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“I don’t doubt that.” I look about the warehouse. I can’t believe how many people work here now. “Hell, Sampson, I don’t even know that it was him. Just to be clear, I’m not accusing anyone of anything.”
“I understand, Luke.”
“We’ve hired so many new people. I think you and I should gather them up for a brief orientation. Just to make sure this type of thing doesn’t happen again. Because the delivery guys don’t care who signs their slip. They just want to drop their shipment and move on to the next.”
“You’re right. That’s a good idea.”
Looking at his clock once more, I shake my head. “Do another piece for the customer.”
Sampson looks at me, confused.
“I’m not kidding. It’s too good. This could get huge money at an auction house. When you’re finished, put it in the locked room in the back.”
“With yours?”
“Yes. And any others that turn out this good. We’ll be ready for that gallery showing in no time.”
Several days later I stroll through the shop, picking up a few items to take to Jillian’s house in order to construct the backyard movie screen. I’ll need to get a few additional items at the hardware store on my way there, but this should be pretty easy to put together.
I’m using several portions of thick metal pipe to construct the mount for the screen. I’m excited to let Tarzan see how I forge metal pieces together. He gets so animated about everything. I have to admit, I’m looking forward to showing off in front of Jillian a bit too.
I only have to get through this orientation this afternoon. Luckily, Sampson and Miguel will take over after I make the initial introductions.
In the days following the issue on the loading dock, it turns out I had, in fact, ordered the sheets of assorted metal. The company I’d placed the order with had simply changed their packaging. It wasn’t on the clipboard though, so we still have to tighten things up around here. This company is my livelihood. I can’t continue to let things spiral out of control.
Sampson is standing by a table at the front of the warehouse, so I head in his direction. “Holy shit. When did we hire this many guys?” I know I would’ve interviewed them, but some of their faces I can’t seem to place. Like, who isthatguy?
His laugh comes out as a deep rumble. “I think it snuck up on you. You probably just haven’t seen them all in one room. They’re usually spread out in different areas. The shop and the warehouse are pretty big. But one thing’s for sure.”
“What’s that?”
“You need more diversity.”
I’m shocked by his statement. Being an immigrant here, I’ve taken great pains to do just that. “What are you talking about? George is about the only white guy here. And I’m doing him a favor with this job. I doubt he could find one paying his salaryanywhere else.” He’s a slob and works harder at trying to find new ways to fit in a break than he does at anything else. But he shows up on time and completes his assigned tasks. So, for now, I’ll put up with his shenanigans.
“There’s no women.”
Huh?
“You should at least hire a receptionist to field the calls and maybe a bookkeeper, so you aren’t doing it all yourself.”
“Why does it have to be a woman?”
Sampson turns to face me, arms crossed over his chest. “Why not?”
I can’t tell himwhy not.I trust Sampson, but the fewer people who know about my personal business, the better. The women I know tend to ask too many questions. It’s not a bad thing anywhere else. But I can’t risk that here.
Not to mention, I worry enough about the safety of the men working for me. They come here to do an honest day’s work. Earn a paycheck for their families. All the while, they’re working for the son of a crime boss. It’d be different if they consciously agreed to keep coming back, despite the danger. But I’ve withheld that little tidbit of info.
In my experience, many of the attacks by my father’s organization and the Grasso family crime ring have been perpetrated on women. They’re spineless, disgusting pigs. It’s not that they consider them the weaker sex or an easier target. It’s the impact. They want to cause as much pain and suffering to the Bianchi men who walked away as possible.
And if they can’t kill one of us, they’ll destroy us by hurting the women we care about.
Perhaps I’m jaded. I’ve seen enough innocent women hurt by my family. And not just Antonia and my mother. The women in the brothels. The ones I’m certain are sold into sex trafficking. Idon’t need to add some innocent woman who wants to manage my books for a living.
“Because, man. Women can offer just as much to society as men.”
Fuck. How is this happening? I’m the least prejudicial person on the planet. It has nothing to do with thinking women don’t have the same skills as men. Hell, most I’ve met are more punctual, harder working, and give one hundred percent to their jobs. My mind immediately conjures up images of Jillian hustling in the ER that day.A badass.
