Giovanni

by Dominique Butler

  "Last time we talked, he said that he needs to lay low from some other shit that he's involved in," Chris said.

  " Did he tell you anything else?" I ask.

  "Not really just that they are watching him," he said.

  " Thanks," I said, hanging up, giving Tisha her phone back. I walk into the kitchen, seeing Trey and Angel talking. "When are we leaving?" I ask.

  " Around eleven," Trey says.

  " What's wrong," Angel asks.

  “I think Dre got involved with the FEDs," I tell him.

  Giovanni POV

  After eating, we went back to the hotel. Papa calls me, "what happened?" he asks.

  " She's in the safe house with Angel," I tell him.

  " Good, you need to make an example out of her family," he tells me.

  " I will tonight," I tell him before hanging up, walking to my room. I look at the time, seeing it's only two in the afternoon. I take my jacket off, sitting on the bed, calling Trey. A few seconds went by before he answers.

  " Hey boss," he says.

  "Is everything in order?" I ask.

  " Yes, the jet is set to leave at 11:30 tonight. I have a driver waiting to pick us up and take Camille to the penthouse," he tells me.

  "Good, put her on the phone," I tell him. A minute went by before I hear her voice.

  " Hello," she says.

  " Love, how are you?" I ask her.

  " I'm good, just ready to leave," she tells me.

  "What's wrong?" I ask she hesitated for a minute.

  " Tammy and my grandma set my mother up to get killed, I was kidnapped by my family to be shipped to the DR, and now I'm suspended from work because the FEDs think we had a relationship while you were locked up," she said crying.

  I breathe for a moment taking all she said.

  “Baby, everything will be okay. Me, Angel, Tisha, grandma Lilly, and my parents have your back. You don't need no one else," I tell her. She sniffles for a few seconds.

  " You sure?" she asks me, and I laugh a little.

  " Yes, Tisha and Angel didn't leave until they found you, my parents asked me every day about what I was going to do to get you back. Grandma Lilly told me if I didn't bring you home, then she'll have me hanging on her clothesline by my toes," I say, and she starts laughing.

  "Mrs. Lilly is crazy," she said, still laughing. I smile.

  "Love, everything is gonna be alright. about your job, I have my lawyer working on it," I tell her.

  "Good, I can't lose my job after taking my shares out the family business," she tells me. A smart woman, I thought.

  "I want to go to Italy," she tells me.

  " I can arrange for that when I'm off of house arrest in the next five months," I tell her.

  " You don't have to take me. I can go with Tisha," she tells me.

  " No, it would better if you actually went with a person born and raised there. I can show you places that a tour guide can never show you," I tell her.

  " Like what?" she asks.

  " The first restaurant that the family-owned, a boat ride on the river, my great grandma's house in the country where she made wine, and the garden grandma made when I was a kid," I tell her.

  We talk for a couple of hours getting to know each other better before she started yawning. “Love, go to sleep," I tell her.

  "Okay, I'll talk to you later," she said.

  "Okay," I said before hanging up.

  I see that it's at six o'clock. I put my phone on the charger walking to the closet; what to wear, I thought, looking at suits and casual clothes. I grab black pants, a shirt, a hoodie, and black shoes. I bring them into the room, placing them on the dresser. My phone starts ringing. I pick it up, seeing Lorrie's name on the screen.

  "Hello," I say.

  "Mr. Ricci, your private jet, will be ready at eleven. I sent Danny your plane ticket with y' all in first-class and Amy in coach," she tells me.

  " Thank you, Lorrie. When are you going on vacation?" I ask.

  " Next week," she tells me.

  “I'll give you a little extra on your check next week," I say.

  " Thank you, Mr. Ricci," she says before hanging up. I put the phone down, then go take a shower then lay on the bed.

  " Gio," I hear someone say. I open my eyes to see Dom standing at the end of the bed.

  "What?" I say, sitting up.

  "It's ten. We have people to meet," he tells me. I hop out of bed, getting dressed.

  I called Matt. "G, my man. Allen is already in her room. I'm in the back waiting," he said.

  " I'll be there in a few," I tell him. I walk out, seeing Dom and Danny waiting by the door we walk out of the room getting on the private elevator to the back. A black SUV is waiting for us to get in the back.

  "Where to boss?" Matt ask.

  " We are going to college park," I tell. I pull out my phone calling Angel.

  "Boss, we're on our way to the airport right now," he tells me.

  "Good. How's Camille doing?" I ask him.

  " She's doing fine," he tells me.

  " Make sure you take her to the penthouse in Manhattan," I tell him.

  " Will do," he said before hanging up.

  After thirty minutes of driving, we pull up to the barbershop that Rico owns. Matt gets out of the car walking in the barbershop. I look out the window to see both of them talking, and after a few minutes, they come outside.

  “Big Rico, come on I got this deal you can't pass up just follow me and hear what he has to say," Matt tells him.

  " I don't know," Rico says.

  "Man, my dude, has the purest coke around," Matt says.

  "Where are we going?" Rico ask.

  "Not that far. Going to that warehouse off of I-75," Matt tells him.

  " Lead the way," Rico said, walking to his car.

  Matt hops in the driver's seat. " This is like taking candy from a baby," he says, driving.

  "Who's down there?" I ask.

  " Steve, he's the one that looks Mexican," he says. I shake my head.

  After an hour of driving, we pull up to this abandoned warehouse. Matt gets out of the car with Dom. Rico pulls up next to us. "Who's this?" he asks, getting out the car.

  "Big Rico, this is my boy Dom. He's cool. Nothing to worry about," Matt said.

  Rico looks Dom up and down then turn ar looking at Matt. "Soon as some funny shit starts happening, I'm out of here," Rico said. They walk into the warehouse.

  " What's the plan," Danny asks.

  "We're gonna wait ten minutes then go in," I tell him then get out of the car. We pop the trunk open, grabbing a bag pulling out brass knuckles, metal bat, and some power tools.

  " What are you taking?" he asks me. I look at everything spread out on the ground I pick up the bat and brass knuckles we put the rest back in the bag and close the trunk.

  "What floor did Matt say they would be on?" I ask.

  " On the second all the way in the back," he tells me as we walk in the building.

  The inside was bare with metal and wood laying around. We walk up the steps stopping at the landing seeing Rico sitting at a table with his back facing us; Dom and Matt on either side of him.

  "How much?" Rico asks.

  " For a kilo, I want $60,000," Steve tells him. We walk up slowly behind Rico.

  " What? I'll give you $40,000. This shit ain't that good," Rico said.

  “$60,000 or nothing," Steve tells him.

  Rico stands up. I cock my hand back as soon as he faces me. I punch him in his jaw, making him fall back, hitting his head on the table.

  " Damn," Dom said, looking at Rico.

  "Tie him up," I tell them. Dom and Matt grab each arm, picking him up and putting him in the chair.

  After they tied him down, I say, “Wake him up." Danny walks up to him, Rico unzipping his pants.

  "You not about to do it," Dom says. Danny starts peeing on Rico.

  “My man got some big cojones," Steve says. Rico wakes up.

  "Man," Rico says
, leaning back in the chair, making it fall.

  " Zip up," I say. Danny fixed his pants then sit Rico up.

  "Mr. Smith," I say, walking in from of him. He looks around.

  "What's going on?" he asks. I pull my hood off.

  "I'm here to make sure that you leave Camille alone," I tell him.

  " What you need to do, Ricci is to mind your business," he says. I punch him right in the nose. "Fuck," he says with his nose bleeding.

  " What did you say?" I ask. He stares at me, not saying anything. "You see, Camille is my business. She's my wife," I tell him.

  "If I never borrowed that money, you wouldn’t have known who she was," Rico said.

  “That's where you're wrong. Did you know who her mother really was?" I ask him, and Rico scrunches up his face.

  “You really didn't. This shit is about to be funny. Camille's mother is the daughter of my father's right-hand man," I tell him. He looks at me. " Yes, that's the joke you thought she was a regular woman no, she had ties to the mafia. That little bit of money she gave into your business is nothing compared to what she had in the other bank account that her father set up for her," I tell him. I take my left hand, punching him across his face then taking my right hand, punching him in his stomach. " Camille and I had a talk today about you, your wife and mother," I tell him.

  Rico coughs and asks, "What are you talking about?”

  “That your wife and mother killed Aubrey, not knowing she was part of the mafia," I tell him. A phone rings. Danny pulls his phone out, waiting a few seconds.

  "Come up," he said.

  " They're here?" I ask watching Danny move two more chairs next to Rico.

  " Yes," Danny said.

  " Looks like we have company," I tell Rico as we hear footsteps. "Who could be visiting us?" I say before I see Tammy and Rico's mother appear at the top of the steps.

  “What the fuck are you doing?" Rico asks.

  "Nothing, just demonstrating what happens to people that mess with the Ricci's," I tell him.

  I see the fear on Tammy's face, which tells me that she doesn't have a gangster bone in her body. I look at the mother's face to see a blank face, which I expected since she's the one who really runs everything.

  "Ladies, good of you to join us. Have a seat next to Rico," I say to them. Two of Matt's men place both of them in the empty chairs and tie them up. "I brought you all here today so that we all have an understanding of where Camille will be in your lives," I tell them.

  "That's my granddaughter. She'll be wherever I tell her to be," said Mrs. Smith said I look at her.

  "You see Mrs. Smith, that's where you are wrong. Camille doesn't belong to your family but mine. To make sure that it stays like that, I'll have to show you what type of power I have," I tell her.

  I take off the brass knuckles holding my hand out. Danny place the metal bat in my hand I walk back and forth in front of them swinging the bat

  “From now on, you are gonna give Matt here a percentage of the business," I tell them.

  " We're not giving you nothing that we work so hard for," said Mrs. Smith.

  "Wrong, you set Aubrey up to get killed and used the money she had to build your wealth," I tell her. I stop in front of Rico, looking at him. “So, what do you choose?" I ask. He takes a minute to answer.

  "No," he said.

  " Wrong answer," I say swinging the bat across his face

  " Ohh," I hear Dom and Matt say as Rico starts leaking from his mouth.

  "Stop," a hysterical Tammy say, rocking in her chair as I hit him in the ribs with the bat.

  " What did you say, Tammy? Hit him in his left knee," I say.

  " No, no," she yells I get in the batter position taking the bat past my head then swinging as hard as I can hit Rico's knee.

  "Fuck," he yells at the top of his lungs.

  I look at Mrs. Smith, seeing that she turned her head to the side, not trying to see her son. I walk over to her grabbing her face.

  "Look at your son," I say, turning her face in his direction. I squeeze her face. "Look at the pain he's in because of the shit you did," I say. She closes her eyes. "You open them, or I'll hurt him even worse," I tell her. She takes a second then opens them with tears coming down her face.

  "What do you want?" she asks.

  " I want you to leave Camille alone. Don't ever contact her," I tell her. She shakes her head.

  "I need verbal understanding," I tell her.

  " We will leave Camille alone, never contacting her," she says.

  " Good untie them," I say.

  Both of Matt's men pulled out knives cutting the ropes. After Tammy was released, she ran to Rico touching him. "Baby," she said, receiving a moan in response.

  "Take them home," I say, walking to the stairs. "Matt will be keeping close tabs on y’ all," I tell them before walking down the steps. We walk out the door getting in the car.

  " Where to next?" Matt says.

  " Club 403. Did they touch down?" I ask.

  " Not yet," Danny said.

  We drive an hour and a half to downtown Atlanta. I look at the time on my phone, seeing that it 12:30. We drive around the back of the club. We get out, heading to the back door. Dom knocks on the door a few seconds later the door opens with a big black man holding a gun.

  "The line is in the front," he said.

  “Not what we here for. We came to see Dave," Dom said.

  " Who are you?" he asks.

  " Ricci. Now get out of the way," Dom said, pushing his way into the building. We all follow behind him.

  "Mr. Ricci follows me," he says. We walk out from the side of the bar seeing people smashed together. We push our way through the crowd up the step leading to the VIP balconies. We follow him to the first VIP section seeing different kinds of women in too revealing clothes.

  " Mr. Russo," the black man said.

  "Yeah," the man said, taking his face out of a woman's chest. " Gio," Dave said soon as he spotted me getting off the couch.

  " Dave," I say. He picks up a bottle and cup, walking towards me.

  " Wanna drink?" he asks.

  " No," I tell him.

  "Come on, Gio, relax. We have women and drinks all around. Let's party," Dave said. He walks back to the couch, sitting in between two women putting his arm around their shoulders. I walk up to him, grabbing his shirt.

  " I'm here on business let's go now," I tell him releasing his shirt.

  Chapter 24

  Camille POV

  We pull up to the plane. “Let's go," Trey said, getting out of the car. I'm in awe about getting on a private jet. Trey and Angel grab the bags out of the vehicle. We walk up the steps into the plane. It was decorated white and tan with an R stitched into the headrest.

  "I'm Katy. I'll be your stewardess for the flight," she said, standing by the door. I look at her; she's cute, I thought, taking a seat. After Trey and Angel get on the plane, the pilot comes from the front talking to them.

  " We'll be taking off in ten minutes," he said, going back upfront. M Tisha and I take seats in the front putting our belts on.

  "Girl, this is flying in style," Tisha said. I just laugh at her. Trey and Angel take the seats behind us.

  "Don't be screaming like you did last time," Angel said.

  " I was not screaming," Tisha says.

  " You were and giving my hand the death grip," he said, making us laugh. Tisha gives him the evil eye.

  " Ladies and gentlemen, we'll be taking off in the next couple minutes make sure your belt is on," Katy says over the intercom then a little after we took off. Then Tisha starts squeezing my hand and putting her face in my shoulder.

  "You should have sat next to me," Angel said.

  " Shut up," Tisha said. After the turbulence was over, Tisha releases my arm. I look at her. "Sorry," she said.

  "You're not sitting with me when we land," I tell her.

  " You're able to walk around," Katy said. I get up going to sit at the table, turning the TV on t
o the news.

  "We have the FBI investigating New York State prison. We have a leak that an inmate and correctional officer had a romantic relationship going on," said the news anchor.

  "Fuck," I say, looking at this.

  Angel walks up to me " Gio got this under control," he tells me taking a seat next to me

  " You sure about this," I ask.

  " Trust me, they can't prove nothing," Angel says. I shake my head.

  Katy walks over to us, " want anything to drink," she asks.

  " Water, please," I say. " Me too," Angel said.

  " What's gonna happen to Devin," I ask

  " Gabe and Dan are seeing what he knows if he doesn't put up a fight, they will release him," Angel said.

  "Here you go," Katy said handing me and Angel a bottle of water I look at the TV

  " How long do you think it will take this to blow over," I ask taking the top of the water off.

  " With Gio's lawyer it will be over in a week maybe a week and a half," he says I take a sip then I look over at Angel

  " He's that good," I ask.

  " He's a shark, and he needs to be representing the Ricci's," Angel said. I shake my head, taking a sip of water. I look over at Trey, seeing Katy creasing him.

  "I hope she's not like that with Gio," I say. Angel starts laughing. I look at him.

  " No, she not Gio's type. He doesn't have a thing for little skinny white girls," Angel said.

  " Good to know," I tell him leaning back on the couch. For the remainder of the flight, my eyes stayed glued to the TV, seeing what other information they would release. After the plane landed, we get off seeing both Gio's parents and Mrs. Lilly waiting for us.

  " Hey," I say, seeing them waiting for us.

  " My baby," Mrs. Lilly said, walking up to me, giving me a hug, " my baby," she kept saying, rocking us back and forth.

  After a couple of minutes, she releases me whipping her tears " how are you," she said.

  " I'm good," I tell her smiling. I turn to Victoria and Michael

  " Sweetie," Victoria says, pulling me into a hug " we were so worried about you," she said.

  " I'm good now, Mrs. Ricci," I tell her while being smothered in her chest.

  " Vicky let her breathe," said Michael. After a few more seconds, she releases me, " how are you doing," Michael asked.

  " Good now," I tell him he shakes his head

  " Let's go," he said, walking to the car, opening the door.