The Last Network - Chapter 50
Mastro’s Ocean Club
Monica looked stunning.
Coral dress, gold filigree bracelet, tanned bronzed skin. Paolo gazed across the table into her dark brown eyes. He wanted to drown in them. They should be walking the beach in Kailua, not sitting in Malibu with sadists.
She smiled back at him. He felt their chemistry. It was bigger than the job, capable of living outside the shadow cast on their relationship. He wondered how real it was. Was it a work or something else? He fell in love with a girl once, only to discover they were both in love with the drugs.
Chemistry is dirty that way.
Malcolm was doing his best to stay in the background. It was a nearly impossible task for so large a man. His restraint surprised Paolo. Usually these blowhards made everything about themselves, but tonight it felt like Malcolm and Kendra were at another table.
Was Malcolm shrewder than he let on? Did he really want Kendra? Maybe Monica and Malcolm were running a game on both of them.
If so, they were very smooth operators.
At this point, Paolo didn’t care. The anticipation was killing him. He felt like a kid. That no one even hinted at it, made it all the more exciting.
Two dozen oysters arrived on a silver platter. Miniature pitchers of garnish were buried in the crushed ice. Tiny utensils placed like compass points. The waiter popped a bottle of Veuve. The foursome took a moment to toast their enterprise. Paolo braced himself for Malcolm to ruin the moment. It never came.
Kendra was a vision in white. He realized that she’d always been a distant beacon. Big sister, boss lady, older crush. He’d never be able to do this without her, and they’d never get together on their own. Only here in this complicated web could they cross boundaries without breaking their relationship. He needed her, so he could step off the cusp of nothingness.
She would keep him safe in the dark.
Kendra looked over at him, dipping her glass slightly. It was the closest anyone would come to an acknowledgement, but it was all Paolo needed to see.
He was ready to empty himself and arise anew.