“You’re quite welcomed. But right now,” he glanced at his Cartier watch, “I’m super late for a meeting. My brother will call out the brigade if I don’t get going.”
“The brigade, really? He can’t be that bad.”
“Let’s put it this way,” Oz said. “Ever hear of General George Patton?”
“Of course I’ve heard of him.”
“The good General has nothing on my brother.”
Gloria laughed. “If you say so, Oz.”
But Oz was taken by how her face lit up whenever she laughed. And he couldn’t help it. He blurted it out. “Have dinner with me,” he said to her.
Gloria’s laughter slowly eased, although her smile remained. “Dinner? But I told you I couldn’t. Oh. I see. You helped me, so now I owe you?”
Oz was offended. “You don’t owe me a damn thing. Not a thing. And I wasn’t talking about tonight. You already told me you were busy tonight. And I won’t be in town tomorrow night. I was thinking Wednesday. How does Wednesday night sound?”
But Gloria was shaking her head. “Not good. I’ve got to be in Philly Wednesday night.”
That sounded odd even to Oz. “Come again?”
“I’m catching a plane out in a couple days. I’m having dinner in Philly Wednesday night with my family.”
Oz stood there. Was she brushing him off again? He was suddenly embarrassed again. He nodded his head. “Yeah, okay.”
Gloria immediately realized how he was taking it. “No, I’m serious,” she said. “I know it sounds odd, but it really isn’t. I have to be in Philly Wednesday night. Real talk. I’ve already made the reservation. My plane leaves at five Wednesday afternoon. The Uber will be here to pick me up at three. I’m not blowing you off or anything like that. But since you probably aren’t used to being blown off, you don’t know what it looks like. Do you?”
“I know what it looks like,” Oz said bluntly. “It looks like that night in the club when you, as you say, blew me off. I know what it looks like.”
Oz didn’t mean to display that kind of angry emotion, but he couldn’t help it. For some strange reason that chic of a girl, and all of her rejections, did something to him.
“I wasn’t blowing you off, I don’t care what you say,” Gloria said, getting angry too. “You don’t have to get nasty about it.”
“Who the fuck is getting nasty?” Oz angrily asked. “Who the fuck do you think you are?”
Gloria was hurt by his anger toward her. She didn’t see where she’d caused him to react that way! And, if she were to be honest, he disappointed her. “Please leave now.”
Oz stared at her. He knew he was overreacting. But why was he overreacting? “Don’t turn down Rappaport when they come to meet with you just because we aren’t clicking.”
“I wouldn’t do that,” said Gloria, “because I know I did nothing to made you so angry with me. I’m not lying about having to go out of town on Wednesday. You’re misjudging me.”
Oz stared at her. He could see in her eyes where he had hurt her. And that bothered him too. “I apologize,” he said.
“Please leave now,” Gloria said. “You can keep your apology.”
Oz almost lashed out at her again. But despite her defiant words, that pain was still in her eyes. That was why he didn’t say anything else. He, reluctantly, disappointedly, just left.
Gloria sat down when he closed the door behind him. And tears began to appear. Why was she letting a guy all wrong for her, a guy she hardly knew at all, get under her skin? It was like he was two different people. This nice, kind man who helped her out when he certainly didn’t have to. Who made her laugh when no other man bothered. But then he became this angry, mean person who looked as if he could slit her throat and go home to bed without giving her another thought just because she turned down his offer of dinner Wednesday night?
And then she thought about Wednesday night. And having to confront her father. And it was beginning to feel like too much. Like life overload.
But she wiped her tears away.
CHAPTER SEVENTEEN
In New York city, on a cool Monday night, the wind was whipping wildly as Morpheus, a head of one of the Greek crime families in America, along with his bodyguard/driver, walked out of their favorite Greek restaurant with their bellies full and their hearts satisfied. But as soon as Morpheus sat in the backseat of his Lincoln, and as his bodyguard/driver closed the door and got in the front seat, behind the steering wheel, his cell phone rang. By the ring tone he knew it was one of his men. He knew there was probably some crisis in his organization that he had to figure out when all he wanted to do was go home and get some sleep. But he wasn’t in a nine-to-five line of work. He pulled out his phone.
As Morpheus reluctantly looked at his Caller ID, his bodyguard/driver cranked up. And just as Morpheus was about to press the talk button on his phone, to find out what the problem was, he heard what sounded to him like a thunder clap. Then he suddenly felt his body bounce up and slam with unbelievable force against the back of the front seat, his cell phone sailing from his hand.
Before he could figure out what in the world was happening to him, his big body was being tossed violently like a rag doll; jerked from one side of the car to the other side as if he was a human projectile. The windshield shattered, his driver was sucked through and thrown across the hood of the car as if he had been tossed out by human hands. And then the entire vehicle, as if in slow motion, lifted up high into the air and then flipped backwards while it was up there, as if it was a flying firebomb.
When it dropped back down, the landing was so severe that it cradled the street and smashed down flattened, as if it had been the star attraction in a demolition derby.
It might not have been the star attraction in a derby, but it was definitely a warning shot across the bow to any other member of the Greek mafia who thought they were getting away with it.
CHAPTER EIGHTEEN
The SUV pulled up to the curb, on the other side of the busy street where police now had Morpheus’s car, along with a portion of that entire city block on that side of the street, cordoned off. Darkus, who was the point man on scene, saw the SUV and made his way across the busy street. He walked around and got into the backseat where Oz was sitting and staring at the scene.
“What do they know?” Oz asked him.
“Our sources say nothing. Just another mob hit to them. Greeks killing Greeks. They already don’t give a fuck.”
Oz exhaled. “Poor guy. Never did anything to anybody.”
“They were sending a powerful message,” Darkus said. “I saw his body, what was left of it. They fucked him up, Boss.”
“They don’t want the Greeks consolidating,” Oz said. “Whoever this Ghost Mafia is, they didn’t take out Morpheus by accident. They wanted to break us up before we got started.”
Darkus looked at Oz. “What are we going to do about it?” he asked him.
“What we have to do. Pay their asses back. Send our own message. What the hell else can we do? Fold and let them take down each and every one of us one by one? And take our land? And then every one of our organizations in Greece after that?”
“Are you ordering a hit?”
Oz hated that part of the job. That was why he didn’t want to be coalition leader. But he also knew he had no choice. They made him leader because he wouldn’t flinch in the face of tough decisions. “I’m ordering a hit,” Oz said. “They took out one of ours. We’re going to take out two of theirs.”
“We? Does that mean you and me?”
Oz exhaled. “That means you and me,” Oz said. “Set it up.”
Darkus gave his boss a knowing nod, and then got out of the SUV.
“Where to, Boss?” the driver of the SUV asked as he slowly drove by the horrific scene.
Oz leaned his head back. He had planned to visit one of his ladies in New York and take her with him to spend the night at his brother’s Hudson Valley estate. He didn’t like to sleep alone when he
was stressed.
But he thought about Gloria. Making love to another woman seemed like he was settling for less when he thought about her. He’d rather make love to Gloria. Which upset him even more because she didn’t even want his ass.
But he still wanted her.
“Take me to my plane,” he said to his driver.
Even the driver was surprised. He just knew he’d be picking up one of Oz’s ladies for the evening and taking them both over to Hudson Valley. He glanced at his boss through the rearview. “Yes, sir,” he said, and headed right back to the airport.
CHAPTER NINETEEN
They played racket ball hard. Two middle-aged men slamming that ball against the wall in rapid succession, determined to serve better than the other one and win every rally. It was their weekly aggression workout, and they were working it out. Their games usually lasted an hour. That morning: nearly two hours.
And then, exhausted, they headed for the showers. Both men were drenched in sweat. The winner was bragging and the loser was making excuses for his loss. But, like every week, it was all in fun.
But as soon as they walked in, they saw Oz sitting on a sink fully clothed in a suit and tie. At first, they started to think he was just in the wrong place. Then they saw him for what he was. They could spot mob a mile away.
“Who are you?” the taller of the two men asked just as Oz’s man Darkus walked in behind them and locked the door. They turned when they heard the click, and then looked back at Oz.
“What’s this about?” the smaller man asked.
“It’s about you,” said Oz.
“Us? What about us? There’s been some mistake,” said the taller man. He could also perceive danger faster than most.
But Oz stood up and began walking toward the gentlemen. “A mistake? I don’t think so,” he said.
“Who are you, first of all?” the taller man asked.
“I’m a friend of Morpheus. Remember him? The head of one of the Greek families that the Ghost Mafia killed?”
As soon as Oz said the name of the shadow organization, both men knew danger was around them.
“You are a member of the Ghost Mafia, aren’t you?” Oz asked.
Both men decided they had only one option. Only one. And they tried to make a run for it.
But Oz grabbed the taller guy and bashed his head into one of the shower stalls, while Darkus grabbed the shorter guy and threw him against the wall. Then both Oz and Darkus began beating the men down. Oz had the taller man held up only by the catch of his collar as he beat him. When he fell, he started kicking him.
“This is for Morph,” he said. “You cold motherfuckers! And Madinis. This is for both of them!” And he continued to beat them down.
When it was obvious that he had beat the last breath out of the man, Oz tossed him into the shower stall. It took Darkus a little longer, but he took out his man too, and tossed him right alongside Oz’s man.
Then they exhaled, unlocked the door, and the cleanup crew, dressed as janitors with big trash cans on a dolly, came in to clean up their mess.
Although Oz hated that part of his other life, he knew he had to handle it. And he did.
He and Darkus walked away.
CHAPTER TWENTY
Gloria already had her bagel between her teeth and was tossing papers in her briefcase when Shirley opened the door.
“Your Uber’s here,” she said.
“I am so late!”
“What can I do to help?”
Gloria glanced at Shirley. She wasn’t normally the how can I help type. But she appreciated it. “Get my overnight bag, will you?” she said, and Shirley quickly grabbed Glo’s bag. Then both women hurried out of the office, down the hall, and out of the diner just as a limousine drove up behind a Subaru, which was the Uber driver’s car, and parked. Both women stopped in their tracks as Oz got out of the back of the limo dressed in a long black trench coat tied at the waist, a black hat, and with a cigar between his teeth. And he was smiling a smile that oozed that Oz charm.
“Need a ride to the airport?” Oz asked. He remembered she said she would be heading to the airport around that time. His goal was to fly her all the way to Philly, and make amends. He didn’t know why he was bothering, but it was important to him.
But his gesture was as plain as day. Shirley certainly was taken. “Wow,” she said.
But Gloria was pissed. He accused her just two days ago of something she didn’t do. Now he wanted her to just hop on in and forget about how angry he acted towards her? She didn’t even bat an eye. She opened the back door of the Uber, tossed in her briefcase, and then took her overnight bag from Shirley and tossed that in too.
“Gloria, wait,” Oz said when he realized his stunt had backfired. “Gloria?”
But she got in the Uber, and told the driver to go. He drove off.
Shirley, shocked that a man like Oz Drakos would dare chase after some woman, looked at Oz with a mystified look on her face. And Oz should have been embarrassed by such a public turndown when the private ones had done it for him already. But he wasn’t embarrassed. He became determined.
He got back into his limo. “Follow that Uber!” he ordered his driver. And although his driver said yes, sir, and did as he was told, he glanced at his boss through the rearview, wondering what in this world was wrong with him too.
Gloria was wrong with him. Oz knew there was no denying it as he sat in the backseat of his limo as it sped to the airport. Alex always told Oz that he was a man who had to have a challenge in his life. But he didn’t view Gloria as a challenge. But then why, he wondered, was he chasing after her as if she was the only woman on the planet?
She wasn’t.
But was she the only woman on the planet for him?
She was already out of her Uber and inside of the airport by the time Oz arrived. He jumped out, too, and made his way inside. When he saw Gloria, he hurried up behind her.
“Gloria?” he yelled to her. And he knew she heard him. But she didn’t turn around.
But as soon as he was about to say her name again, she abruptly stopped, turned around, and then hurried up to him. They were within an inch of each other. “Why are you doing this?” she asked him with a bewildered look on her face. Her big eyes were darting from his right eye to his left, as if in his eyes she could find the reason.
Oz was so taken aback by her sudden confrontation that he didn’t know what to say. “Why?” he asked her, buying for time.
“Yes!” Gloria was still searching his face as if she was searching for clues. “Yesterday you all but cussed me out for something that wasn’t on my heart at all. Now today you want to take me to the airport and won’t even take no for an answer? Why are you doing this, Oz?”
Oz tried to smile. But words still escaped him. “Because,” he said.
“Because why?”
He wanted to be honest. He wanted to tell her that his behavior wasn’t his normal behavior. He’d never pursued a woman in his life. A woman played hard-to-get with him, he left her alone. He didn’t chase after her. Not ever!
But he was chasing after Gloria. And he couldn’t say why. He couldn’t deny the fact that he was interested in her and wanted to get to know her. But why was he that interested? Why did he want to get to know her that badly? Those were the questions he couldn’t answer.
But he felt as if he would expose himself too completely if he told the truth. He wasn’t certain if she would be a good enough steward of his heart to go in that far that soon.
But she wouldn’t let up. “Because why, Oz?” Gloria asked him again.
“Because,” he said again, and then added, with a smile that took all he had to produce: “Because I want to sleep with you. Isn’t it obvious?”
Gloria stared at him. Her worse instincts about him had just been confirmed. He wasn’t interested in her! He was only interested in her body. Just like all those other men before him. Just like the story of her life. “Get lost, creep,” she said angrily
, bitterly, and, Oz noticed, sadly, and left his side.
Oz couldn’t believe the words that had come out of his mouth. You stupid fuck! he inwardly yelled at himself. Because you want to sleep with her? You didn’t just tell her that. Tell me your stupid ass didn’t just tell her that!
But he had told her that in no uncertain terms. And now she was hurrying through that airport, happy to get as far away from him as she could possibly get. It was the exact opposite of what he had hoped for. And besides, pursing some woman wasn’t a good look on him and he knew it. It could ruin his reputation!
He was about to leave it alone. Just leave her ass alone! But then he saw her looking up at the big board, and she seemed deflated. Was she alright? He had to make sure she was alright.
He began walking toward her, looking at the board too. It was then did he realize that her flight had been canceled. He still started to just leave. She didn’t want to be bothered with him, why would he want to bother her?
But there was something about Gloria that kept drawing him nearer to her, rather than pulling him away from her even as she was pulling away from him.
He couldn’t help himself. He went over and stood beside her as she searched the board, undoubtedly for the next flight out.
“I know you don’t want to hear this,” he said.
Gloria, shocked that he was beside her again, looked at him.
“But I have a plane,” he said.
Gloria had already cut it close. She’d already waited to catch the last flight out that would get her to Philly in time for dinner with her father. And Teddy couldn’t send a plane to her because their planes were grounded for maintenance. But if she missed that dinner, or was even a little late, there was going to be hell to pay. She already knew that. She was in an awful spot.
“I can have you in Philly in a couple hours. My plane’s already here. It’s ready for takeoff.”
Oz Drakos: Loving Mick the Tick's Daughter Page 7