Chapter 49—Salvatore

Back to reality….

We’re at the hospital now.

I was just speaking with the doctors to get the update on Gabe.

Mimi is with Charlotte in Gabe’s room.

I walk back into his room and see them.

Charlotte was crying yesterday when we left and she’s crying harder now. It’s times like these when I’m grateful for Mimi. I always say she mother-hen’s the girls at the club but she’s like it all the time. It’s not the fact of being a mother hen. She’s just a good friend.

That’s what my girl is. My wife to be.

Nothing can quite describe how happy she made me this morning when she agreed to be mine forever. It’s something I hold on to for strength now as I look at my brother who is still in a coma.

“I’m going to get her some breakfast,” Mimi says cutting into my thoughts.

“I don’t know if I can eat,” Charlotte answers, shaking her head.

“We’ll just get something light. You need to keep your strength up,” Mimi tells her and gives her a quick hug of comfort.

“Okay…” she agrees.

“We won’t stay away too long,” Mimi promises and glances over to me.

I dip my head in agreement and she ushers Charlotte out.

I sit in the little chair by Gabe’s bedside and look at him. He’s attached to tubes and monitors. His vitals look stable but he looks so weak compared to the person I know him to be.

He’s just lying there, but for the subtle rise and fall of his chest he’d almost appear lifeless with his still form and pale skin.

The guys should be here soon. Nick and Vincent.

My parents will be here later today if there are no changes.

We’ve fallen into this routine so we each get to stay with him for a few hours at a time and he doesn't get overwhelmed with too many people around him at once.

The doctors said he can hear us when we talk and is probably trying to wake up but can’t just yet.

It’s that just yet part that I hang on to because it gives me hope.

It still doesn’t feel quite real to me that he’s lying in this bed.

I look at him and I think back to months ago when we had that fight. I was so angry at him. So angry it made me forget what he meant to me.

Fear fills me now as I watch him fight for his life.

I want so badly for him to wake up.

“Gabe… I need you to come back to us,” I say to him. “I don’t like this. You’re worrying the hell out of me. I need you to come back, please. You have a kid on the way and a wife who needs you. But I… need you too.”

The door pushes open and Nick and Vincent come in.

They look from me to Gabe and the same caution that I see in their faces fills them.

“Hey,” I greet them and they both acknowledge me.

“Anything change?” Vincent asks.

I shake my head. “All the same. The staff said everything was the same too last night. No change at all,” I reply.

The only thing I’m glad for is that he’s not on life support. He can breathe on his own and he seems functional, he’s just in a coma. But, life support is the next thing if he doesn’t pull through soon.

I don’t even like that word. The last person I knew of on life support was Nick’s best friend Tommy and he didn’t make it.

The three of us look on at Gabe, not knowing what to say.

I glance at Nick as he sighs and runs a hand through his hair.

We’re all taking this hard but each of us is going through it a little different to the other. The same way we’re close in different ways.

“I…” Nick begins. “I remember when I was fifteen and I took Gabe’s car and crashed it in the river near the Peterson manor.”

Vincent looks at him and frowns. We all remember that because it was one of the many times when Nick nearly died.

“Nick, you didn’t take his car, you stole it,” Vincent corrects him and gives him a hard stare.

“God, fine I stole his car, then…” Nick frowns and continues and I just look at him. “I crashed the car in the river and Frankie had to come after me and save me because the door was jammed. I don’t know how you all got there so fast but that would have been me gone. Gabe beat the shit out of me when Frankie pulled me from the river.”

“It served you right,” I smirk. I got two black eyes trying to get Gabe off Nick and Vincent got his arm broken.

Nick chuckles. “Gabe was mad as all hell at me, and I couldn’t believe he lost it like that. Then it hit me … it wasn’t because I stole his car. That rage was never about the car. He didn’t give a shit about the car. He beat me up because of what could have happened to me. I scared the shit out of him and I nearly died. He’s my … he’s the guy who keeps me alive. All of you have, but him… he’s a big reason why I’m standing here today.”

In all the time I’ve known Nick I’ve never heard him speak such words, never.

Maybe it’s the magic in them that shifts the tides and opens the door for what happens next.

I have to stand when I see Gabe move his hand because I think I’ve imagined it.

Of course I would think that because I’ve been hoping for a miracle to happen since he got here.

When Gabe opens his eyes and looks at Nick my whole being sighs with relief.

“Nick?" Gabe says and looks around.

“Jesus Christ Gabe!” Nick shrieks practically jumping on the bed. “I’m gonna go get the doctors.” He goes through the door and Vincent moves closer.

“Gabe we’re all here bro,” Vincent tells him.

Gabe looks over to me. I’m so choked up I can’t talk.

“My wife…” he says blinking.

“She’s okay,” I say quickly but then he lifts himself like he’s going to get up.

“Mimi,” he breathes. “I went to get her. The guards saw Marc Fontaine on the cameras heading to her room.”

I place my hand on him and tap his shoulder. “She’s okay, Gabe. She's safe.

“Everyone made it, and they're okay,” Vincent assures him. “It’s over. It’s all over.”

It is over now, it feels like it is.

This is the last part.

“We just need you to get better now,” I add and Gabe nods.

It’s over.

***

It feels like forever since I’ve been here.

I’m at The Dark Odyssey and I’m happy to slip back into the shoes of my old self.

The creative tech wiz who brings the club to life.

Today’s my first day back and coming back has brought with it a newfound excitement.

Mostly because I can’t wait to see her.

Mimi.

She was at the restaurant all day. She’s been like that for the last month. Rushed off her feet trying to get ready for the grand opening next Friday.

She looks happier than I’ve ever seen her. She looks like she’s found herself and as I’ve watched her in her element it’s been amazing to see how much she’s changed.

I practically feed off her happiness.

Everything has changed.

Gabe is off, getting better and spending time with Charlotte. The relief of having him pull through was something that seemed to heal each of us in some way.

Nevertheless, it was only to a certain extent when it came to Vincent. I’ve watched him and it feels like time caught up with emotion.

He acts like he’s okay but I know he’s not. So I’ve had to change too and bring myself up to speed with what I need to do as capo.

The last month saw me doing different things. I helped Gabe get back on his feet, but I worked closely with Pa and Vincent learning the ropes but really… it’s prepping for the next thing and sharpening my abilities so I know how to handle the various situations we might come across.

Until that happens my time is split and The Dark Odyssey is still my playground.

I’m standing by the archway of my private lounge smoking a cigar while I look at the craze of bodies clashing together on the dancefloor.

Always the same and I still think the people look like they’re part of a massive orgy. They dance as such and blend in with the people having sex on the sidelines.

It’s still crazy as fuck and they all still fuck like they’re crazy.

It reminds me that while I’ve changed parts of me will always be the same. I’m still the same guy who agreed with his brothers and cousins to set up a sex club. I’m still the same guy who’s about to dive into a billion dollar fortune with The Odyssey Hotels and take over the Caribbean.

I’m still a voyeur. That hasn’t changed one bit.

I like watching the dark fantasy unfold before me and as I hear the gentle echo of footsteps coming towards me I know it’s my babygirl.

I look at her wearing a sheer gold slip the same color as her hair. It hugs her breasts and leaves nothing to the imagination.

She’s wearing a black and gold mask with the same color featherings.

And, gold lipstick.

The only distinction of color are her rose tipped nipples pressing against the fabric.

See I’m not like the others. I want people to see my woman, see what she looks like and know she’s mine.

I can tell anybody now that beautiful woman approaching me knows she has me under her spell.

It’s still fucking hot like hell and it’s the last week in September. Even though it’s supposed to be a cooler month it’s still stifling, and suffocating.

Know, what’s hotter?

Her.

Maria Cipriani.

This former ‘friend’ of mine who will be my wife soon. I can’t wait until spring.

There’s no trace of the little pixie, fairylike features tonight.

She’s the wild erotic fairy and tonight she’ll pull me into another dark fantasy.

The kind that will leave a badass mobster like me begging for more.

“Baby…” I say as she gets to me. I take her hand and kiss her knuckles.

“You were watching…” she smiles as I walk around her and check out her fine body. I give her lush ass a gentle squeeze and run my fingers over the flat of her stomach like I’m marking my territory with my fingertips.

“Aren’t I always Babygirl?”

“Yes… I don’t want to get jealous. They’re still talking about you. All the girls. They still want you.” She flutters her lashes.

“That so?”

“Yes, I set them straight though. Told them you were mine.”

I smile at her and nod. “Well said.” I pick up a lock of her hair and her smile widens.

I take her hand and we fall into a slow dance when the music changes to a low beat.

I press my lips to her ear and inhale that sweet vanilla scent of her. It drives me wild.

“I lost my keys again,” she whispers against my skin.

I smile. We’re playing this game again.

“Did you lose them in the sex dungeon?”

“Yes, we should go there and look.”

I look down at her, holding her gaze and smile at the invitation to our dark, wild fantasy where we dance like devils, dancing on the edge.

Me and her, like the years before we’ll dance into the years to come.

She knows now she belongs to me.

She knows too that I belong to her.

Time to break more rules with her.

Possess her, dominate her, own her.

Heart. Body. Mind. Soul.

“Red is your safe word,” I tell her.

“Okay.”

I take her hand and lead her away.

$Epilogue—Mimi, Six months later.

I love it here.

Could definitely get used to this life of frolicking on the beautiful white sand beach of Antigua.

It’s a much needed break for the busy restauranteur and business entrepreneur I’ve become.

Busy and dare I say it, accomplished. Business is booming at the restaurant.

People are talking about the food. It’s all in the blogs and food magazines. Grandma is holding the fort for me while I take this break and she’s enjoying getting to flirt with all the hot men that work in the city.

I hope Mom is looking down from heaven with a smile on her face, laughing at Grandma and proud that her recipes can be enjoyed by so many.

This beach looks like heaven to me.

The whole picturesque scenery before me looks like a screen saver.

It looked the same on the day I took my vows and became Maria Giordano.

That was four months ago.

We became man and wife on this very beach. Had our honeymoon here and since I enjoyed being here so much there was no way I was going to turn down the chance to come back with my husband on a business trip.

Charlotte couldn’t either.

The two of us have been on the beach enjoying the sun and playing with the baby while the guys went fishing with the new manager they just hired for the hotel.

It’s all so exciting and it’s nice too to be hanging out on the beach with Charlotte.

She wasn’t joking about being friends and the both of us seemed to have needed each other at the same time. I know Gabe told her about our baby. I don’t know when he did it but I know he has. I sensed it. I sensed it a while back and being the person she is, she kind of gave herself away by seeming to take more care when she spoke to me. It always felt like she wanted to say something in the way of checking I was okay but it’s not the kind of thing you just talk about.

I appreciate her support and her friendship. I like it more that it’s not weird between us.

She stands up with baby Lukas who just turned eight months old. I can’t help but admire her for snapping back in shape the way she has. She was tiny to begin with and it’s like nothing happened.

I hope I can be like that too. I really do.

She dips his feet in the water and he giggles. He looks exactly like her but has Gabe’s jet black hair and his nose.

“This is so much fun Mimi,” Charlotte says. “I could stay out here all day.”

“We have,” I point out laughing. She laughs too. We’ve been out here since early this morning and we had lunch.

“Oh my gosh. We’re those women who just lose track of time like we have nothing better to do.”

“Charlotte, I think for the next few weeks we’re allowed to be those women.” I nod.

“Yes. I agree. It’s going to be chaos when we get home and back to work.”

I agreed with that too. I know I’ll be busy like I previously was at the restaurant and the club. She’s a teacher and she already said she wasn’t taking too much maternity leave. She’s had nine months off and is going back next month.

We have another three weeks of paradise and I definitely intend to enjoy it.

I stand up and stretch and a wolf whistle makes me look ahead.

Salvatore and Gabe are walking toward us. Gabe has a batch of fish on a line over his shoulders. Salvatore whistles at me again.

Much as I loved hanging out on the beach I have a special night planned for Salvatore.

I have a surprise I’ve been bursting to tell him. I was waiting for confirmation which I got late last night and I’m going to tell him today.

I rush up to him as they approach and he picks me up and whirls me around.

We love taking the meaning of newlyweds to the next level. Realistically Charlotte and Gabe are still newlyweds because they’ve been married for over a year, but I think we’re a little wilder.

Salvatore hooks me over his shoulder and Charlotte laughs.

“See you guys tomorrow. I’m taking this one now,” he says and I laugh at his craziness.

He walks with me just like that back to our beach house.

It’s not until we get inside that he sets me down on the glass floor. This part of the house is built right over the sea so we can see the beautiful sea bed beneath us.

I don’t even get to catch my breath before his lips are on mine. I lose my mind just from that and get lost in him as he strips my clothes off layer by layer.

Within seconds we end up in bed tangled together in the silky sheets.

Passion takes us and takes us away from everything.

I remember it being day time and then it was night.

That’s what happens to me when I’m with him. Time is non-existent.

I’ve made him take a break to sit with me on the little veranda.

“Come here, I miss your lips,” he says reaching for me as I walk up to him with a bottle of wine and a bottle of orange juice.

I swat his hands away and giggle. “No, we’re taking a break.”

“Why? Are you mixing some kind of cocktail?”

“No, you’ll see.” I walk back into the kitchen with a smile on my face and grab two flute glasses.

“Mimi, I’m not playing guinea pig tonight. Jesus last time was awful.” He shakes his head at me.

I start laughing again because it was awful. That was two months ago at the restaurant. I didn’t realize that I covered the pie with salt instead of sugar.

It should have been the first sign that something was up with me.

“This is not that. I promise you.” I smile wide at him.

“Okay, what is it? Looks like we’re celebrating.” He looks at the wine.

“We are,” I agree with a little nod and pop the wine open.

“What are we celebrating?”

I take a glass, pour out some wine for him and hand it to him.

For me though I grab the orange juice, pour that and when I look at him curiosity fills his face.

Curiosity and the awe I hoped for although I haven’t said anything yet.

“Mimi…” he sets the glass back down and slips his arm around my waist. His eyes drop to my stomach and stay there for a little while before gliding up to meet mine. “You poured yourself orange juice and wine for me. Does that mean something?”

“Maybe…”

“You aren’t on some strange diet are you like last time?”

I laugh, that was some craziness that took me before the wedding where I was just drinking soups. “No, it’s not a diet.”

He runs a finger over the flat of my stomach. “Is it something magical?”

I gaze at him pretty sure that he won’t need much time to guess. He’s been watching me like a hawk since the wedding.

Watching and I know wishing. I’ve seen him with the kids in the family, Tommy, Timothy and Lukas. He’s a good uncle, a great one but anyone with eyes can see how much he’d love to be a father.

“Yes…”

“What are we celebrating baby?”

“I’m two months pregnant,” I tell him and he stares at me long and hard, his handsome face flushed.

“What?”

I nod. “I’m two months pregnant Salvatore. We’re having a baby.”

He releases a sharp breath. When his eyes well up with tears I feel my own swell too.

“We are? You and me, we’re going to be parents?” Excitement now takes him the same way it takes me.

It took me last night when I got the call from the doctor confirming my dates.

I thought I ate something bad the day before and couldn’t stop throwing up. Salvatore thought it was something I ate too.

Because I’d been through it before though I knew deep down what was going on and I had my fingers crossed.

He stands up and hugs me and I hug him hard too.

It’s the most beautiful thing ever when he kneels down and kisses my stomach.

“This is everything Mimi. You really are my everything,” he tells me.

“You are to me too Salvatore. More than you know,” I answer.

“I think I do.”

Sometimes it feels like I can’t express how much I love him. It feels like I can’t do it enough.

But… when I look at him I know he gets it.

It’s that same look from always. The look that only a true friend can give you who knows your soul and loves you inside and out.

I married my best friend.

The guy who is my everything and my forever.

One more kiss is placed on my stomach and another on my lips.

Life can’t get more perfect than this moment.

The End.