by Soraya Naomi
CHAPTER 5
Camilla
My life has been one of chaos, murder, danger, family, and passion during the first three months since Adriano became boss. Maybe a frightening mix for some, but for me, it embodies happiness. When Adriano and I haven’t seen each other all day, I itch to be with him. We fuck and make love at night, in our home, locked safely away from the danger outside.
But it’s not all sunshine and roses. When morning comes, the outside world assaults our love bubble, and we’re reminded that we are lovers and high ranking members of the most powerful drug syndicate in Chicago. And that both scares me and empowers me.
I’ve killed men and women. I’ve learned to shut off my emotions when needed. My way of thinking has changed, just as Luca and Adriano predicted. Once in the mafia, a person is trained to never hesitate to pull the trigger. Hesitation gets you killed. It always comes down to me or him, Luca says. And I will always choose myself. Remorse is a feeling a Made woman can’t afford to have.
While Adriano continues to build his Syndicate, I’m busy with my new family when not training or working. And fortunately, Rosalia’s little escapade isn’t discovered by James.
Also, I’m truly happy. Yes, there’s this possessive man who’s difficult to manage. But he also loves me without any limitations. Every moment we experience is a memory painting my life the way I always wanted it to be.
Yet, sometimes there’s a difference in Adriano that alerts me. He’s becoming more overbearing, and handling him is getting more difficult as his power grows and the dance club flourishes. And he’s taking on so many responsibilities.
“Cam! Ready?!” Adriano yells from downstairs as I pull the hem of my skintight, long-sleeved emerald dress down to just above my knees and grab my gold purse, crossing the strap over my shoulder so I don’t have to hold it in my hand like a clutch, because my gun’s in it and it’s heavy.
Traipsing down the stairs, I see Adriano shoving the last bite of a sandwich into his mouth and then rolling up the sleeves of his navy dress shirt.
“We’re going to eat at James’s, and you just ate a whole sandwich?”
“What? I was hungry.” He scans the length of me. “Looking hot, ma’am. Let’s go. Where’s your gun?”
“In my purse.” I slip into my gold-colored ballet flats at the door and throw on my grey coat because the temperature has dropped since winter is just around the corner.
Adriano gets his keys, and we set off to Lincoln Park for our weekly Sunday family dinner with James.
***
This is family dinner mafia style at James’s mansion with all the high ranking men and their spouses. Starting with James and his wife, Alessa, at the head of the table, then Rosalia, Carmine, Fallon, Luca, Adriano, and me. It’s a tradition that was started after Adriano became Capo crimine almost three months ago. Adriano has kept his promise and tries his best to make time for me in his swamped schedule. And he’s giving me what I wanted most: a family. People I can rely on.
In this elaborate dining room, we’re feasting on antipasti, seafood platters, spaghetti, cannelloni, and red wine. The mood is light, and my wine glass is constantly being topped off.
While talk around us is loud, I rest back against my chair to find Adriano staring at me.
“Are you happy?” he utters unexpectedly.
“I am. Why do you ask?”
“Because I am.” His palm sneaks up into my hair.
I smile in a carefree manner and tease, “Aren’t you feeling a bit too normal right about now?”
A playful grin is aimed at me. “Maybe I could fuck your ass upstairs?”
“You’re crazy! Not in my father’s house.”
“You’re no fun,” he replies dryly.
I lean in close to him and peck a kiss on his lips.
“No kissing in front of your father, Cam,” James interrupts.
“I apologize.” Then I whisper to Adriano, “See, he can’t even handle an innocent kiss. Let alone having us perform your dirty fantasies in his house.”
Adriano laughs, a truly relaxed laugh that fills me with joy.
Conversation carries on, and later, I speak to James alone in the kitchen. James and I have become close as father and daughter, but I also see him as my mentor. He’s Adriano’s Consigliere, along with Carmine, whom he’s showing the ropes, and he’s always available to counsel me on different matters. I’ve mentioned my worries regarding Adriano’s occasional bossy demeanor, and he’s told me to give it time. To be patient because Adriano has a lot going on at the moment.
“This is the most important piece of advice I’ll ever give you, Cam,” James says as he chucks a few dishes into the sink. “Always trust your instinct. I mean your true instinct. Not actions that stem from insecurity or jealousy. But that gut feeling that alarms you when something is truly wrong or someone is not to be trusted. It may make the difference between life and death.”
“I will,” I reply, realizing how nice it is to have quiet time with just family.
And I also recognize that I do like the ordinary things in life as long as I get to experience them with Adriano.
So we had it all for a few months. Prosperity, health, family, and true love. Until my gut instinct reared its head, and one person put Adriano and me on opposite sides for the first time.
CHAPTER 6
Adriano
After three months of being Capo crimine of the Chicago Syndicate, I’ve finally found a way to balance my personal life and work life with Cam. I keep her in the loop as much as I can, which is unprecedented because a Capo crimine shouldn’t share this much with anyone. However, I’m not one to follow rules. The high ranking members always pull all the strings of the puppets from behind the scenes, and I’m boss. No one outranks me. Though, being boss is also a tricky position to be in because the extent of my power exceeds my expectations, which can creep into a person’s mind and alter them. Everyone fears or esteems the boss. Everyone kisses my ass, but Cam keeps me grounded.
Luckily, business is going very well. All my hard work has been worth it. In the media, I’m still portrayed as a successful entrepreneur. We have to be out in the open, so we hide in plain sight. Regular civilians don’t even realize how much criminal activity happens around them while they’re out having dinner or dancing in clubs. And most soldiers who do the street work don’t even know who I am because all communication lines go through the Capi. But one can never be too safe, and keeping Cam in the loop all the time hasn’t been smart. Nowadays, she has the tendency to meddle too much when I’ve ordered her to back off.
The dance club has been handed over to my Financial Director, Jeffrey, who’s also the director at Security Simplicity. From now on, Jeffrey and Tez – with Carmine’s supervision – will handle all financials after I’ve set everything up with Luca. Since my and Luca’s software company isn’t our most important venture anymore, I’ve been transferring employees who are trustworthy from SS to management of the dance club. Drug deals have also been set up and are taking place in a secluded area on the underground floor. We make a lot of money, but a fortune is being spent paying people off, buying loyalty and discretion with money.
While I’ve relished being boss, I do sporadically miss the simplicity of the street work because in my new role, I’m repeatedly playing mind games with every business partner and I have to oversee a huge venture.
Today, we’re testing the new security system at the club in command central, which is a room next to my office on the second floor.
Wade and the Syndicate’s hacker, Henry – who’s a technological genius but has an official, simple administrative job in local government – expanded upon the existing security system to ensure that no one can get in with weapons, and every inch of the club is covered with cameras.
Cam, Luca, Carmine, Tez, Jeffrey, and twenty main guards are in the process of being trained by Wade and Henry. One wall of the command center is covered with flat screens that display the feeds
of the hundreds of cameras that are hidden in the dance club on the first floor and the sex club on the first underground floor.
Cam senses my gaze on her and turns her head, so I wink at her. At times, it’s difficult for me to keep my hands to myself, but when we’re in rank, we try to keep it professional and it works. But it makes me throb for her as well. Every day, she becomes more ravishing. Her graceful body is toned in all the right places from training, and she has an ass I want to sink my teeth into. Especially with those tight dresses she keeps wearing. I shake my head and focus on the present before my dick twitches.
Wade’s informing us, “I’ve installed alarm buttons all over the bar, in Adriano’s office, and in several other specific places. When one guard pushes the button, the earpieces will go online so that all the main guards can communicate directly with each other.” Then he addresses me, “No weapon can get past the security gate at the back entrance, and all your seventy guards, only five of which are new, have been carefully screened. There are enough men walking around to defuse any situation within twenty seconds. And I also got you more tracking bands, like the ones you used to take over Club 7, to track your guards.”
“That’s perfect,” I say, because I trust no one.
Wade continues, “The door in the dance club that opens directly into the hall leading to the back entrance can now only be opened with a fingerprint. And just a few people are in the system. Adriano, Cam, Luca, Tez, Jeffrey, and the main guards. If more people need access to and from the back entrance, you can inform me and I’ll ensure they’re added to the system. Some doors, like the one to this security office and your office, have the same access system. Adriano, only you can access your office.”
“No, I need Luca to have access to my office too. And Cam as well. Luca and Cam are authorized to roam the entire building, and I want Cam to be able to escape if there’s ever trouble.”
Wade nods his head and looks at Henry.
“I’ll take care of that today. Maximum clearance for Luca and Cam,” Henry confirms, typing on his laptop.
“Any questions?” Wade asks the guards, and they shake their heads.
“Then we’re done here. Adriano, can I talk to you about Santino?” Wade throws on his suit jacket, and I notice that Cam’s interest is piqued immediately.
“In my office.” I proceed through the interconnected door with Wade, Luca, and Cam.
As Cam passes me, I brush my hand across her ass, and she smiles sweetly at me.
“What about Santino?” I inquire, resting on the edge of my desk as Luca sinks into the padded chair behind it.
“I still haven’t discovered anything irregular about him. His records are indeed too clean. Where’s he being held nowadays?”
“He’s still imprisoned in one of the cells on the underground floor,” I reply.
“You’ve just kept him for all these months?” Wade fails to hide his surprise.
“Well, I promised Cam I wouldn’t hurt him until I knew more, and I’m still in the dark.”
“If he’s simply a bodyguard, I don’t want him killed,” Cam pipes in.
“Why not?” Luca and Wade ask in unison.
I hold up both palms, letting her know that she’s on her own, because I’ve been asking her that same question over and over. It’s merely due to her guilt. Cam believes that without Santino, she probably would’ve never escaped Fat Sal.
“It doesn’t matter why not,” Cam retorts. “We’ve kept him alive this long, so you can keep digging. He’s not talking at all and hasn’t mentioned any aliases.”
“If he hasn’t talked after all this time, that means he’s probably been trained to keep quiet,” Wade remarks sarcastically.
“Are you suggesting he could be CIA or FBI?” Luca leans forward with both elbows on the desk.
“Not CIA,” Wade muses aloud. “FBI? It’s possible.”
“Keep digging then.”
“If he is undercover,” Cam states. “We need to find out what case he was working on, finding dirt on Sal and Club 7 or getting to the Syndicate? If the Syndicate is part of an FBI investigation, then we have much bigger problems than Santino. Maybe he’ll talk to me now if I act as if I’m going to help him. Months ago, he pleaded with me to run with him.”
“That’s because he’s fucking in love with you, which is enough reason for me to kill him,” I say, disgruntled.
Cam rolls her eyes.
“And no, you’re not talking to him.” I point my finger at her. “You’re staying away from him just like you have been.”
I snatch her elbow and swivel her around, pulling her back to my chest and securing my arms around her middle. Then I kiss her on the cheek, and she realizes she’s not going to win this argument, so she relaxes against me.
“Anything else?” I ask Wade, who isn’t taken aback by our behavior. We only hide the depth of our relationship in front of the rest of the members, associates, and clients.
“Well, yes. You asked me to find you a trustworthy contact to hire escorts for the sex club, but there’s no one. Most are Russian or Ukrainian human traffickers who deal with slaves, and you don’t want that. There’s only the one I mentioned.”
Cam turns her head to me, and I clench my jaw, glaring at Wade.
“Then I guess we’ll have to contact her. I don’t want slaves. I just need professional escorts.”
Wade fishes his phone from his pocket and texts back and forth with someone. “Do you have time for a meet tonight at seven?”
I crane my neck to Luca, and he nods that we’re free to discuss business.
“Yes.”
“Who are you meeting?” Cam steps forward, out of my grasp.
It’s a question I’ve dreaded. “There’s only one Italian madam in the Loop. I’m meeting the one person who can get me well-trained personnel for the sex club that aren’t illegal or slaves, but women who want to do this and get paid royally for it. “
“So a pimp?” Cam prompts.
Wade and Luca both laugh, and Cam just looks confused.
“She’s actually called The Sicilian Pimp,” I explain.
“Oh, how classy,” Cam mocks but doesn’t push for more information. Instead, she checks her phone. “Let’s go out to eat, and we’ll come back at seven?” She glances past my shoulder to Luca. “Shall I call Fallon and tell her that we can pick her up?”
“I’ll call her,” Luca responds.
“Joining us, Wade?” she asks.
Suddenly, I realize that Cam is searching for moments of normalcy more and more.
“What are we eating?” Wade wants to know.
“Mexican?” I suggest because neither of the other two can ever decide.
“Yes, I’m in the mood for some spicy food.” Without waiting for us, Cam strolls out and expects us to follow.
I shrug at the other two and catch up with her, entwining our hands.
***
After dinner, we return to the club at six thirty p.m. The room echoes as the crew readies the club for the night. Regrettably, my appointment shows up early, while Cam is still with me.
“Mr. Montesi,” an employee starts.
I turn around, along with Wade, Luca, Fallon, and Cam to see a long-legged, curly-haired brunette in a maroon dress approaching us.
“He knows who I am,” Serena drawls as she stops in front of me.
“Serena Bartoli,” I greet.
She edges closer and kisses me on each cheek. “Adriano Montesi. When the King of the Loop calls, I come.”
“Do you have what I need?” I ask, wanting to conclude this swiftly.
“I do.” She doesn’t back down, so I inch back to create some distance, and her eyes thin.
Cam angles her body toward me and arcs a brow. Knowing Cam, she’s displeased with how familiar Serena is acting, but she keeps her composure.
“Then let’s talk business downstairs,” I say. “Wade, Luca, come with me.”
Luca whispers something to Fallon,
but I don’t want Serena to know who Cam is to me, so without saying goodbye to Cam, I walk away – I don’t need her to interfere in this situation. For the first time since I’ve been boss, I leave her out of business.
I sense her stare at my back, and an unfamiliar feeling of guilt rises up, but I tamp it down and escort Serena to the elevator that takes us one floor down.
Heading down the hall, we enter the sex club, which is a spacious, round room with canopy beds along the wall and a bar in the center.
I keep my tone businesslike. “I need at least thirty women who can work here in the club, and there are also private rooms.”
“And the rates for the girls?” she inquires, glancing at the blue velvet curtain along the wall and the chandeliers hanging from the ceiling.
“Are negotiable,” I answer.
“But,” Luca adds, “they need to speak perfect English and no refugees, slaves, or girls who’ve been purchased from human traffickers. I want willing, professional escorts who’ll get rewarded generously for their discretion. We have high rollers in here.”
She smirks at me. “Then you’ve come to the right person. This is a decadent place. I have trustworthy women, and I’ll make a selection.” Her attention shifts from me to Luca to Wade. “With whom will I be doing business?”
“Luca and I will set it up with you tonight at your club, and then my manager, Tez, will become your first point of contact.”
“Fine. We can discuss rates after I’ve made a selection.” She offers her hand, and I shake it. “We have a deal, Adriano.”
“Deal.”
She speaks to Wade in a sultry voice, “Thank you for reintroducing us, Mr. Wade.”
He dips his chin as they eye-fuck each other, and Luca and I smile.
In a rush, Luca whispers, “I can’t go tonight. I’m going home with Fallon.”
“I can handle it. She’s being professional, so it’ll be fine.”
Luca sends me an inquisitive look. “Does Cam know about you and her?”
“No, not yet.”
What I didn’t tell Cam is that The Sicilian Pimp and I have a past. I used to date Serena, and she broke my heart long ago.