“Did you guys see the news reports?” Trina asked. “They’re all over the internet.”
“We haven’t seen them, but I can only imagine what they’re saying,” Gemma said.
Trina pulled out her cell phone. Sal walked around until he was near Gemma. He placed his arms around her waist and stood behind her, as he watched the phone video too.
First, the video showed Reno and Gemma arriving at the Country Club with reporters asking her all of those ridiculous race questions. Then, a reporter was in the studio, sitting alongside the anchor, discussing it.
“What makes this case so unusual,” the reporter said, “is the fact that it ties to yet another fatal shooting by Sal Gabrini that was eerily similar to this one. I mean even down to the same members of the same family.”
“Now that is remarkable,” the anchorwoman replied. “Just for our viewers’ sake, Matt, explain that case.”
“A lot of our viewers may only know Sal Gabrini as the President of the Gabrini Corporation and the cousin to casino owner Reno Gabrini. But Sal Gabrini was once a police sergeant in Seattle. During that time frame, he and his men allegedly mistook an elderly Nigerian couple as drug dealers, and shot them to death.”
“Oh, my,” the anchorwoman responded.
“Yes,” the reporter said. “It was a horrific event with shouts of racism against Mr. Gabrini then too. And now, years later, the American son of that same Nigerian couple was today shot and killed by the same man who shot and killed his parents. Sal Gabrini. It’s astounding. Now we must add that Mr. Gabrini was exonerated of all charges in the shooting death of the Nigerian couple, and their death was ruled as justifiable homicide. But the coincidence is startling. Many members of the community feel it’s too startling to be true. They believe it was an execution plotted and planned by Sal Gabrini.”
Sal frowned. “Plotted and planned? Are these fuckers for real?”
“Hush,” Gemma said frowningly. She needed to know what the word was out there. She needed to know what defense she might need to mount.
But the anchorwoman asked what she viewed as the pertinent question. “But why would Sal Gabrini, a respected businessman by the way, want to kill the son of that couple?”
“Other than Mr. Gabrini’s alleged mob ties, you mean?”
“His alleged mob times, you mean,” Sal repeated mockingly. “That guy could use a fist upside his head.”
“Sal!” Trina said this time, as they wanted to hear the full response.
“Other than the mob allegations, yes,” the anchorwoman said. “What is the motive?”
“According to my reporting,” the reporter said, “there are some allegations flying around that suggests Leakon Chikelu, the son and unfortunate victim here, had been investigating his parents’ death ever since it happened, and was determined to bring Mr. Gabrini to justice. According to my sources, who prefer to remain anonymous, Chikelu moved to Vegas because he had just uncovered some evidence that he believed would, if he could build upon it, convince the police that his parents’ death wasn’t an accident at all, but cold-blooded murder. My sources believe that Mr. Gabrini got wind of that information, and wanted to put an end to Chikelu’s snooping before the truth came out.”
“Whoa, that’s a heavy allegation, Matt. What evidence was it that the victim had uncovered?”
“My sources couldn’t say. Just that there was evidence. Now we may never know.”
Trina ended the video just as Lucky began to cry. And Sal and Reno looked at Robby, who had returned to the group after making that phone call. “They’re on it, Boss,” Robby said. “You’ll have the manager in custody as soon as we can track him down and bring him in.”
Gemma, flustered, began rising. She didn’t need to hear this. “I’d better check on the baby,” she said.
But Sal stopped her as she turned to leave. He hated shows of affection in front of people. But this was different. “That’s bullshit, babe,” he said.
She nodded. “I know,” she said with a reassuring smile, rubbed his muscular arm, and kissed him. She was upset with him too, no doubt about that. There was more to this story, and she knew it. But that was a discussion for the two of them to have alone. She headed for the Nursery. Trina followed her. She took every opportunity to get a peep at beautiful Lucky Gabrini.
After the women had gone, Sal looked at Robby and walked over to him. When they were within an inch of each other, Sal balled up his fist, leaned back, and knocked the shit out of Robby. Robby, a big man in his own right, couldn’t withstand that blow. He fell on his ass.
Even Reno was shocked by the display. “What the fuck?” he asked.
Robby was mesmerized with confusion too. “Sir, what did I do, sir?” His face was looking up at Sal in shock. He was loyal to a fault. He was the best lieutenant, bar none, that Sal had ever had. “What did I do?” he wanted to know.
“You didn’t do shit,” Sal said sarcastically. “I just enjoy fucking around with people.” Then he frowned, and lowered his voice. “Did I ask your ass to bring Sweets to that lodge? Hun, motherfucker? Did I ask you to do that for me?”
“No, sir.”
“Then how the fuck did that happen?” Sal’s voice was loud again.
“She came to the door and said you told her to come. How was I to know she was lying?”
Sal hesitated. “She said I told her to come?” That wasn’t the story Sweets had told him.
“Yes, sir,” Robby responded. “I swear! I thought it was like old times. You always sent for her when you came to the lodge. Always. I didn’t know she was lying.”
“Well she was,” Sal said. “You think I’m gonna disrespect my wife like that?”
Robby didn’t know what to say to that. They were mobsters, after all. Who didn’t have a piece on the side?
But Sal reached out his hand, and helped Robby back to his feet. Their history, and the fact that Sal would believe Robby over Sweets Kerner any day of the week, spared him. But with a warning. “Next time somebody says I told them to do something,” Sal warned, pointing his finger, “when I didn’t tell you that myself, you’d better check with me first.”
“Damn right,” Reno said.
“Yes, sir,” Robby said.
“You don’t get a second chance,” Sal said. “This is it.”
Robby nodded. “Yes, sir. And I apologize, sir. I meant no disrespect to your wife or anybody else.”
Sal stared at him. In his line of work, he had to make snap judgments about character and motives and meanings all the time. He judged Robby to be genuinely sorry. He dismissed him.
Reno took another sip of his drink, and then looked at Sal. “Was Sweets the female that cop was asking about?” he asked. He and Sweets went way back too.
Sal exhaled. “Yup,” he said.
“But nothing happened?”
Sal frowned. “No, Reno, nothing happened. Why would you ask me something like that for?”
“I’m just looking out for Gemma.”
That offended Sal even more. “I don’t need you looking out for her. I look out for her.”
Reno put up his hands. “Okay. I got you.”
“You got me?”
“I got you motherfucker, damn. I said I got you.”
Then Sal smiled. “I got ninety-nine problems, and I’m arguing with your ass. I need a drink!”
Reno laughed. Sal went back behind the bar, and swilled down his drink in one swallow again. Reno got on his last nerve, but he was a good man. The best.
But this had been a hell of a day. And as Sal stood there, thinking about the task ahead of him, he wanted Gemma. He wanted to fuck her, to talk to her, to hold her. He needed Gemma. And as soon as Reno and Trina left, and as soon as he and Gemma were alone again, he was going to have her.
CHAPTER SIX
By the time she put the baby to sleep, said goodbye to Trina (Reno had long since left), and made her way upstairs, Sal was still fully clothed and lying across the bed. When she sa
w him lying there, with his eyes closed although he was obviously not asleep, she hesitated. They needed to talk. From that lodge to that female to that shooting. They had a lot to talk about. But Gemma’s gift was in her patience. She knew when the time was right, and she instinctively knew this was not the time. Not yet. She closed the door.
Sal opened his eyes when he heard the sound. “The baby sleep?” he asked her.
“He’s asleep,” Gemma responded as she walked toward the bed. “After a lot of playing and cajoling and rocking, he eventually fell asleep.”
“Trina left?”
“Yeah,” Gemma said as she unbuttoned and removed her blouse.
When she removed her bra, Sal’s dick came alive. “What were you two talking about so long?” he asked her.
“Champagne mostly.” Champagne’s was the clothing store Gemma co-owned with Trina. “And you know Tree. She wanted to provide moral support.”
Sal nodded. He knew Tree well, and appreciated her and Reno. “I’m sorry about all of this craziness,” he said. “I’ll get it straightened out.”
“That reporter claimed the victim was on the verge of uncovering some evidence against you. Do you know anything about that?”
“No,” Sal said. “I think it’s a bunch of bull in my opinion. What evidence he could have on me? But I’ll look into that too.”
Gemma looked at him as she unzipped her skirt. “Don’t harass that reporter, Sal. The freedom of the press is vital to our democracy. He’s not going to reveal his source. And even if he did, after threats and intimidation, you would have exposed yourself too much. It’s not worth it.”
Sal nodded. Gemma always gave him sound advice. But when she stepped out of her pleaded skirt, leaving nothing on but her heels, and he was able to see the entirety of her sleek, black, naked body, she gave him an erection out of this world. Even Gemma saw the bulge.
“I’ll take your advice under advisement,” he said as his eyes roamed from her eyes to her breasts, and then down the length of her gorgeous form.
Gemma smiled as she walked toward him. “That’s a circular response.”
Sal smiled. “Whatever that means,” he said until she knelt down and began rubbing the outline of his penis through his tailored pants. She was known for her stylish dress, but she could not recall a day when Sal wasn’t dressed to the nines.
Sal’s smile was gone as she rubbed him, and he closed his eyes. It had been a hell of a day. But Gemma knew how to soothe him.
And she did. She unbuckled his belt, unbuttoned and unzipped his pants, and pulled out his long, thick, hot pink circumcised penis, its head as stiff and prominent as a microphone receiver. And she licked that head in slow, rounding motions. She licked it until Sal was groaning.
And then she put it into her mouth, and sucked.
“Oh, yes, baby,” Sal said when he felt the ridges of her mouth as if he was inside her other place. And he lifted his pelvis and began to move inside of her. “Yes.”
And she held on. He placed his hand on the back of her head, and began to move her further and further in. And Gemma knew how not to gag. She knew how to take him all in, and take his fuck strokes, over and over again.
When Sal was on the verge, he pulled out of her mouth, and stood up. He could barely stand, but he did.
As Gemma took his place on the bed, he removed every stitch of his clothing, and stepped out of his shoes. But he kept her heels on. He liked to see her naked in heels, and Gemma knew it. He took hold of those heels as he lifted her legs and spread them. When he saw that she was glistening wet with her own precum, just from doing him, he smiled. That’s his Gemma! She was ready for him. And he entered her.
It was Gemma’s time to thrust her pelvis when Sal’s thick, hard penis penetrated her. She closed her eyes and felt the pain of his push-in, and then the joy of his masterful strokes. He made long, sweet love to her.
He crawled on top of her, and sucked her breasts as he fucked her with longer strokes and harder thrusts. And soon they were in their rhythm. Sal wrapped her in his arms, and Gemma wrapped him in her arms, and they were making love on one accord. And it was a slow fuck, the kind they both loved.
They stayed on the verge of cum for nearly thirty minutes. Until Sal couldn’t take it any longer. He came with a thunderous cum, and pushed to his deepest point inside of her. He was near tears it felt so good.
Gemma came too, as she rubbed her hands all through his silky hair, and kissed his luscious lips, and opened her legs wider as he went down deeper. As he stroked her and stroked her. She was near tears too, because it felt better with every stroke, but also because she knew it was temporary. And it saddened her.
Their life was magical in their bedroom. Their life was magical in their home. But there was more to their life than home. There was that world out there. The one that had her beloved husband, the only man she’d ever loved this deeply, mere days away from an indictment. And that had to be her focus. Not her trust issues. Not the fact that he had a lodge he didn’t tell her about although he promised, after that fiasco in Chicago where they separated and nearly divorced, to never keep such information from her ever again. Or that woman Detective Morales insisted was in that lodge with him at the time of the shooting. But his freedom had to be paramount. She had work to do.
When they were no longer in the throes of cum, and were easing back into the rhythm of being joined as one, Sal leaned up and looked at her. Unshed tears were in her big, beautiful eyes. Tears he knew were because of him. Their problems were always because of him. He laid back down and held her tighter. But even he knew it was a guilt grip.
The next morning, Sal was already showered and dressed in yet another double-breasted Armani suit. He was in the kitchen, at the center island, feeding their son by the time Gemma was bathe and dressed and made it downstairs. He looked at her and admired her style. She wore a skirt suit, a red power suit that made her beautiful skin glow, and had her briefcase and cell phone in hand. But she smiled and sat them down, when she saw her baby.
“Hey, little man,” she said with a grand smile. “Hey, baby!”
Lucky grinned when he looked over and saw his mother. These two people were still new to him, but he already knew that he preferred her soft hands to his father’s heavy hands. And as if by reflex, he reached out his arms to her. Gemma gladly lifted him.
Sal placed the top back on the baby food. “Reno called,” he said.
“Oh, yeah?” Gemma was bouncing Lucky in her arms and rubbing his back so that he could burp. “What did he want?”
“Wanted to know if we were okay over here, and if I needed his help. I told him I got it.”
“That was nice of him to offer,” Gemma said. “You two fuss and fight like cat and dogs, but he always come through for you.”
Sal couldn’t argue with that. Then he looked at their son and smiled. “You remember the time Reno called himself giving me baby advice? If I would have listened to Reno, little Lucky should be ready to eat steaks tomorrow.”
Gemma laughed. “And don’t forget the corn on the cob,” she said. “What did he say? Something like the kid should be able to wolf one down a week or two after birth?”
Sal laughed and rose to his feet. “He’s a brilliant businessman, I’ll give him that. And there’s no better leader alive. I’ll give him that too. But when it comes to book smarts, he’s stupid.” Gemma laughed. “He’s stupid,” Sal continued. “I mean, I’m no genius either. I’ll be the first to admit that. But Reno?” Sal could only shake his head.
Then he looked at Gemma. “What’s up with you today?” he asked.
“I have court this morning, but I’m going to ask for a Continuance so that I can begin compiling evidence in your case.”
But Sal was shaking his head. “No way.”
Gemma looked at him. “No way what?”
“No way are you going to take on my burden. I told Reno I got this, now I’m telling you the same thing. I feel guilty enough, Gem. I wan
t you to go to court this morning and work your cases. I’ll compile all the evidence you need. Because when I get through with those fuckers who call themselves fucking with me, there won’t be any need for any evidence.”
Gemma felt that sense of dread she often felt whenever Sal talked that way. He made it seem so simple. But she knew it wasn’t. She knew he was risking his life every time he had to confront their enemies. But she loved his toughness. That kept him alive. There was no man tougher.
Lucky not only burped, but was soon fast asleep. Sal smiled. “Reminds me of Reno,” he said. “Loves to eat then sleep.”
“That’s not true and you know it,” Gemma said as she headed for the Nursery where Nanny was waiting. “Reno may love to eat, but he hardly gets enough sleep. He’s worse than you, and you’re bad about getting enough sleep too.”
Sal smiled and began putting his wallet and change in his pockets. “I’d better get going,” he said.
“Wait a minute, Sallie,” Gemma said as she continued walking. “I need to talk to you about something.”
Like what, he wondered as she disappeared down the hall and into the Nursery. What in the world would she need to talk to him about? He already told her to steer clear of this case. Unless it wasn’t about the case, and more about him and his actions surrounding the case.
His cellphone rang as he considered the possibilities. She could be concerned about the fact that he owned that lodge and neglected to mention it to her. Or the fact that a woman was reported to be with him at the time of the shooting. Those were two subjects he just as soon not deal with right now. But he knew he had to. For her sake, she deserved answers.
“Gabrini,” Sal said into his phone after answering without checking the Caller ID. He assumed it was Robby Yale, or some other member of his numerous Security details.
But it wasn’t Security. It was his big brother, Tommy Gabrini. “Good morning.”
Sal’s heart dropped. He told Reno not to tell Tommy anything. He didn’t want him worrying needlessly. “Good morning.” Then he realized Tommy could be calling about that other matter. “I checked already,” he said. “Controlling interest has been restored to you.”
Sal Gabrini: Burning Love Page 4
