by J. L Rose
“How long has he been here?” Alinna asked as she started toward the swinging glass doors that led back into the house.
“He just got here a few minutes ago,” James told her.
Kerri then got the attention of both Alinna and Natalie and said, “I heard back from the real estate agent, and she’s free to show Tony T and Harmony around a few places tomorrow. I’m going to need Tony T and Harmony’s number for the agent.”
“Remind me later on,” Alinna told Kerri as they were entering the main house.
***
Alinna searched for Dante in the house but ran into Emmy, who told her that Carmen was at the guest house with Dante and a Ms. Martin. Alinna thanked her and started for the guest quarters, not quite believing what she just heard about Monica being at their house.
“Alinna, correct me if I’m wrong, but this Ms. Martin . . . Isn’t that the same person as the DEA woman Monica Martin whose sister we’re still holding?”
“That’s her!” Alinna answered, face balled up in anger.
Reaching the guest house and entering without announcing or knocking, Alinna first saw Carmen seated at the bar table. Dante was standing next to her smoking a Black & Mild, when Alinna shouted, “Where the fuck is she, Dante?”
Dante was leaning against the bar too, resting on his forearm. He stared at Alinna and said, “She’s in the bedroom, Alinna.”
“Why the fuck is she even here?” Alinna screamed, staring fire at Dante.
“Alinna, we discussed this!” Dante calmly stated. “She’s going to be working for me.”
“I’m talking about in this fucking house, Dante! Don’t play with me!” Alinna spit out angrily.
“Relax, Rodriguez . . . I’m only staying until I find a new place out here,” Monica said, walking out into the front room from the bedroom.
Staring at Monica a moment but rolling her eyes back at Dante, she said, “You better keep this bitch on a real short leash and out of my path, or you’ll find her ass dead the next time you’re looking for her.”
Watching as Alinna stormed out of the guest house, Natalie turned back to Dante and asked, “Why didn’t you tell us you were bringing her here, Dante?”
“It was a last-minute decision, Natalie,” Dante answered as he put out his Black inside the crystal ashtray.
“How long is she supposed to stay here?” Natalie asked, shooting Monica a nasty look before focusing back on Dante.
“I’ma talk with you about that later,” Dante told her, but added after seeing the look she was giving him, “I need you to talk with your real estate agent and see what she can find for Monica.”
“The faster you get that taken care of, the faster you won’t have to see me around here,” Monica added, staring at Natalie.
“Just shut the hell up!” Natalie told Monica, rolling her eyes as she turned and left the guest house.
***
“Who’s the diamond princess?” Monica asked, turning and looking over at Dante after Alinna and then the young pretty Spanish woman walked out the front door of the guest house.
“Dante, I’ll leave you to talk with your friend a while,” Carmen said, standing up from her seat at the bar. “If I’m still here, come and see me before I leave . . . or just call me tonight.”
Accepting the kiss to the cheek from Carmen, but catching the look she shot Monica on the way out the door, Dante waited until Carmen was gone, focused on Monica, and then said, “You should watch what you say. You can find yourself in trouble if you don’t.”
“More trouble than you already got me in? I doubt it!” Monica said, walking over and dropping into the couch that was in front of a wall-unit, 38-inch flat-screen television. “Anyway, what is the whole reason for me coming here with you?”
“When is it you’re supposed to start at the new office or agency?”
“It starts tomorrow. I’m already in the system as an agent, but what exactly are you planning on having me do for you?”
“For right now, I just want you to get yourself settled in and feel yourself around. Get to know some people, and when the time comes, I’ma let you know what I need,” Dante told her.
“What about my sister and brother-in-law?” Monica asked, sitting forward on the couch, staring at Dante.
“I gave you my word that once you got here, I would have your sister and brother-in-law released. But the first time you cross me, Monica, I will kill you. Are we clear?”
“You don’t scare me, Dante!”
“That’s good to hear,” Dante replied, walking toward the front door but stopping and looking back at Monica. “We’ll see about getting you some wheel’s tomorrow. You holding?”
“I turned in my service gun before I left Miami. I won’t have a new one until I meet with my new boss,” Monica explained to him.
“I want you to have a personal one as well. We’ll take care of that tomorrow, too,” Dante told her, walking out the door, leaving Monica sitting on the couch.
Heading back to the main house, and passing armed security guards that Tony T had assigned to the estate, Dante stopped by the kitchen and asked Emmy for something to drink.
After being handed a bottled water, Dante said, “Emmy, you seen where Carmen or either Mrs. Blackwell went to?” he asked after taking a long sip.
“All three women are in the gazebo, Mr. Blackwell,” Emmy told him, showing a small smile as she returned back to preparing dinner.
“Call me Dante, Emmy. And thanks,” Dante said as he left the kitchen and went in search for his wives and mother-in-law.
***
“I don’t want or like her in the same house that I’m supposed to live in . . . no matter what Dante is planning!” Alinna was saying as she, Natalie, and Carmen all sat inside the gazebo together discussing Dante bringing Monica into their new home.
“Alinna . . . ,” Carmen began, drawing both younger women’s attention to her. “We three all know by now how Dante is. He’s a thinker. This we know. He’s also an amazing planner. This we also know. But knowing these things, we also know that Dante doesn’t always share his plans until he feels they’re right for us to know. We may not agree with it, but can any of us say truthfully that Dante doesn’t have our best interests at heart?”
Staring at the older woman as she stared back with a small knowing smile on her face, Alinna caught movement to her left. She shifted her eyes just as she heard Dante’s voice. He was talking with Tony T, James, and Gomez, saying something that caused all three guys to laugh.
“He is very handsome,” Carmen said, also staring and watching Dante.
Not responding but catching Dante’s eyes while he was still talking to Tony T and the others, Alinna sat watching him break away from all three guys and make his way over to where they were all sitting.
“What’s up, ladies?” Dante said once he was within the group of women. He bent down and kissed Carmen’s cheek, to which he received a smile as he squatted down beside the cushioned chair Carmen was sitting in. “I’m pretty sure I was the main topic of conversation since the three of you are upset with me right now. But I’m just trying to make sure everything is set up so Alinna can handle things with the Council. Carmen, I also want you to be Alinna’s advisor until everything is in order, if that’s alright with you?”
“That is perfectly fine, Dante. But I need you to understand something,” Carmen expressed to him. “We understand what you’re trying to do, but what’s a concern to us are your plans that you refuse to share with us. We find out only when these plans begin unfolding.”
Sighing as he looked from Carmen to Alinna to Natalie and back to Carmen, Dante sat down in the grass beside Carmen and said, “Truthfully, sometimes my plans come to me as I go. I just play them out as I make my moves. I really just move like I’m playing a chess game, making calculated moves. I understand I’m not playing only for myself, but for all of you. I gotta make the right moves because if I fuck up, I know I’m pulling each of you into danger, in add
ition to the family back in Miami. I’m playing for the checkmate.”
Nodding her head in approval but also now seeing Dante in a new light after hearing the way he expressed himself, Carmen looked at her daughter and then over to Alinna. She noticed the same expression on both the women’s faces, which showed her that both of them understood and forgave him.
***
Deep in thought as he stood under the wide shower head, Dante never heard the bathroom door open. But he did hear the shower door open. He turned around to see Natalie closing the door behind her.
“Hi, Papi!” Natalie said softly, walking under the shower spray and positioning herself in front of Dante, allowing the water to rain down over her chest.
Dante wrapped his arms around Natalie from the back and kissed her neck. He then asked, “What’s on your mind, beautiful?”
“What makes you think something’s on my mind?” she asked as she turned and faced Dante. “I could just want to shower with my husband.”
“What’s on your mind, Natalie?” Dante asked her again, pulling back away from her a little while, looking down into her eyes as she stood staring up at him.
Pulling Dante back up against her, only to wrap her arms around him and lay her head against his chest, Natalie stood there for a moment saying nothing. She finally began: “I understand what you’re doing, Dante, and I support everything that’s going on because I believe in anything you do. But what about me? You’re making plans for everything for the family business, but you never said what you wanted me to do. Why?”
“First, because I don’t want you in this part of the family business,” Dante told her, then adding, “I’m always thinking about you, Natalie. You’re going to be what we fall back on once we turn this business over to our kids. What is it that you like doing and that you can see yourself building into a business?”
“I love art, and I’m into decorating,” she told Dante with a smile.
“What type of decorating?”
“Interior decorating,” Natalie answered, still smiling. “Who do you think decorated this place we’re living in? I gave instruction how I wanted it in here and what I wanted. I even did my mother and father’s place myself.”
“And what kind of art do you like?” Dante asked as his mind was already putting ideas together inside his head.
“Different types of art like paintings and old historical works,” Natalie explained as she laid her head back against Dante’s chest.
Quiet for a minute while thinking, Dante finally spoke, “I want you to get whatever license you need to open up and run an art museum and an interior decorating agency. We’re going to invest however much it takes into both businesses, and you’re going to be responsible. You think you can handle that, beautiful?”
Smiling even harder, excited about the news she was hearing, Natalie threw both her arms up and around Dante’s neck, hugging him and then going up on her toes to kiss his lips.
“Ummm . . . excuse me, you two!” Alinna called out from outside the shower. “How long do you two plan on being in there? Emmy is done with the food and is waiting on the two of you!”
21
D ante woke up early the next day and left Alinna and Natalie asleep in bed. He then woke James so that the two of them could work out together.
Leaving the main house and walking over to the indoor gym, Gomez was already there working out. Dante nodded to the big man as James greeted the personal bodyguard with a touch of his fist.
“How long you been in here?” James asked as he walked over behind the weight bench where Dante was setting up to bench press.
“I’ve been at it maybe a little over twenty minutes,” Gomez answered as he was curling a little over 120 pounds.
Assisting Dante with the weight he was basically lifting on his own, James stood watching and counting a set of twenty-five before Dante set down the bar.
“Gomez,” Dante said after standing up so James could take his turn, “how long you been working for the Saldanas?”
“A little over ten years now.”
“What is it you can tell me about the members in the Council Covenant?”
“Well, before I switched from being Dominic’s bodyguard over to Natalie’s, I used to sit in on the Council’s meetings, and truthfully, it was always the same thing. Four middle-age guys fighting over the same thing: money, business, and locations. Nothing really got settled.”
“Who were the ones who did most of the fighting?” Dante asked as he helped James set the bar back down.
Taking his turn next, running through another set of twenty-five, Dante set down the bar and got up, so James could go next.
“So who were the ones always fighting, Gomez?” Dante repeated again.
“Who was fighting?” Monica asked as she walked into the gym, drawing everyone’s attention.
“Nobody’s fighting, Monica,” Dante told her but then turned back to Gomez, only to find the big man locked in, staring at Monica. “Gomez . . . come on, playboy! Focus with me. Who’s the ones causing most of the fights in the Council meetings?”
Tearing his eyes away from the brown-skinned female in the thigh-length tights and matching sports bra, Gomez looked back at Dante and said, “Ummm . . . fights. It was either Dominic and some guy named Victor something, or Dominic and the guy I heard you talking with Mrs. Saldana about last night . . . Fredrick Roosevelt.”
Nodding his head in thought, Dante focused on James, helping him put the weight bar back up. He then looked back toward Gomez and caught him staring at Monica and said, “Gomez, what about Samuel Atlas?”
“Who?” Gomez asked, looking back at Dante with a confused look in his eyes.
“Samuel Atlas,” Dante repeated. “White guy with a long ponytail. Looks kind of like he’s Italian.”
“Naw . . . !” Gomez said, shaking his head. “I don’t recognize the name. He must have come after the switch I went through to Natalie.”
Nodding his head again, Dante sat down on the weight bench to take his turn, missing the way Monica was watching him.
***
The guys were finishing up in the gym when both Alinna and Natalie showed up and announced that Emmy had breakfast ready and was waiting on them. Dante took a quick shower and dressed in a Gucci suit with some brown Timbs and a padded brown leather jacket.
Dante made it to the breakfast table about the same time James was just sitting down. He then walked around to the head of the table, with Alinna on his right and Natalie on his left.
“Baby, I’ve got a meeting today with Samuel. You going with me?” Alinna asked Dante as they all sat eating breakfast.
“I’ve got something to handle today with Monica, but call me right after the meeting,” Dante told her just as Monica walked into the room dressed in jeans, a tight-fitting black shirt, and a black leather jacket.
Dante shifted his eyes over at Gomez, who was once again staring at Monica as she sat down across from him at the table. Dante shook his head, only to look over at Natalie when she called his name, and said, “What’s up, beautiful?”
“I’m meeting with both my mother and father. They want to talk about something, but mother wanted me to let you know she wants to see you for lunch.”
“Where at?”
“The French Garden.”
“Text me the location.”
The family finished with conversation all around the table, except for Monica, who was the first to finish and first to leave the table. Dante then left the table with Alinna, pulling her to the side and saying, “This meeting you’re having with this dude, Atlas. What’s the meeting supposed to be about?”
“He wants to listen to some of the ideas and plans that you and I discussed, and even tell me some of the ideas he came up with,” Alinna told Dante. “Why? What are you thinking?”
“I’m not sure yet,” Dante answered. “It’s something about homeboy. Do me a favor, though. Don’t give up anything we’ve talked about. Give him some bul
lshit for now until I find out more about homeboy.”
Starting to question Dante but thinking better about it, she just leaned in, kissed him, and said, “I’ll call you right after the meeting.”
Finding Monica outside walking up and down the drive, Dante loudly whispered, causing her to turn around and shout that she was on her cell phone. He nodded for her to follow him as he started toward the garage on the other side of the property.
“Where’d you get a cell phone from?” Dante asked once Monica caught up. Dante stood in front of a four-car garage and hit the remote given to him by Natalie to open the doors.
“It’s a pre-paid, and I bought it at the airport when I got in,” Monica answered him as she walked around the passenger side door of the Mercedes-Benz.
Dante unlocked the car doors, and they climbed in. He then started up the Benz and backed out of the garage.
“You not gonna ask who I was talking to?” Monica asked as they drove away from the mansion.
“Does it concern me?”
“Maybe!”
Slowly shifting his eyes over at Monica, he smirked at her. Dante focused back on the road but asked, “How’s Agent Victor Murphy doing, Monica?”
Staring at Dante in shock and disbelief, she asked, “How the hell you know I was talking to Victor?”
“You just told me,” Dante answered as he pulled out his phone, feeling it vibrating inside his pocket. He saw that it was Vanessa calling, so he asked, “What’s up, Nessa!”
“Hi, Daddy.”
Smiling at hearing Mya’s voice, Dante said into the phone, “Hey, baby girl! When you learn how to use a cell phone?”
“It’s easy, Daddy,” Mya replied, giggling. “I miss you.”
“I miss you, too, baby girl. Where’s your brother?”
“He’s with A.J. outside. You wanna talk to him?”
“Naw . . . Where’s your Auntie Vanessa at?”
“She right here. Hold on, Daddy!”