“You never told me, Vitale. What changed your father’s mind about trading with my Family?”
Gino smirked and dropped his gaze. “My father’s attention lays in the snatch of too many women, not in strengthening our alliances. This deal stays between us.”
The last thing Gino wanted was to take the reins of a nearly bankrupt Family. His father was a shit businessman who relied on Gino and the profits he made hand over fist with the various business he owned around the city. Jonathan was old school, believing intimidation and reputation would carry him forever. He refused to adapt with the times, perfectly content to continue with shakedowns and protection money. Sadly, that was the old Mafia. While there was still money to be made, it wasn’t a tenth of what Gino pulled in with his money laundering and gun trafficking.
Stavros extended his hand across the table. “Your money spends as good as his, this allegiance stays silent until you say different.”
Gino took Stavros’s offered hand, gripping his palm the way his uncle Saul taught him. “Gentle hands are for loving a woman, not for sealing your word in a handshake. Grip that hand, Gino, give him a taste of the power you have.”
Dropping Stavros's hand, Gino walked around the table to where the crate stood. “Open it up, let’s see what you have for me.”
Stavros took a crowbar from one of his men, sliding the flat edge between the seal, he grunted as he separates the nails from the wood. Reaching inside, Stavros retrieved one of the guns, tossing it in Gino’s direction.
“No serial numbers and no way to track them. If you like them, I can get as many as you need.”
Gino examined the gun in his hand, turning it back and forth before aiming it at the wall across from him.
“Excellent,” Gino praised, tossing the gun to Niko who replicated his examination before tossing it back.
“Shall I take them to the warehouse, Gino?” Tony, one of his men, questioned from behind him.
“Not this time, Tony.” Gino corrected, handing the gun back to Stavros who laid it carefully into the crate. He’d made a point of driving by the places on the map, all of which turned out to be warehouses. A few phone calls and the names of the registered owners were revealed, garnering a series of lewd oaths and a few pounds of his fist on his steering wheel with the recognition. “I have somewhere else in mind this time.”
Gino held the door open as a handful of his men, dressed in coveralls, wheeled a box with a well-known piano company’s logo stamped on the side into the freight elevator. He made a point of speaking loud enough with the security guard about the impending delivery of the treasured instrument for his girlfriend, a surprise to celebrate their anniversary. He smiled inwardly when Mrs. Stapleton, one of the city’s most notorious widows, gave a hard look at the truck parked along the curb, then reached into her overpriced bag and began clicking on her cellphone, no doubt spreading the word to the other tenants of his generosity. What he wouldn’t give to see her face if she found out what was packed inside the wooden walls.
Arriving on Nina’s floor, Gino unlocked the condo door, pushing back the clutter and rug on the living room floor, as Tony used a crowbar to open the crate. It was the oldest trick in the book; hide the contraband in plain sight, using the assumption that the more affluent the neighborhood the less chance of illegal activity going on. Gino had dozens of apartments just like this one, all costing a fortune with perfect places to hide his shit. He made it a point to spend a few hours at each one every week, making sure to be seen by the residents so his presence wasn’t questioned.
“That’s the last of it, Gino.” Tony admitted, wiping the sweat from his brow. He’d come to work for Gino a few years ago after he was kicked out of the military. Niko vouched for him, which was good enough for Gino.
As they stood on the street outside the building, Gino made a grand gesture of sliding off several large bills from his money clip and handing it to his men before they hopped into the delivery truck, waving to the security guard before getting in his car. A quick glance in the rear-view mirror confirmed the news of the new piano will be the talk of the building as he watched Mrs. Stapleton come around the corner, her trusty cell phone in hand.
Half an hour later, Gino pulled his car to a stop outside the back door of his gym. His meeting ran later than he’d planned, and he hoped he wasn’t too late to catch Kane training. Entering the building, he smiled when he found Kane in the center of the ring sparring with his manager, Brody King.
Shrugging off his jacket, Gino tossed it to a lone chair not far from the edge of the ring, his pressed shirt fluttering to the cement floor.
“Your jab could use some work.”
Kane dropped his gloves, turning in Gino’s direction. “Hey, man. What are you doing here?”
Climbing into the ring, “About to school you apparently.” Gino half-teased, motioning to King for his gloves.
“Don’t hold back, Kane.”
“All right, man,” Kane smirked, sending a jab in Gino’s direction. “I hope you have fucking insurance.”
After one of the better workouts of his life, Gino jumped from the ring with a smile on his face, in desperate need of a shower. Standing not ten feet from him was a tall blonde, with killer legs and skirt so short he could see her lack of underwear, his shirt was dangling off the tip of her index finger.
Gino recognized her from a fight he’d witnessed a few weeks ago. She was dressed much the same, although the seductive smile was a new addition on the face of Nikki Elliot, Kane’s girlfriend.
Reaching for his shirt, he’s met with air as Nikki pulled her hand to the side. “Nice shirt,” she started, taking a step in his direction.
“Thanks,” Gino gave back, remaining stoic and unaffected by the attempted seduction.
“I bet it fits you like a glove,” Nikki stepped closer, her eyes surveying him like a hungry dog appreciating a piece of raw meat.
“I suppose,” Gino shrugged, but doesn’t reach for the shirt again. He knew all about Nikki and her numerous trips to rehab for her sexual addition, as well as the handful of arrests she has under her belt for possession. How her parents tossed her out of their house when they found her in bed with several of the neighborhood men.
“Know what else would fit you like a glove?”
Gino remained silent, keeping his attention on Nikki as if she’s a cobra about to strike.
Leaning in until the edge of her nose touches his chin. “My pussy around your dick,” she whispered, her hand cupping the mentioned appendage.
“Sorry,” reaching down, Gino took her hand, removing it from around his dick as he uses the other to capture his shirt. “I make it a habit never to mix business with pleasure.”
“Too bad,” Nikki scoffed. “You would have loved it.”
“Cocky,” Gino boasted, slipping his arms through the sleeves of his shirt. “I like that, but not enough to fuck over my boy, your boyfriend, Kane.” Tipping his head in the direction of the showers.
“We have an arrangement.”
“What? That he works hard while you fuck around, waiting for him to make it big so you can cash in?”
Gino knew he’d hit a nerve when Nikki’s mouth dropped open and her brows bent so severely only a shot of Botox will straighten them out.
The sound of clicking heels on the cement behind them drew Nikki’s attention, forcing her mouth closed and a rapid blinking of her eyes.
“Nikki, I was waiting for you. Are you…?” The new girl faded off as she took in Gino’s defined chest and expensive clothes. Gino recognized the girl, Melissa, Nikki’s younger sister from the mug shot he’d found of her. Where Nikki was addicted to fucking, Melissa had a pair of sticky fingers; stealing everything from a pack of Wrigley’s to a set of Louis Vuitton luggage right out of the store window.
“Who’s your friend?” Michelle questioned, shoving her chest and hip out suggestively.
“This is…” Nikki started, but the thud of a metal door sounded behind t
hem.
“Gino Vitale.” A freshly showered Kane walked into the room, his gym bag thrown over his left shoulder, ball cap flipped backward.
A collective gasp sounded between the two women, Nikki's eyes grew large, shifting back and forth between Gino and Kane. Gino was no stranger to the reaction most people had at the mention of his name, fear forced them to look away from him and ultimately walk away.
“Pleasure to meet you, ladies. My apologies for keeping Kane after, he engulfed me in some much-needed exercise.”
Gino bid Kane a goodnight, tossing his jacket over his shoulder and giving the trio an uninterrupted view of the gun at his back. Laughing to himself, maybe they did have an arrangement, after all, Kane hit that Ring Girl like a boss the other night. It didn’t matter, he surmised, he had enough vapid women in his life, and there wasn’t room for any more, no matter how good their snatch looked.
9
Kristine held onto the handle above the window of Nina’s car as she drove in and out of traffic, narrowly missing the broad side of a city bus and a taxi. When she finally pulled into a parking lot, Kristine closed her eyes and said a prayer, vowing to hire an Uber to take her home.
Nina circled the lot, which was filled with cars in various colors, all bearing the logo of companies she didn’t dare try and pronounce. After gliding into a spot, Nina exited the car dressed in a short skirt and high heels, despite the bitter cold temperatures. Kristine shivered out of sympathy as she followed her across the lot to a side door, watching in amazement as she tapped in a sequence with her abnormally long nails.
“You will have your own code as soon as Sully gets in,” Nina told her, tugging at the handle until a buzzing sound opened the door.
Inside, the office was modern with sharp lines and rich details, a complete contrast to the industrial exterior, which was cold and boring. Stepping further into the room, Kristine’s eyes land on a beautiful woman sitting behind the desk, her attention on a sparkly phone, ignoring the one ringing in the background. The redhead reminded her of Grace, although this girl was far prettier, Kristine was confident they would be friends.
“Our office is on the second floor, Sully and Gino share the third floor—you’ll meet both of them later.” Nina rattled off as they stepped into the elevator, ignoring the girl behind the desk as if she didn’t see her.
When the doors closed, Kristina’s curiosity got the best of her. “The girl at the desk—"
“Don’t waste your time getting to know the girls behind the desk,” Nina interrupted. “The one sitting there now more than likely won’t make it to lunch.”
Panic flooded Kristine’s chest, the decision to move here suddenly not so brilliant. “Is the job difficult?”
“Pfft, no. The issue isn’t the work, but the person. Sully likes to move his help around. Not us of course, but from another business. The girls he chooses are best kept on a pole and not as a receptionist.”
“Kept on a pole?” Kristine marinated Nina’s statement around in her mind, her eyes widening when the meaning finally registered. “Sully owns a gentleman’s club?”
“Several,” Nina responded nonchalantly, as the doors to the elevator opened revealing a room full of activity. “Come on, I’ll introduce you to everyone.”
Nina tugged on Kristine’s arm, making her nearly trip over her own feet. Righting herself, she came face to face with a curvy girl with dark hair streaked with platinum highlights.
“Hi, I’m Cheri. Oh my God, look at your blue eyes.”
Kristin pulled back slightly, having been teased for the odd color of her eyes from the first step she took into kindergarten.
“You have incredible bone structure; you just need a little color. I can call my girl, get you fixed up in a few hours.”
Kristine opened her mouth to refuse when Nina leaned in and whispered. “The prettier you are, the more bonuses we get.”
The last thing Kristine wanted was to make a bad impression on her first day. “Sure, but not today,” she interjected, needing a solid excuse. “I can’t ask for time off when I’ve just started.”
Cheri looked from Kristine to Nina, who gave her a slight nod. “You have a point. Come to Salon Bougie on Sunday, all the girls meet there for weekly maintenance.”
“Maintenance?” Kristine questioned, her head tipping to the left in confusion.
“Yes, you know, nails, spray tan, hair color.” Cheri lifted her right-hand showing Kristine the pink ombre she’d received yesterday. “My girl is super busy, but I’m sure we can get you in. Let me know if you change your mind, or if you need anything, just ask.”
“Thanks, I will.”
After a round of introductions where Kristine prayed she would remember everyone’s name, Nina led her to a desk across the room tucked behind a glass wall. Her breath caught in her throat as she took in the New York City skyline before her. Seeing this spot through a camera lens was nothing compared to seeing it with her own eyes.
“Hey, Sully.”
The sound of Nina’s voice startled her out of the moment she chose to steal, blocking out everything else to appreciate the view. Turning around, the view of the man standing before her is just as impressive. A dark suit, pressed shirt, and matching tie never looked so good as they did covering the body of the man she’d corresponded with over the past few days. Curly brown hair, tipped with what looked to be bleached ends, stuck straight in the air, but somehow it worked well for him. A genuine smile, so white it could light up the room, with tanned skin like most of the people in the room, but on him, she couldn’t tell if it was natural or came out of a bottle.
“Kristine,” Sully cleared the distance, his arms open wide in greeting, taking her face in hand, placing a kiss to each cheek. “So happy to finally meet you.”
Kristine’s knees felt weak as his cologne surrounded her. He smelled masculine, the way a man should smell, not spicy like Jonah. When his lips touched her cheeks, something deep within her caught fire, the embers smoldering long after he released her.
“I hope everyone is making you feel welcome.”
“They are,” Kristine squeaked out, unable to pull her eyes from his handsome face.
“And your flight here, did it go smoothly?”
“It did,” Kristine nodded. “Although I was quite surprised to find my seat was in First Class.”
Sully reached out, laying his large hand on her shoulder, squeezing it gently. From the way she melted into his touch, he assumed she felt the same. “We strive to give our employees all the luxuries we can. With your impressive skills, I felt it imperative we roll out the red carpet for your arrival.” Sully sent her a wink, pleased to see he affected her as much as she did him. “I hate to do this on your first day, but we are so behind since our previous employee quit.”
“It’s fine, Mr. Vitale. I was hired to work, not stand around your beautiful office.”
“You may regret saying that. You haven’t seen the number of boxes I need you to sort through and organize. And please, call me Sully. Mr. Vitale is my father.”
Kristine followed Sully out of the glass room, trying, and failing miserably, to avoid watching his backside. His suit was tailored, his trousers cut to fit him in the most delicious way. She nearly ran into the back of him when he stopped midway down a hall to unlock a door.
“Are you certain we shouldn’t wait until you’ve gotten more comfortable before showing you the skeletons in our closet?”
“I’m sure.”
Sully cautiously opened the door, reaching inside to turn on the light. Kristine flashed him a reassuring smile as she stepped into the room. Delight filled her soul as she took in the banker’s boxes stacked four high. She loved numbers and puzzles and, without knowing it, Sully gave her both.
“This isn’t your primary job of course,” Sully assured, his hands deep in his pockets to keep himself from reaching out and pulling the beautiful woman to him. “Your resumé indicated you are well-versed with the accounting prog
ram we use.”
“Yes, although, with the older version. Nina shared with me the benefits of the recent update and I can’t wait to get my hands on it.”
Sully closed the door, twisting the handle to ensure the lock was engaged. “Well, then let’s get you set up.”
Kristine stood behind Sully as he typed at a snail’s pace, putting her information into the system. It took a little over an hour, but in the end, she had her username and code for the front door.
“I have some paperwork for you to sign before I can let you go playing around with our money.”
Kristine expected this, she’d gone through an extensive background check when she began working with the Coop’s payroll. Given the number of high-end cars in the parking lot, she suspected to find a ton more zeros in these accounts. Sully handed her a pen and was in the process of sliding over the first document when it collided with the side of her hand resulting in a paper cut.
“Ouch,” Kristine cried, her hand headed straight for her mouth.
“Wait,” Sully reached out, stopping her hand mid-air. “Let me help you.” Keeping his eyes trained on Kristine’s perfect lips, he pulled a handkerchief from his jacket pocket, wrapping her bleeding finger and applying gentle pressure. Never in his life had he felt such a pull to a woman, the overwhelming need to kiss her clouding his judgment.
Pulling back, Sully found the bleeding had stopped, pocketing the handkerchief, he diverted his focus to show her where to sign.
“Tony will be by in a little while, make sure you have a list of any favorite foods or drinks and he will have your fridge stocked before you come in tomorrow,” Sully informed as he handed her a key to her office door. Nodding his head in the direction of a bank of cabinets along the wall, Kristine assumed were used for storage. “I’ll check in on you later, okay?”
Leave Me Breathless: The Black Rose Collection Page 8
