Chapter Twenty-One

Romano

"Is there a reason why you're fantasizing about shooting my head off right now ?" I asked Raphael as he started to enter the back seat of the car.

He glared at me, stopped in motion, bending a bit as he prepared to slid in.

"He thinks you were flirting with his girl," Bruno whispered loudly, standing beside me, legs apart. His eyes held a devilish look as he stared at Raphael. We were both staring at him, waiting for his reaction. He did not react; he just slid into the car and banged the door. Or maybe that was his reaction.

Okay, that's grown up!

"I have to stop by somewhere; I'll see you later."

I whirled around, walking in the direction of the garage, I heard Bruno start the car, and I turned to watch them drive away, speeding like he was on a race track.

Raph says Bruno drives like a maniac, which is true. In another life, he probably would have been a race driver. We rarely let him drive, he only does it when necessary, and he loves it.

The garage was already opened; Diego, one of our guys, was polishing one of the cars.

He was Mexican and almost ten years older than us. He was tall, big, almost huge, but he could hold his own in a run. He had a beard, which weirdly resembled Fidel Castro's. He has a huge scar on the right side of his face that he got when he was ten, which he doesn't talk much about; in fact, he rarely talks. He and I definitely have that in common.

He is a silent guy with a mean fist and a passion for cars. He looks at cars the same way most men look at women. He told Raph that his new red Ferrari acquisition was sleek, dynamic, magnificent, stylish, and beautiful. When he said it, his voice sounded like he talked to a woman he very much wanted to take to bed.

I needed a car that would intimidate most people, so I chose a white Maserati ghibli 2016 that Raph bought last year. It was sleek, sporty, and luxurious. The music system made someone feel alive, the sound so clear and unbelievably comforting I could drive a thousand miles.

I may not drive like a maniac, but I loved driving. I slid in and drove off, navigating the car to my destination; I lowered the window, allowing the fresh air in. The wind felt so good in my hair. I knew it would be disheveled by the time I got out.

I passed through the same security scrutiny at empire press as I had the first day I picked up Gabriella. The same security guy. He stood at the gate, saluting me from recognition I imagined. I returned the gesture, making him smile and nod at my car. I nodded back, smiling at him as we both shared an unspoken male bonding moment over the powerful machine I was driving.

He flagged my car, and I drove off.

The same blonde still covered the front office.

"Hi, welcome back; how can I assist you?" her smile was flirty, fluttering her eyelashes at me. She wore a short red dress, shoes too high for any human being, but she walked perfectly in them, albeit slowly.

She stood in front of me, flattening her hands in my chest, gazing at my eyes so intensely I felt like she was looking for answers I had no idea I held. I took a step back, causing her hands to fall, but she stretched and started brushing off my shoulders like my suit had crumples or dust.

I stopped her, holding both of the hands off me. Her nails were long, painted dark red, probably how the devil's nails would look like. I thought.

"Are you always this touchy with your clients? " I asked. Irritated and impatient.

"I need to talk to your boss."

"Do you have an appointment?" her voice was sultry, and it irked me.

I didn't want to use force, intimidation, or fear to a woman whose only crime was stupidity and a misplaced belief that she was even remotely beautiful or pretty under all the makeup she had smeared on her face.

But I also didn't have the time to play nice; Raphael needed me.

I turned, about to walk to Gabriella's boss' office, but as luck could have it, there was a squeak of the elevator opening, and he got out.

He paled immediately he saw me. I could tell he remembered our first meeting. He was almost tall as I was, but the guy was a wuss. Most likely, a city guy brought up with the money, a trust fund, and a family lineage that likely dated back to the 18th century.

I gave him my hand; he hesitated, probably thinking I would squeeze it like I did the last time. I was tempted, but I did not.

"I'm sorry for dropping by without an appointment," I said, not sounding sorry at all. "But Gabriella thought she could have some manuscript to read while she stays at home" I was looking at him, gauging his reaction.

"She didn't she? Who the hell does she think she is? She is delusional if she thinks she still works for my company" He seems to have lost his sense of preservation in his anger. Shouting, I was sure the whole company could hear him."

I took a step towards him, a smile on my face. "I'm sorry to hear that. I thought the agreement was to attend to her family emergency as long as she needed to."

"I never signed anything of the sort," He said triumphantly. His eyes challenging me in a duel.

This rich spineless boy had no loyalty or honor.

"It was a gentleman agreement; we shook hands on it. Or aren't you a gentleman?" my voice sounded soft, angry, cold, and I was about to snap.

He must have realized it because he moved his eyes to the front office bimbo demanding to have ten manuscripts packed for Gabriella.

Almost half an hour later, I dropped the manuscripts with flora to pass them over to her and then drove off.

Raphael.

I was jealous! So damn jealous that Romano hit it off with Sophie I felt like killing him. He joked with her, smiled at her, even laughed with her. Since I was fifteen, I've known the son of bitch, and he rarely laughs with me, only at me. He is so stingy with words that sometimes I want to hit his head so he can at least say something. Then suddenly, he is a chatterbox.

Fabricio was still rambling about having a hotel beside the club to transfer the underaged girl's employment.

"I have seen the books, and the club profits cannot manage to buy a hotel, not to mention there is another hotel in the vicinity. Competing for the same customers in a low populated area is not really a good idea." I said.

"I know that, but the owner is selling his place. We can purchase it and have the only restaurant in the area."

Fabricio appeared nervous.

"Did you force him out?"

It would be very foolish of him to do so.

"No, I did not, boss," he stammered.

"Then why are you so jumpy?" Bruno asked. "What are you afraid of? "

"I'm sleeping with his daughter," Fabricio finally muttered, brushing imaginary dust off his sleeves. "He wants to meet you? "

"About his daughter or selling the hotel?"

I asked, confused. Why would anyone want to talk to me about any of my employees dating their daughter or the equivalent? Unless...

"Oh, fucking shit! Please tell me she is above eighteen!"

"Of course, she is!"

"Then I don't give a shit about what happens between the two of you as long as it's consensual, which I hope to god it is. "

"Yes. It is" He looked relieved.

"Why were you freaking out?

"Her father says I'm destroying her life. She is a 2nd-year political science student at Harvard.

"No, shit!" Bruno exclamation at the same time Romano asks who is in Harvard.

"Fabricio is banging a Harvard student!"

"Really?"

"The daughter of trattoria! Who knew? Harvard! That is impressive!"

"I knew it! Her name is Lucrezia, though she swears her name is Luisa, her dad calls her Lucrezia, which makes her mad as hell."

"How do you know all that?"

"I have been going there for years. They have the best risotto in Newyork."

"Does Flora know?" Bruno asked.

"Know what? "

"That her risotto is lacking in your standards?"

I was staring at Romano as he sat on my side of the table.

"Who are are you right now? For years? How come we didn't know this?"

"You mean the same way you don't tell us you like dropping by the bistro once in a while?"

"Or Bruno, who loves going to the--

"Don't even say it! " Bruno warns.

I laughed because I knew exactly where Bruno goes to.

"So, I'm sure Fabricio is dying to ask whether you have had...relations with her?"

They all burst out laughing—even Fabricio.

"Relations? What are you, a priest? Bruno laughingly asked.

"I figured you've been crass and vulgar enough for all of us."

"No, I did not, and you shouldn't worry, you're not her first, and you'll definitely not be the last. I think she believes in all that feminism bullshit. What a man can do, a woman can do better. She wrote an article on women's sexual independence, where she urged women should not be judged for exploring their sexuality. He said, taking the papers I had on the desk.

"What exactly does that mean?" Fabricio sounded like he was afraid to ask.

"It means a woman has the right to have as many sexual partners as a man if she wanted to."

"Can I have a beer?" Romano rose, cutting off the conversation, while Fabricio seemed to want a continuation of the same.

"Sure"

Fabricio left the office, and we stayed in silence while Romano went through the papers we had just finished reviewed. I had a knack for numbers, while Romano was an expert in recognizing business opportunities and localities. We made quite a team.

I rose to my feet, too, walking until I stood by the window, watching people swim. Lovers making out, college boys flirting with girls. Randy bastards

But I didn't blame them. I felt more than the same for Sophie. With the memories of her in my arms and how jealous I felt this morning, I didn't even tell her goodbye.

We stayed in the club, planning and budgeting for the restaurant while I held other meetings.

By the time we left the club, we were all tipsy. Romano was asleep on the back seat, and Bruno was behind the wheel as usual on a night like this.

He always functions, no matter how inebriated he was. He single-handedly becomes the driver and the bodyguard.

The house was as silent as fate. Bruno walked to the kitchen, probably to find something to eat.

I have never understood Bruno's love for food.

Romano lurched to his bedroom without a word, I did the same, but I didn't go to my bedroom; I went to check on Sophie.

I knocked. No answer. I knew she was definitely asleep, but I wanted to see her. I knocked again, no answer. I did it again more loudly, no answer.

"Do you want to wake the whole house?" Bruno stood beside me, holding a plate of food.

"How the hell can you even think of food least of all eat in a time like this?" I was about to knock again when he twisted the doorknob slowly, then pushed in the door. The bed was empty, and the room felt cold.

"Oh my god, where the hell is she? " I was petrified; I think I just sobered up! My mind sprouted up so many scenarios I would have gone out to battle and won on adrenaline alone.

I was scared as shit!

"You do realize we would know if she was missing," Bruno reasoned.

"Then, where the hell is she? "

"Probably your bedroom."

"No, I understand her enough to know for a fact she wouldn't be in my bedroom. But she would be in Gabriella's room."

I walked slowly, in determining steps. There was light in Gabriella's room. They were probably talking.

I knocked and waited. I heard footsteps, a scuffle of some sort; then the door was pulled open. She stood there, with the same clothes she wore in the morning, her hair disheveled, a pen in her hand, looking completely confused.

I was confused too. What the hell was she still doing awake. My face must have shown the shock because she blushed a bit and told me she was finishing reading through one of the manuscripts Romano brought.

I had no idea what that meant, and I didn't care, but I was pretty sure I would find out in the morning.

"Oh, okay," I murmured.

"I have a valid reason for knocking on your door at this hour; believe me, I'm looking for Sophie."

"Sorry, she is asleep," she yawned, her voice sounding tired.

"She is having nightmares, and I don't want her waking you up. Can I pick her up?"

"No, it's ok--.She stammered, stared a bit at me, a frown appearing on her face, then she said, "Sure."

I walked into the room so fast I hit my toe on the frame. "Fuck! " I muttered, but that didn't stop me from bending down and picking up Sophie.

She weighed almost nothing. I told Gabriella goodnight and walked with Sophie in my arms to my bedroom.

I laid her down on her side, the one she'd slept on the previous night. Then I went on to perform my nightly routine, kissed her goodnight, and fell asleep beside her.