Amato yelled a few words in Italian and a housekeeper emerged from the kitchen and worked to clear way the table. After the dirty dishes were removed, she proceeded to bring in what appeared to be slices of lavish cheesecake and had steaming cups of coffee that she placed in front of everyone at the table. They actually appeared to be some type of flavored drink. I wrinkled my nose at first at the aroma, but as I got closer the notes made my stomach rumble for the decadent cheesecake also waiting.
5
After the housekeeper’s left the room was quiet once more as Amato spoke. His voice was raspy and I could tell that his energy was waning. It had been a very long day for him, and I knew that he had a lot of excitement seeing his family. Family and visitors were good for a patient, but at the same time they required attention and an energy level that I didn’t think Amato was prepared for. I made a mental note to make certain his blood pressure was still regulated after dinner. I also made a note to talk to Tony about arguments in front of the older man, it did nothing for his stress levels. “Everyone enjoy dessert and coffee. I think Grace and Lucy did a wonderful job tonight on these homemade treats. We do have much to discuss over drinks afterwards though.”
They all nodded at Amato and quietly began enjoying dessert. The silence in the room was as thick as the cheesecake, so I spoke up. “Amato, I just want to say I really appreciate being part of this dinner. It’s not often I get treated to great food, dessert, then drinks. A girl could get used to this.”
“Ah. Did you boys hear that? I think we have an angel gracing our presence tonight at the table. The pleasure is all mine. You are considered family now, so my house is now yours as well.”
“Thank you Amato. I appreciate the hospitality, really. After the day I’ve had you have no idea how nice this is.” I smiled and rolled the delicate cheesecake with cherry topping around my tongue while swishing around the coffee afterwards. It ended up being a really nice balance of sweet and bitter and was truly satisfying. I watched as Tony merely scooted the dessert around his plate still obviously upset about the conflict with Luciano. There was definitely some animosity between the two of them that I imagined went farther back than just a few months. To my surprise, he slid his plate over to me and just smiled and nodded as I gratefully accepted silently. He then began sipping his coffee and gave me a subtle wink as I gave him a grin. I could almost hear him saying there was no point wasting such good cheesecake and a pretty woman should always eat and eat heartily. The dessert plates were cleared and the housekeeper gave me a stunning smile as she took both of mine back, not mentioning the dinner transgression. It didn’t take long before there were half glasses of stout brandy and some ashtrays brought out to the table. I sniffed the liquor and was admittedly a bit drowsy before it stung my nostrils. Amato didn’t pull any punches with his choice of beverage. He pulled out a cigar and I frowned at him but then I nodded and said, “Just one. Afterwards, you rest. Is that understood?”
“Yes my darling doctor. I just have some important details to discuss. It includes you as well so you might as well go ahead and start sipping that drink, angel.” I listened to Amato while I took a drink of the strong beverage. It definitely set my head on fire, but at the same time I could feel the pain in my ribs diminish. Maybe this was a good solution after all. Amato took a long hit of his cigar and then coughed a minute before beginning his story. “You know boys… Saul and I well we go way back even to the point when we were teenagers. We worked together down on 82nd street at Finn’s Butcher Shop. Now Finn, mind you, I idealized that man. He taught me so much about business and the proper way to run a business. I digress though. Saul had just started and I had been on the job maybe for a week or so. I was tickled as fuck to get a job, jobs didn’t come easy those days, I’m telling you. I was in the back, just slicing some ribs off the bone for some spare ribs when Finn brought Saul in. He told me to treat him like family. That’s what I day from day one. Now I admit he was an amazing help around the shop. It’s always easier to lug around a side of beef when you’ve got four arms on it rather than two mind you.” The older man then loudly coughed and paled before taking another drink of brandy then puffing on his cigar. After a few moments he smiled then looked a bit lost in thought. He looked up and saw that we were all waiting on him to continue, so he resumed his tale. “Anyway, we worked together at the shop for I don’t know years it seems and attended the local school together as well. In short, we were almost like brothers. Fuck, I even introduced Saul to his wife, Jenny Deangelo. She was a quiet one but then again Saul always was reserved himself. He barely spoke to anyone unless they spoke to him first and sometimes his passiveness got him into some hot water. He always had me to bail him out though. I mean, that’s what not only friends, but brothers are for isn’t it?”
Amato took a few more sips of his brandy before looking ashen. “Ah we had many long days and nights together me and Saul. You see though, after old man Finn decided to throw in the towel and close his shop, I decided to buy him out. I offered Saul a chance to go halfsies with me on the business but he declined. He said he had more important things to do with his life rather than hack off strips of beefsteak. At that point he just… changed. I’d ask him to play poker with me on the weekends and he couldn’t because he was too busy or something. Ya see Saul went to some fancy college in ol Mass and got his accounting certificate or something. After graduation he’d come in every now and then to see his mom and pops and they‘d spend the entire weekend cooking. It was a big deal to them; their son had made something of himself in this world. I completely understood. I even went to a few of the parties. Saul didn’t care though. He acted the entire time if eating his mother’s cooking was an inconvenience. As the years went on though, Saul and I well we stayed in touch with some late night phone calls and even some letters. After turning around ol man’s Finn’s business, I rebranded it to what you know it as today. I then went on to start several more shops and decided to branch out to steakhouses and the hotels we now own. Ya see, I learned that I could bankroll one thing with another and so on. The things we don’t talk about as part of the business… well that didn’t come until much much later. See boys we’re businessmen first, tough guys second. Saul though… I don’t know what to tell you. After him and Jenny got married, he somehow caught wind of the gold and was never the same. He was a by the books CPA to some of our largest competitors, but his loyalties….well if there was enough cash and coke, he was there. There comes a point in every man’s life when he has to admit he’s satisfied with what he’s already got. Saul never was. He had to have the most. The biggest houses, the nicest cars, the most expensive yachts, and if someone else had something better…well it was a competition then. Fuck…poor Jenny, she had been with him through the lean times, then someone made a comment that she wasn’t the prettiest woman in the room. That’s all it took, Saul filed for divorce in a heartbeat, had her sign some bogus papers that she didn’t have a clue about. He ended up having a driver drop her at her old man’s place with nothing but the clothes on her back. That’s another thing to take to heart boys… never take a woman’s worth for granted. Their dedication is a price far above rubies. They teach that somewhere, I suppose they didn’t at Saul’s church.”
I looked at the old man who had just finished his brandy and cigar. I could tell the day had weakened him. Without any hesitation I cleared my throat and loudly said, “Amato… I think that’s enough for tonight.”
He coughed a few more times and said, “I’m just getting to the good part of my tale, pretty lady.”
I smiled at him kindly and said, “I know…I know. You said your family would be in town for the rest of the week though, right?”
“Yeah…at least the bums claim they will be.”
“Well… I suggest that we all get some rest, it’s certainly been a long day for me.”
Luciano still obviously hostile from the previous exchange then piped up. “You heard him, lady he wants to stay up, I don’t see th
e harm in that.”
I knew that Luciano fancied himself some kind of tough guy, but I had my own share of tough guys try to muscle me around in the ER all the time. I didn’t need Tony’s assistance for this one, but I noticed his jaw muscles began to work and his eyes took on an almost feral glow. “Well… I do see some harm in it. As his doctor, I know that he is exhausted and doesn’t need to deal with any other pressure tonight. That includes you being an asshole. I suggest for your own good you listen to this ‘lady.’
Luciano stood up, he wasn’t ready to be quiet yet. He pointed a finger in my face and sneered. “I’ve known a few bitches like you in my day and I have to say I put them in their place real fast. See you think you’re all independent and shit just because you got a job. That means nothing. If you were mind, I’d backhand you a few times and teach you not to run that cock trap of yours!” After Luciano said that, Tony had all he could handle he stood up and took the remainder of his brandy and threw it on Luciano. “I think it’s time you cooled off Luciano! You know that your pop and Gramps never taught you to disrespect a lady that way!”
“Who the fuck are you to judge me, Tony… last I heard you had a stripper for your hand jobs and a dancer for your blow jobs… shame you never had one stay, huh?”
“You son of a bit—.”
Before Tony could lay a hand on Luciano, Amato’s voice boomed throughout the room. “Enough! That is enough from all of you! I think… I think the doctor is right, I’ve had about all I can stand for today. If I’m up to it tomorrow, we’ll talk more. I think I’m ready for bed now, and I don’t want no shit from any of you waking me up. Do all of you understand?”
All of the men at the table hung their heads as a heavy silence fell throughout the dining room. Amato then scooted his chair back and his housekeeper came to help him up. I quickly threw my napkin on the table and went to his side as well. We led him out of the room, and I walked with him into his bedroom, which now was occupied by a second, hospital bed in addition to his former king size four-poster. It was the first time I’d been in the billionaire’s bedroom and I found myself appreciating his choice in décor.
6
His walls were painted with a soothing Wedgewood grey and his bedding was neutral as well, save for the sea foam green duvet which covered his bed. His pillows had been fluffed and overall it appeared that Amato did his best to make his own sanctuary as peaceful as possible. Instead of getting into the hospital bed, he shuffled around the room and sat down in a small recliner he had facing the bed. He untied his shoes and I watched him take several deep breaths as he did so. He looked at me and smiled weakly, “I apologize sweet lady. My brother’s son, Luciano…well let’s just say my brothers raised him a bit differently than I did my Tony.”
“Well, I can definitely see that. Don’t worry, Amato this doesn’t affect my willingness to be your doctor one bit. You’re my patient, not him, so it won’t be mentioned again. Besides, right now you don’t need additional stress. I’ll turn around and give you some privacy, you change for bed and I’ll do a few tests. Is that okay?”
“Yes. That’s fine, and yes… I have to confess. I feel like an old man, I’m quite tired, doctor.”
“I figured as much.”
After he got situated in the hospital bed, I adjusted it for proper circulation and made certain Amato was comfortable. I then took his blood pressure, making some notes in his chart. I took my time listening to his heart and then instructed him to take several deep breaths. I looked into his glassy eyes and knew that before too long, he’d hopefully be fast asleep. “Okay. Well… I’ve got some good news and some bad news. The good news is the little bit of rest you’ve been getting has improved your lung function quite a bit. The bad news is your blood pressure is still through the roof and I’m hearing some troubling signs from your heart still. I feel that it’s best we proceed with caution. I’m going to give you something tonight, just to help with your anxiety before bed, it should help you sleep through the night without causing you to stir too much. It’s similar to an over-the-counter sleeping pill. Tomorrow I need you to have Tony go to the pharmacy so I can start you on your new blood pressure medication and we may even consider having some emergency nitro tabs on hand, just in case things get too serious. You must immediately let someone know the instant you begin having any chest pains. Do you understand? Don’t fight me on this one. It’s crucial you do that otherwise you may be six feet under with your stubborn ass.”
“Hah! Fuck… you’re my favorite doctor. I’m glad I found you Rachel.”
“Well you may just be one of my favorite patients as well. The ones I like I’d kind of like to keep alive.”
“Yes… I will have Tony go tomorrow. Do you have to go back to your house tonight?”
I exhaled and winced slightly feeling my ribs shift in a manner that was uncomfortable. I really didn’t have anywhere else to go. It was well past the hour I could dare to impose upon Selena. I secretly hoped that Amato would allow me to sleep there until I could call Selena and make other arrangements for the rest of the week. I definitely didn’t want to chance going back to the house and facing Richard’s wrath. “No. I mean, I have a round to do tomorrow afternoon at the hospital, but my morning is clear.”
“Ah good. You can rest then. Would you consider just staying the night here? There’s plenty of room and honestly I don’t want to trouble Tony with a trip out tonight. He’s had a rough evening, especially with Luciano’s rudeness.”
“Yes. I understand. He did keep his cool for as long as possible I suppose. Yeah… ya know, I think I’ll take you up on that offer. I have to admit between the good cooking and the brandy, I’m actually really tired also, Amato.”
“Excellent. It is settled then. One of the housekeepers or Tony can show you the guest rooms, just pick any one you’d like.”
“Yes. I will. Now bottoms up. Go ahead and take your sleeping pill and I swear you’ll be out in no time.”
I watched as he nodded and dutifully downed the glass of water with the medicine. After checking his vitals one more time, I made another note in his chart and turned off the lights, taking care to softly close the door behind me. Shutting the door and turning to the hallway, I found myself suddenly face-to-face with Tony. “Oh fuck! Shit! You scared the fuck out of me… ow!”
I exclaimed as a sharp pain hit my rib cage. Tony only grinned and chuckled softly. “Sorry, doc. I didn’t mean to startle you. Do you need some heart meds or something?”
“Funny smart-ass. I just put Amato to bed. He said that either you or one of the housekeepers could show me to a guest room?”
“Yeah. Of course just follow me, it’s no problem at all. So… how is he?”
I glared at Tony. “He would have been much better if there wasn’t a massive family blow-up at dinner. His blood pressure is through the roof. I have some things I need you to get him at the pharmacy tomorrow.”
“Okay, yeah whatever he needs, no problem. Come on and I’ll show you to your room.”
“Thanks. I appreciate you giving me a place to stay tonight, normally I would just go home, but you know I have some car trouble.”
“Right. The car trouble. I’m sorry doc. We’ll have to make certain that repair work gets completed.” Tony then gave me the tiniest of a smile and even hazarded a wink. I smiled broadly at him and responded. “I hope the mechanic’s on the up and up.”
“Only the finest mechanic for the best doctor in the state.” We walked down a long hallway then he made a right hand turn. He opened the door to one of the bedrooms that lined the hallway. He flicked on the light and I saw the room was decorated in similar tonal shades only this room was more beige and uniform than Amato’s bedroom. “Here we go. Home sweet home. I’ll go ahead and take your bag if you’d like.”
As I reached to hand Tony the heavy medical bag I once again shouted out in pain. It had been hours since I’d had any medication and I was certain the dressings needed to be readjusted. Tony placed
his arm around my shoulder and led me to the bed, helping me sit down. “Hey Rachel… seriously, are you okay?” I looked at him with the beginning of tears lining my eyes and nodded. “Bullshit. Here… let me help ya out. I’ve been in one too many barroom brawls to know that you’re not alright.” I was gasping for breath at this point so I allowed Tony to help me off with my shoes as well as my jacket. I then looked at him and reddened instantly. “Well, it’s not anything you haven’t seen before. Remember you barged in on me in the hospital asshole.”
“Sigh. You’re never going to let me live that down are you Rach?”
“Never.”
He smiled and knelt by the bed. He gently untucked my shirt and lifted my arms up and over my head. He then pulled my top up and over my head, tossing the flimsy cotton tee unceremoniously on the floor. Despite the fact that they had been smoking and drinking I was surprised that he actually smelled amazing still. The scent of his clean aftershave and expensive cologne overtook my senses. It was warm and inviting. Somehow just his scent made me feel secure. The cold air of the room hit my bare skin and I felt the goosebumps rise to the surface. Fuck at least I’d hoped it was because the temperature. I couldn’t get involved with anything that would interfere with the best private job I’d had. Tony’s breath was warm as he almost whispered. “Okay. Now the hard part. I was always bad at this by the way, I’m all thumbs sometimes, like an ogre.”
Mobster's Mistress (A Caparelli Family Romance Book 1) Page 4