by M. T. Ossler
The meeting room erupts in an uproar. I have to lower the volume on my phone because they’re all so loud.
Gator pounds the gavel a few times, calling the room to order. Once everyone in the room quiets down, he speaks, “Beast, I know you don’t want to do this, but I think it’s time you make a call to Ricco. He may be able to help.”
I sit in my chair, in my new kitchen, staring at the stove silently for a minute, and think about it. Ricco Del Mara is the head of the Families here in the U.S., and he is based out of Chicago. He’s the worst of the worst, but he always liked me and Bella when we were kids. Plus, he hated Anton, so maybe he would help us, and be on our side. It would be worth a shot if it will eliminate another full-blown war, especially one with the Italian Mafia.
If it keeps my girls and mom safe, I’ll give it a shot. I can’t let Anton get his hands on them. The things his men told mom and Gigi about what they want to do to them, made my stomach turn. One of his personal messages to me, he’s going to tear Bella’s pussy up, worse than he did the first time, and make me watch him while he does it. Never gonna happen, he will never lay a finger on my girl again. I will lay my life down for her if that’s what it takes.
He will also be taking what he thinks is his, Jules and Gigi, back to do as he pleases with them. He will use Bella and Jules as his own personal whores for his men until he gets what he needs. Then he’ll sell them to the highest bidder.
He’s going to train Gigi for the same life, unless he can marry her off, for money or a business connection. Poor Gigi is extremely too young to have heard the words those men used. As if I would ever let that happen. He will never touch Gigi or Jules, and he will never get the drop on me either.
“Beast, your girl freaked out really fuckin’ bad earlier. I know you said she was brutally attacked by this man, and we’ve all assumed he beat her, so what can we all do to make sure he pays?” Maddox says, fuming, wanting to help on his own volition, not as an obligation to the Club. He likes Bella and doesn’t want her or any women to have hands laid on them. Let alone be touched the way Bella was, even if he doesn’t know the extent of what happened to her.
“I’ll call Ricco when we’re done. Then I’ll figure some things out from there. Thanks, brothers,” I say, then I remember something. “Oh, shit I almost forgot. They said they know Skully has Bella’s friend, Cesare and there will be hell to pay for that too. When did Skully get Cesare out?” Gator never mentioned anything to me.
“They extracted him a couple of nights ago. They broke onto the Castellani estate and took him. He’s in bad shape, and their doctor is treating him. Doc said he could travel in a week or so. I was waiting till you got back so you could give your girl the good news. Skully and a few of his men will be accompanying him here. He has access to a private plane, and that’s the fastest and safest way to travel with the guy. He has a broken leg and ribs, and his shoulder was dislocated. He also had a concussion from all the blows to the head. He’ll make a full recovery Doc said, he just needs time to heal. He’s been asking to talk to Bella, but...” He pauses a second, trying to figure out how to articulate his next words.
“Antonio kept gloating to him about how he hurt her. Also, what he’s going to do to her and the girls, when he gets them back,” Gator growls and so do I.
Skully is the Prez of our cousin Club, Dragons Breath in Staten Island. When we called him a few months back to let him know we would be in one of his territories, he offered to help in any way he could.
He’s a sick, sick fuckin’ bastard. I can’t wait to get my hands on him. I’m going to become the ultimate beast and do some pretty despicable things to that bastard for sure. Things that would make a better man sick, but after what he did to my girl, it will help me sleep better at night knowing he got what he truly deserved.
It had better be very soon, very fuckin’ soon. Once we settle this war with the Macks, I’ll concentrate on finding the guys and taking his ass out once and fuckin’ for all.
We finish up with our meeting, and I hang up the phone. I have my orders, but before I make my call, I need to check on my girls and talk to mom.
“Brother, I’m going to check on mom, if Gigi is up and calm, will you take her to the Clubhouse kitchen. She can have lunch or ice cream, whatever the fuck she wants, just give it to her,” I say to Blaze, getting up and heading to my room. He knows what I’m asking him. I need her to stay busy, out of the apartment and away from me for a while.
“Sure, I’ll keep an eye on her for a while.” I leave him and head to my room.
When I open the door, my mom and Gigi are sitting on the bed talking. Bella is still fast asleep in between them. Gigi spots me and jumps up and into my arms. I kiss the top of her head and hug her.
“How are you feelin’, Mini Princess?”
“Better now. You’ll protect us from him, won’t you? Don’t let him touch my sister again, please,” she whines, her words grip at my heart. I give it to her straight.
“He’s never going to get his grubby hands on her again, don’t you worry. I’ll protect both of you and Jules from him and so will my brothers,” I ramble.
“Speaking of brothers, Blaze wants to take you down to the kitchen for lunch or ice cream. Are you up for that?”
“I could go for some ice cream.” She giggles and kisses my cheek before she leaves mom and me alone.
Once she’s gone, I take her spot on the bed next to Bella. My fingers are drawn to Bella’s long silky hair. I work them through to compose myself for this conversation with mom.
“Mom, I have to place a call to Ricco. I have to try and end this before it starts a war with the Mafia that is not my Club’s fight. I won’t let him get near the girls’ or hurt her again. He hates Anton and hoping that will work in my favor for him to help us. We already have one Club war to fight, we can’t fight the Mafia too,” I say reluctantly, looking up at her and seeing the tears in her eyes.
I have only seen mom cry once in my life, and that was when my dad died. This whole ordeal must have rattled her to the bone.
“Giovanni, if it keeps these girls safe, you do whatever you have to do. The horrible things those men were spewing must have your father and Dominic turning over in their graves. And his personal message to you about...” she says through tears not able to finish. Trying to control her emotions, she shakes her head before continuing.
“I’ve known that boy since the day he was born, I practically raised him, and I never imagined in my wildest dreams he would turn out this...psychotic. The things those men said he wanted to do to these precious girls, to that poor innocent little child, made me sick. You find that bastard, honey, and don’t show him any mercy, not one shred.
“An eye for an eye is what Dominic and my Lorenzo would have shown that boy. And that’s exactly what he deserves. You tear that bastard’s ass up before you tear him apart limb for limb! You make him suffer the same way he did your wife! Then you throw him to the fishes to pick at his despicable carcass!” The venom in her voice scares the shit out of me. I’ve never heard my mother speak like this in my entire life.
“I will,” I say around the lump in my throat. I clear it before I can continue to speak.
“I will, you can count on that, mom. Do you want to talk to Ricco with me?”
“I’ll call him, I have his direct number,” mom says, shocking the shit out of me yet again. No one has his direct number except for Uncle Dominic, or so I thought. Maybe dad had it in his things.
She pulls out her cell phone from her purse on the nightstand and places the call. I sit back continuing to comb my fingers through Bella’s hair to soothe myself.
I wait while she starts out with pleasantries, and they talk for a few minutes. It sounds as if she’s been in contact with him not too long ago. Then she tells him the reason for the call. It’s time to talk business, and with any luck, I can keep my girls safe with his help.
“Ricco, Sir, it’s been a
long time.”
“Sure has, Giovanni, let’s cut the shit, tell me how the fuck you got involved in all this Family business up in New York?
“Dominic had a fortress over there, so how the hell did that happen. And where are all his kids?
“Why is Antonio, fourth in command, leading this shit show?” he demands all these answers from me immediately.
“Obviously, you don’t know he’s the one lead all this, Sir,” I say matter-of-factly. Then I tell him what I know and how I got involved in the Family business after all these years. Anton’s been working with the Mendez Cartel to take over the organization. He broke into their estate with Mendez’s men and killed Uncle Dominic and Aunt Amelia and brutally assaulted Bella. He may have killed Val, Romeo, Bash, and Lorenzo too. He wants Bella only to solidify his place in taking over the organization. I can’t bring myself to say the words to him, (he raped her) but he understands my meaning.
I fill him in on everything that's happened since the night all hell broke loose at the Castellani Estate. I also tell him I have all three girls, and soon I will have Cesare. I’m keeping them all in a safe and secure place. I also inform him that they are all under the Dragons’ protection and will not be leaving us and going back up north.
He’s irate with Antonio and agrees to support my Club, but most importantly me. He also says, he’ll work on helping find Bella’s brothers and will get back to me soon.
In the meantime, if I need anything, don’t hesitate to call him directly.
He adds that I had better keep my mom safe or he will have my balls. Not sure, what that’s all about, but it was an order all the same and not to be argued with.
What the hell is he thinking, I wonder? Is he into my mother or something? I’ll have to take a more in-depth look into that later.
When I’m done with the call, I tell her what I can about what’s happened and will be going on for the next couple of days.
Then mom leaves me with Bella to go check on Gigi. I call Gator and tell him about my conversation with Ricco, he tells me he’s going to inform Maddox about the call.
Maddox and Gator have been best friends since they were young kids. That’s why Maddox and his guys are always at our parties, even with us being the main chapter.
I gather my girl in my arms and lay with her.
I am wiped from the last few days and could use a nap with my love in my arms for a while.
Chapter 4
Bella
I wake up to pitch-blackness, having no clue where I am. I begin to panic from not recognizing my surroundings. Then I feel Gio’s arm tighten around me, and his hand in my hair. I’m laying half on top of him, and I begin to relax. Now that I really look, I can see the room looks familiar. Oh, yes, we’re in our new room, in our apartment, Jules’ old room.
“Gio, what time is it?” I coax, lifting up my head from his chest. Then I grab my aching head in my hands to stop the throbbing I have from crying and not eating today.
“Bella, you’re finally awake,” I hear Gigi say from the other side of Gio and everything comes crashing back to me.
I start to shake in Gio’s arms. “You’re safe, baby. You both are,” he coos calmly.
“It’s just after eight. Everyone’s out back eating. If you’re hungry, we can join them? The guys are barbecuing.”
Oh God, I can’t face them after the way I acted, not yet.
“Oh, Gio, I’m so sorry for the way I acted earlier. I didn’t mean to disrespect Romeo. I’ll apologize to him and the Club. I’m so embarrassed. Please, you have to forgive me,” I whisper, burying my face in his chest, crying.
He’s told me how things work in his Club. After what I did today, he will have to pay the consequences for my actions. Which means, he’ll have to endure a beating from Romeo and his brothers because of my blatant disrespect to one of them.
He lifts my chin and gazes into my eyes. “Baby, you have nothing to be sorry for or embarrassed about. You didn't do anything wrong, so therefor there is nothing to forgive.
“Romeo understands, and so does everyone else. He’s sorry for touching you while you were having a panic attack.
“It’s all fine, no harm, no foul, I promise you,” he says, placing a sweet kiss on my lips.
“I’m starving, can we please go out back now and eat with everyone,” Gigi asks as she sits up on our bed.
“You go ahead I need to talk to Bella, alone. We’ll be down in a few minutes. Stay with Blaze,” Gio orders her. She grunts but agrees. Before leaving us alone, she gives me a big hug.
Gio and I continue to peer at each other until we hear the front door slam shut.
“I’m going to tell you some things that are going on with the Club, but what I have to say, stays in this room. That means not one word or hint to Jules or mom, especially Gigi, baby,” he states firmly. I nod wanting him to give it all to me. I need to know what the hell I walked us into. I trust him to keep us safe, but I just need to know for my own sanity.
“I can’t tell you everything, but what I can tell you I will.
“First, it’s going to be a full house around the here for a while. I don’t know exactly how long, plan on a month at most probably,” he pauses for me to take in the first part.
I glare into his emerald green eyes, and I know he’s mad as hell about whatever is going on.
“The guys that tried to take you and Jules have brought a ton of bad shit into our state. They have kidnapped a dozen or more women from Orlando that we know about, to be sold. We have to stop them and make sure they don’t take any more women. The Macks have forced our hand and pushed us into a war with their Club. Which means we have to stay here, on lockdown in the Clubhouse with everyone until we remove that threat.” He pauses again for me to take that next part in. I understand what he means by fighting a war; my father and his men have fought their own wars in the past. During those times we stayed locked in our estate with the guards. They also lost some good men during that time.
I commend his Club for what they are doing to help those women and others. Those men were horrible and should never be allowed to touch any women.
I don’t know what else they are into, but if his Club thinks it’s bad, then I’m sure it is. I’ve learned that the men in Dragons Fury MC are all honorable and trustworthy men. I can see it in the eyes of the men that I have met. Daddy taught me how to tell at a young age. The eyes are the window to your soul, and if you look close enough, you can see good and evil. The men that touched us in that club had evil in their eyes.
The Dragons’ men have respect for women, even if they do sleep with anything with a pussy that is free to them. They still show them a certain level of respect, especially the ol’ ladies, and they place them on a pedestal.
“Gio, you have to promise me one thing, please,” I say, continuing without his agreement.
“Promise me you and the guys will be safe. I need to know you’ll always come home to Gigi and me. I can’t lose you too. It would kill me.” I’m worried for him and his brothers. Gio has become my rock and Gigi’s. We need him, we desperately need him to live in this messed up world. I can’t take care of her without him. She needs both of us.
“Nothing’s going to happen to me, baby. You’re never going to lose me if I can help it. I’ll always come home to you and Gigi. I promise. I have more to tell you. It’s about this morning with Gigi and mom,” he says, pausing before he continues with a worried look on his handsome face. I nod my head for him to convey to me.
“Anton’s men tracked down where mom lived, and they tried to follow them here to find you.
“His men ended up forcing mom off the road, to separate them from Romeo and Cotton. His men had a personal message for me that what freaked Gigi out. She knows he hurt you now, I’m not sure if she knows exactly how, because I haven’t asked her, yet. However, she definitely doesn’t want him near you.
“I had to call Ricco and let him in on e
verything, well the censored version. He wants to bury him now as much as I do. He’s going to support the Club and me in taking him out. He’s also on our team to find your brothers and Lorenzo.
“In the meantime, his men won’t be able to find you here, and I didn’t tell Ricco you girls were here with me. I did tell him, though, that you were in a safe and secure place. You’re safe here, and all my brothers will protect you girls with their lives.” Gio lays it all out for me, and I give him a nod, taking it all in and relaxing a little bit.
I know we’re all safe here. It just freaks me out to know that he came so close to finding us so soon. I remember Gio saying that after we were married, he would find me faster, I just never prepared myself for it to happen this fast.
I need to stay calm and strong, and I need to breathe. I do the exercises, my therapist taught me, to help stay calm. I tell myself this over and over again. I can sit back, and let the men handle everything else, just like I’ve done my whole life. I can do this. I’ve got this, right. Right, sure!
Fake it till you make it, remember.
“Tuesday, I have orders to leave for a couple of days. Mom will be staying here in the apartment with you and Gigi. Gator will keep an eye on all of you while I’m gone. He wants you to check in with him every day, and go to him if you need anything. He wants to make sure, you’re doing okay with everything, while I’m gone. This is an order from him, he cares a lot about you and Gigi.