Chapter One

September, 1907

Caledon Hockley adjusted his hat lower on his head. He glanced around nervously hoping no one would notice him as he made his way across the street. Stopping just under the gas lamp, the yellowish glow spread across the sidewalk giving off a shadowy light.

He felt in his hip pocket to make sure his wallet was in place. The thousand dollars he had placed there earlier was urging him to his destination... Verdetti's Palace. He had been here only once, but oh, what that one time had done to him.

He could sum it up in two words... Gabriella Harrington. Never in all of his twenty-five years had anyone managed to grasp his attention so quickly. She was easily beautiful, with long dark hair that fell to her waist and even longer legs. They seemed to go on forever, but ultimately it was her eyes that drew him in. They were dark green with golden specks and thick lashes that made it appear that she held some unknown secret behind them.

Cal had seen her the night before hawking cigarettes. When she came around to him, he bought a pack and asked her name. With an uninterested tone she told him she didn't give out her name to strangers. From that moment on he made it his mission to find it out.

It had taken him hours, but he finally managed to coax it out of one of the other girls and even though it had taken him fifty dollars to do it, the prize of hearing 'Gabriella Harrington' roll off the woman's tongue, made it worth it. He waited outside until she got off, hoping against hope to talk to her. As soon as she stepped out of the door she saw him and immediately frowned.

"Hello, Gabriella," he said smoothly.

"How did you find out my name?" she asked with an annoyed sigh.

"I have my ways," he grinned confidently.

"Look Mister… I'm tired, it's been a long day and I just want to go home. So, if you don't mind," she shoved her hands in her coat pockets and began to walk away from him.

"No, I don't mind," he followed in spite of her dismissal of him. She cut her gaze over to him and rolled her eyes.

"Don't you take a hint?" she nearly huffed as she sped up.

"I only want to talk to you," his longer legs kept up with hers enough to step directly in front of her bringing her to an abrupt halt. He held up his hands and smiled charmingly. "Gabriella, I only want to talk to you. Surely you can do that."

She glared at him hard. "No, I can't and if you don't leave me alone, I'm going to scream."

For some reason, he suspected she meant it. Not wanting to bring unwanted attention to himself, he stepped back and allowed her to pass. He watched her until she was swallowed up by the darkness and no longer in his sight.

Her refusal of him had delivered quite a blow to his ego, but he was strong enough to bounce back and now here he was, once again in front of Verdetti's Palace, armed with charisma and appeal and ready to bring Gabriella to her knees.

Taking a deep breath he made his way through the front door of Verdetti's and was instantly hit with the combined scents of cigarettes, cigars and liquor. A long bar with twenty or so stools was to his left, along with many wooden tables and booths to his right, while directly in front of him the stage loomed, practically consuming the entire supper club with its size. True, it was a far cry from any place he would dare enter candidly, but it offered him the escape he needed from his own world.

Furtively, he made his way through the crowd of males, young and old that were regulars and towards the back of the club, finding an empty table and sitting himself down. It was only then that he removed his hat and set it on the table and was just as quickly approached by one of the waitresses. He ordered a brandy, not paying any attention to her flirtatious advances and she finally sunk away from the table and moved to another where the men gladly accepted her and her curvaceous figure.

Propping his left leg up on to his right he began to let his gaze move slowly across the room in search of the elusive beauty who had so easily managed to entice him to return a place like this for more than just the entertainment. Although the entertainment was well worth the trip from up town, it was Gabriella that he wanted to see. He had to see her again, he had thought of nothing else since the night before. She was an enigma, one he very much wanted to unravel he thought with a slight smile that he kept hidden with a puff of his cigarette.

The curvaceous waitress brought his brandy and leaned over as she did to give him a peak at her sumptuous bosom. She smiled lustily, but Cal only spared her a minimal glance. Shrugging, she stood and left him alone once again.

He continued to scan the room when suddenly he saw her. She had come from a doorway in the back with the cigarette tray in her hands. He watched as she adjusted the strap around her neck and straightened the packs of cigarettes. His eyes wandered over her body, taking in her slender waist and long legs beneath the silky black slip dress she had on.

She started moving slowly, winding her way through the maze of tables. She would stop every now and again as an interested man would buy a pack of smokes from her, but she never lingered long. After what seemed an eternity, she finally made her way over to him. He sat up straighter as she neared, but as soon as she saw him, she stopped. Her brows furrowed together and she lifted her head higher.

"Hello again, Gabriella," he greeted her with a grin.

"Cigarettes?" she asked without acknowledging his greeting.

"If I buy them, will you talk with me?"

She gripped the tray tightly and let her blazing green eyes land on him. "No," she answered shortly.

If it had been any other man, her shortness would have surely convinced him to steer clear of her, but Caledon Hockley was not just any man and so he pressed on. "I thought I made myself clear last night that I wasn't going to back off that easily," he said with a smile that he taken many hearts hostage over the years.

"And I thought I had made myself clear when I told you to stay away from me."

Keeping his composure he smiled and nodded, "Yes, you did, but if there's one thing I've learned in the business world it's that a little friendly persuasion can be quite profitable, even when the competition has no intent of changing their mind."

Her head tilted down towards him and there was an amused expression on her face that was coated with sarcasm. "Oh, so you're one of those types, are you?" she leaned over to him with a secretive look on her face. "Now let me set you straight for the last time. If you're looking for a gal to 'persuade', I suggest you try one of those little ladies up there," she indicated to the dance girls who were now on stage. "Because this girl is willing to sell you one thing and one thing only…these!" she slapped a pack of cigarette's down on the table. Then with a concluded grin, she straightened herself up, pivoted around quickly and walked with determination to the next table.

Cal pursed his lips tightly, but he wasn't one to be undaunted. He stood and followed her, stopping just behind her. "Excuse me," he said near her ear. She quickly cut her eyes around to him opening her mouth to speak, but stopped when she saw what he held in his hand. Cal laid the twenty dollar bill on the tray and then held the pack of cigarettes she had slammed down on the table in the air before sliding them in his pocket. "Keep the change," he winked and then sauntered out of the restaurant with a confident grin on his face.

Gabriella stared down at the twenty-dollar bill lying on her tray. She didn't know whether to be grateful or insulted. Twenty dollars was a lot of money, more than she made in a month hocking these cigarettes.

Gingerly she reached down and picked the bill up off the tray and felt a surge of accomplishment run through her as her fingers grazed the crisp bill, but just as quickly she felt guilty and crumbled the twenty up and stashed it into the small purse that she wore around her belt.

The rest of the night, with the weight of the money weighing heavily from her waist, she moved from table to table, drunken fool to drunken fool, offering and selling her cigarettes until her tray was completely empty. By then Verdetti's had started to empty and she headed back behind the bar and removed the tray and its strap from around her shoulders. Next to her, Lyle, the barkeep, was beginning to wipe down the bar and gave her a slight nod,

"Make out well tonight?"

Turning around, Gabriella leaned against the counter, supporting herself with her elbows and sighed. "Fair," she told him, as two of the stage girls walked out of the club each latched to a man's arm.

Lyle shook his head at the sight and turned back to Gabriella. "Saw that fellow hounding you again tonight, did he give you any trouble?" he asked.

Gabriella shook her head. "Nothing I can't handle," she replied confidently.

"Are you sure about that?" he asked as he picked up three stray glasses and placed them at the sink behind the bar.

"Yeah, Lyle, I'll be fine."

"Just promised your brother I would watch out for you is all. You know how he gets when they get too forceful with ya."

"Marco hates the fact that I'm even working here," she threw her hair back over her shoulder as she spoke. "Him, Tony and Adrian all want me to quit."

"Well, they are your brothers," he pointed out, but it wasn't something Gabriella needed to be reminded about. She knew how her brothers were, how they had always been. She was the baby of the family and the only girl, protectiveness was part of the deal especially since both of their parents had passed away.

Now she lived with Marco and his wife, Helena and their two children. She had her own room, but privacy was still something she got very little of. Getting the job as a 'cigarette girl' here at Verdetti's was her first step toward independence.

"Well, I'm going to call it a night, Lyle. See you tomorrow," she stood and lifted her tray, making her way to the back where her personal affects were stored. After gathering everything she needed and slipping into her coat, she stepped outside, this time glancing around as she did. She didn't want anymore run-in's with that man again tonight.

Gabriella had to admit he was handsome even if was a bit full of himself. She thought of the twenty that she had put in her purse and wondered who he was to go throwing away that kind of money. He certainly wasn't from around here, no one she knew had this kind of money. She decided she'd better not tell Marco about the twenty, he would not take it lightly and it would get blown out of proportion.

Digging her hands deeper in her pockets, she quickened her pace and soon she was rounding the corner to Marco's apartment. She bound up the stairs and made her way to the third floor. As soon as she opened the door she took in the scene. Marco was sitting in the chair reading the day's paper and his wife, Helena, in the corner working her way through a pile of clothes that she had hung out that morning to dry.

Marco looked up when she entered, folding the paper in half. "You're home early tonight," he said and then looked around her as if he was expecting her to not be alone. "Where's Adrian?"

Gabriella shrugged as she gave a slight wave to Helena and removed her coat at the same time. "I have no idea."

"What do you mean you have no idea? I sent him down there to walk you home tonight."

"Marco!" Helena hissed. "Keep your voice down, the children," she said referring to Gabriella's niece and nephew who were asleep in the next room.

Marco scowled. "He's so irresponsible. I asked him to do one simple thing and he can't even manage to do that."

Gabriella wasn't surprised. Adrian tended to be scatterbrained and easily swayed away from responsibility, especially when some thing came along that looked more appealing. He even had troubling holding down a job for a long period of time, but somehow he always manage to have money, no one knew quite how he pulled it off, but somehow he managed to.

"Look, Marco, I've told you time and time again, I don't need to be looked after all right," she said, letting herself sink down into a chair next to him. It was the first she had been able to sit in hours and she really didn't feel like arguing with her brother while she was doing it.

Marco tossed the paper aside and frowned at her. "Well I do, especially after what happened last night."

"What are talking about?" she asked, but she knew the answer before she had asked the question. She crossed her arms and cocked an eyebrow at him. "What did Lyle tell you?"

"He told me some fancy guy was hounding you last night," he answered unwaveringly.

Gabriella gritted her teeth in frustration as she looked at her brother. "I wish everyone would just let me live my life without interference."

"Oh Gaby, you know we all worry about you. Marco is the oldest and it's his job to keep you and your brothers safe." Helena spoke up, defending her husband.

"That's right. You know I hate you working in the place. I wish you'd find something else."

Gabriella could feel the anger brewing inside of her. They had had this conversation more times than she cared to count, "Show me where, Marco and I'll go! There aren't many choices for a girl like me, it's either this or working on the streets, and I highly doubt you want me to do that."

Marco's face turned red as Helena's religious beliefs flared. "I will not have that kind of talk in this home!" she said, clutching the crucifix around her neck while crossing herself.

Gabriella apologized, but even God couldn't deny that it was the truth.

"None of this would have happened if you had married Angelo Sarducci when you had the chance," Marco said as he stood.

"Right," she scoffed a bit loudly. "Wife to an abusive alcoholic. My life would be nothing but babies and broken bones."

Marco opened his mouth to fire back, but was interrupted by Adrian walking through the door. As soon as he saw everyone looking at him, he smiled sheepishly.

"Where were you tonight?" Marco instantly turned on his younger brother. "I told you to be waiting for Gabriella when she got off."

"I did… or at least I meant to. By the time I got there, she was already gone," Adrian tried to explain.

"I meant to, I forgot, I don't know… that's all I get from you. I asked you specifically to be there and you can't even do that one simple thing."

"Marco, would you stop!" Gabriella stood to her feet and came over to Adrian. "I'm fine, I got home safely. Leave Adrian alone."

Adrian grinned gratefully over at her. Since they were the two youngest, they had always gotten along and stood up for one another. He had his flaws and she didn't always like the choices he had made, but he was the one that had always been there for her.

Marco planted his hands on his hips and looked back and forth at the two of them. With a resigned sigh, he glanced over at Helena, who gave him a slight shake of her. "Okay, I'll let it go… for now. But, the next time I ask you to do something I expect it to be done. Got it?" he directed at Adrian. "And you," he said to Gabriella. "I don't want you walking home alone anymore. If one of us isn't there, you wait for us until we do get there."

Gabriella opened her mouth to protest, but then thought better of it. Marco was only trying to watch out for her even if he did go about it the wrong way. She nodded and glanced over at Helena, who was now smiling in relief that everything had worked out for the best.