“I never said that!”
“You didn’t have to say it. But you showed it.”
“And what about you?” Jimmy asked. “I’m trying to build something special for us. Something that will put us on the map as a power couple. But you don’t appreciate anything I’m trying to do.”
“That’s a lie and you know it!” Val shot back. “You’re just trying to follow in your father’s footsteps. You’re just trying to be the next Reno Gabrini when you don’t have the right stuff to tie his shoes, let alone walk in them!”
Reno and Trina looked at Val as if she had just lost her mind. “What the fuck did you just say?” Reno asked.
“I just don’t think he measures up to you,” Val said.
“Well he does,” Reno said, “for your information. He’s strong. He’s tough. He has a heart. And he works his ass off for you. Where do you get off telling him he’s not worthy? Who the fuck are you to talk to my son like that?”
Jimmy could see Reno’s temperature rising. He knew, once that temper unleashed, there would be no taking it back. He and Val had enough problems. “It’s alright, Dad,” Jimmy said in defense of his wife. “She talks like that sometimes,” he added, “but she didn’t mean it.” Then he looked at his wife. “Did you, Val?”
Val stared at Reno. She used to love him so much. Now he was against her too. “No,” she said after a moment. “I didn’t mean it.” And she looked at Jimmy. “I’m sorry, babe. It’s just been a very stressful time. But you know how I feel.”
Jimmy smiled and kissed her on the lips.
But Reno and Trina wasn’t buying it. Reno continued to play with the baby, but he kept his eyes on Val.
CHAPTER NINE
“Three tigers,” he said. “Bringing my total to five.”
“No deal,” Reno said.
“No? How can you say no? But I am the Great Valyshnikov! It is essential to my performances that I have exactly what I need. And you’re telling me no?” They were standing onstage in the Palace Room at the PaLargio, where Valyshnikov and his circus acts put on their nightly shows. Valyshnikov was livid by the treatment he’d received thus far. Reno didn’t give a shit.
“I gave written permission for two tigers, two lions, and twenty-five less threatening animals,” Reno said. He had in his hand a pair of shades and a sheet of paper spelling out Valyshnikov’s demands. He’d just returned to the PaLargio from a series of meetings. The last thing he needed to be confronted with was this nonsense. “I was already going above and beyond for you. But that still wasn’t enough. You wanted more and more and more. Now you want three more tigers? Not happening.”
“But why is this unreasonable? It is what I need for my work! Why is this not to happen?”
“Because I’m responsible for everything that goes on under my roof,” Reno said. “I have liability from here to Mars, especially with these circus acts. I’m not taking on anymore.”
“What are you talking about taking on? I have insurance! If anything happens, they will sue me. Not you!”
“That’s bullshit and you know it,” Reno fired back. “They’ll sue both our asses. The answer is no.”
“And you think that is the end of it?” Valyshnikov asked. “You think you can tell me no and that finishes it? I will take my menagerie, the greatest in the world, and leave you and your PaLargio at once. And all of these wonderful people coming from around the world just to see me will be astounded when they discover that I, the Great Valyshnikov, is not here! In other words, you can take my act and shove it.”
Reno walked up to the Great Valyshnikov. Valyshnikov moved slightly back in fear. “And you know what else I’ll shove?” Reno asked, purposely invading Valyshnikov’s personal space.
“No,” Valyshnikov replied less confidently. “But I’m sure you will tell me.”
“I’ll shove our contract so far up your ass that you’ll be spitting out paper for the rest of your life. Green paper. As in dollar bills. To me. For breaking the terms of our contract and expecting me to go along with that breach. So you go right ahead, Great. Give it a whirl. I’ll be happy to own your circus.”
Valyshnikov blinked. And then attempted to smile. “Why do you Americans take matters so seriously? It was just a suggestion! Surely you didn’t think I would not fulfill my obligations? I am the Great Valyshnikov after all! I must keep my word!”
He was a fool, was what he was, and Reno saw it in his fearful eyes. “Threaten to pull out again,” Reno warned, “and I’ll call in your threat as a breach of contract and demand that you leave my hotel. And that won’t be a suggestion, but a fact. Don’t fuck with me. I might fuck back.”
Reno continued to stare at the man, and then he walked away. Valyshnikov didn’t realize he was not breathing, until Reno left. Then he exhaled. “Gangsters,” he said angrily. And then added loudly: “I am reduced to working for gangsters!”
Reno, however, was tired of this shit too. One performer after another realized they have a good thing going at the roundly successful PaLargio and suddenly wanted to renegotiate their contracts. As he left the Palace Room and headed toward the elevators, to go back to his office, he was beginning to wonder if all of this headache was worth it. Super-long hours, and sometimes he didn’t make it home at all, as fire after fire kept him jumping. Lee Jones used to be a good manager, but he was gone. Jimmy was in New Hampshire. Trina had her hands full with the success of Champagne’s and was largely absent. In many ways he felt like a man alone. It wasn’t fair to his children. It wasn’t fair to his wife. He wondered if he was even being fair to himself.
His cellphone rang as he threw up his hands at the front desk receptionist and walked across the lobby. When he pulled out his phone and saw that it was the head of the security detail he had in place for Trina, he answered swiftly. “This is Reno,” he said.
“Hate to disturb you, boss, but I just wanted to run something by you.”
“Yeah, what?”
“You told me to make sure my people were hypervigilant right now, after what happened at Dommi’s school.”
“That’s right.”
“There’s this guy that Mrs. Gabrini met for dinner a couple nights ago. Miss Gemma was there too.”
Gemma was a married lady, Reno thought, but Sal was around so little many of his men forgot that fact. “Okay, they met with some guy. What of it?”
“He’s back again today. Only he’s not meeting with your wife, but seems to just be lingering around inside of the store like a fucking stalker or something. He’s not buying anything. He’s not talking to anybody. We didn’t see where he went up to the counter to ask to see Mrs. Gabrini. He’s just hanging around. I thought you should know.”
Ordinarily, this would have been an overreaction of monumental proportions and Reno would have cussed his ass out. But after somebody called in that abuse report on them, threatening to take away their minor children, Reno had ordered his men to overreact. “Shoot me a photograph,” he said. “I’ll go over there and check it out.” Then Reno shook his head. As if he needed that too!
Pierre Durand was still walking around the aisles of Champagne’s when Reno arrived. It didn’t take Reno long to eyeball him. Not just because his photo was still etched on his brain, but because he was the only man among many ladies browsing around in the ladies boutique.
Oprah Davenport, Trina’s store manager, was behind the counter ringing up a customer, and there were a few salesladies helping out the numerous shoppers, but he didn’t see Trina nor Gemma.
Reno casually made his way around the backside of the aisles until he was standing alongside Pierre. He was tall and fairly good looking, but Reno was reasonably certain that he wasn’t Trina’s type. Other than Reno himself, who was Italian, Trina seemed to prefer muscular black men. This guy wasn’t muscular, nor black.
“Hi,” Reno said as he stood alongside Pierre.
Pierre had on glasses and was taking a closer look at a ladies blouse. He removed his glasses. “
How do you do?”
A French accent also, Reno thought. Definitely not Trina’s type. “What is a nice guy like you,” Reno said with a smile, “doing in a place like this?”
Pierre laughed. “I could say the same for you. But no, monsieur, I am not here to buy, but to speak with the owner.”
“So you know the owner?”
“Yes.”
“Oh, yeah?”
“Yes indeed. She is a very nice, very hot, young lady. If I may say so myself.” He was smiling excitedly.
Reno didn’t like his odd excitability. “So you think she’s hot?”
“Yes, I do. I find her most attractive. But not only that. She is smart as well. Very smart. A cultivé, a highly educated person. She is, for me, an outstanding individual.”
Reno knew a lot about Trina. But calling her highly educated didn’t square with the truth. She graduated high school, and was smart as anybody else he knew, but she wasn’t what he would consider highly educated. “Highly educated?” he asked.
“Yes. An avocet. She is an attorney, you see.”
Gemma? He meant Gemma! But that didn’t make Reno completely relaxed. Because, once again, some man was trying to hit on Gemma and that husband of hers, Reno’s cousin Sal, was nowhere to be found. Although Gemma would disagree, and Sal too to a certain extent, Reno felt it was his duty to look out for Gemma when Sal wasn’t around. Which, Reno also inwardly noted, was often. “So you like her?”
“Who wouldn’t? Her smile. Her calm demeanor. Her body, ooh la la! Her dark skin is flawless.” Then he smiled. “But one can wish.”
“Stop wishing, pal,” Reno said. “She’s happily married. And I know her husband. He’ll kill your ass if you even think about coming onto his wife.”
“Oh, no, monsieur, you misunderstand me. I am not, how do you say? Coming onto her. I just admire her brain. That is all.”
“Yeah, I’ll bet.”
“Reno?” It was Trina’s voice and both men looked in her direction. She was walking toward them. “What are you doing here? And you too, Pierre?”
Pierre smiled. “Mrs. Gabrini, hello. I needed to let you know that the samples will be delayed. But I anticipate no more than a day or so.”
Trina arrived at their side. “Is the delay on this end or Cousteau’s?” she asked.
“No, no, France, I assure you,” Pierre assured her. “Paris as we speak. But all should right itself presently. No more than a day or two.”
“Good,” Trina said with a smile. Samples of Jean Paul Cousteau’s work was critical to her ultimately decision. She knew he was masterful in men’s clothing. She had yet to see his ladies line.
“What samples?” Reno asked.
“He’s Jean Paul Cousteau’s representative, Reno.”
Reno frowned. “Who the hell is Jean Paul Cousteau? Some kin to Jacque?”
Trina laughed. “No, no, no kin.”
“Then who is he?” Reno asked.
“Only one of the top designers out here,” Trina said. “He wants an exclusive with Champagne’s. I was going to tell you about him after I met with him.”
“He’s a top designer of women’s clothing?”
“Primarily men’s.”
“Then why the hell haven’t I heard of him?” Reno asked. “If he’s so big?”
“Reno, please,” Trina responded. “He designs nice suits. Nice two thousand dollar suits. Not those five and ten thousand dollar suits you Gabrinis favor.”
“He’s not in my league, this hot shot, is that what you’re saying?” Reno asked.
Pierre laughed. “You are a modest one.”
“The very definition of humility,” Trina said sarcastically. “Aren’t you, Reno?”
Pierre laughed.
Trina looked at Reno. “I’m surprised to see you here.”
“I can’t come see my wife?”
Pierre was surprised. “Your wife?” Pierre smiled and pointed his finger. “Oh, you play around with me! Asking me all of those questions as if I was here to chat up your woman.”
Trina, knowing Reno too well, shook her head. “Reno, I know better than that. Is that why you’re here?”
“No. Hell no.”
“Then what are you doing here?”
“Wondering what I am doing here,” Pierre said with a chuckle.
Reno couldn’t keep a straight face either. “I can’t take you to lunch?” he asked Trina. “I want to take you to lunch. So go get your things. It’s lunchtime. We’re going to lunch.”
Trina looked at her husband.
“I mean it. Get your things.”
Trina shook her head. Then looked at Pierre. “Anyway, Pierre, thanks for the heads up. I’ll look forward to the samples soon.” She looked at Reno. “I’ll get my bag.”
But as Trina walked off, she smiled. She felt ten feet tall. Reno’s protectiveness used to drive her bonkers. But now that she knew where he was coming from, and the fact that he left his busy office to make sure nobody was trying to ease in on his territory, meant something special to her. She knew what manner of man she had now, and if he wanted to shower her with his love, if he was wanted to go that extra mile to make certain no man alive even thought about getting next to her, she was going to let him. Independence was one thing. But the love of a good man, for Trina, was something else.
The construction site was in Manchester, and Jimmy and his assistant got out of his new Land Rover and made their way toward the portable office. Jimmy sipped on a cup of espresso, and thumbed through a dozen phone text messages. His assistant, Camilah, held clipboard and paper in hand. Jimmy had many ideas whenever he met with the construction supervisors, but often forgot them as soon as he left the site. It was Camilah’s job to memorialize his thoughts on paper.
But before they could round the dirt path that led to the portable office, Jimmy received a fresh text message. He quickly retrieved it. Only it wasn’t a message, but a video.
“Who would be sending me a video?” he asked out loud.
“It wasn’t me, boss,” Camilah said with a smile. It was a pleasure working for Jimmy. He treated his employees with nothing but respect and kindness. It was the best job she had ever had.
Jimmy clicked on the arrow, and the video began playing. When he saw it, he stopped walking. When he saw that it was a woman making love to a man, he frowned. When he realized the man was older than the woman, and the woman was much younger, he knew where this was going. Val had a thirst for older men that he knew he could never quench. He looked closer. Harder. And sure enough, it was Val. It was his wife making love to another man!
The espresso dropped from Jimmy’s hand, and spilled all over his assistant’s shoes.
CHAPTER TEN
“We’re going to be late for school, Mommy,” Dominic said. “They don’t like it when I’m late.”
They were seated at the breakfast table. Dom and his kid sister Sophia were eating their meals while Miss Pearl, their nanny, was crocheting. Trina, wearing a pair of red silk pants pajamas, was drinking coffee and answering a slate of overnight texts.
“You heard me, Mommy?” Dommi said.
“You won’t be late. Sophie either.” Then she looked away from the phone, and at her children. “You guys aren’t going to school today.”
“Yeh!” Dommi said excitedly. “This is the best morning ever!”
“Don’t celebrate so fast,” Trina warned him. “You know better than that. The tutors will be here shortly.”
“Ah, man, not again!”
“Don’t ah, man me. And yes again. Daddy and I don’t want our two sweethearts falling behind.”
“We don’t mind falling behind,” Dommi said. “Do we, Sophie?”
“Worry about yourself,” Sophia said, and Pearl smiled.
Dommi, however, frowned at his sister. “Ah, forget you!” he said angrily.
“That’s enough,” Trina said.
“Why can’t we just go to school, Mommy?” Sophia asked. “I like school.”
“I know you do, baby, but Daddy wants you to stay close to home until he figures out what happened at Dommi’s school.”
“But that was two weeks ago,” Dommi said.
“What happened?” Sophia asked.
“None of your business,” Dommi said. “Worry about yourself.”
The front door to the penthouse opened. “Is that daddy?” Sophia asked, getting excited.
When Trina heard footsteps going upstairs, she knew that it was. “Stay here and finish eating,” she said to her children as she headed out of the kitchen area.
Dommi was about to follow her, but Pearl stopped him. “Nope,” she said. “Sit right back down, Dominic.”
Dommi hesitated. Who did she think she was? But he thought about his parents, and who they were. He sat back down.
His mother made her way up the stairs, across the landing, and into the master bedroom. Reno was already naked from the waist down by the time Trina made it into their bedroom. And just seeing him, as he untied his tie, angered her even more.
She folded her arms. “All night again, Reno?” she asked.
“Don’t start with me,” Reno responded with bite in his voice too, as he slung his tie from around his shirt collar. He looked at her with a hard look. “And I mean it,” he added.
Trina didn’t like his tone, but she knew not to push him. She looked down. Even though his dress shirt hung almost to his knees, she could still see a peep of his penis hanging too. And she couldn’t help it. A part of her always wondered, on days like these, if Reno’s all-nighters included that very penis sliding deliciously into some female. “Where have you been?” she asked him.
He frowned. “What do you mean where have I been? I’ve been working, Trina, where do you think?”
“You’ve been working all night?”
“Yes! I’ve been working all night. What are you questioning me for?”
Reno Gabrini: For His Lover (The Mob Boss Series Book 14) Page 7