by Jax Hart
Through the crack in the door, I watched my uncle shrug. “Collateral damage. Fiorelli killed my wife and my baby on Christmas Eve. If my mistake was passion, so be it. Vengeance was ours.”
“You’ll groom Roque as your brother wanted. I promised your brother his son would wear the crown. I make good on my word.”
“His shoulders aren’t strong enough to support his head. The crown can be heavy, full of thorns and soaked with blood.”
“If you hurt him there will be payback, Franco. Murdering the next-in-line is against our code.”
My uncle laughed. “Hurt him? Roque? The boy is all I’ve got since Fiorelli murdered mi familigia.”
But I saw it in the glaze in his eyes. The way he balled his fist next to his wine glass. Uncle Franco was no longer family. His lust for power was stronger than blood. He wanted me dead and gone, buried like all the rest. I knew he had a mistress. With me out of the way—he’d start over as the DON with a new wife and baby. I could feel it just as strong as the little Fiorelli’s girl’s heartbeat against the flat of my hand where I held it on her neck before I squeezed…” shall I go on?”
I shrug. ‘It is riveting fiction.”
“Fiction?”
“What did you think it was? Romina and I have been working on it for years. Since we met as children at a garden party. We wanted to capture a Romeo and Juliet type love story and be rich and famous someday. But we wanted ours to be edgier, more Pulp Fiction…did you like it? We already have multiple offers for the book rights.”
“Using your real names?”
“Is it a crime to have a huge, ego?” I grin. “Like I said we were kids and wanted to be famous. Using our real names accomplishes that.”
His face turns the color of my woman’s hair. “Preposterous!”
“Really? I thought it was quite good. My daughter Chloe even thought so.”
“You let her read this… this crap!?”
“Hey! That’s a work of art! He’s brilliant and talented!” Chloe yells out.
The judge puts his head in his hands, pounding the gavel down again.
“My attorneys have the copyright, registered with the US Patent office, Romeo Roque or Twisted Poet? Which is a better title?”
“Savage Poet!”
“Villainous Poet!”
“Get them out of here!” The judge roars at my #team Roque hash taggers who snuck inside the courtroom.
I snap my fingers at my attorneys, “Write those down. They were good.”
“Step down,” he orders.
“Ms. Fiorelli, will you please approach the bench with counsel?”
She nods and my attorneys walk with her. We brush by one another and I stop her, lift her left hand to my lips and grin as I kiss the back of her hand where my ring sits. From my seat I hear every word.
“Ms. Fiorelli is that your diary?” The judge motions for the prosecutor to bring her books.
“No. Those are my writing journals. Roque wrote the antagonist slash hero/villain and I wrote the protagonist. We were supposed to meet up someday and put it all together. But then… we grew up and grew apart.”
“But you both kept writing?”
“I knew. I always knew. Not every girl falls in love at ten. Meets the love of her life that young but I did. The story is my imagination of what would’ve happened if Roque and I really were the enemies our parents wanted us to be, but we never wanted that. We just wanted to be together.”
“At ten?”
She shrugs. “I always had a romantic heart.”
“And your dream man, was a dark character?”
“I grew up in the mob, sir. Anyway, I found Roque in a video game chatroom when I was in high school and we kept it going. I had a terrible crush on him and hoped all the writing would turn into more.”
“Did it?” He mutters, catching himself, utterly riveted by our story as we are, and we are the characters in it. Then clears his throat. “I have no more questions.”
He waves her away.
“What about the other charges. Trafficking?” The prosecutors losing it.
“My client’s a hero. He did what the government couldn’t. When he realized what was happening, he single-handedly went in and freed hundreds of missing girls from around the globe, getting shot in the process. Every one of them will testify under oath. All two hundred.”
“We added that to the book!” Romina pipes up.
“Silence. Or you’ll be held in contempt of court.”
“I’m calling a recess while I look over the evidence in my chambers.”
“All rise.”
“I think it worked!”
“Shush, Chloe.” But she’s right. I taste victory and one hell of an unexpected pay day. My attorney shows me the figures Rafe negotiated for a three-book deal with movie rights. During the pandemic, the movie studios started getting into the publishing business to make money and picked their bestsellers to turn into films.
“My phone’s blowing up! The media is going crazy! We are on every major network. YouTube already has two million hits!” Chloe, shows me her phone.
Ten minutes later the judge comes back, dismissing all charges. As we rise, he stops. “I expect tickets to the premiere… I like Romeo Roque.”
I turn to Red. “Destination wedding? Elope in Vegas?”
“Hell, no!” Chloe chimes in. “I want the works. The church, the big white dress, and horses. Your love story must end with a carriage and horses.”
“She did save both our asses,” Red grins.
“Well, Squirt, is this a happy ending or what?”
“It is. I have a family a real, bad-ass family. And a baby brother or sister…”
“What?”
Red nods. I don’t care who sees me weep on live TV as we circle Red and place our hands on her tummy. I might be a monster or a villain or maybe just a dark prince. Take your pick, you’ve read my story. You can judge. All I know is I’m one lucky bastard to have these two women in my life, loving me for all my faults, mistakes and bad pieces that make me. But I’m not all bad pieces, somewhere along the way an angel came down and sprinkled some good ones in.
Here in their arms, I’ve found my redemption and I thank God every night I did.
21
Roque
ROQUE
“Roque! Over here! Who do you think will be cast to play you in the movie?”
I smirk, pausing for a second. Camera’s flash. The reporters fight, each vying to get their microphones closer, eagerly waiting my response.
“Is there anyone who could portray me? Please? I’ll play myself.”
“What about Romina? Who will play her?”
“Maybe, I’ll scrap the movie deal and make it a documentary.”
My phone lights up immediately. My agent’s name flashing. I already signed the multi-million dollar book and movie deal to Universal for the rights to turn my fucked-up love story into an adapted screenplay.
“Told ya’ it was the best love story never written.”
“Not any longer, squirt. Who do you want to play you?”
“I don’t care as long as they do me justice. I can’t believe we are famous. That our story is famous, and everyone knows it.”
“There wasn’t much I could do after they confiscated it.”
“You mean, besides, copyrighting it. Thank God, you had photocopied everything and kept it in your safe at the country house. Did you really like the title?
“Loved it. You nailed it, Chloe.”
“Are you ready?”
“Are you?”
“Definitely. It’s not every day a girl gets to walk her super famous, super villain, bad-ass mafia king dad down the aisle.”
“Savage Poet is going to be number one at the box office for a year I just know it. We will live forever. Our story will live forever. I’m totally geeking out.”
I lift Chloe’s hand, kissing the back as the church doors are opened. The chapel in Palermo is magnificent and fi
tting. Instead of funerals and prayer masses, it’s finally seeing the wedding of the century. A Salvatore and a Fiorelli united under God in holy matrimony and not because it’s some sub-plot in a family feud.
Chloe and I smile as the trumpets announce our arrival. She walks me down the aisle, taking her place by my side as “best person.” Dare, Rafe, Johnny and Seb stand after her, my princess. We all straighten as more trumpets play, announcing my queen’s entrance. No one walks Romina down. She’s so regal it’s unnecessary.
On her finger my fire burns. The ruby is always alight. Her eyes meet mine with so much being conveyed. We made it. From that day of death in the coat closet of a funeral home to today. A day of hope, new life, a new journey we’ll take. I always imagined this day I just never thought it would take so damn long.
Tati and K fuss over little Romeo as they cradle him. Red didn’t want bridesmaids. And they were more than happy to take care of Romeo for the day.
“Finally, it’s you. Only you.”
“Don’t remind me of your last wedding,” she warns.
“This is my first wedding, Red. That one wasn’t even legal.”
“I love you,” she whispers. I kiss her hands, then wrap them in mine.
“I’m never letting you go.”
“I know.”
“Last chance to run.”
“The chase is over. It’s all rainbows and unicorns now.”
“… and red-carpet appearances.”
“I never thought I’d marry a real-life gangster, Hollywood heartthrob.”
“I am an original.”
“That you are. Now marry my ass before it’s time to feed, Romeo.”
I lift my hands to her veil, so I can see her face and my heart thumps even harder. “It was Chloe’s idea.”
“Of course, it was.”
Her hair is parted, half is red and the other bright blue. One of her moss colored eye stares back, the other is bright blue. I’m marrying both my loves today. Baby Blue and Little Red. I bend down to whisper in her ear, “Can we get kinky tonight? I want Blue on my wedding night and Red tomorrow morning.”
“Greedy bastard.”
“That I am.”
I start to sweat, already feeling my dick stir at the thought of seeing her as Blue tonight. Damn, I’ve missed her.
The priest begins, praying in Italian as we bow our heads. From the corner of my eye, I look out at all the people who stood for me. Johnny, Rafe, Seb…, Dare and the entire Creed MC flew in from Oregon to attend.
I shake my head as I stare up at the elaborate paintings on the church ceiling. Someone up there blessed me, how else can you explain so much love for a dark soul like mine?
But it’s not dark anymore and never will be again.
“Will you take this woman to be your wife?” The priest asks in Italian.
“Per sempre.” Forever.
“Per sempre,” my Red, whispers back.
“You know what?” I whisper to Chloe, “I think this is where the book ends.”
“And we all live happily ever after?”
“I always knew you were the genius in the family, squirt.”
“You made all my dreams come true. Romina, for a mom.”
“And you’ve made mine come true.” I take Chloe’s hand in my free one. Together we turn and raise them all high as the Salvatore Family is officially unified as we greet our guests who clap and whistle for us.
I guess monsters and villains get their “ever afters, too.”
22
Romina
One year later…
“Oh hell, no.” I shift my weight as my legs slightly bounce to the same rhythm as I pat baby Romeo’s back. The actress playing me has her hands all over my man. I really should’ve thought this movie thing through a little more. I feel the bitch in me rise as she laughs, tilting her head up at just the right angle and looking at Roque as if she really thinks she is his Blue.
“Shhh,” I croon in Romeo’s ear as he cries a little louder. Although hardly a baby and more of a heavy toddler. He’s cutting a tooth and fussing as much as his father does when he doesn’t get his way. “I’m gonna cut a bitch. Sorry,” I kiss his head. “But she’s all over daddy and we can’t have that, can we?” I turn to find Chloe. My heart melts. She’s so serious for a teenager. Her face is scrunched as she works on her school issued iPad trying to solve her geometry lessons. She insisted on being on set for the first few weeks of filming and Roque sweet-talked the head of her school. My man just has that effect on people. He really does have the devil’s charm. “Take him for a minute will you? I have an actresses ass to kick.”
“It’s about time. She’s practically dry-humping him and the closet scene doesn’t shoot until tomorrow.”
My face turns as red as my titan hair. Fuck that. No one is getting into a closet recreating our first real kiss. The time when I was Blue and he was my mark. No fucking way.
With balled fists, I stalk past producers wearing headsets and walk right the fuck onto the live set.
I tap that bitch on her shoulder, she turns around midline. I rip the blue wig right off her fucking head. “Back off bitch, this man is mine.”
“CUT! CUT CUT!”
Roque smirks as he leans down, “Jealous, much?” I grab the lapels of his designer suit.
“No one touches you but me. Got that?”
“I was wondering how long it’d take you to realize no one could play you. What do you say, ready to be my leading lady?”
“I already vowed to be that in front of E-News, TMZ and God.”
His lips find my ear, “We shoot the closet scene tomorrow. It’ll be dark…. What if… we make baby number two…?”
My face flushes. I remember the sex club in Miami. What I say… how much I wanted to do…. I know he expects me to say no… but the thing I’ve realized about relationships; is the key to keeping things hot, is to take your partner by surprise when they least expect it. “I always wanted kids close in age…,” I play with his lapels as I angle my hips closer. “Put a baby in me while we film. I wanted you to fuck me that night. I went home and touched myself after…” His nostrils flare. I feel him at my belly already. “No. You’ll have to wait. No sex tonight either…”
“Romina,” he groans, biting his lip.
“Are you two done. We have a movie to film. Chrissy is pissed. Perhaps, your wife shouldn’t be on set if she can’t handle watching you film.”
“My wife is staying put. Chrissy can take a hike. Pay her out. I don’t give a fuck. Romina will be playing herself. “
The producer’s eyes gleam. “I’ll call make-up and hair and get the blue hair dye. I can’t wait to meet the real Blue.
“She’s a real firecracker. I can’t wait to see her, too.”
I put my hands on my hips pretending to be mad. “I always did wonder if you loved her more than me? My alter ego…”
“Never. It was always you Little Red. You know that… Blue is more like my mistress.”
Okay, now I’m really mad. “Mistress?” My voice gets high. I’m about to give him hell when he silences me with a swift kiss that turns sultry in seconds. Cat calls, whistling and sighs erupt from all around us.
Happiness floods through me. Life is funny that is for sure. Who knew all those years ago the man-boy who was my enemy would turn out to be my savage poet?
23
Epilogue Romina
Several years later…
“Mama, can you read me a bedtime story?”
She has her father’s eyes… dark but glowing with light. Her auburn curls reach down her back. My heart clenches in my chest. I love her so much and to think she almost wasn’t born… to think I once wanted to kill her father. Then again if there’s anything this story has taught me, it’s that fate cannot be changed. And that sometimes, souls are written in the stars.
“Sure sweetie, Cinderella or Sleeping Beauty?”
“Neither. I like the story of the dark prince.”
<
br /> “Of course, you do. You’re his daughter,” I murmur tucking her in before I reach for Roque’s second bestseller about a bad prince in a fabled land. Who knew kids books sold as much as our love story? Roque wrote about a spoiled prince who liked to be naughty but somehow found a way to redeem himself before getting into too much trouble. He said kids aren’t perfect so why should their fairy tales feature perfect characters? My husband is a damn genius. He’s making more money writing books than he does as head of the Salvatore Syndicate.
I clear my throat as my little love, Molly eagerly awaits for her father’s words. “Once upon a time in the kingdom of Blue, Prince Rafael wanted a horse. But not just any horse. He wanted the wild one who lived near the beach. Legend was the horse escaped from a pirate ship during a storm and swam to shore. Prince Rafael knew the horse’s heart craved its freedom. But Prince Rafael didn’t care. He knew taming that horse was his best chance at winning the Royal Horse Race where he’d compete against the princes from rival kingdoms…”
The sound of my voice has Molly drifting off after a few minutes. Despite this one being one of her favorite stories.
“Where does he come up with this shit?” I shake my head, softly closing the book.
“Jealous, I’m a better writer than you?”
“Ha! As if. You stole my words and slapped your name on it! You didn’t even give me credit or list me as a co-author. How fucked up is that?”
He rolls his eyes. “This again?”
I cross my arms. “I hate that you are always on TV, the movies and on social media. I hate that women all over the world dream of my man. You are my dark prince. No one else’s.”
“I like it when you’re all fiery. And possessive. Besides, I don’t get all jealous of all the men liking your Instagram’s or pining for you after the movie premiere. You’re as much as a sex symbol as me. Stop being jealous, love.”