16

Massimo 

“You have a meeting in about five minutes, the car is ready,” Florence said as soon as she waltzed into my office. As always the clipped sound of her heels clanked in the neatly cleaned floor of my office.

“What meeting”? I asked in frustration. I had a lot going on. I lost a lot of money and now my investments are slowly wrecking. I need hands in the mine business I just started. Some of my investors are breathing down on my neck and will have my head if I don't deliver their goods. I've almost emptied my pocket just to make up for all that was going on.

“Mas.” She said, groaning softly in a way that made my stomach ache. “The downfall plans that I ran by you days ago. Have you forgotten? I've highlighted those we need to meet up with and the first one on the list are the three sisters.”

“The three sisters, as in those widowed ones, the Fabiano?’ I asked and silently hoped that she'd reply negatively.

“Yes,” she answered absentmindedly as she attended to her phone which vibrated in her pocket.

‘Why do they have to be the first on your list?” I asked as I stood up

“Because you need them the most. If we get them on our table it'd be easier to get everything else done. They have Intels everywhere. They are the female version of the Niccolians, so tell me what better way to start than getting acquainted with them?” She said but I grumble

If I'm meeting those women, it means I'd see her, I thought.

“Hah. Except maybe the rumours are true, boss.” She added with a bit of mock in her eyes and voice.

Shit, I know where this is going, she's trying to tease me and ask well to ease the tense atmosphere.

“What rumor?” I asked. She had opened the door for me and we were leaving together.

“That you had a thing with Chiara in the past,” she said under her breath as we walked past the group of men coming out of the elevator. They bowed down , showing their respect and held the elevator for us till we got it. Florence pressed a button on the elevator and it closed, taking us down.

Chiara, I thought and groaned.

“I didn't take you for one who listens to gossip, Flo” I muttered as I quickened my pace.

“Well, I make an exception when it comes to you.” She said, I said nothing afterwards. It's no point lying about Chiara, we used to be a thing but it had ended as quickly as it started. We got out of the elevator and walked outside. Like she had said, the car was already waiting for me. The driver opened the door and we got in.

*******************

The location of the meeting is the same as usual. Haunted and unused, one that would lock the outside world away from whatever that'd be discussed. I stepped into the warehouse with Florence beside me. She was speaking softly into the radio attached to her cloth. As always, she was making sure that everything was in order and that we were safe.

From afar, I saw the women sitting on a three seater. 

With each step that I took, I cringed.

The Fabiano sisters are all widowed. News had it that they had a hand in all of their husband's death. It was difficult to deny any of the accusations because they all married old men whose days of death were closer. After the death of their husbands, their husband's men remained loyal to them and so, they swore to always protect them.

After a while, they grew stronger and dangerous. They collaborated and became a force to be reckoned with. They left the names of their husbands and became one.They have power, money and are well connected. 

I dipped my hands into the pockets of my coat and walked towards them. It was now or never. From where I was, I smelled the mixtures of their perfume and cigarettes. And then I saw her.

Chiara Fabiano, still beautiful as always.

As always, she sat in the middle, flanked by her older and younger sister. She looks beautiful like a beacon of light. She had a black dress on, her favourite of all times, with red stilettos and a matching red lipstick too.

“Mio Amico,” she said and smiled, her white set of teeth captivating my heart like it did years back. I nodded a bit of greetings to them all and took a seat opposite them.

“It's been how many years now, Massimo? I never thought I'd see a Big Cheese like you taking his time to come see us old women,” Alessia, the eldest said, smirking. She's the most popular among men amongst them all and for a while, I believe she liked me but then, I only had eyes for Chiara.

“Old women? No, have you all seen how glowy you look?” I said, teasing them a bit and trying to let the ice in the room crack. The youngest and the most ruthless Anna, chuckled a bit. I knew then that it had worked.

“Alright, so let's get to business. We need to address the big elephant in the room. The main reason why this meeting was called. The Niccolians. This time around,they overstepped their boundaries.” I began 

“You mean they stepped into your territory because I'm sure they did nothing to us,” Chiara chipped in. “I heard what they did to you, they did you bad, really.” She said, shaking her head dramatically.

“Well, not for long. I'll make sure this is the last one they do” I said.

“So, how does it concern us? This is your fight…alone. Why do you need us widows? We are as old as anything, you have no use for us” Alessia asked.

“Yes I do, I __”

“So, you are here to beg, Massimo?” Chiara said, cutting me off and biting her lips seductively.

“You of all people now I don't beg. It's the reverse case, I'd rather have someone do that, under me” I said darkly.

“Enough with the sexual innuendos you two or better still, get a room. Tell us what you need from us” Alessia chipped in, rolling her eyes. I chuckled too. I watched as Chiara took the moment to adjust her gown, showing me a bit of her cleavages.

“Take off your loyalty to the Niccolians and give it to me instead.” The room stilled as I said this. They all exchanged glances with one another, I balled my fist, as I counted in numbers, waiting for their response.

“I believe you'll give us something in return because what you are asking is too much, especially since it has to do with those rascals.” Chiara asked seriously for the first time.

“You'll be the first to take from the bounties after getting rid of the rascals. You know what that means right? Protection, territory? Everything”

“Protection? Like the one you gave to your bosses’ wife after his death? Anna queried.

Crap, she was referring to my little rendezvous with Chiara. My story did precede me.

“Look around you Massimo. Does it look like we need that? We are solid on our own, ragazzo,” continued. “You know our story, we have men almost as yours. We don't take orders from men, whether older or younger than us. “We won't take the offer of all you have to offer is some protection”

“Then there will be consequences,” I said, calmly as possible. “If you refuse this, you'll fall alongside the Niccolians and I'm sure you don't want that for yourself.” I retorted with a threat. Even though I'm younger than them, we are not in the same calibre.

“How about you give us a chance on the table,” Alessia said. “Instead of being the second runner. We want to be in the first place, beside you even.” I knew it was a tactic to not cause enmity between us. Moreover, Alessia 's dead husband have a history with Vittorio, I'm sure she'll want to use the opportunity to get her revenge.

I crossed my legs and rested fully on the sofa I sat on. I tried weighing the implications of having these women beside me. Not to talk of Chiara whom I share a long history with.

“Fine, you have the seat already but you had better not betray me or heads will roll” I seethed.

“Of course not, we are not snitchers” Anna said with a smirk. I stretched out my hand. They took my hand one after the other and shook it but then it got to Chiara's turn, she took my hand firmly and held onto it for a while, sending me down the lane of memories.