by Lee, S. K.
“But come on, Enzo! You seriously think I’m going to sleep with you that often without feeling at LEAST a little bit of something for you?”
“Why not?”
“You think I’m a slut?”
Enzo frowned. “What the hell, no!”
“So if I’m not a slut, you have to expect me to start feeling something for you… It always happens, Enzo.”
“I’m not in the mood to talk about female psychology…”
“What are you talking about! This is how we think, Enzo… This is how we feel. This is how women work, you’ve got to accept it. You think you can spend the rest of your life running away?”
“I’m not running away…”
“Yes, you are. You don’t allow yourself to have feelings for anyone…”
Enzo kept silent, but his fingers clenched and gripped the steering wheel.
Nikki continued. “When I first met you, I thought you were a total jerk and yes, I was fine with it because I didn’t think we would meet again. But the more we see each other, the more I realize how lonely you are deep inside… You’re a sweet guy… But you’re messed up. Sorry.”
Enzo accelerated - he needed to release his anger. “What the fuck, Nikki! Okay, just stop. I don’t want to talk anymore… I shouldn’t have called you.” Enzo said before hanging up.
He removed his sunglasses and threw them on the passenger’s seat. Nikki started to act like a pseudo girlfriend and it was time to move on. She would soon become a liability and in that case, he wasn’t willing to deal with her anymore.
Enzo had another back up plan, but it wasn’t his favorite. Actually, he had a lot of girls to call but he wasn’t interested. He didn’t want to seduce them again and play games - he felt lazy and tonight, he just wanted to go straight to the point.
In his heart, there was only one woman who deserved his full attention and his effort - but he’d let her go years ago when he’d realized how dangerous his name really was.
Enzo made a U-turn and completely changed his plans. It was late, he was tired and his balls were hurting; after all, he hadn’t cummed in Brandi and he needed to be released.
Nikki wasn’t available to accomplish that mission but there was one place he knew wouldn’t disappoint - Frankie’s gentlemen club.
Enzo arrived there in twenty five minutes, and parked behind the building. The parking was full but he knew his way around.
He knocked at the heavy metal door and the bouncer’s face appeared in a little opening. “What do you want?” He asked with a low voice.
“I want to see Frankie.” Enzo said.
“He’s busy.”
“Come on man, let me in…”
“I told you. He’s busy.”
Enzo paused and took his face in his palm. He wasn’t sure it was worth it but he hadn’t come this far for nothing.
“How much?” He insisted.
“Five hundreds…”
Enzo sighed. He didn’t have enough cash. He took his wallet and showed it to the bouncer. “Look man, that’s all I’ve got - three hundred bucks.”
Actually, he had a lot more in his car but he didn’t want to make it too easy for the bouncer.
Without a word, the security man closed the little opening and Enzo heard him unlock the door.
“He’s upstairs…” He said, taking the money from Enzo’s hands and closing the door behind him.
Enzo climbed up the stairs and met a couple of strippers on the way. He didn’t recognize them - they were probably new. He quickly checked them out but kept walking - he already knew what he wanted.
Frankie was in a jacuzzi with a girl massaging his shoulders. He was only 20 years old, but the business didn’t belong to him - he was running it for his father. Frankie was a high-school dropout and had been arrested multiple times for drug possession. The only reason he was still a free man was because the sheriff was a VIP client and a close friend of his dad.
“Yo Enzo!” Frankie said, raising his skinny arms covered with tattoos in the air.
“Hi Frankie. How’s business?”
“Doing good, doing good! We have new girls and clients seem to like them.”
“Yeah I met them on the way up - cute little asses indeed.”
“So what can I do for you?”
“Where’s Caramel?”
Frankie seemed embarrassed and stood up. He was naked but that didn’t shock Enzo - Frankie was a pretty special specimen and he liked to hang out naked in his strip club. He said he hated wearing clothes because he didn’t feel free.
The girl behind him gave him a towel and he finally replied. “Dude… She’s the sheriff’s favorite. I can’t let you get her anymore.”
“Just for tonight.”
“You already said that last time!”
“Yeah but tonight it’s for real!”
“Enzo, every time you bring her to your place, we have to beg you to bring her back! She never comes back to work on time, she always disappear. Last time she didn’t come to work for an entire week! She’s our money maker, you can’t distract her like that.”
“So stop giving her to the sheriff then - he’s a perv and she hates him.”
“Man… The sheriff’s got me by the balls and you know it. I have to make sure he’s happy when he comes here, or I’ll end up behind bars!”
“I already told you to see my dad about that…”
Frankie nodded in silence. “Yeah, yeah, I know Enzo… I appreciate but I’d rather stay away and do things on my own.”
“Give me your price.”
Enzo knew that Frankie’s father didn’t pay him. He was basically working for free but at least, he had a job - something that he could never get by himself. He was so irresponsible that his father was afraid he would blow up all his money on stupid things, so he’d never paid him.
“Awww man… Don’t do that. Dad’s gonna kill me.” Frankie said with a voice that showed he was actually tempted.
“He doesn’t have to know. That’s between us. Our little secret…” Enzo winked at him, trying to win his sympathy.
“We have to go outside then… Too many ears in here.”
“Alright, let’s go to my car.”
They both walked downstairs and went out near Enzo’s Bentley. Frankie was only wearing a towel around his waist but nobody paid attention.
“So… How much?” Enzo asked again. He was impatient and willing to get rid of him as fast as possible with the girl.
“I… I don’t know… Five grand?” Frankie didn’t seem very confident and was almost afraid to give his price - and he was right.
Enzo slapped him behind the head. “Are you fucking kidding me?”
“Ouch! What?! That’s half the price already!” Frankie protested.
Enzo knew it was a bargain but he didn’t like to pay without trying to negotiate.
“I don’t care. Give me half of that…” He said.
Frankie opened his eyes wide open. “You must be crazy - hell no! I can’t!”
“Plus a little bit of powder…” Enzo opened his trunk, revealing an impressive quantity of little bags with white powder.
Frankie’s face lightened up like a child in Disneyworld. “Woow… Is that 99%?”
Enzo nodded. “Yes, sir. Pure cocaine. So, we have a deal?”
Frankie hesitated but Enzo knew he wouldn’t be able to resist.
“Okay, man. Deal. I’ll tell her to get dressed. She’ll be here in ten minutes.”
Chapter 4
Sunday Morning…
Bip bip! Bip bip! Bip bip!
The sound of the alarm echoed in his ears and made him realize how bad his headache was.
Sunday morning. Hangover. Like every Sunday.
Enzo painfully opened one eye, then the next, still wondering what was going on.
Goddamn it… It’s already time to wake up…
Enzo cursed. Like every Sunday morning for as long as he could remember, he swore he wouldn’t go out
the next weekend and go to bed early. And as usual, he made that promise again.
Despite his lack of energy, he quickly grabbed his cell phone and turned it off. What an awful sound! He hated it but it was effective. He really needed to get up.
He checked the time - 10:00am.
He had an hour to get prepared if he wanted to arrive in time. He had business to do; the most important one of the week - family.
Every Sunday, he was expected at home, at his parents mansion for a family lunch. He couldn’t afford to miss it - ever. That was a family’s tradition and he had to show up no matter what.
Caramel was sleeping besides him and he shook her shoulder to wake her up. They had spent the night together drinking, sniffing coke and fucking. It had been a good night after all.
“Hey, it’s time to go. I have to leave pretty soon.” He told her, admiring her firm, naked body. She’d been a dancer for fifteen years and her body was one of the most beautiful one he’d ever seen.
But it wasn’t THE most beautiful he’d ever touched. No matter how many women he’d slept with over the years, he’d never found anybody who could give him chills down his spine like She did.
She was the only one who could really satisfy him, just by saying his name followed by these three magic words. Love hadn’t been in his vocabulary for a long time and Enzo could feel the bottomless void of loneliness crush his heart again.
Now that the party was over and the excitement had disappeared, it was hard to ignore his true feelings.
He thought he was done with Her. He’d been through hell to forget and move on, and had done a pretty good job so far. The first few years had been the toughest. He’d agonized every night, wondering if She could ever forgive him.
Then, She moved on and met someone else. The day he found out, Enzo contemplated suicide and started a long journey of self-destruction - alcohol, cocaine, unprotected sex, drunken driving and racing, and partying.
Oddly enough, it worked for him. He regained his confidence and decided to build his character the way he wanted to be seen. He became successful and turned into a master of perceptions - and perceptions, were reality.
But apparently, She had left an indelible mark in his heart and the wound was about to be reopened very soon.
Enzo looked at Caramel next to him, and suddenly felt the urge to hug her. She wasn’t a bad girl. And she was far from being stupid. She was just struggling to make a living and had to do what she had to do.
She had a son in Cuba, waiting for her to deal with the immigration so they could be together again. Her parents were taking care of the little boy, with the money she sent them every month.
When she was sober, she was surprisingly interesting to talk to and very wise. Enzo could talk to her about anything and she was always listening. She had been through so many hurdles in life that she had developed a genuine sense of empathy towards others.
She groaned and turned her back on him. “Aww… I’m so tired… Why do you always have to wake up so early…”
Enzo ignored his own rules and took her in his arms, kissing her shoulder. “You want to stay here?” He asked.
She turned around to look at him, a surprised look on her face. “Really? Can I?”
“Yeah, it’s okay…” He said, allowing her to wrap her arms around his neck.
“What’s wrong with you today, uh?” She asked while he was moving on top of her. “Why being so nice? You need something from me?”
He chuckled. “Why do you assume I’m trying to get something in return?”
“Because you’re an asshole… Everybody knows that…” She teased him, caressing his hair.
They both laughed and for a split second, Enzo felt he was alive again. It was just a spark but it was enough to make him realize how much he missed being with someone.
“There’s only one condition, though…” He said.
“What?”
“You’ll have to take Apollo for a walk…”
Apollo was Enzo’s dog, a 180lbs Great Dane nobody wanted to take care of.
“But he’s too big! He’s a monster… HE’s going to take me for a walk!” She protested.
“Feed him before, he’s going to calm down.”
Caramel hesitated but clearly, she wanted to stay in bed.
“Fine, I’ll do it. How about the keys?”
“I have another set. Just come back whenever you can after work to bring it back.”
Enzo cuddled with Caramel and she felt him pressing his morning wood against her lower abdomen with insistence.
“Do you want anything else…” She asked, biting her lips. She already knew the answer.
“Yeah… Take care of MY monster…”
***
Enzo was waiting at the gate of his parent’s mansion. Two men were checking his car, looking for any sort of explosives. They looked everywhere - the hood, the trunk, below and inside the car.
When they were done, one of them talked in his walkie-talkie, informing the man inside the security building to open the gate.
“He’s clear. Copy.”
“Opening the gate. Copy.”
The threat wasn’t coming from Enzo directly but from anyone who could use him as a human bomb. That was the protocol. Since he was using his personal car and didn’t have personal bodyguards, he had to be controlled before entering the property - every single time.
It was easily a ten to fifteen minutes procedure but Enzo had become used to it and wasn’t pissed anymore. He had to wait, right hand on the steering wheel and left arm dangling out the window, tapping his fingers against the door along with the music.
This time, he was listening to something more relaxing; ‘Sex Therapy’ by Robin Thicke. No hip-hop on Sunday.
When the gate finally opened, he slammed the gas pedal, propelling his Bentley toward the mansion, zig-zagging on the long driveway. He parked in front of a huge garage where all the cars of the family were being cleaned by his father’s staff.
A man approached him and he gave him the keys.
“There’s a scratch on the door. Try to fix it.” Enzo told the man.
“Yes, sir.”
He took the white box next to him and walked inside the house. A large dining table and twenty chairs sat in the middle of the living room. Everybody was already sitting, waiting for him.
“You’re late!” An elegant but intimidating man sitting at the end of the table said.
“Give him a break, Giovani.” The woman sitting on his right said with a gentle voice. “We’re just about to begin.”
“You spoil them too much, Maria.” Giovani replied, sending a killer look at Enzo. “Where have you been, son? Your flashy Swiss watch doesn’t work anymore?”
Enzo ignored his father’s sarcastic comment and kissed his mother on the forehead.
“Buon giorno mom. I’ve brought you French macarons.” He said while a maid took the box from his hands. Then, he turned to his father and kissed him on the cheek, while they both patted each other’s back.
“Sorry, dad. I had business to handle.” Enzo said apologetically.
Giovani chuckled. “Business? What kind of business? Pussy you mean…”
Maria slapped her husband’s hand. “Giovani! Don’t talk like that - it’s disrespectful. Let him do what he wants, he’s a grown man.”
Enzo looked at all the people around the table, all of them older men in suits and slightly bent his head to greet them. They nodded back at him in silence. They were all high-ranking employees of his father and members of the board.
He sat down next to the man who was sitting in front of Maria - Danny.
“Hi Danny.” He whispered.
“Morning, kid.” The man replied back. Danny was the Consigliere of the family - the adviser of his dad, Don Fancelli - and second most important man of the Famiglia, one of New York’s most dangerous and respected crime syndicate.
“A grown man, yeah!” Giovani continued. “When is he going to ge
t married? Uh? Enzo, when are you going to stop fucking around and get serious?”
“I’m young, dad. No need to rush.” Enzo said without looking at his father.
“Young? You’re getting old, you’re friggin 28! Are you waiting for me to die to have kids, uh? Am I going to see my grandchildren or not?” Giovani said, unfolding his white table napkin.