Usually when Gio slipped into what his consigliere called focusing to the point of stupidity. Maria was there to pull him out of it. A process that involved a lot of threats about calling the elders and of forcing Gio to take an actual vacation. But since she was currently out of the city, again, Gio had lost track of how bad things were getting without even realizing.
He barely remembered the day Elle had come to get him. Unlike Maria, whose mere presence was so threatening it often steered even an out of sorts Gio to do as she said, Elle's approach was different.
Rather than inciting fear. Elle's presence felt like home. Like if he went to her everything would be alright.
When she had reached out for him, his mind tearing itself apart as he searched for leads that were not there, her touch had felt like the first drop of rain after a year long drought. He had not realized how much he had missed her until he had heard her voice and felt her touch.
It had felt so good to just let go, to let her handle everything. So that is what he had done. That first day after she had wrestled his near zombie like body home Gio had slept for twelve hours straight. He had woken up briefly just as she was getting ready to go to the club.
She had been an hour late then, taking the time to help him shower and eat, and then staying with him until he fell asleep. Throughout the week it took for his fatigue and near constant headaches to go away, Elle was there. A never ending presence by his side. Showing unbelievable strength day in and day out like it was nothing. Like it was not exhausting to be running a busy club, only to come home and take care of him.
'That is my wife. I married that woman' Gio thought at some point, pride swelling within him, and in that moment he made a decision. He had to let her know. He had to let her know how he felt about her. She deserved that much. Whether she turned him away, or returned his feelings. They both needed to know, it had been long enough already.
So that was why, a week and a half since he had come home. Gio, now feeling like himself instead of just a shell inside another shell, was waiting for Elle to come home. He had timed her arrival down to the minute, so when the front door opened he was ready. A bottle of wine already chilling, and plates of homemade pasta( one of the few things he was good at making) were on the table.
She did not see him at first when she walked in. Her head down, her complete focus on her phone as she texted someone. Then the conversation ended and she looked up.
For a moment she just stared, stunned. Then a huge smile split her face, all the exhaustion of the night leaving her.
"Gio!" She squealed, running into his arms and Gio returned her hug, briefly lifting her off her feet.
"Lunch for breakfast, fit for a queen," He said when they pulled apart, stealing a kiss before letting her go.
Walking around her, he placed yet another kiss on the side of her neck, his hands on her coat, slowly rolling off her small frame. He moved away to hang it over the hook behind the door. The sound of the chair scraping over the floor made him turn. Elle was already seated, and she was bent over, ready to take off her shoes.
"Ah, ah… no work for you, cara, just relaxing," He rushed over and crouched down. Massaging each foot gently as he took shoes, Gio smiled up at her.
It was the perfect moment to tell her
'Elle, I love you,' That was all he had to do, he just had to say the words. But they would not come, so with one final squeeze to her ankle, Gio stood.
The meal was a peaceful affair, the conversation flowing easily between them, as it always did.
"How was work?" Gio asked, and Elle laughed so hard she nearly choked.
"I was outback, going the through paperwork when one of the floor guards came rushing in, " Still seated, she actually mimed running, her hands moving like she was sprinting at top speed. Seeing her so into the story made Gio smile. His heart feeling lighter, his lack of progress in finding Red Don not weighing him down as much.
"Lady E! One of the clients is having a heart attack in the VIP room!" Gio's hand paused midway to his plate. People dying on the premises was bad for business, he was struggling to see what was so funny, but he let Elle continue. She was not the kind to laugh over death, so most likely the story had a humorous ending.
"So I dropped everything, and made my way over there. The whole time I'm thinking of all the bad publicity to come and how we're going to weather it," She paused to take a sip of her wine.
"I rush over there, and the man is on the floor, out cold. He's breathing on his own, but nothing we do wakes him up, not even a slap from Benji,"
"Anyways, I decide it is time to call an ambulance. But as I begin to turn, I trip, can't catch my balance and I fall towards him, I landed on him, my knee right on his groin…that of course wakes him up," By now Gio's shoulders were shaking lightly, he was torn between laughing at the man's plight and crossing his legs at the thought of the agony the guy must have been in.
"So his eyes pop open he screams, and once he's done writhing on the floor he glares up at us, his exact words were…" Elle
"Why is it so hard for a man to see a pair of titties that aren't his wife's…bad enough I married a ball buster…even strip clubs have women attacking my balls every chance they get,"
"You're kidding," Elle shook her head, a few blond strands slipping from their braid.
"I kid you not. It turned out, his wife does not like him visiting strip clubs, but he came anyway. Then he spotted someone who looked like her, and ordered a private dance so he could hide in the back,"
"Adding to the stress of nearly being caught, he realized half way through the dance that he had paid using their joint credit card and that kick started a panic attack bad enough for him to pass out,"
"Anyway, he was not too happy to be awakened by a knee to the balls, and he made it no secret. He was saying something about taking things to court when I tuned him out," Some of Gio's mirth dimmed. He would make sure the man was destroyed in court and out in the streets. Injured balls or not, no one had a right to insult Gio's wife. The weasel would regret the day he ever dared lay eyes on…Elle clearing her throat, broke apart Gio's plans for vengeance.
"I know that look. There is no need for vengeance on my behalf, I already handled it," She twirled the last of her pasta onto her fork, and gave him a mischievous grin.
Oh… this would be good.
"While he was busy moaning about his balls and the vileness of the female of the species, I called an ambulance, and then took the liberty of informing his wife, who had been led to believe he was out of town where he was, and where he was headed so that she could meet him at the hospital,"
"Then while we waited for the paramedics, I took the liberty of handling his bill. Turns out, the session was still on the whole time. I charged him for the equivalent of twenty private dances and sent him on his way. He was still complaining to the paramedics when they loaded him up, unaware of the literal storm awaiting him at the hospital," Elle finished off her food, smiling around the rim of her wine glass as she watched Gio process.
The plan was simple yet devastating. From her story, the man sounded like the kind who loved trouble, a spoiled rich kid believing money would get him out of everything. If it were up to Gio, he would have roughed the man up a bit. But Elle's vengeance was the gift that kept on giving. The man would be too busy putting out fires to even think of Club M.
And to think Elle had concocted the plan in a matter of seconds… goodness Gio loved her.
He looked over at her, the naughty smirk, her green eyes alight with laughter, her golden hair glowing.
I love you, he thought, but the words did not come. Instead he stood, clearing up the table. His back to her as she got up and made her way to the bedroom.
Later, he joined her in bed, and held her the way she always held him. Touched that even in her sleep she did not view him as a threat, but as a source of comfort.
"I love you," Gio finally managed to whisper.
Elle, caught between sleep and waking, heard the words, but did not truly register them, only managing a slight twitch of her lips.
"I love you too," She whispered back, seconds later she was snoring lightly.
A love confession in the darkness of morning, with only one of the parties present awake enough to understand and not even sure if the other person had meant it, a sad thing indeed.