A Burning Flame

by Daniella Kunz

  A Burning Flame

  Twisted Fates Series Book #2

  Daniella Kunz

  Copyright © 2020 Daniella Kunz

  This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents either are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.

  No part of this book may be reproduced or used in any manner without written permission of the copyright owner except for the use of quotations in a book review.

  First paperback edition: November 2020

  Cover design by: Ashlee Drage

  Contents

  Title Page

  Copyright

  PROLOGUE

  1

  2

  3

  4

  5

  6

  7

  8

  9

  10

  11

  12

  13

  14

  15

  16

  17

  18

  19

  20

  21

  22

  23

  ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

  About The Author

  Books By This Author

  A Burning Flame

  Twisted Fates Series #2

  Daniella Kunz

  PROLOGUE

  Eight years ago

  I stand wide-eyed, hooked to my mother’s leg as we enter the large estate owned by our intimidating Capo. Dante had invited all of the families to a grand dinner, underbosses and soldiers alike. I'm terrified of being around everyone. Being shy, I don't feel comfortable in the slightest.

  Once out back, my mother shakes my grip loose as she ushers me over to play with the other children. I reluctantly pry away and find a place to sit by myself, not brave enough to go to any other kids. Sitting alone, I look around at the other children, content by myself. As I gaze around, my eyes fall over the sight of three girls picking on another smaller one. The girl was huddled down, holding herself. Trying to make herself invisible while the girls surround her. One reaches down grasping her red hair, and tugs on it hard. I feel sympathy for this girl that I don't know; something makes me want to help her. As if sensing me, she lifts her head looking up at me, and I can see the tears in her eyes. Some unseen force pushes me off the bench, and I find myself shuffling my feet to them. I was determined to help her, filled with some unknown bravery and courage. Taking a deep breath as I approach them, I call out. "Hey, leave her alone!" All three stop and turn slowly facing me. One raises her brows while the others get a twisted smile on their faces.

  "And what if we don't?" One question back.

  "Then, you'll regret it," I say, trying to muster my most stern voice as they begin giggling at my empty threat.

  "Oh, and are you going to make us regret it? You're just a pathetic little worm too. Go away, and we won't bother you." Turning back to their original prey, they act as if I am no longer there. One of them grabs the girls red hair once more, tugging back hard as a light yelp escapes her lips. Bunching my fists, I walk up to the bullies and tap the assailant on the shoulder. As she turns, I hike my fist back, folding my elbow, and once she is fully facing me, I let it loose. Throwing it forward with all my weight, my fist slams into her face, and she screams, falling back onto the ground. The other two turn to face me, now ready to beat the crap out of me for hurting their apparent leader.

  Just as one takes a step forward, my mother comes running around the corner. "Oh my gosh, what happened?" She grabs hold of me as she takes in the scene before her. I tell her what happened, and she turns on the older girls.

  "You should be ashamed of yourselves. Now run along and go." She shoes them away and helps the red-haired girl up. "Are you okay, dear?" The girl remains tight-lipped as she only nods in response. "Gianna, why don't you help her feel more comfortable, okay?" My mother steps away but not out of sight, knowing the girls are likely to come back.

  "My name is Gianna. What's yours?"

  Finally finding her voice, she introduces herself to me. "Liliana. Thank you for helping me." She looks down at the ground as if embarrassed. "They could have hurt you. You are really brave."

  I laugh at her words. "Oh no, I'm anything but brave. I don't even know where that came from."

  She stares at me, baffled. "Well, thank you anyway.”

  "Do you want to come sit with me?" She nods her head as she follows me back to my bench, as we plop back down.

  After a moment of sitting in silence, she speaks up again. "I can't believe you punched her."

  "Me either. You should have seen Marcella’s face when I hit her. She was not expecting that at all." We both pause in silence for a moment before erupting in giggles. Finding a bit of satisfaction in knowing justice was served.

  After we catch our breath, we look over at each other. I know of this girl. Her mother died recently, and it’s no secret her father is cruel to her. Anger wells inside of my little body at how unfair life is. That I have parents that care for and protect me, but she doesn’t. As I look at her hopeful eyes, I decide that I will be there to help her. Protect her when I can. Nobody should be alone, having to defend themselves. I will learn to be tough, and I will teach her to be too.

  Neither of us says anything as we sit there. I know this girl will be a part of my life from here on out, and that I want to protect her. From that day on, something changed inside of me. Gone was the shy, scared girl holding onto her mother's leg as I knew I would need to be brave and hide my fears to survive. If you don’t, you’ll never survive.

  1

  GIANNA

  Present-day

  Calling Liliana this morning gets me excited about tonight. We are going out to a new club for her birthday, and I can't wait to get out and around people tonight. Though, before she comes over, I have to meet with my father first. He needs to discuss some of the marriage proposals with me. Something I'm not looking forward to doing. Though it helps that my father promised he would allow me to help decide who I will be given to.

  On the drive over, I begin to wonder who may have asked for my hand. I lean back into the seat and gaze out the window. After finding out that Liliana is being forced to marry the embodiment of Lucifer himself, I'm not too thrilled at finding out who my potentials are. Though it reminds me to be grateful, my father is allowing my opinion on the matter, which is a rarity for women born of the mafia. Most don't get a choice or say when it comes to who they will marry. We are simply pawns given to another for our families to gain something in return. We are expected to be obedient, available, and submissive to our husbands, never speaking or acting out. I roll my eyes at the absurdity.

  Ugh, I can't see myself actually doing this. It's not me. To top it all off, I won't even be with Lil. We will both be alone. Ever since that day we met all those years ago, we have been inseparable. Always at each other's side. I don't have any siblings, so she is the closest thing to a sister to me. Our relationship isn't just friendship; it’s more than that for both of us. We have always had each other, been there to help support one another through everything, so knowing she will be forced to leave is hard to accept. I try to blow it off, hide behind sarcastic comments when inside it's a crumbling hit.

  We have been checking on her future husband in New York now and again, and he is quite appalling. He has zero respect for the fact he will be marrying Lil, but that's just how our men are. They don't care about us or our feelings. Every time I see the hurt on her face, it makes me want to strangle him with my own hands. Knowing that will never happen, I sigh as we pull up to my childhood home. Tucking away my emotions and anything related to vulnerability, I step out of the car. S
omething I learned to do a long time ago.

  Walking into our home, I make my way to my father's office, knocking on the door before I enter. "Come in." I hear him call out through the barrier. Opening the door, I peek inside.

  "Hi, Daddy."

  "Aw Gia, glad you're here. Come sit." He motions to the seat in front of his desk. Taking my place, he waits to begin our discussion getting right to the point. "There have been a few offers regarding your hand in marriage, and despite my best efforts to hold off as long as I can, they are futile now. I can't keep postponing the inevitable and risk angering any more families."

  Looking up at him, I nod. "I know, and you know I appreciate that you have. The freedom you have allowed me has been the best gift you could have given me." My gratefulness is sincere, as most fathers don't care about what happens to their daughters.

  He nods, acknowledging my gratitude before continuing. "As promised, I will allow you to have a say in whom you marry. But know you can't postpone this out by denying all that comes through. I have sent enough away already that if you do, the only thing left will be the older men looking for a spry young wife in their dying age.” I ponder over that option for a moment.

  Well, if they are going to die soon...

  My father gives me a stern look as if knowing what I am thinking. “Gianna, if you were to marry and they die while you are still at a marriageable age, you will be expected to remarry. Don’t get any ideas in your head. Just because they die doesn’t mean you are free to do what you wish. I will be expected to remarry you. I do not wish to see you end up with them just to be passed to another just as much as you don't wish it upon yourself. So I need you to work with me on this and not be stubborn. If you are, I will strip that right and pick someone myself. Am I clear?"

  "Yes, father," I grumble. There goes that idea. A deep sigh escapes my lips. I don't want to cause him any more grief. My father had been more than kind to me. Turning away suitors and marriage proposals that started to come in when I was sixteen. On my eighteenth birthday, he gave me the gift of freedom or his idea of freedom. He bought me an apartment off the coast and allowed me to live by myself, with the exception that I have guards everywhere I go. It has only been six months, but I have relished every moment of it even though I knew it would be short-lived.

  While growing up, my father was a kind and level headed man. He was stern when he needed to be, but he has always loved and cared for me. I can see it in everything he does for me, and knowing Liliana doesn’t have the same, it makes me appreciate what he does. "Okay, good. So now we can discuss the offers that have been made. So far, I have had three men request your hand. Amo Settini, Rafael Nino, and Mario Gerinno." He watches me as he gives me the names, trying to gauge my reaction. At the mention of Mario, my face pinches tight.

  "Not Mario, father. He is almost twice your age!"

  My father nods as if he expected that from me. "And the others?"

  "Amo is so boring, and Rafael is so cocky. He thinks the whole world should bow down to him. I would probably choke to death on his ego after only five minutes with him." I grumble as my father fixes me with a stern look.

  "Gianna, I thought you would work with me on this. Please don't make me have to revoke my promise.”

  “Fine. Can I at least have a little time to decide?"

  He watches me as if trying to read me. To see if I am just trying to delay the inevitable decision. Though I am, I will still decide, but I would like to think it over first. After staring at me between calculating eyes, he speaks. "I will allow you some time, but you won't be able to drag this out forever. Dante will be holding a banquet dinner for the Chicago Outfit to celebrate our alliances with them in welcoming the upcoming Capo. It is in a couple of weeks. I expect you to have a decision made by the time it is over. Understood?"

  My lips pursed in distaste. "Okay, I will."

  Leaning back in his chair, satisfied with my acceptance, he folds his hands in his lap. "Good. I'm glad we went over this. Now I have some things I need to wrap up before I go meet up with Dante later. Be sure to go say hi to your mother before you leave." I stand up, being dismissed from our conversation. Walking out of his office searching for my mother, I ponder over the decision I will soon be faced to make.

  2

  GIANNA

  I grab out two glasses and a bottle of wine as I wait for Liliana to arrive. After today with my father, I am desperate to get out and mingle. To flirt and pretend I am just an average girl and not weighing the pros and cons of marriage between two men, I would otherwise never pick. I mean, Amo is kind and gentle, but he is so dreadfully dull.

  Could I handle spending day in and day out with someone like that? Besides that, I am not attracted to him in the least, but he would treat me well. Then there is Rafael. While he is considered good looking, he has an ego the size of a meteor. I'm sure sex would be more natural until he opened his big mouth and said something about how lucky I am to please someone like him. He probably doesn't even know how to use his own cock. I roll my eyes. Ugh, do I suffer through the sexual aspect and be treated like a queen, or live with a narcissist and at least not cringe at his affection?

  My doorbell rings, pulling me from my internal back and forth. Jumping up, I grasp the door, not bothering to check as I fling it open. I grab hold of Liliana's wrist as I drag her in and slam the door shut in her guards’ faces. I can't stand any of them; they are all horrible, just like her father.

  I pull her into a quick hug before leading her back to the master room and bathroom to get ready, grabbing the glasses and wine from the kitchenette on the way. She seemed to be in a slightly sour mood still, even after our shopping trip yesterday. I wonder if she saw something else that hurt her from that reincarnation of Hades she has to marry. As we begin to get ready, it doesn't take long before she opens up, telling me what has her so pissed off, spilling out all the details. By the time she is finished, I am gapping at her, surprised that Nicoli came back.

  "Are you fuckin serious? He showed up here yesterday? Like he is in L.A. now?" I paused, getting over my shock and dissatisfaction that I shouldn’t be feeling. A selfish part of me secretly hoped he wouldn't, and she would be allowed to stay here in L.A. with me.

  I decide to switch the direction and focus on something else. "What was his expression like when he saw you, though?" I’d have killed to know his reaction when he saw her in the bikini I picked out—my chest boasters with pride. I’m so proud that she wore it. She is gorgeous; she just needs the confidence to flaunt it. It shows she is starting to be more sure of herself, getting more of a backbone.

  “G, did you not hear anything else I said?" She fixes me with a look of unbelief that that was what I'm concerned about.

  “Yes, of course I did.” I tone it down trying to sound more sympathetic. “Do you think Nico killed him?” I ask her, knowing that she feels guilty over it. Nico didn't have to harm him. She may have flirted with the man to get a rise out of Nico but it wasn’t really her fault. She has too kind a heart to be a part of the mafia. She possesses something rare; kindness and compassion for most everyone.

  “I don’t think so, but I know he had one of his men beat him up pretty bad.”

  "You must have looked fucking hot in that bikini for him to go off the rails so bad.” I wink at her knowing she looked damn good in it just as I knew she would. She shakes her head in disbelief at me. I lost that kind of kindness and innocence a long time ago. Every time I would stand up to someone for her, I grew a little harder each time. I don’t resent her for it; in fact, I am grateful. You have to be indifferent to the things around you. If not, this world will break you, and I’ll be damned if this world or anyone else does.

  We shuffle back into the room to finish getting ready before heading out for the night. We spend the night dancing together, and I try to pull Liliana out of her shell some more. When a couple of guys begin taking an interest, I pull her to me, making a show of grinding sexily on her, trying to pull out her in
ner vixen. It doesn’t take long until we are torn apart by the two perverted men as they insert themselves between us. While I'm focused on trying to rid myself of this handsy asshole, I glance around. I panic, not seeing Liliana anywhere, knowing I need to find her because her guards are about as useless as a water gun in a shootout. After slamming my heel into the guy's foot and ramming my shoulder into him, I knock him over. I scurry off to try and find her in the mass of bodies.

  Searching through the crowd is useless. I begin pushing through, trying to catch sight of her striking red hair. I make my way to the exit wanting to be sure no one can drag her out without seeing her. As I come to the entrance, I glance around again, looking down the short hallway leading outside. My stomach bunches as I contemplate if someone actually got out of here with her.

  Wanting to glance out to make sure she isn't out there, I hurry down the hall. Stepping out into the fresh night air, I look out into the darkness. Scanning around, I turn, startled when I find a large man leaning up against the club wall, cigarette in hand, watching me. I find myself unable to peel my eyes off him in return as I just stand there idiotically.

  "Lose something darlin'?" A slow, easy grin pulls on his lips. I'm drawn to his voice. It's smooth and rich like a honey bourbon, though like most liquors, I know there is always bound to be some kind of after-burn. I can’t look away, but something has me cautious about him, setting off alarms in my head. I brazenly stare at him, not bothering to hide my eyes as they wander over him. Attraction immediately pools in my belly like melted butter. I gaze over his thick build with corded muscles winding around his arms. I feel like my legs might give out as I take in his bulging veins visible underneath an intricate sleeve of tattoos.