by S Williams
Passion & Venom
Shanora Williams writing as
S. Williams
Contents
ALSO BY SHANORA WILLIAMS
Prologue
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Chapter 16
Afterword
UNTAINTED SNEAK PEEK
UNTAINTED CONTINUED…
AFTERWORD
ALSO BY SHANORA WILLIAMS
FireNine Series:
Who He Is
Who We Are
Who I Am
Who I’m Becoming
FireNine Valentine
The Beware Duet
BEWARE
BEWARE 2: The Comeback
Standalones
Doomsday Love
Tainted Black
Untainted (October 2016)
Infinity
Sweet Promise Series:
Sudden Desires
Sudden Flames
Prologue
“Who is she? She’s ugly.” The boy gripped the sill of the window, looking into the room where the girl with brown pigtails sat. She was sitting on the bench with headphones on, writing in a composition journal.
He could tell she wasn’t doing whatever work she was really supposed to be doing. She was making up her own words, smiling during the process. He wondered if she was writing a story or a poem.
“She is not,” his mother said, sitting down in the chair behind her. They had just arrived at the private gun range owned by one of the family’s closest colleagues. She had a Lifestyle magazine on her lap, her dark brown hair pinned up. She sighed. “She’s a very lovely girl,” his mother continued in Spanish.
“She’s not that pretty,” he argued.
“So why are you staring at her?” his mother mused, smirking as she flipped open her magazine.
The boy thought on the question. He didn’t know why he was staring. He supposed he couldn’t help himself and he hated that idea, so he jerked his line of sight away and looked at his mother. “She’s probably full of herself,” he mumbled.
His mother sighed and picked up her magazine, simply ignoring his banter.
He turned halfway and watched the girl carefully for a few minutes. He couldn’t figure out how she just sat there in one spot and wrote. He knew she was younger than him. He had the urge to brag about that in her face. Being older always had its perks.
“When is Papa going to be done?” he asked.
“Soon, hijo,” his mom murmured.
He released a heavy breath. “I’m bored. Can I go in and help him?”
The sound of gunshots ricocheted off the walls and his mother lowered her magazine to look through the square window. She could see her husband from where she sat—a tall man, middle-aged with a tan fedora and a Brazilian cigar clamped between his teeth.
He was speaking to another man that was much taller. Unlike her husband, this man was slender, with a sharper nose and angled jaw. His hair was turning gray at the temples, his face serious as he adjusted the ear muffs and lifted a gun in the air to aim.
The man shot at one of the posters and hit it right on target. Right through the poster’s chest.
The woman sighed as she watched her husband do the same.
“No. You don’t need to go in there right now,” she answered in her native tongue.
“Mom!” he groaned.
As soon as he started to come her way to beg, the door swung open and the tall man that was standing with his father walked into the lobby. He had pale skin and bright green eyes.
His eyes darted over to the boy and he put on a welcoming smile, shutting the door behind him and lowering his soundproof earmuffs.
“What the hell are you still doing out here? You’re supposed to be in there with your Papá and me, practicing your aim.” The man looked at his mother but the mother blew a heavy breath and stood.
“Did he put you up to this? Because he knows I don’t like to tell you no?” An assertive hand went to her hip.
The man smirked. “He may have.”
“Lion, don’t you think he’s too young? He’s only sixteen.” She looked truly worried, her eyes growing wide and anxious. She knew she couldn’t tell Lion no. Well, she could, but she hated to after all he’d done for her and her husband. He’d blessed them in many ways—ways they couldn’t repay with money alone.
“Are you kidding? This is the perfect age, Valeria. He has to learn early. It’s the only way he’ll know how to defend himself later. We don’t want our kids to be wimps. We want them strong and ready.” Lion lightly capped one of her shoulders. “Look, he’ll do one round and that’s it. He isn’t a boy anymore. He’s turning into a man, and he has to learn how we do things.”
“Right.” Her lips pressed, almost defeated. She looked towards her son and watched as he clasped his hands and begged.
“Please, Mom. Pleasseeeee,” the boy pleaded. “I have to learn. Mr. Lion is right. I’m the one who has to take over one day.”
His mother swallowed hard.
“Fine.” As soon as she said that, he dashed for the door but Lion caught him by the back collar of his Polo shirt. “But be careful!” she shouted in Spanish.
Reeling him back, Lion locked his arm around the boy’s chest and then handed him the soundproof earmuffs. “Rule number one: always cover your fucking ears.”
The boy looked up and Lion cocked a stern brow. “Right,” the boy laughed and accepted the earmuffs.
“You don’t want to go deaf, do you?”
“No, sir.”
Lion threw an arm over the boy’s shoulder and then turned around with him, nodding once at his mother before walking through the door. Though worried, his mother trusted Lion. Lion was a great man. Brave and smart and helpful. She knew her son was in good hands.
Lion and the boy walked through the door and as Lion picked up another set of earmuffs and spoke to the man behind the counter about making an exception for the kid, the boy looked over at the girl he had been staring at earlier.
She’s even uglier up close, he thought to himself. But deep down, he knew he was lying to himself. She was really pretty. Her face was round and still baby-like. Her cheeks were rosy pink, as well as her lips.
Her hair was parted perfectly in the middle and her short legs dangled in front of the bench as she continued writing.
She turned her pencil over and started to erase something on her paper, but then her pencil accidentally slipped out of her hand. She gasped, but the boy came to the rescue, rushing forward to pick up the pencil and handing it to her with haste.
Her eyes shot up and she looked at the boy with a wide grin. “THANK YOU!” she said, way too loudly. She couldn’t hear herself. It was already too loud with the guns shooting bullets all over the place and with her headphones on, she couldn’t hear a thing.
The boy said nothing. He stared at her—watched how her bright green eyes sparkled and her long, full eyelashes fluttered. He was still perched on his knees in front of her.
Speechless.
Mesmerized.
In awe of her fresh, raw beauty.
She pressed her lips and started writing again as if he weren’t even there. When a hand dropped down on the boy’s shoulders, he looked back and watched as Lion folded his arms over his chest.
Standing up rapidly, the boy rushed over to Lion and blinked quickly. “Sorry,” he whisper-hissed.
“For what?”
“Staring at her.”
“My daughter?” Lion mused. He smirked and wrapped a hand around the boy’s shoulder, slugging him around and walking towards their station. “She’s beautiful, huh?”
“Yes sir.”
“She takes after her mother, Mrs. Nicotera. You still want to keep taking those violin lessons, right?”
“Yes, I do, sir. I like playing.”
“My wife says you’re good—that you’ve learned fast.” When they were inside their gun station, he gripped the boy’s shoulders and turned him around so he could get a good look at him. “My daughter is naïve to all of this. I don’t want her to know about anything that I do. She sees me as her Daddy right now and I don’t want that to change for a long time, you understand?”
“Yes sir,” the boy responded rapidly, swallowing hard.
“But you have to change. You are your father’s only son. He needs you to learn the way we do things, otherwise you’re useless. If you don’t learn, we’ll have to find someone to fill your place…and that means finding another person to end up marrying my daughter one day too.”
The boy’s eyebrows dipped, confused now. “I don’t get it. You want me to marry her?”
“Not right now,” Lion chuckled. “But yes. We all do. We have to form an alliance. I need you for this. In order to stay on top of our game and to keep things flowing like they’re supposed to, you must marry my only girl. If you do that, our names will be powerful. And we will be so damn proud of you. But you have to prove you’re ready for that when she’s the right age. I haven’t told her yet, but I will, and I have to make sure you’re a decent man. If I don’t think you can live up to the plate, I will be disappointed.”
“I won’t disappoint you sir, I swear,” the boy confirmed, and he meant it.
“I know you won’t. I trust you.” Lion pulled away and turned him towards the area where the girl was sitting. She was bobbing her head now, her pigtails flapping as she listened to her music.
“She’s young, but she’s smart. She’s strong. She’s talented. And she knows that she’ll have to do what’s right for our name to remain respected. Right now, I am promising my daughter to you. That means you have to protect her when you get her. You have to make sure that she’s tough and able to handle what we go through on a daily basis. Make sure she never goes against you. Make sure she respects you, even if that means having to put her in her place—as your partner, at your side, helping you when you need help. Make her fearless in all the right ways. I know how you all do things in Mexico, but make sure my daughter never suffers or comes to a point where she wants to give up. Her place is to be with you. Always. Do you understand, Draco?”
“Yes sir,” the boy murmured, staring at his future wife. “I understand. I will protect her. I will do whatever I need to do to make sure she never goes against me…even if it means she’ll end up hating me before she loves me.”
Lion slapped the boy on the back with pride.
This was it.
The job was done.
They both knew it.
And from that day forward, she was always going to belong to him, even if she never knew it herself.
Chapter One
Present - WEDDING DAY
It’s done.
I am married.
The bells are chiming and the doves I begged Toni for fly past our newlywed heads. Everyone stands on the sidelines, smiling and cheering for us, celebrating our unity. Celebrating us on the Gulf of Mexico. Veracruz, Mexico that is.
Antonio has become my husband, and I, his wife, and I don’t think I could be any happier.
Antonio’s mom stands to my left with a broad grin and watery eyes. She did this wedding well.
With the lavender and white color scheme and everyone, from the groomsmen to the stunning bride, looking spectacular, I couldn’t have asked for a more gorgeous wedding.
I smile at her, but I so badly want to cry when I look into her sad eyes. I know why she’s so upset. She wishes things were different for me. She wishes my parents were here to see me off.
Though they can’t be, I know they are smiling down at us from heaven. I know they are present—that they wouldn’t miss this moment for the world.
Their only daughter being married.
Their beautiful girl, budding into a real woman.
Mom used to tell me that getting married younger than twenty-eight was a risk. I am twenty-six. I’m certain she still wouldn’t believe that I was ready, but I would have disagreed with her.
It’s not about me being married too young, or being too naïve, or anything of that nature.
Her biggest concern was that I wanted to be married to a man who just so happens to be one of the most ruthless men alive.
The man I’ve married works in the Italian mafia. He can be crazy and rude and downright nasty, but he is also compassionate and he treats me like nothing short of a queen.
He has the power that I long for in a man. He is strong and smart and exudes confidence.
My sweet, handsome Antonio.
Antonio is my life, and he has been since I was twenty years old. When I first saw him during one of Dad’s meetings, I became a victim to his charisma.
He has eyes as blue and clear as exotic water, and thick black hair that is cropped short around the ears and slicked back.
When we met, I noticed he often wore a smirk on his lips, but there was something in his eyes…gentleness only a woman could catch. There was a glint in the depth of those irises when he first saw me. And when he did, his smirk slowly transformed into a full smile.
And it was that smile that instantly hooked me.
Antonio is ten years older than me. Daddy didn’t want any of his men messing with his daughter, so we had to be very discreet about our affairs…until the day we got caught by Daddy. And boy, was that bad.
“You alright, baby?” Antonio’s thick, Jersey accent pulls me out of my memories, and I look over at him, smiling way too hard.
“Of course I am, babe. I’m great. Never better.”
“Good ‘cause I can’t have my Gia baby being sad or any of that shit on our wedding day. This is your day, baby, and I want you to be happy and nothing less.” He leans closer to me, stroking the apple of my cheek.
For all of the things Antonio does with these hands, they are always so soft. I love them on my body—on my skin. His hands have warmth that can’t be matched to another man’s. I would know the difference, even if I were blind. These hands love to touch me.
I nod quickly, feeling heat rise on my face. “I am happy. I swear.”
He leans in and kisses me on the lips. “That’s a good girl. That’s what I like to hear.”
I study my husband. He looks amazing in his tux. Instead of wearing a tie like the groomsmen, he wanted to wear a bowtie. It’s lavender, complimenting his tan skin.
“You look fucking amazing by the way, Gia. Fucking stunning, baby.” I blush harder, grabbing his hand as his eyes run up and down the length of me.
The dress I’m wearing can’t be beat. I feel so amazing wearing it, and when I first saw myself in it, I knew this was the one. His mom and I searched high and low for the perfect gown. Antonio said the price didn’t matter, so we went all out.
It is June 28th, a perfect summer day for this beauty. A strapless, beaded gown made with yard after yard of ivory silk. It gathers into a diagonal pleat of tulle on the bodice. The waistband is made of embroidered gold, and swimming around my feet are ivory ruffles that resemble the look of soft, ivory rose petals.
I feel so elegant today—like nothing can touch me. Touch us. As I look at my new partner, I feel myself wanting to burst into tears of joy. He is mine now and I know nothing is going to stand between us.
We have so many years ahead of us.
I’m ready for each and eve
ry single one.
I finally pull my gaze away and see some of my distant family and Antonio’s family waving at us. I know they probably can’t see us through the tinted windows, but I wave back anyway.
We decided on a small wedding. No more than fifty guests. I wanted it quiet and simple.
With the way we live, not everyone could be invited. Some we didn’t trust. Others would have killed us right on sight.
“Alright, Kev. Take us to the airport. I’m ready to get this honeymoon started.”
Heat fills my belly as I look from Antonio to Kevin. Kevin looks through the rearview mirror at both of us and then nods before putting the ignition in Drive and pulling off.
As he drives away, I look back at my friends and family. Antonio’s Mom and Charles, his brother. He is only thirteen. A little shit he is, with a smart mouth to match, but I am going to miss him.
A week seems like such a long time to be away from our loved ones, and I don’t know what it is about this moment, but as I watch the distance grow, I feel a sense of dread.
I’m not going to see them for a full week. I’ve grown close to his mother. She’s like a second mom. She took me in as if I were her own.
When I can no longer see the family and friends cheering for us, I look at Antonio.
“You think your mom and Charlie will be okay while we’re away?” I ask.
“They’ll be fine, Gia.” Antonio slides closer and grabs my hands. I glance down at his manicured fingernails before meeting his blue gaze. “My mother is a strong woman and Charlie is one of the toughest kids I know. I’ve got my men watching her like a hawk. What happened to your father and mine—God rest their souls—will not happen to them. You understand me, baby?”
I nod.
And then I feel guilty again from the mere mention of Daddy.
I should have postponed the wedding. We were already planning it way before Daddy passed away. Antonio didn’t want to delay it since the invitations were already sent out.
I wasn’t so much on board with the idea, but then I had a long chat with his Mom and she basically told me that life waits for no one. Daddy is a prime example of that.