Mafia's Arranged Princess Bride Book1 King of New York

Chapter 18

Nico

I check the time again; Lucky has not arrived. I made it explicitly clear she was to accompany me for this opening, I am enraged and on top of this my youngest brother is drunk and high on my sofa back home. It is an outrage, what the fuck is going on with my life right now? Do they not know who they are dealing with? "Call her again, I want her here in ten minutes, she has thirty minutes at the most." I tell my assistant, Vinnie short for Veronica.

"With due respect I have called her already twice, Nico and left her several voice messages."

"Well then fucking send someone to get her, I want her here. Do you hear me?" I bellow down the phone, my protection does not make any gesture that they can sense my distress nor pay attention to my outburst, they have heard worse, but this Lucky Gianluca is trying my patience and ordinarily I can be a very patient man but with her, she sends me over the edge. First hand fucking myself this morning thinking about her, never happened to me before, I go out and I get laid just like any normal guy and now this. She incenses me.

In precisely half an hour the store opens officially, I take in the smoked glass frontage from floor to ceiling with grand doors boasting gold and I mean real gold door furniture, to the real gold lettering, Nico's for Fine Men's Wear. It has taken me many years to legitimize some of the family's business and this is my fifth store. First Milan, second one in Girona, third one in Madrid, fourth one in Santa Monica and now here finally in New York.

We specialize in bespoke clothes for men with a focus on smart casual. Anything, however, can be made to order. If they see something they like but want my brand on it, then we will custom make it. My advisors say I need to branch out to women's wear and kid's wear. I am still thinking about it, men are much easier to please than women, perhaps Lucky can look into it and handle that side of the business. The woman will need something to do, she will not be working for the Gianluca family once she is my Queen. No fucking way, over my dead body. We will not have her working or doing anything for the rival family even if we have the alliance. She will belong to me and me alone. Of course, I won't really kill her father but whilst it hangs over her head and her father's I can get what I want. Yeah, I know I'm a cunt but that's the way it is. I didn't get to be Don by being nice and sympathetic. You can either hate me or love me, it's your choice. It means nothing to me either way and whether she hates me for eternity, I don't give a shit either.

A few people, mainly close family except Dario begin to arrive in limousines, photographers begin to take pictures, flashing goes off. I smile and puff my chest out, this is really happening my first store in all of New York, and it is magnificent I have a whole building, six floors of men's finest, from leather gloves, to high end suits costing a few hundred thousand.

My mother comes to my side, "gorgeous, Nico simply gorgeous. We are proud of you." The photographers go nuts to snap pictures of my beautiful mother by my side, my father is busy talking with Tony before they both make their way over. He shakes my hand, a big fat cigar hanging from between his lips. "Giovanni, how many times must I tell you not to smoke those things, you have been warned already by your specialist."

"Mamma, you worry too much. Hush," my father tells my mother his Queen. Mom's lips go into a thin line, she knows when to pick her battles and her wars. No doubt this one will continue when she gets home. Tony claps me on the back, we stand as a family except without Dario who by now is in a heroine haze on my sofa. I've already told my assistant to get him cleaned up and in the next car to the rehab center. He better not still be on my sofa when I get home later this evening and if he turns up here, he will be kicked out by my protection. They have strict instructions not to let Dario on the premises.

We allow a few minutes for the photographers to get their shots. My father looks smart in his tuxedo with a red cumber band and matching bow tie, he cuts a handsome figure. My mother wears an elegant cream skirt and blazer with a red silk blouse to match my father's accessories. Her hair is up in a chignon. Mother laps up the attention, I move them forward inside the large area frontage of our store. It's all chocolate marble with a white vein running through it spreading like marbled chocolate across the floor, matching pillars and the staircase to the next floor. To the right are the gold and wood elevators, but it is the Gone With The Wind staircase that catches the eye the most. We allow the photographers to come in. Still no sign of Lucky inside I am seething, when I get hold of her, I will be sure to punish her for disrespecting me and ignoring my request that she be here.