Chapter 5
Davide
I have been Don Russo for the last five years.
I kept the majority of Papà’s businesses thriving, but I’ve added to our empire.
We not only had our hands in the drug and weapons trade, but also extended our ownership with several properties here and in the states.
We owned five-star hotels, as well as two casinos.
I’ve invested a large portion of money in stocks and bonds, so the family’s wealth had increased tremendously.
Luca, Matteo, and I have invested in a few businesses together, but I like to do shit on my own.
It was nothing against them, but at the end of the day, we were all trying to do what was best for our families, and I didn’t want to have meetings or ask anyone about what I wanted to do with my family’s money.
Some felt I didn’t play well with others and they may have been right.
The day Papà officially turned everything over to me, he said, “I have given you the key, figlio and it’s up to you, which door you open it with.
” Those words have stuck with me ever since, and I’d be damned if I used that key to open the door to what may destroy my family.
With business going so well, there also came the threat of rival families and cartels that wanted either a piece of the pie or the whole fucking thing.
I knew how to handle their bull shit. I had the best weapon to destroy them; Ghost. After Papà put his foot down, she proved to him that she was worthy of her name.
She obeyed his rules and checked in with me before and after each hit.
When I became Don, against Papà’s wishes, I gave Dominique her independence with the stipulation that if I called on her, she would be there and he has not once let me down.
My busy schedule would often have me traveling to New Orleans without Papà.
Sometimes I would make it a few days after he did or miss him by a day or two when he left.
I promised Momma Calista I would never miss my monthly visits, and I haven’t.
I bought my own spot a couple blocks over from the family house, but I only stay there if I’m entertaining company, otherwise I stay at home with my family.
I also have a condo in Miami and a house in Cefalù.
It’s about fifteen minutes away from my parent’s estate.
Papà wanted me to continue staying with them, but it was time for me to be on my own.
I mean, what Don still lives with his parents?
I knew the reason Papà didn’t want me to leave was because then he would be left in that big house with mother by himself.
It sucks, but if he would’ve done like I told him years ago and followed his heart, then neither one of them would still be stuck in a loveless marriage all because of some bullshit tradition.
Oh well, I quit dwelling on that issue long ago. Why keep beating a dead horse? If they liked it, I loved it for them. All I know is I’m lucky to have two mothers to shower me with love.
On my visit two months ago, Dominique stopped my house, and let her tell it, it was our house since she had a key and hung out there when I was in Italy. Anyway, she dropped by and laid some unexpected news on me.
“Hey, big head,” She greets, coming into the kitchen where I was warming up leftover crab cakes from Le Boux. They were still my favorite, and I had to have them every time I came into town.
“Hey, brat, don’t you know you’re supposed to knock before entering someone’s home? What if I was doing a chick on the counter when you came in?” I tease, as I take the cakes out the warmer and place them on the island. I pull out one of the stools, then hop on it, ready to dig in.
She sucks her teeth. “First of all, why would I knock on the door of the house I have keys to? Second, you usually kick your skanks out before nine, so I’m not worried about walking in on anything.
” She comes to sit on the stool across from me.
Reaching over, she takes the fork out my hand and uses it to cut a piece off the cake, then dips it in the remoulade sauce.
I give her an irritated look as she closes her eyes and hums.
“Do you mind?” I ask, taking the fork from her.
She covers her mouth, giggling. “Sorry, Davide, but you know I can’t resist those crab cakes.”
“Yes, I do, which is why I thought I would be eating them in peace by myself.” I counter, cutting into the morsel.
“I guess you thought wrong.” She taunts.
I smirk, before putting the cake in my mouth. I swear I could never get tired of eating these. I take another bite, before asking, “So, what do I owe the pleasure of this visit?”
Dominique grabs a napkin from the holder and wipes her mouth. She stares at me with a serious expression. “You owe nothing. I just wanted to talk to you about something.”
I didn’t like the unsureness of her tone. Placing the fork down, I question, “What’s going on, Dominique? Is somebody fucking with you? Did some asshole break your heart? Don’t make me have to put a bullet through a mother fucker’s eyes!”
She waves her hands. “No, no, it’s nothing like that.”
“Then what the fuck is it?”
“You are the Don of our family, so I knew I had to come to you with the decision I’m about to make.”
I peer at her, confused. “What decision?”
She bows her head, taking in a small breath before pinning me with her eyes. “I’m leaving the business, Davide.”
I blankly stare at her. That was not what I was expecting to hear. What the fuck! “Why would you want to give up something you love doing?”
“My heart’s just not in it anymore,” She simply replies, shrugging her shoulders.
That didn’t sound right to me. “I don’t buy that, Dominique. You went against Papà’s wishes to become a top assassin, and when he found out, you stood up to him to keep doing it. Now you say your heart’s not in it?! You’re going to have to give me something better than that.”
“I don’t know what else to tell you. I’ve thought long and hard about this, so please don’t try to talk me out of it.” She pleads with sad eyes.
I reach for her hand. “Did something happen on your last hit?”
“No,” she replies, shaking her head.
I sat there studying her. There had to be a reason why she wanted to just walk away from everything she has built. I wanted to push her to get the real answer, but I could tell this decision was affecting her. I’ll let it be for now.
“So, what are you going to do now?” I asked, picking up my fork again.
“I don’t know, maybe travel some. I’ve thought about finishing my degree in business.” She answers, reaching across, breaking off a piece of the crab cake.
Chuckling at her greedy ass, I push the plate in front of her. She’d better be lucky I placed two orders. After fixing me another plate with an extra cake on it for her, I retook my seat.
“Do you need any money?” I inquire while drizzling the sauce over my cakes.
Dominique stops in midchew and starts cracking up laughing. Shit, I had to laugh too because I knew for a fact with the money in her bank account, Dominique didn’t have to work another day in her life if she didn’t want to.
“Boss, we’ll be landing in thirty minutes,” Piero says from the other side of the bedroom door of my private jet, pulling me away from the thoughts of my family.
He was now my right-hand man. Just like papa had Antonio, I had Piero.
He was good at putting a mother fucker in his place and was all about business.
The fact that he came from the Level didn’t bother me one bit.
I held him in the same regard I did Luca and Matteo; he was my friend, and I didn’t have many of those.
A hand slides across my chest as a leg move its way up my thigh. Grabbing her hand, I state, “You need to get up and go do your job.” Matilda, the blonde stewardess I hired a while back, begins to make a purring sound.
“I can think of a better job I could be doing.” She coos as she begins to kiss down my chest.
Using my other hand, I take hold of her hair and tilt her head back.
“I don’t think so, Matilda. You’re a good lay, but giving head is not your forte.
Your teeth scrapped against my dick earlier, and I don’t mean in a good way.
Now, I don’t have time for this, so get dressed and go to your station. ”
“Oh, well, I promise to do a better job this time, Davide.”
“What did you call me?” I hiss, tightening my hold on her hair. “You seemed to have forgotten who you’re talking to.”
Matilda’s eyes buck as she grabs my wrist. “I’m sorry, Mr. Russo. Please forgive me, it was a mistake.”
I stare down at her with an intense gaze. This is why you couldn’t screw the help. They get too comfortable and think that it’s okay to call you by your name. The whole employer, employee dynamic goes out the window.
As I release her hair, she stares at me as if I called her a bitch or something.
I was just being honest, even if it might’ve seemed brutal.
Matilda climbs out the bed in a huff and starts putting her uniform back on.
Shit, I didn’t want to sleep with the girl, but since the day I hired her, she was always flirting with me.
After a few drinks and her being more aggressive with her teasing, I brought Matilda back here and fucked the shit out of her.
I’m sure Piero heard everything, but she wasn’t my woman, so I didn’t care.
The way she was screaming and moaning, I wouldn’t be surprised if my other men and the pilot didn’t hear her ass too.
When she’s finished dressing, she stands at the foot of the bed, running her finger through her hair. “Would you like something to drink, Mr. Russo?”
“No, Matilda. You may go now.” I nonchalantly reply. I don’t know why, but her presence was starting to get on my nerves.
“Very well,” She replies before leaving.