Damien had been stuck in traffic behind Victoria's limo for far too long. Finally the Fiat they trailed slowed right in front of the local Prestige. The capo bolted up from his seat with a Lucky standing out from the corner of his lips, muffling a touch of his words. "Damn... not ten minutes and already she is stepping up to slip behind Daddy's big desk. Nunzio! Bring us around the back to the lower level garage. I want bella aurita to have ten minutes lead."
He gritted his teeth loud enough to raise the fine hairs on Nunzio`s neck and pulled out his cell to send out the command for the guards to enter the hotel quietly; like they could ever do that. The mooks seemed to revel in being idiots. Silent was beyond them. Oh their eyes were good, and they could intimidate a shark. But only Nunzio seemed capable of higher thoughts.
Snapping his cell phone shut, Damien flung it against the backseat beside himself so sure fingers could start undoing his suit. He had a dozen outfits in the limo. His jacket and tie were tossed to the left to crumple. He'd never wear that again. To him it was a jinx to wear funeral clothes past the time of the burial. Uncle Santino had done such a thing, wearing them to a second wake. He had a coronary the very next day. The toss of clothing was simply proof that Damien had been brought up with strict Catholicism dipped in a thick portion of superstition.
Bare to the chest, Damien took a second to thumb the pink scar from the last time he was shot. Right in the hip had gone the slug. It had spun the olive skinned man to the curb. Nunzio had of course put three holes in the head of the Yak, then the required two more in his privates. Provenzano rules said the boss killers got two shots in the Jimmy as warning not to fuck with the Family.
Damien often followed the example of his grandfather. Fat Johnny's name still struck fear such that only Damien mentioned him aloud. He slipped off his loafers and slacks. Sitting in navy silk boxers, the capo planned exactly how he might approach the daughter of his friend. He selected the casual sleek blazer and accompanying slacks. They were dark brown to acknowledge the mourning period, but warm enough in tone to seem friendly. He laughed softly to himself, Tori was hardly a fool. But if she was caught up in emotion her intuition might be clouded.
He slid the slacks over his toned runner's legs. The silent reverie was broken when they found a parking spot. Nunzio exited the vehicle and quickly came around the side of the limo to open the door. Damien got out sliding his blazer on with his eyes shifting to the security camera monitoring the lot. He blew it a kiss with a twinkle in his eye. Nunzio sighed softly but waited for his boss to calm down enough to get formal. Damien always got this way when first meeting females. He was not a player per se. He had only really kept Julie because she had loved him. Nothing went back to her in return, not that it mattered to him.
Victoria was the prize to conquer now. And her dowry was substantial enough to warrant manipulating her in that fashion...into his devoted pet. He chuckled heavily and motioned for Nunzio to follow behind him on the way toward the parking garage entrance. The cocky leader of the Provenzano Family strode inside and directly up to the elevator doors and stood there as if he owned the place, cutting the staff a look that demanded they step back before they even thought about taking a step forward.
The security detail there gave them a knowing once over. The old man seemed to have recognition in his tired eyes. Damien gave the old rent-a-cop a soft smile that never quite reached his eyes. The doors pinged open with the old man edging far away from Damien. The pair slipped past the parted silver doors and turned to face the lobby. "I hate it when you do that Nikola. Old man did nothing to ya. I bet his adult diapers are full now."
There were very few allowed to call Damien by his middle name. In fact only those who shared his bed or his childhood were given permission. A tisking sound was audible over the rock music flowing from the elevator speakers. Damien admired the tailoring of his rich coffee colored blazer with hands that skimmed over the fabric. Having found a small stray fiber, it was flicked from his left cuff with a low growl. Only then did he address his trusted lieutenant. "Nun, try to remember how much rumor counts. If the old guy goes to the local alchy and mouths off, all the better.
The lower fish should recognize a shark in their midst. However let me tell you, I was more than willing to cap him to see how the girl reacts to brutality. I knew her a few years ago, but times change Nun. She shimmers like an ice princess. Cold as Rod's mother's cooking." The two laughed heartily at the inside joke.
Roderick's mother had just sent them a homemade key lime pie which was served cold unlike most confectionaries. Too bad they finished off Rod the day after the last piece of pie was eaten by Nunzio. His mother might have gifted them some more. The elevator pinged and opened right below the penthouse. Just as the level security man opened his mouth to ask a question, Nunzio`s fist shot out to crack his teeth. Damien chuckled at his buddies antics.
