by Terry Towers
Table Of Contents
Cutting Ties
Excerpt from
The Godfather’s Temptation
Royce Caine.
Ruthless, deadly, and unwavering.
He’s the most feared man in New York.
And he’s my kryptonite.
You see, I’m hardly your average girl.
Growing up in a world of savage men doing brutal things for money and power changes you.
So, I’ve made my share of bad choices in my life.
The most questionable being that I fell in love with my boss.
Contact Information and Book List
Cutting Ties
by
Terry Towers
Description
Beautiful. Smart. Compassionate.
She’s the perfect woman.
I’d do anything for her; I’d even fly to Colombia to bring her back to America so we could spend our lives together.
The problem is that she’s not without ties.
Dark, violent, and very illegal ties.
Or secrets for that matter.
Regardless of her past, I vow to be her future.
Even if it means taking on one of the most powerful cartels in the world.
Copyright Oct 1, 2020
By Terry Towers
All rights reserved. With the exception of brief quotes used for critical reviews and articles no part of this book may be used or reproduced without the written permission of the author Terry Towers. Saint John, New Brunswick, Canada.
Warning: The unauthorized reproduction or distribution of this copyrighted work is illegal. No part of this book may be scanned, uploaded or distributed via internet or other means, electronic or print without the authors permission. Criminal copyright infringement without monetary gain is investigated by the FBI and is punishable by up to 5 years in federal prison and a fine of $250,000. (http://www.fbi.gov.ipr/). Please purchase only authorized electronic or print editions and do not participate in or encourage the electronic piracy of copyrighted material.
This book is a work of fiction. Any resemblance to persons, living or dead, or places, events or locales is purely coincidental. The characters are productions of the authors imagination and used fictitiously.
Chapter 1
Valentina
“You look beautiful. Where are you going?” The deep voice with a thick accent distinct to our part of Columbia asked. Most women swoon at the sound of his voice, but it gave me pause as dread flowed through me.
Looking at the reflection of my brother’s dark eyes in the floor-length silver-framed mirror I was facing, my equally dark eyes narrowed. “When did you get back?”
I wasn’t interested in having a confrontation of any kind with the man who’d come to stand behind me. I hated him with every fiber of my being. I couldn’t remember the last time I’d gotten along with him – maybe when we were kids? Though with him being five years older than me, even as kids we never had anything in common.
But not having similar interests wasn’t the reason for the animosity between us; the reason ran much deeper and darker than that.
“I landed a few hours ago. Went to check on some business in Papa’s absence and then came here.”
“I see.” Doing my best to look unperturbed by his unexpected visit, I continued to run a hairbrush through my black locks, watching the strands catch the light as they fell from the brush. Anything to keep from looking at the man behind me. Just the sight of him enraged me. “How long are you here for?”
“Haven’t decided yet. Not sure if you’ve noticed but we’re having issues with the Santiago cartel.”
“I’m not a fucking idiot, Asher!” Spinning around I faced him directly, glaring. “While you’re living it up on Helka Island, people here are dying. My friends are dying. People we’ve grown up with. I can’t leave the fucking estate without being surrounded by guards!”
His expression remained stony. “People in our line of work know the risks and are paid accordingly, no one is forcing them to work for us.”
I seriously doubted he’d ever understand the pain I went through daily because of the drug war between our family and the Santiago cartel. I doubted he was even capable of feeling emotional pain or of any empathy whatsoever. The man before me was empty – his soul black.
“Where are you going? This house is fortified. You’re safe here. We can’t guarantee your safety if you leave.”
My anger was reaching the boiling point. “Don’t pretend you care about me, Papa, or Mama. I know the truth!”
He took a step to the side to lean his back against the wall the mirror was mounted on, crossing his arms over his broad chest. “What truth?”
“The only thing you care about is you, Asher. El Diablo. That’s what you are!” My hand gripped the wooden handle of the brush in my hand, forcing myself not to throw it at him.
“Oh come now. Let’s just all get along… For our mama’s sake.”
I scowled at him. Why couldn’t our mother see him for what he was? Maybe she didn’t want to. Just like she didn’t want to see the kind of person our father was. I loved her dearly, but she lived in eternal blissful ignorance of who they were. Hell, who our entire family was. She was a beautiful woman with a kind heart, where the men in our house were the exact opposite.
“Don’t you dare use her as a tool.” Taking another step toward him, I prepared to use my brush as a weapon.
His dark eyes took on a cold look that made my insides tremble, but I refused to back down. That was what he wanted. It was what he was used to; people backing down from him because of who he was and what he was capable of.
I wasn’t one of those people. Despite how cold and vicious he was, there was a part of him that felt the need to keep his family safe. Though, I sensed there was a point where that allegiance ran out with my brother. I just hadn’t found the point – yet.
“If you don’t like your living situation or the diablos you live with, then perhaps it’s time to move on, Valentina.” He spread his hands out at his sides and motioned to the massive room we were in as he pushed himself off the wall. The house was grandiose and immaculately decorated, with a massive outdoor pool and waterfall. The property sprawled for acres upon acres, the house and land encircled with a tall, electrified fence and more guards than the president of the United States had, I would wager.
His lips curled into a sadistic smirk. “Or is leaving this and all the money you could ask for too much of a sacrifice?” He took a menacing step toward me. “Or does living as a princess in the home of the most powerful man in South America reap too many perks?” He looked down at the silver spike heels with red bottoms I was wearing and pointed to them. “Or would giving up your Christian Louboutin or Chanel be too much of a sacrifice for your morals? Are those the things that you need to keep your conscience clean?”
My entire body visibly trembled as I gripped the handle of the brush so tight my knuckles began to turn white. He was throwing in my face the demons I fought with every day of my life. I was done now, with him and this life of blood and war. Terminar!
“Malparido!” I screeched.
“Stop! Stop this right now!” Both of us froze momentarily, and then turned our heads to see our mother gracefully descend the staircase at the center of the room, coming from the west wing. “Valentina, I never want to hear that word again and certainly not in this household toward your brother. Apologize.” When I hesitated, she shouted, “Now!”
“Lo siento.” Under my breath, I added, “Diablo.” Cutting my eyes to look at him, I saw a grin of satisfaction on his face. Damn him, why did he always have to fucking win?
“S
he was angry because I complimented her on how nice she looks and asked where she was going all dressed up.”
“Oh, she’s meeting up with Anthony.”
Cocking a brow, he turned to me. “Anthony? Who is this Anthony? Do I know him?”
“No, and you never will,” I growled.
“He’s flying here from America to meet your sister. He seems like a wonderful man. A doctor,” my mother offered, with pride in her voice and smiling from ear to ear. She held men in the medical profession with the upmost regard. She’d stated many times in the past that doctors were the hand of God.
Groaning inwardly, I shook my head. Of all the days for Asher to just pop in. I swear his mission in life was to ruin mine.
“Then you’ve met him before?”
My mother reached the bottom of the stairs and strode barefoot across the room toward Asher. “Only through Skype. This is the first time he’s come to Colombia.” She gave my brother a hug, but his eyes were on me as he hugged her back and gave her a kiss on the cheek. “Well then, it’s a good thing I’m here to meet this man who has come all this way in our father’s absence. Isn’t that great, Valentina?”
“I’m delighted,” I replied. My teeth were clenched so tight I was concerned that I was going to break through my new veneers. If he screwed up this chance for me, I’d kill him myself. I’d sure been tempted more times than I could count, over the past five years in particular. I’d be doing the world a favor. If it wasn’t for Asher, Alejandro would still be alive and perhaps I’d already be a loving wife with a family of my own.
“I assume that you have guards on standby to accompany you on this date of yours. It’s not safe for our family right now.”
“And whose fault is that!”
“Enough,” our mother cut in. “That is quite enough. Yes. Her suitor will be arriving shortly and there will be guards overseeing them.”
Closing my eyes, I took in a deep breath and slowly released it. Dreams of America danced behind my closed eyelids. I loved Colombia, but it was time to move. I couldn’t continue to live a life where I couldn’t walk the streets without at least four heavily armed men escorting me. It was too much. I longed for a normal life and a loving husband to start a family with. I would happily give up this life of luxury to escape from it all.
Turning from them both, I looked my appearance up and down in the mirror. I looked as good as I ever would. I only hoped that we both lived up to the expectations we each set for each other.
Chapter 2
Anthony
“I really don’t think this is a good idea, Anthony,” my brother’s voice said in the earpiece as I rode in the backseat of a privately chauffeured SUV to the Rossi estate. The privacy glass was up between the backseat and the driver so I could speak candidly and without interruption.
“Whether it’s a good idea or not, I’m doing it. I’m on the way there right now.” This was at least the dozenth time we’d had this conversation. If he couldn’t change my mind before I left the country then how in the hell he figured he could change it now when I was minutes away from her was beyond me.
“She’s the daughter of the largest cartel head in Colombia, fuck, possibly the entirety of South America. Maybe the world! It’s fucking crazy.”
Running a hand through my hair, I sighed. It was crazy. Of all the women in all the world why the fuck I had to fall in love with Valentina Rossi was beyond me. To make it worse I hadn’t even met her yet! This could all be just a dangerous trip for nothing. And there was always the fear she was doing it for U.S. citizenship, but with her family’s money and connections that was highly unlikely. She didn’t need me to make her American dream come true when it came right down to it.
Reaching my hand into the pocket of my black blazer, I fingered the tiny velvet box that contained a solitaire engagement ring. If the week I was here went well then the plan was to propose and then move her to Los Angeles immediately and get married.
“You can’t help who you fall in love with, James,” I replied. James didn’t know the proposal part of the plan. I already knew what his opinion on the topic would be. In all fairness Valentina didn’t even know the idea of proposing was floating around in my head either. We’d spoken of marriage and kids a time or two, but she had no idea I was planning on sooner rather than later.
“You’re not in love, you’re in lust. She’s fucking hot… Swimsuit-model hot. I get that. But that doesn’t mean you should be going there to bring her home. I heard her family was in a fucking drug war with some other family. Bodies everywhere! Don’t you be stupid and be bringing a mail-order bride back!”
The mail-order bride comment ticked me off. She certainly was not that. He didn’t understand. People met their future spouses online all the time. It was the norm nowadays! Big deal, I met mine from another country; I wasn’t the first and would hardly be the last.
While I was aware there was unrest in Colombia between the cartels at the moment, the streets were hardly lined with blood as the media would like people to think. I wasn’t a complete idiot. I’d done my research on the situation. It was grim, and it pained me to know the anguish Valentina had endured over the years, being caught up in the world she was born into and had no choice but to inhabit. I suppose there was a part of me that took some satisfaction in knowing I’d be the one to swoop in and save the woman I loved.
Yes, that sounded naive, I knew it did. But I also knew she longed to be free.
I wanted to be her knight in shining armor and give her that freedom she so longed for.
“And what if she’s just using you to get her out? Ever think of that?”
I sighed. That was my worst fear. “She isn’t. You’re not part of this relationship so you wouldn’t understand. Not everyone meets the love of their life in college. Some people have to take chances and work hard to make that happen. Even if the situations to make that happen are a tad unorthodox.”
My phone buzzed in the opposite pocket from the ring. Pulling it free from my jacket, I brought it to eye level and a smile spread across my lips. It was Valentina.
Valentina: Small problem.
Anthony: What is that, my love?
Valentina: My brother is in town. He’s at the house now.
I hesitated a moment. I didn’t know much about her brother aside from the fact she hated him and that he was the devil as far as she was concerned.
“Anthony… Anthony. You still there, bro?”
Pulling my attention back to my brother, I responded. “Yes. I’m here. I just got a text from Valentina. Her brother is in town.”
My phone buzzed again.
Valentina: He wants to meet you. Just play it cool and it’ll be fine. Please don’t engage with him. Please. I don’t want our week to be ruined by drama.
Frowning, I stared at her message a moment, a voice in the back of my mind telling me that maybe my brother was right. Maybe I was getting in way over my head with this. But then I looked down at the picture that I used as her text message image. It was a headshot of her; her large doe-like dark eyes stared at me. She was a stunning woman, but there was a hint of something else – loneliness, maybe. Fear – perhaps.
I wouldn’t lie and pretend that it wasn’t her beauty that initially attracted me to her. But it was her heart that made me fall hard for her and want to protect her for the rest of our lives. How someone could grow up with such violence around them, yet seem so kind and genuine at heart moved me. She wanted to belong, but she didn’t belong in the life she was leading now.
“Her fucking brother! Do you have any idea how dangerous that man is?” my brother practically screamed in my ear.
“I do. I have an idea at least. But let’s face it, I’d have to meet him eventually anyhow. Might as well get it over with. It’s not like I’m some crackhead off the street, James. I’m a fucking surgeon. So just calm down. It’ll be fine.”
“I should have come with you.”
I chuckled at the thought. My brot
her was only two years older than me, but insisted he always knew better, attempting to play the older-brother card. “It’s fine. I’m a doctor for fuck’s sakes. The only effect I’d have on this family is to offer a reduced-price plastic surgery or perhaps stitch someone up that’s been shot or stabbed. I’m not exactly a threat.”
“Jesus Christ,” James muttered on the other end of the phone.
I’d barely gotten the words from my mouth when the estate came into view and I released a low whistle. A majestic house came into sight, surrounded by a twelve-foot-high iron fence with what looked like electrodes at the top. Occasionally I’d see a sign warning of high voltage. Fuccccck. Past the gates however, the house looked like a fucking palace. Living in Malibu I saw my fair share of massive mansions every day, my three-million-dollar house was nothing to sneeze at, but it was a shack compared to the extravagance before me.
“What?”
“The house, man. Never seen anything like it. Look, I gotta go.”
There was a long silence and finally by brother replied, “All right. Call me later. Good luck.”
“Sure.” Ending the call, I continued to eye the house and grounds as the gate and guard house came into view. About one-hundred feet from each side of the gate was a guard tower. Squinting against the slowly lowering sun I caught sight of a couple of guards with what appeared to be automatic weapons in their arms in each of the towers.
As we pulled up to the guard house, the door to the house opened and four guards dressed in entirely black with bullet-proof vests and rifles in their hands came out to greet us. Following the first four guards was a fifth holding a large mirror on a pole, who immediately began checking under the vehicle.
Words were exchanged as the driver lowered all windows, including the privacy panel. “They want us to get out and show our IDs. No sudden moves. Keep your hands up. They’ll pat you down. You don’t have any weapons on you, do you?” the driver asked.