30- Landing in New York

Editing in Progress…

Chapter 30

"I GUESS WE FOLLOW THEM" Quin returned to Carlos, Carlos in return gave him a curt nod. He pulled out his phone, yet again, to cancel the already-ordered ride.

"Ready to go?" Cassius quizzed, giving him a short nod as a response, the five men turned and headed for the car.

Once they arrived at the Sedan, Cassius pulled the door open for them. Quin's brows crooked as he stared at the opened door

"You know you need to enter inside for us to take you to the house location" Cassius teased with an amused smile.

"Yes, I know how cars and transportation work" Quin shot back, giving Cassius the same teasing energy he received. "But I would prefer it if you entered first"

"Don't trust us?"

"I would be a foolish Don to do so, and you would be more foolish to believe me if I said I did"

Cassius's upper lips twitched in annoyance, he was only holding it in because his Don told him to treat them with utmost delicacy, but here he was getting hit with unnecessary insults and suspicions.

"Listen, you are a big guy, I don't think I can shove you in like a toddler"

"So why don't you go in first, I sit in the passenger seat and Vincenzo is driving," Quin said nothing after Cassius's statement. All he did was lean against the car door and watch him.

The banner boy, who didn't seem so eager to stay with this scary man, entered first. Quin looked at the boy and then at Cassius, then a playful smirk replaced his previously tight-lipped one.

Carlos went to the trunk and placed the boxes in there, he went to the other side of the car and slid in. Now the banner boy was sitting in the middle of two foreign guests, Vincenzo drove and Cassius leaned back, deep into his seat.

"How are your members getting ready for the race?" Cassius inquired, trying to start a small talk with the Mexicans.

"It is running perfectly fine" It was a short, dry, and uninterested response.

"I see you have no interest in it"

"Well, it was suspicious from the get-go"

"So you are not eager to chase the win?"

"No not really. I did rather we were not even involved with—"

"It's a big prize that we are talking about here" Cassius interrupted.

"I don't need it" Quin countered.

"I doubt it, I am sure even the richest man in the world would be happy to get half a million pesos in this account"

"I know, I can read, I saw the flyer. Well, since we are interrogating each other"

"I am not interrogating you! We are simply having a conversation."

Joaquin's eyes darkened with annoyance at his continuous interruptions. One look from Carlos, and decided to take solace in his anger. They were in a tight space and starting a fight wouldn't be ideal.

"You aren't going to continue your words?" Cassius asked.

"You want a conversation? Quit interrupting me. It is no longer a conversation if it is one side". Vincenzo placed his available hand on Cassius's thigh, he proceeded to sign him with one hand.

"Just leave it" he signed.

Now Vincenzo intrigued Quin. Was mute by choice, or did something happen that led to him being mute? Joaquin found himself wondering if he had a tongue… At this point, his thoughts were going on a roller coaster.

After hours of driving, they had finally arrived. Hours, only because they were still on the road during the evening rush hour, resulting in them being stuck on the road with heavy traffic.

"We have arrived" Cassius reported as the sleek black sedan rolled through the wrought iron gates, and the sprawling estate of the Red Devil's mafia clan came into view.

Meanwhile, Cassius was grateful that the dreadful pick-up was over. Immediately Vincenzo pulled the car to a stop, Cassius burst open his door and left, slamming it shut on his way out. He was not hiding his distaste for them.

The four men in the car watched as he entered the house, slamming the door shut, with a loud bang.

Quin couldn't care about his anger or his attitude, The feeling was mutual, extremely mutual. He also didn't want to be here, but here he was, against his every wish.

Quin also didn't know what Cassius imagined their first meeting to be. They were both killers from murderous and dangerous families. Did he expect them to shake hands and talk about sports with wine in their hands and women on their thighs?

Ridiculous.

Soon they both began flooding out. Carlos and the banner boy went to retrieve their luggage. Quin turned to Vincenzo, who had his back turned to him as he busied himself with locking the car.

"You can hear, right?" Joaquin asked, Vin looked up from his lock and nodded once in response to his question.

"Thank you for picking us up from the airport and driving us to our location" The Mexican Don apprehended the mute man.

This took the three men in shock, and they were sure that if Cassius had been here, his jaw would have hit the floor.

Quinn's right hand was stretched in front of him toward Vinnie. Vinnie looked at him and then to his outstretched palm, then back to him.

Quin with an irritated tone spoke out," If you are going to leave me hanging, just say so" as he began retrieving his palm back. But Vinnie caught it midway.

Their handshake was firm and hard, it was mixed with clear mutual respect.

Vinnie turned to the banner boy as he pulled his hands away from Quinn's own. He sighed to the banner, who gave an immediate and respectful nod to his superior.

As soon as Vincenzo left their presence, the banner boy turned to the two guests. "Please this way"

The banner boy and Carlos pulled on the luggage as Quin walked in the middle of them. His eyes trailed around the front exterior of the house.

It was a lavish mansion.

The mansion was a blend of classic Italianate architecture with modern opulence. It was adorned with red brick and creamy stucco. The garden was well maintained with shrubs, stuck alongside the walls that flanked the path to the entrance. Topiaries, trimmed with proper precision, and beds of deep red roses.

Upon entering, the grand foyer welcomed them with marbled floors inlaid with complex mosaics, the red Devil's symbol proudly displayed in the center of it. The overhead chandelier, a cascade of crystal and red-gold, cast a warm reddish glow over the space, reflecting over the polished surfaces. To the side, a grand staircase with wrought iron railings spiraled upwards, its steps carpeted in a plush crimson runner.

Quin's steps were in moderation as he was attentive and very alert to his environment. Sure, a luxurious environment, but overly they were in the lion's den.

The dinner room, set with a long table that could seat twenty, was neatly dusted and cared for. The tableware was a fine porcelain, the silverware heavy and engraved with the family's insignia. A large painting of the entire mansion estate was dominated on one side of the wall, while the others were lined with dark wood paneling, that gave the room a feeling of warmth and enclosure.

This place was too serene for Quin.

Finally having enough of the uncomfortable house tour, he stopped walking. This caught the attention of the two other men as they looked at him with questioning looks.

"Where is your boss? Does he not know we are here?" he questioned, his eyes narrowed at the banner boy, who flinched at him.

"Um-the- the is in his meeting room— I think?"

Carlos and Quin gave him a pointed look, "You think?"

Meanwhile, The don of the red devils stood, leaning beside the window as he watched the black sedan slide in.

"~Ah, he is here. They have finally arrived" He whispered to no one in particular. He watched as his second-in-command opened and slammed the door, not bothering to look back.

"That is now how to treat an important guest, Cass" He inhaled his cigar, blowing it expertly across his office.

He continued to watch everything play out from the time Quin shook Vinny's hands till they entered the mansion. He turned around and looked at the whimpering man beneath him.

The Don had completely gotten about him and even now he was noticed, he still didn't seem to care either.

"Take him to the basement and have someone clean this place up, I have an influential guest here" A coy playful smile played on his lips.

He slipped into the connected bathroom in the office and began washing the blood from his fist. He was personally excited to see this young Don, as they were really rare to see. That is a teenage-looking Don. Most mafia leaders were the age of 40 and above.

There were only a handful of Dons that were below 30. So he was genuinely happy to meet him. Thinking back to how Cassius had stormed out and slammed the door rudely, he inwardly hoped that he hadn't done anything stupid to piss the young Don off.

Finally, he looked at his reflection in the mirror, smoothing his hair and other irrelevant, but also relevant things.

He left and looked across his table, there stood a gun. Now he wondered if it was necessary to take it. "It is a friendly visit, so there shouldn't be any reason to draw out weapons, right?"

"I believe so" One of his men answered him. He nodded and let the gun be.

"Shall we go greet our guest?"

*EDITED*