Page 1 of The Vincinti's 1
Chapter One
Present day...
Leon sat on the patio in his secret garden overlooking the backyard, this was his little secret hideaway.Sometimes it was his and Evelyn’s but today, he was here alone.Here, he could sit and contemplate what his day would look like, or look forward and begin setting plans for the future.But this morning he was sitting here with his coffee, thinking about stepping back.He would be seventy soon and he had given the Family a good chunk of his life.Maybe it was time to step back and let younger blood run the city.
“Here you are, Leon,” Evelyn broke the silence as she joined her husband.Setting her tea cup on the side table, she sat down, then reached for his hand.“I’m sorry for hunting you down but I need to speak to you.”
Leon raised her fingers to his lips and kissed them, “Anytime my love, I’m always here for you.”
Evelyn sat back and sipped her tea for a moment then she had to ask, “Are you all right?I’ve been watching you the last little while and I know there’s something bothering you.Maybe I could help?”
Leon sat back in his chair and sighed hard.He didn’t bother looking at her but instead, he gazed out over the expanse of green and flowers in the backyard.“My dear, what would you think if I wanted to retire?”he finally asked.
Evelyn had just taken a sip of her tea and she ended up spitting it back out, backwash and all.Staring at him in surprise she asked, “W-what?”
Leon stared back at her and shook his head.“I’m not getting any younger you know.”
“Well, the first thing I would say is I think you’re drinking a little too much of the bourbon you and Calderone like to drink,” Evelyn told him.
Leon paused, then asked, “Why would it be crazy to step down?”
Evelyn frowned.“Look, I know at first I was freaked out that you ran the Family business on the east coast but then I watched you.Over the last several years, I saw the things you did.How the people you deal with respect you.You may be a Family man but you have honor and you give respect and therefore you get respect back.You are a fair man and believe me that’s not something I was expecting when you first told me you ran the East Coast Italian Mob.I was expecting you to be more like Sioban than the kind, warm man I know as my husband.Most people in a position of power end up letting the power rule them.”She smiled at him and shook her head.“But that’s just not you, is it?Oh, I have no reason to doubt you can be the hardass when you need to be, but that’s only when you have to be.”
Leon sat there and stared at her while steepling his fingers against his mouth.“So you don’t think I’m a badass?”He raised a teasing brow at her.
Evelyn chuckled.
He shrugged as he grinned at her.“Or rather, I am one when how did you put it, only when I need to be?”
“My darling man, that was a compliment not a put down.”Then she paused to study his face.“Is there something here you aren’t telling me?Are you well?”
Leon nodded.“I am well enough but getting older.”
Evelyn laughed and said, “My dear man, you are extremely fit and can usually run circles around any other man.There may be snow on the roof but honey that only adds to your wisdom and I love the life we have right now.”She shook her head.“It isn’t the money, I would love you if you didn’t have a dime.”She looked around.“Even this house, I could live anywhere with you whether it's here or in a cabin in the woods.In other words mio caro, I don’t care if you step down but I think you would regret it deeply.This life.”She extended her arm and waved it around at the area.“This life is what you know and do so well.But if you want to walk away, count me in to go with you.”
Leon shook his head.“You are rather confusing me, my love.You talk about my place and say I wouldn't be happy anywhere else.Yet, you tell me if I leave here, you’ll come with me.”
Evelyn looked around again and said, “My sweet man, this is the only life you know.If you step down, I have a feeling you’ll be lost.You are too vital of a man to not be in charge.”She laughed.“Not to mention, you would never take a backseat to anyone else, not even Calderone.”
Leon agreed with her there, he couldn’t take the backseat to anyone.“But mia cara, I am getting older.”
“Aren’t we all?”Evelyn asked him.“I’m not the woman I once was either.But I wake up each morning and while I may hurt a little more I know I can’t give up or I may as well lay down and die.Well, I’m not ready to do that just yet, thank you very much.”
“I will think about what you said mia cara and let you know what I will do.”Leon reached for her hand and kissed her knuckles as she got up to leave.
Evelyn leaned over and kissed his lips.When she broke the kiss she whispered, “I love you no matter what.Don’t you ever forget that.”
Leon smiled as he watched her walk away and again he was alone with his thoughts.
Donavan Reardon hadbeen working the garage for the Vincinti’s for a while now.It was a great job.No hassles and he liked to drive as well as work on cars.To think they had given him this job even after they knew who he was.It had been astonishing really, but now it was all water under the bridge, so to speak.
Finally done, he slammed the hood down on the limo.Looking across the way, out of the open garage, he saw a young woman standing beside the fence line of the Vincinti estate.He studied her for a moment as he wiped his hands on a shop rag.Tossing the cloth down, he headed out of the garage and walked toward her.The closer he got the more of her face and figure he could see.
She wasn’t very big, maybe 5 foot two or so.Drawn back into a low ponytail, her dark hair hung down to the top of her well rounded ass.There were some loose strands around her face.When he got close enough he could see her pixie face and her big green eyes.He could also see faint bruising on her face.She wore a jean jacket so he couldn’t see her arms.Her clothes were clean but they were showing their wear and tear.
The garage was located inside the walls and not far from the gates so when he stepped up to her, he was on one side while she was on the other side.He paused for a moment when he got a closer look at her bruised face but then he asked her, “Can I help you?”
She looked up at him then hid her face by turning away from him as she replied, “I was just hoping to see if Mr.Vincinti is home today.”She spoke softly almost hesitantly as if she were afraid to be here.
