Desde sempre e para sempre
Chapter 2
Gael: “Mr.
Moretti, it pains me to have to make this call to you, especially, when I am up in the
air right now trying to enjoy a glass of the famed 64 year old Macallan Single
Malt Whiskey. My men have paid you a "friendly" visit and my understanding
is that you have not held your end of the bargain yet. ‘Yet’ because ‘no’ is
never an option when you deal with the Bourgeois. You see, Mr. Moretti, you have been in this business longer
than I have and you know reputation means everything. Now, in the next 5 minutes, I want the money transferred to my account with interest.
Otherwise, my men know what to do and your reputation is not the only thing you
will be concerned about. Have a good night at Baglioni. Mrs. Moretti would have
loved to join you but I see you have different needs. Before you do whatever it
is you want to do with that young lady in red, I strongly suggest...”
Gael
disconnected the phone before Mr. Moretti could say anything. He could sense
just how terrified the man was without him having to say a single word. This was
just another caveat of his job; one which he would never allow Leo and Davi to
be a part of. It was a dirty game. A dirty game his father had started…
A mere 5 minutes
later, John knocked on the door.
Gael: “Come
in.”
John: “Sir,
I have made the required arrangements in the First Class of that plane and also
at the Hotel in Mumbai. Mr. Moretti transferred the money. What would you
like me to do? The usual?”
Gael: “No.
Dispense 50% of it for the usual. The remaining, I want to use it for Mumbai.”
John: “Have
you thought about which one?”
Gael: “No.
I am planning on doing some research myself once I get there.”
John: “Sir,
Gustavo got shot in Russia.”
John was
looking at Gael waiting for him to react in some way. Anything. But he never
did. His steel grey eyes betrayed nothing. Absolutely nothing. They never did.
Gael: “Gustavo
should be transported to Napoli, right away. I want Edgar from Rio sent over to
Moscow and I want him to do whatever it takes. Make sure Gustavo’s family is
there to meet him in Napoli once he gets there. Now, once we get to Mumbai, I
want to meet the people who have been trying to set shop with us. As you know
very well, I am old fashioned and if I want to get into bed with them, I
would like to meet them, face-to-face.”
John: “Yes,
of course.”
John
walked out of the room and wiped his forehead. He knew exactly what Gael’s
business entailed. He knew every single dirty secret.
He picked
up the phone and waited for the person to pick up on the other end.
Flashback:
Gael: “Mr.
Holmes, do you have what it takes? I want you to think about this very
carefully because once you cross the line, there is no turning back. Here is my
card. Give me a call. You have the whole day to decide. But remember, its
either here where I stand or there, where you stand, right now. Either way, you
have a great future ahead of you only if you decide to pull your head out of
the darkness that you have created around yourself.”
Present:
John: “Ciao…”
Naina
finally reached the airport. This was not how she had imagined it to be. She
was a diplomat for crying out loud! She knew she was not going to be able to
sway like James Bond but at least she should be able to walk with a cool demeanor and have all doors of special service opened for her as she, the diplomat, glided
past them…but here she was lugging her suitcases and panting heavily as she made
her way to the counter for check-in.
Agent: “You
are 10 kgs overweight Ma’am.”
Naina: “I
know! It’s not even Christmas yet and I have already feasted on all of Santa’s
cookies!”
The agent who
was an elderly lady, to Naina’s disappointment, was not buying it. If it were a
guy, Naina knew she could have flirted her way through anything but…
Agent: “I
mean your bags, Ma’am.”
Not even
a smile to acknowledge her quip! She could have at least sympathized with her
for gaining a few kilos! That part was true!
Naina: “Oh!
I am sorry. You know I am going back home after two years and I am quite
excited…”
Agent: “That
will be $250…”
Naina: “$250!?
I could check in 5 more bags with that much! Look, MA’AM, I am checking in two
bags. Can’t we put it all together and adjust…”
Agent: “MA’AM,
you are 20 kgs overweight if we put it all together. Maybe you SHOULD have
stayed away from Santa’s cookies.”
Naina
gasped.
Manager: “He
will be here in 15 minutes! All agents in position. His secretary has mentioned
that he never does this and he has asked me to make sure that he is on his way
to security in mere seconds. Our team is already waiting at the security to
take over….”
Naina: “Manager!
You know what, excuse me, MA’AM, I would like to speak with your manager…
The young
manager turned around having recognized her voice.
Manager: “Mrs.
Malhotra.”
Naina: “MISS
Malhotra. Sir, this is not done…”
The manager
was already sweating. She looked like trouble, a darn beautiful trouble…but Mr.
Bourgeois was on his way. Mr. Bourgeois’ reputation preceded him and he knew he
didn’t want to upset the man even in the slightest. Maybe they were just rumors but
he didn’t want to take the chance: “Sorry, Miss Malhotra. We will upgrade you
to First Class!”
Naina: “I…WHAAAAAT?
First Class?!”
Manager: “Like
I said, I am very sorry for the inconvenience we have caused you. You don’t
want to take the money so this is the only thing I can think of…”
Naina: “Oh!
I will take it!”
Who was
she kidding? Even with the money she was getting for free she would not have
been able to afford the First Class. First Class? She would not have been able
to afford it ever! In the new Airbus? Wow! You know “simple” things could easily
sway her. She was only a human and when opportunity knocks on your door, you
open it even if it is the Mafia.
Manager: “If
you would please step over here at the First Class check-in, we can get you on your way to security
in no time.”
Naina
quickly went to the First Class check-in counter.
Naina: “I
think I am a bit overweight.”
Manager: “No.
I think you are perfect.”
Naina
flicked her hair with her hand; her bangles jingled and she smiled her charming
smile. Oh, men…it always worked.
Manager: “Uhhhh, I am sorry I mean...mean your bags are fine. First Class passengers have extra allowance.”
All of a
sudden there was a lot of commotion as a group of people made its way to the
Air India check-in counter. All men dressed in impeccable suits, with glares
on, they had to be bodyguards!
Naina: “Is
Shah Rukh Khan or anybody famous flying on this plane too?!”
Manager: “Here
is your boarding pass. You are all set. Have a good flight! Excuse me!”
The
Manager rushed to attend the celebrity. Naina stood on her toe tips to get a
peek at the celebrity surrounded by his entourage but she could not see anyone she recognized! She couldn't see the person they were trying to hide!They were all white! Shah Rukh Khan or none of the Bollywood men she loved were
white. Whatever, it must be some business group travelling to India for a
conference. Just because they were all in suits with glares on didn’t mean that
they were bodyguards…but then again when did every man from a business group look so
fit?? But then she found something else that caught her interest. She narrowed
her eyes with malice as she tucked a loose strand of hair behind her ear.
She bent
down slowly and reached forward to pull something out of her carry-on luggage next to her. She was just
about to pull it out when everything happened at the same time.
All of a
sudden she was on the floor and one of the guys of the entourage had her flat
on the floor while the rest held her at gunpoint.
The man
who was holding her down: “Pull your hand slowly out of your bag and drop your
weapon…”
Naina was
not scared. She was an IFS officer but his tight grip was hurting her and tears
started running down her cheeks. She closed her eyes in pain.
“LET HER
GO! NOW! LOWER YOUR GUNS!”
The man
quickly sprang back as the others lowered their guns.
Naina
opened her eyes and lost her breath. She instantly closed her eyes again utterly overwhelmed.
Gael who had reached forward to help her up instantly dropped her as soon as he looked into her eyes. He blinked, shaken to the core.
Naina reflexively opened her eyes again when she hit the ground. So much for helping her up…
Naina: “Ouch! I…” His eyes…They were…They were rigid stony eyes the color of…cement! Cement? Was that a word to describe eyes? There was no twinkle; there was no luster, unlike anything she had ever seen. They were just lifeless, cold and she felt like they had sucked the life out of her…
He felt like he had lived his life. He felt like he had conquered everything. So powerful was the sensation that he had to let go. He couldn’t hold on to her. He could see all the emotions of a lifetime dancing away in her eyes. So happy, she was so happy and he felt like he had stolen everything from her. His touch had robbed her of her soul. A color richer than his Single Malt Whiskey, a mixture of the finest whiskey and the finest cognac, a rich warm brown with flecks of lustrous golden rays in the iris…he wanted to drink it all…just a sip would serve as an elixir enough to quench his thirst. Just one sip and he would feel complete. He had tasted all the fine liquor in the world but this was what he was waiting for…all his life…
Aaji: “Are you okay?”
Gael and Naina looked away.
Gael: “I am sorry.”
His voice! While his eyes had sucked away her soul, his voice had filled life back into her being. A smooth baritone, calm and clear, profoundly intelligent…unforgiving, cold, unyielding…sexy, strong...Wait a minute! How had she managed to come up with so many adjectives describing his voice just on the basis of three words?!
His accent! A bit of Italian, a bit of Spanish, a bit of British, a bit of Brazilian…hard to say who he was or where he was from…how was that possible? But he made those three words sound so sexy that she practically moaned only to be saved by the elderly lady in a saree…
Aaji: “Beta, are you okay?”
She looked past him, which was very difficult to do so especially because he was openly staring at her. He had looked right into her soul that much she already knew but now was he looking through her clothes too? She blushed and looked down.
Dammit! She was wearing a white top! And she had only realized that the lighting and his proximity helped him see right through her white top; helped him see the hot pink bra she was wearing underneath…Naina sat up straight and quickly draped her shawl around her shoulders covering her front.
Gael instantly shut his mouth. What was wrong with him? He was no teenager! God Dammit! Aaji is standing right next to you let alone your entire bodyguard unit, he thought. And you have seen much more than what that plunge bra tried to hide…Stop behaving like you have just hit puberty!
Aaji smacked him on the side: “What are you doing!? Help her up!”
Gael instantly helped her up. Naina was standing up before she could even deny his assistance…how had that happened? Well, she should thank him…
Naina braced herself and looked at him one more time: “Thank you.”
And he felt at peace, instantly. Her voice, it was like all the problems in the world had been solved. He felt like he was back in Rio with a glass of whiskey in his hand while his children…
Children? HIS children?
Aaji: “Beta, did you get hurt? I am sorry you had to...”
Naina: “Nani, I am okay, thank you. I am sorry I created a lot of inconvenience for…you all seem so important!”
The man who had pinned her on the floor spoke up: “Sir, she was reaching for something in her bag and she was looking in your direction…”
Naina: “You mean this? Bhaisaab, why would I want to shoot this handsome young man? I mean the world already has a very few of them to begin with and the womankind would banish me if I were to harm Prince Charming over here.”
She pulled out the bag of cookies in her carry-on: “I just wanted to give my new friend a gift.”
She walked over to the agent she had previously encountered: “Ma’am, it won’t be Christmas until we all indulge in some extra cookies. Merry Christmas!”
The agent couldn’t help herself this time. Naina’s smile was disarming across gender and age and her bubbly attitude just filled merriment everywhere she breathed.
Naina: “There you go! I knew there was a smile hiding somewhere in there!”
Aaji burst out laughing: “Oh! This is why I have missed India! The people…beta, you have made me laugh with joy on just meeting you for the first time! Would you be kind enough…”
Naina: “Uh-huh! And that’s how I know you have lived away from India for a long time.”
Aaji: “How do you know?”
Naina: “Because where I come from, Nanis don’t request, they command.”
Aaji smiled: “Tell me your name, my child.”
Naina: “Naina.”
Gael: “Your eyes…”
Naina looked at him. This was the first time he had spoken after “I am sorry.”
Aaji: “Eyes are the windows to the soul. Clichéd but true.”
Aaji: “I am…”
Gael cleared his throat: “We must leave. We are getting late.”
What had just happened? While he was busy making children…what the hell?
He pulled his Aaji away and turned his back to her instantly dismissing her. His entourage followed him.
Naina felt scoffed at. She turned around and started walking away. As far as she could get from him. How dare he? It was his fault! Who did he think he was? Maybe she should have tried to assassinate him! It was probably because he was so rude that people wanted his head on a platter! And the way he treated his grandmother! He had cut her off and practically manhandled her away from her! How rude! She hoped she never met him again; never ever in her life! No wonder his eyes reminded her of cement! He was nothing but a lifeless, emotionless statue! His eyes were windows alright but through them she saw nothing! He had no soul! She felt bad for his grandmother. Such a kind soul only to have a grandson who was a monster!
Naina: “What the hell!? Naina, are you okay? Why are you getting so worked up? It was just a guy and it was just a 10 second long encounter. Relax! Calm down! Since when did you start taking stupid encounters so seriously? You are probably never going to meet him again!”
Gael who had reached forward to help her up instantly dropped her as soon as he looked into her eyes. He blinked, shaken to the core.
Naina reflexively opened her eyes again when she hit the ground. So much for helping her up…
Naina: “Ouch! I…” His eyes…They were…They were rigid stony eyes the color of…cement! Cement? Was that a word to describe eyes? There was no twinkle; there was no luster, unlike anything she had ever seen. They were just lifeless, cold and she felt like they had sucked the life out of her…
He felt like he had lived his life. He felt like he had conquered everything. So powerful was the sensation that he had to let go. He couldn’t hold on to her. He could see all the emotions of a lifetime dancing away in her eyes. So happy, she was so happy and he felt like he had stolen everything from her. His touch had robbed her of her soul. A color richer than his Single Malt Whiskey, a mixture of the finest whiskey and the finest cognac, a rich warm brown with flecks of lustrous golden rays in the iris…he wanted to drink it all…just a sip would serve as an elixir enough to quench his thirst. Just one sip and he would feel complete. He had tasted all the fine liquor in the world but this was what he was waiting for…all his life…
Aaji: “Are you okay?”
Gael and Naina looked away.
Gael: “I am sorry.”
His voice! While his eyes had sucked away her soul, his voice had filled life back into her being. A smooth baritone, calm and clear, profoundly intelligent…unforgiving, cold, unyielding…sexy, strong...Wait a minute! How had she managed to come up with so many adjectives describing his voice just on the basis of three words?!
His accent! A bit of Italian, a bit of Spanish, a bit of British, a bit of Brazilian…hard to say who he was or where he was from…how was that possible? But he made those three words sound so sexy that she practically moaned only to be saved by the elderly lady in a saree…
Aaji: “Beta, are you okay?”
She looked past him, which was very difficult to do so especially because he was openly staring at her. He had looked right into her soul that much she already knew but now was he looking through her clothes too? She blushed and looked down.
Dammit! She was wearing a white top! And she had only realized that the lighting and his proximity helped him see right through her white top; helped him see the hot pink bra she was wearing underneath…Naina sat up straight and quickly draped her shawl around her shoulders covering her front.
Gael instantly shut his mouth. What was wrong with him? He was no teenager! God Dammit! Aaji is standing right next to you let alone your entire bodyguard unit, he thought. And you have seen much more than what that plunge bra tried to hide…Stop behaving like you have just hit puberty!
Aaji smacked him on the side: “What are you doing!? Help her up!”
Gael instantly helped her up. Naina was standing up before she could even deny his assistance…how had that happened? Well, she should thank him…
Naina braced herself and looked at him one more time: “Thank you.”
And he felt at peace, instantly. Her voice, it was like all the problems in the world had been solved. He felt like he was back in Rio with a glass of whiskey in his hand while his children…
Children? HIS children?
Aaji: “Beta, did you get hurt? I am sorry you had to...”
Naina: “Nani, I am okay, thank you. I am sorry I created a lot of inconvenience for…you all seem so important!”
The man who had pinned her on the floor spoke up: “Sir, she was reaching for something in her bag and she was looking in your direction…”
Naina: “You mean this? Bhaisaab, why would I want to shoot this handsome young man? I mean the world already has a very few of them to begin with and the womankind would banish me if I were to harm Prince Charming over here.”
She pulled out the bag of cookies in her carry-on: “I just wanted to give my new friend a gift.”
She walked over to the agent she had previously encountered: “Ma’am, it won’t be Christmas until we all indulge in some extra cookies. Merry Christmas!”
The agent couldn’t help herself this time. Naina’s smile was disarming across gender and age and her bubbly attitude just filled merriment everywhere she breathed.
Naina: “There you go! I knew there was a smile hiding somewhere in there!”
Aaji burst out laughing: “Oh! This is why I have missed India! The people…beta, you have made me laugh with joy on just meeting you for the first time! Would you be kind enough…”
Naina: “Uh-huh! And that’s how I know you have lived away from India for a long time.”
Aaji: “How do you know?”
Naina: “Because where I come from, Nanis don’t request, they command.”
Aaji smiled: “Tell me your name, my child.”
Naina: “Naina.”
Gael: “Your eyes…”
Naina looked at him. This was the first time he had spoken after “I am sorry.”
Aaji: “Eyes are the windows to the soul. Clichéd but true.”
Aaji: “I am…”
Gael cleared his throat: “We must leave. We are getting late.”
What had just happened? While he was busy making children…what the hell?
He pulled his Aaji away and turned his back to her instantly dismissing her. His entourage followed him.
Naina felt scoffed at. She turned around and started walking away. As far as she could get from him. How dare he? It was his fault! Who did he think he was? Maybe she should have tried to assassinate him! It was probably because he was so rude that people wanted his head on a platter! And the way he treated his grandmother! He had cut her off and practically manhandled her away from her! How rude! She hoped she never met him again; never ever in her life! No wonder his eyes reminded her of cement! He was nothing but a lifeless, emotionless statue! His eyes were windows alright but through them she saw nothing! He had no soul! She felt bad for his grandmother. Such a kind soul only to have a grandson who was a monster!
Naina: “What the hell!? Naina, are you okay? Why are you getting so worked up? It was just a guy and it was just a 10 second long encounter. Relax! Calm down! Since when did you start taking stupid encounters so seriously? You are probably never going to meet him again!”
