STEFANO {Published/Sample Only}

27

I spun the pen in my hand, staring at my name carved into it. "AGM's at the end of next quarter, let's put the brakes on until I see how Bit's performing, then we can discuss the Alt's. And grab Luca, he should be in on this." It was his drunk ass that read about some guy named Gavin working on an unknown bitcoin project ten years ago and decided to invest in the software in exchange for those penny bitcoins- all because he was tripped out by the guy's name. Now Luca was sitting on over a hundred mill in cryptocurrency. "Anyways forward me Giamatti's portfolio and I'll run through it when I get back next week."

"Where you heading?"

"Just got some things I need to handle." I looked from Scott to my screen, 6:12.... shit! "Get out of here! I've gotta go!"

He shuffled out while I shoved everything into my bag, racing out my office door. This month had flown by, prepping for Q2 and the rebalancing next month- my world as it always was and Vegas seeming more and more like a dream, a distant dream.

But Mark's plane was set to touchdown in an hour and we'd have an entire week- just the two of us. It was the longest we'd been in one place at the same time since he came out last Fall.

I'd been living off weekly video calls but tonight I got to see him, hold him, touch him myself- not just watch through a screen.

"Stefano!"

Shit. No time Luca. I kept flying, hustling down the halls, pretending I didn't hear his voice echoing off every cubicle I passed.

"Stefano!"

"Ciao!" I yelled over my shoulder, slamming to a stop just feet from the elevator. "I've gotta go!"

"Aspettare! Wait a fucking minute!"

I hit the call button, hearing Luca's heavy feet pounding up behind me.

"Did you not fucking hear me?" He stepped right in front of the elevator door, blocking it.

"Everybody in the whole fucking building heard you."

He rolled his eyes, scoffing. "Tomorrow night..."

"No!" I threw my hand up, palm landing six inches from his face before he smacked it down. "I'm busy. You can handle whatever it is."

"It's..."

"Sono occupato!" I met his eyes just as the elevator dinged and he stepped aside, waving his hand for me to go.

I had an hour to shower, shave, change... an hour... sixty minutes and my deprival was over.

Twenty minutes. I cinched the towel around my waist, squeezed some toothpaste onto the toothbrush and took off, haphazardly brushing my teeth while fixing up my place- for the tenth fucking time.

I turned down the sheets, folded the comforter, straightened the frames, piled the books, put some more beer in the fridge, walked my entire apartment once more- obsessively straightening everything.

Last time he showed up unexpected, I didn't have time to prepare but this time I wanted everything perfect- including the new deadbolt I had installed so unexpected famiglia couldn't get in.

I headed back to the bathroom, throwing my towel over the rack, straightening it too before spitting and rinsing, checking my shave in the mirror one last time, and running some gel through my hair. Or did he like it messy. Fuck I had no idea what he liked. Whatever, I was a Romano, good any which way.

My new pants and button up were still in the dry cleaning bag, freshly pressed, and I grabbed the hangers as I walked by, taking them with me to the mirror.