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

by Fariah Zaidi

  I gasped loudly.

  “And that accident was the best thing that happened to me.” she said, her tone suddenly softer, “Vincent was driving that car and with him was Mama Bella. They took me to the hospital, got me checked out.”

  A small smile lifted the corner of her lips, “When I woke up, Bella was there. She asked me about my family and where I was from. And the way she talked to me, with such tenderness and affection, that I had no choice but to tell her everything.”

  “She declared she was taking me home and that’s how I ended up here, as an Esposito.” she finished, her eyes shining with both the horrors of her past and the happiness of her present.

  “Wow.” I whispered, speechless of her story. I had no idea. She was such a cheerful and bubbly person, it was hard to imagine she had been through all that.

  “So,” she grabbed the bottle from my hand, “now that we know each other’s sob stories, let’s drink to us.”

  “To us?” I repeated.

  “Yes, to us.” she said, pouring out a drink for me, “For being two strong women and having the courage to overcome our past.”

  “Cheers!”

  Chapter 14: Call

  Zara

  When Stefan found us later that evening, Ria and I had finished his bottle of Scotch and we were on the verge of passing out. Well, I was. She, on the other hand, was already in happyville.

  He knocked twice on the door before entering.

  My breath hitched a little when I saw his gloriously handsome being. Instead of the suit, I found him wearing a grey T-shirt that stretched across his chest and a pair of black sweats. I would’ve asked about the suit but I was too busy drooling over the sight that was Stefan Esposito.

  Maybe it was the alcohol, but I internally made a sign of cross as I watched him walk to the centre of the room and take a long look around.

  He paused when his eyes landed on Ria. Scratch that, he specifically scrutinized the bottle she was holding to her chest.

  “Is that a bottle of Scotch?” he glanced at me.

  He walked a little further to my bed, his brows furrowing with his ascending anger.

  “Is that my Scotch?”

  I couldn’t hold it in anymore. I burst out in a fit of giggles, clutching my stomach. Stefan turned to me, his eyebrows shooting up in surprise.

  “Dear Lord, you’re drunk.” he declared, shaking his head.

  At once he turned around and walked back out the door, and from the hallway, he started yelling.

  “Vincent! Get your drunken girlfriend’s ass out of here!” he roared.

  The man in question came running at once and his face creased into laughter upon seeing me and Ria sprawled inside the room.

  “What the hell happened?” he asked, making his way over to Ria as I tried to sit up.

  “Short version is we played a drinking game by taking a shot for every time life screwed us over.” I explained, waving my arms around for too much emphasis, “Turns out it’s a lot cause we finished the entire bottle.”

  “And you had to take my favorite whiskey?” Stefan asked, looking at me accusingly, “There is an entire cabinet full of alcohol downstairs.”

  “Ria did it!” I pointed towards the mumbling woman as Vincent picked her up bridal style, “I just drank it.”

  “God help me.” Stefan closed his eyes, rubbing the bridge of his nose.

  I watched as Vincent left the room, taking my drunken girl friend with him. Stefan turned to me, and although his expression had softened, I could see that he was still angry and even slightly disappointed.

  Putting on my most innocent smile, I got up from the couch. The world spun around me for a second but I stopped it, latching on to the arm of my seat.

  “I’m sorry I drank your favorite Spotch.” I mumbled, taking small, careful steps in his direction. I was afraid if I moved too fast, the floor would slip from beneath me.

  “Scotch.” he corrected, “Not Spotch. Scotch.”

  “Tomato-potato.” I waved my hand, just two feet away from him.

  He finally broke out into a smile, exhaling a breath of laughter.

  In a hurry to reach him, I took a big step, but I stumbled, landing right into his arms with my face squished in his chest. His masculine scent filled my nostrils, and I took a deep breath.

  “Are you sniffing me?” he asked, and I could hear the amusement in his tone.

  “Yes.” I replied without any hesitation, my face still in his chest, “You smell really good Stefan.”

  I wrapped my arms around his waist, shifting closer to him. I didn’t know why I was doing it but it just felt so good. It took him a moment but he too put his arms around my body, pulling me tightly against him.

  Something shifted between us in that moment, like a spark that had ignited. Sighing deeply in content, I closed my eyes. I had no idea what we were doing but it felt good and it felt right.

  “You give the best hugs, Stefan.” I mumbled from my position, “Man, I wish I could stay here forever.”

  A sober Zara would never confess something like this. However, it looked like a drunken Zara had quite the confidence.

  Our moment, however, was broken.

  There was a sudden churning in my stomach that made me pull away. It worsened with each passing second until I couldn’t hold it in anymore.

  Pushing past Stefan, I ran into the bathroom and reached the pot just in time to throw up the contents of my stomach.

  I groaned loudly, leaning away slightly to take a deep breath. Another bout of churning sent me bending over again and hurling loudly in the toilet.

  “You really can’t hold you liquor, can you?” Stefan’s voice traveled from behind me.

  “Not helping Stefan!” I groaned, resting back a little.

  But it was only for a second because my stomach took another somersault sending me throwing up again.

  I felt Stefan’s hand pulling back my hair from my face and holding it up in a ponytail. With his other hand, he started rubbing my back in slow motions. I moaned slightly at the comfort that he provided, wiping my forehead with the back of my hand.

  “Stefan, are you here?”

  Rafael’s voice interrupted us. I leaned back on my butt, sitting on the cold bathroom floor, still gagging a little.

  “In here!” Stefan yelled back, continuing rubbing my back.

  Rafael appeared in the doorway, his eyebrows shooting up at the sight.

  “What happened?” Stefan asked him.

  It took a moment for Rafael to answer but there was urgency in his voice when he answered.

  “It’s a video call.” he answered, his eyes shifting between the two of us, “From Valentin.”

  The name alone caused the hair on the back of my neck to rise. And I surprised even myself when I realized it wasn’t out of fear. It was out of pure loathing.

  “What the fuck does he want?” Stefan spat out.

  Gone was the playful vibe that Stefan had just moments ago. It was quickly replaced with rage and venom that even scared me a little bit.

  “He wants to talk to you.” Rafael answered promptly, his eyes shifting to me. “Both of you.”

  Standing up, I shakily walked over to the sink, still feeling weak.

  “We’re coming,” I declared, picking up my toothbrush, “Let me freshen up.”

  I could feel the two men glaring holes into my back. After having thrown up so much, I was almost sober. Though my head was aching a little, my determination preceded it.

  “Zara, you don’t have to do this.” Stefan said, moving closer to me.

  “Actually Stefan,” I turned around to face him, “this is exactly what I need to do. I have spent two years cowering in my nightmares from this asshole. I cannot let him do this to me anymore. I have to face him.”

  The determination and fierceness in my voice left them speechless and they simply nodded.

  “He’s calling back in five minutes.” Rafael informed, backing out of the room.


  “Are you sure about this?” Stefan asked me, concern etched across his face.

  I only nodded and that was all the confirmation he needed.

  The conference room of the Esposito Mansion looked like something straight out of a corporate building, consisting of a long table, a huge flat screen TV hung on the wall and an iMac set up beside it.

  Stefan and I stood at the head of the table with Rafael, Vincent and Enzo right behind us. The atmosphere was thick with tension, and even Vincent didn’t crack his usual smile.

  My nerves were all over the place as my fingers vigorously tapped against my waist. Stefan must have noticed for he reached to his side and wrapped his hand around mine and gave me a reassuring squeeze.

  Before I could thank him, however, the large screen blinked to life, and appeared the person who had quite literally destroyed my life.

  I momentarily froze as a sharp chill ran down my spine when my eyes came in contact with his green ones. The nightmares began clawing and screeching at my insides just at the sight of him.

  Fortunately for me, whatever alcohol that was left in my system gave me the courage to straighten my spine and stare head on into the bastard’s eyes.

  “I can tell from that look that you clearly remember me.” he smiled a sick smile, leaning back in a chair.

  “And I can tell from your look that you’re the same slimy bastard who ruined my life.” I replied without missing a beat.

  For a slight moment, he was taken aback by my comment, but he recovered quickly, his creepy smile falling right back in place.

  “You’ve grown feisty.” he observes, “I like it.”

  “What the fuck do you want?” Stefan cut in before Valentin could say something else.

  He paused and his eyes turned to Stefan, regarding him gravely.

  “Stefan Esposito.” he mused, “I have heard great things about you. And now that I am the new Boss of the Romano family, I would like to formally introduce myself.”

  “Cut the crap, asshole.” Stefan barked, “What is this really about?”

  “Language, Stefan. Didn’t your mother teach you any manners?” he asked with a taunting smirk, “Oh that’s right! She was dead long before that.”

  The mere mention of his mother caused Stefan’s rage to hike. His fists clenched as he stood up straighter.

  “Talk of my mother again and I’ll cut your tongue off.” Stefan’s voice was deathly, grave.

  Valentin laughed a cold laugh.

  “Now that I’ve had a little fun, let’s get down to business,” he claps his hands, his tone turning serious, “You made a huge mistake interfering in my matters. If you could’ve just learned not to do that, none of this would be happening.”

  I waited with bated breath.

  “I want the girl.”

  “You’re not getting her.” Stefan’s reply was quick and final.

  “I don’t think you understand, Stefan.” Valentin leaned forward, “I will get the girl. But before I take her, I will destroy you. You, your pathetic little family and the entire Esposito clan. I will have her at any cost.”

  “I have a name.” I finally spoke up, getting annoyed.

  Both men shut up and turned to me as utter silence fell into the room.

  Maybe it was the influence of living with a Mafia family, or maybe, as Mama Bella said that my mob instincts were kicking in, but I squared my shoulders and looked right into Valentin’s eyes.

  A cold, menacing smirk rose on my lips as I folded my arms to my chest.

  “Well, um, I’ll have to admit, that was quite the cute, little speech, Valentin. I should be scared of you.” I said. Then shrugging my shoulders, I added, “Turns out, I’m not.”

  Yet again, he was shocked.

  I leaned forward, resting my hands on the desk in front of me and started speaking, my voice deathly at a lower octave, “I have spent two years in fear, pain and paranoia. And I refuse to be sucked into that spiral again. So I dare you. I dare you to come for me, you sleazy bastard.”

  My head was held high in challenge as I finished my spiel, “And when you do, I’ll choke the life out of your body and send you crawling back to hell.”

  With that, I disconnected the call and turned back around.

  I was expecting for Stefan to be angry at me, for provoking Valentin like I did. God knows what lengths he’ll go to just to prove his point.

  Instead, Stefan had this shocked yet proud expression on his face.

  “Is it wrong that I was totally turned on by that?” Rafael spoke up, a sly smile on his lips.

  Stefan whipped around and shot him a glare, which made him promptly shut up.

  Before I could ask why he did that, Stefan turned back and moved to stand before me, reaching forward for my hand.

  I was slightly scared when he didn’t utter a single word. He laced his fingers with mine and led me out the conference room.

  “Stefan, what are you doing?” I asked, “Are you angry with me?”

  He didn’t say a word until we reached his room. Locking the door behind us, he turned to me. I saw a fire burning in those beautiful eyes. But it wasn’t rage. It was something entirely different.

  “That was the sexiest thing I’ve ever seen.” he whispered breathlessly, moving closer to me.

  The air shifted between us, sweeping away the tension. It replaced with something more intimate.

  His fingers left my hand and lazily travelled up my arm. I shivered as sparks erupted at his touch and my eyes snapped up to his.

  I took in his face, those eyes, the high cheekbones and sharp jaw line scattered with a light beard. What a beautiful man he was.

  My eyes instinctively closed when his fingers came to my neck, and travelled further up my face to tuck a strand of hair behind my ear. My breathing hitched and my body became warm.

  When I looked at him again, my attention zeroed in on his lips and I moved closer into his body, raising my fingers to trace them. Our breaths mingled and I was engulfed in the heady scent of him.

  His arms banded around my waist and mine went to his chest, eliminated any space left between us.

  “Kiss me.” I whispered, staring into his eyes.

  He didn’t utter a reply.

  Instead, his hand came to rest firmly on my cheek and his lips descended on mine.

  Chapter 15: Pillow

  Zara

  His lips molded mine in the softest of kisses.

  It was hesitant at first, but it passed the moment Stefan’s fingers tightened around my waist and he pulled me impossibly closer.

  Letting out a soft breath, I captured his lips in mine again, not wanting him to pull back. My fingers clutched a fistful of the material of his shirt, my chest tightly pressed against his.

  He began pushing me backwards, slowly and slowly, never breaking the kiss.

  It was the moment when my back hit the wall that he pulled away, looking at me with hooded eyes. Upon hearing my small whimper of protest, his lips rose in the most teasing of smirks. And in a flash, his mouth was on mine again. This time, the kiss was more urgent, rough even.

  My fingers ran through his hair, on his neck and then down his chest, feeling every contour and dip on his body, gliding across his abs over his shirt.

  His lips moved, kissing my jaw, my chin and then going on my neck, his fingers dug into my waist as he found a sweet spot near my collarbone and sucked, emanating a deep moan from me.

  Resting my hand on the back of his head, I pulled him back to my mouth, desperate for the taste of him. Our lips collided again and I moaned softly, grabbing at his collar. He traced my lips with his tongue, begging for entrance and I gave in. My body pressed even closer to him, as his tongue met mine. The sweet taste of him sent warm shivers through my entire body.

  The kiss was consuming.

  And when we pulled away, we were panting.

  He didn’t move away from me. His body was still pressed against mine and he was looking at me deeply. His hand reste
d on my cheek and he softly caressed it, making me lean into his touch.