Dynasty Awakening: Building My Own Football Empire-Chapter 236: Italian Model

In Yorkshire the sun was a shy friend who visited once a week. In Los Angeles the sun was a celebrity who shouted at you all day long.

Michael Sterling stood by the pool of the hotel in Beverly Hills. The Sterling Era tour of America had begun.

Arthur Milton was sitting on a sun lounger. He was holding a donut. It was not a normal donut. It was the size of a car wheel. It was covered in pink frosting and sprinkles.

"Boss," Arthur said with a mouth full of sugar. "America is beautiful. Everything is big. The cars are big. The buildings are big. Even the ants are big."

"Do not eat the ants Arthur," Michael said putting on his sunglasses. "And do not eat too many donuts. We have a training session in one hour."

"I need energy Boss," Arthur argued. "I am scouting."

"Scouting for what? A bakery?"

"No," Arthur sat up. "We still have one problem. We have no Right Back. Tom is young. Sergio is too old to run up and down. We need a specialist."

Michael nodded. He looked at his notebook.

The squad was almost perfect. The Bear. The Jet. The Painter. The Bull.

But the right side of the defense was empty.

Kenji Sato the billionaire walked out of the hotel lobby. He was wearing shorts made of gold silk. He looked like a trophy that had come to life.

"Michael!" Kenji shouted. "I have news. The algorithm has found the final piece."

"Is it another giant?" Michael asked.

"No," Kenji smiled. "It is a artist. But a different kind of artist."

They took a taxi to Rodeo Drive. It was the most expensive street in the world.

"Why are we here Kenji?" Michael asked looking at the Gucci and Prada stores. "We are looking for a footballer not a handbag."

"He is here," Kenji said checking his phone. "He is shopping."

They walked into a very expensive Italian clothing store.

Inside there was a man looking at a silk scarf.

He was beautiful. He had hair that defied gravity. It was swept back perfectly. He was wearing a suit that cost more than Michael car. He smelled like lavender and money.

"That is him?" Arthur whispered. "He looks like he should be on a perfume bottle."

"Lorenzo Ricci," Kenji announced. "Right back for AC Milan. He wants to leave because the weather in Milan is bad for his hair."

Michael walked up to the man.

"Lorenzo?" Michael asked.

The man turned. He looked at Michael shoes. He frowned.

"Your shoes," Lorenzo said. His voice was smooth like olive oil. "They are... practical."

"I am Michael Sterling," Michael said. "Manager of Barnsley."

"Ah," Lorenzo smiled. "The Misfits. I have seen you on TikTok. You have the bald man who hits cars."

"Diego Nunez," Michael nodded. "We want you to join us."

Lorenzo looked at the silk scarf again.

"Barnsley," Lorenzo mused. "Is it true that you wear purple? Purple is a difficult color. It clashes with my skin tone."

"We can change the shade," Arthur offered quickly. "We can make it... Lavender Barnsley?"

Lorenzo looked interested.

"And the football?" Lorenzo asked. "I like to cross the ball. But I do not like to tackle. Tackling ruins the grass stains on my shorts."

"We have a Bear and a Bull to tackle," Michael said. "You just run and look good and cross."

Lorenzo checked his reflection in the mirror.

"I can do that," Lorenzo said. "But I have a condition."

"What condition?"

"I need a mirror in my locker," Lorenzo said seriously. "A full length mirror with LED lights."

Michael shook his hand.

"Done. Welcome to the family Lorenzo."

The next day at the LA Galaxy training facility the team was waiting.

Diego Nunez was wearing a cowboy hat he bought at the airport.

"Yee haw!" Diego shouted riding on the back of Vladimir Petrovic. "I am an American cowboy!"

Vladimir The Bear did not seem to mind. He was holding a small cactus he found.

"This plant is spiky," Vladimir rumbled. "It is a warrior plant."

Then the black van arrived.

Lorenzo Ricci stepped out.

He was wearing sunglasses. He was carrying a designer leather bag. He walked like he was on a runway.

The players went silent.

Diego Nunez slid off Vladimir back. He walked up to Lorenzo. 𝓯𝙧𝓮𝓮𝒘𝓮𝙗𝙣𝒐𝒗𝒆𝓵.𝓬𝓸𝒎

Diego was wearing dirty shorts and a sweaty t shirt. Lorenzo was wearing pristine white linen.

It was Beauty and the Beast.

Diego sniffed Lorenzo.

"You smell like a flower shop," Diego accused.

"And you smell like a wet dog," Lorenzo said calmly. "It is charming. In a rustic way."

Diego blinked. He did not know if he was being insulted or complimented.

"I am the Bull," Diego stated.

"I am the Style," Lorenzo replied. He took out a small comb and fixed a single hair that had moved in the wind.

"Okay," Diego decided. "You are fancy. But can you kick?"

Michael blew the whistle.

"Training time!" Michael shouted. "Lorenzo show them what you can do."

They set up a drill.

Lorenzo stood on the right wing.

Victor Osimhen stood in the box.

"Just put it on my head!" Osimhen shouted adjusting his mask.

Lorenzo looked at the ball. He did not run fast. He trotted elegantly.

He swung his right foot.

It was not a kick. It was a caress.

The ball curled. It had perfect spin. It bypassed three defenders. It landed exactly on Osimhen forehead.

Osimhen headed it into the net.

"Wow," Osimhen said landing. "I did not even have to move. The ball found me."

Lorenzo blew on his fingernails.

"Geometry," Lorenzo said. "It is about angles. And beauty."

Kaito Tanaka the Japanese sprinter ran over.

"You are slow!" Kaito chirped. "But the ball is fast!"

"Running is for people who are late," Lorenzo said. "I am never late. I arrive precisely when I mean to."

Michael Sterling stood with Arthur on the sideline.

He looked at his team.

They were a circus.

There was a giant Serb talking to a cactus.

There was a hyperactive Japanese sprinter running in circles.

There was a Spanish magician juggling with his neck.

There was an Italian model checking his hair in the reflection of the goalpost.

There was a bald Bull trying to eat a hot dog he hid in his sock.

And there was the old guard. Jamie Vardy drinking a Red Bull. Sergio Ramos looking cool.

"It is complete Boss," Arthur said wiping a tear (or maybe sugar) from his eye. "The collection is complete."

"We have everything Arthur," Michael agreed. "Power. Speed. Magic. Style. And Chaos."

"Mostly chaos," Arthur noted.

"Controlled chaos," Michael corrected.

The Amazon Prime cameras were filming everything. The director looked like he had won the lottery.

"This season," the director whispered. "This season is going to be gold."

That night Michael sat in the hotel lobby.

The transfer window was technically still open but his business was done. He had spent every penny.

He had built a Frankenstein monster of a football team.

His phone rang. It was Sarah.

"Michael," she said. "Gabriel saw the new man on TV. The pretty one."

"Lorenzo?"

"Yes. Gabriel went to the mirror and tried to comb his hair. He used a fork."

Michael laughed. "Lorenzo has that effect on people. He makes you want to be handsome."

"Are you ready Michael?" Sarah asked. "The season starts in two weeks. Community Shield against Manchester City."

"City," Michael repeated the name.

The last time they played City they lost the title by two points.

"We are ready Sarah," Michael said. "This time we have new weapons."

He looked across the lobby.

Vladimir Petrovic was sitting with Lorenzo Ricci.

It was a strange sight. The giant bear and the slim model.

Vladimir was showing Lorenzo his cactus.

"It hurts if you touch it," Vladimir explained.

"It has texture," Lorenzo nodded touching the spikes carefully. "Like a good tweed jacket."

They were bonding. The Misfits were bonding.

Michael closed his eyes.

He could feel it. The energy. The potential.

Last season was the Awakening.

This season was the War.

"Arthur," Michael called out.

Arthur woke up on the sofa. "Yes Boss? Is it donut time?"

"No Arthur. It is time to go home."

"Home to Barnsley?"

"Home to the Premier League," Michael said standing up. "We have a title to steal."