My First, My Last, My Everything

Chapter 4

Gabriella

"Hey Gabby! Look alive, we're in the Big Apple now. Come on, let's roll." A gentle nudge on my shoulder brought me out of my slumber, and I greeted the early morning with a wide yawn.

Blinking at the window, I saw the rising sun casting its light over New York City. The city's twinkling lights slowly faded in the daylight as we touched down, marking the start of a new day.

Stretching my arms, I rose from my seat and descended the aircraft stairs, stepping onto the tarmac. Soon after our mission last night, we hopped onto the jet and jetted off to NYC for that biennial leader's gathering. It's like our version of the Met Gala, but for the underworld. A chance for top-notch gang leaders and their inner circles to congregate and talk shop.

Sounds dull, but it's surprisingly not. Some of us at this shindig are just here to network, maybe find some action or scope out the young and the hot among our counterparts.

The meeting I'm attending starts at 8 AM in a joint called 'The Shine.' The crème de la crème of the gang and mafia world will be there to brainstorm the location for this year's Gala. And naturally, my word trumps all, thanks to my senior status. Yep, I'm the queen bee. *hair flip*

Liana and I slipped into the car again, and we were chauffeured to our NYC mansion. We've got these places all around the world, and this one sits pretty in Manhattan. Collapsing back into the plush car seat, I gave in to a momentary doze. That Hawaiian escapade took a toll on me, and now, with sleep deprivation and meeting prep on my plate, I'm not sure how I'll recharge.

"Hey, babe," Liana's voice filtered through the phone, her grin evident even in her tone. "Yeah, we're here... Mhmm, Gabby's a bit zonked out right now, but she'll bounce back, no worries." I shot her a glare, mouthing, "Seriously?!"

I'm not just tired; I'm wiped out. The meeting ahead will probably drain me more. If I doze off, I'll likely be snapping at anyone who tries to wake me with something more lethal than words.

"Sure thing, babe. Catch you later. Love you too. Bye!" Liana ended the call just as we pulled up to the mansion's entrance. The driver hopped out, opening the door for us.

With lazy steps, I rounded the car and signaled for a guy to get the house door for me. As it swung open, I didn't waste time, making a beeline for my room. The mansion wasn't empty; the maids and bodyguards held the fort when we were globe-trotting.

I barged into my bedroom and collapsed onto the queen-sized haven of comfort. The moment my worn-out body touched the soft sheets and plump pillows, a contented sigh spilled out. Utter relief.

"Gabby? What are you doing? You should be prepping for the meeting. We can't afford to be late; it'll give the others the wrong impression. Come on, Gab, get up!" Liana's voice, with a hint of panic, dragged me back to the waking world.

Reluctantly, I pushed myself upright, rubbing my eyes. "Okay, okay, I'm up! I'll get ready, if it's gonna keep you and those leaders off my back. Who cares about sleep? All that matters is my presence, right?"

She stared at me for a beat, her sigh a mixture of exasperation and concern. "Not exactly what I meant, Gabby. I care about you, and I know you're drained from the jet lag, the mission, and now this meeting. I just want us to breeze through it so we can head home and unwind."

Nodding, I gave her a half-smile before disentangling myself from her embrace and heading for the bathroom.

○○○○○○○○

The elevator's doors slid open, and I stepped out, on my way to the conference room where the leaders awaited. Two guards opened the imposing double doors, ushering us inside.

A grand entrance? Check.

"Gentlemen! Apologies for the wait." I announced, striding toward the head of the table where my designated seat beckoned. As I settled in, conversations in the room resumed.

With a discreet throat clearing, I commanded attention. The room hushed, all eyes on me. A room full of ten leaders from various gangs and mafias, apart from me. To my right, there's David Clarkson, leader of the Silver Mafia (the eccentric one). Next, Shane Ryder of the KnightRyders Mafia (smoking hot, by the way). Then, James Styles, head of the Black Skulls Mafia (with the giant eyeballs). Followed by Markus Samuelson, the enigmatic leader of The Blackstone Mafia (weird beard and all). Lastly, Dante Bruce of the Mexican Mafia (cute, though a bit too stereotypically Mexican for me).

On my left, the high-ranking gangleaders. Damien East, boss of the East gang (hot as lava, but alas, taken). Then Jayden Ross, ruler of the Ruthless gang (equally smoking, also taken). Seriously, do all the attractive gangleaders come with a 'taken' tag?

Alec Silva, helming the Silva gang (cute, yet, yep, taken). Issac Black, head of the Black Knights (single, but not quite my type). And lastly, hold on!

Who's this? Did he step straight out of a Calvin Klein photoshoot?

Light-skinned, sharp Asian eyes, ebony hair, and taller than a skyscraper. Scorching like Mexican spices, though he's not Mexican. He's talking to Damien, and when he tilts his head, his jawline takes center stage.

Damn!

"Alright, let's jump into it. Any thoughts on the gala's location this year?" I probed, setting the stage.

They exchanged murmurs before casting their attention back to me.

"New York might be a good call. We're all here anyway, so why not make it convenient?" Old-beard weird guy suggested.

Before I could respond, a new voice chimed in.

"I'm thinking California might be a better option." All eyes swiveled to Hot Mystery Guy, and then back to me, expectant.

"Reason?" I leaned back, a composed smile tugging at my lips.

"I've got the perfect crew, theme, and a breathtaking venue in mind. Some of us are in New York, sure, but others are already in Cali for business. So, I humbly propose California. Easier logistics, superior ambiance, and I'm taking care of the arrangements." His reply flowed smoothly.

I forced myself to look away from him, stealing a glance at Liana, who nodded in approval.

"Alright then. Any objections to this gentleman's brilliant suggestion?" Heads shook, a unanimous no.

"Excellent. The gala's destination is California."

A/N
If you've read my other books , these gangleaders might ring a bell. If not, no sweat—it's just a shout-out to my previous characters.