A newspaper landed in front of Virginia as she sat at her desk early Monday morning. A photo of her and Spinelli entering the Johnson Center sat front and center, the caption below it reading MARK SPINELLI AND GUEST. Evidently, the clock had run out on her fifteen minutes of fame over the whole Tom scandal. Thank God. She was quite happy being "guest." She smiled down at the picture.
Cap's crusty voice came from behind her. "Not a good idea, Virginia."
She turned in her chair to look up at him, doing her best to feign innocence or ignorance, not sure which she was pulling off. "What?" She shrugged. "We're friends. Friends can't go out?"
"There is a certain unwritten social decorum public officials have to uphold. That would include not dating a person you've been trying to condemn throughout most of your career."
"You are blowing this way out of proportion. It was just one night out."
"Hope so," he muttered, stepping away to head to his office.
Turning back to the picture with delight, she dug her cell phone out of her purse and found Spinelli's number, writing him a text:
DID YOU SEE OUR PIC IN PAPER? CAP NOT TOO HAPPY. WE LOOK GREAT, TALK LATER.
A small group had collected by the coffee machine. There seemed to be some mutual complaining going on as a low grumble rose from the gathering. Virginia frowned as she looked over at them. Glances in her direction made it pretty obvious that the discussion centered around her. The newspaper she spotted through a gap in the circled bodies confirmed her suspicion.
She wasn't tolerant of office gossip but was in too good of a mood to let it bother her. She turned her focus back to work, moving the newspaper out of the way, but still within view.
) l (
Mark arrived at his office to find Gus in his chair, the soles of the man's shoes on display from their perch atop his desk. Enzo was sprawled out in one of the guest chairs.
Not a good start to any day.
He took his time hanging up his suit jacket, ignoring their presence, hoping to annoy the unwelcome guests. Then he walked up to his desk and pushed Gus's feet to the floor. "What can I do for you, Junior?" he drew out, knowing how he hated to be called that.
Lips curled into a snarl. "Augustus wants to see you." The rolled-up newspaper in his hand tapped lightly against his thigh.
"I didn't realize you were your father's secretary. Did you get a promotion?"
Gus jumped to his feet. Standing so close only accentuated their height difference, making him even more ornery. "You won't be so smug when he finishes with you." He threw the paper onto the desk, and it fell open to a picture of Virginia and Mark standing by the limo at the Johnson Center.
Mark smiled. "Great picture."
"Augustus knows who she is."
"You must have been quite the annoying blabbermouth as a kid."
Gus's face soured. "You've blown it this time. He's not too pleased with you right now!"
"Don't worry, Junior. He always forgives my little indiscretions."
Gus pushed past him, stomping his way out of the office like a child. Left behind, Enzo seemed lost, incapable of making a decision on his own. The calm cover Mark had been fronting was no longer needed, and a raw fury rushed in, soaking its way into his voice. "Get. Out."
As Enzo scrambled out of the chair and hurried after his master, Mark picked up the abandoned newspaper and studied the picture. "Damn it," he muttered.
Ten minutes later he took the private elevator up to the top floor. The doors opened straight into the spacious, luxurious office which occupied one half of the floor's square footage—Gus had whined his way into inhabiting the other half.
Augustus turned at the sound of the doors opening. He was an attractive man for his age, being well into his sixties. A full head of thick silver hair held its groomed style with a youthful exuberance, and his cadet gray eyes still had a clarity and alertness to them that could change a man's opinion with just one weighty stare. He was in great shape, maintaining it by taking daily jogs early in the morning. Much taller than his son, it was a constant reminder that Junior took after his mother in the genetics department, something Mark took pleasure in bringing up. Often.
Augustus threw up his hands. "Mark!" He walked over and pulled him into an embrace, cheek kissing him in the process. "Thank you for coming. You don't come up here enough."
"Good to see you, sir. Gus told me you wanted to see me."
"Yes, I'm sure he went running down there to find you." His voice grew heavy with disapproval, but he brushed the mood away with a swipe of his hand. "Tell me how you are doing these days." He smiled, showing white even teeth-all capped, but all his own.
"I'm well. You missed the awards ceremony at the Johnson Center last night. The building is beautiful. It is a great tribute to Amelia." Knowing this was going to be the topic for discussion, Mark saw no reason to avoid it.
"I am grateful you handled that for me. You know how I hate those kinds of things." He paused, studying Mark with a puckered brow, then smiled, reaching forward to grip him on the shoulder. "You know I think of you like a son?" Without waiting for an answer, he dropped his hand and strolled over to his desk.
Mark nodded his agreement, his eyes following the family's patriarch as he crossed the room. "And I have the respect and love for you that a father deserves."
Augustus smiled distractedly, as if expecting that answer. "Let's talk about this picture I see in the paper." He picked up the copy spread out on his desk and held it up in the air. "I know you have a history with this woman. Lieutenant Robins, is it?"
"Yes . . . we are friends."
"Friends? I may be old, but I'm not dead. No man can be just friends with a woman who looks like this." He turned to the picture. "She's beautiful."
"Yes, she is."
Augustus dropped the paper and shoved his hands into his pockets as he headed back to where Mark stood. "I don't normally tell my people who they can or cannot associate with, but I'm afraid in this case I must speak my mind."
Augustus stopped in front of him, cold eyes boring into Mark's with a probing stare. "I'm afraid you must end this relationship. I have no problem with you having her in your bed—absolutely. Get her out of your system. Otherwise, that craving will fester inside of you like a disease." He brought his fist to his chest and tapped twice. "Believe me, I know what that is like."
Yes. He did. Augustus had had his fair share of affairs during his forty-two year marriage to Amelia. Mark had firsthand experience dealing with the repercussions of the older man's unfaithfulness.
"But then"—Augustus chopped the air with his hand—"you must end it. That is the best thing for all of us. She can only bring adversity to you and your family." He swept his arms wide as if to incorporate the whole building into the family tree.
Mark cleared his throat, uncomfortable with where this had headed.
Augustus narrowed his eyes, causing them to darken to an almost-blue in the shadows of lowered lashes. "Don't you agree?"
Mark paused, torn between his loyalty to the man standing in front of him and his feelings for Virginia. "Yes." He looked down at the ground as a foreign sense of disappointment encompassed him.
"Good, my boy." Augustus patted him on the shoulder, his face brightening. "Let's have some breakfast, shall we?" He pulled Mark into his side, putting an arm across his shoulders, seeming satisfied with the result of their little talk as he directed him over to a large meeting table. Food had already been laid out, and Mark helped himself to a coffee and bagel while they discussed business.
Returning to his office an hour later, Mark checked his phone and read her text. Dropping down into his chair, he slammed the phone onto the desk's leather inlay. "Goddamn it!"
Lisa was at his doorway within seconds, a look of concern lining her face.
He waved her off as he picked up the newspaper. His fingers brushed over the picture as he tried to commit every detail to memory. Leaning over to his trash can, he closed his eyes and let the section fall from his hand, hearing the soft rustle as it landed on other discards.
He knew this was going to happen, knew their situation was impossible. He'd gone into this with eyes wide open. So why did his stomach feel like it was about to play ring toss with the bagel he'd just eaten?
Just stay away from her, his more-sensible side commanded. How hard can that be?
He pictured her in that dress, standing in her kitchen saying goodnight, her face a combination of both yearning and resistance.
Hard. It was going to be fucking hard to stay away from her.
END OF CHAPTER THIRTY-THREE
So we meet Augustus, head of the Chilvati family, the boss's boss. What did you think of him? Charismatic? Cruel? Or too soon to tell? Don't forget to vote, comment and share! I appreciate all the support :)