John Wick - Chapter 83: Santino (Patreon)

“Ciao, John.”

“Santino.” John’s expression remained unchanged.

The two shook hands.

“May I come in?”

John hesitated for a moment.

“Of course.”

He opened the door wider and let Santino inside.

Santino noticed Nate standing behind John and extended a hand to him.

“Mr. Lin, it’s a pleasure to meet you.”

Nate immediately put on an almost bashful smile and clasped Santino’s hand with both of his, shaking it enthusiastically.

“I finally get to meet you, Mr. Santino.”

That caught Santino completely off guard. A flash of bewilderment crossed his face.

Still wearing an ingratiating smile, Nate asked, “By the way, if you don’t mind me asking, how did you hear about me?”

“The young heir of Everrise Group, partner of John Wick, the Baba Yaga, an unparalleled master of throwing knives, the strongest newcomer in the hitman world, the man who could surpass the Baba Yaga. Those are just some of the names people in our circles have given you.”

“Come on, there isn’t enough room in this hallway for all those titles. Gotta stay humble. Humble.” Nate wore a smug, self-satisfied grin, clearly enjoying every word of praise.

“Mr. Lin, your reputation has spread quite far in our circles. It’s an honor to meet you.”

“The honor’s mine!”

Santino added his other hand to the handshake, and the two stood there like old comrades, smiling broadly at each other as they clasped hands and pumped them up and down.

John stared at Nate in confusion, completely unable to figure out what his partner was doing.

What the hell? Am I the outsider here?

“This is our first time meeting, but I have to say, I didn’t expect you to be so... approachable.” Santino smiled, carefully choosing the word.

“Come on. John told me all about it. If you hadn’t helped him back then, our John wouldn’t have the life he has today. He owes it all to you.” Nate’s face was filled with gratitude, his voice almost trembling with emotion.

The fake smile on Santino’s face finally became a little more genuine, and he nodded several times.

John covered his face. He could barely stand to watch anymore. He had no idea what had gotten into his partner, but Nate was definitely up to something.

“Nate, that’s enough. The hallway isn’t the place for this. Let’s go to the living room.”

“Oh, right, right.”

Nate and Santino finally released each other’s hands.

The three walked toward the living room together.

Nate kept going. “Mr. Santino, what brings you here today?”

“I’d like to ask the two of you for a favor.”

“What kind of favor? Just say the word.”

As they passed the dining table, Santino deliberately glanced toward it.

“My apologies for interrupting your meal.”

He said the words, but there wasn’t the slightest hint of apology on his face.

Elena glanced at Santino without saying anything. The puppy in her arms still had its head buried tightly against her chest. She turned and headed toward the bedroom.

“It’s fine, it’s fine. Have you eaten?” Nate immediately asked.

“I have, thank you.” Santino maintained his polite smile.

“Would you like something to drink? Coffee?”

“...All right.”

After a moment’s thought, Santino accepted. Refusing everything his host offered would have been impolite.

“Sugar? Milk?” Nate asked.

“Neither. Black is fine.” Santino smiled and gave him a small nod.

“Got it.”

Nate hurried off into the kitchen.

John and Santino sat across from each other in the living room.

“That’s your partner?” Santino asked.

“...Yes.”

John was silent for a long moment before finally answering.

“Nothing wrong with that. I’m glad you have a partner... He’s just a little different from what I imagined,” Santino said with a smile.

“I thought he’d be more like you.”

He pursed his lips, fighting to keep the corners of his mouth from turning down.

“It’s good to see you looking well, John. This is a beautiful house.”

“Thanks. What are you here for?” John went straight to the point.

Santino leaned forward slightly in his chair.

“Listen, John. I really didn’t want to come here...”

“But you came anyway,” John cut in.

Santino paused before continuing.

“This isn’t easy for me either, but you know how it is, John. In this life, no one gets to come and go whenever they please.”

“I know,” John said. “I’m back.”

“Then that makes things easier.”

Santino slowly reached into his coat and took out an exquisitely crafted round object.

A Marker.

“I’m glad you understand that, John.”

Santino began speaking with almost ceremonial solemnity.

“A Marker is sacred. When one man gives it to another, it represents a debt sealed with his soul...”

John was already starting to lose patience when Nate returned from the kitchen, carrying a coffee pot in one hand and three cups in the other, cutting Santino off mid-speech.

A flicker of displeasure crossed Santino’s face, but he quickly suppressed it.

“Mr. Santino, your coffee’s ready. John, I made one for you too. Talking like this without anything to drink gets a little dry. Better to have some coffee while we discuss business.”

Nate sat down beside them and poured coffee into all three cups, deliberately giving Santino a little extra.

“Here you go, sir.”

“Thank you.”

Santino accepted the cup with a polite smile and set it in front of himself.

“John, try it. Cooking may be my thing, but I make a damn good cup of coffee too.”

Nate handed John his cup.

John took a sip, and his eyes immediately widened.

“Hm? That’s good. How did you make this? It’s incredibly smooth.”

He took another sip.

Nate picked up his own cup, blew across the surface, then slowly took a drink.

“My sister loves this stuff. I’ve spent years working on it. The coffee-to-water ratio is measured exactly. Shame there’s no milk. It’s even smoother with milk.”

Hearing them talk, Santino looked down at his own cup.

“Aren’t you going to try it, Mr. Santino? I made this especially for you. John normally couldn’t get a cup of this even if he asked. He’s only getting one because you’re here.”

Nate looked expectantly at the man in the coat across from him.

Under that stare, Santino almost seemed embarrassed.

He thought about it. Both men across from him had already drunk theirs, so there shouldn’t be anything wrong with it.

He lifted the cup and smelled it first.

“Hmm... Rich, full-bodied aroma, with a hint of chocolate. Hawaiian beans?”

“Wouldn’t have guessed you were such a connoisseur, Mr. Santino.”

Nate gave him a thumbs-up.

Santino smiled. “Drink enough of it and you naturally learn a thing or two.”

He raised the cup and took a small sip.

His reaction was almost identical to John’s. His eyes lit up.

“This coffee... really is excellent.”

“Glad you like it. I’ll pack some for you before you leave.”

A meaningful smile appeared on Nate’s face.

“Then I won’t refuse.”

Santino took several more sips before setting the cup down. Nate noticed that there was barely any coffee left.

So he poured him some more.

Santino didn’t refuse. Apparently, he genuinely liked it.

The atmosphere suddenly became much more cordial.

“All right, gentlemen. Let’s get down to business.”

“You’re both excellent shots. I want you to help me kill someone.”

Santino sat with his fingers interlaced, affecting a grave, contemplative air.

John said nothing.

He had no intention of saying anything.

Nate picked up the conversation, his tone difficult to read.

“And who exactly would you like us to kill, sir...?”

“The prospective heir to the fifth seat of the High Table. My sister, Gianna D’Antonio.”

Santino’s eyes turned cold as steel, and his voice was colder still.

John’s expression changed instantly.

Anger filled his eyes, and his fists clenched tight.

Nate, meanwhile, leaned back in his chair.

He remained silent for a long moment before slowly speaking in the exaggerated tone of a certain lay Buddhist.

“But that’s your beloved family. Your own flesh and blood...”

Santino looked at the young man across from him with interest.

“What are you getting at?”

“You’ll have to pay extra.”