Sal Gabrini: His House of Cards Read online

  He rubbed her soft, natural hair, and stared at this gorgeous woman fucking him. The idea that Reno would think that he didn’t care about her, or that she didn’t mean everything to him, was a fucking joke to Sal. This woman was his life. This woman was his world. And every man alive had better believe it. Gemma was his!

  Sal grabbed her by the hair, and kissed her so hard that she could feel it in her pussy, and then he took over. He placed his other hand on the side of her hip, positioning her ass just above his lap, and then began pushing his cock into her himself. But only Sal pushed harder and faster. It was as if Gemma had been the warm up act and he was the main event. He fucked her hard and kissed her hard and held her hair until she could feel her roots stretch. It was that rough way they liked. And Sal was taking her there. And the more he banged her, the more he pounded her, the more elated she felt. Until she couldn’t hold it off a second longer. Her orgasm took hold.

  Sal felt gratified when Gemma wrapped her arms around him and squeezed and pulsated and endured the totality of what it meant to be fucked by him. Because he knew what she was feeling. The breasts beneath his shirt she wore were smashed against his bare chest, and every inch of her body was under his control. He was doing something he loved. He was completely satisfying his woman. Who in this world, he thought, as he fucked her harder and began to cum and release a deluge inside of her, could ask for anything more?

  CHAPTER FOUR

  Every salesman and clerk inside the dealership were staring at Gemma and Sal as Sal sat her down in the most expensive automobile on their showroom floor. A spanking brand new Aston-Martin DB9 with baby blue exterior, pearl-white leather interior: the Volante Carbon edition. Gemma had never seen a car more beautiful. When Sal sat down on the front seat beside her, she nodded her head. “It’s amazing, Sal.”

  “You like it then?”

  Gemma smiled. “I really do. I’m not a materialistic person, you know I’m not, but I think I love this, Sal.”

  Sal was looking around at the thick, posh interior too. “It’s cute, isn’t it?”

  “Cute?” Gemma asked. “My BMW was cute. A Ford Focus is cute.”

  “No, it ain’t,” Sal said.

  “Yes, it is,” Gemma shot back. “A Ford Focus is cute. But this is beyond cute. This is elegance on steroids.”

  Sal nodded. “I hear ya, sister. It’s a beauty.” He looked at her. “You want it?”

  Gemma looked at him. “I love it, Sal. I hate to admit it because it’s such an outrageously expensive car, but I love it.”

  “Then it’s yours,” Sal said, rubbing his hands together. He loved when he pleased her. “Let’s get the keys, fire this baby up, and see how well it rides.”

  He got out of the car and walked around to the driver side just as the dealership manager was coming toward them. Sal always presented as a very wealthy man. His suits always appeared far more expensive than the next guy’s, and better tailored. But he had that walk about him, and that style about him, that screamed street. Mafia. Bad man. They wanted no parts of this.

  Somebody had gone and gotten the head man, and he was hurrying over. “Good afternoon, sir,” the manager said, virtually out of breath. He and Sal shook hands. “How may I help you, sir?”

  “We want to take it for a spin and see how this baby rides,” Sal informed him. “Get the keys.”

  “Um, why, yes, sir. I will have one of my men pull one around from the back for the test drive. It’s an older version, but it should give you and your lady friend some idea of how beautifully it rides.”

  Sal didn’t understand. “Pull it from the back? An older version? What are you talking? Why would I want to test a car I’m not buying? I want to test this one. Get the keys for this one.”

  The manager wasn’t accustomed to being so roundly bossed around, and he didn’t like it. “Well, sir, for your information,” he said, “our policy is not to remove the showroom cars unless we are certain of a sale. We do not allow miles to pile up on our showroom versions. Especially with our more expensive models.”

  Sal was about to go off on the man. Gemma hurried out of the car. “Get the keys to this one,” she said in a softer, more persuasive voice. “We plan to purchase this automobile.”

  “This Aston-Martin?” the manager asked doubtfully.

  What was with this guy, Sal wondered. “No,” he said. “We plan to purchase a Kia Sophia. That’s why we want to test drive this Aston. Because we want to purchase a Kia.”

  “But what I meant to say,” the manager said, looking more at Gemma, “is that the price of this automobile, with its unique upgrades, well exceeds two hundred-and-fifty thousand dollars. That’s a quarter of a million dollars. Do you understand the price?”

  Gemma rolled her eyes. Why did these people always make such assumptions? And to make these assumptions around Sal? She knew Sal was not pleased.

  And he wasn’t. He frowned. “Does she understand the price?” he asked the manager. “Do you understand the price, motherfucker? What kind of question is that? Get the fucking keys so we can take this fucking thing on a test ride. What the fuck is wrong with you?”

  By now, the entire dealership staff was watching the scene unfold. They fully expected their manager to kick the couple out. He’d kicked other wannabe rich people out before who wanted to pretend they could afford such luxuries. And the manager was about to do just that. But one of his salesmen, one who had just arrived into the showroom, one with some sense, hurried to his side.

  “That’s Sal Gabrini, sir,” he whispered frantically in the manager’s ear. “You’re making a terrible mistake. He owns the Gabrini Corporation. He’s Reno Gabrini’s cousin!”

  The manager’s eyes widened with shock. He knew about the Gabrini Corporation, and he definitely knew about Reno Gabrini’s PaLargio Hotel and Casino on the Vegas Strip. He immediately ordered the salesman to go get the keys. “We’ll be right with you, sir, ma’am,” he said to Sal and Gemma with respect this time, and then hurried to ensure that his salesman hurried back.

  Sal looked at Gemma. “You okay?” he asked.

  “I’m good,” Gemma responded. “These people don’t bother me, Sal. They feel better about themselves when they denigrate others. Don’t let them get to you.”

  Sal knew he needed to be more like Gemma. He knew he needed to take all forms of disrespect in stride. But he couldn’t. “Fucker have the nerve to ask if we understand the price of some fucking car,” he said, his blood still boiling. “As if we’re living hand to mouth or pinching pennies or something. Like I’m going to bring you here, sit you in this car, and then embarrass you because I can’t afford it. What kind of sense does that make?”

  “None,” Gemma said. “But they have this narrative that they want to keep believing, that no minority woman is going to be valued the way you value me, and spend this kind of money on me, so they play that game. It’s jealousy pure and simple. They’re fooling nobody but themselves, Sal.” Then she added, in the best Italian voice she could muster: “Forget about it!”

  Sal smiled, and then laughed. And then placed his arm around her and kissed her. “You’re a gem, Gemma,” he said. “One of a kind.”

  Gemma smiled too. She wasn’t about to let anybody ruin this beautiful Saturday afternoon with her hubby. Especially not some stuffy-ass car salesman.

  But her joy became fright when they dropped Sal’s Porsche off at the house and Sal got on the passenger side of her brand new Aston-Martin. She thought they would go for a drive in the country. Sal thought they’d go skating.

  “Skating?” Gemma asked as she drove out of their circular driveway. “Why would we want to do that?”

  “Because we haven’t done it in ages. Because this is the first time in a long time that we didn’t have to be apart from each other working on a Saturday. I don’t want to spend it driving around. I want to do something special with you. We’ll go driving tomorrow, after church. Let’s go skating today.”

  Gemma looked a
t him. Was he joking? “You mean it?” she asked.

  “Yeah, I mean it. When was the last time you went skating?”

  Gemma couldn’t remember the time. “It’s been a while,” she admitted.

  “It’s scary, isn’t it?” Sal asked.

  Gemma nodded. “Yes, as a matter of fact. The idea of my behind on skates is a scary proposition.”

  “Don’t worry about it,” Sal said and leaned his head back. “You’ll be fine.”

  Gemma smiled. She enjoyed skating when she used to skate. And it would be different. She warmed to the idea. “Let’s give it a whirl,” she said. “But if I fall, Salvatore Luciano, you’d better catch me.”

  Sal grinned. “I told you not to worry,” he said. “When have I ever let you fall?”

  But when they arrived at the rink, and placed on their skates, he began moving too fast. Gemma could barely keep up.

  “Sal, slow your butt down,” she admonished him angrily as she held onto his shirttail. “I told you I haven’t skated in years.” They were surrounded by young people whizzing past them as if they were standing still.

  “You can do it, Gem,” Sal said with a grin. “Come on, babe. It’s easy, you know it’s easy. Just follow me and do like I do. Okay?”

  “Let me get my balance first,” Gemma said as she continued to hold his shirttail. Then she nodded. “Okay, I’m ready,” she said.

  “Just move the way I’m moving,” Sal said as she removed her hand from his shirttail, and watched him make his move. Sal put one skate in front of the other skate and moved slowly. Gemma put one skate in front of the other skate and followed him. And she was beginning to enjoy herself too. She was beginning to get her skate groove back big time.

  But within seconds of her newfound confidence, Sal lost his balance, began moving side to side to regain it, and fell hard on his ass. Gemma had to grab his head to keep herself from skating into him and tipping over him. And to keep herself from laughing to death.

  “I don’t know, Sal,” she said as she laughed. “I don’t think I want to do it like you do it.”

  “Very funny,” Sal said, as Gemma, unable to stop laughing, helped him to his feet.

  And that night, they laid under the stars, arm in arm, in their own backyard. It was a beautiful, quiet time for them. All the demons Sal had to deal with, and all the people he had to take out, disappeared from his troubled mind whenever he was with Gemma. They laid side by side and listened to the sounds of the night, and Sal knew it couldn’t get any better than this. This was heavenly to him.

  But when he looked over at Gemma, to see if she was feeling such beauty too, she was fast asleep. Sal smiled. Because that sight alone, to Sal, showed how much she trusted him. He pulled her closer into his arms, and held her tenderly.

  CHAPTER FIVE

  Monday morning was business as usual. They both got back to work. Gemma went to court first, and then to her law firm. But Sal, whose office building awaited his arrival, went to see Reno. He hadn’t forgotten what Gemma told him Friday night about that little spat she and Reno had. He needed to set the record straight.

  It looked like a rally on Wall Street when he walked into Reno’s office. Papers were everywhere, as if they’d been tossed in the air for no other reason than to land on the floor. Aides were everywhere. On the phone. On the computer. Standing around Reno’s desk with even more stacks of papers he had to sign. It was an orderly chaos, Sal realized. But it was still chaotic.

  When Reno looked up and saw that it was Sal who had entered unannounced, with that look on his face, he knew what he wanted. He cleared the room.

  “Everybody out,” he said above the noise as Sal approached his desk. “Give us a minute.”

  His aides knew what that meant. Get lost, in other words. They grabbed their phones and stacks of papers and headed out of the office. All of them spoke to Sal as they hurried past, and Sal grunted in their direction. But his entire focus was on Reno.

  Reno leaned back. “I hear you came back Friday night. I didn’t expect you back in town so soon.”

  Sal stood in front of Reno’s desk, decked down in his double-breasted imported suit. “I understand you had a problem with my absence.”

  “I understand I owe you a note of gratitude. Gemma told Trina you settled it on your own. That’s a good thing.”

  Sal frowned. “Why wouldn’t I settle it? She was threatening to sue my wife. Of course I settled it.”

  Reno stared at Sal. He could have been implying that Reno should have settled it, the strong arm way, for his wife too, but that wasn’t the vibe he was getting from Sal. His beef went deeper. “What’s wrong?” Reno asked him.

  “You’ve had the hots for Gemma a long time,” Sal responded bluntly. “It ends today.”

  To Reno’s credit, Sal thought, he didn’t try to deny it. He continued to stare at Sal and continued to lean back in his chair.

  “She’s never going to be your backup plan,” Sal warned him.

  Reno frowned. “My backup plan? What the fuck is that supposed to mean?”

  “If Trina wise up and leave your ass,” Sal said, “Gemma won’t be available. She’s with me for life. And when I’m gone, she’s still not going to want you because she knows I’ll turn over in my grave. So face it.”

  “I don’t want her either, so that’s good to know. My backup plan? Fuck you, Sal! Your ass is on a guilt trip because you’re never around, and we both know what you’re up to while you’re gone. You face that!”

  Sal angrily reached over and grabbed Reno by the catch of his suit coat, pulling Reno to his feet. Reno grabbed Sal by his own suit coat and pulled him all the way across the desk. Both men stood face to face, gripping each other. But neither took it to that next level.

  “I don’t want your wife, man,” Reno made clear. “Alright? I don’t want her like that. Do I worry about her? Hell yeah. When you aren’t in town, I feel responsible for her.”

  “But it’s more than that, Reno. You like her. You find her attractive.”

  “You like Trina,” Reno shot back. “You find Trina attractive.”

  “But I don’t dream of fucking Trina. That’s the fucking difference!”

  Reno pushed Sal away from him. “Get out of my face,” he said. “I don’t want her like that.”

  “You don’t want who like what?”

  It was a familiar voice. Both men looked toward the office door and saw Trina walking in. She began walking toward the desk. “Well? Who are you talking about?”

  Reno shook his head. “This fool thinks I want to fuck Gemma,” he said.

  “I got your fool right here, Reno,” Sal fired back.

  “You’re the one who came in here---”

  “Enough already,” Trina said. “Enough.”

  “Yeah, enough of your shit, Sal,” Reno echoed.

  “And enough of yours too, Reno,” Trina said. “It’s no secret you like Gemma. You find her attractive.”

  “Sal finds you attractive. What’s the big fucking deal?”

  “It’s not the same thing,” Trina said, echoing Sal.

  Reno looked at Trina with hurt in his eyes. “I don’t want any woman, and I mean ANY woman, besides you, Trina. What are you talking?”

  “I didn’t say you want her over me,” Trina said.

  “You want her as a backup to Tree,” Sal said.

  Reno shook his head. “Come on. Give me a break! Trina is the only woman I want. She’s the only woman I will ever want!”

  Sal exhaled. He knew Reno was the least of his worries whenever he was out of town. He knew Reno would never double cross him like that. He knew he was using Reno as the scapegoat for his own failures. He was out of town too much. He had too many balls in the air. His marriage was suffering because of his own damn issues.

  “Maybe I’m overreacting,” Sal admitted.

  “You are,” both Reno and Trina said in unison.

  “I’m nobody’s fool, Sal,” Trina added. “But I know my husband is
not that kind of man.”

  “I might like to look at ass,” Reno admitted, “but Trina’s ass is the only one I’m interested in fucking.”

  Sal nodded. “I understand that. But I still want you to be careful. I don’t take shit from anybody, including you, Reno, when it comes to Gem.”

  “Just get the fuck out of my office.”

  “Just watch yourself, Reno,” Sal said firmly. Then he kissed and hugged Trina, and left.

  Reno exhaled. “He’s got some nerve. He didn’t have to go there.”

  “Yes, he did,” Trina said, and then looked at her husband. “You are a flirt, Reno. You deserved every word.”

  Reno frowned. “Me? A flirt? What are you saying? I only have eyes for you, babe.”

  “Then you must have ten eyes,” Trina said, “because you have eyes for every hot woman you see. You come home to me. You don’t give it up to anybody but me. But you only have eyes for me? Please. You need to quit lying!”

  Reno laughed. She knew him too well. “Come here, you,” he said, but Trina smiled and tried to run away from him. He caught her and pulled her into his arms. They both were laughing, but then he turned serious. “I only have heart for you,” Reno said. “That better?”

  Trina smiled and touched his face. “Much,” she said. “In fact all.”

  And they kissed. Reno squeezed his eyes shut and held her tightly.

  “That gold chain,” Gemma said as she leaned against the front of her desk and folded her arms. She was reviewing her opening statement with her paralegal. The trial was to start in a few days, but she still didn’t have her defense nailed down. “How do I explain away that gold chain?”

  “I don’t see how you can,” Barbara Jiles said as she sat in the chair in front of Gemma’s desk. “He claim he never met the woman, never even been in the same room with the woman, yet the police found his broken chain in the victim’s closed hand. She fought for her life and snatched it off of his neck in the fight. He didn’t even realize it was missing until it was too late. That’s a powerful piece of evidence, boss.”