by Posey Parks
“That suit is the best! I loved it. It served its purpose when I had to kill a certain pesky bitch. Nothing is better than a bulletproof suit while you are carrying your little bundle of joy.” Samantha laughed, grabbing a bottle of water off the counter.
“Was that certain problem blonde and naggy?”
We turned to the voice behind us.
“Sydney!” we squealed.
Samantha ran to the oversized doorway that separated the kitchen and living room. She wrapped her arms around Sydney’s neck. “I am so happy you are here.” Samantha stepped back, holding Sydney’s hands.
“Caden is safe with my parents and Jacob’s,” stated Sydney.
She flashed a half-smile. “My parents decided to fly out to California. They will also make themselves at home in your mansion, Samantha.”
“Everything will be fine. My father knows to take the kids into the bomb shelter if there is a problem.” Samantha grinned over her shoulder at me, turning her attention back to Sydney.
Samantha stepped back, stretched her arms, smiling. “Nothing better than a bunch of country girls getting together having a good time, talking about guns, cooking, and decorating tips.” She winked at me.
Sydney blew out a breath, stepping around Samantha pulling me into her arms. “How are you, sweetheart? Was Filippo your first kill?”
I held her tight. “Not the best, but I will manage. And yes he was,” I whispered, eyes slammed shut, trying to hold back the tears.
Her dark coils bounced around her shoulders.
“I was going to ask you if you brought a flat iron, but you probably didn’t.”
“No,” she smiled.
“I did,” Samantha smiled, approaching us.
My face lit up. “Right, not sure why I didn’t ask you. After all, your hair is pressed.” I smiled awkwardly.
“Can I borrow them?”
“I’ll do you one better. How about we have a spa night later? Then tomorrow, karaoke!”
Sydney threw her hand over her face. “Samantha, not everyone wants to do what we do at home.”
My smiling eyes danced between them. “I’d like that. It will keep me from worrying about Dillon.”
I glanced back over my shoulder. “Zoey, what do you think about the plan?”
Pulling a skillet from the lower off-white cabinet, her mocha round face lit up. “Sounds fun.”
My eyes fell back on Samantha and Sydney. “We are going to have a great time tonight!”
“That we are!” sang Samantha.
Sydney shook her head side to side. “Sierra, where can I put my luggage?”
“Pick any bedroom down the hall to your left that is vacant.”
“Thanks.” She disappeared out of the kitchen.
I cornered Samantha. “How was Dillon?” I asked, wringing my hands.
“What are you really asking me Sierra?” Her smile dropped.
“Did he get hurt?” I swallowed hard. “Like was he shot again?” My eyes glassed over.
“No. Dillon was fine when I left the guys this morning.” She placed her hand on my shoulder, guiding me to sit at the massive counter.
CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE
SIERRA
“Listen, my husband Jacob, Sebastian, Brandon, Tony and Dillon’s brother Dominic are with him. He will be fine.” She smiled.
“How much longer will he be at fucking war?” I cried.
Her smile disappeared. “I’m not sure. Sebastian is doing everything he can to find Filippo Jr. We made progress last night. We dismantled two safehouses. Sebastian thinks somehow Filippo Jr. fled the state. He is possibly in New York.”
I jumped out of my seat, pacing the floor. “Are you fucking serious?!”
My hands tightly ran over my hair. “He could be gone for weeks!” My eyes met hers.
“I can’t fucking do this! I’m going back to Portland.”
Samantha placed her hands on my shoulders, halting my movements. “No. Dillon will need you when he returns.”
“I don’t give a shit what the fucking Mob Boss needs! He’s not the boss of me!” I screamed, throwing my hands in the air.
Her arms crossed her chest, and her back stiffened. “Sierra, our men are out there too. They are risking their lives to help Dillon bring down the family who killed his uncle. Hell, I was risking my life too. He also wants them to pay for what Filippo did to you. You can understand that, can’t you?” Samantha’s eyebrows scrounged together, placing her hands back on my shoulders, glaring into my gray eyes.
“Samantha, how can you think this is normal?”
Samantha guided me back to the oversized industrial gray marble counter that set the tone in the monsterous custom country kitchen.
“Have a seat, Sierra. Let’s talk straight up.” Samantha planted her ass in the seat next to me. Her feet disappeared under her long skirt.
Closing her eyes, she placed her hand over her eyes for a few seconds. My eyebrows wrinkled as I waited in anticipation at what words might come out of her mouth.
She placed her perfect gold manicured hands in her lap as her brown eyes landed on me.
“I’m an assassin,” she stated with a straight face.
“Girl, bye.” I smacked my lips as I began to rise from my seat.
“It’s true!” rang out from behind me.
I glanced over my shoulder at Zoey, who was stirring a pot of grits.
“Sierra, it’s time you learn the truth about us.” Her smile rose and fell.
My heart began to race. Who are these women? I thought they were just a group of women married to successful businessmen. I thought our successful men was our commonality.
My confused gaze danced between the two women. Sydney strolled into the kitchen, sitting across the huge counter from us.
“Sierra, I am an assassin also,” Sydney chimed.
My eyes widened, then a chuckle fell out of my mouth. I leaned over, laughing. “You know what?! You ladies are sweet. This is a sure way to make me feel more relaxed and keep my mind off Dillon,” I said with a country twang.
Zoey stepped over, placing a plate of cheesy grits, bacon, and scrambled eggs with cheese before me.
“Thank you, Zoey.”
“You’re welcome, Sierra.” Her eyes darted over to Samantha. “Finish.”
“Sierra, my father and Jacob’s father hypnotized us when we were kids. They trained us to be assassins. Long story short, years later I met Jacob. He and I began dating and fell in love. After Jacob was shot at our wedding, he fell into a coma.”
My mouth dropped open while I continued listening.
“My father revealed the truth that they hypnotized us when we were kids.” She shook her head. “Talk about a slap in the face. So it turned out we performed several missions together for years. Our fathers tried keeping us apart. I guess somewhere in Jacob’s psyche, it triggered him to talk to me.”
She blushed. “He was drawn to me.” Her eyes met mine.
“I guess what I am saying is I would follow Jacob to the ends of the Earth through firey flames. I love my husband with all of my heart. It’s nice being here with you ladies, but I’d rather be fighting at my man’s side.”
Sydney stretched her hand across the counter, placing it over Samantha’s.
I stared into Samantha’s eyes. “Let me see if I understand. After learning you and Jacob were assassins, you chose to continue the work?”
“Yes.”
Zoey stepped over to the counter, balancing three more plates, placing two of them in front of Samantha and Sydney.
Zoey placed her plate on the counter next to Sydney. She slipped into her chair. “After Brandon and I finally worked the kinks out in our relationship, the jealous women of his past set out to kill me. One of them ran me down right outside Brandons condo.”
My hands flew over my mouth. Quickly, I clutched Zoey’s hand.
“I was a bitter bitch to the man
who loved me more than anything in this world. I didn’t have the use of my legs after being run down. I lived with Samantha for awhile, regaining the use of my legs and learning how to defend myself. Samantha, Tony, and myself took care of those heartless bitches.” Zoey grinned, sliding a fork full of cheesy eggs into her mouth.
“Last but not least, my story. Samantha recruited me some years back. She trained me to become an assassin. I have done a few jobs for her. One job included me going behind Sebastian’s back. Turns out he and I were working the same target. Sebastian was in the CIA at the time. Sebastian killed the man in cold blood. All because the man flirted with me and saw me half-naked.” She shrugged.
“I think it was a little more than that Sydney. The guy wouldn’t talk, so Sebastian killed him.” Samantha laughed.
Zoey and Sydney’s laughter filled the room too.
“Is it normal for our men to be so possessive?” I asked.
I ran my hand across my forehead.
“I’m used to it now,” Samantha stated, before slipping a fork full of grits into her mouth.
Zoey sat back in her chair, eyebrows raised. “It’s a turn on to me.” She ran her hand across her collarbone.
Sydney raised her hand toward Zoey. “Girl, I know that’s right!” Zoey in turn slapped Sydney’s hand.
Samantha and I began laughing with them.
“I can’t believe I killed Filippo. Dillon stared into my eyes, stabbing Filippo from behind. We killed him together.” I glanced down at my hands, remembering the sound of the knife jabbing into his flesh.
“Dillon and I were dropping the kids off at Jeremy’s one weekend, and I remember how Dillon’s eyes burned into Jeremy’s after he released me from a hug. Dillon looked like he wanted to murder Jeremy.”
“Sierra, I think it’s safe to say you’re one of us.” Samantha smiled.
My head dropped to the side. “What’s that, a murderer?”
Her lips protruded as her eyes danced around the counter. “Yeah.”
Sydney slammed her hands on the counter, laughing hysterically. Zoey slapped Sydney’s shoulder.
Samantha dropped her head back, laughing feverishly.
So, these are my new friends. Hmm, a band of psychos. I smiled.
Samantha turned to me. “Your man is all alpha, with a side of crazy. I watched him kill without blinking. He takes no shit from anyone.”
“Is it wrong to say it turns me on just a little?” I pinched my fingers a space a part.
“Girl, no. Shit, it’s nothing better than a man taking control in every way.” Sydney winked.
Zoey pointed her fork in Sydney’s direction. “Preach sister.”
“If my man isn’t on his knees at least three times a week, I would begin to think something is wrong,” Zoey admitted.
“Zoey, ain’t that the truth,” Samantha agreed.
“Is this what y’all talk about when y’all get together?”
Samantha turned to me. “Sydney and I do because we live in the same neighborhood.” Her eyes danced upward. “We probably talk about it several times a week.” She and Sydney burst out laughing again.
Zoey’s index finger thumped her cheek. “I think this will be the first time we will all be together more than three days.”
“Well, shit, this is going to be one hell of a girls’ retreat!” Samantha stated before chomping on a slice of bacon.
“Here! Here!” Zoey stated, raising her glass of orange juice.
We all raised our glasses, joining in a unified toast.
“Oh, one more thing Sierra. We are more than wives to billionaires. I own my own event planning company, Sydney is an attorney, and Zoey is the CEO of a charity foundation. We are business women. What about yourself?”
“Zoey and I discussed our charities in great length yesterday. It’s Impressive all of you women hold your own.” I smiled, taking in their pretty faces.
“My father wanted me to become an attorney, then a judge, but I wanted to own my business. I own Simmons Cleaning Service.”
“Yes!” Samantha raised her hand, and my hand slapped hers.
“Strong black women who don’t need a man for anything.” She put up a finger. “Wait! I take that back. We do need them for the bomb sex!”
Laughter erupted around the counter. “Great sex is a must!” Zoey stated, smacking her lips.
“Gone are the days of being with a man who didn’t know how to please me. Brandon was all for pleasing me in ways I didn’t know a man could.”
“Girl, I hear that!” Samantha sang.
“Dillon was the first man to go downtown.”
The room fell silent. Their faces scrounged up.
Samantha slapped her hand on the counter. “You’re telling us a man has never ate your pussy? Not even your ex-husband?”
“No,” I replied.
Sydney scratched behind her ear. “That’s unfortunate.”
“Jacob, can’t get enough.”
“It’s like a drug for Sebastian. He has to get his fix. I happily feed his drug habit.” She grinned.
“Girl, I hear that,” Zoey said raising her hand and snapping it shut.
“Oh!” Sydney’s eyes lit up like a light bulb.
“I met your cousin Lydia last month on Face-Time. She is seeing Sebastian’s cousin Hayden.”
I rubbed my brow. “No way. I didn’t know that. We’ve been so busy lately. She’s a wonderful woman.”
“Good. Hopefully, she’ll be able to hang out with us too.” Sydney smiled, sipping her orange juice.
I nodded. “We’ll just leave out the minor detail about us all being murderers.” I dropped my head, laughing. The ladies began laughing too.
CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR
SIERRA
“Now that we got all of that out of the way, can someone please tell me what I am supposed to do? I am pregnant by the new mob boss of New Jersey.”
“None of our men are perfect. We stand by their sides through the war. You aren’t willing to stand by Dillon’s?”
“No, Samantha, I’m not. Dillon and I had a nice life in Portland until I found out he lied to me about who he really was.”
“Well, maybe Zoey can help you out with this topic. I lied to Jacob. I told him my name was Skyler when we first met all because I didn’t want him to know I was his event planner.”
My eyes brows scrounged together. “Huh?”
“It’s a long story. I will tell you later. The point is, Jacob forgave me. It took a little time, but he wasn’t willing to give up on me. Do you want to leave him?”
“Of course not!” I glanced at my engagement ring.
“But, I can’t live in danger. What do I tell my kids father? I would be putting them in danger being with Dillon. Jeremy might try and take the kids from me.”
“I don’t think you would have to worry about that. Mobsters usually have legit covers. Jeremy wouldn’t be able to prove you are an unfit mother. Also, Dillon might really try to kill Jeremy if he tried to pull that shit,” Samantha stated.
“God Samantha, do you hear yourself? Legit covers. Now my man has turned into a criminal overnight.” I raised my hand over my brow.
“I asked him to come back home with me to Portland. He said he couldn’t do that.”
Her eyebrows raised. “Oh, so you’re not concerned with the lie he told?”
I glanced at her. “No, I am. The looming danger is more disconcerting. I don’t know how to turn off my love for him. I know I need to. But when I look into his eyes, my love for him overflows. He is the only man I long to spend the rest of my days with.”
“Well Sierra, I remember when Sebastian confided in me. He told me his mother’s real name is Catarina Magarelli, not Violet Abbadelli…”
I threw my hands in the air. “What are you talking about? Are you saying Sebastian and Dillon are related?”
Sydney’s confused eyes glanced at each of us. She chuckle
d. “Yes. Dillon didn’t tell you?”
“No, I was in such bad shape yesterday, I think he didn’t get a chance to tell me. We only talked about Filippo and him becoming the mob boss.”
“Ok, well let me bring you up to speed. Sebastian told me a few weeks ago he dug into Jeff’s past and uncovered his real identity.” She smiled.
“My husband is nosey like that. He has to know everything about a person he enters a partnership with. Anyway, he called me from the jet a couple of days ago. He said he and Tony needed to get to Portland quick because his cousin Dillon had been shot.”
“Back up. How would they know he’d been shot? Also, Tony…” I rubbed my forehead.
“I know that name, Dillon mentioned him before.” I snapped my fingers.
“He’s Dillon’s cousin. Which sounds like they are all related?” I asked, wearing a confused look across my face.
“I’m getting there.” She smirked.
“When he uncovered Dillon’s past, he also learned about Tony. Dillon and Tony faked their deaths fourteen years ago. While Sebastian and Tony were en route to Portland, he said Tony had been watching over Dillon all these years. Tony’s security monitor alerted him someone breached Dillon’s home. This morning, Sebastian told me the rest of the story. Sebastian and Tony arrived at Dillon’s finding him unconscious in the backyard. Sebastian said Dillon was in bad shape. They were able to remove the bullet. Once he regained consciousness they flew to New Jersey to rescue you. Now back to how they are related. A while back, Sebastian’s mother came clean to him about who she really was. She is Catriona Magarelli, the daughter of Sergio Magarelli Sr.”
“What the hell?! What’s wrong with that family? I can’t marry into that crazy family.”
Sydney’s eyes met mine. “I did. When my baby was kidnapped my mother-in-law came out of retirement. She and Dillon’s father Sergio were present. They helped scare the men into telling them who had my baby. Those two are not to be fucked with. They are both crazy, but when it comes to family they will do what it takes to protect them. This is my husband’s first time assisting with anything mob related. They are his family. I will stand by my husband’s side no matter how mad he makes me. On the bright side if you choose to marry Dillon we will be related. If I didn’t have my own issues going on right now, I would have fought alongside them to get you back safely.” She smiled warmly.