fuck do you think you’re talking to?!”
And Trina could see, in that captain’s eyes, that he finally realized just who he was dealing with. Because he apparently forgot what they told him about Reno’s background. He forgot that Reno’s old man was one of the most notorious mob bosses in America. He forgot that Reno himself once took over as head of the syndicate when his old man was assassinated. He forgot that Reno’s cousin Sal Gabrini was still one of the top bosses in the country and was known to be particularly vicious if anybody messed with the family. And their uncle was Mick the fucking Tick, the boss of all bosses in that entire gangster underworld. Trina could tell, just looking at the captain, that he finally realized he just might have bit off more than his ass could ever chew.
Then Reno gave that captain a look he’d never forget. “Get my daughter,” Reno ordered, “and get her now!”
The captain was rattled. There was no other word Trina could describe it. It was as if he thought Reno was going to be your standard-issue gangster that could easily be jerked around. Reno? The most powerful man in Vegas? Was he insane, Trina wondered?
But Reno knew he wasn’t crazy at all. He was just new. He was just stupid enough to think that that badge and his high rank was his protection.
The captain moved back up to his desk, pressed the button, and ordered for the guard to bring Sophia Gabrini to his office.
It took a minute, but when Sophia finally walked into that office, and her parents saw that she had a black eye, they hurried to her.
And Reno was livid. “Who did this to you?” he asked her. “Did these cops do this to you?”
“No, Daddy,” Sophia was quick to point out because she knew her father’s temper could get out of hand. “Some creep at the club did it.”
“Which club? One of mine?”
“No, Daddy! The D-Dunk,” she said.
Reno settled back down. He’d never heard of the place.
Then a sad look came over Sophia, as she regretted ever hearing of it herself. “Let’s just go home,” she said.
Reno and Trina looked at the captain. Was he really going to make them have to throw their weight around to get their daughter out of this arrest? To keep her record clean?
Then Reno took it a step further. He placed his hand on his suitcoat pocket and patted it. “I know you understand, Captain, that I never want any harm to come to my child. Just as I’m sure you wouldn’t want any harm to come to your family either. Now would you?”
It wasn’t even a veil threat, and the captain knew it. “No charges have been filed,” he said, still looking rattled. “She’s free to go.”
Reno nodded. Trina viewed it as a lesson learned. But they also remembered Trina’s theory: was it a test? Were those cops attempting to see, not to see their love for their daughter, but the level of that love?
For that reason, Reno looked at his daughter. “I’m tired of your shit,” he said, pointing at her as if to warn her, and then he walked out.
Sophia, shocked, looked at her mother.
But Trina was playing the game too. “He’ll cut you off and never speak to you again you keep this up,” she said, and then she grabbed her daughter by the arm. “Now let’s go!”
Sophia was smart enough to never dispute her parents in public. She was taught that from an early age. But that didn’t mean she wasn’t blown away by their weird behavior. Because she was.
CHAPTER SIX
Outside, while Trina put Sophia in Reno’s car, Reno walked over to the car containing his security detail.
“Want us to follow you back, Boss?” his detail chief, who sat on the front passenger seat, leaned over by the driver and asked.
But Reno shook his head. “No. I want you to find out who owns a nightclub they call the D-Dunk.”
“The who Dunk?” the chief asked.
“Some joint called the D-Dunk,” Reno said. “I think it’s new in town. Too much shit new in town every day. I want every tape available, inside and outside of that club, that shows my daughter. Some idiot had the gall to punch her.”
The chief and the driver were shocked. “What?” they said in unison.
“He gave her a motherfucking black eye.”
“That’s some dumb shit right there,” said the driver.
“Get the video,” said Reno.
“But you know, Boss, with these new clubs,” the