Chapter 51

"I swear, I'll pay you tomorrow." A blindfolded lad pleaded, his lanky hands firmly held back by a boy slightly younger than he was but athletic.

"If you'd converted the number of times you've fake-promised me to my fuckin' money, we won't have come to this. Take off the blindfold."

"Please," he begged once the hindrance was out of his way. With hope, his eyes would join his desperate voice to get him off the hook. "I know I've said this a hundred times before—"

"A hundred?"

The lad lowered his head. "Look man, I swear on my mother this time, I'll pay you back tomorrow. Tomorrow. First thing in the morning. Fredo has to wire me some cash tonight for the last two supplies. So please, just bear with me, man."

"By Fredo, you mean Pitbull?"

The boy sensed a tinge of consideration in his assaulter's profile and almost patted himself on the shoulder for the promising opening. "Yes, yes, that's him. The guy who owns the re—" An almost invisible blow shut him up.

"You fool! I don't give a f