Chapter 15 Momentum
Chapter fifteen
Momentum
Santino stepped up to his invited guest as the mid-fifties businessman climbed out of his old Chrysler and clapped the man on the shoulder in greeting. “Hope I didn’t keep you waiting long, Ken.” He knew he hadn’t, nor did he actually care, but he liked the older man just enough to offer the words.
Kenneth Napier grunted under his breath from the impact, adjusted the wire-framed glasses that sat on the bridge of his nose, and smiled with an always concerning lack of nerves back at Santino.
“Engine’s still warm.” He lifted the quality briefcase at his side and tapped it gently, as if the sturdy lining wasn’t enough defense for the slightest impact.
“I brought what you asked for, but I have to admit, I was surprised at the call. Getting a jumpstart on birthdays?”
Santino chuckled and gave his head a shake before motioning the man to follow him. “Never,” he said. “This is much better.”
Ken was a talented, if humble, jeweler who worked out of a shoebox of a shop that did nothing to represent his abilities.
Some twenty years earlier, when the man had been closer to Santino’s current age, Santino’s mother had happened upon the store and entranced the poor man.
The pair had dated only briefly, but while Mamma could never bring herself to commit to a new man romantically, she also couldn’t bring herself to part with a talented jeweler.
So, Ken had remained on the perimeter of their lives.
As a teenager, Santino had just rolled his eyes when his mother had dumped the guy.
He’d seen it coming from jump and never bothered building a connection.
She was afraid of becoming too invested and enduring more heartache, like she had when his father had died.
Even beyond that, she was picky as hell.
And unfortunately for Ken, he was not Italian.
As an adult, Santino could see how his mother’s ways at the time had been a bit cruel.
She was the product of her raising, though, and it was far too late to change that.
She would always lean toward her own desires, ambitions, and whims, no matter who was tossed aside or crushed along the way.
That was why he himself was the way he was.
It was also why he needed to be careful, and timely, with how he introduced Reiko to the family.
At the door, Santino paused and looked back over at his guest. “Now, I need your word, Ken. Nobody outside this house knows what you’re about to learn just yet.
I’m saving the good news for dinner this weekend.
Can you keep that secret for me?” The question was a type of courtesy.
It should have been common sense that anything seen, heard, or otherwise learned inside the home of a mafia boss was not something those with survival instincts gossiped about.
But there was the chance Ken would talk to his mother.
The older man blinked at him once before his easygoing smile returned. “Of course.”
Santino nodded and led the way inside. Past the foyer, he motioned for Ken to hang back as he caught a glimpse of silky black hair over the arm of a sofa in the great room.
The smile that spread across his face was instantaneous, and he didn’t bother hiding it even as his eyes cut around until he noted the profile of the guard he’d assigned her.
Home was safe in theory. A guard made it more-so.
Aside from Luca, at the opposite edge of the space and watching the hall, the room was quiet and otherwise empty.
Santino moved up behind her semi-reclined position until he could see he was blocking her light. “Reading something good?”
Reiko let out a startled, choked-off sound and snapped upright as if she’d been caught misbehaving.
Her bare feet swung to the floor, knees peeking out beneath the hem of the skirt she wore, and her hair slid over her neck as she twisted toward him.
The loose fitted blouse looked fucking great on her, but then, he’d probably think she looked good in a rucksack.
Still, it was good he’d sent his maid to purchase a few days’ worth of clothes for her. Even if Reiko had initially objected.
“Santino! You startled me.” She set her book she’d aside and stood. “Home for lunch?”
He crooked his finger at her.
She flushed but stepped immediately up to him, her hands lifting to press against his chest. “Welcome home,” she said, softer.
His dick translated her words as an invitation and rose to greet her, which only made his need to touch her—to kiss her—stronger.
So, he tucked his hands into her hips and tugged her closer, bending down to steal a lingering kiss.
“I look forward to getting used to this,” he said when he pulled from her lips.
Her smile filled him with something he didn’t know how to define. Something he liked.
Santino gave her a squeeze, willed his blood to cool as best he could, and took a half-step back. “Also, I have a surprise for you.” He motioned outward and Ken swiftly ambled into proper view. The man had no doubt seen everything, of course, but that had been unavoidable.
Reiko tensed at the presence of the stranger.
Santino slid his other arm around her back. “This is Ken Napier. He’s Mamma’s personal jeweler, most of the family wives use him. He does excellent work.”
Ken let out a self-conscious chuckle. “You’re too kind, Santino.”
“Jeweler?” Reiko repeated as she tipped her head up to look at him.
Santino grinned wide. “Ken, my fiancée, Reiko Matsunaga.”
Ken’s eyes blew wide.
Santino shifted his gaze to Reiko. “Ken here is going to show you samples of his best pieces. I want you to look through them, decide what you like and don’t. We’re going to design your ring today. It’ll take Ken a little time to make, but it’ll be worth the wait.”
“Design my ring.” Reiko dropped her head to his chest. “Why did I not consider you would insist on custom ordering everything?” She leaned back before he could do more than chuckle.
“You don’t have to spend so much. I’m sure a ready-made ring is fine.
If he’s that good, I’m sure it’s more than fine. ”
Santino cupped his hand around her cheek and stroked his thumb beneath her lip. “Fine is not good enough for you, beautiful. You’re getting the best. Period. But I’ll help you make the selections if you feel overwhelmed.”
She pursed her lips, because she was still adjusting to the way he did things, and slowly nodded. “Please.”
He smiled softer and bent down to kiss her forehead. “Good girl,” he murmured against her skin.
The quiet gasp and the way her fingers clenched over his shirt assured him his words hit their mark.
Santino straightened and turned outward. “Let’s move to the dining room, shall we? It’ll be more comfortable for this.”
“Certainly, sir,” Ken said, almost eagerly turning in the appropriate direction. “I’m very honored to be creating such an important piece. Whatever selections you decide on, I promise to do my best work yet.”
Santino chuckled and said, “I look forward to that. I want only the best for my future wife. But of course, you know I’ll pay fair price.” Quality work—and loyalty—were things to be paid for, after all. That, and he was one of the few in the family who shelled out full-price for Ken’s work.
There was always a cost to associating with mafia.
He pulled out a chair for Reiko as Ken set himself up in a seat across from them, then lowered himself into the seat beside her. Ordinarily he would claim the seat at the rounded head of the table, but this setup felt more natural for their purposes.
It was Reiko’s first time sitting at the formal dining table, since they’d eaten dinner Thursday on the veranda outside their bedroom for some fresh air and breakfast that morning in bed.
And while Santino could have been bothered that he was sharing this first with another man, he chose to let that go in favor of the occasion.
Then Ken popped open his briefcase and spread out his display of jewels, cuts, sizes, and band colors for Reiko’s inspection, and Santino came to the swift decision that he wanted to drape his beautiful soon-to-be wife in jewels of every color.
Slowly, so as not to overwhelm her. But every damn one would shine like stars against her skin.
Every color would be brilliant, and yet only a sparkly underscore to her natural beauty.
He’d order her a bracelet with a rainbow of colorful gems, on a band in a plating different from her ring, before Ken left.
And he’d save it for the day they learned she was pregnant the first time.
Then, maybe for an anniversary, he’d order a necklace and earring set. Classic and stunning.
More rings, more everything, every year. He could already see he would need only the slightest excuse.
He could also see he needed another business to fund this new addiction. But spoiling her—watching her eyes light as she lifted a clear, crisply cut stone and held it high for examination—was so fucking worth it.
“I have another surprise for you,” Santino whispered against her ear almost as soon as the door closed behind the friendly jeweler.
Reiko turned enough to arch a brow at her fiancé. Which was a word she had not become accustomed to yet. “Is it that you’re bailing on work again?”
He grinned at her, his eyes dancing with laughter. “Not quite.” He pulled up his phone, tapped open a conversation thread, and a picture filled the screen. When he tilted the device toward her, it took her brain a moment to process the sight.
A mid-sized moving truck, parked at the curb of a shabby looking apartment. Her shabby old apartment.
Reiko’s mouth fell open. “What is this?” Her gaze snapped up to Santino’s.
“Tell me you haven’t decided to dump all my old things.
” He’d only purchased her a few days’ worth of clothes, and she had some important things in that apartment.
Like her documentation, her laptop, her chrysanthemums, and her bike.