How didn’t I see this? Caterina had fooled me again and this time she just might succeed in killing me. “We’ve all been played. It’s been a setup from the beginning. I told you my grams put out a contract on anyone that kills Nero, her, or me. So Enzo and Caterina couldn’t.” I stopped as my thoughts crashed into one another. How could I be so stupid? I walked right into this. Chris was right. I was going to get everyone killed.
“What about the fucking contract?”
“Don’t you see? It’s all been a setup. The tapes being sent to me. Your family finding out about them. Me coming here. It’s all a setup. Caterina can’t kill me, but your family will if they find out who I am or who they think I am, to stop those tapes from coming to light. Nero will come for blood, and Angelica will kill him, and Grams’s contract will call for her death. It will be war. Caterina will get her revenge against your family. And she’ll wipe out mine, leaving her a clear path to the money and power that she always craved, and she’ll get away with it. She’ll get away with it all. She’s the puppet master, and we’ve all fallen for it, dancing like fools on her strings.”
I yelled hysterically. My childish acts of defiance at wanting to meet Angelica might cause all our deaths.
….
Stunned, I stood up as everything she said hit me. I stepped to the window and looked out. Something just didn’t sit right. Why had Caterina switched places with Tori? Why had she come home with me? I never would have figured any of this out if she hadn’t come home with me. I never would have known that Tori wasn’t Caterina if I hadn’t found my closet door open. I wouldn’t have followed her and found her dumping the body. I wouldn’t have raped her, and she sure as fuck wouldn’t be sitting here right now. Christ, if a medical examiner examined her now they’d find her bruised, with rope marks on her wrists and vaginal tearing. I knew damn well what her brother’s reaction would be because I knew what mine would be.
A glint caught my eye from the building across from me. My brain didn’t process what I was seeing until it was almost too late.
“Everyone get the fuck down!” I yelled, throwing myself at Tori. I gripped her leg and pulled her to the floor barely in time as the bullet hit the chair right where her head had been. I covered her with my body, and we moved as quickly as we could along the floor, trying to find cover as bullets slammed into the floor around us. If this fucker got lucky and hit either of us that bitch Caterina would get exactly what she was after: war.
Chris and Marcus saved our lives. Grabbing their pieces they gave us cover and we were able to make it to the hallway, out of sight of the windows. I checked Tori over to make sure she wasn’t hurt and told her to stay put before running into my bedroom. Grabbing my piece I shoved open my patio doors and I started firing, glad as fuck that it faced the same direction as the living room. I emptied my clip into the fucker’s window and watched him pull back. While reloading I almost missed the fucker burst out the door below and jump into a waiting car. Keeping the gun in my hand I rushed back to Tori, yelling for the guys.
Chris was holding his arm where a bullet grazed him, but other than that they were OK. “What the fuck was that?” he hissed.
“Caterina’s idea of starting a war. Come on, we have to get out of here before the cops come.” Keeping a tight grip on Tori’s hand I put her behind me. As soon as Marcus gave the all clear we bolted, racing down the stairwell. Blood pumping, we dove into my car and sped away.
Grabbing my phone I called Lucca. “We’ve got a problem,” I said as soon as he picked up. But before I could get anything else out my world exploded.
“Sal’s dead. Maria’s been taken and Angie’s been shot. They don’t know if she or the baby will make it. Meet us at Saint Mercy and be careful.” Lucca said it all with a deadly calm that told me he was anything but before the phone went dead.
I took the phone from my ear and set it down carefully. What Lucca said hit me full force. There was no way to stop this war. Blood would be answered with blood. The only thing I could try to do was make sure that the right blood would be taken.
Chapter 14
The ride up the elevator was the longest of my life. As soon as the doors opened I came face to face with our guys. They were everywhere and they looked ready to kill. Nobody was getting on this floor. I kept Tori behind me and Chris and Marcus crowded around her so that we surrounded her. I hated bringing her with me, but it was probably the safest place. My biggest problem was if I didn’t calm Lucca down enough to listen before he saw her there was a good chance that he’d kill her.
Before we could go more than a few feet Vic, Lucca’s number two, was in my face. He motioned to one of the guys. “Take her to the factory. Dom, come with me.”
“She’s not going to the factory Vic. Chris, Marcus, take her to the waiting room while I speak to Lucca,” I said.
He narrowed his eyes at me. “Do you fucking understand what that bitch has done?” he asked slowly.
“I understand what Caterina Genovese has done but this is not Caterina Genovese,” I said, earning me a “are you fucking insane?” look. “Look, she’s not going anywhere. Let me talk to Lucca while Chris and Marcus watch her.”
I knew that he didn’t like it, and he could pull rank but he gave in. “She’s not sitting with the family. Take her to the room over there. For now it’s empty.”
I nodded to the guys and gave Tori’s hand a squeeze, ignoring the disgusted look on Vic’s face. “What happened?”
He began to walk down the hall the way he had just come, shaking his head. “We still don’t know. Maria and Angie went shopping. Sal and Mick went with them and the next thing we know the cops are calling us. Angie and Mick are being rushed to the hospital, Maria’s gone and Sal’s dead. It doesn’t look like Mick’s gonna make it, and the doctors were asking Lucca if it came down to it who should they save, Angie or the baby. I had to hold him back from killing the doctor and explain that if he didn’t save both we’d be burying him beside whoever he didn’t save.”
If I had called Lucca last night he never would have let the girls out of the house and this wouldn’t have happened. I’d never forgive myself, so I sure as fuck didn’t expected Lucca to forgive me, but I hoped that he’d hold off killing me long enough to at least find Maria.
As I turned the corner I saw something I had never seen before—my brother broken. His head was bowed and his hands were pressed against the door that held his world, as if willing his wife and son not to leave him. If he lost either of them there would be no reasoning with him. He would destroy the Genovese family, never stopping until not a drop of their bloodline remained, even if it meant the sacrifice of ours as well. Guilt filled me as I stepped behind Lucca and put my hand on his shoulder, squeezing it in support.
“They don’t know if she’s going to make it. How the fuck am I supposed to live without her?” He pressed his head into the door. “This is my fault.”
“Lucca, no…” I started to say, but he cut me off.
“It is. If I had just told her what was going on she would have been prepared. They never would have got the drop on her. I was selfish in not telling her. In keeping a secret from her. I was just afraid that she would attack the bitch and get hurt.” He pounded his hand into the door. “But that was just an excuse, I knew in my heart she’d never risk the baby. I knew but I just wanted to take care of her. I wanted her to be the woman she would have been if her life had gone the way it should have, pampered and protected. I needed to know that I could protect her. I needed to prove to myself that I could protect her, and she wouldn’t end up like Mom, dead from an enemy’s bullet.”
Lucca wiped his face into his arm. “Tell me you have that cunt. Tell me she hasn’t gotten away,” he hoarsely whispered, pushing free of the wall to turn and face me. Fevered eyes, bright with grief and the need of retribution, stared at me from his drawn face. Out of the corner of my eye I could see my father and his consigliere, Vincent, join us. Good. I wouldn’t have to repeat w
hat I was about to say. It would be hard enough the first time. I had let happen what no amount of torture could do. I had broken my brother.
I kept my eyes locked with Lucca’s. “I never had Caterina Genovese. I have her twin sister, Victoria.”
“What the hell are you talking about, son?” My father demanded, moving to stand by Lucca. I couldn’t be a coward. I couldn’t take the easy way out. Standing straight I told them everything about last night and this morning, leaving nothing out.
As if in slow motion I saw the fist coming at me. I didn’t try to move. I deserved it. As the last words left my mouth Lucca went wild. “You stupid mother-fucking bastard, I’ll kill you,” he growled as he tackled me to the ground, pounding his rage into my body.
I think he would have killed me right there and then if my father hadn’t ordered the men to pull him off of me. They took their time in following their boss’s orders, most feeling I’m sure that Lucca should just finish me. I had harmed the family with my silence. One loyal soldier was dead, another most likely to join him soon. The boss’s daughter was captured and their underboss’s wife and son would most likely join the death toll. Bruised and bloody, I pulled myself from the floor. Not one man reached out to help me.
“Get the fuck out of my sight,” Lucca spat at me. He pulled himself away from the soldiers gripping his arms and looked to Vic. “Have that fucking cunt Genovese taken to the factory. I’ll deal with her later.” Giving me one more look to let me know I was dead to him he turned his back on me. The men follow Lucca’s example, giving me their backs. I deserved it and could take it but what almost broke me was the look in my father’s eyes. I had never seen that look before, and I turned sharply on my heels to get away from it as quickly as I could. It was a look that would not go away, especially after he learned what I was about to do.
Chapter 15
Five days had passed, and I was no closer to finding Maria. Tori, Chris, Marcus, and I were in hiding. After Lucca had told me to go, I gathered my boys to me, and we left a terrified Tori behind. We went down to the parking garage to wait for Tori to be brought down. We ambushed the guards and stole Tori, taking her with us.
Now we were holed up in the middle of nowhere, trying to find Caterina and ultimately Maria. Unfortunately for us, the bitch was smart. She had disappeared. Not a trace of her could be found anywhere. Through my contacts that hadn’t burned me I learned that Angie and the baby had survived, though Angie was still touch and go. Lucca was on a rampage, hunting for us and plotting the annihilation of the Genovese family. Nero, Tori’s brother and head of the Genovese family, was searching for her and getting ready to move against our family. Caterina had gotten just what she wanted, and if I couldn’t figure out a way to stop it, none of us would survive.
I pushed myself up on the bed so that I was sitting against the headboard and winced, still feeling the beating that Lucca gave me that day. Through half-closed eyes I watched Tori enter my room, smiling slightly. Her hair was no longer blond. That shit that she used was the type that washed out. It looked a hell of a lot better now. She came to the side of the bed, sat down and gently removed the bandage on the side of my face where Lucca’s pounding had split the skin. I closed my eyes, enjoying the feel of her small hands touching me. It let me block out everything I couldn’t change and grounded me in the moment. Fuck, I needed a release. I needed to feel something other than pain. I grabbed her hand when she went to stand and pulled her against my chest, ignoring the pain in my ribs. I cupped her face and slowly brought my lips to hers, not wanting to scare her. I needed to fix one of my fuck-ups.
At first she sat there stiffly, but as I continued not to demand anything, it seemed to relax her enough to tentatively kiss me back. Her inexperience, instead of turning me off, just made my dick harder. All of the women I had been with knew what they wanted and greedily took it, but with Tori I doubted that any man other than me had ever touched her. Deepening the kiss I played her lips until I got a little gasp that allowed my tongue entrance into heaven. I don’t think I had ever been so turned on by just kissing a girl before. I removed my hands from her face, careful to keep my movements slow as they found their way to her lush body. Unlike her sister’s hard form, hers was soft and womanly while still being firm. I doubt the softest silk felt half as good as her skin. I needed this. I needed her. I don’t think she even realized that I had removed her shirt and bra until I cupped her naked breasts. I almost blew my load at the first touch they were so perfect. When she stiffened I quickly began strumming her nipples. I couldn’t let her stop this. I needed her. I almost groaned in relief when she shuddered and began to play with my tongue that was deep in her mouth.
I rolled her over, careful to hold my weight off her, not wanting to scare her. When she began to lift from the bed and grip my body to pull me toward her I knew that I had her. I made a slow path of kisses down her body until my lips locked with the tip of her breast. Locking my mouth tight around her nipple, I used my teeth and tongue while my hand squeezed it. Fuck, I needed more. Her moans of pleasure were driving me insane. I sucked as much of her in as I could. I gripped her tight and worked her with my mouth while my free hand slid into her pants. She was soaking wet. She bucked up, gripping my head to hold it to her heavy breast while her knee slid between my legs and rubbed firmly against my cock.
Fuck, I was going to explode. I tore myself from her breast and slid down her body. I tore her pants and underwear away, threw them over my shoulder and dove in for a taste of ambrosia. Her pussy was the sweetest thing I had ever tasted. Using my tongue and teeth I worked her clit while two of my fingers dove deep inside. I was going to make damn sure she was ready for me. There wouldn’t be even the hint of pain. Her orgasm came quick. She had been bucking against me then stopped her breath, catching on a little hitch before moaning my name. I shoved a third finger deep into her gushing pussy and didn’t let up, no matter how much she squirmed to get her oversensitive clit away. Her second orgasm came even quicker and hit harder.
I gathered her legs high onto my hips so she cradled me and shoved deep; forcing her to take all of me while my mouth covered hers to hold her scream. The pleasure in that scream echoed down my body, causing my dick to go harder. Growling into her mouth to hold on I released her legs as she locked them around me, gripped her hair to hold her mouth in place and pounded that tight pussy into the mattress. Fuck, it was the tightest pussy I had ever felt. Each time I pulled out, it sucked me back in. I could actually feel the veins in my cock pulsing it was squeezing me so tight.
I was so ready to cum but I needed to go deeper. I needed to be so far inside of her that she’s never be rid of me. I ripped my mouth away and rolled her over. Forcing her hips up high, I lined my cock up with her pussy and shoved myself in hard. Her screams were barely contained by the pillow her face was shoved into as my cock went so deep that it pounded against her cervix. Her pussy gushed and tightened around me as another orgasm took her. Unable to stand the pleasure I pounded into her once, twice, three times, then blew deep within her slick heaven.
I collapsed on her, rolled to the side so I didn’t crush her, and kept her tightly to me as I closed my eyes, finally able to sleep.
….
What the hell did I just do? How did this happen? What was wrong with me? How the hell could I have enjoyed sex with him? How could I willingly let the same man that raped me give me my first orgasms. Was I as sick as my brother and sister? How could I still want him? Shuddering at the loss as I felt him slide from me I tried to leave his arms and couldn’t. His grip was like iron and the only way to break free would be to wake him. I was too much of a coward to face him with my warring thoughts. As I closed my eyes to escape the madness my last thought was that I would rest for a moment then I’d get away.
Chapter 16
The gun at my head told me we weren’t alone. When I opened my eyes it wasn’t Lucca or any of the family I saw. The fucker looked familiar but I couldn’t place him. The first wor
ds out of his mouth told me why I should have remembered who it was.
“Get you fucking hands off my sister, Salvatici,” Nero Genovese demanded. His loud, furious tone caused Tori to try and sit up. Luckily I had a tight grip on her or she would have just flashed ever man in the room and that was something I wouldn’t tolerate.
“Victoria, get your ass out of that bed and get dressed,” he told her, his disgust clear in his face.
If the motherfucker wanted to say something to me, fine, but he could go ahead and shoot me before I’d let him get away with talking to her like that. “Get out, Genovese. We’ll meet you in the living room when we’re dressed,” I said, not trying to hide my fury. Something flashed in his eyes before he could cover it. I don’t know if it was surprise that I basically told him to fuck off or the fact that his sister had tears in his eyes, but he nodded once, told us we had ten minutes, and emptied the room, closing the door behind him.
Keeping a tight grip on Tori I forced her to face me. Shame filled her face. Christ, I knew how it was for the women of our families. She was ruined. Even with Nero’s threats to his men this would still get out, and she would be considered used goods. Gathering her into my arms I pressed her face into my chest. I whispered that I’d take care of it, and helped her get cleaned up and dressed.
Keeping her behind me I walked us out into the living room. Relief filled me at seeing Marcus and Chris. They were banged up, but alive. Keeping Tori with me I sat her on the couch with the boys and took the chair next to it for myself. Seeing the fire in Nero’s eyes I cut him off before he said something to his sister that he couldn’t take back. “She belongs to me.”
A harsh laugh escaped Nero’s mouth. “My sister is a Genovese and will never belong to a Salvatici. Did you think I wouldn’t know that your brother has a contract out on her, dead or alive?”
Dominic (The Family Book 2) Page 7