Trina hadn’t heard that word from Reno before. She turned around, to face him. She’d never heard him sound so insecure.
“Nothing’s happening to us,” she said. “What are you talking about?”
Reno hated to feel this vulnerable. He hated it! But this was Trina. “I feel like we’re growing apart.”
“Because of our decision to license the Champagne brand?”
“No. Yes. I don’t know what it is, Tree! I feel like I’m losing you. I feel like . . .”
“Like what, Reno?”
“Like something’s wrong. Like I’m losing you.”
Trina placed her hands on the sides of his handsome but worried face. “We’re okay,” she said. “It’s just a hectic time for us. It’ll settle back down.”
Reno stared at her. “Will it?”
“Yes.” She kissed him. “I promise you.”
When she kissed him, Reno felt a surge of emotion that caused him to pull her back and kiss her harder. And longer. And with passion that increased with each passing moment. He was aroused immediately. By the time he unzipped his pants, and pulled it out, jutting it against Trina’s stomach, he was stiff already.
He lifted her skirt, removed her panties over her heels, and then lifted her into his arms. She wrapped her legs around him as her vagina jutted against his penis. And they continued to kiss.
By the time Reno entered her, she was already wet. By the time he was fucking her, she was already so aroused that she was on the verge of cum.
And she came with a powerful orgasm. She bounced in his arms with the intensity of the feelings. And he came too. Straining with the excitement and pleasure of his release. They came hard, and long. It exhausted them both.
As they continued to stand there, and they attempted to regulate their extreme breathing, Reno leaned his head against Trina’s. “I slept alone in one of the rooms downstairs,” he said. “I own them all, you know.”
Trina smiled and leaned back against him. “Losing me?” She asked this as if she finally had an answer to his question. “Not on your life, buddy,” she said.
Reno smiled too, and moved even closer against her. And within seconds his penis was stiffening again, and he was pushing it deeper in, and pulling it almost out, over and over until they were fucking again. And were in rhythm again. And the sloshing sound of their mixed juices, as it stuck to Reno’s cock like thick cream, caused both of their eyes to glaze over in hooded sensuality.
There was no feeling like it, Reno thought, as he closed his eyes and held his wife, his precious love, as closely as he knew how.
CHAPTER FIFTEEN
In the casino, that afternoon, Reno and Jimmy were holding court with a group of gamblers from Missouri when Luggi walked in with Bo Jackson at his side. Bo and his brother were on Reno’s payroll now, holed up in one of the hotel rooms as they watched security cameras all night long and pointed out, with more accuracy than Reno’s entire CCTV apparatus, crooks and thieves. They were saving Reno a fortune. Reno had ordered Luggi to bring Bo to the casino.
“You wanted to see me, boss?” Bo asked.
Reno looked at the gamblers who surrounded the high chair he sat in. “Excuse me, gentlemen,” he said. The gamblers, who knew when to fold’em, thanked him again for his time, and left. Reno looked at Bo. “Have a seat,” he said.
Bo sat beside the boss. Luggi remained by Bo’s side.
“Just wanted to thank you for your good work,” Reno said. “You’re making a difference.”
Jimmy was confused. Who was this guy? Bo, realizing his confusion too, extended his hand. “I’m Bo Jackson, by the way,” he said.
Jimmy shook his hand. “Nice to meet you. I’m James Gabrini.”
“Ah. The son,” Bo said. “Very nice to meet you.”
Jimmy looked at Reno. “So what is he a new employee, Pop?”
“He works for me,” Reno said. Reno looked at Bo. “Just wanted to make sure I let you know how pleased I am so far.”
“Does that mean I can lose Luggi soon?” Bo asked with a smile.
“Keep producing and you’ll come out of the cold. You and your brother,” Reno added and Luggi laughed.
“Very funny,” Bo responded.
“Now get back to work,” Reno said. “I don’t want any of these crook bastards to get away with another dime on me.”
Bo stood up. “I’ll do my best,” he said, and he and Luggi left.
Jimmy looked at Reno. “What does he do?” he asked.
“A lot of good work,” Reno said as he spoke to another patron.
“Better work than I do?” Jimmy asked.
“You fucked up,” Reno said. “You’ve got to make amends. He fucked up. The work he’s doing is making amends.”
“What kind of amends can I make?” Jimmy asked.
“More than what you’re making now,” Reno responded. “Your dumbass move almost cost me my east coast operation.” He looked at Jimmy. “I’m not forgetting that shit just because you’re my son. You still have to prove to me that you can be trusted with my livelihood. You failed that test, Jimmy. You dropped that ball.”
“So all my hard work, all I did for those hotels, means nothing to you?”
“What are you some moron asking me a question like that? If that Sheriff wasn’t crooked as a curved road, there would be no hotels to do any good in. So yes, it means nothing to me.”
Jimmy was sad and angry. Angry because he knew he blew it, and sad because he knew his father rarely gave second chances. But he knew arguing with Reno was a monumental waste of time. He left instead.
As he did, Wilk Montenegro, the HR director, headed Reno’s way. Reno could tell there was trouble. “What is it?” he asked before Wilk could speak.
“Mass defections, boss,” Wilk responded.
Reno frowned. “Mass defections? What do you mean?”
“We have had staff resignations en masse today. All day long.”
Reno was surprised to hear it. “How many are we talking?”
“So far? Eighty-five.”
In a lesser organization, that would be a huge number. But not at the massive PaLargio. But even at the PaLargio it was a troublesome number. “Why would that many quit all at once?”
“From what I could gleam from the few willing to talk,” Wilk said, “they have all been hired by The Bryant Hotel across the street.”
Reno was astounded. That fucker Gianni Drake again? And he was Fed, an FBI field director at that. He knew he could get away with this shit.
“What is the Bryant offering them? Did anybody say?”
“Triple whatever you’re paying them,” Wilk said.
Reno looked at his HR director. “Triple pay?”
“Triple what you pay them, yes, sir.”
Reno exhaled.
“What are we going to do, Boss? Why would some nothing hotel like that try to compete with the biggest boy on the block?”
“Because the new owner of that hotel is Fed,” Reno responded. “He knows there’s little I can do to counter. I’m not paying anybody triple scale. Just hire up as quick as we lose them.”
“Sounds good,” Wilk said. “There’s a line longer than this city filled with people who want to work here. It’ll be costly with the training and the rest of it, but that can’t be helped.”
“No, it can’t,” Reno admitted. “But if that fucker take this shit too far, don’t worry. I’ll clap back. And when I strike, that will be the end of it.”
Wilk smiled. “Imagine the FBI hiring a hood like Gianni Drake. They’ve really taken a stepdown lately.”
Reno looked at him as if he’d lost his mind. “Lately?” he asked, and Wilk laughed.
CHAPTER SIXTEEN
Later that night, after midnight, Noonie was in Vegas enjoying himself at a strip joint he often frequented, when Jimmy saw him there. Jimmy could tell, when Noonie recognized him, that he didn’t like it. But that was his problem. Jimmy had been showing up at the nightclub nightly, w
aiting for this very opportunity. He needed to talk to Noon and he didn’t know any other way to do it. He jerked his head toward the back door, and then made his way out back.
Noonie, still upset that Jimmy would show his face around him at all, excused himself and made his way to the back of the club, and out of the backdoor too.
“What’s the fuck’s your problem, man?” Noonie asked as soon as he got outside. “We aren’t supposed to be seeing each other. What if 5-0 has a tail on your ass?”
“They don’t have shit on me,” Jimmy said, “and you know it. And they ain’t got shit on you because none of your guys told on you. Besides, this is where I hang out. This is where you hang out when you’re in town. What’s the big damn deal?”
“I keep a low profile when the heat is on,” Noonie said. “That’s how I do business. You can learn a thing or two from me, Jimmy.”
“No thanks,” Jimmy said harshly.
“Okay, spit it out,” Noonie said. “Let’s get it over with. Why are you bugging me like some damn stalker? What’s your problem, man?”
Jimmy frowned. “What’s my problem? You lied to me, Noon!”
Noon smiled. “Lied? Get the fuck out of here! What lie?”
“You said weed! You said those dudes would be selling weed, not smack!”
It was Noonie’s time to frown. “So what?” he asked. “What difference does it make?”
“What difference?”
“That’s what I said! Dope is dope. Illegal is illegal. It doesn’t matter!”
“It matters to me!” Jimmy yelled. “It matters to my father!”
“Your father? I never knew a kid scared of his own old man the way you are, Jimmy! Your father has nothing to do with this.”
“Are you out of your mind? They raided his hotels, idiot!”
Noonie’s look changed. “Idiot?”
“That’s what I said!” Jimmy shot back. “It was one of your guys who snitched to the cops. Yeah, you’re an idiot. I said it again!”
“What do you want, Jimmy? You’re getting on my last nerve, man. Why are you here?”
“I want my money.”
Noonie laughed. “Your money? What money?”
“You said if the scheme goes south I still get half a mill for my trouble. I come to collect.” Jimmy needed that cash to get back on his feet again because it was for damn sure he wasn’t working his way up from pit boss again. He had to find his own way.
But Noonie wasn’t cooperating. “I don’t have shit to give you,” he said. “I lost money fooling with you, too, and you have the nerve to come to collect? Kiss my ass, Jimmy Mack! Kiss my ass!”
Jimmy didn’t kiss it, but he leaned back and slammed his fist into Noonie’s face. “You kiss mine!” Jimmy responded.
And the fight was on.
Jimmy was a tough competitor at first, as he was a good puncher that kept Noonie off balance and stumbling backwards. But then Noonie came back up swinging, and the fight was joined.
Both men fell against the building, and then onto the ground. Jimmy was on top as they fought, and then Noonie got the advantage, and then Jimmy again. When they rolled again and Noonie ended up on top, he angrily reached into his pocket to pull out his gun. He was ready to end this shit once and for all. He struggled as he fought off Jimmy, but then managed to pull it out.
When Jimmy realized a gun was now in the mix, pointing toward his face, he grabbed hold of the gun, too, and the two young men struggled for control.
They fought for their lives. Both men strained every muscle in their bodies as they fought to keep that gun pointed away from their face, and directly at their opponent’s face. Jimmy managed to get it down further, away from both of their faces, but that was dangerous too. Because now neither one of them were certain where it was pointed, and both were jockeying for the trigger.
After battling hard, after jockeying even harder, both of them ended up with their hands on the trigger, and then, to the shock of each one of them, they both managed to pull the trigger. As the gun fired that one shot, the bullet landed where the barrel was pointed at the time of the release.
One shot, but straight through the heart.
One man alive.
One man dead.
And the struggle, the jockeying, the fight was over.
First, both men were still. Both men appeared to have been hit. But within seconds there was movement. Movement from Jimmy. He slowly but forcefully threw Noonie’s dead weight off of him.
He stood up quickly and looked around. He already knew it was an isolated place in the back of the club. Nobody ever bothered to venture out there unless they were handling some unsavory business. Looked as though only he and Noonie were unsavory that night. Nobody was outside. The music inside was loud as hell. Jimmy realized there would be no witnesses. But he also knew he had to make a decision. He needed time. He needed time to get to his father to help him figure this out. His father would know what to do.
Jimmy’s heart was hammering. But he got busy.
Reno and Trina were busy too. Busy fucking. It was as if they were making up for lost time. First this morning. Again, earlier this evening. And now again, after midnight. Trina was on top, and she was riding that rod hard. Her eyes were hooded, and her hair was falling down across her forehead, making her look sexy as hell to Reno, as she rode. And he wasn’t just going along for the ride. He was squeezing her bouncing breasts, and leaning up and sucking them, and enjoying every second of the feeling and the view, as she rode.
They were nearing their cum when the downstairs door of their penthouse apartment flew open, and then footsteps could be heard.
Trina was the first to hear it, as her vagina suddenly stopped riding Reno’s penis, and then Reno heard it too.
He was about to reach in his side table for his gun, when a voice cried out.
“Dad! Mom!”
It was Jimmy.
Trina jumped off of Reno, Reno jumped up too, and both of them put on bathrobes and hurried out of their bedroom, along the corridor, and downstairs. They met Jimmy halfway on the stairway.
“What is it, Jimmy?” Trina asked anxiously.
“What is it?” Reno asked too.
“I did it,” Jimmy said. He looked as if he was not going to be able to hold on. Trina was the first to reach him, and she held onto him.
Reno’s face was a mask of anguish. What now, he wondered. What had his boy done now? “What did you do?” he asked him.
“I had to take him out,” Jimmy said. “I killed Noon.”
Reno frowned. “Who the fuck is Noon?”
“They call him Noon Devil,” Trina said.
Reno frown didn’t leave. “Who the fuck is that?”
“The dealer who made that deal with Jimmy,” Trina said. “The guy who paid him to use those hotel rooms for his drug operation.”
Reno was surprised Trina would know all of that detail. Then again, he wasn’t. Trina and Jimmy were very close. Jimmy would confide in Trina before he confided in anybody.
“I didn’t mean to do it,” Jimmy said, still attempting to keep his saneness. “But he pulled a gun. We fought. It went off. I didn’t mean to kill him, Dad.”
Reno hated that Jimmy was in this position, but there was no point in crying over it now. “Shit happens,” he said. “We’ve just got to clean it up. Where’s the body?”
“In my trunk,” Jimmy said.
Reno couldn’t believe it. Trina either. “You brought it here?” Trina asked.
“What else was I supposed to do? If I left it in the back of that club, then they could put two and two together before I have a plan. But if they aren’t sure what happened to him, then I have some time.”
Then they all heard the familiar voice of Dominic. “What’s all this noise out here?” he asked.
Reno rolled his eyes, and then looked at Trina. “Put him back to bed,” he ordered.
Trina began heading downstairs.
“What’s going on?” Dommi
was out of his bedroom and walking toward the stairs.
“Go back to bed, Dom,” Trina said as she came toward him.
“But what’s going on?” he asked.
“Get your ass back in that bed,” Trina said, with clenched teeth. “That’s what!”
Dommi understood that language. He ran back into his bedroom.
“I’ll put on some clothes,” Reno said, heading back upstairs.
“There’s one other thing, Dad,” Jimmy said.
Reno turned back around. Trina made her way back to the stairs. “What is it, Jimmy?” she asked.
“His real name,” Jimmy said to Trina, and then looked at his father.
“What about his real name?” Reno asked.
“His real name is Nunzio Garcetti, Dad.”
Reno couldn’t believe it. “Garcetti? Fats Garcetti’s kid? You iced Fats Garcetti’s kid?”
Jimmy nodded. “Yes, sir. We call him Noonie, or Noon Devil. But he’s a Garcetti.”
Reno’s heart dropped. “Geez, Jimmy. Motherfuck! Why would you fool around with that family?”
“I didn’t know who it was when I first met him.”
“But you knew when you made that deal with him. That deal with the fucking devil! Gotdamn, Jimmy! Of all the drug dealers in this world, you had to fuck around with Fats Garcetti’s kid!”
“Who’s Fats Garcetti?” Trina asked Reno anxiously. “Who is he?”
“Bad news,” Reno said, and looked at her. Jimmy was not her biological son, but she went through the hell his actions wrought right along with Reno. “Major bad news,” Reno added. Then he looked at Jimmy. “Call your Uncle Sal,” he said, as he began heading upstairs to put on some clothes. “Tell him I need him.”
Trina and Jimmy looked at each other. For Reno to call in Sal at this time of night, and for Reno to say that he needed Sal, said it all to both of them.
Jimmy quickly pulled out his cell phone, and did as he was ordered.
CHAPTER SEVENTEEN
Sal Gabrini was leaned against his limousine in the back of a once-thriving bar that was now closed and condemned. A van was parked beside his car, and three men were standing outside of it.
Reno Gabrini: I'm Losing You Page 10