips.
Together, the two looked vaguely like Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie, albeit not quite so hunky and she vastly more voluptuous than their Hollywood counterparts. Pity for them that this was no movie.
"Tommy Winters," Anthony greeted the pair as he reached his desk and took a seat in the guest chairs. "You know who I am, so we'll skip the introductions. Frankly it'd have been in your best interest if I'd never had cause to know your name, but I do, so there's no fixing that. Now you're here-
"Listen, I can explain! There's no need-
Anthony nodded at Mikey, who promptly clipped Tommy's temple with a swift left from behind. Mikey had three inches and 50 pounds on Tommy, so the blow almost knocked him out of the chair.
Anthony continued. "You're here because you owe Slim who owes Jimmy Fish who owes me. In short, you owe me." He smiled without warmth. "Do you have my money?"
Jimmy looked nervous. "No. I mean not yet! But please, Anthony-!"
This time Anthony didn't even have to nod. Mikey's fist caught Tommy in the cheek this time. "That's Mr. Bandini to you, shithead," growled the big man.
"No, you don't," Anthony sighed. "Do you know why? Because you're a fucking loser, Tommy. You gamble too much, smoke too much, and screw up too much. You're a waste of space."
"Yes somehow you did one right thing. You married well." Anthony's eyes appraised the seated beauty. "Extremely well.* And that might be your salvation."
Anthony's steely gaze returned to Tommy. "You know what happens to people who can't pay me," he declared. "But you have a chance to make alternate restitution. Instead of my money, I'll take payment in trade."
"I'll take it from your wife."