Reno and Trina: Love On the Rocks Read online

  “We’ve had other dates,” she said as she rubbed the slightest of gel along her hairline.

  “But one of them was on a job interview. That doesn’t count.”

  “The point is, I didn’t know he owned the PaLargio when we had our first date, and he had no clue I had applied to work at his business. It just happened. So I never looked at him as this great man or anything like that.”

  Then Trina stopped what she was doing. “But now that he’s my boss, it feels weird you know?” A sad look appeared in her eyes. “It’s probably doomed now anyway. It’s probably going nowhere fast now that I work for him.”

  “You seem disappointed,” Jazz said.

  “I am a little. I mean, I like him. I like him a lot. But even after our first date; after I allowed that man to go all the way with me, he didn’t call me back. Not once. He said he was, but he didn’t. It was only after I was on that interview at the PaLargio, when I was applying for a manager’s job and therefore had to meet with the owner, did we see each other again. But that was his hormones talking that day, not his heart.”

  Jazz stared at her friend. “It’s not going to be easy, Tree,” she said. “He’s got a lot going on.”

  “Boy, do I know it. But that’s all the more reason I feel he’s probably not interested in me on the level I would require. I’m just saying.”

  “But don’t say that. Stop being so negative,” Jazz said firmly. “If you make it out, we both make it out. Because I know you won’t forget your old friend right here.”

  “You know I won’t.”

  “That’s why I’m counting on you getting out,” Jazz said. “So you’d better cut the good girl routine and find you something to wear that shows more cleavage and more ass. I heard Reno Gabrini likes women with big asses and big tits. Those other females out there are more than happy to oblige him. You have to outdo your competition, girl.”

  “That’s ridiculous,” Trina said with a frown on her face. “I’m not competing for some man. If he wants me, and I want him, then we’ll be together. If he doesn’t want me, or I don’t want him, then we won’t. Simple as that.”

  “Nothing is simple in this day and age. Especially when it comes to men and women.”

  “I know you didn’t come all this way to my apartment to be talking about my date.”

  Jazz smiled. “I came to pay you those fifty bucks I owe you,” she said. “But now that you’re going to be painting the town with Reno Gabrini, I don’t see where you need it.”

  Trina smiled as she grabbed her eyebrow pencil. “You’re a mess,” she said.

  “But a loveable mess,” Jazz replied with a grin. Then her expression turned serious. “This is your big break, Tree. I don’t want you to blow it.”

  Trina looked at her friend through her mirror, and then turned around and faced her, leaning against her dresser. Her apartment wasn’t in the best part of Vegas. It was, in fact, in what many would call the hood. But it was all she could afford while she worked at Boyzie’s. Now that she was a manager-trainee at the PaLargio, she knew her fortunes could change. But she wasn’t getting into any debt, or moving anywhere, until she finished training and was given permanent employment status. She felt the same way about her relationship with Reno.

  “I want it to work out too,” she said to Jazz. “I’m not gonna lie and pretend it’s no big deal to me. I like him. But he’s . . .”

  Jazz waited for her to continue. She didn’t. “He’s what?”

  “I’ve only been working there for a week, but already I’m seeing woman after woman claiming to be all in love with him and throwing themselves at him.”

  “Of course they are!” Jazz said. “He’s rich and powerful and good looking too? Who wouldn’t throw themselves at him? I’ll bet cha if I was working there, I’d be all up in his grill too.”

  But she could tell Trina was not feeling it. Not like that. “But that’s not the kind of man you want,” she said. “Right?”

  “Right,” Trina admitted. “He’s the very opposite of the kind of man I want. I just don’t see how I could ever be that important to him. I just don’t see how he could . . .”

  “How he could what?”

  “How he could ever be faithful to me,” Trina said. “All those women throwing themselves at him? And I’m talking gorgeous girls. You should see some of them.”

  “You’re gorgeous, Tree, what are you talking about?”

  “I’m alright,” Trina said. “But they’re . . . It would be no competition at all if it came down to me versus them, I’ll tell you that right now. I’ll lose every time.” Her expression changed. “That’s what worries me.”

  “You’re worried that you’ll fall in love with the joker--”

  “And he won’t be able to live up to my expectations,” Trina said. “Yeah. And then where would I be? You know what I went through with Scott. I can’t go through that again.”

  Jazz nodded. “I wish I could tell you he’s not the type. But I can’t. The little time I saw him at Boyzie’s checking out all of those ladies’ asses, I’m sorry girl. He is the type. He’ll break your heart just as sure as you have one to break. And you have a big heart, Tree. But . . .”

  Trina looked at Jazz as if there could not possibly be a but after that. “But what?” she asked.

  “He’s going to take your heart for a ride,” she said. “No doubt about that.” Then she smiled. “But what a ride it’ll be!” she said with a grin.

  Trina couldn’t help but grin too, and toss her makeup cloth at Jazz. But inwardly, she was terrified. Because all of that talk about her falling in love with Reno Gabrini someday was already much farther in motion than Jazz, or even Reno, could possibly realize.

  CHAPTER THREE

  Dirty parked his Cadillac on the side of the road, and they waited. The street was dark and isolated just as Carmine had described it, and they had the element of surprise. But Reno was still antsy. He still felt uncertain.

  Joey could sense his brother’s uneasiness, and looked at him. “You okay, Reno?”

  Reno didn’t respond. Joey, who sat on the backseat with Carmine, gave his brother a small shove in the back. Reno sat on the front passenger seat. “Reno? What’s wrong?”

  “Something don’t feel right,” Reno said.

  “Here we go,” Dirty said.

  “Why don’t it feel right?” Carmine asked. “Because you’re not the one in charge?”

  “Fuck you, Carmine,” Joey said. “Don’t talk to my brother like that.”

  “But he’s always pulling this shit,” Dirty said. “Carmine’s right. He’s always acting like he’s better than everybody else. Like we don’t know what we’re doing. Carmine is your old man’s underboss. He’s his right-hand man. But that still don’t mean shit to Reno.”

  “He can’t help how he feels,” Joey said. “He says something’s not right, then something’s not right. What you want him to say? Everything’s fine? Instead of running your big mouth, Dirty, maybe you should listen to him.”

  “And maybe you should kiss my ass, Joey!” Dirty shot back.

  “Okay, knock it off!” Reno ordered. “Just give me the background. How did we get our intel? All we have to go by is what one of his capos said?”

  A second car was around the corner parked. They would alert them when Pizzano’s limo was in sight, and make sure there was no tail-behind security vehicle they would have to ambush.

  “Not just his capo,” Carmine said. “I told you we got additional intel from other people too. What are you kidding me? I’m not stupid, Reno. Do I look stupid? I know to get intel from more than one source.”

  “And the details he knew about,” Dirty said. “Don’t forget that. His capo knew details about that attempted hit on the Don nobody but the perps would know.”

  Reno exhaled. “What’s Pop saying about it?” he asked. “Pop know we’re hitting tonight?”

  “Hell yeah he knows,” Dirty said. “He’s the one told us to come and get
you. He didn’t want any shit going down without you. He’s tired of all of these attempts on his life. Who’s gonna try next, he keeps asking. He figured me and Carmine can’t handle it without you.”

  Reno didn’t respond. It was a longstanding problem in his father’s organization. Paulo Gabrini thought the sun rose and set on his oldest son. Reno broke his heart when he left for Vegas as a teenager and refused to take over his father’s business. But when major trouble struck, Reno was always there, taking charge, and handling the situation on behalf of his old man. “Dirty, Carmine, and Joey put together don’t size up to half of you,” Paulo would always tell Reno. And he’d tell him in front of Dirty, Carmine, and Joey too.

  “Why did Pizzano order the hit?” Joey asked. “He had to know Pop would hit back.”

  “He didn’t think he’d be discovered ever,” Carmine said. “Who would think a fathead like Dellboy Pizzano would pull that shit? Nobody.”

  “And like all the other families out there, he thinks Pop’s organization is weak,” Joey said. “People are beginning to see too many holes in his grip on power. That’s why he keeps getting hit. I told Pop he needs to get a better handle on things, but he’s not listening to me. He never does. He’ll listen to Reno, but Reno won’t tell him shit.”

  “What I look like telling Pop how to run his own business?” Reno asked. “That’s his business. I have my own to worry about.”

  “Then why are you out here on this dark road instead of at your business?” Joey asked. “Or with the black chick?” he added maliciously.

  Dirty looked at Reno. “What black chick?” he asked.

  “Fuck you, Joey,” Reno said.

  “What black chick?” Carmine asked.

  “Nobody,” Reno said.

  “He’s dating a black chick,” Joey said. “And get this fellars: she works for him too. I said gotdamn, Reno. Have you lost your fucking mind? You don’t screw your employees. That’s not nice. Pop taught us better.”

  “Why you going outside your race, Reno?” Dirty asked. “What, an Italian girl not good enough for you?”

  “Change the subject,” Reno said.

  Carmine smiled. “We offended you, Reno?”

  “Change the fucking subject.”

  Joey, Carmine, and Dirty laughed. “Yep, Joey,” Carmine said. “It’s serious. When a man doesn’t want anybody joking about his ladylove, it’s serious.”

  “This shit don’t feel right,” Reno said again, his mind a million miles ahead of everybody else’s in the car. “Get the backup on the horn.”

  “What I got to get them on the horn for?” Dirty asked. “They’ll call us when they spot the limo.”

  “They should have spotted it by now,” Reno said. “Get those fuckers on the horn!”

  But as soon as Dirty pressed the button to call the backup car one street over, they heard the gunfire.

  “Gotdammit,” Reno yelled, “I told you something was off! Go! Let’s get over there! They may need backup!”

  “Reno told y’all!” Joey yelled.

  But just as Dirty cranked up to speed off, a limousine came tearing around the corner as if it was getting away from the gunfire. And it was heading straight for Dirty’s Cadillac.

  “Motherfuckers!” Carmine yelled, and jumped out of the car with his gun ready to fire.

  “Wait!” Reno yelled, but Dirty was jumping out too.

  By the time Joey and Reno jumped out, the bodyguard inside of the limo was already firing and the driver was attempting to reverse course and back up.

  Reno knew they had no choices now. It would have to be an ambush. There was no other way. Reno never liked this kind of hit. It could go all kinds of wrong. But they didn’t have a choice anymore.

  Led by Reno, they began running toward the limo, shooting as they ran. The bracelet in Reno’s pocket fell out, and would soon be forgotten. Because they were out for revenge. The man in that limo tried to kill Paulo Gabrini. They had to take him out.

  And they had to take him out now. If the limo cleared the corner, and got away, there would be hell to pay all up and down the west coast. Reno knew it better than all the others combined, and he ran the fastest getting to that limousine. He was firing and firing as he ran. While Carmine and Dirty were shooting at tires, and Joey was shooting at whatever he could hit, Reno was aiming for heads. The driver first, and then the bodyguard.

  He got the bodyguard first, but then, within seconds, the driver too. And that was when the limo’s momentum slowed dramatically, and then came to a stop. Their backup car came speeding around the corner, with only half their men, just as the limo stopped.

  The men jumped out of the backup car, but Reno motioned for them to wait. He didn’t want them to exhaust what bullets they had left before they knew if other shooters were alive in that limo.

  Then Dirty, Carmine, and Joey approached the vehicle, led by Reno, with their guns still drawn.

  “Everybody get to a door,” Reno ordered as they walked. “Try to open your door quickly to make sure no motherfucker is hiding inside. Me and Carmine will take the back doors. Dirty, you and Joey get up front.”

  “Got it,” Dirty said, and they made their way to the limousine.

  When they arrived, Reno and Carmine were unable to fling open their doors. They were locked. But Dirty and Joey were able to swing open theirs. And when they did, they saw the carnage. The driver was slumped over the steering wheel, and the bodyguard, on the front passenger seat, fell out onto the street when the door was opened. Joey smiled.

  “We got those fuckers good, Reno!” he said with a grin. “We got those fuckers good!”

  But when Dirty looked into the backseat, to see just how good he got the main fucker, the mob boss, he was stunned. “Shit!” he yelled.

  Reno and Carmine quickly hurried to the front of the limo, and Joey looked in the backseat. “Shit!” Joey said too.

  “What is it?” Reno asked, pushing Joey aside and looking in himself. But when he looked in, and then looked into the backseat, he was stunned too. Not only was Dellboy Pizzano dead in the backseat, but so were a woman and a little girl. Reno knew it was Pizzano’s wife and daughter. And he was stunned shitless too.

  Pizzano wasn’t alone. They’d been told that Pizzano was always alone! And why would he take his wife and kid to a strip joint, if that was where he was headed? That couldn’t have been where he was headed!

  But Reno couldn’t think clear enough to even wrap his brain around any of it. He was too busy staring at their mistake. He was just too devastated to think.

  CHAPTER FOUR

  Trina put her shirt-styled gown over her naked body and got into bed. She laid on her back, staring up at her ceiling. Outside was lively, and why not? It was Thursday night. People in her neighborhood always believed in four-day weekends and they were out in force tonight. Music playing. People laughing and talking and drinking like happy fools. And even kids’ voices could be heard as they played ball in the streets under the street lights, while parents sat on stoops with watchful eyes. It was not an unusual night for Trina’s world.

  But it was an unusual pain Trina was experiencing because this was the third time. The third time Reno had stood her up. What was she supposed to take from that? Whenever she was with him, she felt as if he wanted to make this work as badly as she did. But every time they were apart, it was as if they weren’t on the same page at all. Reno was in his own world, doing his own thing. He never called. Never just dropped by. Why was she putting up with this?

  Trina was nobody’s patsy. She was known to love’em and leave’em without ever looking back. But she was just getting started with Reno and already he was treating her like secondhand clothes. What astounded her was the fact that she was allowing it!

  And then her doorbell rang. It was ten at night now, and her doorbell was ringing. She got up, walked over to the window, and looked out. When she saw Reno’s convertible, she exhaled. He came alright. Just two hours too late, and without so much a
s a phone call. She stood there, wondering if she should open the door at all. Who did he think he was? Did other women give him this kind of latitude with their hearts?

  But the doorbell kept ringing. And then the knocks. And then a phone call. And she was in a quandary. Because this man was also her boss. Not her direct supervisor. She had to go through probably two hundred people before she was up the chain to Reno’s level. But that made it worse. Because he had the final say. There was no person above him. She could lose her job if this budding romance petered out. And it wasn’t any job. It was the best, most lucrative job she’d ever had. She closed her eyes and shook her head. What kind of dark hole had she gotten herself into?

  Instead of answering the phone call, she went to her front door. And opened it.

  Reno was standing there. He was dressed in a nice suit, but it looked as if it had been slept in. And his hair was a mess too. And his eyes looked unsteady. He had a look Trina had never seen on him before. He looked desperate.

  “I’m late,” he said.

  “Yes, you are,” she said.

  She waited for more of an apology. But nothing else came. Then he asked to come in. Although her heart was gravely disappointed in Reno, she stepped aside, and let him in.

  Reno walked in and closed the door after he did. And they just stood there, like two people who didn’t know where to begin.

  For Trina, it was all the heart of the matter. Reno was treating her in a way that used to annoy her when other guys tried it. The never calling her. The missed dates. The coming late. It was all a pattern she usually cut off right away. But she had actually let Reno into her home, as if he would have some grand explanation, when he was just standing there, telling her nothing.

  Reno wasn’t talking because he wasn’t sure if he could complete a full sentence. That scene in that limo still flashed through his head like lightning bolts in dark rooms. They killed Dellboy Pizzano. That was a good thing. That fucker had tried to ice Reno’s father. But they also killed the man’s wife and kid. And that wasn’t just a bad thing. That was, to Reno, unforgiveable. Wives and kids were off limits. He didn’t pull that shit. But he had, unwittingly, pulled it tonight.