Poisoned Rose (Dark Roses #1)

by Nathalie Saade

  ‘You saying it was her fault?’

  ‘No you moron! I’m saying you shouldn’t have gone in there yourself!’

  Halo launched into an attack, ‘You went in there yourself?’

  He ignored them both and growled curses under his breath as he marched up the stairs. Vivienne screamed after him but he slammed the doors to his bedroom and punched them twice, the wood splintering beneath the force. No sooner had he turned around then the floor lamp across the room came on and he whipped out his gun, aiming it at the figure standing beside the light. He let out a breath and lowered the gun. Honor was leaning against the wall between the lamp and the window. He tossed his gun into the top drawer of his nightstand before taking off his shirt and making his way to the bathroom.

  ‘You’re supposed to be out collecting money.’

  ‘I came home when Vince called and told the cops what story to run with, but this one’s gonna cost us, there were a lot of people in that restaurant.’

  He threw his ruined shirt in the trash, ran a hand through his hair and sighed.

  ‘Does the boss know yet?’

  ‘Probably, with the way Viv’s been screeching like a banshee. He and Halo were in his office holding a conference call with our uncles.’

  He groaned, slammed the toilet lid down and sat on it, leaning forward to put his head in his hands. Then he realized Honor was waiting for an explanation.

  ‘I noticed that Aurora had been in the bathroom for a while so I asked Viv to go check on her, make sure everything was ok. She came back and told me that I should get Johnny to go in there but I went in myself. Viv almost had an aneurysm but I guess she went and told him because he was waiting at the window after the shot went off.’

  ‘So why didn’t you tell him? Why’d you go in yourself?’

  He groaned. He had always been truthful with Honor and she had always stood by him, no matter how stupid his actions were. It wasn’t the time to start lying.

  ‘I went in because I wanted to be the one to save her. She didn’t recognize Viv when she walked in and I knew it hurt her, thinking I was with another woman, and I guess part of me wanted her to know that it wasn’t like that. So when Viv told me what was happening in the bathroom, I went in. I found the guy with his hand around her throat licking her neck. He’d smashed her back against the mirror and carved into her thigh. Her blood was everywhere, do you know how hard it was for me not to hack his limbs off with his own fucking knife! I stood there and acted all calm and shit so that she’d think I was in control but in the end she shot him herself. I shouldn’t have let her kill him. She’s not like us. Can you imagine if I hadn’t told Viv to go check on her? Oh God…’

  He squeezed his eyes shut and tried to block his emotions. Honor gave him time to pull himself together and when he was ready he looked back up to face her.

  ‘There’s something you’re not telling me.’

  ‘When I was pushing her out the window she said she wouldn’t go without me.’

  Honor cocked her head, ‘And that isn’t what you wanted to hear?’

  ‘No... I mean… yes... I don’t know!’

  He stood and braced his hands on the sink, staring down into the porcelain bowl with his back to his sister. The silence stretched and he was about to check if Honor had left when she put a hand on his bicep.

  ‘You don’t have to admit to anyone why you did what you did tonight. But I think you might want to admit it to yourself.’

  Then she walked out, leaving him to stare at himself in the mirror. After everything that had happened, how was he supposed to stay away from her? Honor was right, it was time to admit that he didn’t want to stay away. The more he thought about it, the more he realized there was no denying it anymore. He was, and always would be, in love with her, and if there was a chance that they could be together, he wanted that more than he’d ever wanted anything before. The revelation had him wiping his hands over his face and groaning. He had to do something to distract himself. He was too wired to stay home, so he decided to head out and do money runs with Ty.

  ‘Where are you?’

  He called Ty as he made his way down the staircase, speaking into the Bluetooth he’d shoved in his ear so he could check his guns as he went. He’d showered then changed into his blacks.

  ‘Why? It’s your night off.’

  ‘When I ask you where you are you fucking tell me.’

  ‘Alright man, take it easy. I’m at the Burlesque Bar, Viv’s been having problems.’

  Shit that was right, that’s what they’d been talking about before Aurora had been attacked. He felt bad for giving Ty attitude when all the guy was doing was looking out for him. Hell, he was even doing Hawk’s job at that moment, sorting out the problems Viv had been trying to get his help with. But Hawk was thankful that he was, because he planned on being pissed with his sister for a long time. The last thing he needed was a lecture from Mario, but after Vivienne’s outburst he was guaranteed to get one. It was just a matter of how long he could avoid it for. Hanging up on Ty, the sound of his boots slamming against the marble reverberated through the three storey foyer and made him wince. He’d reached the ground floor and was headed for the door when he heard his father’s voice.

  ‘Hawk, come here.’

  He changed direction and decided he was going to kill Vivienne. He pushed open the frosted glass doors of his father’s office and found Mario seated behind his marble desk working on his laptop, the light casting an eerie glow onto his face.

  ‘Take a seat.’

  Mario continued to type without looking up. Hawk slumped onto the black leather seat facing his father’s desk and waited for him to finish whatever he was doing. After a minute, Mario shut down his laptop and looked at Hawk over his slim glasses. Then he sighed, took off his glasses and leant back in his chair. Resting his elbows on the arms, he clasped his fingers together and broke the silence.

  ‘I want you to tell me why you put your life in danger when it wasn’t necessary.’

  ‘It’s my life and if I want to put it in danger that’s none of your business…’

  Mario slammed his fist down on his desk but Hawk didn’t react.

  ‘Hawk, you are a Mason Captain and the Family relies on you so yes, when you decide to act like an idiot and put your life in danger then it damn well is my business!’

  They were locked in a staring competition, neither one willing to back down. Finally, Mario broke the silence.

  ‘Are you in love with Aurora?’

  Hawk opened his mouth then shut it without saying anything. He tried once more to say something but no words would come out. Mario shook his head.

  ‘Hawk, your mother was everything to me. You know I married her two weeks after I met her? I don’t know what she saw in me but I didn’t want to lose her. She made me want to be a better person, but I didn’t have it in me. There’s no good in me Hawk…’

  ‘Boss…’

  He had never expected his father to open up to him. Never even thought the man had it in him. He wasn’t sure what he was going to say when he interrupted but Mario put his hand up to stop him.

  ‘Let me finish. Fae gave me five children and my life was complete. But people like us… we don’t get to be happy for long. One day, Fae and I were walking back to our car and I stepped away to take a call… I didn’t make it five feet before a car came speeding round the corner and barreled into your mother. I took out my gun and started shooting, but they got away. She died in hospital three hours later. Hawk, that car was meant for me. Tony and I started tracking leads but we came to a dead end, and to this day I’m still looking for the bastard who killed her. Then, with your uncle Carter and Angelina… I lost your mother and your sister because of business, and while destroying my brother wasn’t going to bring your sister back, I did it anyway because that was what was expected and hell, I wanted to!’

  He sighed.

  ‘If you love Aurora then keep her safe. Keep her out of this life.’


  ‘You didn’t keep us out of it.’

  ‘No I didn’t. I raised you the only way I knew how. You and your sisters… I need you. You were born for this. But Aurora… she’s different. So let me ask you again. Are you in love with her?’

  Hawk felt his chest cramp. He wanted to be with Aurora, but if staying away would keep her safe…

  ‘Yes.’

  ‘Then you know what you need to do.’

  IV

  Eight year old Aurora peeked from behind the gazebo and laughed, covering her mouth so that nobody heard her. Dante was still counting, his hands shielding his face as he focused on the tree. She hid from view, her back pressed against the brick. Her heart was racing and her cheeks were hot. She pushed her hair off her forehead and chewed on her lip, getting ready to run if her brother found her. She heard someone run past and poked her head out. Mike still hadn’t found anywhere to hide so she reached out and grabbed him, pulling him behind the gazebo and putting a finger to her lip.

  ‘This is the best hiding spot in the whole yard, he’ll never find us here. If he comes around that side we run the other way.’

  Mike smiled and she turned back to check on Dante, who was almost finished counting. She was so nervous but Mike was calm, and she let go of his hand just as Dante turned around. She could feel her heart pounding in her chest as she heard Dante find one of her friends. The girl went squealing and running towards the maze.

  ‘That was a mistake! Dante knows the maze the best out of all of us.’

  Mike just smiled back, he was so quiet but that was why he was her favorite out of her friends that were boys. The others were mean and just as Dante grabbed one of them, the boy pointed to where she was hiding and she screamed.

  ‘Hey! That’s cheating!’

  Dante was running towards her so she grabbed Mike and they went running together towards the house. Johnny and Vince were sitting with some of the Mason kids on a table beside the pool and her parents were with the adults at the BBQ. She yelled out to Vince as she went running. She was faster than Mike so she let go of his hand. She had to get to her brothers before Dante. She hurried up the stairs and almost slipped on a puddle. There were so many kids playing in the pool she had to duck as a beach ball went flying over her head. When she got to the table, she threw herself at Vince and he laughed as Johnny pulled her off and on to his lap. She turned to face Johnny.

  ‘Dante and his friends are cheating!’

  ‘She’s lying!’

  Dante had reached the table and grabbed her by the arm. Johnny grabbed his wrist and he let go straight away, whipping his hand behind his back and running to their mother to tell her what had happened.

  ‘You’re such a cry baby!’

  Aurora called after him and her brothers laughed as Santina knelt down and hugged Dante. Mike was standing near them and Aurora called him over before turning back to Vince and Angelina.

  ‘Why are you holding hands?’

  ‘Cause they’re in love!’

  Vivienne, with her chubby face and short brown hair, was sitting across the table and making kissing sounds at Angelina. Angelina poked her tongue back and told Vivienne to shut up and go back to texting her friends.

  ‘I’m not obsessed with my cell like Hawk, he’s too cool to talk to us now that he’s a teenager.’

  Vivienne elbowed Hawk and when he whacked her she grabbed his cell and went racing away from the table. But instead of chasing after her, he sat back and looked at Aurora. He was the only person she had ever seen with two different colored eyes and she was fascinated by him. But he didn’t look at her for long, turning instead to stare at Mike. She thought he didn’t like him and she wanted to ask why but was interrupted.

  ‘Angelina, Hawk, your grandfather’s jet just landed.’

  She turned to see Hawk’s father walking towards the table. Vivienne was following him and tossing Hawk’s cell up and down. Aurora hadn’t seen Mario since his wife had died. She missed Fae, she had been beautiful and kind.

  ‘Get up, we’re leaving.’

  Angelina and Hawk stood up. They said bye to Johnny and Vince, then Vivienne and Angelina walked away. But Hawk came up to Aurora and without saying anything, leant down, kissed her cheek then turned and followed his sisters. She didn’t get a chance to kiss him back.

  ‘Halo, Honor, now.’

  The twins climbed out of the pool and wrapped towels around their bodies, grabbing their clothes as they hurried after their brother and sisters. They all looked so sad. She saw Johnny look at Vince, who shook his head and looked down at his cell. When he looked back up, she thought he was going to cry. He sat back and covered his mouth.

  ‘Now?’

  Johnny asked and Vince nodded, sliding his cell into his pocket.

  ‘He’s only thirteen.’

  ‘Same age you were.’

  She didn’t understand.

  ‘Roar come on! Let’s keep playing!’

  Dante cupped his hands around his mouth and called out. She launched out of Johnny’s lap to chase Dante, her brothers’ conversation forgotten. She found Mike standing to the side of the steps and grabbed his hand, dragging him after her. It would be a long time before she saw the Masons again.

  Twenty Two

  The night after the restaurant attack, Vince called Aurora and told her the Formal Sit Down was to be held. He had instructed her to bring her weapons and look presentable. Then he’d hung up and she was left staring at her cell with half an hour to prepare for her underworld debut. She decided on a pair of skinny jeans, a white v-neck tee and a black tailored blazer. Then she grabbed her snake skin boots and tucked her jeans into them, sliding her Family Signet blades into the knife sheaths she’d had sewn in. She grabbed her Beretta 92 and tucked it in to the small of her back before grabbing two stiletto blades and strapping them to her wrists. With nowhere left on her body to conceal more weapons she grabbed a black clutch and hid her pocket pistol inside.

  At seven she made her way down the staircase and found her brothers in the foyer. Vince wore tan chinos with a brown belt and a white shirt, and Johnny wore black jeans with a black cashmere sweater. Vince smiled while Johnny gave her a nod before going back to his phone call. Vince stepped forward.

  ‘Before we leave there’s two things you should know. The first is that you’ll have to leave your weapons in the car. That’s standard procedure and before you ask, you’re bringing them with you because the no weapons policy only applies when we’re in the warehouse. Secondly, Sit Downs are senior events and every boss will be there with his advisor and captains. It’s possible you may be the only person inside the warehouse without a senior rank, unless another boss decides to bring in a soldier who has a link to the situation.’

  She felt like she’d been hit in the stomach with a crow bar. Hawk’s date might be at the Sit Down and if she was, that meant she was a Mason Rose. Vince cocked an eyebrow.

  ‘You alright kid? You sure you should be wearing those stilettos with a chunk of your thigh missing?’

  She wasn’t doing her thigh, or the stitches, any favors by walking in five inch heels. But she wasn’t going back upstairs to change, so Vince led the way out to the Hummer, where Bo and Cross were waiting on their motorbikes. As she climbed into the backseat they started up the bikes and flanked the Hummer to the assigned Mason warehouse. Once they’d parked, she took off her weapons and jumped out of the car. Cross winked and motioned for her to follow them inside. She was amazed at all the people present, all so different yet all radiating the same power she had felt from Mario at her father’s funeral.

  As the greetings began, Bo led her to her seat, taking the seat beside her. He would be sitting on Johnny’s left, and Cross would be sitting on Johnny’s far right beside Vince. The greetings continued until everyone had arrived, but as the invitees took their seats, her heart sank. Hawk’s date took the seat to his left, and on her right wrist was a tattoo of a blue rose. Feeling her cheeks start to heat up, Aurora t
urned her attention to Mario as he welcomed the forum, then handed over to Johnny, who rehashed the events from the previous night.

  ‘We wouldn’t have been able to find out any of this if it hadn’t been for my sister. Ladies and gentlemen, I’d like to introduce Aurora, the first Hannam Rose.’

  She was caught off guard, but when the forum inclined their heads to her, she inclined hers back and her heart rate returned to normal. After everyone had turned away, her eyes locked on those of Hawk’s date. The woman’s violet eyes were staring daggers at her, her lips drawn back almost as if she were baring her fangs. If looks could kill, Aurora knew she’d be much more than six feet under. She’d be twelve feet under with a twenty storey building on top.

  ‘Johnny, it’s a pleasure to meet your Rose. Mario, my apologies if my memory fails me but I don’t believe we’ve met your Rose.’

  The accented comment came from a dark haired man with a moustache in a black suit. She had no doubt that he was a boss, his confident mannerisms erring on arrogance. She would have described him as attractive and magnetic, if it wasn’t for his entourage, whose looks reminded her of the Real Madrid soccer team. Bo leant towards her.

  ‘That’s Juan Da Silva and his sons. The one with the ponytail staring me out is Quinn, pretty sure he’s got a hard on for me.’

  She was so surprised by Bo’s statement that she let out a short laugh which she covered with a fake cough and hoped nobody noticed.

  ‘Juan, your memory is as sharp as ever. The reason my Rose is here is because she was at the restaurant with Hawk last night. Everyone, I’d like you to meet Vivienne, Honor’s Second in Command and my youngest daughter.’

  Shit, it had been Vivienne Mason all along! Talk about an ugly duckling to swan transformation. But even though Aurora couldn’t believe how stupid she’d been for not recognizing Vivienne earlier, she couldn’t help the smile that spread across her face and she forced herself to look down, clearing her throat as Bo nudged her. She apologized but knew she had to regain composure fast. Once the initial elation had worn off, her poker face returned, and she began to wonder what Vivienne’s problem was. The twins didn’t appear to have any issues with her. Halo had given her a once over and hadn’t bothered to look at her again, while Honor was looking not so much at her as trying to bury into the depths of her psyche. Not that either of those were flattering but they were a hell of a lot better than the evil eye Vivienne was giving her.