Chapter 61: Chapter Sixty One

*Third Party*

Dario walks into The Grand Hotel and carefully looks around. Quite a few people were about as they either check in or check out, while others go about their business. He walks further in and stops when he sees a man who was obviously from the wrong side of the tracks trying to play dress up.

Like an untrained gentlemen he walks right up to him and says, “You Dario?”

No manners whatsoever. Dario couldn’t help the curl of his lip in disgust at the guy. “I am.” He states in regret of ever agreeing to this meeting.

“Boss is this way.” The man’s accent was definitely from the Bronx area.

But he stated ‘Boss’ meaning whoever hired him had some kind of standing and it only made him curious even more. Following against his better judgment he looks around to make sure he didn’t spot anyone he knew. Couldn’t be too careful in these kinds of situations. And if the person didn’t have a private room to talk then he’ll make sure to secure one.

They pass the receptionist desk where none of them even acknowledge them at all, and past the elevators that brought the residents further up to their assigned rooms. He heads down a small hallway that was lowly dimmed with soft golden light. A black door stood by itself, and he holds it open for him.

“After you, sir.” He slightly bows in a mocking way, making Dario want to punch him in his face.

He hesitates for a moment before complying. After he passes the threshold the door closes behind him leaving just him on the other side. He falters, looking around to see the hall slightly curving into a brighter light. Up ahead was some small talk and soft music playing. He walks slowly, his heart thumping a little harder than usual.

He hadn’t come here alone. He had a few men waiting outside for him on standby in case anything goes wrong. He was taking a high risk meeting this unknown person, but it was enough to get him to risk it in the first place.

Finally coming to the end of the hallway shock overwhelms him as he stops dead in his tracks and stares at the scene before him. He’s been to The Grand Hotel on many occasions for many years and yet not once has he ever been aware of this place.

“Good evening sir, may I have your name please?” A Host politely asks who was dressed to the nines.

His entire attire was pressed and clean cut, his hair slicked and perfect not a strand out of place, his shoulders straight and erect and not a single crease in his shoes or his clothing. Now this was a gentlemen, Dario couldn’t help but think.

“Dario Moretti.” He supplies as he takes in the few tables that were splayed out with burgundy cotton tablecloths.

It was a high class restaurant with a jazz band playing on the stage, patrons of the rich were dining and conversing. He was surprised to see the Governor of New York sitting at a table with a few men and what may be their wives, if not mistresses. There was a classy bar, and all the waiters and waitresses were highly dressed in formal attire.

This was definitely Dario’s kind of scene and it upset him to know he had never once had known about this place. Was it secret? Did an invitation need to be sent out to be invited to a place such as this?

There was a table of men smoking expensive cigars and the best brandy money could possibly buy.

“Right this way, sir.” The Host tells him as he guides him through the throngs of tables and their guests.

Now he was very curious in wanting to know who had reached out to him if they brought him to a place such as this one. So far all he saw were important people and their companions. Hopefully, if this meeting went well he could convince the stranger in allowing passage to this place that not even his father had access too.

Just the thought brought immense joy in him.

They headed to an area with a thick ruby red curtain, and he slightly bows. “Madame is waiting for you inside.”

That also surprised him to hear. So, it was a woman that sent him the photograph. He wasn’t expecting that at all. He waits for the Host to announce him and pull the curtain back to reveal who was on the other side.

Shock shoots through him when he sees Elena Russo sitting at a well lit table in a booth that held a bucket of ice and champagne. She gives him a cat like smile.

“Dario dear, please come in and have a seat. There is much to be discussed between you and I.”

He looks to the Host, who was still waiting for him to enter the booth. He nods to him and slips right in. As soon as he does the Host closes it and leaves them be as he states, “Your waiter will be right with you.”

“Thank you, Homer.” Elena says back as she continues to smile devilishly at Dario.

“I’m a little confused.” He admits as he looks at the setup she provided.

“Of course you are, dear. Which is the purpose of this meeting.”

For a woman in her late forties she was quite young looking. Of course he wasn’t blinded by the fact that she went under the knife to make her look that way, but regardless the surgeon did a wonderful job on her. She was also the splitting image of an older version of her daughter, Ivy.

It didn’t seem to bother her to know that her husband wasn’t here with them since they have never associated with one another without him present. What he didn’t understand was why wasn’t she taking this to her husband but instead to him? Was it because Gabriela was to be his intended?

“Hello, my name is Ben and I’ll be your waiter tonight, can I start you off with an appetizer?” The waiter states behind the curtain.

“Please do come in Ben.” Elena was posing as an elegant patron with high manners and respect even though he knew she was anything but that.

She was playing at something here and he needed to figure out what that was. They ordered their food and as soon as the waiter left he got straight to the point.

“Explain to me why you sent me a photo of Gabriela and Enzo? How did you even require it and how did you get it into my house without triggering any security systems?”

“My, my. No class. We’ll need to work on that.” She takes a sip of her champagne that the waiter was kind enough to open and pour for the two of them.

He sighs in annoyance. “I didn’t come here to have a light meal and make small talk. Answer my questions. Where did you find the girl and why haven’t you brought her back?” He nearly snaps.

Her eyes pierce with venom as she carefully places her glass back on the table. “I would watch your words and that tone of voice if I were you young man. You think you have the upper hand, but you don’t. Not even close. I know things that your investigators completely failed to find out and provide. My daughter was even to move quicker than you and my husband could.”

That caught his attention.

“What do you mean by that you daughter moved quicker?” He ignored the rest of her threat since her words didn’t mean anything to him.

He wasn’t fooled to believe that she held more information than what his own men wasn’t able to find. It was highly possible that she chanced on obtaining the photo. Someone gave that to her and somehow, with her saying what she did, he was sure it was Ivy that gave it to her. But he might as well listen to what she had to say anyways.

“Ivy has a connection with someone. She’s currently where Gabriela is on her own accord. But she refuses to tell anyone the location including myself.”

“And why would she be where she is and not tell anyone when we’ve all been looking for her?” I ask.

“That’s here and there and will be brought to light when she’s ready to reveal it. But this is one thing I wanted to let you know before my husband. If he finds out about Gabriela and Enzo he’s going to shit a brick and all hell is going to break loose and we can’t have that. At least not yet.”

“Then why tell me at all? Didn’t you think that I would shit a brick as you put it as well?” I arch an eyebrow at her.

“Of course you wouldn’t. Angry, sure. But you wouldn’t bust your balls in trying to get her back because you’re thinking she isn’t worth wanting anymore now that she had a taste of the real thing.” She smirks causing a flare of anger and jealousy within him.

“Was that meant to be an insult?” He bites out.

She shrugs as she lights a thin cigarette and takes a long drag of it before releasing the smoke into the air.

“Just stating facts hon. Are you even man enough to try and get her back or just going to sit there and let him have her and then when she’s forced to come home act like you were tying to save her all along?” She taunts.

Clutching his hands tightly into fists he grits his teeth and asks, “What do you want from me, Elena?”

She leans in taking another puff of her cigarette and blows it in his face. He stares at her hard but doesn’t give in to her demeaning attitude. She smiles her cat like smile once more and just as their food arrives she says,

“Now that is the ultimate question, isn’t it?”