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“Your father saw that there was nothing in the old ways of being a gangster. The violence and killings were just senseless. What mattered was the business, the profits, and the ability to ensure that every family member was successful. He began to focus on that, and he worked on that to his last day, rest his soul.”
“Why are you telling me this?” I asked, walking up to him.
“Because your father knew how to be a bit of both. He built on blood and rested in the end. You have begun your career as a pacifist, and you want what is best for everyone. But some people do not want that for your family. It is your duty to protect them, and sometimes, the Commission will not be enough to protect you and your family.”
I looked at the older man, understanding what he was saying. He was supposed to be the broker of peace between the two families, as he had the most insight into both sides. But if he was saying this, then he knew much more than I could have even begun to understand. He walked back to the table, picked up his glass and drank the rest of his scotch.
“I cannot go to Vasquez and tell him to stop attacking you. Obviously, he will deny it. Just like you, I need proof. But I will talk to him, and I will let him know that he has the attention of the Commission. That should slow things down. Or, if he has any sense in his thick skull, it will end everything.” He placed the glass down and extended a hand for me to shake. “You are a good man, Angelo. Stay true.”
I had Leonardo escort the man back down to his car. The fact that the Commission could not do anything without proof of their own angered me. It was as though I would have to resort to playing the same games that Vasquez did, but I certainly did not want that. I needed a break. I needed to unwind. All the thinking would make me lose my mind.
“Hey, you okay, Boss?” Leonardo asked as he walked by, carrying a small bag.
“I need a break,” I replied, catching myself tapping my feet against the floor as I did when I was worked up.
“Want to hit the club?”
It didn’t seem like a bad idea. Some women, alcohol and music. I could clear my head of all my worries. I was certain that Benny would disapprove, but I needed it for myself. I agreed and had Leonardo take me to a frequently visited club on my turf. I walked in through the back entrance and saw that a few of my men were at the scene. It turned out I was not the only one who needed a break.
I moved to the VIP lounge, where I could watch the rest of the club while drinking privately. Leonardo let some girls come through, and they gave me quite the view. One of them reached down for my belt and slowly undid it. I found my mind drifting to the nurse from the hospital. Somehow, she was haunting my thoughts, and I had only interacted with her for less than half an hour. I smiled at the woman and pulled her away from me. She frowned and walked away. Leonardo realized this and thought I wanted something extra and decided to get four women to head my way all at once.
I waved them away and grabbed my phone, walking into the bathroom to get away from everyone. I walked towards the sink and washed my face. Then I brought out my phone, typed in the nurse's name on Facebook, and I found a match. She had a few pictures, but she looked amazing in every one of them. She was a gorgeous woman. She did not use her beauty as she should have, which was an advantage. I could have her all for myself and show her what pleasure meant.
Seeing her again was going to be easy; I had some of the best people in the city working for me. They could track down anyone, even if she hadn’t given up her address right there on Facebook. I knew that trailing her would only make her more hesitant and drive her further away from me. I had to make her come to me. That had to be the move: show her how powerful I was and make sure she feared me. I would make her see me for who I was, and then I would have her. I looked myself in the mirror, washed my hands, and stepped back into the club.
As I reached my seat, I heard the noise in the club die down, and the music stopped. I stood and looked over the ledge to see that four men had walked into the club, and my men had their guns drawn, pointed at them. They raised their hands, showing that they were not a threat, and one of them seemed to be talking. I looked closer and realized that it was Vasquez. Leonardo looked at me, and I gave him an agreeing nod. He walked over to see what was going on.
Apparently, Vasquez had just been around, had seen the club, and had decided he wanted to stop by and have a drink with his men. Leonardo and my other men took away their guns, and they were allowed to buy their drinks and enjoy themselves, though everyone in the club kept a close eye on them.
After Vasquez finished his first drink, he looked up at the VIP section and locked eyes with me. He raised a glass as a toast and then drank without waiting for me. He got a refill and began heading up towards where I sat. Two of my men blocked him, warning him away with their guns.
I could easily see the tension in everyone's demeanor. They knew that the increasingly frequent attacks were perpetrated by the man who had just walked in through our doors, and as much as they wanted to do something about it, they did not want to hurt the image of the family. Leonardo spoke to the men, and they let Vasquez through. Leonardo stopped the man and frisked him, ensuring he had no weapons on him even though he had been searched already.
“You know I should have you shot in the face for even touching me,” Vasquez said to Leonardo, knowing I was within earshot.
It was true. Given that we were supposed to be friendly families, there was no reason for such hostility. But Vasquez allowed it. Leonardo took out a small revolver and held it out, then allowed the man to walk through. Vasquez walked up to me and took a seat. He smiled and put up his feet on the table as I glared at him, letting him know that I was not having any of it. He reluctantly took them down once he saw the deathly stare on my face.
“Well, I thought we were here for drinks. What is this tension I am getting from you?” Vasquez asked, smirking.
“You’re on thin ice, Vasquez,” I replied.
“Well, I’m actually very good at skating. I think you should join me sometime. We could get a rink, go see what the ice is like out there, you know?” Vasquez picked up some of the ice from the tray and put them into his drink.
“What are you playing at?” I asked, grounding my teeth in anger.
He lit a cigar, “Playing? No,no. I’m just here to have a drink with my fellowboss. We are, after all, family, aren't we?”
CHAPTERSIX
Maria
I watched the eggs fry until they had just slightly browned, then eased them off the hot pan and threw them on a plate where some bacon was waiting already. I took a couple of bites directly from the pan myself before I moved into the bedroom. My mother walked back to the bed from the bathroom. She looked over at me and paused, then took a bite of the food and got in bed. I left to get a glass of water for my mother, and by the time I had returned, she was already halfway through the first strip of bacon.
“You know, when I was your age, I used to cook some of the most exquisite meals you could ever imagine, soups you’d never even heard of. Now, look at me: bacon and eggs,” my mother began. She took another bite of the meat and turned to me. “Delicious... How much does it pay to be a chef these days?”
“Well, I can’t just leave nursing now, can I? Besides, if I had even a slight career change right now, it would set us back so much, and we can’t have that.”
My mother snorted as she licked a piece of egg off her fingers. “I still think it’s a skill that is being wasted, at least tell me that you are cooking for some man somewhere.”
