Sal Gabrini 3: Hard Love Read online

  “I thought we just walked how we walked,” he said. “I thought it was hereditary.”

  “When I was a kid in school,” Gemma explained, “I used to be teased a lot because of my height, and the fact that I was dark-skinned.”

  “What, you went to a predominantly white school?”

  “Predominantly black school,” Gemma replied. “Teasing people’s looks isn’t just a white thing, trust me. And, I must admit, it hurt. So, as I did whenever I had problems, I ran home to my father. My father told me that there’s always going to be ignorance in this world. I can do nothing about that. But I can do everything about my response to it. So he told me to go to school that next day, and even though I was already on the tall side, he said that I should walk as if I was taller, and to hold my black head as high as I could hold it. ‘Be proud of who you are,’ he told me. ‘If nobody else on the face of this earth thinks of you as beautiful, you’d better think of yourself that way.’”

  Sal stared at Gemma. She wasn’t this strong, independent, self-assured woman today because she was surrounded by peers who admired her beauty and praised her style. She was strong and self-assured despite the fact that her peers didn’t admire and praise her. And that, to Sal, took guts. “Remind me to thank your father for taking care of you as well as he did, until I could come along.”

  Gemma laughed and shook her head. “You deserve all the credit, Sal.”

  “Every ounce of it,” he said with his own grin, and she turned her attention back to the food.

  Sal, however, continued to think about what she had said. There was a time when he was worse than those kids at her school. There was a time in his life when he used every derogatory word in the book to describe all the other races, including his use of the N word, especially when he was a cop. He wasn’t proud of it in any way. He, in fact, was ashamed of himself. He was his father’s son back then. He was raised that way. Tommy never accepted it, but to please his old man, Sal did. And that foolish, ignorant prejudice almost caused him to lose sight of Gemma, the most beautiful woman in the world. It still scared him to think what his life would have been like, without her in it.

  He loved her in every way. Every way, he thought, as he looked down, once again, at her smoking body. She always turned him on, and especially so when she wore his clothes. And he knew she was naked beneath that shirt. He’d seen it when she was turned toward him, and now he could see the outline of her small, tight ass with her back to him. He ran his hand through his hair. He was becoming a gotdamn pervert the way he always wanted to fuck her. But he couldn’t help it. He wanted to fuck her.

  He got off of the stool, walked around the center island countertop, and stood behind her. As soon as she felt his hands sling beneath the shirt, she leaned against him.

  “I don’t like waking up alone when I’m in town with you,” he said, and slapped her vagina.

  She smiled at the sensual fire of his strike. “Didn’t mean for you to be alone,” she said, as his hands moved up and began massaging her breasts. “I thought you would be hungry.”

  “I am hungry,” he said.

  “For me or for food?”

  “Both,” he said as he began kissing her long, swan-like neck. “But you first.”

  She leaned back harder against him. She wasn’t even thinking about sex just a moment ago. Now the thought of Sal inside of her again was consuming her. It was crazy! And it was still so amazing to Gemma that it scared her. This man was becoming her life. By loving him so completely this way, she had given this man the power to hurt her mightily if he chose to do so. And that realization was never going to sit easy with a woman like Gemma Jones. She had been in love before. She already knew, when love went south, what it could do to her self-esteem and her self-worth. Now she was right back in the trenches again. And this time in a major league way. Because she didn’t just love Sal Gabrini. She LOVED Sal Gabrini! She’d never loved a man this hard.

  Sal had never loved a woman this hard, either. Their emotional connection was as strong as strong could get. But that physical connection was equally intoxicating. That was why, as he lifted the shirt and exposed her ass, he wanted to fuck her. It wasn’t about the sex directly, it was about doing Gemma. And as he moved her away from the stove and over to the center island, and she bent over for him, and he dropped his pants, he just stood there rubbing her ass. He loved the smoothness of her texture. He loved the darkness of her cheeks. And by the time he began penetrating her, his erection was ironclad. She winced with pain and pleasure as he moved into her.

  And it began. Their version of a quickie. His thighs slapped her ass, and his dick thrashed deep inside of her with such force, and with such g-spot precision, that all she could do was lean all the way forward on the countertop, and allow him to work his magic.

  Her body was rocking as he fucked her. All that could be heard was the slapping sounds that his gyrations produced, and Gemma felt as if she was going to burst with elation. She loved every sexual position Sal put her in, including when he came at her this way. Because it wasn’t in the positioning, but in the technique. And Sal had a way to make his big dick push in, tuck under, and then pop out. That pop out often took her breath away. Like now. He was popping the shit out of her. And she was cumming.

  Sal came soon after, in another downpour that overfilled her and poured out. He kept doing her, even as he continued to pour out, until he was completely out. So much so that after their cum, they both had to go back upstairs, and shower again.

  By the time they made it back down, they were dressed, with Sal in a sweatshirt and jeans, and Gemma in shorts and a UNLV t-shirt, and she had to reheat the food in the microwave.

  They settled in the dining room and began to eat.

  “How’s everything going with your case?” Sal vigorously ate his Salmon and rice. “What is it, a murder case?”

  “Rape.”

  Sal shook his head. “I hate that you have to deal with scum like that.”

  “They hire me to defend people. It’s my job.”

  “Messy job,” Sal said as he chomped down on a forkful of rice.

  “And your job isn’t messy, right?”

  “What messy? I’m a businessman! I co-own one of the largest corporations in the northwest.”

  “Yeah, that’s true. But that’s not all you do.”

  Sal looked at her. He never went that far with her. He never discussed his other business. “You didn’t answer my question. How’s the case going?”

  “Some days good, some days not so good.”

  “What about this day?”

  “Not so good,” Gemma admitted. “But he’ll take the stand tomorrow. Hopefully that’ll be a game changer.”

  “It’s risky.”

  “I know. But this kid is innocent. I’ve got to go all out for him. I’ve got to take that risk.”

  “And if you lose, and he’s found guilty and want to threaten you, you let me know.”

  Gemma started to eat a bite of salmon, but she sat her fork back down.

  Sal looked at the fork, and then at her. “What? What is it?”

  “I don’t lose every case anymore, Sal. I’m winning cases now.”

  “I know that. I’m proud of you.”

  “But this is one I’ve got to win. He’s innocent, and I just hope I don’t blow it.”

  “Oh, honey,” Sal said, reaching over and taking her hand. “You won’t blow anything. You’re smart, you’re the hardest working woman in show business.” Gemma smiled at that line. “You have the heart of a lioness,” Sal continued. “You ain’t blowing anything, sister, you hear me? Don’t you worry about that.”

  Gemma continued to smile and nod. “Thank-you,” she said.

  “What are you thinking me for?” Sal released her hand. “I haven’t even given you your birthday present yet.”

  “Oh, right.” Now she had a grand smile on her face. She was willing to bet that Sal gave wonderful gifts.

  “Do you want it
now, or later?”

  “Now please.”

  Sal smiled. “Then come over here and act like it.”

  Gemma jumped from her chair, went over to Sal, and sat on his lap. He held her. “So what is it?” she asked him.

  “Impatient, aren’t we? Not Gemma the Rock!”

  Gemma laughed. “Just give it to me, Salvatore.”

  “What do you want it to be?”

  “Something very nice.”

  “Like what?”

  “I don’t know, Sal. Jewelry or something like that.”

  “It’s not jewelry.”

  “Then what is it?”

  Sal reached into his jeans back pocket, and pulled out a thick envelope. He looked at her. “Happy birthday, my love,” he said, kissed her, and handed it to her.

  Gemma smiled as she accepted his gift. The first thing she thought of were tickets to some exotic places, like an African safari or a Mediterranean cruise. But she quickly realized the envelope was too thick. Then she pulled out the papers, and unfurled one.

  To her shock, the first paper was the deed to her house. Paid in full. She looked at Sal, speechless, and then she looked at the second paper.

  The second paper was the title to her BMW. Paid in full. Her heart began to pound at this point. Was this for real? Her house, and now her car, both paid off? Completely? Sal was leaned back, staring at her.

  The third and final paper was a deed too. It was the deed to the entire, four-unit office building where her law office was located. Paid in full. She had been renting one of the four offices, now she owned, outright, all four? She couldn’t believe it. Her heart could barely bear it.

  Any other woman, Sal knew, would have been so happy that they would have been all over him by now. But Gemma wasn’t any other woman. She got off of him and sat back down in her chair. A grave look was on her face. Sal was studying that face.

  “So what’s the verdict, Gemma?” he asked her.

  “I thought we had decided that it was too soon for you to do one of these things for me. But you did all three of these things, Sal?”

  “That’s right.”

  “But why, after we agreed?”

  “Because it’s your birthday, you’re my woman, you’re the only female I’ve ever called my woman. And no woman of mine, you, is going to owe everybody in Vegas!”

  “I don’t owe everybody in Vegas.”

  “Damn near! And that’s unacceptable to me, Gem. I’m sorry. You aren’t in love with some average Joe. You’re with me. And because you’re with me, you’re going to be debt free. That’s how you’re going to be from here on out.”

  “But I can’t accept all of this, Sal.”

  “You can accept it. And you will accept it.”

  Gemma almost found herself saying it was too much, too grand a gift for him to give to her. But she caught herself. Because it wasn’t too much. If she was going to remain Sal’s woman, it could never be too much. Besides, the idea of being debt free was so fantastical to her, so wonderful, that joy was bubbling up inside of her. And she smiled. Sal couldn’t believe it.

  “You’re smiling. Does that mean you like the gift?”

  “Oh, Sal, I love it,” she said as she stood back up, went to him, and gave him a big hug. When she stopped hugging him, tears were in her eyes.

  “Don’t cry, sweetheart. Why are you crying?”

  “I’m just so. . . overwhelmed. Nobody’s ever given me such gifts! I’m not used to this.”

  Sal’s cell phone began to ring. “Get used to it,” he said as he wiped her tears away. “You deserve that and so much more.” He looked at his Caller ID.

  “Let me guess,” Gemma said as she made her way back to her chair. “You’ve got to take it?”

  “I do, yeah,” he said as he answered his phone. “Yeah, what’s up?” He stood up and walked into the living room, to pace around and also to be, for the most part, out of the earshot of Gemma. Gemma was accustomed to it.

  But she wasn’t accustomed to such lavish gifts. House? Paid for. Car? Paid for too. And the law office she had been renting, was now hers along with the three other offices attached to the building? Now those three other businesses would have to pay their rents to her? Talk about a turnaround. And all because of that man over there, she thought, as she watched him walk around her living room in his jeans and sweatshirt, talking on the telephone.

  She sometimes wondered if he loved her enough, but it was times like this when that question seemed almost ridiculous. Of course he loved her! He loved her deeply.

  He finished his call and made his way back into the dining room. Gemma didn’t hear the vast majority of the conversation, but she did hear Sal say that he’d be there tomorrow.

  “Be where tomorrow?” she asked as he sat back down.

  “St. Louis,” Sal said, stirring his food.

  “So you’re leaving tomorrow?”

  “Yep.”

  Gemma exhaled.

  He looked at her as he chewed. “What?”

  “That’s why I didn’t want to accept gifts like this from you.”

  “Why?”

  “Because now I’ll feel guilty about arguing with you.”

  “Why would you want to argue with me?”

  “You’re leaving tomorrow, Sal. I haven’t seen you in weeks and tomorrow you’re gone again?”

  “I have to take care of some business, what are you talking? This wasn’t meant to be any prolonged visit.”

  “Even though I haven’t seen you in weeks?”

  “You’ve been busy and I’ve been busy.” Then he frowned. “What’s with all of this clinging and neediness all of a sudden?”

  Those words alone hit Gemma to her core. He called her clingy and needy, two words she despised. And he wasn’t wrong. She was acting just like the very person she swore she would never become.

  “This is the life we live,” Sal continued. “Maybe after this trip, and after your trial, things will settle back down for us.”

  “I know,” Gemma said, attempting to play it off. Then her phone rang, and saved her. Especially when she looked at the Caller ID and realized it was Collier, one of those male attorneys Sal was always disparaging. Not that she usually wanted to make Sal jealous, she didn’t. But she hated the way he had to be viewing her right now. Clingy and needy? She hated it.

  She put the phone on Speaker.

  “Hello?”

  “Gemma, hey, it’s Collier. How are you, kid?”

  As soon as Sal heard that it was a male on her phone, he was paying attention.

  “I’m okay, Coll, how are you?”

  “Good, good, good. Happy birthday!”

  “Thanks.”

  “Thirty years young. How does that feel?”

  “The same as twenty-nine so far.”

  “That’ll change,” he said, and she smiled.

  “So what’s up?”

  “Just wanted to remind you of our dinner date tomorrow night.”

  Sal sat his fork down. Dinner date? What the fuck?

  Gemma didn’t look his way. “Of course, yep,” she said. “No need to remind me.”

  “You’ll still going to show up, though, right?”

  “I’ll be there.”

  “Good. That’s why I called. I just wanted to make sure. I didn’t realize it was so late.”

  “That’s never stopped you before.”

  He laughed. When she looked at Sal, she realized he was staring at her. And not in an affectionate way. “Anyway, Collier, thanks for calling.”

  “Sure thing, Gem. So take care of yourself, and I’ll see you tomorrow night.”

  “Sure thing,” Gemma said, they said their goodbyes, then Gemma killed the call. Sal waited until she checked her email, sat down her phone, and looked up at him.

  “Who was that?”

  “Collier. He’s an attorney in town. We’ve tried a few cases together.”

  “What was he talking about? What dinner date?”

 
“It’s my birthday, remember? He and a couple of other attorneys are taking me to dinner tomorrow night.”

  “Him and a couple others?”

  “Right.”

  “Is this other couple an actual couple?”

  “They’re dating, yes.”

  “So let me get this straight. There’s this dinner date that includes an attorney and his woman, along with Collier and his woman?”

  “Right. No, wrong, Sal. Wrong! You know I’m not that man’s woman!”

  “Just make sure he realizes that too.”

  “He realizes it. Everybody knows I’m yours. They’re taking me to dinner to celebrate my birthday. Just like Tree and Liz were going to do earlier tonight. It’s no big deal.”

  “It better not be. And he’d better not show up alone, claiming the other couple couldn’t make it. If that happens, you get your ass up and take your ass home. Understand me, Gemma?”

  “He won’t be the only one to show up---”

  “Do you understand me?” Sal made clear.

  Gemma felt that he was, as usual, overreacting, but she nodded her head anyway. “I understand,” she said.

  Sal still didn’t like the idea of it, but he nodded just the same. “That’s alright then,” he said.

  Gemma smiled and shook her head. “Just finish your food before it gets cold.”

  Sal finished his meal, but before the night was over he phoned St. Louis. He would be there, he told them, but a day later than he had planned.

  CHAPTER FOUR

  “Guess what wind just blew our way, Pop,” Jimmy Mack Gabrini said as he entered his father’s massive office inside the PaLargio Hotel and Casino on the Vegas Strip.

  When Reno Gabrini looked up from the paperwork on his desk and saw that it was Sal coming in behind his son, he dropped the papers he had in his hand and leaned back in his chair. “That’s no wind,” he said. “That’s a motherfucking hurricane!”

  Jimmy laughed. He was Reno’s handsome biracial son, half-black, half-Italian, who was closer to Sal than any other relative. “He’s not a weather phenomenon, Pop. He’s Uncle Sal!”