Friday, September 23, 2005

 

Life at home is going great, for the most part. Elisa and I are spending quality time together.

 

 

Amadora is a little genius. She's going to go far.

 

 

I'm still working on my "gardening." I probably shouldn't, but people rely on my strains. Maybe I should outsource it.

 

 

Tomas came over last week to catch up with us. That was nice for Elisa.

 

 

Kami is still a problem. D student now. And Elisa and I both agree she shouldn't be staying out so late or wearing such skimpy clothes. Not at her age.

 

 

But we're afraid if we push too hard, she will only rebel even more.

 

But this will be mostly a work entry. It's insane how busy my life has become as my little going concern has expanded. I'm running one club, keeping a sharp eye on a second, and travelling regularly to meet up with my dealers. Not to say all these responsibilities don't have perks. Victoria finally started working at Picante. Of course, I had to follow my own personal business rule of testing her abilities before I let her walk the floor.

 

 

And of course, I regularly do quality control with all my girls just to make sure they are giving their best.

 

 

But anyway, a few days ago, I took a trip out west to team up with my boys out there. Get them re-upped.

 

 

I had to meet Chad at his studio. He was putting the finishing touches on a new video he'd just shot.

 

 

He said it was one of his best yet. A hot threesome with two blondes.

 

 

I promised him I'd check it out as soon as he posted it.

 

 

I told him I was actually kind of jealous that he found a way to turn fucking into a career. But he shot right back that he figured I had no problem in my line of work, either.

 

You got "no touching signs up?" he asked me. Of course I did.

 

 

Does anyone pay attention to them? Nope.

 

 

Your club is just a porn studio without cameras, he said. I had to admit he had a point. But that wasn't why he wanted to talk. There was this new girl he was trying hard to break into the business, and she was actually from my neck of the woods, and she had a problem she came to him about.

 

 

It seems she used to be some Russian whore, and she escaped that life, but her old handler found out where she was and came visited.

 

 

And got her right scared.

 

 

She was threatened with all sorts of terrible things if she didn't come back to Newcrest.

 

 

I cut him off here, and asked him, what's her name?

 

 

Iliana, he said.

 

 

I laughed. So you are the one that's been hiding that whore? I asked him. Russians been after her all year. But technically she paid off her debt, they shouldn't be coming after her.

 

Well, apparently they are, he told me. She came to him scared to death after she got visited by, well, I'm assuming it was Irina.

 

 

And Chad promised her he'd use his connects to see what he could do.

 

 

And that meant me. I told Chad, don't worry, I'd smooth it over. If she became a legit porn star, she might have to kick something back to Irina and Dimitry, but that's it.

 

So I had a sit-down with Joao to talk about this.

 

 

I already knew what his take would be, but I asked anyway. "Get rid of those Russians once and for all."

 

 

I explained to him for the millionth time I liked doing business in peace when possible.

 

 

And I wasn't looking to start a war crossing the Atlantic.

 

 

But of course, he said it was all about respect.

 

 

I let these guys into Newcrest. They owed me.

 

 

And breaking all the rules of the game in my backyard made me look weak.

 

 

Hold the fuck on, I told him. No one makes me look weak.

 

 

I thought he was getting a little too familiar.

 

 

But I know I can trust Joao, so it's good.

 

 

So I told him here's my ruling, we'll make our move, but out of common decency, I'm going to go to Windenburg and try to make a deal with Dimitry first.

 

 

It's not going to work, that's all he said.

 

 

So that's what I did. We met in his local bar, where he'd feel safe.

 

 

And of course he laid it on thick, about how much money we were making together and even said we should have closer ties.

 

 

But I explained to him, look, business is business, and I'm cool doing business with you, but it no longer works for me for you to have a foothold in Newcrest.

 

 

But he wasn't listening. Newcrest was too important to him.

 

 

So I simply told him thanks for the feedback, and we'd have to talk more soon.

 

 

Then, before I went back to the airport, I wanted a little fun, but instead of visiting Charlotte, I asked around town until I found a quality whore who kicked back to Dimitry.

 

 

I figured if I was about to muscle him out, the least I could do was throw him some business.

 

 

And it was good business, too.

 

 

These girls he traffics out West are fine.

 

 

But the ones he keeps back home are spectacular.

 

 

If we find a way through this with me still doing business with him...

 

 

...I'll definitely visit his girls again.

 

 

So I knew I had to make a move, and I needed to scout out the Russian brothel. I couldn't send Joao. That would be suspicious. And I couldn't send Gomes. I knew he was a regular there, anyway, and I couldn't trust him to not accidentally raise eyebrows by snooping around. So I figured, Burgos, you're up.

 

 

I slipped him a couple of grand, called it a bonus for great work. Said I only had one condition. I needed a favor, because I was thinking about a business move, and I wanted him to visit the Russians and get a read on their operation. How did it work. Were the girls happy. That kind of thing.

 

He told me he didn't really do that kind of thing anymore. He was a happily married man, and was done sleeping around.

 

 

But I told him, look, just go there, with my money. What you don't spend, you keep. Who's the Russian girl you have the best relationship with? Probably Vic, he told me. Great. The new girl, so he could use that as an excuse. Just visit her, tell her he's checking up on how things are going now that she's dancing.

 

 

And, you know, be subtle, but ask about how things work. Maybe say he's having problems with the wife, or whatever. She can't say no. She's paid to not say no.

 

 

And, fuck it, I said, as long as you get a good read on how the business there is going, you can just pocket the bonus and go home and fuck your wife, if that makes you happy. Pretty sure that's what he did.

 

 

So with the wheels in motion, I went back home to check out Chad's new video he'd hyped so much. It was fire.

 

 

And now, pantsless, sweaty, with a newly soiled sock on the floor, I'm signing off.