by Ashley Woods
Soft classical music was playing, and it was beautiful under the stars. There was a sole round table set in the middle, and Anthony placed her gently onto the chair. Their only light was from a small tapered candle. Kristen watched as the shadows flickered across Anthony’s handsome face, as he sat down across from her.
They began their meal with red wine, and he held up his glass to her, “Here’s to my Dream Girl. Happy Valentine’s Day!” She toasted him back smiling, and he leaned over the table and gave her a kiss.
Anthony then stood and walked over to Kristen. He kneeled down on one knee, pulled a black velvet box from his pocket, and slowly presented it to her.
“Kristen Ashley Kenworth, I have only known you for a very short while, but I want to spend the rest of our time together as your husband. I love you. Will you please marry me?”
Kristen was enchanted, “Of course, I will marry you Anthony. I love you too!”
He slid the ring onto her finger. It was breathtaking as it sparkled in the candlelight. Kristen was absolutely touched and delighted. She didn’t know that this was the gift he was talking about.
Anthony pulled his chair over next to her, and they kissed for a long time. He grinned, “I wanted to do this after dinner, but the time was perfect and I didn’t want to wait.”
“I don’t know if I can eat now. I’m all butterflies!”
He smiled, “Now, for your gift, we might as well get that out of the way now too.”
Kristen’s heart jumped, “There’s more?”
They walked out to the side gate. There, in front of the restaurant, was a white Ferrari convertible with a wide red bow wrapped around it. Kristen ran up to it. A single white rose lay on the front seat. Anthony kissed her on the cheek and said, “Happy Valentine’s Honey!”
Kristen said excitedly, “Now I’m definitely not going to be able to eat. I want to drive it!”
Anthony pulled on her arm, “Come on. Let’s go back to dinner. I want to tell you about our honeymoon.”
She reluctantly, and happily returned to sit at the table. Anthony had already ordered for them, and the waiter arrived with lobster.
Kristen squealed, “Oh goody, this is just what I wanted to eat!”
Anthony asked her, “Would you like to get married in April, right before the end of Season?”
She looked puzzled, “This April? That soon?”
Her new fiancé said sweetly, “I was hoping you wanted to do it this year.”
Kristen thought about it, and then assured him,
“I would love to get married right away. Are we eloping?”
“No, no, we are going to have a fabulous wedding. I know it takes time to plan, but I have all the connections to make sure that everything you want can be taken care of right away.”
She took his hand, “If that can happen, then let’s do it!”
“And where is your favorite place for a honeymoon?”
“Bora, Bora!” Kristen gleefully exclaimed.
Anthony smiled broadly and reached over to hug her.
“That’s what I thought you would say. That’s my dream place too. I have never been there.”
Kristen cooed, “Going to Bora Bora in the spring is the best time to do it. It’s all perfect!”
They decided to get married early in April, two weeks after Easter. Season would still be happening on their wedding day, and many of their guests, which were mainly his friends and associates, would still be in the area.
“Wow, I need to start calling my girlfriends tonight. Hope they can all make it!”
The lovebirds enjoyed the rest of their dinner, while Kristen kept holding up her ring and admiring it. After they finished their dessert, they jumped into her Ferrari and took off for the ocean.
Anthony and Kristen held hands, as they strolled down the sidewalk along Ocean Drive. Kristen wanted to walk along the shore, but didn’t want it ruining her new car, so she changed her mind.
They talked about having kids, and both wanted them right away. Anthony said, “Christ, we aren't getting any younger! I have a reservation for us at The Breakers. Let’s go and get my car.”
Anthony wasn’t about to leave his Lamborghini on the street overnight, so they drove their cars side by side, and smiled at each other on the way to the resort.
The couple shared a beautiful and romantic night. He arranged to have some of their clothes delivered to them, so after breakfast, they went to the golf course for a quick nine holes.
Before Anthony let Kristen go back to her Ferrari, he held her and twirled her around saying, “I want you to move into my house with me.”
Kristen was hesitant “I’ll live with you, but I’m not selling my place until after we’re married.”
Anthony looked a bit taken back, “I am going to buy you a mansion on the ocean, just like I know you want!”
Kristen chuckled, “Well, if you are going to do that, then I would probably try to start selling it now. But, I won’t close the deal until after the honeymoon.” She loved the fact they were planning a life together. She had been on her own for too long.
Anthony now ruined everything, as he looked at his Rolex and said, “I would love to reserve the Breakers for another night, but I need to go home to New York to help my brothers handle some issues. I also want to tell my mother the good news in person. I don’t know how long it is going to take, but I’ll call you every night, and put you to bed.”
Kristen pouted, “Can’t I come with? We’re engaged now.”
He answered, “No, I want you here. You can start moving your stuff in, and I will have my House Manager make all your arrangements.”
Kristen said reluctantly, “OK, I guess. I am going to miss you!”
Anthony said firmly, “Kristen, I want you to stay out of the clubs. Look at your ring every time you think about going out. You’re mine now! Stay home and start knitting some baby booties.”
She looked at him like he was joking. He was smiling, but she couldn’t be sure, “I’m going to impregnate you next time I see you. So, stop taking the pill.”
Kristen laughed “Not until we’re married. We are doing this the right way!”
15 A.K.A. “TONY”
The minute that Anthony Fiore embarked from his private jet onto New York soil, he became Tony.
“Tony” Fiore was proud of his Sicilian heritage and admired his long line of ruthless card-carrying family members of the Cosa Nostra. His father Franco recently died from cancer, while serving ten of his eighty-year sentence for racketeering and murder. His grandfather Antonio, who Tony was named for, was gunned down in a Manhattan restaurant several years before.
Tony became a “Made Man” on his twenty-first birthday. Instead, of taking him to his first bar, his father brought his son down to the docks, to help kill three longshoremen who worked for him. They had been causing a lot of trouble and had been keeping the contents of the shipments that they were paid to hijack, for themselves.
The Fiores walked carefully through the dilapidated buildings, until they sensed the men were inside one of them. They burst through the door and took them by surprise. Once they had them cornered, it was Tony’s time to impress his father, but he was not sure that he was comfortable with the thought of killing someone.
He braced himself and raised the gun at two of the men. Then he let it drop by his side. His father looked at him with impatience and walked over to him. He firmly lifted Tony’s arm and pulled the gun out of his hand. He then aimed at the men and shot them point blank.
He glanced over at Tony, who now had his eyes tightly closed, trying to force back tears. The third man took off running, and Franco then pulled out his own gun, stopping him in his tracks, “Come on Tony, let’s go.”
Tony followed his father with his head hanging down. He knew that he had disappointed him. They left the dock area and walked to the car. His father’s minions later took care of hauling the bodies out of there and feeding them to the carp.
A
s they drove, Franco said, “Don’t worry about it Tony. You are a brave boy, but I have always known this life has never been for you. You are not like your brothers, you are the smart one. Today is going to be our secret. But, no one besides our family can ever know. Otherwise, we can’t survive if others don’t think we are all united. If we show we are vulnerable in any area, we will lose all respect. Tony never forgot those words and always kept on his game face in the years to come.
It had always been obvious which direction Tony was heading. While he was growing up, he had preferred to go to school, instead of hanging out in the streets with his friends, and his two younger brothers, Marco and Vincente.
Later, he made top grades and ascended to Yale. Like Kristen’s father, he was inducted into all the right groups there, including Skull & Bones. Anthony easily earned a degree in Chemical Engineering, and then went on to Harvard Business School, graduating with honors.
Now, he was the founder and CEO of a chemical manufacturing company that was based in Miami and was predominant in the world market. His father was proud of how Anthony had succeeded, but still let him know he would always have his family obligations. There was no way Tony could have chosen any other life. His path was determined way before his birth.
Without Franco, the once powerful Fiore family was now near the bottom of the New York hierarchy. And, as time progressed, by Anthony’s choice, the family gave up most of their holdings, and only managed some very minor gambling and loan operations. Every once in a while, he gave financial advice to his two brothers, and that was about it.
Anthony also felt like he had reached his career peak. He was planning to sell the company soon and enjoy a very early retirement. He recently delegated most of his corporate duties to his Vice-Presidents to micro manage.
Anthony now only concentrated on the company’s bigger issues, and more importantly; courting his clients on the golf course, and his yacht. The fact he was such a powerful CEO, helped disguise his earnings, and let him enjoy his boat, jet, and all his toys, in the open.
Tony was under the radar, and the general public was not at all aware of him. But he was well-known to the other New York factions, those “in the know,” and of course, the government. He was under constant surveillance.
Recently, the Fiores were in the midst of a major power play by the other families. They were moving in on their territory, and there had been some unsanctioned hits on their group. A few of Tony’s distant cousins were killed.
Anthony was now forced into preserving the family honor that his father and grandfather had worked so hard for. He went back to the helm and began frequently jetting to New York.
Luckily, his brother Marco wasn’t above grabbing a gun, and getting most of the dirty work done by himself. That way, he eliminated the middle men and the rats! He enjoyed the hunt. For him, it was better than sex!
Right before he died, his father told Marco about the dock incident, and that Tony was not truly “made”. Marco instantly lost respect for his brother and was now constantly challenging his authority. He was ready to take over, but Tony was his blood, so he kept him in the picture, at least for now.
Kristen was only aware of the man named Anthony and had no clue about Tony. She wasn’t happy that he was making trips to New York. But, she knew she had to live with it, because it was what she signed up for when she agreed to marry a corporate icon. She just wished he would be involved with more of the wedding planning.
As their relationship solidified, she couldn’t understand why he wouldn’t let her go with him. She began complaining about this to him, and finally one day he said,
“OK, I am taking you to New York with me on my trip there tomorrow. We are only going for the day. I want you to meet my brothers.”
Kristen was sleeping peacefully the next morning, when Anthony rolled her over and said,
“Get up Kenworth! Time to go. We’ll grab some breakfast on my jet.”
Kristen was very groggy and looked for a small suitcase to pack. Per his usual routine, Anthony stopped her, and smiled, “I told you, we are only going for the day. Let’s go!”
She followed him down the stairs, and out to his Lincoln. There was a substitute chauffeur who was wearing a rumpled suit and munching on a doughnut.
As he opened the car door for them, Anthony took one look at him, “Really man, really?” He handed him a fifty and said, “Get that suit pressed before you pick us up again. When is my regular driver coming back?”
“Don’t know” the man mumbled. Anthony rolled his eyes at Kristen. She just smiled.
The flight was quick. As they walked down the stairs of the jet, they were greeted by a well-dressed man who looked just like Anthony but was shorter and built more like a solid hunk. His hair was greased back, and his suit and pinkie rings were super flashy.
Anthony patted him on the back and said, “Kristen, I would like you to meet my brother Marco.”
Marco gave Kristen a big hug and took her arm. He looked her over approvingly, “Not bad, not bad. Thanks for bringing her for me Tony!”
Anthony laughed, “Oh no you don’t Marco,” and he pulled Kristen back next to his side, keeping his arm around her waist. As they walked, Anthony said sarcastically, “Where is our baby brother Vincente?”
Marco looked at him like he should know, and answered,
“He is out doing some things. I don’t think you will be meeting him today Kristen. Hopefully, I am enough for you.”
He laughed and took Kristen’s hand. The three of them headed toward the exit with her in the middle.
As they approached the terminal, a stretch limo pulled up. Anthony placed Kristen on one side, and pointed to the seat furthest away from her, for Marco to sit in. Marco held up his hands in mock defense.
It was a lengthy drive to reach the wealthy suburb where Marco lived. Marco’s house was very large and was set in front of a small, picturesque lake. He gave Kristen a quick tour, as Anthony sat at the bottom of the staircase absorbed in several phone conversations.
When Kristen was returned, Anthony put his hand on her shoulder, and said very businesslike,
“I am so sorry Kristen. I need to head over to Jersey and help Vincente out with something. I will be back tomorrow.” Before she could say anything, the stretch returned out front and whisked him away.
Both Marco and Kristen watched as he drove off. Kristen felt a sharp pain in her heart and thought of how Anthony’s indifference was reminiscent of her father, who had also been continuously preoccupied with his work.
Marco said, “Wow! That was cold.” He turned to Kristen, “Don’t worry, I will keep you nice and warm.” She looked at him, and nervously laughed.
Marco always enjoyed putting the move on Anthony’s girlfriends. Even though his older brother was blessed with the classy looks and all the brains, Marco knew he had what it really takes, and never missed the chance to go out of his way to prove that he was better than Tony.
He sat his brother's fiancée down at the dining room table, and they started to talk.
First off, Marco warned her, “Don’t forget, that when you meet Vincente, he is extremely short and he is very touchy about it.”
Kristen laughed "I'll remember to slouch if I stand next to him."
Marco thought that was very funny, "We also have three sisters who are all tall. Guess the genes got mixed up." Kristen figured they all must have been a real handful for their mother.
Marco and Kristen shared common interests, and they had a lively conversation for a few hours, as he tried his best to charm her. He started thinking that Kristen was more suited for him than his brother, and he began laying it on thick.
Marco’s maid walked in later that afternoon to prepare them a meal. Marco immediately sent her upstairs to set up a room for his guest.
“Thank you, Marco, but I am going to the city and stay in a hotel there.”
Marco protested, “No, no, Tony would expect it of me to keep you right here.”
The maid had returned and looked back and forth at the two waiting for an answer.
Kristen insisted, “I will call him and let him know my plans. It wouldn’t be right to be here alone with you.” She gave him a mischievous smile.
Kristen dialed Anthony, and it went right to his voicemail. She left her message and turned back to Marco.
“See, all taken care of. What’s the cab service called out here?”
Marco looked like his pride had been hurt, “No chance. I am driving you personally and we will have a nice dinner before I drop you off.”
“I am going to stay at The Plaza Hotel, and we can eat dinner at their restaurant. I love it there!”
Marco smiled at the thought of feeding her and then bedding her upstairs at a cushy hotel, “Great idea,” he said.
He went up to his bathroom to pile on more mousse, and for an extra blast of cologne. He then strutted out to his driveway and selected a silver Porsche for their ride.
As she got into the car, Kristen told him right off, “Marco, we are just having dinner, and that’s it. I need you to understand this before we leave.”
Marco took his hand off the wheel, and gestured,
“Sure, sure, I know that. Don’t you worry.” He then drove toward the city.
The two made polite small talk during the ride, and Marco pointed out several points of interest along the way. He was quite charming to be with, and Kristen now felt more relaxed around him.
Night began to fall as they were getting close to downtown. Marco got on his cell phone, and Kristen listened, as he seemed to be negotiating with a scalper for tickets to some event.
He looked over at her, “Rat Pack tickets.” He talked for a few minutes more, and then smiled, and put his phone on the dashboard.
“I got them!” he said excitedly. He then turned the car in the opposite direction.
“Where is the Rat Pack?” asked Kristen, “Aren’t they all dead.”
Marco laughed, “They are imitators. Everyone loves them. These are some of the hardest dinner show tickets to get.”
