by Jake Biondi
The waiter placed three glasses of champagne in front of them and walked away. Each picked up his glass as Carlo spoke. “I suppose it’s a little out of the ordinary to toast a victory before it happens, but I feel great about your meeting this afternoon.”
“Father, by the time that meeting is over, the merger between the two companies will be half done. And you’ll be that much closer to your dream of being at the head of both of them.”
“Thanks to both of you,” Carlo said, taking a drink from his glass. “Somehow, the champagne tastes even better today.” Carlo faced Rachel. “And you, my dear. I’m sorry I ever underestimated you or your value to our family. Thank you for helping us to achieve our goals.”
“My pleasure,” Rachel said, drinking her champagne.
“Gino will be there, right?”
“Of course, Father,” Marco said. “He’s at a meeting with Cole now, but he’ll be there.”
“How is the O’Brien boy working out?”
“Gino has nothing but great things to say about him. I think the first ads will be appearing soon. He’s Ciancio International’s new rock star.”
“Excellent. I’m glad to hear it.”
“Well, Father, we should be going. We don’t want to be late.”
“Of course,” Carlo said.
They finished their champagne and then got up from the table and left the lounge.
At the restaurant site, Max was examining the newly-erected space. He paced the perimeter inspecting the work completed by the contractors. Then he paused for a moment. Looking in no particular direction, his mind wandered back to his encounter with Dustin in the gym sauna. He remembered Dustin’s touch, the thrilling climax, and his promise that it would never happen again. Then his mind went to Dustin’s apartment. He recalled their passionate kisses, their intense sexual intercourse, and his vow that it would never happen again. As his dick rose in his pants, Max was snapped back into the moment by Jensen entering the room.
“Hello,” Jensen said. “The place is really coming along.”
Max smiled. “It is. What’s up? I thought you had a meeting to attend with Emmett.”
“I do,” Jensen agreed. “But I wanted to talk to you privately first. So I walked over.”
“Sure. But first I want to thank you for what you shared with Emmett and for attending the meeting today. It was very brave of you. Thank you.”
“I’m sorry I didn’t speak up sooner.”
“So what do you want to talk to me about? Is this about college next year?” Max asked, sitting down on a nearby chair.
“No,” Jensen said. “I’m not really sure how to start so I’m just going to come out with it. I know what you did.”
“What I did?” Max asked, perplexed. “What do you mean?”
“I know you cheated on Emmett.”
The expression left Max’s face as he slowly stood up from his chair. “What are you talking about?”
“Please don’t deny it. I’m not going to tell him.” Jensen paused for Max to say something and, when he didn’t, continued speaking. “I know about the gym sauna and about the other night at Dustin’s apartment.”
“How?”
“I overheard you two talking about the sauna. And Hugo and I were walking past Dustin’s apartment the other night when you were leaving.”
“My God,” Max said quietly, turning away from Jensen.
“Don’t you love Emmett anymore?”
Max turned to face Jensen again. “It’ll never happen again. I swear to you.”
“That’s what I overheard you tell Dustin after the sauna.”
“It was a mistake, that’s all. You of all people can understand mistakes.”
“Max, relax, please. I’m not going to say anything to Emmett; I’ve decided that already.”
“Thank you.”
“I don’t need to tell you that Emmett is one of the most fantastic, most generous, most caring people that I have ever known. I could only hope to find someone like him for myself one day. Why would you risk losing him?”
“I’m sorry; I’m so sorry. I don’t know what I was thinking.”
Jensen took a few steps toward Max. “Don’t you realize what you’re risking? Imagine how he’d feel if he ever found out. He told me that trust issues broke up Keith and him. Why would you even risk that happening to you?”
“You said you weren’t going to tell him.”
“I’m not.”
“Thank you. Because I love Emmett very much and we’re going to get married. Soon. In fact, I’ve been thinking about moving up the wedding.” Max put his hands on Jensen’s shoulders. “Jensen, I swear to you it won’t happen again.”
“That’s actually not the promise I want from you. And rushing the wedding isn’t the answer, either.”
“What do you mean?”
“I want you to ask yourself why you cheated in the first place. Do you have feelings for Dustin?”
Max laughed. “Of course not. I love Emmett.”
“Then why did it happen twice, Max? All I’m asking of you is to be honest with yourself. Who do you really want to be with? I really hope it’s Emmett -- he’s the best. But if it’s not, you need to do the right thing and tell him. You need to make your choice.”
“I already have.”
“Only you can make that decision for yourself. But I do promise you this: if I find out that you have cheated on Emmett a third time, I will tell him. Please don’t put any of us in that position.”
Just down the street from the restaurant, Michael was buttoning his uniform shirt while Keith lay naked on his bed watching the commander get dressed.
“Well, I wasn’t expecting that nice surprise,” Keith said.
“I thought I’d stop by and see how the packing was coming,” Michael stated, smiling.
Keith smirked, adding, “And thought you’d do some of your own?”
“Mmm,” Michael said, buttoning his shirt cuffs. “I have to work late tonight after my meeting at Mancini Global. Should I grab dinner on the way home?”
“I was actually going to cook tonight.”
“Even better,” Michael said, crawling back onto the bed to kiss Keith once again. “I look forward to it.”
“Do you know what the Mancini meeting is about?”
“Not entirely. They are going to fill me in when I get there. I believe it has something to do with Rachel Carson.”
Keith grew visibly upset. “Rachel? What about her?”
“I have no idea, Stormy. Don’t worry; I’m sure it’s nothing,” Michael said. “Wow, just the mention of her name gets you upset, doesn’t it?”
“She has caused so much angst for so many people.”
“I know,” Michael agreed. “Just don’t worry about it.”
“Be careful out there.”
“I love you, Stormy.”
Keith smiled. “Love you, too.”
Michael left the bedroom and headed outside to his parked car. Just before getting inside, he noticed a piece of paper on the windshield. He pulled it from under the windshield wiper and read the typed message quietly: “You screwed up the Mancini investigation and now you must suffer.”
As Michael pondered the message, Carlo, Marco, Gino, and Rachel sat in the Mancini Global board room waiting for the Mancinis to arrive.
“They’re late,” Carlo said, looking at his watch.
“Probably last-minute strategizing,” Marco stated.
“Remember,” Gino cautioned. “This meeting is about business; it’s not personal. I don’t want any unnecessary attacks or anything like that. Like it or not, Justin is going to be my husband.”
“That has nothing to do with this,” Carlo said. “As you said, this is business.”
“Here they come,” Rachel said as they watched a group of men through the glass walls of the boardroom.
After a moment, the door opened and Derek, Justin, and Emmett entered the room followed by Michael, Jensen, and Vince. They all sat down at the
table quietly.
“Good afternoon,” Justin said. “Sorry we’re late but we just received word all the charges against me have been dropped. I’m a free man again.”
“How nice for you,” Marco said.
“Actually, that’s great news,” Gino said, giving his brother a look. “Congratulations.”
“We took the liberty of inviting a few guests to the meeting,” Derek declared.
“What is he doing here?” Rachel asked, pointing to Jensen.
“I invited him,” Emmett said.
“Well, let’s get down to business,” Marco said. “We are here to discuss a possible merger between Ciancio International and Mancini Global.”
“Yes,” Derek said. “We received your memo. Before we begin that conversation, I guess I’d like to ask Rachel why she is here.”
“You know why,” Rachel said. “I control a major portion of Mancini Global.”
“Do you?” Vince asked. “Now that’s interesting, isn’t it?”
“What are you talking about?” Rachel asked, annoyed.
Vince continued, pulling a document from his briefcase. “You claim to control some of Mancini Global because of a document that Emmett supposedly signed.”
“Not supposedly,” Rachel said. “He did. You have it right there.”
“I do,” Vince agreed. “But I think Jensen has something to say about that.”
“Yes,” Jensen stated, looking Rachel. “The game is over.”
“What game?” Marco asked.
“Rachel paid me to get Emmett to sign those documents.”
“What?” Carlo asked.
“It’s true,” Jensen continued. “She paid me to hide the document in a pile of other paperwork and get him to sign it when he wasn’t himself because he was so ill.”
“That’s ridiculous,” Rachel said.
“No, it’s the truth,” Jensen said.
Michael spoke up. “You got away with harassing Keith with fake phone messages from your dead brother.”
Derek looked at Marco. “And you got away with killing my twins in that car explosion. Well, your days of getting away with causing damage are over.”
“Jensen has agreed to testify under oath, if necessary, that you paid him to get Emmett to sign those documents without him knowing he was doing it.”
“You paid him to take advantage of my illness,” Emmett added.
“It’s just his word against mine,” Rachel said. “It doesn’t mean anything.”
“But it does,” Jensen said, “because if you decide to fight them on this, I will reveal your entire plan. Everything.”
“What is he talking about?” Carlo asked.
“Rachel knows,” Jensen said. “And she knows what would happen to her if the entire truth came out.”
“You’re bluffing,” Rachel said. “You don’t know anything.”
“Try me,” Jensen said with a smile.
“So it seems you have a choice,” Derek said. “You can either tear up that bogus document, pretend it never existed, and leave here to go about your business. Or we can take you to court and make sure every newspaper and magazine in the nation covers this story, making Ciancio International the laughing stock of the business world.”
“And risk arrest as well, if any of your behavior turns out to be criminal,” Michael said.
“We have a team of attorneys, just like you do,” Marco said.
“No attorney in the country will be able to repair your company’s reputation after I contact every news outlet in the country and share this story with them,” Derek said. “Imagine the headlines when we say that a nineteen-year old and a whore brought down one of the largest companies on the planet.”
“Father,” Gino said. “We cannot allow that.”
Marco looked at Rachel. “Is this true?”
“Of course not,” Rachel declared, desperately. “I have no idea what they’re talking about.”
Justin looked at Marco. “Are you really going to take her word for it and risk your family’s legacy? Even you aren’t that foolish.”
“I don’t believe this,” Carlo said.
“Just admit it and come clean,” Emmett demanded.
“I admit nothing,” Rachel stated.
“Like we said...the choice is yours,” Derek said.
“My God,” Marco said.
“You don’t believe them, do you?” Rachel asked Marco.
“We can do it the hard way or the easy way,” Vince stated. “Why not cut your losses?”
“You still have eight percent of the company,” Derek asked. “Unless you want to lose that, too?”
“Tear up the papers,” Carlo ordered. “I’m not going to risk my company or its reputation because of this...tramp.”
“Father,” Gino said.
“No,” Rachel said, beginning to cry.
“Excellent,” Justin declared. “As far as we’re concerned, none of this ever happened.”
“Let’s go,” Emmett said.
“Thank you for your time,” Derek told to the Ciancios. “And for the record, there will be no more talk about a merger.” Derek got up and left the room. Justin, Emmett, Michael, Jensen, and Vince followed him.
Marco looked at Rachel and declared, “And there will be no more talk of a wedding, either.”
“What? No!” Rachel grew increasingly hysterical. “Marco, no. Please.”
“How could you screw up so badly?” Marco asked, standing up from his chair. “Hiring a kid to do your dirty work? This is the big league and you’re still an amateur.”
“Let’s go,” Carlo said, getting up.
“Marco, please. We can still get married,” Rachel begged. “Gino, tell him.”
“I’ll see you outside,” Gino said, leaving the boardroom.
“Looks like I way overestimated your worth, my dear,” Carlo said. “I’ll never make that mistake again.” Carlo followed Gino from the room.
Rachel stood up and tried to hug Marco, who pushed her away. “Marco, please.”
“We are done,” Marco said. “No wedding, no friendship, no nothing.”
“How can you say that? You love me.”
“Love you? How could anyone love trash like you?” Marco stepped toward the door; Rachel dropped to her knees and grabbed his leg.
“Please, no,” Rachel said, looking up at Marco. “You can’t leave me.”
“Without those shares of Mancini Global, you’re nothing.” Marco pulled his leg from Rachel’s grip and left the room.
Rachel remained on the floor crying. “No!”
Jensen stepped back into the boardroom and looked down at Rachel. “I told you not to fuck with me.”
“You bastard.”
“You got off easy. I could have told them all about poisoning Emmett, but I didn’t. Not because I wanted to spare you, but because I wanted to spare Keith and Emmett’s friendship. Consider yourself lucky.”
“Fuck you.”
“Stay away from the people I care about.”
“You’ll pay for this,” Rachel stated, still crying. “Dearly.”
“You can’t hurt me anymore. You’re nothing now,” Jensen declared, leaving the room.
Rachel slowly stood up from the floor. “You’ll pay for this. All of you. I swear to God. I will bring you all down!” Rachel looked out through the glass windows of the boardroom. “All of you!” Sometimes, failed plans lead to renewed determination.
Episode #38
Fathers and sons have unique relationships. Some sons want to grow up just like their dads; others want to avoid the mistakes their fathers have made. Some sons hope to follow in their fathers’ footsteps; others want to choose completely different paths.
As the mid-May sunshine radiated down on them, Mateo Martinez and his son Hugo stood at the grave of Mateo’s father. Hugo placed some flowers on the marker.
“I wish you had known him,” Mateo said. You two would have been great friends.”
“I’m sur
e he was a great man.”
“He was. He inspired your uncle to be a police officer and always pushed me to do well in school. He had high expectations for all three of his children.”
“And they never caught the person who killed him?”
Mateo shook his head. “Unfortunately not. Hit and run.”
“That sucks,” Hugo said.
“It does. Because of that accident, you never got to meet him.”
“Well, I’m sure he’s watching down on all of us.”
Mateo smiled and put his arm around Hugo. “Thanks for coming with me today.”
They started to walk back through the cemetery toward the car.
“So another date with Rachel tonight?”
“I think so,” Mateo said.
“You two have spent a lot of time together these past few weeks.”
“We get along well,” Mateo said. “And she’s sexy.”
Hugo laughed. “Yes, she is.”
“What do you think of her?”
“She seems cool to me, but Jensen says she’s bad news.”
“Well, Jensen is entitled to his opinion,” Mateo said as they arrived at the car. “When she and I met at the birthday party, there was a spark between us. And when she called off her engagement to Marco, I wanted to ask her out right away.”
“As long as you’re happy, Dad,” Hugo said. “That’s what counts.”
“I’m glad you and Jensen have become friends so quickly. I was worried about moving here and that you might have trouble making friends.”
“Not at all.”
“Now we just need to find you a sexy girlfriend,” Mateo said, winking at Hugo.
“Right,” Hugo sighed as he got into the car. Mateo got inside as well and drove them out of the cemetery toward home.
At the same time in California, Marco Ciancio was lying in bed with his house staff member Bella after having just made love. Bella kissed and massaged Marco’s chest as he wrapped his arms around her.
“I’m glad you’re not marrying that woman,” Bella said softly.
“Me too,” Marco said, smiling. “It was never about love with her, Bella. It was just business. But she turned out not to be worth even that.”
