Wrath (Part I): A Mafia Romance (Esposito Series Book 1)

by Fariah Zaidi

  “Now listen here, Zara. I have been very polite and patient with you till now. But I will not tolerate you talking to me in that tone.” he seethes, “Had it been anyone, anyone else right now, they’d be dead.”

  I recoiled at his words.

  “I would gladly drop you home right now and be done with you.” he goes on, “But that place would be crawling with the same men who tried to kidnap you today. I’m just trying to make sure you are safe. So the least you could do right is be a little grateful and shut the fuck up.”

  With that, he moved away and resumed his position on the seat, going back to tapping on his phone.

  Tears stung my eyes and I pushed myself away from him as much as I could in the confines of the car. With my heart still hammering in my chest, I leaned my head on the window, wiping my face with the dirty sleeve of my coat.

  An awkward cough came from the front of the car, and I raised my head enough to notice that there were two other men sitting in the front.

  “Home, Boss?” the man in the driver’s seat asked.

  “Yes.” Stefan replied in a tired voice, “And step on it. I’m done with tonight’s shit.”

  With that, we were on our way. Where, I still had no idea. All I could do was hope that I am not kidnapped for the second time in span of twenty four hours.

  The ride was silent. Except for the occasional chime from Stefan’s phone, nobody uttered a single word.

  Still in my curled position against the window, I closed my eyes. Exhaustion overcame me and pretty soon, I’d drifted off.

  It felt like only seconds later, my eyes blinked open when I felt someone shaking my shoulder.

  “Is she dead or something?” someone muttered.

  “Unfortunately for you, I’m very much alive.” I mumbled, yawning deeply and stretching myself.

  It took me a couple of seconds before everything from today came rushing back. I opened my eyes and looked around, realizing I was still in the car.

  Stefan was nowhere to be seen and the two guys from the front were turned back, staring at me.

  “We are here.” the driver guy said.

  With that, they both turned away and got out of the car. I followed suit, closing the door behind me. I took a few moments to look around, noticing that we were on a driveway. However, when I rounded the car, I was left speechless at the sight.

  In front of me, stood the largest house I’d ever seen. Scratch that, it was a mansion. The building was a modern structure with a hint of vintage architecture, with huge windows glowing from the light coming from inside the rooms.

  I followed the two men up the short steps, entering through the large, wooden double doors.

  Lost in admiring the interior, that was as beautiful as the exterior of the house, I jumped when someone tapped me on the shoulder.

  I turned around, only to see the guy who drove us here, looking at me with a small smile on his face.

  “Boss asked me to show you to your room.” he politely said, “He wants to talk to you after.”

  “So it would be useless if I bugged you for some answers.” I said, my lips pursed in a tight smile.

  “Totally.” he quipped, his smile widening a little. He held forward his hand, “However, we can get introduced. My name is Rafael.”

  This time my smile was genuine as I shook his hand, “My name is Zara. But I’m guessing you already knew that.”

  He neither confirms nor denies my statement. Instead he shoots me a grin and starts making his way towards the huge staircase towards the right side of the hall, motioning me to follow him.

  I walk quietly after him up the stairs and down the long corridor, silently admiring the house. He opens the third door on the left and stands aside as I enter.

  “This will be your room.” he explains, gesturing around the space, “You can freshen up; the door on the left is the bathroom and over on the right is the closet. Someone will bring you a change of clothes. Plus, Stefan will be dropping by to speak with you.”

  I thank him, following which he leaves, closing the door behind him.

  Turning back, I survey the room I’m currently standing in. It is a large one, with walls in shades of blue. There is a king-sized bed on one side, and on the opposite wall hangs a flat screen TV, complete with its system. A couple of white couches have been pushed up against the adjacent wall with a small coffee table between them. And right next to it is a sliding glass door, leading to the balcony.

  The room is beautiful.

  As much as I want to jump on the bed and sleep all my worries away, I push the thought away and walk towards the bathroom, in a desperate need of a shower.

  When I push open the door, I yet again marvel at the sight in front of me. The bathroom is big, about five times the size of mine. There is a huge tub in one corner and a separate shower stall in the other. A couple of floor length mirrors are also there, and two separate ones above the sinks.

  When I step in front of the sink, I can’t help but let out a shocked gasp at my reflection.

  My chocolate brown hair is a mess, sticking out in different directions and my clothes are covered in dirt and blood.

  And my face, oh my face.

  There is a bruise forming on my left cheekbone, and one has already formed on my right. My lower lip is busted and slightly coated with dried blood.

  No wonder Stefan and his men were looking at me like I was a homeless person. I looked utterly horrible.

  Speaking of, Rafael told me that Stefan would come and talk to me, so I might as well hurry up.

  Taking off my dirty clothes, I quickly stepped into the shower and turned the golden knob to hot. Water sprayed out and I sighed in relief as it cascaded down my body. I lathered myself in soap and shampoo that had been placed there, selecting the fruitiest scents.

  As I stepped out, I felt much better. The shower was much needed to calm my nerves and my raging mind. Wrapping a plush white towel around me, I mentally willed my mind to remain the same for my upcoming conversation with Stefan.

  The moment I stepped back in the room, I let out a huge scream.

  Sitting comfortably on one of the couches in the room, was none other than Stefan.

  Chapter 4: Revelations

  Zara

  The towel I’m holding to my chest almost falls to the floor.

  “What the hell are you doing here?” I yell, my heart hammering in my chest.

  Stefan doesn’t lift his head from his phone and lets out an annoyed breath, “Didn’t I tell not to talk to me with that tone? Or would you like a reminder?”

  God, this man is so infuriating. Here I was hoping to have a proper conversation.

  Instead of acting on my urge to smack him, I put on an extremely fake, bright smile and clasped my hands in front of my chest, “Mr. Esposito, what an honor to see you here. Would you rather I wear clothes or should I just sit here and converse with you naked?”

  The moment these words leave my mouth, I mentally curse myself. This right here is a dangerous man. He just killed two people without showing any remorse. And if I don’t keep my sarcasm away, God knows what he’ll do to me.

  Stefan doesn’t reply. Instead, he motions to the bed with his free hand where a pair of sweats and a T-shirt have been neatly placed and on the floor is a fuzzy pair of black slippers.

  My eyes once again move to Stefan.

  And now, in the clear lighting of the room, when I look at him, and I mean really look at him, I cannot seem to look away.

  This silent, brooding man sitting in front of me, in one word, is beautiful.

  His almost black hair has been perfectly styled and kept back from his face. A thin layer of stubble covers his defined jaw and he has high cheekbones, good enough to make me jealous. His lips are pursed in concentration at whatever he is reading on his phone. The suit he was wearing has been swapped for a pair of sweatpants and a loose shirt.

  “I’d advise you to quit drooling and put on some clothes, Zara.” his amused voice
snaps me out of my daze, “We have important things to talk about.”

  I glare at him, snatching the clothes off the bed and stepping into the slippers. Making my way to the closet, I grumble under my breath, “I was so not drooling.”

  When I step out after changing, I head to the couches and plop down on the one opposite to Stefan. He finally puts his phone away and looks up at me.

  “You should get those bruises attended to. I’ll send someone up.” he offers, gesturing to my face.

  “Thank you for that.” I tell him, anticipation bubbling inside of me, “But can we please get to the part where you tell me what is going on?”

  He nods, leaning forward and placing his elbows on his knees, clasping his hands together.

  “Whatever I tell you next, I want you to listen very carefully.” he starts, “So put aside all your questions and sarcasm and just hear me out.”

  I nodded eagerly.

  “There were three ruling Mafia families in the States- the Espositos, the Lombardis and the Romanos.” he goes on, “Have you ever heard these names before?”

  “Not until very recently.” I say, but I am still rooted on his first sentence.

  Mafia.

  Realization dawns on me when I think of the files, weapons and money I’d found in the basement of my old house.

  And then the kidnapping, men in suits, guns. How could I have not guessed sooner?

  “Up until two decades ago, these families existed peacefully but then, some incidents took place that led to a falling out, leading to the Espositos and Lombardis on one side and Romanos on the other.”

  I listen carefully, hanging on to every word.

  “The Lombardi family left the States and went back to Italy, and among the families that remained, Espositos slowly rose to expanding all over the country and so did the Romanos. However, latter were not as powerful as the former.”

  Stefan takes out a picture from the file that was kept before him and holds it up for me, “Do you recognize them?”

  My eyes scan the photograph. It shows a late-twenties couple holding a little baby in their arms. They look like a perfect little family. But something about them tugs at my heart.

  I look at Stefan in confusion, “They somehow seem familiar, but I don’t think that I have ever met them.”

  “They woman in the picture was your biological mother.” he states.

  “What?” my eyes widen as I take the picture from him and look even more closely. And sure enough, I can make out the similarities- the eyes, hair and we even have the dimples on our right cheeks.

  “How old was I here?” I ask, my throat closed up with emotion.

  “About a year and a half.” Stefan answers.

  “Where is she now?” I ask, still unable to tear my eyes away from my mother’s picture.

  Stefan sighs deeply, and takes a couple of moments to answer.

  “She is dead.”

  I stare at him, unblinking, shocked.

  “How? When?”

  My words are limited, unable to form full sentences.

  “Almost twenty years ago, this family was attacked.” he answers, “We lost a lot of people that day, and your mother was one of them.”

  “What about my father?” I ask, hating the way my voice cracks so miserably, and I quickly swipe the end of my sleeve against my cheek, “Is he dead too?”

  “Your father is very much alive.” Stefan states.

  When I notice the change in his tone, I look at him, only to his eyes narrowed in anger. His demeanor has hardened and he is furiously clutching the file in his grip.

  “But he won’t be for long.” he finishes.

  “What? Why?” I ask, baffled by his sudden rage.

  “Because I am going to kill him.”

  For the umpteenth time that night, I am shocked.

  “And why is that, Stefan?” I enquire.

  My eyes are fixed on his, and for a fleeting moment, I can’t help but admire how beautiful they are- steel grey with specks of light blue.

  “You remember that night two years ago?” he asks suddenly.

  I freeze at the mention of it alone. A chill runs down my spine as those haunting green eyes flash in my head.

  “How do you know about that?” I whisper, my voice shaking, as image after image of that night starts flitting through my mind.

  “I have every single detail of what happened that night, Zara.” he answers quietly, “We would have saved you had we not been out of state. By the time I reached your house, you were being wheeled away in an ambulance.”

  I look away, the sudden pain and dread that always came at the mention of that night, creeping into my chest.

  “Zara,” Stefan leans forward, covering my hand with his.

  As if stung by his touch, I pull my hand away, my heart constricting.

  He pulls his hand away and I am grateful. Something tells me he didn’t mean to do that, and I believe him when he mumbles a small apology.

  “I was the one who arranged the funeral of Theo and Celine.” he says, leaning back in his seat.

  I lean back, trying to remember the day I’d been released from the hospital. Our neighbor, the closest we had to a friend, came to pick me up and told me that the arrangements had been made anonymously by someone and all I had to do was attend it.

  “It was your father, Diego Romano, who sent his men to your house to murder the three of you.”

  This was the last I heard from Stefan, and it felt like a blow to my already bruised body.

  Tears were flowing freely down my cheek and I didn’t even bother to wipe them. The thought that Stefan knew everything I went through that night, made my stomach lurch painfully and I knew I was going to be sick.

  Holding one hand on my mouth, I bolted from my seat and ran into the bathroom. I fell down next to the pot and emptied the contents of my stomach, gagging and retching painfully. My sobs still hadn’t subsided, and it felt like someone was clawing at my insides.

  The last thing I remember was a warm hand pushing back hair from my face, before darkness took over.

  Chapter 5: Smirks

  Zara

  Life has a funny, almost ridiculous way of throwing you into turmoil.

  Think about it.

  You are going on with your daily routine- from home to work, from work to home, binge-watching on Netflix, an occasional, very rare outing with your friends.

  Then suddenly, life decides that it got bored of your daily, crappy, normal routine, and BAM!

  Cue the drama.

  The next thing you know, you find yourself being chased by members of the mob, sent to kidnap you by your own father and then you are saved by a member of another mobster, who looks so devilishly handsome, it’s hard to figure out whether he really is reliable or not.

  My eyes blinked open against the sunlight glaring through the window.