The Manor

It was already two in the morning when Gael and Giovanni left the private meeting room on the third floor of the club. They spent the entire day and night with the caporegimes in a meeting. They rarely gather this long, but everything that's going on with them caused some distress. They had to revise a few systems and order the capos some assignments for their businesses.

Alessandro was also present during half of the meeting before he went out to visit the Yakuza leader who was apparently sick. The Japanese crime family in New York was a good friend to the De Lucas even before Alessandro became the Don. Gael and Giovanni offered to accompany him, but he declined, saying that they had to properly plan out the meeting with the Russians on Friday to avoid a lapse in security. Two crime family leaders in public would surely attract eyes and ears.

Gael and Giovanni slumped on the leather couch in the VIP section, the latter immediately pouring himself and his nephew some scotch.

The club's senior manager, a woman in her mid-forties, made a small bow before she placed a platter of club sandwiches, cold cuts, and cheeses on their table. "Would you like me to call you some company?"

Girls, she meant.

"No, thanks, Irene. I'm not in the mood today," Giovanni answered before nodding his head towards Gael. "And this guy's already pussy-whipped."

Irene glanced a look at Gael who gave her a small smile, and she offered one of her own in return before shifting her gaze back to Giovanni. "Very well. Let me know if you need anything."

"It's late, Irene. You should go home." Giovanni told one of his guards to drive the senior manager to her house.

"Yes, Sir. Thank you." With one final bow, Irene exited the VIP area.

Gael picked up his scotch and took a swig. "Is she not married yet? Or are you not allowing her so she won't leave your club?"

"Are you kidding? I've been pushing her to go and have a date." Giovanni made a gesture with his forefinger and thumb. "I'm this close to setting her up on a blind date. But the woman's married to her job. She once told me she'd rather be old and single than be with someone like one of us, and that her hands are already full taking care of you and me." He shook his head.

"Are we that bad?" Gael threw his head back and laughed. "You could set her up with someone…normal. Like a corporate worker or something."

It was Giovanni's turn to laugh. "Irene will eat that man alive."

"No shit."

Swirling the drink in his glass, Giovanni faced the other, "Ah, right. You sent your men looking into the Russians?"

Gael nodded and told his uncle about yesterday's visit to the library. He left the part out about Angela meeting her mother since it wasn't anyone else's business.

"Who do you think it is?" asked Giovanni.

"I have no clue. I was there for a couple of hours and didn't see anyone. What would they be doing in a library anyway?"

"True." Giovanni side-glanced at Gael. "You should be careful going out with Angela these days. I thought you of all people would keep her out of the public eye."

Gael shot his uncle a glance, knowing what he was talking about. "Why do you think I've been keeping her in the apartment the whole time?" When Giovanni cocked a brow, he continued, "Only a few of you know I own it. The security's tight and the windows are bulletproof and one-way."

The other Italian families knew about his brownstone. Though he made sure of that house's security, he still didn't want to risk Angela staying there. Also, Angela's apartments were always in a high-rise building. He thought that she would feel more comfortable in a modern setting in his condo than his townhouse.

Giovanni understood his point. "Just saying." He shrugged.

"You think I want to bring her out and risk her safety? I make my men do rounds before we even step out of the building. She's been cooped up inside and I intend to keep her there. Ever since she arrived, she had only been out a couple of times. Why do you think I've been working from home?"

"Ah… That's why. I thought it's because you could hardly keep your hands to yourself...and away from her." Giovanni smirked.

Gael shook his head. Angela's safety had always been his priority. He had doubled his security since she came to New York. Keeping her in the apartment was just a way to keep her safe. And because he didn't want her to feel so confined, he took her out—but not after making sure his men did their job to keep them both safe while they're outside.

All this talk about Angela made him whip out his phone. He hadn't heard from her since the afternoon when he called to check up on her. Though he was busy with meetings, he thought she'd at least send him a text.

None.

Feeling irritated, he opened his inbox to Trigger's messages from earlier.

At five in the afternoon:

[ Gael: What is she doing? ]

[ Trigger: Writing, Boss. ]

[ Gael: Have you ordered dinner? ]

[ Trigger: Your sister dropped by earlier with Honey. She brought food that Nonna cooked. ]

When Gael still hadn't heard from her at eight in the evening, he checked with Trigger again. He could call her, but no one was allowed to leave the meeting room until they were done. And he wasn't about to call her in a room full of mafiosos.

[ Gael: Did she eat? ]

[ Trigger: Yes Boss. ]

[ Gael: What is she doing? ]

[ Trigger: We're watching Netflix. ]

[ Gael: We?! ]

At this point, Gael wanted to strangle Trigger. An image of Angela and his soldier on the couch while watching Netflix flickered in his head.

[ Trigger: No Sir. I meant SHE. Auto-correct. I'm at the dining table. Very far from her. ]

An image of Angela's back while she sat with her feet up on the couch as she watched a movie on Netflix loaded on the screen.

[ Gael: Square your shoulders up. ]

[ Trigger: Yes Sir. ]

After rereading the texts, Gael pocketed his phone as he got to his feet, Giovanni standing up with him. "Have you contacted the hotel mogul yet?"

"Park?" his uncle probed, in which Gael nodded. "Not yet. I might pay him a visit to his office soon. I heard his fiancée was in an accident or something and he barely leaves her alone. If he won't meet up with me, then I'll go to him."

"He'll shoot you before you step foot in Crown Group's office."

Giovanni scoffed. "He won't. He owes me after all."

The two of them separated outside of the club, each getting inside their respective vehicles. Since there were not many cars on the road at that time, it took him only half an hour to get to Manhattan.

Gael stepped into the lobby of the apartment building and as he headed towards the elevators, the male receptionist called him.

"Sir, someone left this for you in the afternoon."

Drawing his brows together, Gael received the small white envelope. There was nothing written on it, so he carefully took out the card inside. Written in beautiful cursive handwriting stated:

[ Dear Kylie,

I would love to see you at 5 p.m. tomorrow. I booked us a private room in Whispering Bamboo. I miss you, Sweetheart. And I will wait for you.

Mom ]