Chapter 20 When a friend helps
"Bring your entire workforce; we are going to need it. Infiltrate some positions, waiters, critics, I don't care how you do it, but get us some men on the floor. If this thing doesn't pan out it is going to turn into a bloodbath." My fists form around the steering wheel. I am not storming in guns blazing and bomb exploding, I will try to do this like gentleman, but a man can dream right.
"Do you want to start a war? We have not established our feet in New York yet. They will wipe the floor with us." Achille seems worried, but I was in a mood for a fight.
"They don't know that." I bark swiping across the large screen in the centre of the dash until the blue marker falls on Angela's name. I press onto the call button letting Achille inform her about the night's arrangements, which she happily accepts and even sound a little excited about.
"So now what brother?" He questions after setting up all the arrangements with Angela and ending the call. Achille never spooked easily, but this whole situation was a little upsetting and to be honest scary to me too, but what choice did I have? I can play safe and in the meantime loose the love of my life and stay in Italy continuing to live a pleasant, but lonely life with a nagging mother who will never give up on her mission to see me get married and a new daughter with lots of questions about Mia or I can chose the alternative where I man up expand my business and get the girl.
"Now we plan for tonight." I grin stepping on the gas instigating the car to suddenly accelerate much faster than the ones surround us and I pull over into the fast lane.
"When Mia is secured I need you to get her and get out." I explain to Angela as we sit in the limo Achille arranged to pick us up at the hospital. I should have gotten a hotel room, but instead I am using the hospital as one. She needed to make sure that she and Mia are out of harm's way if anything were to happen, because neither me or Achille will be able to be near enough to either of them if someone decides to do something. We are going to need every last man on the floor, like Achille mentioned earlier, we do not have the numbers.
"Why? What are you up to? You said you are only going to get Mia and get out. That was the arrangement." She becomes a little anxious biting the inside of her cheek and I softly place my hand around her upper arm to calm her. Her skin was clammy and warm, she was scared shitless. This mean and tough lady I got to know over the years turned into yet another young scared woman that was lucky enough to find her way into the lives of people like us. Bad fucking people.
"I am just reminding you that you need to get Mia and get out. That is all." I brush my fingers up and down her upper arm. "I just don't want you in there any longer than anticipated." I try to calm her thoughts and it seems to work. I need her to be calm and not screw this up. It is true I do want them both out of bounds for anyone who might try their luck, but I also have a meeting arrangement which not all of these men are going to be keen about, especially the ones that thought I was dead. These men I am going to meet are running New York's nightlife. After tonight I will definitely have planted my seed here in New York, depending on their reactions of course. Luckily I can be very persuasive and if they still don't want to agree. It will mean war and nobody wants war. War is too expensive and will attract way too much attention.
"Achilles will have a car waiting outside for the two of you. It will take you back to the hospital where Mia can get immediate medical attention if she needs to, Sofia will be awaiting her. I will meet the both of you there." I inform her. "I appreciate you doing this for me." I add. This wasn't even remotely part of her job. She didn't need to attend this with me, put her life on the line for the woman I loved, but here she was. If she had said no then I would not have forced her, but luckily she didn't say no.
"You would have done the same for me." She shrugs raising her shoulders before letting them fall back. Of course I would do the same for her. She is part of my family. "You really do look beautiful." I compliment her, taking her hand into mine as the car slows to a stop and a young man dressed in black and white opens the back door for me and Angela to get out. Cameras immediately started to flash around us reminding us that this was a very popular event for only the who-is-who of New York and some international stars and politicians. Angela of course is a natural, she knows exactly how to please the crowd giving them exactly what they wanted.