I bring out a few of the jewelry boxes and open them on the bed, trying to find the perfect piece to go with her outfit.I settle on an intricate diamond necklace, which can be gold or black depending on the light.On her, it’s gold.
She gasps as she touches it, looking at herself in the full-length mirror on the closet door.And I realize she’d been struck breathless too.There’s sparkling diamonds in her eyes too as she looks at me now.I wish I could give her my mother’s engagement ring too, to match the necklace, but I’ll only do that when she’s closer to accepting it.So probably never.
“This is so beautiful,” she says.
“Hang on, there’s a bracelet that goes with it too.”
I busy myself getting that for her too and attaching it to her wrist.
“There, now it’s all perfect.”
The diamonds in her eyes are even more sparkly now as she takes my arm and lets me lead her from the room and to the car.
“Thank you,” she whispers as I help her into her seat.
“For what?”I ask, not even sure why.I should be able to guess she’s thanking me for all the clothes and the jewels.But I think she means something more than that.Or I hope she does.
“For not treating me like dirt, even after everything I’ve said and done to you,” she says.“And for making me feel like I belong here.”
“You do,” I say and shut the door.
“That’s not entirely true.”
Those words cut me deep.I don’t know how to respond.I could tell her I love her again, but she just scoffs at that.I could say I’d never hurt her, but I already did that.I could tell her I want her to be my wife, but she’d probably just reject that.
And in trying to find a response with all that flying through my mind, I miss the whole of the ride to the restaurant I’ve picked for us.I still don’t know what to say to her as I’m handing the keys to the valet.And it’s too late to try and figure it out now.
We’re not here purely for pleasure.It’s business too.
Luigi’s is an old Hollywood restaurant that my great-grandfather Eddo founded.It was one of the bigger earners in our portfolio and after our downfall, the manager just took it for himself on the sly.I want it back now.Just like all the other family businesses that suffered the same fate.
I was the one managing the business properties for our family, while my father and brother handled the more important things.They all know me here.Especially the crooked manager with a very fake and very subservient smile on his face as he waits for Gianna and me to enter the restaurant proper.Martin O’Connor, a skinny little snake I never should’ve hired in the first place.I let Gianna enter first, but the manager has eyes just for me.
“Welcome back, Matteo,” he says, shaking my hand with both of his.His palms soggy and unpleasantly hot.“It’s been a long time.”
“Not so very long,” I tell him.
Dante used to enjoy bringing me to all the family restaurants and hotels that had been swindled from us while no one was paying attention.He’d make me stand near him so I’d be sure to be noticed.I had to keep quiet and he had to leave all of it alone.Such were the terms dictated by the Commission that used to run things back in New York when they finally stepped in and ended the war.They kept all our holdings and all our properties to themselves, but didn’t do anything with them.Or protect them from being stolen by scum like O’Connor here.
At first, I thought the Commission did that because they’d let me come out of Dante’s captivity soon, but then the years just started passing.I’m glad the damn Commission is gone, I’m glad I can take it all back now, but most of all, I’m glad for the gorgeous woman currently looking at me with a mixture of confusion, awe, and something else I can’t quite put my finger on.
“We will talk now,” I tell Martin, who couldn’t come up with anything more to say while I waited.“But first we’d like to be seated.”
Martin gulps audibly, fear creeping into his eyes.Understandable.I was known to be a good guy, but also someone you don’t fuck with.Now I’m just someone you don’t fuck with.
“Yes, of course.I’ll be in my office.”
I brought Caputo and four other guys to watch my back while I’m here, since Dante Moretti is the kind of coward who might just kill me the first chance he sees.Like stab me in the back in the men’s room, for example.He has no honor, just lots of pants-shitting fear.He knows I’m back and he knows what that means.
Martin waves over a tall, black-haired hostess and she smiles widely as she escorts us to our table.
I pull out a chair for Goldie, but don’t take a seat across from her.
“Where are you going?”she asks, as I tell her I’ll be right back.
“What’s going on?”she persists.
“Just something I gotta take care of,” I say and smile at her.“Then I’m all yours.”
