Married to Porn Pt. 02

As he absorbed the earth-shattering news that his brother is unknowingly married to their half-sister; you'd have thought that his newfound aunt had just offered him another cup of coffee or had just told him that it looked like rain outside.

"No...I can't say that I know either of them." He lied as he felt the pit of his stomach began to rumble.

"Well, whatever will be will be. It was worth a shot. You know? I think that God may have sent you here today." Justine said to him.

"Why do you say that?"

"The more you know." She said to him. "I mean, how easy would it have been for you or your brother to get into a relationship with one of them without knowing your shared history?"

"Well, "god" is about ten years too late with that one." Devonte' thought to himself.

"I know that this is a lot to take in. Listen, I've got the good ganja, how about smoking a joint or two with your newfound auntie?"

Devonte considered her offer but declined. "I've got to go Justine. Another time perhaps?"

"Another time then." She said as she embraced her newly discovered nephew tightly. "I turned my back on your father years ago. I couldn't deal with him constantly in and out of lockup. But when I hold you, it feels like I'm holding him. God, l miss him so much."

"He's still around. You could write him or go see him."

"I don't think he'd want to hear from me."

"How will you ever know if you don't try?"

Epilogue

A hapless victim or a degenerate deadbeat gambler?

To Anthony "Tony Fishtank" Lombardo, there were no victims; only halfway slick assholes who loved to collect when they won and always wanted to pay with some sob story or another once things didn't go their way and they fell behind on their vigorish obligations.

One such asshole was Howard Weston the 3rd. Hollywood screen writer, coke head and of course...degenerate gambler.

"Tony please...!" The man pleaded as one of Tony's guys held his right hand only inches away from the hungry piranhas inside of the giant fishtank.

Tony nodded and the mafia hood plunged the already battered man's hand deep into the tank and then quickly retracted it several times as the now agitated water based predators snapped hungrily at the chubby digits.

Tony nodded again to signify "stop" to his goon.

"Howard? Question. Did you ever watch the Sopranos?" Tony Fishtank calmly asked the quaking man.

"Did I ever watch the Sopranos?" The now confused but still very frightened man said. "What kind of question is..."

With that, his hand is once again baptized into the piranha tank, only this time, the fish strike paydirt as Howard let's out an unholy howl in agony.

"Next time I ask you a fucking question...I'm expecting a fucking answer and not a question in return." Fishtank growled.

"Yes...yes...I've watched the Sopranos before." Howard quickly said in reply.

"Good...good...then you're familiar with the character of Furio correct?"

"Yes...yes i am."

"Then you should be familiar with this line of his from the show. Bet with your head not over it."

"Swear on my kid's life. I've got a huge writing gig coming up. Streaming weekly project. Six figure advance."

"A huge writing gig for a streaming service smack dab during the middle of a Hollywood writer's strike. You must be a miracle worker." Fishtank said derisively.

"It's true Tony! Swear on my..."

"Yeah I heard. Swear on your kid's life. For you even attempting to make a jerk outta me I outta..."

But the Fishtank threat is cut off by the ringing of his cell phone which he tosses to an underling.

"Answer that." He orders the minion.

After a few seconds. The minion clicks off and reports back to Tony.

"That was Damon Hartsfield." He whispered to Tony. "He wants a meeting."

Tony smiles and glares at Howard. "Looks like today is your lucky day. You've got two weeks to bring me all of my money or you're going to French kiss that sea snake over there." He tells him as he points to the tank that contains the deadly serpent."

"Bless you Tony! Bless you."

After Howard beat a hasty retreat. Carmine "Jack Boots" Altieri asked, "so boss, what do you think he wants?"

"Isn't it obvious?" Tony said as he took a drag off his cigar and downed a vat of scotch. "The prodigal son wants to return home and place a bet."

Why did Damon request a meeting?

Is Diana going to "take one for the team" and give up the goods to Jack Martin in order to keep Damon out of jail? Will Dionne take one for Diane and be her "stunt pussy?"

Will Willie Driver make his move before Steamboat gets sent home on compassionate release?

Is Devonte going to tell his brother and newfound sister of the paternal tie that links them together?

Was Howard lying about the new gig?

Would you like to get these questions answered and more in a part three story? Please let me know in the comments.