Royal Mafia Box Set: Books 1-4

by Bella J.

  I gestured for Lucio to fetch me a chair, then sat down facing Stefano head-on. “You have two minutes before I start shooting holes through your torso.”

  “Fine.” He let out a breath, cringing as he spat out another mouthful of blood. “I believe the name Vadik Volkof rings a bell, does it?’

  I pretended to be oblivious. “Sounds vaguely familiar. Why?”

  Stefano remained passive. Stoic. “You have something of his.” It wasn’t a question.

  I leaned back into the chair. “You have one minute left.”

  “Tell me, Antonio. Have you figured out how your name got on the bill of lading tied to the container you found at the harbor a few weeks ago?”

  My heart no longer beat. It fucking pounded as if it wanted to break through my goddamn chest. I knew it. I knew this son of a bitch had something to do with it. All of this had his name written on it from the very beginning.

  “It was you.”

  He smiled. “Like I said, I was getting tired of running from you and your fucking army of idiots who had nothing better to do than hunt poor old me.”

  “What did you do?”

  “I did what any man in my position would do.”

  “And what’s that?”

  “Secured me some collateral.”

  Lucio stepped up behind me, holding two guns in his hands.

  Growing impatient, and already fighting the urge to rip his motherfucking throat out, I crossed my arms. “Thirty seconds.”

  He let out a breath and leaned his head back before looking at me again. “Let’s stop the bullshit, shall we? You have something of Vadik’s. Something he holds very, very dear. A girl.”

  Chills moved down my spine. “What do you know about this girl?” I glared holes into his forehead, a part of me willing him to mention her name in a way that would make me lose my shit and blow his skull wide open.

  “I know that she’s the key.”

  “The key to what?”

  The smirk on his face aggravated my anger like sand on a goddamn rash. “She holds the key to Vadik’s empire.”

  Silence ensued while we stared at each other, my jaw clenched tight, my eyes narrowed. With every passing second, my senses warned me that this conversation was steering into a direction which would eventually force me into a motherfucking corner. And the way Stefano played his cards, one by one, he knew it too, which was why he continued with his riddle-me-this, riddle-me-that bullshit.

  I stood, squaring my shoulders and straightening my suit jacket. “If you don’t get to the point soon, I’ll start with your goddamn teeth and work my way down to each and every last fucking toenail, I swear to God.”

  He spat out more blood, then licked his cracked lips. “I’ll tell you everything I know, but first, we need to make a deal.”

  Lucio launched forward, pressing his gun hard against Mancuso’s forehead. “We’re not making any deals with you, you fucking low-life piece of shit. Antonio,” he called over his shoulder, “just say the word and I’ll end this cunt right here, right now.”

  “Hold on, Lucio.” I stared at Mancuso, pieces of the puzzle shifting into place.

  He knew about the container.

  He knew about the bill of lading.

  He knew we had the girl…and that Vadik wanted her back.

  If he didn’t sell me, then I was stolen.

  Like a fucking lock and key, it all clicked together, unlocking the mystery, and aligning every clue perfectly.

  “It was you.” I cocked my head to the side, my glare focused on him alone. “You stole her from him, didn’t you?”

  He smiled. “You know, if my hands weren’t tied, I’d be clapping right now.”

  “Why?”

  “Why?” he reiterated. “It’s quite simple, actually. To take your enemies’ attention off yourself, you merely minimize the threat you pose to them.”

  My eyes widened. “By creating an even bigger threat,” I muttered as everything began to make complete fucking sense. Stefano had Doe stolen, placed in a container with my name on it, and sent her here, knowing Vadik would come looking for her. It was the perfect diversion to get us to stop hunting him, by bringing an even bigger threat right to my fucking doorstep.

  Lucio clapped behind me. “Well done, fucker. There’s just one thing you seem to forget. Now that you came here willingly, told us everything, we have no further need for you.”

  “Ah, on the contrary, young man.” Stefano lifted a brow. “You need me now more than ever.”

  I frowned. “Why is that?”

  A smile as wide as the fucking Pacific spread across his face, wrinkles forming grooves at the sides of his mouth. “Nah-ah. I’m here to make a deal, remember? I’ll tell you what I know, give you what you need to get rid of Vadik, in exchange—”

  “In exchange for what?” I demanded. “A quicker, less painful death?”

  “In exchange for my freedom.”

  Seconds ticked by, and then I let out a laugh. “You really are delusional. You had your son basically rape my sister. Then you had my brother’s woman get hooked on heroin in a bid to use her to destroy us. And then you killed my father.” I stood, towering over him. “Where do you get off thinking you actually have the balls to demand a deal, and that there’s even half a chance of you walking out of here with a fucking heartbeat?”

  Nothing about the old man’s face showed anything but sheer confidence. “Vadik will not stop until he has his precious Nessuno back.”

  Instantly, marrow scratched against bone like nails on a blackboard. I hated that name. I hated that name almost as much as I hated the fucker in front of me.

  “Do not call her that.” My words were coated with a venomous threat. In fact, it was a dare. I dared him to call Doe that again so I could have good reason to lose all sense and not give a fuck about where this conversation was headed. I’d just fucking kill him without knowing all the consequences.

  Amusement spread at the corners of his mouth. “Well, well, well, has the girl already worked her way into your family? Your bed?”

  Rage took over, and everything went blood-red when I launched forward, planting my fist against his face. God, it felt good. It felt so fucking good, I had to stop myself from doing it again…and again…and again, until there was nothing left of his head but splattered brain matter.

  I took a step back. “I suggest you watch your fucking mouth.”

  He spat out another mouthful of blood. “I can see she’s a sensitive subject for you.” Mancuso cringed when he leaned back, trying to move his stiff shoulders. “But let me warn you, Antonio, Vadik will kill each and every one of your family in order to get to her. There is nothing that immoral son of a bitch won’t do to get her back.”

  “Why?” I slammed my hands against the armrests of his chair, glaring holes into his fucking face. “Why the fuck does he want her back so badly?”

  “Give me your word first. Otherwise, you might as well just kill me now. I’m not talking until you give me your word that you will let me go and leave me in peace.”

  “Fuck!” I pushed the chair back, and it almost toppled over with Mancuso on it. “God damn you, Mancuso.”

  “What the fuck do you have to lose, Valenti? I have nothing. You killed both my sons. I’ve lost every ounce of respect I had, leaving me with no associates, no allies. Nothing! I don’t even have a motherfucking witness here tonight, which means I’m completely at your fucking mercy. I pose no threat to you anymore. I’m nothing but a lonely old man who only wants to be left in fucking peace while I live out the last years of my life.”

  I started to pace, rubbing the muzzle of my gun against my temple.

  “Don’t do this, cous.” Lucio stepped in front of me. “Don’t trust him.”

  Mancuso shrugged. “The way I see it, you have two choices here, Valenti. Kill me, and you basically sentence your little slave girl and the rest of your family to death. Give me my deal, and you might actually have a chance to destroy Vadik.” />
  “Because of you!” I yelled. “It’s because of you that I now have this Russian fucking asshole to worry about.”

  “What can I say?” He smiled. “I guess I had one last trick up my sleeve.”

  I stared at him for the longest time, weighing my options. Killing him would bring an end to what seemed like a lifelong war. I would finally have the revenge I craved ever since I buried my father. Our family would finally be free from a past of pain and lies when this man in front of me takes his last breath. It would all be over.

  But killing him would also mean I’d be going into this war against Vadik unprepared. All I had was the little information Lucio managed to gather, and it simply wasn’t enough. Mancuso was right, there were only two. It was either the revenge I had promised myself and my family, or the protection I had promised Doe. This was like asking me to choose between blood and oxygen. I couldn’t live without either one. It was an impossible decision to make. Yet, deep down, I knew if someone had to point a gun at my head right now forcing me to pick, to think of a life after I had made this decision, it was the one with Doe that made the most sense.

  Again, I took a seat in front of Mancuso, feeling defeated on the inside, but I didn’t dare show it. Rubbing the back of my neck, I glanced around the room before finally pinning my glare on Mancuso. This was probably one of the hardest things I had ever had to do, but I had no choice—not if I wanted to keep my promise to Doe.

  Lucio already knew. “Antonio, cousin. Don’t.”

  “You have a deal.” The words felt like razor blades as they came out of my mouth. It sliced my insides, leaving nothing but affliction and bitterness behind.

  Mancuso smiled victoriously. “Do I have your word?”

  Fucker was sly as shit. He knew a Valenti’s word was as good as an eleventh commandment. It was the one thing my father never broke—the one thing he taught us never to break, no matter what…our word.

  Pulling my palm down my face, and letting out a defeated sigh. “You have my word.”

  “Fuck.” Lucio cursed. “Fuck. Fuck. Fuck.”

  Mancuso smirked. “Okay, then. First things first. I’d like to be untied now.”

  Lucio launched forward. “Not a fucking chance.”

  “Do it,” I ordered Lucio without hesitation.

  My cousin shot me a what-the-fuck look. “You’re fucking with my balls right now, aren’t you?”

  “Just fucking do it.”

  Lucio cursed, the number of fucks that left his mouth sounding like a goddamn poem. Clearly, my cousin struggled with the decision I had just made. But even though I loved Lucio like a brother, I knew his emotions, his anger, and lust for revenge sometimes clouded his judgment.

  Once Mancuso’s hands were untied, he rolled his shoulders then rubbed his wrists.

  Impatiently, I tapped the muzzle of my gun on the armrest. “Talk.”

  “You’re not going to offer me a drink first?”

  “I swear to God, Mancuso—”

  He held up his hands. “Okay, okay. Fine.” He wiped the blood from his mouth with the back of his hand. “There’s a list.”

  “What list?”’

  “A list with the names of Vadik’s clients.”

  I lifted a brow. “Are you fucking with me right now? That’s it? That’s all you got? A fucking list of clients?”

  Mancuso moved his jaw from side to side. “Oh, it’s not just any clients, it’s the names of people who would be destroyed if they were linked to the likes of Vadik Volkof. I’m talking presidents, royalty, fucking Pentagon members.” He leaned back in his chair. “Vadik made this list as collateral. Whenever he needs favors, he uses the art of—”

  “Blackmail,” I muttered, leaning back in my chair.

  “Exactly. So, get your hands on the list and you’ll—”

  “Get rid of Vadik.”

  “You catch on quickly.”

  My glare cut to him. “Where is this list? How do I get it?”

  Mancuso tapped his finger on his knee, the smug look on his face begging to be ripped apart by my blade. “My dear Antonio. You already have it.”

  My spine turned to ice, the blood in my veins frozen solid. “What in the name of fuck are you talking about?”

  His evil, malevolent eyes stared at me, the expression on his face that of pure amusement.

  He moved closer to the edge of his seat, his eyes never leaving mine. “The girl. She has the list.”

  I shook my head, confused as fuck. “That’s impossible.”

  “Think, Antonio.” He tapped against his ear with his forefinger. “What better place to hide something worth more to you than any amount of money in the world?”

  My mind was reeling, my thoughts nothing but fucking scattered white noise. But the longer I stared at Mancuso, tapping against his ear, the clearer the picture became. Until I finally connected the fucking dots.

  “No,” I breathed out in disbelief.

  “Oh, yes.” Mancuso nodded. “It’s a chip, Antonio. Vadik put his list of clients on a chip, and guess where he decided to hide it.”

  Jesus Christ. I couldn’t breathe. I couldn’t move. This shit just went from fucked-up to a goddamn sci-fi, futuristic black hole of twisted shit. Suddenly, it all made sense—why Vadik was so hell-bent on getting Doe back. Why he made sure Doe knew he would never let her go. She was his collateral. She had the list…inside her.

  Mancuso laughed. “Oh, Jesus, you should see your fucking face right now. Priceless.”

  Every breath I took felt like fire burning through my lungs. “He implanted it in her neck.”

  “Yes. Apparently, good old-fashioned reconstructive surgery can be corrupted as well.” He shrugged, amused. “Who knew?”

  “Her ear.”

  Again, he tapped his finger to his ear. “I guess he saw an opportunity and took it.”

  My gaze snapped to the movement of his finger, and I had to narrow my eyes when I saw it. The cross. The tiny black cross hidden behind his earlobe.

  No. It couldn’t be. Could it? Was Stefano Mancuso the man who saved Doe? Was he the one who pulled her out of her house all those years ago, saving her life…only to sell her to a human trafficker? Why? Why would he do that?

  I cleared my throat, suddenly fighting the urge to drive my hand through his heart. “Tell me, Mancuso. How is it that you know all this?”

  All nonchalant, he answered, “One should always keep tabs on your investments.”

  “And what was your investment in all this?”

  One corner of his mouth curved up. “Yeah, I forgot to mention one little thing.”

  “What thing?” I balled my fists, my palms sweaty while my skull pounded with warning.

  His half grin turned into a full-blown, ugly as fuck smile. “The girl, her name is Alessia.”

  “Yeah.”

  He smirked, seconds feeling like hours. “Her name is Alessia…Alessia Mancuso.”

  My heart didn’t just stop. I didn’t just stop breathing. My entire goddamn body and mind came to a screeching halt when I heard him use his motherfucking surname when referring to Doe…to Alessia. It was so surreal, so insane, I couldn’t even form one coherent thought as I tried to make sense of the words that just left his disgusting mouth.

  His head leaned to the side. “That’s right, Valenti. The broken, scarred girl you’ve been fucking is, in fact, my daughter.”

  Time stood still. I had lost all sense of reality as I stared at the devil in front of me.

  “He was my angel…the angel who gave me to the devil.”

  I narrowed my eyes at him. “It was you.”

  Now it was his turn to look surprised. “What do you mean it was me?”

  “It was you. You killed those men that night, the men who killed her mother. The men who almost killed her.”

  “Ah.” The expression on his face turned almost nostalgic as he stared right past me into nothingness. “Her mother. Alexa. She was a beautiful woman. Strong, cunning,” a wicked
smile curved at the edges of his lips, “a fucking vixen in bed. Unfortunately, the little slut got pregnant. She promised to take care of it and I was stupid enough to believe her. Now, imagine my surprise when she showed up at my doorstep ten years later demanding money, otherwise, she would bring shame upon my family by informing me of my…how can I put it? Indiscretions.”

  With my thumb and forefinger, I rubbed the stubble on my chin, fighting against the beast who wanted out, who wanted to claw through Mancuso’s chest all the way back to his spine, only to crack it in half. “Alessia was an illegitimate child?”

  “Yes. And her mother was starting to create problems for me.” He shrugged. “And that’s what men like us do, don’t we, Valenti? We eliminate problems.” A grin which seemed to be put together by pure malice crossed his face. “But that night, something told me to keep the girl alive. And look now,” he held his arms out wide, “it worked out great for all of us. I knew she’d come in handy.”

  I could have remained sitting there, listening to the piece of shit telling his side of the story. But the fact of the matter was his side of the story didn’t fucking matter. Nothing about his story was anything but cold, heartlessness, and unforgivable cruelty. There were no words I could say. Only thoughts. Clear thoughts leading to one strong, distinct conclusion to all that had been revealed today.

  I got up from my chair and fastened the buttons of my suit jacket, the hatred I felt toward this man beaming from my eyes as I glowered at him. Without a word, I turned my back on him, my heart bleeding for the woman whose pain I had now considered my own.

  Mancuso called out behind me, “Remember our deal, Valenti.”

  I closed my eyes, visions of a scared, innocent young girl forcing its way into my mind’s eye. I saw every scar, every wound. I saw the woman who would never be a mother, who would never know the bond between a mother and her child. For a moment, I felt her pain, her fear, the agony that had tormented her for most of her life. I witnessed the misery which had been imprinted onto her soul, and right then I embraced it all. I took all her sorrow, all her suffering and allowed it to possess me, to take control and make me do something I would never have done in the past.