17. Gabriel Returns to Italy #4
“I didn’t get his last name,” she said, “and I don’t think that’s his real first name.”
She stopped at the front gates of his villa. The retina scanner cleared her to enter. She parked in the small lot outside his estate.
“Is Pina here?” she asked.
“At the market.”
Before he entered his home, he pulled his gun. The alarm stopped beeping after he punched in the code.
“I’ll make us something to eat,” she said before he went upstairs.
The sins of the father had transferred to the son. More blood spatter washed down the drain as he stood under his waterfall faucet. In his gut, he knew the killing had to stop, but he wasn’t giving up his turf or his businesses. He had been taught to fight to the death, so he would.
He and Monroe ate breakfast on his first floor balcony.
“When are you flying back?”
“Today, after I swing by Santini Euro.” He unsilenced his phone. Within seconds, it started blowing up with text messages.
He read one from Sin.
Meeting still on for tonight at 8. Can you make it?
A message from Halston.
I got eyes on me. DMV in total blackout again. Missing you
It was 10AM, local time.
I need to get back.
He called his pilot.
She answered. “Ready to head home, Mr. Santini?”
“Can you get me home by eight?”
“Let me contact charter departures. I’ll call you back.”
He hung up. “I’ve got time to run by Santini Euro,” Gabriel said to his cousin. “We’re meeting with a major distributor.” He finished his coffee. “How ‘bout a new outfit straight off the designer rack?”
“As long as it’s black,” Monroe replied.
While she drove him to his company, Gabriel returned Sin’s text with a phone call.
Sin answered. “Hey, G, where are you?”
“Still in Milan. My pilot’s scheduling a flight now.”
“My driver will pick you up outside chartered flights. Let your pilot know, we’re in total blackout again. I’m guessing Dulles ATC has generator backup, but they can’t land if the lights are out.”
“Got it.”
He hung up, dialed Halston’s number, put the call on speaker.
She answered, her sleepy voice making him smile. “Hey, you okay?”
People wanted something from him, but no one asked about him. His dark heart filled with hope.
“Hey, baby, I’m good. I’m coming home to you.”
“Baby?” Monroe blurted. “What is going on?”
“That’s my cousin, Monroe,” Gabriel said to Halston.
“Hi,” Halston said.
“What’s your name?” Monroe asked.
“Barbi.”
Monroe chuckled. “You’re dating Barbi. That’s a good one.”
“We’re in another blackout,” Halston said. “I sent you a text.”
“Are you safe?”
“For now. I’m at the hotel, but I’ve gotta work today. Things got weird there yesterday.”
He wanted to tell her not to go. He wanted to tell her to hide from the evil, but that wasn’t Halston, so he’d lean in and fill her with confidence.
“You got this,” he said. “Sin is sending someone to pick me up. I’ll text you when I know my departure time.”
“I hope you can land.”
“I’ll get home to you no matter what.”
“Safe travels.”
“I love you.”
“Aw, you just made my day. I love you too. Bye Monroe.”
“Hey, Barbi, tell Ken I said hi,” Monroe quipped before Gabriel hung up. “The Bossman of Cosa Nostra has fallen in love with a doll. Only you, cousin, only you.”
Gabriel chuckled.
His phone rang with a call from his pilot.
He answered. “Tell me.”
“We’re scheduled for takeoff at four this afternoon,” his pilot said. “Puts us at Dulles around seven. Please be at charter flights and checked in by three-thirty.”
Twenty minutes later, Monroe pulled up to the entrance of Santini International Euro, a twelve-story building in the heart of Milan, and stopped under the stark white archway.
Two guardsmen scurried over, opened their car doors.
“Welcome back, Mr. Santini.”
“Hello, Ms. Santini. Always a pleasure.”
A tight nod before he entered his kingdom.
This had always been his sanctuary, an unplanned escape from the madness and mayhem that had been his criminal life.
Here, hard-working employees created and designed.
Here, they turned luxurious fabrics into stunning garments. Here is where magic happened.
Gabriel took in the sights, the sounds, the familiar vanilla and cinnamon fragrance wafting in the air.
The two-story lobby was filled with oversized white sofas, large black coffee tables and small side tables.
Five receptionists looked impeccable in their black Santini suits and bold white shirts.
Three women, two men. They offered a friendly smile and a wave, or they stood and extended a hand.
After shaking them, he spoke with his head receptionist. “All good?”
“Yes, sir,” she replied.
“What VIPs are here?” he asked.
“The CEO of Corpo Bellissimo. She’s meeting with your exec team in the exec conference room.” She rattled off a few more guests before her phone rang. “Excuse me,” she said before answering. “Santini International, how can I help?”
Gabriel and his cousin walked to the elevator bank.
There, he said hello to a few more employees.
As they rode upstairs, he checked in with them.
Nothing but sunshine and rainbows. He appreciated that they didn’t get into the weeds or dump their work problems on him.
He’d trained them well. At Santini Euro, they loved what they did, and they found viable solutions when they hit a roadblock.
If they didn’t have positive attitudes or they weren’t team players, they were gone.
Here, life was simple.
Everywhere else, it was a complicated maze of walking on eggshells or fighting over turf.
After dropping Monroe off with his lead designer, Gabriel poked his head into the executive conference room. “Good morning. I’m in town for a minute, had to stop in and say ciao.”
Everyone stood, their too-big smiles had him shaking hands with his team and saying hello to Claudia, the CEO of Corpo Bellissimo—Body Beautiful—and her group.
“Let’s take five,” said Gabriel’s VP of Worldwide Distribution.
Most stayed in the room, chatting amongst themselves or checking emails. A few wandered into the hallway to make a call.