Men of Mayhem (32 page)

“Only a fool isn’t scared of our fathers, Brianna. Until they’re gone and one of us is in charge of a family this is how it has to be.”

“It’s not enough.” I could see the vehemence increasing in his eyes. Nico was dangerously close to losing it and I was pushing my luck. “I want you, Nico. Not the family, not the money, and not the business…only you. If you walk out of that door now without promising me a way we can have more, don’t bother coming back. I’m not playing this game any longer.”

His gaze flitted to the door, his jaw clenched in a tight line, and his nostrils flared as he inhaled deeply. Raising a hand, Nico pinched the bridge of his nose. For a full minute he didn’t move or speak.

Finally his eyes snapped open. They were marginally clearer as he sank down on to the bed and folded his arms. I cocked a hip in response, waiting for whatever he was about to say. I didn’t allow the relief at the fact he hadn’t stormed out of my little cabin yet to surface. I was gambling a lot on Nico’s feelings. It didn’t matter we’d been together for months, I was asking him to choose me over blood. In our families, blood was not something you ever disrespected. Our relationship was the biggest betrayal to both of our parents.

In the beginning, we had tried to fight it and remain loyal to the families. However, after one accidental night together we were hooked on each other. Neither of us could deny the lust between us, and the more time we managed to find to be together the stronger our bond became. Soon it didn’t matter who we were and where we came from, although neither of us thought far enough ahead to consider what our lineage meant for the future.

The blood pounded in my ears and my heart thundered in my chest at the thought of Nico walking out the door and choosing his family over me. On the outside I remained unaffected, but on the inside a hurricane of emotions whipped through me.

It was one benefit to growing up around the mafia.

It allowed me to control my emotions, to not show my hand. I’d created an impenetrable facade over the years, one so tough no one would know how much it broke my heart to think of Nico leaving.

“There
may
be a way, although I never wanted it to come to this.”

I kept my expression impassive, not allowing the flowering hope blossoming in my chest to show. I blocked it out with feigned irritation. “Why? What’s wrong with it if it allows us to be together?”

“Because it’s going to start an all-out war.”

Brianna

Stars were beginning to reveal themselves as I ambled through my family’s vineyard—one of the few legal businesses we owned. As if a curtain was being drawn over the sky, blackness seeped into the fading cerulean-blue on the horizon, the pinpricks of light shining against the dark backdrop. It was one of my favourite times of day. Everything was still and peaceful, including the air. The sweet, subtle scent of the grapes beginning to bloom embraced me as I walked down one of the aisles and soil crunched under my feet it was so dry. It might have only been May, but the Italian weather meant there was a pleasant heat at this time of day.

I approached the stone mansion where the large, squared windows glowed in the receding daylight. A few dark shadows appeared in the upstairs windows, but like always, most of the mausoleum of a home was empty.

The closer I drew to the house, the more my state of contentment was erased. Instead of the serene smile I’d been wearing, my mouth became a hard line and my eyes tightened with determination. In a second I became the stone-cold mafia princess I was known to be.

I climbed the steps to the patio when a man peeled himself from where he’d been resting against the wall. He reached for his holster on instinct.

“Stand down, Vito. It’s me.”

He dropped his hand to his side immediately, but he didn’t stop his approach. His steps were purposeful, his hulking frame making his movements appear threatening.

“I said stand down, Vito.”

“Sorry, Miss Aletti, I’ve been ordered to bring you to your father as soon as you returned.”

I resisted the urge to roll my eyes. Of course he had. Because God forbid my father actually allowed his twenty-four-year-old daughter to have a life of her own.

“I know the way. I don’t need you to guide me through my own house,” I snapped, jerking my arm out of his reach. I wasn’t going to be herded in like some prisoner they’d caught trying to break in.

Vito looked torn. Despite his job as an enforcer he was one of the good guys—or at least as good as anyone in our line of work could get. He’d always respected and looked out for me like I imagined an older brother would. Not that it meant he was exempt from my bad attitude. I stormed past him, my head held high as I dodged his outstretched arm a second time.

“Brianna, please don’t make this difficult.”

Vito was one of the few I allowed to use my given name, although he only seemed to use it when exasperated. To most people I was Miss Aletti. It kept them in their place and reminded them they were beneath me. It was that minute speck of a relationship which had caused my father to send Vito. He knew Vito was the only guy whose life I wouldn’t risk.

Damn the bastard straight to hell.

I swallowed back the retort lodged in my throat and clenched my fists at my side, giving Vito a curt nod. I really wanted to punch something. However, I kept my face impassive as I allowed Vito to escort me into the house, through the pristine white sun room, and towards my father’s office.

Vito raised his fist to knock on the mahogany door. It looked too normal to conceal the dealings that went on behind it, but I guess that was the point. All of our illegal enterprises were masked by the legal ones. To the outside world, we were wine connoisseurs. Only the underground population knew about our import and export businesses.

“Enter.” My father’s gruff bark came through the door and Vito opened it, gesturing for me to walk in front of him. I expected him to follow me, but the heat of his body grazing my back disappeared as soon as I stepped forward and the door clicked shut behind me.

Turning, I was faced with the icy stare of my father. His dark brown eyes appeared almost black in the shadows of his narrowed gaze. The expression creased his weathered face, the strains of his job and constant exposure to the sun aging him past his forty-eight years. Dark stubble had begun to cover his deep olive skin, which he rubbed as he watched me.

“Where have you been this time, Brianna?”

“I was in the bottom field. I wanted to watch the sun set and you know that area has the best view.” It wasn’t technically a lie. I had been at the boundary of our property; I just hadn’t stayed there or watched the sun set. At that point I’d been horizontal on the bed I shared with Nico in our hideaway and he’d been—

I shook my head, clearing the mental images. Now was not the time to be thinking about Nico’s talented mouth. I stood in front of my father who looked like he was about to have an aneurysm. I could dream about Nico all night long, but by my father’s rising blood pressure I needed to tread carefully.

“Are you
sure
about that
?
” he asked, his volume rising in a challenge to repeat my words.

Like I’d told Nico, I wasn’t scared of my father, so I didn’t react when he called my bluff. “Of course I’m sure.”

He slammed his fist down on his desk, shaking the monitor and making the pens resting against the cherry wood jump. “Damn it, Brianna! Don’t fucking lie to me. I know all about your hideaway. One of my men caught you sneaking off.”

“You had me
followed?
Unbelievable. That’s low, even for you.” I snorted indignantly, and cocked my hip out so my right leg took my full weight.

“Of course I had you followed. I needed to know you weren’t putting this family in jeopardy.”

My heart thumped in my chest and a nervous lump of emotions swelled at the back of my throat to suck all moisture from it. Questions bombarded my mind, all demanding I crack and ask how much his employee had seen. I wasn’t stupid though. I’d picked up a few tips in my twenty-four years on how my father worked. He gave just enough information that you couldn’t deny the accusation, but then remained quiet, hoping you’d hang yourself by confessing to aspects he didn’t know. It was for that reason I made sure the turmoil inside me didn’t show on my face.

“I’m not a child. I’m capable of looking after myself.”

“That has yet to be seen.” He rested his arms on the desk, leaning forward and dropping his voice to a growl. “Do you have any idea how many threats against your life I get? Do you know how many people we catch trying to get onto our property on a daily basis? Whether you like it or not there’s a target on your head, and one the Salvato family will spare no money on. Is that what you want? To be used against your own family by our biggest rivals?”

I could think of one Salvato I wouldn’t have minded being caught or used by. However, I stifled a grin and kept that thought to myself. To my father, the Salvatos were the worst human beings out there. The need for power and money drove mine and Nico’s dad. It was a fight I had no interest in beyond the fact it made my relationship with Nico impossible. Neither family would ever accept it, but you can’t help who you fall in love with, and I wasn’t about to let family dictate my life. I may have been born into the mob and taught all of its workings, yet I didn’t want to be a part of it.

“I only wanted to get away for a few hours. You know, have some time to myself. I was careful and I’m not stupid, but I am going to bed now, so goodnight.” I turned for the door.

“Don’t walk away from me, Brianna.”

“I’m not one of your employees,
Dad.
”

“Exactly, so I expect more from you. What kind of message does it send to the men if I can’t even control my child? A daughter, no less.”

It was always about image with him, and the fucking mob was as chauvinistic as they came. Another reason I had no intention of sticking around. I was not going to play submissive housewife and baby maker. I hadn’t been raised that way. Any man who’d ever tried to control or walk over me ended up with two bullets in his head—just for good measure.

“You’re forbidden from returning to that property again. I have stationed guards there with orders to detain you and contact me directly if you disobey me.”

I whirled back in his direction, my face contorted into a mask of rage. “Then I’ll buy another one.”

He arched an eyebrow in disbelief, his lips twitching. How anyone got pleasure out of tormenting their child was beyond me, but then again, my father was a sick fuck.

“With what money? Did I forget to mention I’ve put a cap on you withdrawals?”

I bit my tongue to stop a spiteful retort from slipping free. Anger poisoned my blood, blazing a fiery trail through me that even I couldn’t control. I wanted to smack the smirk right off his face. Instead, with fists clenched at my side, I kept all of my thoughts to myself and strode to the door. I had my hand on the handle when my father spoke again.

“Don’t think I don’t know what you were using that house for, Brianna. End it…or I will.”

The fire inside me was instantly doused with dread. My heartbeat spiked, and apprehension lined my stomach to make me feel nauseous. Despite my desire not to show how much his words had hit me, my legs buckled slightly. I leaned on the door, pausing to take a deep breath. And when I felt steady enough, I yanked it open and stepped out to hurry to my room with forceful strides.

Once I was safely behind a locked door I allowed the composed mask I’d worn to crumble. There were deep, red crescents on my palms from where my nails had dug into my skin, and I let out an anguished cry. He couldn’t have known it was Nico, I rationalised. If he had, he would never have allowed me to walk out of that room with a simple threat. It was the only thing I had working in my favour, but it also meant we were going to have to bring our plan forward.

I stormed over to my bed, collapsing on the edge as I pulled my phone from my pocket. Bringing up Nico’s number, I sent him a text.

Me: We have a problem. Meet me at location 3 tomorrow, 9 p.m. Do not go near the house.