Blood in the Golden Palace

Chapter 11: Angelo-1

Chapter 11: AngeloThe phone call with Luciano came that Saturday morning, just as Kitty was washing up to leave. Nikki, as promised, talked to their father about the Corsettis. It took her all night and a lot of wine, but eventually, Luciano agreed to facilitate a meeting between the families. After a long conversation with Aldo Corsetti, the Dons agreed to a congregation in Los Veteranos. Corsettis’ territory. It wasn’t ideal, but considering that it was the DeRossis imposing, it was only polite.

It wasn’t often that Angelo got to use the family jet on his own. However, considering that Luciano preferred the train, Nikki wasn’t invited, and Mari never bothered with the business, that was the way things were shaking out. The morning of their flight, Penny was up and ready before Angelo had his coffee. It was true what he said; taking her into the world was a gamble. But to see her so eager and excited for the first time since she arrived at the house was its own reward. Angelo instructed her to pack for at least a week, as the timeline was still up in the air. Angelo only hoped that there would be space in his schedule to give Penny at least some attention.

They piled into the back of Hank’s car, and started their way to the airport. Since Penny was still without a phone, she had Hank pick her up a tourist’s guide to Los Vet to pore over on the way there. “Is it true that there are more casinos per square mile in Los Vet than in Las Vegas?” she asked.

“Does it say that somewhere?” Penny pointed to the first page in her pamphlet. Indeed, the advertisement boasted a denser population of casinos than Sin City. “Well then I guess it must be,” Angelo joked.

“I didn’t know you could have so many outside of Nevada,” she said. “I thought it was illegal or something.”

“Los Vet is seated on a huge plot of Native American land,” said Angelo. “Not that the Corsettis work with the local tribes. They wouldn’t want to damage their reputation by being decent human beings.”

“Who are the Corsettis?”

“The family we’re going to meet with.”

“Oh. Are they really that bad?”

“Worse.”

Penny went back to her brochure. Suddenly, she brightened. “Hey!” She flipped it around and pointed. “Look at this! It’s got the biggest mini golf course in the Midwest!”

Angelo smiled. “Looks like it.” He leaned back in his seat, taking the pamphlet to read the section for himself. “Mini golf, huh…?”

“We’re here, boss.”

With the car rolling to a stop, Hank opened the door for them both, and they stepped out into the winter sun. Penny looked around, realizing that they weren’t in front of the airport, but on the tarmac. “Wait,” she said, “don’t we need to go through security?”

A whirring of an engine cut off their conversation before Angelo could answer her. Both turned to see a black private jet roll from a hanger and onto the runway. Penny could barely contain herself, and she grabbed her sunhat to keep it from being blown away by the engines. Stopping fully, the plane’s door opened, and down came a ramp with steps. A crew member approached them to take their bags. Penny was so star struck that she barely registered the stewardess relieve her of her suitcase. Angelo held up his elbow in a gentlemanly fashion, which was the only thing to knock Penny out of her awe. A little embarrassed, Penny took his arm, and Angelo escorted her up the steps and into the galley.

A Bombardier Challenger 605 wasn’t the most spacious private jet on the market, but for business purposes, it would certainly do. It was furnished with a plush, modern flair, with leather seats and fine carpeting. To the left of the aisle was a long, L-shaped couch, which bent up against the backs of two luxury armchairs, with a second pair facing the opposite direction. No doubt that Hank would sleep on the sofa during the trip. On the right hand side was a two person table, with a large window for the optimal view.

Penny left Angelo’s side to walk further in, admiring each and every detail. “I don’t know if I’ll ever get used to how rich you are.”

Angelo took a far seat, his back to the cockpit. “Only ever flown commercial?” he asked.

“I’ve never flown anywhere.”

“You’re kidding.”

“You can’t travel if you don’t have money.”

The same stewardess who checked Penny’s bag approached the pair of them. As expected of Luciano’s hires, she was a beautiful woman, her blonde hair pinned in a smooth bun. Her outfit was something out of the sixties, and there wasn’t a single thread out of place. “Can I get you or your guest anything before we take off, Mr. DeRossi?” she asked.

“I think we’ll be okay until we’re airborne. Unless.” He turned to Penny. “Hungry? Thirsty?”

“Me?” Penny took her seat across from Angelo, tucking her hands into her lap. “Er, no, I’m okay, thank you.”

“Of course,” said the stewardess. “Well if you need anything, my name is Erika, and I’ll be happy to serve you during our flight.” Her eyes lingered on Angelo, and he got the feeling there were more services offered than just an inflight cocktail. However, she didn’t dawdle, and headed to the back of the plane to strap herself in for takeoff. Penny, taking that as her cue, eagerly buckled up and glued herself to the window. Angelo did the same, and the engines started up. As the plane turned along the tarmac, the cabin rumbled gently. Soon, the jet had clearance, and the pilot punched the gas.

Penny flailed as the jet jerked forward, her arms and legs locking up where she sat. Where once she was looking on with excitement, now there was an undeniable panic in her eyes. “Is it supposed to make that sound?” she asked.

“We’re all right,” Angelo reassured her. From below, more gears whirred and engines flared. Penny grabbed tightly onto the arm rests of her seat, her shoulders tense and stiff. Without a second thought, Angelo unbuckled his belt and stood. In the corner of his eye, he saw Erika the flight attendant fly into momentary panic, but it subsided as he took the aisle seat next to Penny, buckling himself there instead. Penny turned to him with surprise. Before she could ask what he was doing, Angelo took her hand just as the jet lifted off the ground. Penny gasped sharply and instinctively curled into Angelo’s side. The G-force of the liftoff pressed them together, and Angelo let her squeeze his hand as hard as she needed until the plane leveled out.

As the adrenaline waned, Penny took her hand away to instead press her face up against the window, watching as the world shrunk rapidly beneath them. “Wow,” she breathed. Angelo watched her, mindlessly rubbing his fingers together from where her hand had left its warmth.

Angelo would be lying if he said he didn’t give that night much thought. As a matter of fact, it was all he could think about over the last forty eight hours. He had come home with Kitty having nearly forgotten his new living arrangements. Frankly, he was distracted. That night was shaping up to be no different than any other dungeon friend sleepover. But Penny changed all of it.

Angelo ran the scene through his mind like a trashy movie. The few whiskeys he’d had up until that point kept him at a delightful buzz, making his sensations all the more vibrant. The sting of his hand as it landed on Kitty’s fat ass, and how cute it was when it jiggled from contact. And then, just as he was getting started, he looked up, and the world was dead silent.

There she was. Hidden away in the shadows of his hall. She was wearing the pink slip Hank bought for her first night in the house. Her hair, in the dim light, looked like a warm hearth fire. The thin silk was difficult to see through, but not impossible. Darker spots beneath the slip implied that there was nothing more to protect her from the elements. What was more? Her right hand was nestled, not so innocently, between her thighs.

Angelo hadn’t felt that kind of fire in his belly in quite some time. Not since he first dipped his toes into the life. The taboo, the scandal of her curious eyes drawn to his misdeeds was enough to send him spinning. Angelo was determined to keep her there. He wanted her to watch. He wanted to see that hunger in her face as he f****d another woman. Watch her pleasure herself as she desperately imagined, longed, to be the one in Angelo’s arms. It was a performance. Like a bird trying to win a mate. And Angelo would happily preen and dance for Penny’s entertainment.

When the night finally ended, Kitty was of course welcome to stay over, as it was nearly three in the morning. She fell asleep quickly. Angelo got no such rest. Laying in bed, a cigarette burning forgotten in his fingers, all he could think of, no matter how hard he tried, was the sight of those two perfect, crystal blue eyes.

“I see the bridge!” Penny’s joy brought Angelo from his thoughts and he leaned over her shoulder. Indeed, there was the suspended highway that linked the cities of Santa Notte and Los Veteranos. It was barely noticeable in the distance, indicating that they had at least an hour and a half before landing. It was a short flight, yes, but worth the fuel if it meant avoiding six-hour mid-day traffic.

Once it was safe to move, Erika returned. “How about that drink now?”

“Yes, I’ll take an old fashioned, thanks.” Angelo hesitated. His hand was dangerously close to Penny’s thigh. But rather than reach out, he tapped her shoulder. She turned, excitedly. “Happy hour,” he said. “You sure you don’t want anything?”

“Um…” Penny shifted in her seat. “I mean…what is there?”

Erika smiled politely. “We have wines, whiskey, vodka, water, soda, champagne—”

Penny’s eyes lit up. “Champagne?”

“Yes, miss. Would you like a glass?”

“Yes, please.”

Erika nodded and made her way back to the pantry to prepare their drinks. Angelo addressed Penny. “I didn’t know you liked champagne so much.”

Penny giggled. “I’ve never had it.”

“You…can’t be serious.”

“It always sounded too expensive.”

“Not even a cheap sparkling wine?” Penny shook her head. Angelo turned around in his seat and held up his hand. “Erika, honey? Bring the bottle.” Erika did as asked, and Angelo pulled out a tray from the wall by Penny’s seat.

With two flutes at the ready, and Angelo’s old fashioned set to the side for now, Erika poured them each a glass of the bubbly, and set the bottle in a bucket of ice within reach. For the rest of the flight, Angelo was sure never to leave her flute empty for long. Penny enjoyed every drink and then some, and they chatted casually like old friends. Slowly but surely, Penny’s initial shyness left her. She even made a few bold jokes at Angelo’s expense. Angelo wondered how much of this new courage was the alcohol, and how much was her walls crumbling for good. When they finished the bottle, Angelo decided to hand deliver it back to the pantry. Erika took it from him to dispose of, but before he could return to his seat, the stewardess stepped out in front of him.

“We’re going to be descending soon,” she said.

“Then I’ll be sure to buckle up.”

“Please do, Mr. DeRossi.” Still, she didn’t move. “You don’t remember me, do you?”

“Should I?”

“The last time you flew to New York. I had the pleasure of serving you on both flights, sir.”

Angelo’s memories sparked, and he threw up his eyebrows. “Ah, now I remember. You were a brunette then.”

Erika’s eyes were hungry. “We still have a good ten minutes. I know you have your guest, Mr. DeRossi, but I’m more than willing to provide some inflight entertainment before we disembark.”

Angelo’s smile was smooth, and he toyed with the ends of her scarf. “A little strong, don’t you think?”

“It’s what you liked last time.”

“I vaguely remember that, yes.” He let his fingers slip away. “Maybe a rain check.”