New Money

Chapter 6 - Whiskey

Leo Giovanni

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The ride back home was uneventful, but my thoughts were quite the opposite. Marriage. It wasn't something I thought of very often. My mother was constantly bugging me, telling me that I was too old to be unmarried. 29 didn't seem too old, but, then again, men in the mafia weren't expected to live very long. Living to my father's age was rare. The last time we had a wedding in the family was when Arabella, my eldest sister at 28, got married a few years back. That was a whole event. After that went down, I decided I never wanted to ever put a ring on a girl.

See, Arabella decided that marrying a 38 year old Capo at 24 was the way to go. Father was less than pleased, and I understood why. She was barely out of college at the time and the Capo, Antonio Romano, had been in highschool when she was born.

I couldn't say much now. Auden was 20, from what my father had told me. Even though she was a legal adult, something felt wrong about it. That was probably because there was something wrong with it. She was beautiful and all, and seemed to have a nice enough personality (if not a little bland). More likely, she just didn't want to talk to me, just as much as I didn't want to talk to her. I would eventually have to talk to her and figure out a plan of action, but now was not the time.

The elevator dinged at me, signalling that I had made it to the penthouse level and I needed my key. I had top notch security here, but nobody had tried to get inthe past 5 years since I had moved in.

I made my way into my apartment, locking the door and continuing to my office, which was only a short walk away from the front door.

As I sat down at my desk, I poured myself a glass of whiskey - Irish, this time. I preferred scotch, but at the moment, I didn't really care about taste - just drinking myself stupid. Maybe fucking my PA for shits. Who knows. This couldn't get a whole lot worse.

Actually, fucking my PA might make this a lot worse. I was supposed to propose to Auden in about 4 weeks. I was supposed to be a love struck fool who fell in love with a college girl. A college girl. I haven't slept with someone who was still in college since I was in college, which was a lot longer than I'd like to admit. Not that I would actually sleep with Auden. She was in a long term relationship. That was going to be a bitch and a half.

And then there was the fact that I was supposed to remain celibate until this whole thing was over. After how I treated Auden today, which was on purpose, and the fact that I don't really think I'm her type, I wasn't getting anything for two years. Shit. I haven't gone that long since middle school.

My phone rang, breaking me out of my thoughts. I checked the caller ID and swore under my breath, but still picked up.

"Hello, Caterina," Caterina was the youngest out of the five children of the Giovanni household at 19. The entire family regarded her as the fuck up, which she is, but she's also the baby, which gives her full forgiveness at all times.

"Brother, you don't seem happy to hear from me," She faked sadness in her tone. Little fucking rascal. "It wouldn't have to do with your upcoming engagement, would it?" What? Now that woke me up.

"How did you know about that?!" There was no logical reason that she would know about it. Unless...

"You know I've always been dad's favorite, Leo." Of course, Father always told Mother and Caterina everything first. The rest of us got news later. Even though I was the heir, I've never been as good as Caterina.

"Of course, I forgot. You're Father's pet."

"Oh, I'm sorry I didn't get the daddy issues that the rest of you got," She shot back. I loved her for that. Her sharp tongue would serve her well when she gets into the business.

"Yeah, yeah. Rub it in. Father loves you." I laughed lightly. Self depreciation. It was something I didn't do very often. To be honest, Caterina was the only person who has ever seen any kind of weakness from me.

"Anyway, my lovely, I'm in town tonight, because of the proposition. And I was wondering if you wanted to go out tonight," She's always been the comedian. The light of the family. By no means was she perfect - her suggestion of going out underage drinking at one of my clubs was a show of that - but she was probably the best of us.

"Aren't you a little young for that? You could get me in trouble with the NYPD."

"And when has that ever mattered to you? You served me and my friends drinks when we were in highschool. Anyway, don't you have most of the police force paid off to not look into crimes at your clubs?" She knew the answer with that, but she took any chance to fuck with me. I would never mind her pestering, though.

"Yeah, I guess I see your point. Where are you staying? I can pick you up." Nights out with Caterina always made me feel like a college kid again. Last time, I woke up mostly naked in Central Park. It was a bitch to make sure the press never got wind of it, but damn it was a good night.

"I got shit to do. I'll swing by your place in a few hours." Of course. When was she not "busy". I knew it met hooking up with an ex. I used to be more protective of her with partners, but a few years back, she shot a guy who tried to do some unsavory things and realized that she was probably crazier than me. Good stuff.

"Wait, are you even old enough to drive?"

"Good one, dumbass. Don't have too much fun without me." With that, she hung up. Damn the whole marriage - if I made it out alive after tonight, that would be an act of God.