Capitolo Otto

It’s been a pleasant few days. Valentina and Laney met for drinks after work one night, dinner another. Getting out of the building has been pleasant, except for the fact that Valentina is bored with the New York shopping after she saw a Dollar Store. Now boxes from Italy are coming in daily.

Unknown to Laney and Valentina, it’s been a little nerve-racking. Vincent and I have been warned that Benito and Salvatore Efisto, and his fucking son, are in New Jersey.

Apparently, Dominic and the Steel family are friendly with Sabato, and Sabato is working with them to bring down his father. They speak of him like he is something special. He’s not. He’s shit.

I am positive Valentina and he haven’t been in contact because her mood would reflect his presence. It would be dark. It is not.

I do not want to burden Dominic with this, and I won’t unless he comes around. If he does, I will tell him, man to man, to leave her alone. If he doesn’t listen, then I will let Dominic know, for no other reason than to keep Valentina safe.

Sabato fucking Efisto is shit.

I close the file and sit back, trying to rid him from my mind. I try to not see her the way I did that night. The night she didn’t listen to me.

I look at the monitor when I hear the alarm. I know it’s not Laney, since she’s already on her way to work.

I watch as Valentina opens her apartment door. She’s carrying something, and it’s not her bag. I look closer because she doesn’t ever carry anything but her damn bag without needing my help.

As I watch her enter the elevator, I stand up, waiting for her to come down four floors to tell me what do it. It’s her job.

She walks out and shrugs as she comes up to me. “I made this. It’s not shit. I won’t throw it out. If you don’t want it, then you throw it out.” She stretches out her hands toward me, holding the dish as she looks at me.

When I take it, she turns and walks quickly back to the elevator.

“Thank you, Signorina Segretti.”

“Valentina,” she corrects, closing the elevator’s cargo door.

I sit down at the desk with a warm glass dish covered in foil. I set it down and open it.

Crostatas.

I inhale the scent and smell cherry.

Ready to pick one up and eat possibly the first homecooked meal I have had since I visited my parents, I look up as Dominic walks in.

“Signore Segretti?” I begin to stand.

“Have a seat, Franco. And last I checked, I’m still Dominic, the same guy you used to hang out with in the vineyards when we were kids.”

“It’s been years.”

“You talk to your father in the past few days?” he asks.

“No, I’ve been busy dealing with Signorina Segretti.”

“Is that so? Has Valentina been a pain in the ass?”

I smile. “She has been keeping pretty busy.”

“Shopping?”

“Packages from Italy every day.”

“I thought she’d love shopping here in the city that doesn’t sleep.”

“She found a Dollar Store, sign—”

“Dominic.”

“I apologize.”

“Go on. This Dollar Store?”

“Right. She was not fond of it. Does she know you’re here?”

“No, and I’d like to keep it that way. I need some sleep.”

“The second floor isn’t ready yet.”

“I’m going to be on the third.”

“Should I inform—”

“No. Not one word. When does she arrive home from work?”

“It’s Thursday. Normally, she’s back by five thirty.”

“Perfect. I’ll rest until she arrives. No interruptions. I flew all damn night.”

“Of course.”

He points to the Crostatas. “Did Valentina make those?”

I nod, and he smiles.

“Does she do that often?”

“This is the first.”

“My mother and her made these every weekend together. May I?”

I take one out and tell him, “Take the rest. I already ate, but I couldn’t tell her no.”

“You sure?” he asks, eyeballing them.

“Yes, signore.”

He rolls his eyes.

“Yes, Dominic.”

He grips my shoulder and smiles. “Life’s going to change, Franco. Back to better days.”

I nod.

As he walks away, he looks back. “I need information on passports. The sooner, the better. Laney doesn’t have one.”

“Yes …” He cocks his head to the side and raises an eyebrow. “I’ll do that, Dominic.”

He smiles and laughs as he lifts open the cargo door to the elevator.

Three days later, I am bored out of my fucking mind. I had spent the previous day with Laney and Valentina, getting Laneys passport situated.

Benito is in jail, and Salvatore is in the hospital until he’s well enough to be in jail.

Sabato and his father got into an altercation at his sex club. Self-defense. He claims his father came after him. I don’t believe it, regardless of the evidence. I believe it was staged. There was a gun involved, and I’m glad. That means Salvatore will spend more time behind bars. I hope he rots there.

Dominic and Valentina had a meeting with the Steel family about demolishing a billion-dollar building. It’s an emotionally driven decision; an insane waste of money when they could just sell it. However, Dominic doesn’t care. He is pissed off that the Steel family hasn’t given him their blessing.

For the last meeting, Laney accompanied them. When they return, Dominic doesn’t get out of the car with them.

Valentina looks emotionally drained when she walks past. Laney thanks me for holding the door and gets on the elevator with her.

Before the door shuts, I hear Valentina laugh and say, “I need to get laid.”

Immediately, I think of him, of Sabato, and I worry.

I turn on the audio to Laney’s apartment when I see them go in. Then I hear Valentina ask, “What’s up with that Sabato guy?”

“I know he’s a friend of your brother’s, but I would strongly advise against going in that direction if you need to get—” Laney begins.

“Oh, God, no.”

Laney laughs as if it’s not even something she would consider. “Did you see that place? Creepy.”

Immediately, I google his name and a club pops up. Looking through the pictures, I see exactly what kind of club it is. A sex club.

Yes, it is, I think to myself.

“Do you have someone in Italy?” Laney asks Valentina.

“I did. I’m still looking for the right one, I guess. It’s kind of hard finding someone. If they know you, you worry about it being just about the money, you know?”

“No, I—”

“Oh, damn, I wasn’t thinking of you. Please don’t think I was insinuating you were with Dominic for financial reasons.”

“Okay.”

Valentina continues, “Then you think you like someone, and they just don’t meet your standards. I probably compare them to Dominic. I probably expect to be treated a certain way, and when I feel like I’m the stronger one in the relationship, I stomp all over them. When they allow it, I look at them like they are less of a man. Completely unreasonable and unrealistic expectations, I know.”

“I used to say, if it wasn’t fun, it was done,” Laney said. “What are you looking for in a partner?”

“I want someone who is strong and smart. They have to love music and be sensitive, too. But I want someone who doesn’t put up with my bullshit, yet finds me appealing, even when I’m acting irrational.”

“So, a cross between John Edwards, Chris Martin, and Arnold Schwarzenegger?”

“Pardon?” Valentina giggles. She fucking giggles.

“Psychic, lead singer of Coldplay, and a body builder, slash actor, slash governor.”

“That may just work.”

Over my dead body.

“Franco.”

At the sound of my name, I look up to see Vincent.

“You all right?”

I nod.

“Sabato Efisto is out of jail. Salvatore is still in the hospital. I’ll be around if needed.”

I nod as he walks back out the door.