“Hell no. Ain’t nobody thinking about that nutcase.”
“You told your father to hit back and hit back hard.”
“I told him if, and this is a big if, he’s going to hit back he’d better hit back hard. None of that half-cocked nonsense Dirty and Joey talking about. You don’t play chicken with a fox like Partanna.”
“Was it really that close, Reno? Did he really almost kill your father?”
Reno closed his eyes, the thought of it terrifying him. He pulled Trina closer. She laid her head on his shoulder. “Yes,” he said.
Tears began to appear in Trina’s eyes. “He could come after you too,” she said.
“No, sweetheart, I’m not in the mix. He’s not coming after me.”
“But he could, Reno,” Trina said, looking at him. “What’s to stop him?”
Reno looked at Trina. “He don’t want a piece of me,” he said. “Bet that.”
Trina smiled, laid her head back on his shoulder. She was glad he was tough. But she was also knew that toughness in the mob world probably invited other wise guys to try him, to see just how tough he really was.
+++
The next night she was back at work, doing everything she could to remain focused and not dwell on Mr. Gabrini and his mob mess, nor her concern about Reno. Although he drove her back to Vegas, she hadn’t seen him all day. That wasn’t unusual, he was always busy, but she still couldn’t stop herself from worrying about him.
Her worry became panic while she and Amos were in his office going over the inventory sheets he was familiarizing her with. The customary three televisions sets were on, two being close circuit views of the various clubs and lounges within the PaLargio, and one turned on a regular TV station. When the eleven o’clock news cast led with breaking news about a mob hit, both Trina and Amos’s eyes flew to the television.
“In what appears to be a retaliatory strike,” the anchorwoman said, “the home of reputed mob boss Frank Partanna was riddled with bullets tonight. Although there were no reported injuries, many observers believe it was retaliation for the failed attempt on the life of Paulo Gabrini, reputed head of the Gabrini crime syndicate.”
She went on, talking about the history of the Partanna crime family and Frank’s own violent past, but Trina maintained her cool. She could feel Amos’s eyes all over her, wanting her to discuss it with him, but she ignored his silent pleads. She was in for the long haul with Reno now, and nights like this, where she had no idea where he was, or if he was even involved in this so-called retaliatory strike, might be more common than she would have liked. But she wasn’t about to tell Amos Logan any of that.
+++
The door to Joey’s apartment at the PaLargio flew open and Reno hurried in, went straight for the bedroom where he slept, and slung his baby brother out of bed.
“What you doing, Reno?” Joey yelled.
“Are you out of your mind?” Reno screamed. “Are you and Dirty out of y’alls fucking mind?” He slung Joey against the wall.
“What you talking about?” Joey wanted to know, a puzzled look on his face. “We hit back!”
“You hit back weak, Joey.”
“Weak my ass, we hit him where he lives. We let him know that he ain’t as untouchable as he thinks he is.”
“That’s the point you think you proved? That Frank Partanna ain’t untouchable? And what now, Joey? You and Dirty figured that part out?”
“Pop knew about it, and Carmine did too.”
“I don’t care if the Pope knew about it you just gave away Pop’s hand before he had anything in place, Joey! You just escalated this shit to heights we can’t even imagine right now!”
“We sent that clown a message,” Joey insisted. “That’s how it works. And we all got alibis. Pop was on board with it, so I don’t know why you’re so bent out of shape.”
Reno shook his head. This was a game to Joey, no different than those video games he loved to play downstairs. “You don’t know why?” he asked him.
“No, I don’t know. Pop was on board.”
“You just don’t get it, Joey.”
“I get it. Pop gets it. He was on board with this.”
“I see,” Reno said, drained. “So I’m the only one with the problem?”
“You’re the only one, Reno, I’m telling you. Pop ain’t got no problem. I ain’t got no problem. Dirty and Carmine don’t got no problem. You’re the only one.”
“Okay, fine. To hell with it then,” Reno said, released him from his grasp, and left.
By the time he made it upstairs, to his penthouse apartment, he was ready to crash. When he entered his bedroom, and saw Trina lying asleep in his bed, his heart soared. He needed her desperately tonight. And he had her.
She was naked underneath his covers, to his delight, and he removed his clothes and joined her. Not a word was spoken as he entered her, as he left all of his worries at the front door and made tender love to her. He didn’t pound her the way he usually did, he caressed her with his lovemaking, gyrating her in an almost slow motion, his rob penetrating Trina so deeply that she squeezed the sheets as he fucked her.
And when they were finished, Reno ended up in her arms, crying himself to sleep.
TWELVE
The next day and Trina was seated in front of the desk in the manager’s office at the Taffeta Lounge. The manager, Lee Jones, was seated behind his desk, laughing and talking with her and explaining how shocked many patrons are when they realize that he was indeed the boss of the Taffeta, and not its bartender.
“Why in the world would they think you were the bartender and not the boss?”
“I’ll give you five reasons,” Lee said with a grin. “B-L-A-C-K.”
Trina laughed. “I’m sure there’s more to it than that. At least I would hope it is.”
“And it probably is, but the point I’m making to you is that, when they elevate you to management, you can’t get offended. You just go with the flow. You don’t have to smile, don’t have to skin and grin, but you just keep doing your work and getting it done.”
“Understood,” Trina said, gobbling up all of his good advice. This was her first time being able to spend any appreciable time with Lee, and she enjoyed his company. He was a tall man, well-built, with the kind of sensual handsomeness that she knew made him extremely popular with the ladies. She even caught his eyes, when he thought she wasn’t looking, assessing her, which, any other time, would have actually been welcomed. But now, given her relationship with Reno, especially after last night, was completely out of the question.
She sipped her coke and listened to the brother go on and on about life as a manager of one of the PaLargio’s most luxurious clubs. But she couldn’t stop thinking about Reno, and how he cried in her arms last night. A tough, powerful man like that crying in her arms. That was a game changer for her. That made it clearer to her than anything had before that she was in this for keeps now.
At first she didn’t know how to handle it. She was so accustomed to crying on his shoulders, to depending on him. But not last night. He was like a man at the end of his rope, ready to chuck it all to hell and jump, and she reached out and caught him.
Her cell phone started buzzing as Lee talked. She pulled it out. A text from Amos. ‘Get butt here.’ Which was his way of saying for her to get back to the office, he needed her. She smiled. “I gots to go.”
Lee smiled. “Amos?” he asked.
“Amos,” she said, rising to her feet. Lee stood too. “Sometimes he can be such an a-hole.”
“I know. But he’s a cool dude underneath the gruff. Sort of like Reno.”
Trina looked at him when he said Reno’s name. She wondered if he knew about her relationship with Reno. They hadn’t really told anybody, but the way some of management looked at her, treated her like some queen some of them, made her know that they knew. But with Lee it was hard to tell.
“You know Reno well?” she decided to ask him.
“He gave me my fi
rst start in management. Put me under Amos for a few months and then gave me the reins of one of his smaller clubs. We became good friends then. He came to trust me, I think. To view me as a man he can talk to. Trusts me enough to put me in charge of the Taffeta here, what he calls his ace in the hole. Yeah, I know him.”
Trina’s heart began to race. This was one of the few times she could get somebody’s opinion about Reno who actually knew him. Not that somebody’s else’s opinion would sway her one way or another, but it would at least give her some insight. “So what’s your impression of him?” she asked.
Lee hesitated. He knew what she wanted. But he wasn’t sure if she wanted his unvarnished opinion. “Honestly?” he asked.
“Absolutely.”
“I think he’s a straight-up gangster trying with all he has to keep it legit.”
Trina didn’t expect that level of honesty, especially from a man Reno supposedly trusts. “You make it sound like it’s some kind of daily battle for him to stay on the straight and narrow.”
“I don’t think it’s a daily battle,” Lee said, “but I do think it’s an occasional fight. But that’s just my view.” He smiled. “I don’t have to live with the guy.”
Trina hesitated. “You sound like you would disapprove with anyone who would even try to live with the guy.”
“Not at all. But it’ll be a challenge. I’ve seen them come and go, mostly go, because of that challenge.”
“You mean he’s had many women in the past?”
“He’s had his share, no doubt about that. They’ve lasted a couple weeks, three weeks on the outside.”
“That’s all?”
“That’s it.”
“Why such quick break-ups?”
“He loses interest is the usual answer, from what I’ve heard. Sometimes, though, they can’t deal with him, with his background mainly, and take off themselves.”
“And those women you would call smart?”
“Yeah, because they realize they can’t handle it. If you don’t want to be with a man whose father may be, shall we say, not necessarily a righteous dude, then you need to get out now, before you can’t get out.”
Trina’s eyes met Lee’s eyes. “What if you’re already in?”
Lee thought about this. He was a man who seemed to chose his words carefully, who wasn’t going to reveal anything about Reno that Reno hadn’t already given him permission to reveal. “Like I said,” Lee said, “I’ve never known Reno Gabrini to stay with a woman longer than three weeks, for whatever reason.” Then he paused again. “Until he met you,” he added.
Trina stared at Lee. This was a man Reno talked to, he said so himself. “So, from what you’ve heard, I’m considered different than the others?”
Lee smiled. “Oh, yeah. You can take that to the bank, young lady.”
Trina smiled too. Her phone buzzed again. She glanced at it. It was Amos. ‘Get butt here now,’ his text said.
“Amos again?” Lee asked.
“Amos again. Well, nice talking to you.”
“Anytime, Tree,” Lee said. “And I mean that.”
Trina nodded. Then thought he would be the perfect mentor for Jazz. “Listen, Lee, before I go. I have this friend. She and I worked together at Boyzie’s, and I’m sure Reno told you about my job there.”
“He told me.”
“Well, this friend, she’ll really make good management material. She just never got a break, you know? If you can hire her maybe, to work under you? I’ve already spoken to Amos about it, and he said if I find the right manager for her, that it would be okay with him. And Reno, he says my word on her is good enough for him.”
“This woman, is she a sister?”
Trina smiled. “Yes, Lee, she’s a sister.”
“Well then,” Lee said, “if Reno says your word about her is good enough for him, and his word is good enough for me, then sure. Bring her to see me. I’ll help her learn the ropes.”
Trina smiled. “Thanks,” she said, excited to tell Jazz that she finally found the right mentor for her.
As soon as she left Lee’s office, however, to head over to Amos’s office, Reno’s voice stopped her progression.
“Tree!” he yelled.
She turned. He was hurrying up the quiet corridor. She was still amazed at how different, how serious he always looked when he was on the job. She also flashed back to how broken he looked last night, when he cried in her arms.
“What you up to?” he asked her as they met. He kissed her on the lips, however, before she could respond.
“Just had a nice conversation with Lee Jones.”
“Good old Lee. Nice guy.”
“Yes. He’s agreed to mentor Jazz.”
“Jazz? Who’s Jazz?”
“My friend from Boyzie’s, Reno. The girl I told you about.”
“Oh, yeah. Okay. Good. Good choice.”
“I think so. So what’s up?”
“I need you to go and pack your bags.”
Trina stared at him, searched his tired blue eyes. “Pack? Why?”
“Because I want us to get away together for a little while.”
Trina hesitated, searched his eyes. “Is it because of the . . . retaliation?”
Reno shook his head. “I don’t give a shit about that. They started down that road, against my advice, so that’s their fight. Pop got Dirty and Joey orchestrating a retaliatory hit, I can’t believe that nonsense, geez. But that ain’t got nothing to do with this trip. This trip ain’t because of no retaliation, it’s because of you and me. You stood by me. I love you even more for that. And I want to show you my appreciation.”
“Period?”
“Yes. For the most part, period. Okay, yeah, I want to get you away from this craziness around here right now. Yeah, that’s true too. I don’t want you to think it’s always this way, because it’s not. But what you say? Will you go with me?”
“Where are we going?”
“Paris, my dear.”
“Oh, Reno!” Trina said, ready to jump into his arms. Then she thought about the fact that this was the middle of a work week. “What about my job,” she asked. “And Amos? He’s been texting me to get my butt over to his office already.”
“He talk to you like that?”
“He talks to everybody, except you, like that.”
Reno smiled. “I’ll handle Amos. You go get packed.”
Trina smiled. Kissed him on the lips. Going to Paris? He didn’t have to ask her twice.
THIRTEEN
They checked into the famed Ritz Paris hotel, its magnificence making the opulent PaLargio look almost tacky, but they were out and about as quickly as they could put down their luggage and leave. They walked along Paris’s famous squares, took tea at a sidewalk café, laughed uncontrollably for some strange reason as they visited the Eifel Tower, and later, took a romantic, quiet cruise along the Seine River.
It was heavenly for Trina, as Reno was determined to show her the sights and sounds of his favorite city, the city he always visited when he needed time away, and he didn’t disappoint. Especially when he was able to wrangle sold-out tickets to the Moulin Rouge and Trina saw high-stomping Cancan girls dancing it up in their over-the-top feathers and extravagant frumpiness. She laughed so hard at the sheer spectacle of it, that Reno, who had never in the past found a Moulin Rouge show funny, couldn’t help but laugh, too.
And later that night, when they finally returned to the Ritz, they were both exhausted but not so tired that they couldn’t make love as if they were making love for the first time.
That was how it felt to Trina. Like they were starting over. They showered together first, something they’d done before in the states, but this night, in Paris, it felt so sensual to her. Especially when he entered her as they bathe, as the soap lathered down both their bodies and Reno lifted her legs around him, pressed her against the back of the stall, and began to pound her. She lifted her head up, her hands all over his hair, and screamed.
> “Easy, baby,” Reno whispered in her ear as he pounded her, “we don’t want to get kicked out of this establishment.” And both of them smiled. For Trina it was a wakeup call that was crystal clear to her now: she wasn’t in Dale anymore.
Afterwards, he laid her naked body on the bed, the curtains drawn and revealing a sweeping view of Paris at night, and he made love to her again. This time far more gently, his penis sliding in and out of her with a slow deftness that made her hunger for more. And he gave her more, little by little, inch by inch, able to draw it out for nearly an hour, until he began to catch the vibe she was catching and he began to pound harder and harder, so hard that his cum began to spill through his penis until she was so full that it began to pour out of her, dripping out like milk all over her thighs and down her legs.
ROMANCING THE MOB BOSS Page 10
