A month later.
“Dante, glad you called.”
It was therefore suggested that I travel out to Philadelphia to meet with Dante, which I agreed to do. Carlo, Gael, and Gabriella would accompany me. The trip back home was still getting worked out once Sofia finished her press tour that had gained considerable notice. A stunning parade of naked women appeared at Achille’s club SSO. As I took a closer look, I wasn't interested in meeting him this way, but he wouldn't meet me anywhere else for business.
“We can talk in the back.”
The women approached him as he escorted us down the dark hall of his club, and he smiled at them or smacked them on the butt.
“How many have you slept with?” I questioned when he opened the door of his office.
He waved me off and walked toward the bar in the corner.
“Only two this month,” Dante replied, pouring a shot of tequila.
“My girl would say your dick might fall off,” Carlo joked.
In response, he grunted and held up a glass for each of us.
“How long are you here in my hometown?” Dante questioned.
“I flew in just for today.” I unbuckled my coat and relaxed.
“So you want me to broker a deal.” Dante came over and sat on the edge of his desk. “Between my connections in New York, Spain, and Italy, we can do big things in Russia.”
“I love money.”
“The only thing we need to be careful of is blowback from Lusting.”
“I heard his people are investigating what happened.”
“His wife put out a missing person’s report.”
“We can make that go away.” Dante cocked his head to the right.
“No killing children and women,” Carlo said.
“That’s the De Luca rules,” Dante replied, slid off his desk, and went to take a seat.
“What are the Achille rules?”
“Money and family.”
“Our names are too hot right now,” I explained.
“So I’ll talk to the Russians and Lusting to end the investigation.”
“We’ll cut you in on the deal.”
“Sounds interesting.” Dante rubbed his chin, lifting his feet on top of the desk.
“Twenty percent.”
“Mota?” Dante inquired.
“Won't be a problem.”
“Maybe I should visit New York a little more. I hear your women are exquisite.”
“Our women, but you’ll have to find your own,” Carlo argued, sliding back in the chair.
“We go way back, Joaquin.”
“I agree.”
“Might get dirty?”
“I’m fine with that, are you?”
He grinned.
“Red is my favorite color.” He extended his hand for a shake. I stood and grasped his palm.
“Then we’ll do some business.”
“You stay and get a dance from my girls.”
“We have wives and kids at home,” Carlo said.
“Forgot you’re on leashes now,” he joked, Carlo flipped him off.
“Call me when it’s set up,” I replied, heading out of his office to the front entrance and our waiting limo.
Two days later.
Right on schedule, Dante made the connection with the Russians, and Lusting’s people were put on warning to keep my family’s name out of their mouths. Currently standing at a loading dock to get a shipment of guns from France in crates to unload, Gael and Hugo were with me, and we had the trucks waiting to place everything up to send out to our customers.
“How much are we paying Dante?”
“Twenty percent.”
“How many shipments are coming?”
“Two a month.”
“We might need to hire more soldiers.”
“Have Hugo take over handling the hiring.” Hugo looked shocked, but I knew he was loyal. Giving him more responsibility showed that I trusted him outside of taking care of my wife and kids.
“We still need to get someone to replace him.”
“He’s the only one I trust with Sofia.”
“Are you cool with that, Hugo?”
“More than ready,” Hugo replied.
“Bigger things are happening.” Gael shook his hand.
“Is Cassidy going to be a problem?”
“She’s onboard,” Hugo answered.
“Then you have my approval and gratitude. When’s the wedding?”
“No clue; she’s keeping me out of all the planning.”
“Reminds me of Sofia.”
We watched them pack up the crates and sign off.
“All the women are crazy.”
“How’s Alessandra?” I asked, and he went silent.
“She wants to come back.”
“That’s your choice.”
“I told her to give it a little more time.”
“Whatever you think is best.”
“She’s special to me,” Gael responded.
“The second you have them, never let them go.”
“Sofia said you’re trying to get her pregnant?”
She’d been acting weird lately, refusing to take a test.
“She wants to wait another year or two.”
“What do you want?”
“If it was my choice, she’d be pregnant with twins.”
They chuckled as our security of the loading dock signed off and gave me the go ahead to leave. I paid him a hefty amount to keep our stash safe near the waterfront.
“Dante told me how you two met.” Gael turned and got inside the driver's side of the car. I climbed in the passenger seat and read over the manifest for the shipment.
“What lie did he tell?”
“He didn't give me all the details and said that’s the whole story.”
“His life’s a book that he refuses to tell.”
“Maybe he needs a woman to calm him down.”
“We have women; have we calmed down?”
He looked around at the surrounding area, and I chuckled.
“Point taken.”
“Exactly: The Fuertes Mafia will never stop.”