He lifted the shirt he wore off of him, tossing it onto their bed, and then removed his shoes and every strip of clothing he wore on his body. All he could think about was how happy he was that he was not alone in this fight. All he could think about was how her presence made him feel, and how her body was going to make him feel. He looked at her shapely legs. He looked at her outer thigh going up to the curve of her tight ass. He looked at her big brown breasts as they stood out taut and sweet, ready for his mouth to suck the shit out of them, and he could hardly contain his passion for her.
Grace could hardly contain her own surge of passion when that gorgeous hunk of man removed his clothing and revealed that most masculine of bodies, ripped with lines and lines of muscle veins, including the biggest muscle of all between his legs. And as he came to her, with his dick banging against his thigh, growing bigger with every step he took, she felt more than a surge of passion. She felt a downright tidal wave of passion for Tommy Gabrini and held out her hands, urging him to come quicker. He came even quicker than she was urging, and swept her up into his arms.
He lifted her into his arms, she wrapped her legs around his body, and they kissed a kissed that went from straight on, to side to side, to an urgency that had him kissing her upper lip, with her kissing his lower lip, and then they were just rubbing their lips against each other.
And then his lips moved to her breasts. He sucked and mouth-fucked them until they were swollen and saturated. Grace was leaning backwards, giving him full access to her breasts, and Tommy took full advantage of that access and couldn’t stop sucking her.
Until he wanted to taste her again. He leaned her back up and was on her mouth again. They were kissing again, long and passionately, as if they were hitting that sweet spot with their mouths alone. There was shit going on all around them. Shit they didn’t even understand. But they refused to let this night, this moment, be about the world around them. This was about the love within them. The love they felt for one another. They kissed as if they had to demonstrate that love.
And when Tommy leaned her shoulders against the back of the daybed, and began to eat her pussy, Grace arched up and let out a purr of excitement that made him eat her harder. Grace grabbed thick strands of his silky hair and squeezed it as he did her. She even started moving his head up and down, to let him know she wanted it rough, and he gave it to her even rougher.
He was breathing so hard, and in love with this woman so deeply that he felt as if he was about to cum right then and there. And he had to get in. It was now or it was going to be spillage he wasn’t going to be able to stop.
He got in. He shoved his iron-hard rod inside of her and push in deeper. She was so wet and tight and so ready that he felt as if he was sliding through. And when he started stroking, when he got into his gyrations, they both felt as if they were in a place that was as foreign to the world around them as another planet. And he fucked her out of this world. Grace placed her arms around him and allowed him to fuck her long and hard. He kissed her as he fucked her, and kept them on the edge of cum so expertly that their passion felt as if they were at the top of the mountain, and about to go over the ledge.
They came. They went over. Tommy inhaled hard when he shot her his load, and the feeling of hot silk made him lean down, pull her against his body, and fuck her harder still. And Grace had one of those orgasms that wouldn’t quit, because Tommy kept fucking her and refused to let her quit. They came for several minutes of unbridled release. Until even their sweaty bodies, releasing all over the place, had run dry too.
They showered together and were arm in arm later that night. They were both on their backs, covered only by their silk sheet, and were staring up at the ceiling. Tommy’s hand was around her shoulder, and his hand rested on her breast. She laid her hand on top of his. “I saw the news,” she said.
“About the company?”
Grace nodded. “Yeah.” Then she looked at him. “Is it true?”
Tommy exhaled. “Yes,” he said.
Grace looked at him. “What happened?”
“Justin says a glitch.”
“Man made?”
“Man made.”
“Well does Justin know who?” Grace asked.
Tommy’s jaw tightened. “Yes.”
Grace waited for him to continue.
He continued. “Justin says all of the evidence points to Sal.”
Grace hesitated, because she was certain she didn’t hear him right. And then, when she did realize what he had said, she leaned up on her elbow. “Sal? Are you serious? What do you mean it leads to Sal?”
“That’s what Justin says. It’s all shell company bullshit that leads to Sal. On paper anyway.”
Grace stared at Tommy. “You don’t believe it. Do you?”
“No,” Tommy said firmly. “I’d believe I pulled this shit myself before anybody convinces me that Sal pulled it.” He pulled her back down and into his arms. “No, babe, somebody’s throwing crap at the wall to see what sticks. I don’t know why they pulled this crap, since they basically turned over ownership of GCI to Sal, but they pulled it. I’ve just got to pull back, find out who these bastards are, and strike back.”
“Take their company down too,” Grace said, “if they have one?”
“Their company,” Tommy responded, “right along with them. But they’re going down is the point.”
Grace turned toward Tommy and laid her head on his shoulder. Yep, she thought as she moved her naked body closer to his. It was war footing now.
CHAPTER SEVENTEEN
Tommy’s limousine sat idling at the airstrip as the plane landed. As Sal and Reno un-boarded, Tommy got out and buttoned his suitcoat. He called them late last night, after Grace had fallen asleep, and told them what happened with Grace and Destiny. He mentioned GCI. It was all over the business news and he knew both of them, major businessmen themselves, had heard about it anyway. But he did not go into details. And they didn’t ask him to. Both said they would be there first thing tomorrow. Sal had wanted to come out last night. But it was too late. Gemma and Trina needed to be told what was going on too, and they had to beef up security around their own families before they made any trips to Seattle.
Now it was early the next morning and they had arrived in Seattle. Both men made their way to the limo with that look Tommy could only describe as grave. Even Reno, who was able to put on a brave front better than most, wasn’t trying to be lighthearted either. They thought the worse news was going to be about the hostile takeover of GCI. When Tommy told them there had been a kidnapping attempt too, and had it not been for Grace the news would have been even worse, far worse, there was nothing to be lighthearted about.
When the two men arrived at Tommy’s side, Tommy and Reno embraced vigorously. They were first cousins, but they were best friends too. In many ways, Reno was closer to Tommy than a brother. But Sal, Tommy thought affectionately, as he and Sal embraced even more vigorously and for a far longer time. Because Sal was his heart. And the idea that some idiot would think that he would believe that this man could betray him was not plausible on any given day. Sal would die for Tommy, and Tommy would die for Sal. There was no betrayal here, and Tommy knew it. He held his brother so tightly that there was no daylight between them. He held his brother so tightly that it seemed to Reno that Tommy was making a statement. Reno didn’t know what the statement was, since he did not know the details of what was going on, but it felt like a definite show of togetherness for all the world to see.
If the world was looking right now, however, all they would see was security. Because it was tight. Because there were SUVs all over that airstrip, and surrounding Tommy’s limo. They got into the limo, with Tommy sitting on one seat and Sal and Reno sitting together on the seat across from Tommy. When the chauffeur began driving them away, they had SUVs in the front, leading, and SUVs in the back. Sal looked behind them, and then turned around. Tommy was a security expert. But even he couldn’t predict human behavior. “Grac
e and Dessie okay?” he asked.
Tommy nodded. “They’re fine.”
“Knowing you,” Reno said, “they’re homebound today.”
“Under lock and key,” Tommy said. “No movement outdoors until I have more answers.”
“Any idea who tried that shit?” Sal asked.
“No. But I’m working on it.”
“You worked over the men responsible for Grace and Dessie’s security too, I’ll bet,” Reno said.
“Let’s put it this way,” Tommy said, “they won’t be working on anybody else’s security.”
Reno smiled. “I forgot how ruthless your ass could be. I don’t know why I keep forgetting that. Something about your face, I suppose.”
“But that’s what we need, too,” Sal said, and both men looked at him.
“What do you need?” Tommy asked him.
“Answers,” Sal responded.
“Answers about what happened to Grace and Destiny?”
“We know what happened to them,” Sal responded. “What the hell happened to GCI, Tommy?”
Sal and Reno stared at Tommy.
“Justin Carboni seems to think it was a glitch.”
“A glitch?” Sal asked.
“A quick glitch that allowed a pre-planned, orchestrated infiltration,” Tommy said. “I’ve filed an objection with the SEC.”
“Under what?” Reno asked. “Criminal? Sarbanes-Oxley?”
“Both,” Tommy said. “But don’t worry. I’m working on it too.”
“When I heard about it I was floored,” Sal said. “Why Tommy didn’t tell me, I was asking myself. Reno was asking himself the same thing.”
“The exact same thing,” Reno said. “But what I don’t get,” he added, “is who’s behind it? Who would pull off something like this? Justin got any ideas about that?”
This was what Tommy didn’t want to discuss. “He says all roads lead to one place.”
Both men waited for the place to be announced. “Well what’s the place?” Sal asked. “All roads lead to where?”
Tommy looked at his kid brother. “To you,” he said. “According to Justin.”
Reno frowned. “To Sal? Fuck that!”
Sal was even more livid. “To me? What is that supposed to mean, Tommy? Justin trying to say I orchestrated that shit? He trying to say I stole my brother’s company?”
“Settle down, Sal,” Tommy said.
“Settle down, my ass! How could he think I’d do something like that?”
“He’s only telling me what the evidence says. It’s a lie. I know it’s a lie. Somebody’s up to some serious mischief, that’s the truth. And they’re trying to create havoc and division while they’re at it.”
“But you don’t believe that shit?” Sal asked.
Tommy frowned. “What are you asking me that for? Of course I don’t believe it!”
Reno placed his hand on Sal’s shoulder and squeeze. “You’re a lot of things,” he said, “a lot of horrific, awful, terrible things,” he added, “but stealing your brother’s company isn’t one of those things.”
“Thanks, Reno,” Sal said, then frowned when he thought about the underhandedness of his compliment. “Fuck you,” he added.
Tommy and Reno laughed. But even in their laughter they knew it wasn’t going to last. They had work to do.
“I called Uncle Mick,” Tommy said. “He’s got his men checking around too. To find out what they know.”
“Tell him to begin with his son Joey,” Sal said. “That fucker’s got a history.”
Reno smiled. “I’m sure Joey’s not that stupid.”
But Sal disagreed. “What are you talking? He was stupid enough to fuck with me.”
“But you aren’t Tommy. Nobody fucks with Tommy like that.”
“What’s that supposed to mean?” Sal asked. “Do you know who I am?”
“Yeah, I know who you are. I know you better than you know yourself.”
“That’s crazy,” Sal said. “That’s the craziest thing I’ve ever heard! You don’t know shit about me.”
“Then why did you ask if I knew you?” Reno asked.
“Okay, girls,” Tommy said, “that’s enough. I have enough on my plate than to deal with two divas too.”
Reno laughed. “Yeah, that’s him. Sal the Diva-Man. Has a nice little ring to it.”
“Reno the Deadman,” Sal responded. “Has an even better ring.”
Tommy shook his head. Getting these two men to cut the insults would be like getting sworn enemies to kiss and make up. It was possible. But not at all plausible. Tommy gave up.
Grace was coming down the stairs when Tommy and his guests were walking in. When she saw who was with him, she began to run. “Sal! Reno!”
“There she is!” Reno said happily.
“Tommy, you didn’t tell me they were coming,” Grace said as she came. She and Reno hugged vigorously. “It’s so good to see you, Ree,” she said as they hugged.
“Good to see you too,” Reno responded. They stopped embracing. He held her hand and looked her up and down. “You’re looking hot.”
“Oh, brother,” Sal said with a roll of his eyes. “Reno the perv at it again!”
Grace hit Sal as Tommy laughed. “Boy, quit,” she said. “Trina told you to stop calling her husband those crazy names.”
“He called me a Diva!” Sal said as if he was an offended child.
“A Diva?” Grace said with playful exaggeration. “You?”
Sal couldn’t help but smile too, and they hugged. “How are you, kid?”
“I’m fine,” Grace said. “You’re back so soon.”
“Jokers trying to kidnap my niece and dragging you across the sidewalk. Better believe I’m back. And trying to accuse me of sabotaging my own brother. Something I could never do.”
“I know that, Sal,” Tommy made clear again.
Sal nodded, but Tommy could still see the hurt in his eyes. He stopped. “Salvatore Luciano?” Tommy asked, forcing Sal to look at him. “I know it’s all lies. I know that.”
Sal gave a more convincing nod this time. He was still mad as hell being put in this position, but he felt better knowing Tommy didn’t believe that shit.
“Dominic wanted to come with us,” Reno said.
“Little Dommi,” Grace said with a smile. “How sweet!”
“Sweet my ass,” Reno said. “He just wanted to get out of going to school. But he says he wanted to, quote unquote, “eyeball” Destiny. When I said his ass wasn’t going anywhere tomorrow but to school, and the only person he was going to be eyeballing was his teacher, he called me mean.”
Grace and Tommy laughed.
“You know his ass,” Sal said.
“Exactly,” Reno said. “But then he goes, ‘Pop, Pop, tell Dessie if anybody tries to snatch her again, she has to spear them in the throat like a wild woman. They’ll leave her alone then.”
Grace shook her head. “That boy!” she said, and they all laughed.
But the laughter soon died into the realness of their situation. And the somberness returned.
CHAPTER EIGHTEEN
After visiting with Destiny and TJ in the Nursery, they all settled around the kitchen island with coffee and small talk. Grace prepared breakfast for the men, while Tommy recited chapter and verse that harrowing experience his little one and wife had experienced.
“And this chick Lisa,” Reno asked, “the one who tried to distract Grace? You ever track her down?”
“Not yet,” Tommy said. “She showed up at the marketplace and in the melee disappeared. We searched out security cameras all over that area to at least see what direction she took off in, but the only ones we found, at various businesses, were blurry as hell or didn’t capture her or Grace or anything of interest to us at all. But my men are on it.”
Reno looked at Grace. He always did have hope for her and Tommy. She provided that stability Tommy needed. Before Grace came along, Reno used to think of Tommy as a nomad. In and out of
their lives like a gambler, dropping through Vegas for a day here, a day there, but never as long as they wanted. Now they saw Tommy more than ever. From what he’d heard from Trina, so did Grace.
“What about you, GG?” Reno asked. “That had to be some terrifying shit for you.”
Grace nodded as she cooked. “It was. But all I knew was that they weren’t getting our child. That’s all I knew.”
“It spooked Tommy, I can tell that,” Reno said, looking over at Tommy. “He’s still trying to be Mister Too Cool For School, but he’s not fooling anybody.”
“Not one single body,” Sal agreed.
“I gotta be me,” Tommy said with a smile that didn’t reach his eyes, and sipped his coffee.
“But admit it, Tommy,” Reno said. “This shit has riled you. It’s thrown the fuck out of you. Admit it.”
But the front door opened before he could, and Branson Nash came into the kitchen. “Excuse me, sir.” He nodded at Grace. “Ma’am.”
“Yes, Branson,” Tommy said, “what is it?”
“Mr. Sinatra has arrived, sir.”
Not only was Reno, Sal, and Grace shocked, but so was Tommy. Sal looked at Tommy. “Uncle Mick came?” he asked.
“Thanks, Bran,” Tommy said to his security chief, as he rose to his feet. Branson headed back outside.
“You knew Mick was coming?” Reno asked, as he and Sal rose too.
“No,” Tommy said. “He didn’t tell me he was coming.”
“But you told him what was going on?” Sal asked.
“Negative,” Tommy said. “I haven’t told him anything. I haven’t spoken to him at all.”
Grace wiped her hands on her apron and began to walk toward them. She was nodding. “He probably heard about the sale of GCI,” she said. “Make sense to me.”
“But not to me,” Reno said. “That would be a phone call maybe, if he wanted to make sure everything was on the up and up, but it wouldn’t be enough for a busy man like him to drop everything and come clean across the country like this.”
They all agreed. They knew Mick kept tabs on all of their lives, they’d heard as much anyway, but they didn’t know to what extent. But when they walked outside, and Mick Sinatra got out of his limousine dressed in his long white coat, black trousers, and black turtleneck, they found out.
Tommy Gabrini: Every Which Way But Loose Page 13
