Bound By Blood: The Rise of a Mafia Prince

by Tony Farraj

  As he passed a flower shop on his way to the club, Anthony paused and stepped inside. The smell of roses, carnations and dandelions filled the air. The shop was filled with bright colors, which seemed to make you smile the second you stepped into the door.

  “May I help you?” The florist asked with a warm, inviting smile. She peeked over her half glasses and immediately recognized her first customer of the day.

  “Yeah, I would like to get some flowers for a friend.” Anthony said, smiling back at the middle age woman.

  “Anything in particular? Does your friend like roses? I just got a new shipment of beautiful red roses.” She asked willingly.

  Anthony looked around the tiny shop. “I’m not sure. I’d like something beautiful for a beautiful woman.” He said with a sparkle in his eyes. He wanted Helen to be happy with his choice.

  “Well, you can never go wrong with roses.” The florist said. She walked to the cooler and pulled out a long stem rose and handed it to Anthony. “I only get the best roses I can find.”

  Anthony took a deep sniff of the large blossoming red rose. The smell matched that of Helen’s perfume.“ This is perfect. I’ll take two dozen.”

  The florist rushed to the back and returned with two dozen of her newly shipped long stem roses. She placed the roses in a fine crystal vase, similar to the one Hong sent Carlo. “Would you like us to deliver them for you?”

  “No thank you, I want to see the look on her face, when I give them to her myself.”

  While the florist arranged the flowers in the vase, two guys burst through the door and shoved Anthony up against the wall. They both wore black sky masks. Their eyes peered through the opening. “Don’t make a fucken move motherfucker! All we want is the money and no one will get hurt! Don’t try to be a hero.” The gunman pressed the barrel of the shotgun in Anthony’s chest.

  The florist immediately began to cry uncontrollably. The robber closest to her slapped her hard across the face. He reached into the register and took what little money was there.

  “Is this it? Where’s the rest of the cash, bitch?” The gunmen yelled, as spit flew from his mouth and onto the florist’s face.

  “That’s all there is!” She cried. The side of her face began to swell from the viscous slap that the gunman inflicted.

  Anthony stood helplessly and watched the masked man slap the florist around, once more. He wanted to take the shotgun that was pointed at his chest and shove it up the other robbers’ ass and pull the trigger.

  “You stupid bitch!” The robber slapped the florist harder. A small cut formed above the florist’s left eye. Her blood began to run down the side of her face. “If this is all the money you have, maybe I’ll take something else!” He pushed the two- dozen roses Anthony had purchased off the counter. The vase shattered into a million pieces. The red, long stem roses scattered across the flower shop. The masked man pushed the florist’s face into the counter and stood behind her. He ran his vile hand down the inside of her thigh and under her skirt. He reached inside her panties and grabbed her crotch. “I’m going to fuck you so hard, you’ll be begging me to kill you!” He reached down and began to undue his belt and lowers his zipper.

  “Hey, asshole, why don’t you leave her alone? If it’s money you want, I have plenty.” Anthony reached into his pocket and pulled out a wade of hundreds and threw them all in the air. “Take it all, but leave the lady alone.”

  “Who in the hell do you think you are?”

  Anthony glared at the masked robber holding the frightened florist. “You said you wanted money, there’s the money. Take it, and get the fuck out of my neighborhood and get the fuck out of my store!” With each passing minute, Anthony could feel his temper rising. He knew he wasn’t going to stand there and let that florist be raped by these two bastards. It wasn’t going to happen. His moral code would not allow it to happen. The spirit of Mr. Mazellie wouldn’t allow it to happen and he’d die trying to stop it from happening.

  “This is your store. Oh, well I’m really sorry about this mister, we’ll take the money and be on our way.” The masked robber said sarcastically, as he loosed his grip on the florist. “Then again…” He pushed the florist’s face harder against the counter. “I might want some pussy from this fine piece of meat!” He stuck out his tongue and licked the blood off her left cheek.

  “You stupid motherfucker, obviously don’t know who you’re dealing with, my name is Anthony Sakakini, this store is under the control of Victor Mazellie, so if I was you, I’d take the money and walk out of here, while you still can. This whole neighborhood is protected. You lay one more finger on her and there won’t be a rock big enough for you to hide under.”

  The robbers could not believe how bold Anthony was. “Are you threatening us?”

  “No, I’m warning you.” Anthony threw the rest of the money he had at the robber holding the shotgun to his chest. “Take the money and leave!”

  There was a slight pause by both men. The robber holding the florist pushed her aside and started for the entrance. The other robber cautiously bent down and picked up the money and backed away slowly. Anthony straightened up some of the mess the two masked men made and walked over to the florist, who had collapsed to the ground out of sheer terror. He reached under the counter and found a couple of white paper napkins and wiped the blood off the florist’s bruised face. He never heard the gun go off, but he did feel a warm sensation on the left side of his upper back. It felt like someone had stuck him with a hot fireplace poker. The pain shot up his arm and through his whole left side. Time seemed to move in slow motion. He thought he heard a second shot, as he turned, the bullet zipped by his shoulder and struck the clock hanging on the wall behind him. The glass cover of the clock shattered and pieces rained down on top of his head. The florist screamed as she tried to catch Anthony, but she didn’t have the strength. Anthony fell face first into her lap. The shooter turned back toward the front door and calmly jumped into a waiting car.

  The flower shop was still and motionless. The water from the vase Anthony bought dripped slowly onto the flower shop floor. Even though the clock was shot, Anthony could still hear it ticking. He lay there in the florist’s arms, his warm blood encircling them both.

  “Please, don’t die!” The florist begged, as she tried to apply pressure to the gunshot wound.

  “I’ll be fine.” Anthony said, trying to reassure the scared florist. “Why don’t you go to the back and call the police.” He didn’t want to alarm her, but he was worried that the two robbers might come back and finish him off.

  The florist propped Anthony’s body up against the wall and dialed the police. Minutes later, she returned with a towel to place on Anthony’s wound.

  “I don’t think that’s going to stop the bleeding. Do you have any serain wrap? That will cling to the open wound and stop the bleeding, then we can tape it to my body.” Anthony could feel himself getting weaker.

  “Will that work?” The florist asked optimistic. She looked down at the white towel, which was now dripping with Anthony’s blood.

  “It can’t hurt.” Anthony said with a slight grin.

  The florist ran to the back and franticly tried to find what Anthony had asked. Meanwhile Anthony sat on the flower shop floor and stared up at the ceiling. The fluorescent lights made him squint. He shut his eyes and leaned his head against the wall, almost to afraid to look down at the wound. He could hear the florist rummaging through drawers in the back. In the far off distance, Anthony could hear the sound of the siren. The pain in his upper back and shoulder began to ease a bit…

  CHAPTER 5

  I DID AWAY WITH CHILDISH THINGS.

  Anthony opened his eyes; the lights seemed to be much brighter than what he remembered. It took him a second to adjust to his new surroundings. He thought he was still lying on the floor in the flower shop. Anthony reached up to cover his eyes, from the bright light.

  “Don’t move you’re going to tear your stitches.” Helen pla
ced Anthony’s hand back down by his side.

  “Where am I, Helen is that you?” Anthony was still drowsy from the medication.

  “Shhh, you’re at the hospital. They brought you in yesterday afternoon. You lost a lot of blood. They had to operate on your shoulder muscle.” Helen said, relieved to see Anthony conscious. “Your mom is here, do you want to speak to her?”

  Mrs. Sakakini wiped the tears from her eyes and took her son’s hand. “We where so worried about you. Thank god you’re alive!” She began to kiss her only son all over his face.

  “Please mom, stop. I’m fine, I’m just sore.” Anthony pushed his mom aside. He wanted to get a better look at Helen.

  “The guys are outside, can I tell them to come in?”

  “Maybe later, I just want to regain my strength. Just tell them I’m fine and I’ll talk to them soon.” Anthony watched as Helen stepped out of the room and returned minutes later. “How long have you been here?”

  Helen wiped the perspiration off of Anthony’s forehead. “Ever since they brought you in, I haven’t left your side.” Helen’s voice comforted Anthony. He gazed into her eyes. She had never looked so beautiful. The fluorescent light shined off her long black hair. The way she stared into his eyes, it felt good to have someone care for him, other than his mother.

  “How’s the florist?” Anthony asked. He needed a glass of water to quench his thirst.

  “She’s fine. They gave her a couple of stitches and sent her on her way. What happened?” Helen asked.

  Meanwhile, outside Anthony’s hospital room, detective William and detective Johnson stepped out of the elevator and began to make their way toward Anthony’s room. They both stepped gingerly passed Frankie and Sonny, trying not to make eye contact with either man.

  “I don’t think this is a good time to talk to him.” Carlo stopped the two, just steps from Anthony’s door. He removed the chewed up cigar from his mouth and spit the juice onto detective William’s shoe. “Why don’t you two just turn around, before someone gets hurt?” Carlo glanced over detective Johnson’s shoulder and saw Frankie rise to his feet.

  “Carlo, you need to step back. We’re here on official business.” Detective William said sternly. All three men stared angrily at each other, while Frankie glared at them.

  “Why don’t you guys give him a break? He was shot.” Sonny looked up from where he was seated and frowned at the two detectives.

  “We need to talk to him. We have a couple of questions or do you not want us to find the two guys that shot your friend, in your own back yard?” Detective William said sternly.

  “No, you just want to see if he’s still alive.” Sonny fired back.

  “What the hell are you talking about?” Detective William inquired. He didn’t like what Sonny was implying. “Where were you when Anthony was gun down?” Both detectives waited a half a second. “That’s what I thought.” They pushed their way passed Carlo and knocked on the hospital door and walked right in.

  Even in a state of pain, Anthony was furious, when he spotted the two detectives standing just inside his hospital room. “What the fuck do two want?”

  ”We don’t want to be here either, but it is our job. So, grin and bare it.” They both approached the bed, and stood on either side of Anthony and started grilling him with questions. “Did you get a good look at the two robbers? What where you doing in there? Did you know the assailant?”

  “No. None of your business; fuck off, anything else?” Anthony asked agitated. He wasn’t in the mood to answer any questions.

  “Listen, I know you’re still pissed off about the past, get over it. Sooner or later, you will talk to us.” Detective William waited for Anthony to cool down, before he started again.

  “That is all for today! My son must get his rest. Please leave now!” Anthony’s mom interrupted the interrogation and angrily pointed to the door.

  “Look lady, we’re trying to find out who shot your son. We’ll leave when we say it’s time to leave and not sooner. You got that?”

  Anthony tried to sit up and confront the two detectives, but the pain was unbearable. The flesh from his arm felt like it was being ripped from his bone, when he tried to point at the two detectives “Watch your fucken tone when you speak to my mother! You got that William?”

  “Alright! That’s enough, get out!” Helen screamed at the top of her voice. The explosive tone made the two detectives step away from Anthony’s bed and toward the hospital door, just about the same time Frankie rushed in to see why Helen was screaming.

  “Everything all right in here?” Frankie asked as he stood by the door. “You want me to get rid of these guys?”

  “No need, we where just leaving.” Both detectives walked passed a fuming Frankie, while he held the door open for them.

  Anthony watched as all three men exited his room. He lay back down and began to drift off. “Thanks Helen.” He whispered half awake.

  “Mrs. Sakakini, would you like me to take you home? There’s not much more we can do for him. He needs his rest.” Helen kissed Anthony on top of the head, before she exited the room.

  “Anthony was right, you are an angel.” Mrs. Sakakini got up and stood over her son. “You sleep, I come back tomorrow.” She kissed him and followed Helen into the hall. Some of the guys where still waiting to see Anthony, but Helen explained that it would be best to come back tomorrow, when he was a little stronger.

  The sound of the nurse bringing Anthony dinner awoke him from his slumber. She raised his bed to an up right position and sled the portable gray table close to his chest.

  “Are you hungry?” She asked softly.

  “Not really. I just want to know when the doctor is going to release me?” Anthony mumbled.

  The nurse undid the plastic wrapper on the utensils and placed them in front of her patient. “I know he won’t, if you don’t keep your strength up.”

  Anthony stared at the food he was supposed to eat. Roast beef? He hated roast beef. He would have killed for some of Andrew’s paste and claims. He tried to cut the meat, but it was like leather. He took a small bite of the mash potatoes, but they tasted cold and watery. He undid the top of the pudding and ate that as his dinner. When he was done, he pushed the tray away from his bed. He began to think about the events that led him to where he was today. He thought about Helen. He thought about Mr. Mazellie and how he’d feel about him dating his daughter. He thought about the shooting. He thought about Mr. Giganti. Could he be the one behind the attempted hit? Or did Michael plan this from the moment he got his ass kicked in the poker room? Maybe even don Carlo wanted him out of the way? He didn’t know who shot him, but he knew it wasn’t a random act of violence. As the thoughts danced in his head, Anthony noticed his door open slightly. His first thought was, they where back to finish him off.

  “Hey you, how’re you feelin?” Helen slowly opened the door and popped her head into the room.

  “Better now.” Anthony said relived. He inhaled deeply. Clutched in Helen’s right hand was a brown paper bag. “Is that what I think it is?”

  “I thought you maybe getting tired of hospital food. Which looks like you are.” Helen walked up to Anthony and placed the brown paper bag on his stomach.

  “Honey, you don’t know how much this means to me. You must be psychic. I was just telling the nurse how much I missed this food.” Anthony raised his bed up and opened the container. He reached in with his fingers and pulled out a clam and popped it into his mouth. “God that’s good!” Andrew’s cooking was better than any medicine the doctor could prescribe.

  “Well, you better thank that nurse, she’s the one that let me bring it in.” As Helen got up to leave, Anthony grabbed her by the arm and pulled her close to him. They both stared deep into to each other’s eyes. Anthony pushed the food aside and placed a passionate kiss on Helen’s lips. He gently nibbled on the side of her neck and ran his free hand up her thigh. Helen kissed him with the same force as she did before. They both could feel
their heart racing.

  “I wanted you from the moment I laid eyes on you.” Anthony whispered.

  “What if someone walks in?” Helen tried to hold back her desire.

  “Don’t worry about it, she won’t be back for hours. Go lock the door.” Anthony said as he continued to kiss Helen softly on the neck.

  Helen got up and walked to the door. She gently turned the lock and turned back toward Anthony. The only light in the room came from the full moon. Helen slipped her shoes off and walked back to Anthony’s side. She unzipped her dress and let it slide down her olive color skin. She was wearing a pink, lacy bra and matching panties, that where cut high up her smooth silky thighs. Anthony yearned for her flesh to be against his. He undid her bra and began to caress her firm breasts. Helen could feel Anthony’s manhood press against her flesh. She ran her fingers down his shaft and gently stroked his erection. Anthony licked all around her breast and gently bit down on her erect nipples. Helen was overwhelmed by his forcefulness, her body quivered with delight. She reached down and guided Anthony deep within her.

  Anthony pushed his pelvis upward. Beads of sweat began to form on both of their lips. Helen’s body felt smooth and warm. Her skin was like silk. All of their senses where on fire as they both held on to each other. Helen grabbed the back of the bed for more support. Several times, she gripped Anthony’s back with her manicured nails Her long black hair pushed to one side. Anthony could feel the pressure building within him and with one final thrust he exploded deep within her. They both collapsed in each other’s arms. Anthony pushed Helen’s hair aside and gazed at her beautiful face. “You are more beautiful, than the first time I saw you.” He softly kissed her cheek and held her tight in his grip. He never had the pleasure of a woman before. This was his first time. He loved everything about Helen, her smooth olive skin, her full pink lips and he especially loved the way she’d laid on top of him, like she belonged there. He imagined what it would be like every night, both of them sleeping side by side, waking up each morning, wrapped in each others arms. His skin touching hers, her smooth shaved legs inner twinned with his.