Men of Mayhem (71 page)

Christianna

Shivering from the cold, I tried to reach out for something—a sheet or blanket—but my body felt so heavy. I could feel the warmth of the sun shining in on my face as I lay in bed in the hotel. I tried to force my eyes open. As soon as my eyes opened a fraction of an inch my stomach lurched and I somehow propelled myself off the bed and toward the only open door. I crashed into the toilet. I wasn’t sure how long I kneeled there, puking my guts out. I clutched my stomach and begged for it to stop.

When it finally did, I pulled myself up and realized I was naked. I stumbled around and paced the room, then found my clothes neatly piled on the end of the bed. I dressed quickly and went in search of my purse and other belongings. When I found them in the suite of the room, I noticed that my cell was dead but everything remained intact. I couldn’t remember how I had gotten here or why I was here and hadn’t gone home.

My head throbbed, and my throat was dry. I needed to get out of there. I took one last pass of the suite to see if there was any indication as to why I had been there or who I’d been with. I felt confused and a little disoriented. This wasn’t me. I didn’t stay at hotels. I didn’t even know where I was.

None of last night came back to me. I couldn’t even remember what I had done before I woke up in this hotel room.

I left, got on the elevator, and hit the button for the lobby. Floor by floor passed and my stomach got queasier as I descended. How would I explain this to anyone when I didn’t even know what had happened? How could I begin to explain when I didn’t have the words?

When the elevator doors opened, I felt as if everyone was watching me. I walked through the vast hotel, hoping no one would recognize me. I couldn’t have my face plastered all over a newspaper or online. Having well-known, affluent parents wasn’t a good thing all of the time. I didn’t think my lack of memory would go over well. Saying “I don’t know” wouldn’t work now that I was in my twenties.

Outside, the fresh air hit me. I felt a little better and somewhat relieved, while at the same time I wanted to cry.

“Miss, can I call you a cab?”

I looked up to see the doorman looking at me, a concerned expression on his face. “Yes, please.”

With a whistle and a wave, he threw his hand in the air and a cab slid up to the curb.

“Are you okay, miss?” he asked. I guess I appeared unwell.

“I’m fine. Just tired, thank you.” I handed him a tip and climbed into the waiting cab.

“Take care of yourself,” he said as he shut the door.

Rattling off my address to the cab driver, he took off through the streets of downtown before crossing the bridge to where I lived. The traffic was a little thick, and I just kept my eyes locked on my hands as I clutched my purse. I tried to tune everything out and remember last night, but nothing came up.

“Ma’am, we’re here.”

“Oh, I’m sorry.”

“It’s okay. My daughter gets a little lost in the cab sometimes too. The joys of being driven by someone else.”

“Yes, that’s it exactly,” I said, before paying him and telling him to keep the change.

Once inside my apartment, I put my phone on the charger before going straight into the bathroom. Stripping out of my clothes, I took the hottest shower I could until the water turned cold. When I finished, I scrubbed the nasty taste from my mouth. Then I dressed, grabbed my phone, and scrounged for something to eat.

Settling on leftover pizza, I threw a couple slices on a plate and put it into the microwave. When I booted up my phone, I found several texts and a couple of voicemails.

Alex: Where are you?

Alex: Not funny, text me back.

Alex: Now you turned your phone off.

Alex: I am not happy with you right now, baby sister.

I held down the number one key and it dialed into my voicemail. After entering my password, I turned on speaker phone to listen to the message.

“
Christianna, where are you? I’ve made several passes through the club and I can’t find you. If you left, text me back and let me know. I met a hot guy and…well, call me!
”

I couldn’t remember being at a club last night.

I hit seven to delete the message and waited for the next one to come through.

“
Christianna, are you mad at me? I’m sorry we went to the club. Don’t be so mad that you won’t talk to me. I’m sorry. I just wanted you to have fun. I love you. I’ll be over tonight with dinner
.”

After erasing the message, I couldn’t even think of food. I would have to make up some excuse as to where I had gone. I had no idea where we went last night. The pizza I warmed up long since forgotten, I went through my purse to see if there was any evidence of my whereabouts. Inside my wallet, I found a receipt for drinks at Prima Vista.

We were at Prima Vista?

Now it made sense that I would be at a hotel downtown, since the club was close by.

I felt fine mentally, except for the memory loss. Physically, I ached all over, so I wasn’t certain anything happened to me. I needed to go to the hospital. I needed to go to my parents. This would be a scandal; I could feel it.

There was a knock at the door before the doorknob jostled and opened.

“Hello, there. I brought Chinese,” Alex said, holding up two bags. “Am I forgiven for ditching you last night?”

“I thought you said you’d be here for dinner.”

“Ah…yeah. It’s after six.”

“Oh.”

“Christianna, are you all right?”

“Yeah, just…working. Lost track of time.”

“Okay then, grab some plates and some utensils and I’ll start unpacking. I want to watch that new Avengers movie. I got it on the way.”

“All right.” I headed back into the kitchen, throwing out the uneaten pizza and grabbing some plates and assorted silverware.

Alex had everything laid out, smiling and happy, and then she began to tell me about her night. When she asked me where I’d gone, I responded in the only way I could.

“I felt out of place, Alex. You looked like you were having so much fun. I didn’t want to be the third wheel.”

With that, all was forgotten, and we focused on the movie.

Nicholas

I still didn’t feel quite like myself as I navigated my car through the city streets. It was approaching nightfall, and I wanted nothing more than to go to bed and sleep for days, hoping to get back whatever had transpired the night before. Luke pointed toward a street up ahead, and I nodded before getting over to make the turn. Once on the street, I knew where we were. In the building at the end of the block, a lot of wrongs were going to be righted, and blood would be shed.

Pulling into the gated compound, I nodded at the guys I passed. They worked for my dad, sent here for added security. I knew why. Someone was trying to wage a war they weren’t going to win, a war that would single-handedly crumble, and people would know we don’t take any of this shit lightly.

Climbing out of my car, I was flanked by Luke and Bobby as we walked into the dark, dank building. I followed the rows of light bulbs that flickered along the hallway, seconds from being extinguished, but I knew they’d probably still be on when we left.

When we reached the big open room, a lot of people were there. Made men from several families. I saw Teddy Romane in the corner with a bunch of guys and Anderson Michelino standing a few feet from my dad, his gaze flicking back and forth between the men as if he knew something was going down. Teddy stood there with a smirk on his face as he looked me over.

Every man in this room knew I was next in line, so if they didn’t fear me already, then after tonight they would. I stepped up and shook my father’s hand, and he nodded before leaning in. “Verified,” he said, and I nodded.

“I’m good, Pop.”

I let my forearm graze against the holster I had hanging from my shoulder. I needed to know it was there, reassurance, ready to be pulled out and used at any moment.

“Gentlemen,” Dad called out, and the room quieted instantaneously. “We’ve brought you here today because there is a traitor among us, a man who has been stealing from me, threatening the lives of friends, and putting people in danger when there’s no need for it. Yesterday, my son, Nico, took out Derrick Bonovorse. Derrick skimmed over two hundred and fifty thousand dollars off the books of one of his clubs. He was dealt with in a quick manner. Derrick, however, didn’t give up any of his cohorts, so we were under the impression he had none. We were mistaken.” Dad began to pace the room, walking around and eyeing Anderson, who swayed nervously.

He continued to walk among the other men, getting closer and closer to Teddy who appeared oblivious, flanked by his two men as Dad’s guys slowly encircled them.

“This morning…” Dad said, before stopping directly in front of him. “We received word that one of you was playing Derrick like a fiddle and trying to take down other people in this room. Isn’t that right, Teddy?” With dramatic flair, Dad turned to Teddy, whose eyes widened in fear.

“I…I don’t know what you’re talking about. I would never do something as stupid as to go up against the families.”

“Oh, Teddy, I’m so saddened that you would stand here in my face and lie to me. I mean, you tried to take out Anderson. The bad part is, Anderson has about as much control over anything as you do. Gentlemen, please don’t mistake my kindness for anything other than my mother raising me to respect others. That being said, I don’t allow disrespect of anyone or anything. This family, I have built from the ground up, and basically we will always have peons who steal from the rich to get somewhere. They’re always found out, they’re always given up, and most importantly…they always end up dead.” Dad laughed, and I followed.

Walking toward Teddy and his men, who had nowhere to go except down, I smiled at them. They knew me, and they knew I didn’t hold anything in my heart for people who weren’t loyal. My motto had always been,
no loyalty, no apologies made or fucks given
. Reaching inside my suit jacket, I reached in and pulled out my signature gun, complete with the capital
N
etched on the handle. I pointed it directly at Teddy, who seemed to cower behind his two bodyguards, but I didn’t care. I moved over two inches and pulled the trigger, sending one of them to the floor, a bullet right between his eyes. Quick, easy, and I doubt painless. I smirked again at Teddy and he moved farther back, behind his guy and against the wall.

“There is absolutely nowhere to go, Teddy. You can run but you can’t outrun a bullet that is coming for you,” I said with a laugh. I was dead serious and I didn’t care who went next.

When the second man being used as a human shield put his hands up and took a few steps to the side near his fallen comrade, it gave me a straight shot.

“Nico, please, it was all a mistake. I got word that Anderson was trying to move in on me. I wanted to take him out before he got to me.”

“If that was the case, you take things
up
the chain, not to the source. Still, this doesn’t explain why you hired Derrick to steal from me.”

“He did that on his own, Nico. I swear I didn’t know about it.”

“So, the pictures of him handing you stacks of cash were…what?”

“Uh…” I didn’t wait for the opportunity for him to lie to me again. I just pulled the trigger and unloaded three rounds into him. All three straight in the chest so he knew what impending death felt like.

I watched as he writhed and clutched at himself, reaching out to the others around him. I looked at the guy who still had his hands raised in surrender.

“Where do your loyalties lie?” I asked.

“Mr. Prescotti, sir, I didn’t know what was going on. I just took over for Derrick this morning.” Nodding, I turned back around and went to my dad.

“Thank you, son. I’ll see you tomorrow for dinner.”

“Yes, sir.”

Luke, Bobby, and I walked out. I didn’t stay for the aftermath. It wasn’t my style. Some guys reveled in watching a man take his final breath. I wanted him to see how callous and heartless I was, enough to walk away. I drove back to my house and bid the guys goodbye as I climbed up the stairs to my room. I needed to get over this missing piece from last night, so I climbed into bed fully dressed and proceeded to close my eyes.