We hung up and I couldn’t stop looking at the ultrasound image of my nephew. Roman James was a strong name and if he was anything like his parents, he’d be incredibly strong too. The homesickness I experienced the night before increased, but there was nothing I could do about that. Even if I wanted to move back, I couldn’t afford it.
Chapter 38
DOMINIC
PHILADELPHIA
The next day after meeting with our business associates started out really great. Grant and Miranda were exploding with happiness at the news they were having a boy. I couldn’t help but feel a twinge of envy though. I wanted what they had, but only with Natalie and I knew that was impossible. Still, none of the women who made themselves available to me, held any appeal. Maybe I’d be a bachelor like Al. After his wife, my Aunt Evelyn, passed away he never remarried. He seemed happy enough, I guess, but he didn’t have a choice. His love had died while Natalie was very much alive. It was in the afternoon when the day took a strange turn. I was in the elevator on my way up to my condo from the gym when Gio called.
“Hey Gio, what’s up?”
“My distributor wants to meet you before sending anymore product your way. You need to get here asap.”
“What’s the problem?”
“He needs assurances since you’re new leadership. How soon can you get here?”
Fuck. It had to be serious if Gio wanted me to drop everything and fly out to California. “Shit, alright let me check. I’ll get back to you within the hour.”
“Let me know and I’ll get a suite lined up for you.”
“That won’t be necessary. I have someone to stay with.” I licked my lips at the thought of seeing Natalie again even it meant sleeping on her couch. Jesus, the woman made me pathetic, but the idea of spending one more moment with her was too good to pass up.
“Right. I’ll wait for your call,” he said and hung up.
I unlocked the door to my condo and stepped inside, squinting at the sun streaming in through the open blinds. Even though I was dripping sweat and wanted to do nothing but take a shower this new business took priority. Grabbing a bottle of Gatorade from the fridge, I sat down on a bar stool. The granite countertop was cool and felt good against my heated skin. First I had to call Dante. Since he was my underboss he was going to have to take over operations in my absence and I had no idea how long I was going to be gone.
“Do you need to take someone with you…for protection?” Dante asked as we were wrapping up the call.
“No, I’ll be fine. I don’t need to be showing up with an entourage. It might make this guy nervous.”
“If you think that’s best. I’ll handle things here.”
“Good and let me know when Johnny gets info on the forensic reports.”
“Got it, let me know when you’re heading out.”
After I hung up with Dante, I called Estelle at the downtown office and told her I needed the first flight out to Los Angeles and a rental car. She was advised to use the Grabano Enterprises credit card. This trip needed to be legitimate since the Feds were up my ass. Hopefully I’d be able to catch a red eye flight out in a few hours.
Next I called Grant to let him know what was going on. “Don’t tell Natalie I’m coming out. I want to surprise her.”
“Like last time and she had a freakin’ panic attack?”
“I think it will be different this time.” I got up from the stool and started pacing the living room, getting agitated at Grant’s tone.
“I thought you sent her away? Why do you have to see her at all? I don’t want you fucking with my sister’s head, she’s been through enough.”
“I fucked up and I miss her. Shit, I love her and just want to see her again.”
“No, you’re going to mess with her head because I think she was close to staying in Philly until you pushed her away. Now you want to see her. You either want her in your life or leave her alone so she can start over. You can’t have both.” Grant was close to yelling at this point and I heard Miranda say something in the background, but I wasn’t focusing on her words, I was still processing Grant’s.
I stopped pacing and stood in front of the balcony doors, looking down at the river below. “You think Natalie was going to move back to Philly?”
Grant sighed. “Yeah, I do.” His voice was calmer now. “You’re not the only one who misses her, Dom. I don’t like her being so far away. I’m so used to looking out for her and now she’s out of my reach again.”
“I admit it, I fucked up, but I didn’t expect her to take off.”
“That’s Natalie, though. She wants to bolt when things get difficult or scary or too real. My mom always accused her of being like our dad and that pissed Nat off enough to physically stay, but not emotionally.”
“Yeah, I see that now. I want her back, Grant, but I won’t force her or give her an ultimatum. Let me talk to her. If she wants to move back, it will be her decision.”
“If shit goes down with Gio, please keep Natalie out of it.”
“I’m not an asshole or an idiot, Grant. Now I gotta go pack. I’ll check in later.”
I went into my bedroom and pulled a suitcase out of the closet then set it on the bed. I packed jeans, shorts and a pair of black pants along with some shirts that ranged from casual to dress. My running sneakers were tucked into the side pocket along with my new Ferragamos. I threw in some underwear and socks before walking into the bathroom to shower. By the time I had cleaned up and finished packing I had an email from Estelle with my itinerary and boarding pass. I was flying first class on a non-stop red eye flight that night. An executive car would pick me up at 9:30, two hours before my departure time. I called Gio to let him know I’d be landing and he told me to head right over to his estate.
Knowing I’d be hitting the ground running once the plane touched down in L.A., I ate a late dinner and finished packing, grabbing a suit that was hanging in protective case. Going back into my walk-in closet, I pulled the organizing rack full of shoes to reveal a safe mounted into the wall. After entering the code, there was a faint click when the lock released and the door popped open slightly. I opened it to reveal a few handguns and several stacks of cash. Reaching in, I grabbed one of the stacks and peeled off eight – one thousand dollar bills and twenty – one hundred dollar bills. Using a platinum money clip my dad had gotten me for Christmas for the first time. I thought the thing pretentious, but the cash wasn’t going to fit in my wallet. I had no idea how long this business with Gio was going to take and wanted to make sure I had enough green on me to cover.
First class was half empty and I had the row to myself. Taking the window seat I stared out watching the ground crew ready the plane for take-off. Movement to my right alerted me to a late arrival. I turned and blinked in surprise to see my dad taking the seat next to me. He tucked his MacBook into the seatback storage before smiling at me.
“Dad, what are you doing here?”
“I ran into Dante at Butter tonight and he filled me in.”
“I don’t need your help.”
“It’s your show, son, and I won’t be in the way. I’ll be there for support. Plus I know Gio and the distributor so my presence might actually do some good. It’s best if you don’t show up at these things alone.”
I wanted to kill Dante, but it wasn’t right for me to keep the information away from my dad since he was my consigliore. All my plans to meet with Natalie just went out the fucking window though.
“What’s that look for?” he asked.
“Nothing,” I answered sullenly and resumed looking out the window. Fortunately he left me alone, unlike my mom who would’ve kept pestering me to tell her what was wrong.
Soon we over the middle of the country and I half dozed, but my mind refused to shut down. Flagging down the flight attendant, I ordered a double single malt scotch and my dad did too. He had his table tray extended and his MacBook open. With his reading glasses perched on his nose and dress shirt unbuttoned at the neck,
he looked like any other business man.
“What are you working on?” I asked.
“A bid for new dorms at Temple University; turns out they’re not just a commuter school anymore and can’t keep up with housing demands.”
He turned his computer so I could see the screen. It was a lengthy and impressive document. “$30 million so far. Nice.”
“Yeah, I’m meeting with an architect while in L.A. His firm specializes in eco-designs.”
“Like solar and shit?” I asked.
“Exactly. Grabano and Sons needs to stay current. I’m going to propose hydro and solar power alternatives in this bid.”
“Impressive. Do you need me at this meeting?”
“No; I figured you have other plans involving a certain female?” He raised an eyebrow and peered at me over the top of his glasses.
“You know me too well,” I said with a laugh and finished the rest of my scotch. “I was afraid I’d have to blow you off or something.”
“I don’t need a babysitter. Go get your woman back.”
I shook my head and ordered another round, ignoring the over-attentive flight attendant with her all too white teeth. We were still nursing our second drinks when the plane began its decent to LAX just as the beginning of sunrise was stretching across the land, its golden tendrils reaching for the coast.
We walked to baggage claim together and then went to pick up our rental cars. He was going to follow me to Gio’s house. Traffic was slow and steady on I-405 North and as I drove past the exit closest to Natalie’s apartment complex, I resisted the urge to pull off. Tightening my hands on the steering wheel of the rental, a 2015 Mustang, I continued on glancing occasionally in the rearview mirror to make sure my dad still followed behind.
I pressed the button for the convertible top once we were on the Pacific Coast Highway. The salt air; different than the East Coast as it wasn’t as heavy, blew through my hair and kept me awake. I was beginning to feel the effects of not sleeping. Before turning onto the Palisades Parkway to make our way up to Gio’s estate, I pulled over to get a coffee at a local cafe. My dad grabbed one too and then we were back on the road. The Mustang hugged the curves as it climbed into the foothills. Soon I was high above the Pacific and I remembered the neighborhood from my last visit. Nothing had changed. The manicured lawns were just as pristine and the homes didn’t look lived in. I might as well have been driving through a model community. I’d occasionally encounter a landscape truck and crew or a jogger, but for the most part it was a sterile environment.
Unlike last time we didn’t have to wait over ten minutes for the gates to open. We were expected and promptly given entry. My dad parked his Lincoln Town Car next to me and we walked up the front steps together. Victor greeted us with a nod and held open the wrought iron gate that led to the courtyard.
“How ya been, Victor?” I asked as we crossed the courtyard to reach the main house.
“Not bad. Better than you. I heard you guys had some trouble with the last drop.”
“Yeah, you could say that,” I said as we stepped inside the house. Victor led us down the long hallway towards Gio’s office.
“Are you visiting Natalie while you’re out here?” he asked, stopping right outside the door.
“That’s the plan,” I said, squaring my shoulders and glaring at Victor. He was slightly taller than me and I hated having to look up at him. “What of it?”
“Chill man, didn’t mean anything by it. She’s cancelled on me the last two times we were supposed to go to the range for some target practice and she sounded stressed the last time we talked.” I hated that Victor had more communication with Natalie but I had no right to be jealous because I was the one who pushed her away. “When you see her, let her know I’m worried about her.”
“I will. Thanks for looking out for her,” I said, clapping Victor on the back as I entered Gio’s office. Jimmy was at his post next to the desk.
“Rico, what a surprise!” Gio called out when he saw my dad. He got up from his chair and crossed the room to shake hands. “Dom didn’t mention he was bringing anyone.” Gio glanced at me sideways and I got the message: he didn’t like surprises.
“It was a last minute decision,” I said and left it at that.
Gio regarded me briefly, but didn’t comment further. He walked back around his desk and took a seat, gesturing for us to sit in the two chairs in front of the desk. Just as we were getting situated there was a knock on the door and Victor opened it to let a waif-like blonde in. She was carrying a tray that contained a coffee carafe, a stack of Styrofoam cups as well as cream and sugar.
“Thank you, Samantha,” Gio said as the woman placed the tray on the corner of Gio’s desk.
She flipped her long hair over and shoulder and shrugged. “You need anything else? I’m going to be late for my massage.”
“No go,” Gio dismissed her. “My wife,” he explained as she hastily retreated, leaving the room. “I swear she has a massage every fucking day. The woman doesn’t have to work, what could she possibly get stressed out about where she needs a Goddamn massage?” He turned and looked at my dad. “What about your wife - does she spend your money like it’s her job?”
“Not really. I mean she likes her clothes, jewelry and furs, but she donates a lot of money to charities. Damn Catholic guilt, you know?”
“Don’t I fucking know it? Dom, if you ever settle down, go for low maintenance, man, and get a pre-nup signed.”
With the unexpected relationship advice out of the way, Gio quickly returned to business. Leaning forward with his elbows on the desk, he held my gaze. “The distributor somehow heard that there were issues on your end. It didn’t bother me because I got my money and he got his money, but he’s concerned that there are going to be issues going forward that might cause some disruption in the deal. Like me, he wants a steady revenue stream so he needs some assurances.” Gio switched his gaze to my dad. “Actually it’s good you’re here, Rico. I know you have some history with this guy that could work in Dom’s favor.”
“That’s what I thought too,” he agreed.
After handing my dad a cup of coffee, I poured myself a cup and added a teaspoon of sugar. Gio explained that we were meeting the distributor at an undisclosed location. Reasons being the guy didn’t want to reveal his operations hub and Gio didn’t want the guy to know where he lived. We were all such a trusting group.
“Alright, let’s get you guys some weapons and we’ll get out of here.” Gio gestured towards Jimmy who crossed the room and opened a closet door. Sliding back the dummy panel, he pulled out a rack. It slid smoothly on the tracks and held a variety of hand guns. He handed a Ruger to my dad and I. We checked the safety and popped a magazine, chambering a round.
Instead of taking our vehicles, we climbed into one of Gio’s Cadillac Escalades. Gio got into the middle vehicle and we were in the last one. A mini-convoy of these black, tinted and chromed out SUVs rolled through his front gates and out into the quiet street. Once we were clear of the windy roads, we were on the 405 and heading northeast into the undeveloped hills. I wasn’t familiar with the area and being passengers, my dad and I were basically at Gio’s mercy. It was one of the most uncomfortable rides of my life and the tension built in my shoulders as we turned off the highway and the further we went on surface streets, left signs of civilization behind. When the convoy turned off onto a dirt road, I pulled my cell phone out of my pocket and the tension ratcheted up a notch when I saw “no service”.
Sensing how tense I was, my dad leaned over and whispered in my ear. “Relax, this is normal.” I glanced over at him and he actually appeared relaxed.
“Okay,” I said. Taking a deep breath, I leaned back and made a conscious effort to keep my left leg from bouncing, a nervous habit I’d had forever. I put my phone away and ran a hand through my hair. Two of Gio’s men were in the front seat, but they didn’t appear to be paying us any attention and that helped me to relax further. We bounced al
ong ruts that made the suspension squeak below our feet. Minutes later the scrub brush and trees opened up to a clearing. A small, rustic cabin was the only structure and a silver Lincoln Town Car was parked out front. The SUVs rolled to a stop behind this car and we stepped out. Blinking at the sunlight, an adjustment from the dark tinted interior, I reached for the sunglasses that were tucked onto my shirt collar and slipped them on. A short Hispanic man with a barrel chest stepped out of the cabin and stood on the front porch. His skin was dark and deep wrinkles creased his face that was framed by thick, steel gray hair. He was accompanied by a man on each side and they were armed to the hilt. Each were carrying an AK-47 and had hunting knives clipped to their belts. The knife holders were bedazzled in silver and turquoise that stood out against the all black suits they were wearing.
“Hola, Gio,” the barrel chested man said and started down the stairs with his men right behind.
“Hola, Miguel,” Gio responded and they shook hands. Gio turned to me and waved me forward. “Miguel, this is Dominic and you know his father, Rico.”
“Si, hola Rico,” he shook my dad’s hand first before mine, which pissed me off. I was the fucking boss, not my dad. I ground my teeth together and smiled cordially.
“Were you followed?” Miguel asked and Gio assured him we weren’t. “Good. We’re not exchanging anything today, so I won’t take your weapons. Come, let’s get down to business.” He spoke English well, just with a heavy accent.
Victor and Jimmy followed us inside the cabin and took up positions behind Gio who sat down on a rocking chair. I sat down next to him in another rocking chair. The wood creaked under my weight. My dad walked around to stand behind me. A dark brown leather love seat, cracked and faded with age, is where Miguel sat, facing us. One of his men stood behind him while the other stayed by the front door as a guard. There wasn’t much to guard. Besides the room we were in, there was a loft above us, which I imagined served as a bedroom. The cabin did have plumbing and in the brief time I had to look around, noted a bathroom and small kitchen, but that was it. This wasn’t a luxurious mountain retreat.
Endings & Beginnings (New Mafia Trilogy #3) Page 26