Savio

1. Savio

1

Savio

I twisted the rosary in my hand as I clenched my jaw in aggravation and closed my eyes to control my blood pressure before I ended the display. As the oldest in the Calabresi Family, I ran a legit billion-dollar business on top of being a mob boss. My father, Elio Jr. Calabresi, is the son of Elio Calabresi Sr., a man I grew up around watching as he built up the Five Families to what it was now. My grandfather was killed, and my father took his place when I was around fifteen years old.

When I turned twenty-one, it was expected that I would become the head of the Five Families, but I needed more education and time working alongside his team of hitters to make sure my decisions weren’t made impulsively. I tended to kill first and ask questions second, but I’d calmed down as I got older. As my little brothers looked up to me, I wanted to set a better example, so they would feel like they had a choice, either the legit business of Calabresi’s name or the crime part. Unbeknownst to me, they followed me into the mafia. Sante was the second oldest with a hot temper like me but worse. Elio was third and named after my father, his favorite. Then we had Renato, named after my dad’s brother, and the baby of the group, Vincenzo; he was the surprise baby.

“My son hates that I’m writing a book.” He grinned, picking up the cup of tea. For a notorious d**g g*n runner, you wouldn’t expect him to be sitting here at seventy-two drinking tea so comfortably, like he wasn’t responsible for the deaths of hundreds of people.

“How much longer is this going to take?”

“Uh, probably twenty minutes.” She ruffled through the stack of papers in front of her. I shifted and adjusted my d**k, which jumped at the tone of her calm, sweet, soft-spoken voice. McKayla Stanton, in my eyes, was the enemy, somebody I tried to stay away from because she represented what I hated. People like her thought they were saving the world by bringing to light all the bad things people did. As a writer and journalist for the Chicago Times, she was my sworn enemy, and we would never mix. McKayla’s plump, pouty lips pressed together, enhanced by the red lipstick against her ivory, porcelain, rosy skin tone. Her wide blue grey, doey eyes were deep as the ocean, with her round face, and dimples on both sides with high cheekbones. She appeared sweet, innocent, but sharp when challenged. Compared to me, I was known as Savio “Beast” Calabresi, thirty-four years old, six-three, hazel eyes, shortcut black hair, athletically built, full nose, large hands, and attitude short for disrespect. So, I kept to myself often and barely spoke when we had our annual meetings. I allowed my brother Renato to conduct them in my absence as the underboss unless he needed my presence. Sante was the Enforcer, Elio third was the Consigliere, and Vincenzo was the money guy who stayed on top of the finances.

I glanced down at my watch.

“You have twenty more minutes.”

She looked up at me, then at my father.

“My schedule was for an hour.” Her right eyebrow dipped in a frown.

“Plans changed.”

She glared at me, then peered at my father.

“Savio,” Dad grunted and dropped his cup on the desk.

I scoffed, leaned back on the couch with my hands in my lap, counted to ten in my head to keep my calm breathing down.

“Mr. Calabresi, can you tell me when you first killed someone?”

“Get out.” I jumped up, stalked to the door, and motioned to my security.

“I have a right to ask these questions.” She scrambled her papers together and rose out of the chair.

“Not anymore. We have a business meeting.”

“He signed a contract,” she argued.

“Savio, I can handle my affairs.” Father stood from his desk.

“We’re running late for a meeting,” I said to end the conversation. McKayla rolled her eyes and gathered her purse and briefcase.

I hadn’t paid attention to the pink silk blouse with the first two buttons open, highlighting her full breasts and form-fitting black suit jacket with her curvy hips, full figure, and round a*s.

I noticed the hard grimace on her face, and it satisfied me to get her out of his office before he could spill anything that would incriminate him or our family. My father loved entertaining people and once he sensed you engaging, you ocouldn’t break him away. McKayla turned toward my father.

“Mr. Calabresi, it was a pleasure meeting you today. Hopefully, we can continue this conversation.”

“It would be my pleasure, McKayla. Do you need a ride home?” he asked.

“She’s a big girl, Father,” I interrupted before she could answer.

“I’m fine, Mr. Calabresi.”

“Call me Elio. My father, God rest his soul, was Mr. Calabresi.” He dazed off staring at a picture of my grandparents sitting on his desk.

“You’ll have to tell me more about them on my next visit,” she said and reached out to grab the doorknob. I pushed her hand away and held the door open.

“I’ll have my security walk you out.”

“Savio, right?”

“Mr. Calabresi.”

McKayla gaped into my eyes for a moment, bit her bottom lip, shook her head, and left the office as I watched Enzo escort her out to the car. I shut the door behind me and turned back to my father with my left brow raised in annoyance.

“She’s cute,” he spoke, sat down in his chair, and picked up the phone.

“The book is cancelled.”

“No.”

“Are you crazy!”

“Watch your tongue!” He pointed his index finger toward me.

“The Five Families don’t want this out.”

He waved me off.

“Nothing will hurt the family.”

“How do you know that?”

“Savio, my life has been complicated, and I understand the lifestyle. Remember I made you the don.”

“You never let me forget,” I hissed, slamming my hand down on the desk.

The door opened. Renato walked in smiling and texting on his phone with Vincenzo following behind and plopped down on the couch.

“Renato, did you take care of the package?” I asked.

“Yeah.”

“Savio, did you sign off on the new real estate plans?” Vincenzo questioned.

“Not yet.”

“s**t!” Renato blurted out.

“What’s the matter?” my father asked.

“The girl I saw last night told me that a member of the Colombo family was arrested.”

“Where did you meet her?” I stood and slid my hands in my pockets.

“Doesn’t matter,” Renato replied, sliding his phone in his pocket.

“How did the interview go?” Vincenzo asked.

“We need to cancel that,” I said, blowing out a breath.

“Your brother’s scared. I’m going to talk about the secrets of the mafia.” Father chuckled.

“Do you hear yourself? If it weren’t for me, you’d be dead right now.”

“Savio,” Renato muttered, c*****g his head to the side. I walked over to him in the back corner.

“The Five Families want to meet,” Renato said.

“f**k, I don’t need this right now.”

“We can’t show weakness and not attend.”

“He’s causing more problems than our own enemies,” I mumbled.

“What are you saying?”

“Nothing.” I started to walk off, but Renato grasped my arm. I looked down and back up to him.

“Savio, you’re the boss of the family, and I follow as Enforcer, but I don’t condone anything harming our father.”

“I’m an asshole, but I would never harm our father.”

He looked back at Vincenzo and our dad talking.

“So, you think this writer is going to cause problems for us?”

I sighed, crossed my arms over my chest.

“I don’t know yet. She comes across innocent, but that could be an act.”

“You’re the best person at reading people.”

“I wish our father would see that.”

“I’ll talk with him.”

“Thanks, but what about the Colombo people?”

“What are you two talking about over there?” Father called out.

“Business, Father.” Renato winked his left eye, and our dad flipped him off.

“Where’s Mother?” I asked.

“Shopping,” he replied.

“Angel texted that Nevio was caught with a few items of ours.”

“How did that happen?”

“I’m working on finding that out.”

“Did he speak with the police?”

“So far, she doesn’t know.”

“Find out.”

“On it.” Renato strolled over to our father, shook his hand, kissed the top of his head, and left.

“Savio, what’s the problem?” Vincenzo wondered.

“Nothing for you to worry about. Handle the legit business.”

“Calabresi business, legit or mafia, is my business.”

“Not now, Vin.”

“Savio.”

“Father, you no longer make these decisions. I told you once I took over, Vincenzo would handle the legit part.”

“I’m not a kid!” Vincenzo shouted, stormed out, and slammed the door.

My father chuckled, and I glared at him.

“You did the same thing when you were around eighteen.”

“Maybe if you listened back then, I wouldn’t be so damaged now.”

“Why do you talk to me this way?”

“Why do you continue to push my buttons?”

A knock at his door interrupted him from answering. When my mother came inside, I smiled at her as she sauntered in with a bag in her hand. All her sons were tall at six feet or more, but she was a short petite woman with long black curly hair.

“My favorite girl.” I reached out, and she walked into my arms. I kissed her cheek.

“I’m the only woman who tolerates you,” she joked.

“Mother.”

“I heard that the reporter girl was here.” She went over to sit in my father’s lap.

“Our first day of interviewing happened today,” Father answered and leaned in to kiss her on the lips.

“How did it go?” she questioned.

“She’s beautiful, smart,” he replied.

“Really.” Mom glanced up at me.

“I like her,” he said.

“You like all women.”

“Savio, you sound upset,” Mom said.

“You need to tell him this book idea would put a target on our backs.”

“I trust your father, and you should too.” She wrapped her arm around his shoulders, and he whispered in her ear. I’d had enough of the cuddling bullshit and stormed out. I reached in my pocket to grab my cell phone and scrolled to Sante’s number as the car door opened for me to slide inside. Enzo shut it, went to the driver’s door, and started the car.

“Take me to my condo.”

“Yes, sir,” Enzo said.

“Mmmm… Sante,” a woman moaned. I took the phone away from my ear.

“s**t!” He hung the phone up, and I was ready to t*****e all my brothers for pissing me off today.

Ring! Ring!

“Where are you?” I asked, not waiting for hello.

“Finishing up a meeting,” Sante whispered on the phone.

“Come to the condo.”

“Sante baby, come here.” I heard a woman’s voice.

“I’m kind of in the middle of something.”

“Put your d**k on ice for a second and meet me now.” I hung up the phone and tossed it on the seat next to me as Enzo drove through the streets of Chicago. We were born here, but our roots came from Sicily. Our parents were an arranged marriage, but they wanted to be together. One of the conditions of growing up in Italy was continuing the tradition of having your oldest be arranged to marry in the family of the next mafia family at the top. Gennaro Greco was still running his family’s business even though he was in his late sixties like my father. He tried many times to get me to date and marry his daughter Viviana. My parents even tried to convince me, but at thirty-four, I had no plans to marry her or anyone else. I liked the way my life was now. I had s*x when I wanted and sent them on their way afterwards. No need for conversation or ideas of dating when I only used you for pleasure. The limo arrived at my condo, and I stepped out, not waiting for Enzo to open the door.

“Sante is coming. I’ll call you if anything changes, but I’m fine.”

“Yes, sir.” Enzo started the car and drove off from the curb, and I headed inside my condo and passed the hostess up to my penthouse private elevator. Five minutes later, I slid the key inside the door and turned the lights on, removed my jacket, and picked up the whiskey bottle near the fireplace. I called the place home for the past five years, but I thought about selling and moving into a house. I’d never brought anyone over; only my parents and brothers knew of this place for security reasons.

Bang! Bang!

I went to open the door, and Sante pushed me back and charged at me. I twisted to the side, and he fell on the couch.

“Need to be a little faster.”

“f**k you!”

“Let me guess, she didn’t suck your d**k?”

“How did you know?”

“That’s your signature move, Sante.”

“I might like this one.” He kicked his feet up on my table.

I chuckled and passed him a glass of whiskey.

“You said that about the last three women.”

I smacked his feet down.

“What do you want, Savio?”

“Renato is handling the Colombo situation, but I need you to look into something else.”

“What happened to them?”

“Nevio was caught with some of your product.”

“You think he’ll talk?”

“If he’s smart, he won’t.”

“What’s the other problem?”

“Father.”

He jumped up, and I waved him to sit back down.

“Is he all right?”

I finished off the drink.

“This book is going to be a problem.”

“We can get rid of any problem.”

“Not this time.”

“Who’s behind it?”

“McKayla Stanton.”