ow! watch the pinkie! this isn't so bad. jake almost has to stifle a laugh. king pin every time, you get the pinkie and i get a hang nail. you jake? jake nods and the king motions for the manicurist to leave.
grifter huh? where have you been on the grift? couldn't been here long 'cause i would have heard of you, skippy.
here and there, scooter? here and there like boston, chicago, houston? the bay area? some action in london, `til it turned nickel and dime. or how about that little stint down in miami? heard you actually got into some trouble with the feds down there. you guy's pretty good?
minus one. jake visibly bristles.
you know, back in the day, grafting was considered a gentleman's racket. good suits, good food.  the underworld of the underworld. a grifter had to survive on his wits, his instincts.  i like that. i like the idea of that. these days, things being what they are, guys like me gotta stay low.
of course, your line of work's only as good as the people you find.
you can't cheat an honest man. but a man like lionel dolby.
honest mistake. just give me the money back and all will be forgiven.
why not?
let me repeat-- why not?
buddy, that was business. besides, you have more crew. then there's you.
fucking grifters! i love it! you got balls, i'll give you that much.
i' ll be honest with you, kid. a grifter comes in here with a fifteen hundred dollar d-k-fucking-n-y suit, cooler than an eskimo in winter and tells me he wants to grift for me? first thing i have to ask myself is, is he playing for me or is he just plain playing me? you tried it once.
i know it won't happen because you're going to feel like a prom queen who just got gang fucked by the wrestling team! a few pained chokes from jake as his knees buckle.
grifters.  always working an angle. alright. i can see you got some vision. but i give you the mark. i tell you the who and you give me the how. lupus go with him. lupus snaps to attention.
consider him part of your crew. consider him a part of me. jake begins to speak, but is silenced with a look.
he goes. now let me see your hands.
you ask a lot of questions. come on. let me see `em. jake turns to find lupus and harlin on either side of him. they take him by the wrists and hold his hands up for the king. king pin i don't like to ask things more than once, junior. i want you to know how much that irks me. the king begins to gently trace between jake's fingers with the nail file. jake remains rigid against lupus and harlin as the nail file scrapes along the soft, fleshy webbing between his fingers. jake shuts his eyes.  then opens them to find the king now gently stroking his hands-- almost a loving caress.
you have incredibly soft hands. good cuticles . they' re like a baby's hands. grifters with rough hands.  you know that they're probably not that good. means they've had to do some hard labor to make ends meet. but you.  smooth.  supple. the king continues to stroke jake's hands with his own meaty paws.
how much?
what do you need from me? permission? go! if you can fleece him for two million, then do it, kid.
stake you?
that's more than you already owe me. what happens if you fuck this up?
hey skippy? do i have the word "chump" tattooed on my forehead?
listen, scooter---
take off your shirt. jake looks behind him to see harlin looming.
i said take off your fucking shirt. a few more boxers stop and turn. jake notices he's being watched. the king pin takes a step towards jake.
look at you, you skinny prick.
come here. feel this.
come here! the king grabs jake's hand and puts it on his stomach. it just got weirder. now the whole gym has stopped, everyone focused on jake and the king pin.
shut up. feel that? that's solid muscle. not an ounce of fat. go ahead. punch it.
come on. harder.
harder. remember, i killed your buddy. jake's demeanor changes as he winds up and hits the king as hard as he can. the king just smiles. king pin all muscle. the king then hits jake back in the gut with surprising speed. jake falls to his knees, but the king's right there. with one arm he pulls jake up and starts to pummel him in the stomach with an unbridled visciousness. jake spits up blood as the king hurls him face first into the ring.
maybe it's true. maybe you can't cheat an honest man. me? i'm about as dishonest as they come and that's the truth. but if you even think about trying to con me they'll find fucking pieces of you in each of the five boroughs. pieces of you, pieces of her, pieces of your whole crew. can't be any mare honest than that. i'll stake you, but that's three hundred fifty you're in the hole and consider the juice running. now go make me proud. harlin and lupus lift jake up. lily looks at jake with a pained expression.
a fed? is he close?
he's got pigs for an escort. you believe this guy?
always something. the king struggles into a pair of pants, then turns around. king pin my ass look big in this? harlin deliberately looks away.
speak.
so do half the other people in this place. how do i know which one?
good. good. do not let vig out of your sight. the king hangs up the phone and motions to harlin to go. cut to: