Page 5 of Prince of Queens

As I step out onto the street, the cool night air a welcome relief after the stuffy gallery, I can't help but feel like I'm on the brink of something life-changing. My art career is taking off, I've got a mysterious wealthy buyer interested in my work, and for once, everything seems to be falling into place.

Well, except for my love life. Thoughts of Dominic and the way he looked at me have my blood pumping again as I make my way back home. I often stay up until dawn painting when I can’t sleep, and I have a feeling tonight is definitely going to be one of those nights.

Chapter 3

Dominic

I'm lounging on my leather couch, nursing a glass of whiskey and staring out at the Queens skyline when my phone buzzes. It's a text from Luca: "Dinner tomorrow night, 8 PM. Carbone in Manhattan. We need to talk."

My heart rate picks up. Finally. Luca's been dodging my calls for weeks, and I've been itching to talk to him. As I type out a quick confirmation, I can't help but wonder if he'll mention Gia. I try to push the thought away, but it's useless. She's been haunting my dreams ever since that night at the bar.

I take another sip of my drink, savoring the burn as it slides down my throat. The city lights twinkle beyond my floor-to-ceiling windows, a reminder of the empire I've built. But lately, it all feels... hollow. I shake my head, trying to dispel the thought. This isn't me. I'm Dominic Esposito, for Christ's sake. I don't do melancholy.

The next evening, I find myself adjusting my tie in the rearview mirror of my Aston Martin, parked a block away from Carbone. It's a neutral meeting ground - upscale enough for ourtastes, but public enough to keep things civil. As I walk towards the restaurant, I catch myself scanning the faces of passersby, half-hoping to catch a glimpse of dark hair and fiery eyes.

The maître d' recognizes me immediately, ushering me to a secluded booth in the back. Luca's already seated when I arrive, looking relaxed. I think marriage looks good on him.

"Dom," he greets me, standing to clasp my hand. "Good to see you, man."

"Likewise," I reply, sliding into the booth across from him. "You're looking well."

We exchange pleasantries as we order, catching up on surface-level details. But I can feel Luca studying me over the rim of his water glass, and I know we're both dancing around the real reason for this meeting.

"So," he says finally, leaning back in his chair. "How's business?"

I shrug, keeping my face neutral. "Same old, same old. You know how it is."

Luca nods, but there's a glint in his eye that tells me he's not buying it. "Do I? Things have changed quite a bit for me since I went legit."

I raise an eyebrow, intrigued despite myself. "Oh? And how's that working out for you?"

"Better than I ever imagined," Luca says, a genuine smile spreading across his face. "It's not always easy, but the peace of mind... it's worth it."

We spend the next hour discussing the ins and outs of his new legitimate ventures. I'm impressed by how well he's adapted, but I can't see myself following the same path. Not yet,anyway. There's too much at stake, too many people depending on me.

"What about your crew?" I ask, genuinely curious. "How'd they take the transition?"

Luca shrugs. "Some came with me, some didn't. It wasn't easy, but in the end, everyone made their own choice."

I nod, thinking about my own men. Sal, Marcello, the others. Could I ever ask them to give up the life? Would they even want to?

As we're halfway through our main course, Luca brings up the elephant in the room. "You know, Dom, I've been thinking about that old feud between your family and Sofias."

I tense up, my fork pausing midway to my mouth. "What about it?"

Luca leans forward, his voice low. "Maybe we can find a way to bury the hatchet for good. Life's too short for these old grudges, don't you think?"

I set my fork down, mulling over his words. The idea of reconciliation is tempting, but old habits die hard. "I don't know, Luca. That's a lot of bad blood to just forget. Even if most of it was before our time. My family… "

"I'm not saying it'll be easy," Luca concedes. "But think about it. A fresh start could be good for everyone."

I nod noncommittally, but my mind is already racing with possibilities. What would it take to put the feud to rest? And then there's Gia…

As if reading my mind, Luca continues, "You know, Gia was a huge help while Sofia and I were… working things out. Took on a ton of the work herself, and did a fabulous job."

My ears perk up at the mention of Gia's name. "Is that so?"

"Yeah, she's something else," Luca says, a fond smile on his face. "Talented, hard-working, fiercely loyal. Sofia's lucky to have her as a sister."

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