Mafia Protection (Tomassi Series Book 1)

by AA Lee

  “Jealous?” Angelo called her out.

  “No,” she lied.

  “Then why won’t you look at me?”

  “Forget I asked,” she said and pushed her glass back. “Thomas, will you get me another?”

  “So now you’re asking other men for drinks?”

  Ella let out a breath. “Only because he’s the bartender.”

  “Thomas.” Angelo addressed and looked straight at Ella. “If I’m here with her, do not make her a drink unless I order it.”

  “Angelo!” she protested as he reached his arm around her waist.

  “I’m afraid I’m going to have to teach you to mind your manners around me, especially in my club. Do you want me to order for you or not?”

  “You know I carry a gun.” Ella glanced at him through the hair hanging over her eyes.

  “Is that a threat?”

  “Why? Am I going to have to dance topless too?”

  Angelo puffed and looked at the stage. “No, your penalty will be much more private,” he whispered and slid his fingers up the slit on the right side of her leg.

  “Fine,” she gave in. Angelo knew how to gain her consent too well—by flustering her.

  “Thomas,” Angelo called. Thomas had already made the drinks and set them down in front. “Here,” Angelo handed her the glass. “Now come; we have people to find.”

  Ella grabbed onto Angelo’s arm. Her side throbbed more than she thought it would after taking the medication. She winced a few times as Angelo looked at her. He must have felt her struggle and slowed down his steps.

  “I saw you looking around earlier. Did you see anyone?” he asked.

  “No, but that private room you have would be a good place to start,” she replied. Then she looked at the side of the room. She probably should not have said anything.

  “How is it that you know about that room since I haven’t showed it to you yet?”

  “Because there are always special rooms in these sorts of places,” Ella said. She hoped he would not make her elaborate, but Angelo stopped walking.

  “Did someone offer you a tip?”

  “Is it that big of a deal?”

  “In my line of work, everything is a big deal when it comes to people talking about anything that involves me.” Angelo placed his hands on Ella’s shoulders, not letting her move until she talked.

  “Angie knew I was attacked earlier.”

  “Did she?”

  “She only told me about the room because I asked her how she knew.”

  “Really?” Angelo let out a breath. “I should have taken care of her when she ran her mouth the first time.”

  “I don’t think that is necessary.” Ella looked over at him.

  “Is that all she said this time?”

  “Yes, that was all.” Ella was sure that Angie would have said more if Angelo had not interrupted.

  “I was going to take you there anyway, but don’t think I’m letting her off the hook that easily. You could have been anyone who she ran her mouth to.”

  “You should just leave her alone.” Ella stared hard at him when his expression tightened to a glare.

  “I don’t answer to you, now do I? You don’t tell me how to handle my men or my guests.”

  “You don’t have to say it like that.” Ella looked away. She felt belittled in front of everyone even though the customers probably did not hear their conversation.

  Angelo let out a sigh and turned her face back around. His expression softened. She could tell he felt bad. He probably was not used to having to curb his responses with anyone.

  “Listen, I meant nothing by my words. You have to understand, though. This world is different from what you had at the restaurant. Nothing is the same with my line of work, and we handle issues much differently than you would.” He gave her a light kiss on the lips.

  “Okay.” She nodded as he continued down the hall. His small display of affection caused a bigger scene than his words. Some women’s eyes were still on them when he entered a code to a door.

  The room had long walls and high ceilings. A small bar lined with expensive wine and glasses were near the entrance with one man behind the counter. Several leather sofas rested against the walls with six round card tables. At the opposite end of the door, Ella noticed a dimly lit stage. A woman performed in the nude for the sheer pleasure of the men. Ella started to get mad but noticed that the men paid no attention to the dancer. Was the dancer only there to lighten the strain in the air?

  Angelo dragged Ella through the tables and approached the one closest to the stage. If only he knew how she really felt, but Ella decided to let it go.

  “Good evening,” he greeted the people seated at the table. His arm tensed as she held it. Did he need her support in this room? He seemed to trust no one present. “Are you enjoying yourselves tonight?” he asked.

  “Yes,” one of the patrons said and stood to shake his hand. “The experiences your casinos offer are always above expectations. It is a visit we can appreciate.”

  “Very good,” Angelo replied. “Are the attendants treating you well?”

  “Never better, although…” The man laid his arm around Angelo’s shoulder, making Ella lose her grip, but she could still hear the whispered words he said to Angelo.

  “I think your businesses would benefit from offering the guests more private sessions. I’m sure it would double your profits and add to your wealth.”

  Ella’s brows lifted. That was nerve. She started to open her mouth and say something when a member of the table pulled her to the man’s vacant chair and leaned closer to her face. “You are a beautiful young woman. Tomassi was wise to keep you hidden all this time.”

  Ella smiled politely but said nothing. Since Angelo was busy talking, she focused on the faces around the table instead. Somebody here knew she had been attacked, but she recognized no one at this table; however, it was not the only table she should observe. Ella immediately looked at the other tables that were close and stopped. There they were. The two men who had given her a message at the restaurant sat two tables down.

  “Excuse me,” she said. She tried to stand up when the man next to her placed his hand on her arm. “Sir, Mr. Tomassi would not like your hands on me.” She looked directly in his eyes, and the man released his grip.

  “My apologies, Miss,” he said. Then he looked at Angelo and winked. “If only my woman was as obedient.” Ella looked back at him fast and scowled. He talked about her as if she was not even there. What was she? A toy? “Tomassi is a lucky bastard,” the man said to the table.

  Ella looked back at Angelo as she stood. He seemed occupied with his conversation, but she saw where his eyes scanned. He still focused on every table in the room. When one of the men at the other table reached underneath, Angelo immediately slipped his hand in his coat and aimed his gun at the man. The dancer on the stage shrieked, but the guests in the room backed their chairs out of the way. No hesitation and no surprise. Ella knew they had seen this before.

  As Angelo pointed his gun at the men, the man he was just talking to did the same to Angelo. Ella now knew why Rafa chose a dress with a high slit. She easily yanked her pistol from the holster and pointed it at the man’s head. “Do and you will get that private session you requested, I promise.” The man lowered both arms to his sides and froze when Angelo knocked him in the temple with the shaft of his gun.

  “I told you to shoot,” he growled in a low, angry voice.

  “You can’t get information from a dead man, can you?” Ella countered.

  Angelo opened his mouth to say something else to her when Rafa and Brett walked into the room. Both pointed their guns and waited for one wrong move. They must have been watching the monitors upstairs.

  “Ella, do these two men look familiar to you?”

  Ella gave them a disappointed look. “Yes, but neither of them attacked me earlier.”

  Brett shrugged and walked up to the table. “Guess you have to come with us no
w. We’ll let the boss talk to you later.”

  Brett and Rafa walked through a door behind the stage when Ella looked around to the entrance. The bartender was gone. She saw the door to the room was slightly open, and a person stood in front. He pointed the barrel of his gun directly at Angelo; at once, he fired but Ella shoved Angelo out of the way.

  “Get down!” she screamed to the dancer who stood in the path of the bullet. This time, Ella did not hesitate. Between the pain and the restaurant, something inside of her snapped. She did not even know she was crying. She pulled the trigger and hit the man’s right shoulder. His gun crashed to the floor as she started walking toward him. She would recognize Simon in the dark.

  “So,” She pointed her gun without thought and watched Simon fall to his knees. “Did you enjoy hurting me earlier? Making me feel helpless? You slapped me as if I was nothing. Did you burn down the restaurant too?” Simon looked up at her with an expression of guilt. Ella felt her bottom lip quiver, aimed her gun at him again, and watched the bullet lodge into his chest. “Was it worth it?” she asked without feeling sorry.

  “Just kill me already.” He stared at the floor and breathed in deep breaths from his obvious pain.

  “What is your name?” she asked. When Simon would not talk, Ella raised her gun at him again.

  “Turner!” he yelled.

  Ella bent down to look him in the eyes. “Why did you pick on me?” Ella let down her guard and lowered her gun when Simon reached in his boot.

  “Enough,” Angelo said and fired a shot. Blood hit the wall behind Simon as he fell to the floor.

  Ella glared back at him and protested, “Why did you do that? I wasn’t going to kill him. He had questions to answer.”

  “Did you see him reach for the gun in his boot?”

  “Yes, but I knew I was quicker than he was.”

  “We have his name. We don’t need anything else from him.”

  “I wanted to know more,” she argued.

  “I will find out more with the other three we have.”

  “Why only you? This involves me, too.”

  “You don’t belong around those types of people. It is too dangerous.”

  “Dangerous.” She shook her head. “Then are you going to tell me when you do find out something?”

  “We won’t discuss this anymore right now.” Angelo avoided the question. “This is not the place.”

  His response did not satisfy her as she looked back in the room. The guests fixed their eyes on her. She did not know if it was her skills or the incident they had witnessed, but they kept exchanging baffled glances with each other.

  Ella wondered if they might turn her in even though they sat in an elite room owned by the mafia. They had their own connections to worry about, but Ella wondered about the dancer. Would she say something about what had happened?

  “Why is everyone staring at me?” Ella looked back at Angelo.

  Angelo shrugged. “No one will talk in here. They have seen this before.”

  “This is pretty common then?” Ella asked.

  “It’s not like we plan these things.” Angelo’s tone deepened as he grabbed her arm and pulled her up. “Did you plan that just now?” He pointed at Simon on the floor.

  “No, but that was different.” Ella sulked and faced away. She could feel the tears stinging the edges of her eyes. What had she done?

  “I was born defending myself. There is no difference. We face these situations every day and do what needs to be done; just the way you did a minute ago. As you have proven, even innocent young women will ruthlessly shoot a man when provoked.”

  Ella shook her arm from his grasp and frowned. “If there is no other reason for me to be here, I’m going to bed. That is if it is all right with you…Sir.”

  She saw the huff of air he blew out at her name for him. His eyes stared at her as though he wanted to set her straight. His fist tightened against the leg of his pants before he finally opened his mouth. “Fine, go to my room. I will see you in a while.”

  CHAPTER 25

  In Angelo’s room, Ella slid down the side of the bed to the floor. She would have normally smiled at the new television after having accidentally shattered his last, but no smile came. She had shot a man…caused him physical pain. The blood from his wounds was on her hands. An image of his hunched-over body kept playing in her mind. Then, one second later, he was dead.

  Ella squeezed her eyes closed. She went from her father’s strict watch to being thrust into a life she had never imagined. The guns. The private meetings in her father’s office. Mr. Sullivan’s lessons. They all made sense now. Her father was involved with the mafia.

  “Hey,” Angelo said and walked through the door. “What are you doing on the floor?” He crouched down in front of her and sat, stretching his legs to the bed.

  “I shot him,” she said disbelieving.

  “Yes.” Angelo pulled her legs over his and scooted closer. Ella felt a cold chill spread throughout her body. Her palms felt damp with the realization.

  “He would have killed someone tonight had you not shot him, Ella.”

  “The first shot was for that reason but not the second. I hated him. That’s why I shot him again.”

  “That happens sometimes,” he said.

  “No, that’s not a good reason! Necessity is a good reason, not hate.” Ella hung her head.

  Angelo let out a sigh as his hands cupped her cheeks and lifted her face. “Why did you hate him, Ella?”

  “Because he hit me and he burned down my restaurant – well your restaurant – but it was the only thing I had left from my mother. Gone now.”

  “Maybe you hated what he did then.” Ella shrugged. Her head fell against his chest with disgust for herself and Simon—and her father. She had never felt like this before.

  “They killed my mother, didn’t they?” she mumbled into his coat.

  Angelo shook his head and laid his hands on her back. She found his gentle caresses soothing to her mind. “I don’t know,” he said.

  “They did. They went after her first. That’s the only thing that makes sense.”

  “Ella, why don’t you lie down? I think some sleep would do you good.”

  “I guess you’re right.” She lifted up her head again. “Are you staying?”

  “No. I have some things to take care of before I turn in for the night. I’ll be back later, though.”

  Ella knew what he meant. He was going to talk to those men and get information out of them. She would have argued with him and asked him to go too, but she could not find any strength left. Somehow, she did not want to talk to them after all. Angelo was right. She did not belong in that room with them.

  “All right, I guess I’ll see you later then.” She moved her legs from on top of him and stood. “Be careful,” she said as she sat on the bed.

  Angelo squatted back down in front of her and smiled. “A little girl like you is telling me to be careful? You act like I might not come back.”

  Ella shrugged one shoulder and pursed her lips sideways. “Maybe I understand what you said before about celebrating every morning when you wake up alive.”

  Angelo closed his eyes and nodded. “Get some sleep,” he said and leaned forward. His lips came closer to hers, but a small kiss was all he gave. “We will talk more in the morning.”

  ***

  Ella tossed more than she slept and found the sheets twisted between her legs without covering her arms at all. It was six in the morning. She still felt a sickening awareness in her stomach. Her head ached and pain shot down her side, but she only thought of her father.

  Angelo had never come to the room. Part of her was grateful. The other wanted more than he had given to her so far. Given her state of mind, he probably thought being with her was taking advantage of her fragile condition. He probably thought she was weak.

  Ella got dressed. There was no point in staying in bed and trying to sleep. Her thoughts consumed her mind like a plague. She n
eeded answers and left his room with one thought in her head—going to Orlando.

  Ella tossed her bag on the floor of her car and twisted the key in the ignition. Nothing. Her working car did not make a sound. There were no clicks and no struggle but silence. She turned the key again and received the same response. Ella took a breath and popped the latch to the hood. Something was not right.

  She looked underneath the hood and just stared. Ella was no expert, but there was an empty space where the battery used to be, and the spark plugs had disappeared too. Ella frowned and looked up at the club. If they had cameras inside, they must have secured the outside too.

  “You didn’t have to sabotage my car!” she yelled. In their line of work, somebody watched the cameras. It probably gave them a good laugh to see her find her car in that condition.

  Ella walked back inside and used the private elevator in the back. She could now navigate in the club easily and went straight to the third floor. She walked into Angelo’s room and threw her bag on the chair. She felt alone. This new world restricted her like her last. Was this how she would spend her days from now on? Doing nothing and going mad?

  She looked up as a rhythmic knock came at the door. Angelo and Rafa would have walked directly inside. She hoped it was not Brett. He made her feel uneasy, though she did not know why. Still, Ella welcomed any interaction right now.

  “I’m coming,” she said as the knocking grew stronger. When she opened the door, hands engulfed her before she could speak.

  “Ella!” Lila shouted.

  “I can’t believe you’re here.” Ella hugged her back.

  “Yep, I saw your car was here and I wasn’t leaving until someone told me where to find you. I went to your house first and you weren’t at home.”

  Ella smiled. She could see Lila crossing her arms and throwing a fit with whoever was downstairs. “It’s been a mess since the fire.”

  “Yeah, I’m really sorry about that, Ella. I can’t believe it either.”

  Ella nodded. Rather than sulk about it again, she looked at the bag in Lila’s hands. “What do you have? It smells good.”