“Come back tomorrow. We’re closed,” the doorman said.

“I know,” Zoe replied scanning the man. She thought she could still stop him since she was a few feet away, but it would be close. He had more implants than anyone she had seen before.

“Then what do you want?” the Luciano doorman asked Zoe after seeing that she wasn’t going away. He pointed at her GT4. “Are you a courier or something?”

“Yes. I’m a courier and I’d like to speak with Russell or Mr Luciano,” Zoe replied.

“Do you have something for them? I wasn’t aware of any deliveries today.”

“No. That’s why I said I wanted to speak to one of them,” Zoe answered. She revised her earlier thought of being able to put the guy down before he got to her. All his implants were top of the line stuff, which made him a monster. Zoe idly wondered if he could still be considered human. She then smiled and added, “Pretty please.”

“Just a moment,” the monster posing as a doorman said. The door opened a moment later. “You may enter. Russell will meet you in the dining room.”

“Thank you,” Zoe replied. The doorman just nodded to her as she walked into Luciano’s.

“It’s nice seeing you again,” a smiling Russell said as Zoe walked into the dining room. “Since you’re not here for work, is this a social call?”

“I’m afraid not. I was wondering if Mr Luciano could get some information for me,” Zoe replied while returning the smile.

“So right to business, huh?” Russell asked. Zoe nodded yes. “Alright What sort of information are you looking for?”

“I want to know who killed my cousin,” Zoe answered.

“You have my condolences but that might not be something we can help with,” Russell said.

“And even if we could, that sort of information is pricey,” another voice said. Zoe and Russell turned toward the kitchen doors where the voice had come from.

“Donnie,” Russell greeted his boss.

“Mr Luciano, it’s nice seeing you again,” Zoe said. “I’ll pay whatever it takes.”

“Is that so?” Donnie Luciano asked.

“Yes,” an unsure Zoe answered.

“Come with me to my office,” Donnie commanded. He turned and walked back into the kitchen. Zoe looked at Russell. He shrugged and made a shooing motion. Zoe followed the mob boss. Donnie took a seat on his office’s couch and patted the spot beside him. “Take a seat.”

Zoe took a deep breath to calm her sudden nervousness and did as instructed. She turned to face the don. “So…”

“Why do you want this information. You should be getting on with your life,” Luciano said cutting Zoe off.

“I…”

“You do know your cousin was no saint, right?” Donnie asked. “He chose to get involved in a business that has a… let’s say a high turnover rate.”

“I know,” Zoe quietly replied. She then spoke a little louder, “but he was always one of the only people to treat me like part of the family and not an outsider or worse despite not being blood kin.”

“You want revenge,” Donnie concluded.

“That or at least retribution for his death,” Zoe agreed. “Maybe both if I can get them.”

“You’re willing to pay any price for this?” Luciano asked.

“I’m about to get 20000 credits from a business deal,” Zoe lied. She had no idea if Haru’s uncle would buy the exploit or not and would worry about paying Luciano later. “I’ll pay that much for the information.”

“And what if I don’t want credits?” Donnie asked, reaching down and touching Zoe’s leg before sliding his hand along her thigh closer to her crotch. “What if I want something else right now?”

She suppressed the shudder that almost surfaced and forced a smile onto her face. Zoe gently removed the don’s hand and stood. Donnie gave her a questioning look. Zoe kept the smile on her face even if it didn’t reach her eyes and started to unfasten her jeans. She was unable to keep from shaking. “I… I an pay that price too.”

“Stop,” Donnie commanded as Zoe bent over sliding her pants down. “Put your pants back on.”

“I… I don’t understand. I thought you wanted to have sex.”

“I’m a lot of things, but I’m not a rapist,” Donnie replied. “A man has to know his limitations and I know mine.”

Zoe pulled her pants up and fastened them. Donnie patted the couch, and she sat down beside him again. Zoe started to speak only to snap her jaws shut after Donnie held up a hand silencing her. She was still shaking and looked to be on the verge of crying.

“Russell, get in here,” Donnie said.

“Yes boss?” Russell asked a few seconds later after the door opened.

“Get Zoe a drink and I’ll have my usual,” Donnie said. “Make yourself whatever you want too.”

The underling did as told without saying a word. He just nodded his head after glancing at Zoe.

“I’m not old enough to drink alcohol,” Zoe said. Donnie and Russell laughed.

“You look like you need something stronger than tea or coffee,” Russell said.

“She does need a stiff drink,” Donnie agreed. “She passed my little test with flying colors.”

“That was a test?” Zoe asked in disbelief.

“Indeed. I just wanted to see how committed you were to this,” the mob boss answered as Russell handed him a glass of 25-year-old scotch.

“Here, this is bourbon,” Russell told Zoe handing her a glass. His was filled with the same drink. He raised his glass in toast, “To your health and vengeance.”

“Salute,” Donnie said. Zoe just raised her glass along with the men and took a sip after they did.

“Now, down to business. Russell, does our mole know who killed Jimmy?” Donnie asked.

“He does,” Russell answered. “He said Tommy shot him in Capones.”

“What? Why?” Zoe asked. “I knew Tommy is a pervert, but not a killer.”

“Tommy is a lot more than pervert, but he’s that too,” Donnie replied. “The little shit is a rapist and should have been taken care of a long time ago.”

“And he’s been making too many waves recently,” Russell added as Zoe’s eyes widened and she shuddered. “Just a moment.”

“Ok…” Zoe muttered taking another sip of her drink to keep from dropping the glass. Donnie smiled and took a longer swig of his own glass.

“Donnie, the other bosses are in agreement and won’t oppose anything that happens to Tommy,” Russell said after a moment.

“What do you mean?” Zoe asked. “You’ve been planning on killing him?”

“We look at it as cutting out a cancer before it can become terminal for the rest of us,” Donnie replied. He smiled but it didn’t reach his cold shark-like eyes. “But yes, the other families and I have been considering taking him out. Doing so increases our territories and profits too, which is a nice bonus.”

“So, go home and get on with your life,” Russell told Zoe.

“I give you my word that Tommy will be handled,” Donnie told her.

“Can I be there when it happens?” Zoe asked after finishing her drink.

“I don’t think that would be for the best,” Russell said.

“No,” Donnie added. “Though if you want confirmation, I’ll make sure you get it.”

“Th…thank you.”

“Do you need a ride home?” Russell asked her.

“No, I’ll be fine after my system purges the liquor,” Zoe answered activating the script to do so as her head started to spin.