Antonio

We sat in circle in a boardroom of the hotel owned by the Brazilians, the new additions to our family. The commotion in the place was irritating. Loud voices became louder upon meeting their favorites. The Italian twins had come for the meet along with the other allies. Only ones missing were the Spaniards.

After Santos lost his sister and allies to us, there was not much to be heard of him. If winds were to be cautioned then I knew better than to think he was licking his wounds. His attack a month back was the warning before the storm.

"How are my men dealing with yours, Antonio?" Dante sat across, speaking louder for me to hear.

With Alejandro and Agustin being my eyes and ears for the meet and Gabriel, my shield, I had the confidence of an elephant. I leaned forward, sliding a thick stack of papers towards him.

"Read," I watched him grab them and dart his eyes over the figures. We had a deal in place but the way the Italians worked, it seemed like it was only us, who were doing all the work. "Tell me why you need more money than us." I questioned, leaning back on the chair.

Dante stuttered at his words, unable to justify. If it had been the mansion, he would have been dealt with in the most proper sense. But because this was a meeting and there were allies who looked up to us, we didn't want to scare anyone.

As the meet began, various proposals were floated. The Argentinians wanted more power, Brazilians more liberty and Italians, more money. Being the last ones to talk, I was at liberty to listen and address their concerns.

"We all need power and money and an easy way of doing what we did," everyone nodded. "But what we want most of all is to ensure that ours, our people, families remain safe." A few men raised their toast. "What we need is a strong hold. A place where our differences, our ethnicity or country would disappear. What remains would be our success. And that my friend, wouldn't come without helping one another."

The room roared with hails and claps. I was proud of myself. Having seen dad through all this, I always wanted to stand at this place one day and state a speech which would make all of us join together. That day was today and that part seemed to go successfully.

Alejandro walked with a couple whom I fairly recognized. The tall and tanned, slender man leaned over gripping my hand. "We are moved by what you said." We shook hands as he continued. "We hope Brazil and Mexico can be more than allies."

The man was our Brazilian ally, Kareb and the woman by his side, his sister. Kareb's peripheral vision held Agustin in place as he spoke before his hand pushed ahead his sister, who held a close resemblance with him.

Her head held low, she tugged her brown tangles behind her ears before lending her hand for my taking. "I am Juliana." Her tanned skin exhibited a shade of pink while she spoke, her hooded eyes looked up.

"Hello there. These are my brothers, Alejandro and Agustin."

Juliana turned to each of them, gracefully shaking their hands. Al paid no heed to her. She too was calm in his presence but it was Agustin under whose gaze, the girl trembled. Agustin was still smitten by Sofia to realize what stood before him.

His casual approach to an ally who wanted more than mere friendship was a cause of concern for me. It was now, where I missed Val the most. She always knew how to manage social etiquettes, especially when my brothers were involved. I was always the shepherd who only knew how to protect my flock and get them to return home at daybreak. The rest, buttering and layering with sweet sugar coats weren't my forte.

My wife would agree too.

After Juliana left with her brother, I turned to my siblings. Al was eying the crowd, scanning people. Agustin tilted his head around with a disinterested look. His attention was barely on what he was doing, let alone anything else.

"I asked you to look for anything that we can use," pulling Agustin closer, I whispered. He straightened immediately, taking a deep breath. "I don't want to remind you of how it would look on you, this whole thing."

Agustin turned to me. His pursed lips and ragged breath were an indicator to the annoyance spewing out like a volcano inside. "I don't want to be tied down to a girl whom I met for hardly two seconds."

"And I don't want to be the brother who needs to tell you to get yourself together. Don't make us look weak because your heart reeks for someone."

My words were hurtful but there was no other way to get Agustin to stop acting like a kid who was denied a candy. He needed to grow up and act his age. I partly blamed Maria for the way she always coddled him.

"I will do what's necessary for us but I am not willing to be the scapegoat." Agustin placed a hand over my chest. Blood boiled inside me, listening to him whine like a teenager. Slapping my hand hard over his shoulder, I pulled his aside.

"Don't you tell me what you will or won't do. We all have made sacrifices for things. I, Val and even Alejandro. Don't go venting on me how unjust life is. I should be the one to tell you all about it with the losses I suffered."

My words may have hit a semblance of understanding in Agustin as his expressions softened. The raging bull calmed into a wagging puppy. He nodded and walked back, scanning the room for what he was asked off.

Gabriel followed me to mine.

A few hours passed before the twins decided to show up. Dante held the stacks of sheet I passed over in the morning while his sister held two champagne bottles in her hand. The party after the meet was a formality for everyone to unwind. The dress they both wore was an indicator of their attendance.

I stood in my loosened shirt and pant, watching them enter the room. Gabriel sat opposite to us. His hand remained glued to the gun he was packing inside his coat. Any wrong move from the twins and he would be on their case.

The twins seemed to know better, having themselves checked by Gabriel before sitting.

"Now that the meeting is done, let's talk." Dante placed the papers on the table. "I don't understand how that is possible. All my men are at work for you Antonio. Then how is that the profits are still low?"

"You tell me, Dante. I was told that both our men would work. But it seems like it's only ours who are doing all the dealings while yours watch from a distance. Almost as if they were instructed not to help much and do the bare minimum."

Words hit a nerve with Damiela who pulled closer. Her saddened face danced with something which I couldn't understand. "Antonio, I am the one who is working out men. And I assure you, that they are doing all they can. All we need is your cargoes to be ready for us to carry it everywhere."

"I don't care," straightening from my couch, I moved to the open window. "Order your men to help increase the production or we have other people who are willing to take your place."

"Is that a threat?" Dante's voice soared.

"Take it as you want, Dante. All I am asking is for you to hold up your end of the deal."

Damiela stood as if a jolt of electricity ran over her body. She coiled her hand over her brother's and pleaded with his eyes. Mine darted to Gabriel, who gave me a tight smile. There was something, lurking behind their mind and I wanted to know it.

Dante invited Gabriel to walk with him outside. The pretext was for Damiela to discuss business with me but I wasn't a kid to not understand.

She moved across the room, uncorking the bottle and serving us. Swaying her hips, she walked across the room, running a finger over things that were mine. My coat, a shirt that hung over the chair, anything.

She moved closer, stalking her pray, me. Her hand dipped low onto her back. The trail of zip opening in the silence of the room was clear. I moved in my couch, adjusting. With her dress puddled on her feet, Damiela played with her naked body.

I looked away, sighing. Walking over, she separated my crossed legs and perched over it. Her hips swayed over my pant, her hand took mine, guiding it over her body as her mouth opened and emitting moans.

In a move so sudden that her eyes sprang out of her sockets, I thrashed her onto the wall, holding her in place. Damiela's lips trembled as she watched me with horror.

"You want to play, huh?" I balled her fake hair in a bunch, thrusting my hip onto her suspended body. "Let's play."

Tossing her onto the couch, she yelped. I walked over to her naked body, coiling my fingers around her throat. With a face that reddened with every passing second, she gasped for air as her legs thrashed on the leather.

Gurgling, she chocked on her saliva. The light in her eyes dimmed as her body played onto the last of resistance before submitting to the darkness that ensued. I pulled my hand back. Air rushed back into her lungs. She drew long, whiney breaths, replenishing her emptied air sacks.

"Sei pazzo." She grunted.

I laughed. "I am not the crazy one. You and your brother are." Holding her back in place with her jaw in my hand, I leaned closer. "You thought your little play would entice me?"

Pushing her back, I walked away. Scrambling for her clothes, she donned her attire faster than the time she took to loose it.

"Remember, your men need to do their work." I grunted at her as she cussed and walked out of the door. Gabriel walked in, tossing his head back at Damiela's exit.

"What did she do?" he asked, worried.

"Nothing that others haven't tried."

He chuckled and rubbed his palms together. Walking to the bar, Gabriel splashed a generous amount of alcohol in both our glasses. I followed him, falling onto the chair next to him. With our glasses clink, he turned back.

"Did she succeed?" he asked with a smirk on his face. Although knowing the answer well, Gabriel wanted me to answer. The most loyal of my men deserved to know.

"She Would have succeeded if Val wasn't in picture."

"What changed?" Nursing his amber colored drink, he asked. "You weren't like this before."

Although I hadn't told Val this answer, with Gabriel there was a comfort in opening up. "I don't know what changed in me. Or was it she, who was the change. But I know that there isn't another woman who can entice me now."

Raising his glass, he toasted to my new life, the one I had with Valentina. With a phone call that caused his smile to disappear, he moved out of the room. I remained lashed with the thoughts of my wife who was home, but carried her hold all the way over to me.

Across the sea and sky.

~

Oh my smitten kitten..