Two months skipped over since the two men had stopped by who Andy discovered were Tyler and Desmond.
Both working for the mafia.
The young man had barely scraped aside money to pay them for the first month, however, it has proven difficult as the second month of payment approached.
----------
Desmond, the tall blond hair blue eyes, son of a bitch who wouldn't stop harassing Andy any chance he'd got ever since he'd met the man two months ago, came marching through the empty gift store to collect his boss's monthly payment.
Andy cursed under his breath from seeing the man stepping up to the counter, a menacing smirk plastered upon his ugly hardened face.
"I'm here for another month's payment handsome." Desmond leaned over the counter, smiling a toothy grin at the lean built man who sat just the opposite with an exhausted look upon his face.
"Don't call me that." Andy calmly muttered.
Despite the fact it's been nearly two godforsaken months in this depressing place, Andy had been too busy to have any free time of his own. Which meant he had zero dating life and zero friends, except if you count Desmond, who Andy wouldn't quite count as a friend, for the man simply stops by the store just to make fun of Andy every chance he gets. Therefore, it's safe to say no one knew about Andy being gay, not that he was hiding it. Except, it wasn't obvious either.
"What's the matter cupcake, did I hurt your feelings?" Desmond chuckled, pulling out a cigarette from his pocket, immediately lighting it.
Andy scrunched his eyebrows together when the foul smell of nicotine filled his nostrils. "You're not allowed to smoke in here." Andy stood up, "Do it outside if you like, this is a no-smoking zone." Anger soon followed upon Andy's face regarding the man just ignoring his request.
"Yeah? And who's gonna stop me?" Desmond challenged, puffing foul smoke into Andy's face.
Andy sighed and sat back down upon the wooden chair behind the white covered counter. It meant no sense arguing with the mafia goons unless he had a death wish.
"I don't have the money as yet," Andy informed the man in front of him. When Desmond didn't say anything, Andy continued, "I can't afford to pay every month Desmond, I ain't getting anywhere. I have bills to pay and I need to eat, I ain't starving myself just so Salvatore can fill his already flowing pockets - Fuck it, I ain't paying anymore."
Desmond, "Boss won't like that -"
"Well then, tell your boss he can shove it." Andy slammed his fist against the counter, it was time he put his foot down and be a man. "He's already a rich bastard for fuck sake".
Andy had done his research about the infamous mafia boss the same day Tyler and Desmond paid him a visit two months ago.
Xaviar Salvatore is the man's name, his father was a small-time Italian mobster back in Italy, they moved to America when Xaviar was only six, and that is when their empire grew. Now they were one of the biggest growing mafia organizations in the country.
Andy had never seen the man in person, but the hundreds of pictures that scattered the Internet with Xaviar flaunting his extravagant lifestyle proved that the man was indeed handsome, and extremely rich. Thus, Andy didn't understand why the bastard wanted to take money from small business owners such as himself.
Indeed Xaviar's life was plastered on the Internet for the world to see. For the few who knew him, knew Xaviar was all that and more. Xaviar's a self-loathing asshole, who's hated by everyone he'd graced his revolting presence with.
Desmond started walking toward the front door, "Okay kid. I'll tell him just that -"
"No, Wait!" Andy hurriedly spoke, stopping Desmond in his tracks. "Don't tell the snob that." Andy bit his bottom lip, "Just tell him that I can take care of my store alone. I don't need help from any mafia. And I won't be paying any more. Besides, It's not like anyone would break into this place." Andy chuckled, rubbing a hand behind his neck. "Oh, do me a favor, and don't forget to make it sound nice. Like I'm being genuine."
Desmond sighed in defeat. Though he made fun of Andy, he still liked the guy. Still, his job came first, Desmond knew what would occur now that Andy refuses to pay. He also knew trying to talk the boy into changing his mind would be a waste of time. The boy was stubborn, that much he knew given the few times they'd talked.
"Sure kid, whatever you say." And with that, Desmond stepped out, leaving Andy to question himself, wondering if he'd made the right decision in standing up for himself once in his godforsaken life.
----------
Two weeks later, Desmond hadn't returned to the store. In Andy's fragile mind, it was safe to say that the mafia probably forgot about him, or just concluded he wasn't worth their time anymore.
What Andy didn't know was that a certain someone had taken it upon themself to come to see the man who thought he could disobey the mafia and get away with it.
When Desmond reported to Xaviar about the recently opened gift store owner, Andy Jenkins, who refused to pay. The Italian mafia was angry, to say the least, but Xaviar was more intrigued, so he instructed Desmond to stay away from Andy, as he was going to visit the boy himself. Not many times people denied him, but when they do, they either lose everything or ended up dead. It all depended on Xaviar's mood, which happens to change like the weather.
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The door creaked open and the bell rang in every nook and cranny of the store. Andy hurriedly read through the last paragraph, hoping to finish the last chapter of the hardcover novel he held within his hand before he gets up to go tend to his customer. However, before he could, someone cleared their throat behind the counter, immediately Andy slammed the book shut just to come face-to-face beside the most beautifully sculpted man he ever graced his eyes upon.
There before Andy, stand a man blessed with a body of the Greek Gods. The man's broad shoulders were accompanied by an all-black tailored, well-fitted suit, which left nothing for the imagination. Ruffled raven hair rested upon his head, tanned face filtered with light stubble, thick dark eyebrows scrunched up as his icy green eyes pierced through Andy's very soul.
The two men glared at each other for what felt like hours but were mere seconds when Andy recognized exactly who the man ahead of him was. Andy's eyes immediately dropped toward the floor, his breath caught within his throat. The man who stood before him was no other than Xaviar Salvatore. Andy didn't know what the older man's intention was for being here, but he knew it wasn't good.
Xaviar couldn't help but stare in awe at the sight before him. This Andy fella's beautiful, he'd give him that. His honeycombed eyes dropped in submission, obviously knowing who was in control. Waved charcoal hair fell over his oval face, his skin cracked and tanned from too much sun exposure. He had tiny cuts and scrapes about his body. The only feature that seemed soft as a baby's bottom, those plump lips - lips Xaviar wanted to taste, even just for a mere second.
Paying the right amount of attention one could tell the boy's life had not been an easy one. Being the man Xaviar is, he was indeed paying the right attention. Despite Xaviar preferred being in the company of women, he did enjoy his fair share of men.
What could he say, he wasn't one to discriminate. Sometimes he would enjoy them both at the same time. Because, why not?
Xaviar snapped out of his thoughts when Andy got up from the chair he'd been sitting on. Xaviar only towered a few inches taller than the boy, two to be exact, but that had never bothered him before.
Andy extended his hand, "You must be Mr. Salvatore, I'm -"
"I know who you are." Xaviar interrupted, ignoring Andy's outstretched hand, "What happened to my payment boy?" Xaviar's voice came out harshly as he wasted no time in getting to the root of the problem.
The young man bit his bottom lip - a strange habit of his, unsure of what to say. And for just a second Xaviar wanted to be the one who should be chewing at Andy's lower lip. For some reason, he wanted the young man, but solely to quench his lust.
Nothing more, nothing less.
Perhaps Xaviar should make a deal?
Sex for a month and Andy doesn't have to pay. That sounds fair, right? Okay, maybe not.
Following several seconds of hesitation, Andy addressed the situation, snapping Xaviar out of his notion, "I won't be paying anymore sir."
"Is that so?" Xaviar questioned mockingly. Andy nodded his head, Xaviar took that as an opportunity to continue, "Do you know what happens to people who go against my rules boy?" Andy gulped but chose not to say anything, "They suffer the consequence. Sometimes they lose an arm, sometimes a leg...Sometimes their business." Xaviar eyes burned into Andy's own, expecting the younger man would see he wasn't playing games, "It all depends on what mood I'm in. And, to be honest, I haven't been in a good mood lately."
Xaviar turned his back at Andy, ignoring the bulge, slowly growing between his legs. The older man glided toward the shelving that held a variety of snow globes and other water-filled knick-knacks. His long fingers traced the lining of each item, "Now you listen to me boy." With a blink of an eye, the older man slid his hand across the polish wooden shelve, hurling every ornament and trinket off the shelve. All shattered from impact as soon as they made contact with the newly carpeted floors.
Andy gasped, swiftly marching over near Xaviar. "Please don't!" Andy yelled in hopes of preventing the mafia from going further. However, Andy's pleads fell on deaf ears as Xaviar walked toward another shelve.
Xaviar swung to watch Andy, eyes seemingly turn cold and dark, holding no sort of emotion. "Do you think I would favor you above everyone else, Andy? Do you think you're so special, that I would make an acceptance?"
Andy, "I never said that-"
"Do you fucking know who I am!" Xaviar shouted, picking up a wooden car and inspecting it closely. "I could end you boy. You came into my city, refuse to pay me and you think I should be okay with that -"
"You're asking for too much." Andy interrupted quietly, "Don't you have enough already? It's not like you'll lose anything if you just walk away."
True. But, Xaviar knew if he'd let this slide and people found out, they too would want to deny him. They would assume he's getting weak, that he could be pushed around. Which means more dead bodies in Xaviar's case. And for some strange reason, Xaviar didn't see the need for Andy to know about the many lives he'd taken.
Xaviar, "You will pay and that's final."
Silence filled the store for a few minutes. Tears that refused to fall clouded Andy's vision, yet Andy didn't say anything -Â couldn't say anything.
Xaviar admittedly felt bad -Â which was rare, for all he desired to do was go beside the young man and give him a hug, tell him everything would be alright. But Xaviar couldn't because that's not who he is. Andy's just a nobody in his eyes.
"Get out"Â Andy whispered harshly.
Xaviar could hear it as clear as crystal, but he couldn't believe it. Who the hell does this boy think he is? No one talks back to Xaviar Salvatore. No one.
"What?" Xaviar, as if in disbelief, asked, arching one of his full scrunched up brow.
"You heard me." Andy stepped up to the mafia boss's face in his moment of bravery. "Get out."
Not taking a second more of thinking things through, Xaviar's fist came up, colliding with the young man's face, sending him stumbling backward from the impact.
Andy held on to his jaw, flames fumed from his eyes. Wasting no time, Andy ran up to Xaviar in full-blown rage, ready to attack - ignoring the consequences he would face later for his actions - if he made it out alive that is.
The two men collided and fought.
Although Andy managed to get a few kicks and punches here and there, Xaviar still had the upper hand, therefore, the moment Xaviar grabbed hold of Andy, he was defeated.
The mafia sent punch after punch flying toward the younger man's face. Blood spewed from Andy's mouth and nose, clouding his vision as more punches arrived. Eyes barely opened, Andy's stomach ached as the man kept hitting and kicking him about his bruised body.
When Andy couldn't find the strength to lift his hand anymore, that's when Xaviar decided to let him go.
Andy fell face-first on the ground, pain riddled his body, he was sure he was going to die.
Being the man Xaviar is, he wasn't done as yet. The mafia marched toward the shelves in fury, sending every single one crashing down. Destroying everything that rested upon them in the process.
When Xaviar had completely tarnished the small store of all its contents, he walked back over to the half-unconscious man, who laid bloody on the floor.
Xaviar grabbed Andy by the hair, the young man winced in pain as he was being pulled up, "Look!" Xaviar demanded.
Slowly Andy's swollen eyes barely made it open, only to see everything he'd work for, obliterated before him. Now he had nothing once again. Andy couldn't help but whimper at the thought. Tears fell freely from his eyes, creating added pain.
The monster above him held no sympathy as he finally let go of Andy's hair, sending Andy crashing against the floor once more.
Xaviar chuckled at the damage he'd just caused in his moment of towering rage while he walked out of the tarnish store, leaving a bloody Andy behind to fend for himself.