Valente

The Club

He was staring at me and now he didn't look so happy. I looked at Katrina who had her mouth wide open, jaw dropped. I looked back at him, "I am Gianna Gravino, who are you?" I didn't stutter or falter in my words. I am confident and although I have no idea who this man is, he will not intimidate me. He smirked and for a moment I wondered if he was smirking at me or at my confidence. 

"I am Adrian Valente" He said his name like it held so much power. Like it should make me shake in fear, or maybe apologize for so rudely saying who are you. But I know men like this, men who think that they should instill fear over respect and he will get neither from me. "Cool" I said and picked up my fork. He seemed shocked but didn't say anything back. I don't care who you are Adrian Valente but I am not afraid of you.

....

"Katrina, that's enough don't you think?" I asked as she grabbed another glass of champagne. "No actually, I think you need to drink more. We should go to a club" The party had moved to an open room of the other side of the house. Everyone was mingling and the oh so scary Adrian Valente who had said nothing more to me all dinner was now standing at the opposite side of the room with the Dean. I watched them disappear into what looked like an office and the door shut behind them. The Dean was a nice man who I had conversed with many times and he was a rather confident and proud man. Yet, as I watched him enter the office and shut the door closing him and Valente inside, he looked almost scared.

"Are you even listening to me?" Katrina sounded annoyed. I snapped out of the trance I was in which had me staring at the closed office door. "No, what was that?" I asked. Katrina rolled her eyes. "You will be the death of me, I said that I couldn't believe you talked to Adrian Valente like that" she said in amusement. "Am I supposed to know who he is?" I asked her as I too grabbed another glass of champagne "Adrian Valente is one of the most well-known and respected men in New York, well I'd probably argue in the world seeing as his family has ties everywhere. I mean, other than the fact that his family has so much money it would blow your mind, he's not your average mobster" I snapped my head to Katrina when she said that.

"I'm sorry, did you say mobster?" "Well, that's what everyone says, that his family must be part of the Mafia or something. I mean they own quite a few businesses, but it just seems like there's just something more going on. Some people guessed drugs or trafficking. But my money's on them being gangsters. I mean look at him, he oozes dominance and power. Don't you just want to let him take you home and..." I turned out Katrina. She always goes to the sexual side of things very quickly and I've learned it's better to ignore her fantasies.

"Why is he here? He loves to support Law schools but breaks the law?" I asked. "Well, like I said, it's just a rumour. No one knows if he's really part of the mafia. But his family does invest in many legal institutions, which kind of makes sense if you think about it" she says as she finished her glass of champagne and grabs another. "Makes sense how?" is that her fifth glass? "Well I mean, if I was doing illegal Mafia stuff, I would get in with legal institutions as well" I guess that does make sense. It's horrible to think that our legal system is that corrupt but not surprising. I looked back to the office door to see that it was now open. My eyes scanned the room for the Dean and Mr. Valente. I felt a hand on my back and I turned around to see the Dean and Valente standing behind me.

"Hello, Gianna. I'd like to introduce you to our benefactor Mr. Valente" the Dean said. "Oh, we actually met, didn't we miss Gravino?" Adrian smirked and reached out his hand to shake mine. I looked down at it, why are his hands so big? I placed my small one in his and looked up at him, which had I not been wearing heels might have broken my neck. How tall is he? "does she always do that?" Adrian asked, looking at my very stunned friend. Katrina gulped and said, "sometimes she speaks out loud and doesn't even realize it. It's how she works through issues too. I've learned it's a problem-solving technique." He laughed and looked back at me, "I'm 6'3, Gianna" oh so I had said that out loud too, wonderful. "I'm Katrina, by the way, Katrina Pisante" she stuck her hand out and shook Mr. Valente's. "Miss Pisante graduated second highest in her class, following only Miss Gravino. Now if you'll excuse me" the Dean said and walked away to join more of the guests.

"Impressive Miss Gravino" He says and once again I make eye contact. "My reputation precedes me" I smiled and although he did not smile back, his eyes showed he was in a good mood. "So does mine." His voice is so velvety and deep. How can it be rough and rugged yet soft and deep? I stared at him for a moment not knowing what to say and he stared back. Could it be true that he was a mobster? I thought those things didn't exist anymore. Organized crime isn't heard of around here.

"Well, as fun, and awkward, this whole encounter has been. Gia and I were just heading out. Gia's let's say bye to the Dean, I made us reservations" I snapped out of it and looked at her, "reservations" I whispered, as if Valente could not hear. "Yes, the boys have a booth at the club, and I said we'd come. Let's go" And she pulled my arm to guide me to the Dean. I looked up at Mr Valente who looked angry again. Why does he never smile? "Gia." He said roughly, like he was not impressed I was walking away. "Gianna." I said back and allowed Katrina to drag me to the Dean.

....

The music was loud. I was drunk. I deserved to celebrate right? The club was packed with sweaty bodies dancing against each other. Strangers grinding on strangers. I can't say this would be my first choice for celebrations but I was past the point of caring at least four shots ago. Blue eyes lingered in my mind. Adrian Valente, so mysterious and scary. I am not afraid of you, Mr Valente. I giggled to myself and looked for Katrina in the crowd of people. I couldn't see her. Our group of friend's were scattered between our booth and the dance floor. There was a lot of people here tonight, all too drunk to care. I could see one group of men in the reserved section up top. They looked to be all wearing suits and none of them were dancing. They were sitting on the couches and it seemed that they had women being brought up from the dance floor to join them every so often.

Where was Katrina? I bet I could see better if I got up on the bar. I climbed onto the bar despite the bartender yelling at me to get down. "Katrina!" I yelled over and over. I looked through the crowd and still could not see her. "Kat- whoop" a security guard scooped me off the bar and placed me down. "No more. Stay down" he barked. Okay, Mr tough guy. I giggled and he looked annoyed. "Can you help me find my friend?" I asked the tough guy. "No" he said and walked away. Someone's cranky, I giggled again and hiccupped. Too much to drink, I had too much... oh no.

Just then I saw Katrina being led by one of those men in black suits up the stairs to that restricted section. I tried to push through the bodies to get to her before she was led upstairs but by the time I made it to the stairs it was roped off again and she was gone. Of course, just my luck. "Hello sexy" I turned to the voice and saw a bulky man standing in front of me. He grabbed my waist and tried to pull me close to him. I stumbled in my heels and fell into him and quickly pushed myself off but he held on. A man in a suit, like the one that had led Katrina upstairs approached us. "Sorry, Johnny. Boss said this one is to come with me" he said and looked at the bulky man who had yet to let me go. "Tell him, I found her first" he was drunk, I could tell by the slur in his words and the stench coming off of him. "You're drunk Johnny. You don't want to start a war with boss now let her go." The suit man looked scary when he said that. Who is boss? "yeah, tell him I just want one night then he can have her" bulky man said and pulled on my waist again. I stumbled and lost my footing and fell into him. "See, tell boss she wants me" he laughed and the man in the suit did not look impressed. "I won't ask again; Johnny I have direct orders." He said and Johnny seemed to loosen his grip as a scared look came over his face. Just as quickly as it was there, the drunk fool seemed to regain his confidence. I would argue, it was only the alcohol talking at this point. The man in the suit shook his head and two more men appeared behind Johnny and took him by his arms. He started yelling at them to let him go but they were dragging him into the back, and they disappeared behind some curtains. I looked back at the man in the suit, "Boss wants you upstairs, now" he said very sternly, and I shook my head. I don't know who boss is, but I am not about to be dragged behind some curtains like that guy. "I don't know your boss but he's not my boss and-and I just, I just" why was everything so fuzzy. The next thing I knew I was collapsing into the man in the suits arms.