Arrival At The Palazzo

"I thought you said the replacement housekeeper is on her way? Where is she?" His voice boomed through the phone speaker.

Lorenzo paced the length of his bedroom. The woman on the other end fumbled for words. People tend to freeze when he gets angry.

"She is on her way, sir. The city traffic is heavy this morning, which is why she hasn't arrived yet." She rushed the words out, trying to pacify him.

Lorenzo hissed. He disconnected the call and tossed the phone onto the nightstand. Talking to these agents was a waste of time.

He surveyed his bedroom, and a scowl formed on his face. The place was a disaster zone. Empty liquor bottles cluttered the mahogany dresser. The expensive silk sheets were torn and stained. Red-haired girl number one was long gone, but the heavy stench of sex and sweat lingered. He had expected the room to look like a hurricane hit it after last night's ruthless sexcapade. He always fucked his women hard, leaving destruction in his wake.

That was exactly why he needed a new maid. His last housekeeper had quit to attend college, and the remaining elderly staff member could not keep up with his messes.

Lorenzo walked into his master bathroom and turned on the cold shower. The agency better send someone competent. He kept a strict boundary when it came to his massive estate. He never laid a finger on the women who worked in his home. He preferred to satisfy his sexual appetite with regular whores. He fucked them, paid them, and sent them away.

He stepped under the freezing spray, washing the scent of cheap perfume off his skin. Once outfitted in a tailored dark suit, he grabbed his keys. If that new maid did not have his house sorted out by the time he returned tonight, he was going to destroy the employment agency.

Miles away, Gemma stood outside the iron gates of the monastery. She wiped a stray tear from her cheek. Saying goodbye to the loving sisters had been harder than she imagined. They had raised her for the past twenty years. She gave Cosima one last lingering hug in her mind, pulling her focus back to the present. She had big dreams to chase.

She climbed into the waiting yellow cab.

"Take me into the city, please." Gemma handed the driver her destination.

The car engine rumbled to life. They left the secluded countryside behind and merged onto the highway. Gemma pressed her forehead against the cool glass window, hardly blinking. The sprawling city of Los Angeles rose in the distance like a concrete mountain range. The towering skyscrapers seemed to scrape the edge of heaven. Cars zoomed past them in a colorful blur.

It was a loud and intimidating world, yet Gemma felt a surge of unyielding determination. The stories the older sisters told her paled in comparison to the real thing. She would work hard, save her money, and make a real name for herself.

The driver navigated through the chaotic traffic and pulled up to the curb outside a brick building. He helped haul her heavy duffel bags out of the trunk before driving away.

The employment agency was a madhouse of ringing phones and chattering people. Gemma maneuvered her bags carefully around the busy staff members and approached the front reception desk. A young woman with heavy makeup sat behind the counter, typing aggressively.

"Hello." Gemma offered a bright, innocent smile. "My name is Gemma, and I am here for..."

"You're the bitch that is supposed to resume work today?" The receptionist snapped, glaring at her screen.

Gemma kept her smile firmly in place. She did not take offense to the harsh insult. The city was a fast-paced place, and people were bound to be stressed. She simply nodded.

"Yes, that is me."

"And you are just arriving now. Ma'am Lucia is going to have your head for this." The receptionist dialed a short extension.

Gemma's brows furrowed in mild confusion. Was she really that late?

Before she could ask any questions, a frantic woman in a tight pencil skirt practically sprinted out of a nearby office door. The nameplate on her desk read 'Lucia'. She marched directly toward Gemma, her sharp heels clicking loudly against the linoleum.

Lucia gave Gemma's plain, oversized dress a swift, judging look. She pressed her lips into a thin line, holding back a snide comment. She did not have time to criticize the girl's fashion choices. Her most dangerous client was already breathing down her neck.

"Gemma?" Lucia demanded.

"That is me." Gemma faced the furious boss.

"If you had arrived five minutes later, I would have given this job to someone else. Luck is on your side today." Lucia shoved a torn piece of paper into Gemma's hands. "The man you are working for is already furious. You need to leave right this second before you infuriate him further."

Gemma looked down at the scribbled handwriting.

"Now listen to me very carefully. Twenty percent of your weekly earnings belong to this agency. I have already sorted the payment details out with your new boss." Lucia crossed her arms over her chest.

Gemma just nodded, her eyes still fixed on the unfamiliar street name. She had lived in a monastery her entire life. She had no earthly idea how to read a city map.

"How do I get there?" Gemma asked softly.

"Are you kidding me right now?" Lucia threw her hands up in the air.

"I am very sorry." Gemma bowed her head slightly. "I have never been to the city before. I do not know my way around."

Lucia let out a heavy sigh of sheer exasperation. "Just go outside, flag down a cab, and hand the driver this paper. The estate is massive. Every driver in this city knows where it is located."

"Thank you so much." Gemma offered a polite bow of gratitude before grabbing the thick straps of her heavy bags.

She stepped back out onto the chaotic sidewalk. Following Lucia's instructions, she raised her hand and waved at the passing cars. It took nearly fifteen long minutes of waiting on the curb before a cab finally pulled over. She dragged her bags into the backseat and handed the driver the paper.

The drive took them out of the noisy downtown district and up into the sweeping, secluded hills bordering the city. The houses grew larger and the iron gates grew taller with every mile they drove.

The cab slowed to a halt. Gemma paid the fare and stepped out of the vehicle, hauling her bags onto the paved driveway. The cab sped away, leaving her standing alone in front of a sprawling, palace-like mansion. Gemma tilted her head back, her jaw dropping open. She had never seen such an intimidating display of wealth. Towering stone walls wrapped around the massive property. Imposing black steel gates blocked the entrance. High above the security box, bold golden letters gleamed in the morning sunlight.

Gallo's.

A sudden rush of nervous excitement washed over her. The man who lived behind those walls was undeniably powerful. This was the exact opportunity she had prayed for. This job would change her and her sister's lives forever. She closed her eyes, clutching her hands tightly together in front of her chest, and mumbled a short, silent prayer to the heavens above. She gathered her courage, gripped the handles of her bags, and began walking toward the security gates.