A Meeting

"Boss, Tony just called and said that the people love to be early so that they can set the move." Russ relayed to me as I began to speedwalk.

"Oww," Came the voice of the woman I ran into, she was pretty but I was in no mood to talk with any female. I held up my hand to silence Russ, if I let him he would berate her when I was the one that ran into her. We have no time for pleasantries or formalities, I needed to get going. "Sorry," I heard her yell out.

"Good morning Mr. Hyland, your party hasn't arrived yet, I'll send them up to the suite whenever you're ready." Adrianna softly spoke to me as she brushed her hand up and down the buttons of her white blouse.

"Thank you, Adrianna." I dismissed her before she could follow me like she usually does. She was beautiful that was certain, her raven hair had streaks of blonde and her olive complexion complemented her bright green eyes. But, she was known around my entire building as anything but virtuous, not that there's anything wrong with a little promiscuity, but I don't trust her to be faithful. And trust is big in my career, can't risk anything.

"Hyland," Came the voice behind two very large brutish men.

"Giovanni Ricci," I got up from the chair and extended my hand as I watched the brutes sidestep to reveal this short, stout, bald, overweight man with a horrendous mole on the side of his left cheek.

"So, tell me, why did your father, the great Salvatore Moretti, allow your mother to name you Hyland?" He laughed as his belly jiggled and his double chin bounced as he shook my hand.

"You know he put my mother and me in hiding, I took her surname." I unbuttoned my dark blue suit buttons before sitting down. "So, you wanted a meeting with me?" I cleared my throat as I motioned to the seat across from me.

"Yes, I came here today in full respect of your father, but I wanted to conclude a business deal." He smiled viciously as he snapped his fingers, one of the brutish bald men put a suitcase in from of Giovanni. "Know that when your father passed he gave you all of his holdings, shares, companies..." He trailed off as he took out a couple of manilla folders. "I want a few of your businesses."

I sat back in the chair as I interlaced my fingers leaving my first to sit upon my lips as I squinted my golden-colored eyes. "You want one of my businesses?" 

"Yes, don't think I haven't noticed you trying to inch me out by overtaking my territories." He threw one of the manilla folders across the table as it slid toward me. "So, I have another proposal..." He held up his fat finger as the blonde-haired brute bent down and whispered in his ear. The same guy walked over and picked back up the manilla folder before I could look in it. "I have to postpone, my assistant will be in touch."

"Russ, he can't be serious?!" I exclaimed as I opened the glass door heading out of the office.

"What do you think the other proposal is?" Russ asked as he brushed back his thick black hair. Russell Moretti is my cousin and best friend since we were kids, a lot of people think we're twins, but honestly, I don't see it.

"Who knows?" I burst through the double doors and back onto the busy street. "Maybe a medical consultant for that mole, either way, I'm not taking any of his proposals, I'll meet with him again but only out of respect for my papa." 

"We have to see Rizzo that fucking rat..." He trailed off as we rounded the corner to slip into my black SUV.

I held up my hand to silence him, "That's why the boys are handling him, so that he opens up to me, albeit metaphorically or physically." I laughed as I looked out the window to watch the girl I bumped into this morning make her way out of a soup kitchen, pity I didn't peg her as homeless. "Who do we have on him?" 

"Angello and Alessio Longo," He chuckled as he wiped his elongated nose with his finger looking at me.

"The twins of death," I smiled as we reached the ten-foot black barred gates to my mansion. "Call, Carlo have him meet us in the dungeon, I haven't been liking the way he's been eyeing things around my house. Tell Giuseppe we're back and if he wants to come down for some fun he's more than welcome." I patted his back as I pulled off my dark blue suit jacket and started to roll up my sleeves. "Hello, boys!" I started as made my way down the cobblestone stairs, to the dimly lit basement. 

"Boss," They both said simultaneously. It's hard to tell them apart, from their chocolate-colored hair to their hazel eyes. The only difference between them is the subtle scar on Angello's chin and a scar below Alessio's left eye.

"Has our little birdie sung yet?" I asked looking over to the beaten man tied to a wooden chair while I popped a few sunflower seeds in my mouth.

"Not yet, boss, he maintains his innocence." Angello chuckled as he walked over to the sink to wash the blood off of his hands.

"Now, Antonio Rizzo you know that's simply not true," I paused popping in a few more sunflower seeds before I grabbed a fistful of Antonio's burnt sienna-colored hair. His ballooned face dripped blood onto the cold cemented floor, and his coffee-colored eye was now swollen shut. "I've had several of my men tell me you went to the pigs," I stated pushing his head as I stood there looking at him. "Not to mention how you've been going around telling whoever would listen to your ramblings that I'm not the Don after my father died. So, tell me, Rizzo, who is?"

"P..Ple...Please" Rizzo studdered as blood began to dribble out of his now gashed mouth.

"Go on," I motioned my arm backing away from him as I flicked on the overhead fluorescent light.