It was Gemma who didn’t understand. “Why the change in heart?” Gemma asked her. “Ted said you weren’t at all onboard with the idea. Why the change?”
“I met you face to face. You will do, I believe.” Then she smiled and looked at Sal. “And I know you come from a good place. I am happy to have you on my team. In the leader. Not leader. In the lead. I am happy to have you in the lead.”
“Now that that’s settled,” Ted said, lifting his glass, “let’s toast to victory.”
They all raised their glasses in a toast, but Gemma couldn’t help but glance at her husband. His entire demeanor had changed.
“Excuse me,” Sal finally said, and then headed for the men’s room.
Rabina smiled and looked at Gemma. “What is going on with your husband?” she asked.
As if you don’t know, Gemma wanted to say. But she wasn’t the kind of woman to go off half-cocked. She needed to know more. She needed to see if this woman, outside of Sal’s presence, would give her more. “What do you mean?” she asked instead.
“He is, how do I say it? Tense, no?”
Ted smiled and tossed his napkin onto the table. “He’s probably bored,” Ted said. He began getting up. “I’ll be back.”
Ted got up and left. As Gemma suspected, he headed for the restrooms too. She leaned back. She could have gotten this woman to confide in her and tell her exactly what was going on, but she wouldn’t believe her over Sal anyway. She needed to hear it from Sal.
But as Ted entered the men’s room and saw Sal at one of the sinks washing his hands, the last thing on Sal’s mind was telling Gemma what was going on. He was still trying to figure that out himself. And when Ted entered and, instead of going to a urinal, he walked up to him, he figured he was about to get some answers.
Ted glanced under the couple of stalls in the bathroom, saw that nobody was sitting in them, and then he looked again at Sal. “She wants to meet with you,” he said.
Sal grabbed a paper towel and began drying his hands. “Where?” he asked.
“Not here in Vegas. In Spring Valley. A place called the Wolverine. She’ll be there tomorrow night, around ten.”
“Will you be there too?”
Ted smiled. “I’m an officer of the court,” he said. “Are you kidding?”
“Why did you pull my wife into this shit?” Sal asked. “I don’t appreciate that.”
“You will,” Ted said, “after you meet with Rabina.” And then he smiled again, and went to one of the urinals.
The drive back home was quiet. Sal drove his Porsche, not in that usual fast way he often drove, but like a man with nowhere to be. Gemma still couldn’t get over that dinner. Sal looked floored by seeing Rabina Chen, and she seemed pleased to see him, but neither one of them acknowledged any link whatsoever. Even Ted didn’t bring it up, which Gemma found equally odd, since he didn’t seem to want to explore the nature of their relationship either. Now she was on the passenger seat looking at her husband, and wondering when he would tell her something. So far, he drove in silence.
She gave up. “What did you think about her?” she asked him.
Sal continued to drive. “I didn’t think anything about her.” He glanced at Gemma. “What you asking me that for?”
“I just want your opinion of her.”
“I don’t have an opinion of her.” He sounded far more defensive than he apparently realized, and that annoyed Gemma even more. Enough of this, she thought.
“What was that about, Sal?” she asked him.
“It wasn’t about nothing, what are you talking? You keep talking in riddles. I’m not thinking about that woman.”
“Do you know her?”
“No, I don’t know her.” When Gemma continued to stare at him, he caved. “I might have seen her around.”
“Around where?”
“On business. Around there.”
Gemma didn’t want to ask it, but she felt it necessary. “Who is she to you?” she asked him.
As expected, he frowned and became defensive again. “She’s nothing to me, what are you going on about her for? She’s nothing to me, all right? Nothing! I might have had some business dealings with her once upon a time, but that’s it. That’s all. So stop with the insinuating. Knock it off!”
“I saw what I saw, Sal. I saw that look on your face when she showed up.”
Sal frowned. “What look?”
“The look of a kid with his hand caught in the cookie jar. I saw that look.”
“You saw wrong.”
“She’s a madam in California. She runs a whore house. Is that the business dealings you had with her? Are you one of her customers?”
“It’s nothing like that. Was I surprised to see her? Yes. Would I have preferred to not see her? Yes. When I had to negotiate with her, it didn’t go well. Did I ever fuck her, any of her hookers, or anybody else? No. Am I interested in her? No. Is my wife getting on my nerve with this line of questioning? Hell yeah! Now knock it off, Gemma, I mean it.” He looked at her with a look that made clear he was not kidding around.
Gemma didn’t like his tone, but she wasn’t going to badger him either. She knocked it off.
And that night, as she expected, he fucked her harder than usual. Not that he was ever easy, but tonight, as they lay naked in bed, with his body on top of hers, he was pumping her hard. His dick was inside of her, pushing in deeper and deeper, and all she could do was hold on for the ride. Because Sal was driving and he was driving hard. The mattress was singing and the bed was bouncing and their quiet home reverberated with the sounds of Sal’s lovemaking. It was painful to Gemma, and not just physically. She knew he was fucking her hard, and it wasn’t to remember something wonderful about their coupling, but to forget something horrific about seeing Rabina Chen tonight. He claimed it was nothing, just a business deal that left a sour taste in his mouth. But Gemma wasn’t buying it. And exhibit A, as far as she was concerned, was right here, right now. He was fucking her too hard. He wasn’t taking care. He was angry.
And when he came, when he squeezed out the last of his juices inside of her, even he knew he had been harsh. He looked at his wife with sorrow in his eyes, and placed his hands on the side of her face. Usually, he would explain why he was so angry, and why his sex had been so harsh. But not this time.
He got out of bed, and headed for the bathroom.
Gemma was stunned. Either something was still going on with her husband and her client, or something had gone on between them that was still too raw for Sal to even face himself. Neither one of those realities sat well with Gemma. But that was always her life with Sal. They would be as high as the mountaintop one day, and then as low as the valley the next.
She turned over, and fought back tears.
CHAPTER EIGHT
Trina Gabrini lifted her glass and began singing Happy Birthday to Gemma. Gemma smiled as they sat in her living room. She was partied out. It started early today, at her office, when Barb and Curtis gave her gifts and a birthday cake. Then at Champagne’s, a high-end clothing store she co-owned with Trina and Liz Mertan, she was given gifts and a cake. Then this evening, at the PaLargio, while she was having dinner with a few of her friends and colleagues, the entire club sang Happy Birthday to her and Reno Gabrini himself brought a cake to her table. It had been a lovely evening. But Trina, Reno’s wife, had to close at Champagne’s and therefore couldn’t make it. But she drove over after the fact to wish her a happy birthday. And to add her voice to the chorus of voices who didn’t understand why Sal wasn’t celebrating with her.
“This don’t make no kind of sense,” Trina said as she sipped her wine. “Did he even call you to wish you a happy birthday?”
“Not yet,” Gemma said.
“What do you mean not yet? It’s damn near ten at night! When is he going to call you? Tomorrow? The day after?”
“What do you want me to do about it, Tree? Beg him to come home? Beg him to celebrate my birthday with me? Please. That’s not
going to happen.”
“But where is he?” Trina asked. “Is he out of town?”
Gemma shook her head. “I don’t know.”
“What do you mean you don’t know?”
“I don’t know! He left before I got up. Last night we had a little argument, so I expected that. But that doesn’t mean I was going to call to ask where he was, and you know he wasn’t going to call to tell me.”
“That’s a crying shame, Gemma. That’s a shame. Sal always pull this shit.”
“That’s a lie,” Gemma said. “He doesn’t always pull anything. This is the first time since we’ve been married that he hasn’t been with me on my birthday, so don’t get it twisted, Tree. I love you, but you aren’t going to defame Sal’s character like that. This is the first time he hasn’t been here for me on my birthday during our marriage. The very first time.”
“I remember once when he didn’t show up.”
“We weren’t married then,” Gemma said, holding to her guns. You had to with Trina, or she would gun you down.
Trina smiled. “I can respect that,” she said sincerely. “And I apologize.”
“Apology accepted.”
“But where is his ass now?” Trina asked, causing Gemma to smile. “I’m serious,” Trina continued. “It makes no sense! He knows it’s your birthday. He should be here. And if he went out of town, he should have waited and left tomorrow. He’s the boss and he owns his own plane. He could make those kind of changes if he wanted to.”
Gemma wasn’t about to get into her personal business, not even with Trina. She had issues with Sal, but those were for her and Sal to work out. “It’s okay, Tree,” she said.
“No, it’s not okay!” Trina shot back. She could be as fiery as Reno. “It’s not okay. He should be here with you. I thought Reno was bad about being away a lot, but Sal takes the cake. He’s gone all the time. He’s gone more times than he’s here and you need to start calling him out on his shit, Gemma. Or he’ll never change.”
“What are you talking about?” Gemma asked her. “He built an entire office building, a very expensive luxurious one by the way, so that he could conduct more Gabrini Corporation business here in town and spend more time with me.”
“Yeah, he built that,” Trina admitted, “and that was an awesome thing. But how is that working out for you? Is he spending more time with you?”
Gemma smiled. “He literally just completed the project, Tree. Now come on. Cut the man some slack. He’s a good guy.”
“I know he’s a good guy. I love Sal, you know I do. But I don’t know, Gem. Look like he can do better by you.”
For some reason, that offended Gemma. “He’ doing just fine by me,” she said firmly.
Trina smiled. “Didn’t mean to hurt your feelings. I’m just saying. I mean well.”
“And I know you do. But I’m going to have to ask you to back off. Just like you wouldn’t like it if I tried preaching to you about Reno’s shortcomings, I don’t like your sermon about my man either. It cuts both ways, Tree, because I know your ass.”
Trina laughed.
“Let me get all up in your business with Reno the way you’re getting all up in mine with Sal and you’d tell me what I can do with my opinions.”
“No, I won’t.”
“Yes, you will,” Gemma said with a smile on her face. “You’d read me from front to back telling me what I can do with my opinions. So now I’m telling you what you can do with yours.”
Trina couldn’t help but agree. “I feel you,” she said.
Gemma exhaled. “And I feel you,” she said as the doorbell rang. “But my marriage has to be between Sal and I. I don’t need an amen corner, I don’t need a counselor.” Gemma began heading for the front door. “But I’ll take a friend.”
“A silent one?”
“That’s a must,” Gemma said as she continued to head for the front door.
“Expecting someone?” Trina asked her.
“Not a soul,” Gemma said as she walked.
“Maybe Sal decided to bring his Italian ass home,” Trina said, and took another sip of her wine.
Gemma looked out of her front door’s peephole. And she was surprised. “Rory?” she asked as she began to open the door.
“Who’s Rory?” Trina asked as she stood up and headed for the door too.
By the time Trina made it up to the door and looked out, Gemma was hugging an older, but very handsome black man who was standing on her front porch. “What in the world are you doing here?” she asked him.
“I came to wish you a happy birthday,” he said.
“Oh, Rory!” Gemma didn’t even realize he knew her birthday. They’d spoken on the phone only once since she saw him at Sal’s office building, and it probably wasn’t hard for him to find out where she lived. But still. This seemed kind of above and beyond. “How nice of you,” she said.
“Yes,” Trina said, stepping out onto the porch too. “How nice of you.”
Gemma smiled. “Judge Calhoun, I want you to meet Katrina Gabrini, a very good, and very nosy friend of mine.”
Trina and Rory smiled. “So you’re a Gabrini too?” Rory asked her.
“She’s my husband’s cousin’s wife,” Gemma said.
Trina extended her hand. “Hello.”
Rory shook it. “Hello, young lady. Very nice to meet you.”
“A judge, are you?” Trina asked him.
“Yes, Tree,” Gemma answered instead, “he’s a real judge.”
“At least for a few more weeks,” Rory said. “I’ll be stepping down soon.”
“He was my mentor when I clerked for him while I was still in law school,” Gemma said. “He was the best judge I’ve ever seen in action. Still is.”
Trina could see that gleam in Gemma’s eyes while she spoke about him. She genuinely had strong affection for the guy.
“I came to wish you a happy birthday,” he said to Gemma, “and to give you your birthday gift.”
“My gift?” Gemma asked, surprised. “You didn’t have to give me any gift, Rory, come on! We just reconnected. I’m amazed you even knew my birthday.”
“So am I,” Trina said, and Gemma looked at her. “Considering how long it’s been,” Trina added.
“I know I didn’t have to do anything,” Rory responded. “But I wanted to. Since my wife died I don’t have a soul to splurge on. Let me splurge on you.”
Trina coughed and smiled. She could imagine what Sal would say to such a suggestion. “So where’s the gift?” Trina asked Rory, seeing nothing in his hands. Everything would hinge on exactly what kind of gift he had for Gem.
Rory pulled out a set of keys and handed them to Gemma. Gemma was puzzled. “What are these?”
“Keys to that car. It’s spanking brand new, and it’s yours.”
Gemma and Trina both looked at the white Bentley parked on the driveway. And then they looked back at Rory.
Gemma immediately attempted to hand him back his keys. “I can’t accept that,” she said.
“I know that’s right,” Trina agreed.
Rory looked genuinely surprised. “You can’t accept it? What do you mean, Gemmanette? It’s my birthday gift to you.”
“And I appreciate it,” Gemma said, “but there’s no way I can accept such a generous gift like this. Not from anyone. Except my husband.”
“Now you’re breaking my heart,” Rory said. Trina was staring at the man. “When we reconnected earlier, after so many years, it made me feel so wonderful. You were like a daughter to me, a daughter I never had. And it was my fault that I didn’t stay in touch, I know it was primarily on me. But Evelyn had been so ill for so long and my docket was always so full that I didn’t have time for anybody or anything else. Then when she passed on, instead of feeling renewed, my world kind of collapsed.”
Trina looked at Gemma. She was a tough lady, but she had the heart of Sal. They felt people’s pain.
“But then I ran into you,” Rory continued. “My fav
orite clerk bar none.” Gemma smiled. “And things began to look sunny again. I’m about to embark on the second act in my life with this new law practice, and that can be daunting even for a man like me. But you gave me hope and courage, Gemma. Just seeing you again. You’re the daughter I never had, and all I want to do is share my blessings with you.”
Yeah, I’ll bet, Trina thought.
“So please accept this gift,” Rory continued, “as a token of my appreciation. Nothing more.”
Trina leaned into Gemma’s ear. “Don’t accept it girl,” she whispered. “Don’t you dare.”
“Accept this gift,” Rory said, “from a father to his daughter.”
“You accept that gift,” Trina whispered to Gemma, “and Sal is going to accept your ass in a good beat down.”
“I’m not thinking about Sal,” Gemma responded with a flash of anger that surprised Trina. Rory was surprised too.
“You aren’t thinking about him?” Trina asked.
“You heard me right, Tree. Why should I? He can run up and down the coast, do anything and everything he’s big enough to do, and if I accept a gift from a man who has been nothing but kind to me, a man who was like a second father to me, and he’ll beat my ass for that? While his ass doing I-don’t-know what shit? Give me a break!”
Trina understood the frustration Gemma felt. She felt it many times over in her marriage to Reno. And everything she said was logical and made perfect sense. But there was no logic in it when it came to the Gabrini men and their women. There was no sense to it either. They did all kinds of shit, Gemma was right. But she was wrong, Trina thought, if she thought they were going to let their women do all kinds of shit too. If she was Gemma, she’d tell that man, father-figure or no father-figure, to take a hike.
But she wasn’t Gemma. She didn’t love and respect the judge the way Gemma did. He wasn’t just any old man giving her something. He was someone near and dear to her and always would be. He just wanted to do something nice for her. He used to treat everybody that way. That was why Gemma accepted his generous gift. She accepted it wholeheartedly. And hugged him in the bargain.
Until You Come Back To Me, Book 5 Page 9