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Gustavo didn’t have anyone to blame but himself. Ask for, agree later. Richard learned that rule a long time ago. One that would stick with him forever.

“Enjoy the meal. Your sour expression is going to make the wine taste bitter.” The poor attempt at a joke didn’t garner him so much as a lip twitch from the Italian.

“How can I enjoy my meal after what you just asked of me? I might as well have agreed to sell my soul to a devil by coming here.” That wasn’t Richard’s problem.

“You’re not being asked to sell your soul to anyone. Again, I’m asking only that you find some information for me. Nothing more, nothing less. How to make it happen is up to you.” Richard only cared to start getting the clock ticking to put pressure on Jovani. Gustavo came out as the best choice after picking the best cards.

Lena would disapprove of such methods, but the mafioso didn’t answer. Hence, she didn’t know, and that would allow their relationship to remain in a good light for the time being. At least until Zane woke up and could take over. His good friend should’ve still remembered how the cards used to have to be played.

“What other methods do you imagine I might be able to use? Do you even know how many people don’t want to touch that issue? Every single one who knows what took place in the past.” The Italian slammed his hand on the table as he swore once more. The number could not easily be summed up. Richard didn’t so much as bat an eye as he stared the other down.

“If I cared about such numbers, I wouldn’t have come here in the first place. For all those people who don’t care to get involved, there are at least an equal amount, if not twice as many, who would love to know more about this matter. Even you should know that information can be sold for a lot in our world.” The mafioso snapped his fingers to get the attention of one of the waiters that walked past. If the Italian was paying, there was no point in wasting the opportunity by not taking something to eat for later.

Gustavo was almost fuming at this point as Richard conversed with the waiter. Deals and promises weren’t supposed to make life so complicated. Favors between friends, even less so. Yet, those rules didn’t appear to apply to Richard, and the Italian sorely wished her to realize that before agreeing to dinner. What happened to a fun conversation and sweet favors, not honor in such spaces?

.....

“Very well. You will get what you want from me, but don’t expect me to be so willing to fulfill another favor for you.” The Italian only relented on his decision after the waiter left. Suddenly, the agreement didn’t feel like such a win when he noticed the placid smile slip across the other’s lips. A mistake had been made.

“Gustavo, I wouldn’t be so quick to say that if I were in your situation. We were still on the topic of reputations before the minor interruptions for important matters involving food. I believe though, if you were to see what I had with me, it might change your mind about making such a statement.” Richard pulled the wallet out of his pocket and slipped something out of it that Gustavo couldn’t quite see. He didn’t need to, however, to know that whatever the other had would be some form of a threat.

The Italian could feel the cold sweat beginning to form on the back of his neck; the item sliding across the table, still hidden under the giant hand, only made him feel worse. The dread only grew when Richard’s hand stopped halfway across the table, his eyes turning to meet the other’s.

“Are you sure you want me to go as far as to show you what I have, or would you rather reconsider now? You should know how I work by now to understand it won’t be the real thing, just a sample.” Gustavo swallowed thickly as he looked around the restaurant like a deer caught in headlights. He didn’t have to look far among the people around them to know there were a few acquaintances nearby. Would it be a risk worth taking to see what the other had?

Richard could have been bluffing to care him into agreeing if he wasn’t, though… whatever card the other had would surely be something big enough to ruin him completely. The Italian flipped a mental coin in his head to help decide for him.

Heads. Somehow it always came out as the wrong answer regardless of the stakes.

“Fine. Please show me. If anyone here sees whatever it is, you can’t count this deal off between us before it even starts.” Richard only smirked; a tingle of delight traveled up his spine as he watched the other struggle to steel himself against what he was about to see.

It could be delightful to turn the tables and watch someone else squirm in discomfort now and again. Richard found it a necessary evil to help keep in mind how much the tables had turned over the year.

“If you quickly take them now before I have a chance to flip them over, no one will be able to see.” Richard only gave the other a few seconds as he lifted his hand from the item.

Photo negatives.

Gustavo didn’t pause for a second to get his hand on them and pull them across the table before Richard could touch them again. Frantic eyes scanned over them the moment they were hidden under the table. Richard leaned back in his chair, waiting for the other’s expression to morph. Wholly confident that the other wouldn’t fail to amuse him with whatever expressions passed over the other’s feature. Now the real fun would begin.

He hadn’t been wrong. Not now, not the hundred other times before today that he’d gone through with this. Zane needed to hurry and wake up so that Richard could have another moment to thank the other for teaching him such terrible tricks.

“Where in the world did you get these? I made absolutely sure that no one else had been around when this took place. The quiver in the voice matched the shaken hands barely visible to the other side of the table.

“You didn’t do a good enough job to ensure that no one had been around, eh? I can’t give away my sources, but this would surely be enough to get you to change your mind, right? The others are stored away somewhere safe. They wouldn’t be used so long as you follow through with what I want and any future favors until I say otherwise.” Gustavo found himself again at a complete loss for words as wide eyes focused on the photo negatives.

“I would prefer if you would give those back to me to keep. No sense in you having them, considering they aren’t the only copy around.” Richard held his hand out and beckoned with his hand in a somewhat commanding way.

“Has anyone ever told you how much of a bastard you are?” The Italian slammed the pictures down in the other’s hand, earning himself a hard clasp and a deep chuckle from the other.

“Oh, that is a list I don’t think will ever become exhausted. Don’t worry though; this is harmless, honestly. I could do so much more, but you should know I respect you, Gustavo, and that stops me from taking this further. I hope we can keep doing good business in the future.” Richard shook the other’s hand before taking the photos so that he could put them back.

Sensing no reason to stick around, Richard decided it was time to go once the waiter returned with his second order. He slid the check across the table and gave the other an overly effusive farewell and best wishes, complete with his warm smile and a polite nod. Richard chose to ignore the murder reflecting in the other’s eyes as he stood up and left.

Three days he would give Gustavo. Three days should’ve been all it would take to find everything Richard wanted. Any more than that, Jovani would start to think that his words were nothing more than a series of bluffs. That wouldn’t do at all.

Richard needed the other to believe what he said over the phone. Otherwise, the next phase of his plan wouldn’t work out how Richard wanted it to.