by Piper Stone
She glanced into my eyes when I walked in, shaking her head slightly as if incredulous at my reaction.
A round of truth was in order.
“I don’t know what you read in the papers or saw in the news, but the contract on my family was real, the outcome lethal. Both my brother and I were meant to be killed at the same time, eliminating what my father spent decades building.” I walked around her, grabbing the trash can from under the sink. Crouching down, I carefully picked up several of the larger pieces of broken glass.
“Crime. Your father didn’t build anything, Gio. Your father used criminal activity to acquire a kingdom. That is what I believe.” Her retort was just as it had been before, spiteful.
“We’ve been over this. I won’t lie to you, what my family had been responsible for as well as what they endured crosses every line of decency. The empire I’m now responsible for is worth millions. There are several other syndicates that want to muscle in. This wouldn’t be a business transaction, Veridi. This would involve bloodshed, including the possible killing of innocent people. I don’t and won’t condone that kind of behavior, but I won’t have any choice in the matter. Not if things escalate.” Stopping, I gave her a stern look.
She clenched her jaw, finally nodding. “Then what are you going to do? Shoot them? Are you going on a killing spree?” She crouched down beside me, grabbing fruit and muffins. I could see her hands were shaking.
I hesitated before answering, knowing that whatever I said to her could be used against me in several ways. “That isn’t my plan right now, but I will save what belongs to me. There is someone in my organization who betrayed my family. There is no other way for anyone to have known about the lunch meeting that my father organized and called. That is the worst kind of enemy, Veridi, the one you don’t see coming. As of today, there are many who believe I died in the Chicago hospital, but many others don’t buy it.”
“Hence the assassination attempt? The need for the gun?”
I laughed, the bitter taste of bile filling my throat. “That was...” The anger resurfaced and I tossed a handful of garbage into the bin then clenched my fist. She certainly didn’t need to see my wrath.
“You don’t know who was behind that. Do you?” Her eyes opened wide. Without looking, she reached down.
“No. I have my instinct, but until I know for certain, both you and I are in danger. Just stepping outside this house could mean your death.”
Veridi licked her lips, finally quivering visibly. “They know where you live?”
I noticed the string of blood on her finger before she did, yanking her wrist into the light. “You cut yourself.”
Wincing, she tried to laugh it off. “It’s nothing.”
“No, this looks fairly deep.” I pulled her onto her feet, walking us both toward the sink and turning on the water. The closeness and our strong connection were irrefutable, electricity dancing between us. I gently eased her hand under the water, watching as the blood washed away. The moment was oddly cathartic, all her words about the monster inside resurfacing. She was right. I was no good for her or anyone else.
And still, I hungered for her.
When the water ran clear, I held her hand into the light of the window, examining for any remnants of glass.
“To answer your question, only those closest to me, including the man I believe to be responsible know my address. They will come here first, knowing I don’t like to hide.”
“Then why Columbus?”
“Because I was in a weakened condition and I was coerced.” I could see a different level of light shining in her eyes, maybe even a hint of respect for what I was going through. I yanked a paper towel from the roller, blotting the visible slice in her finger. “When I said that you couldn’t leave under any circumstances, I meant for your own safety. If anyone were to find you here, having learned about our relationship in any manner, you would be the first target. They will kidnap you, take you to an undisclosed location where they will use you against me.”
She swallowed, looking away. “You mean they’ll kill me?”
“Not at first. They will take their time.” Blood seeped into the paper towel, riling me yet again. Removing it, I reacted, pulling her finger into my mouth.
Veridi seemed startled at first, her breathing scattered. A slight smile crossed her face and she inched closer. “You can be so gentle, Gio, so loving.”
The copper taste of her blood was sweet instead of bitter but still left a sickening feeling in my stomach. I wanted to hold her close, keeping her safe from the world. I finally eased her finger from my mouth, waiting for a few seconds to see if it would start bleeding again. “Not to everyone. You need to understand that people involved in my line of work are ruthless. They have no humanity. They will enjoy capturing you.”
Her mouth opened wide, the magnitude of what I was facing finally settled in. “I am going to die.” She jerked her hand out of mine, the tender moment quickly forgotten.
“Not as long as I’m alive.”
“Jesus. How can you live this way? You keep a gun with you at all times. You have men protecting you. My guess is that your car is bulletproof. How can you be so terrified of everything and everyone around you?”
“Because I don’t know any different. Because my life was determined the second I was born. This is my world. This is my life. I don’t have the luxury of choices right now. My brother is missing, and I have to presume by now that he could be dead. I have no one else in my life that I care about. No one.” I knew the words were cold, harsh but she had to hear them. I moved closer, taking her hand. She was stiff at first, but relaxed, her body slumping. “I truly don’t want anything to happen to you. Rules are meant to be obeyed for a reason. This is something that you’re going to have to learn one way or the other.”
Her look became wry. “So you are going to punish me.”
“Whether you believe this or not, I believe in consequences for bad behavior. However, I refuse to discipline you in anger. I just...” The words dropped off. She was the epitome of honest and professional, her thoughts never shifting to the dark side. I had never dealt with anyone like her, my needs always swarming around something easier to tolerate. She was anything but.
“Well, then I guess I deserve your punishment.” Her words were said with a bitter laugh. “But you can’t keep me prisoner for the rest of my life.”
“And I hope that I won’t have to.”
“You might as well get it over with. If you believe I deserve to be punished for trying to see the sun, then go for it. I’ll certainly learn to understand.” She held her head high. “I need to check you over.”
“I’m fine, Veridi and taking my medication as required.”
“There could still be complications. I’m still your doctor.”
I pulled her hand to my lips, kissing her fingers tenderly. The electricity shooting through me continued to increase, swelling until I had difficulty thinking clearly. That would need to stop. Whatever was about to occur, and I was fully prepared for both barrels, would change the course of both my life as well as Veridi’s. “I appreciate your care and you can certainly double check the wound later. Now, I have some business to attend to. Antonio is on his way. I trust him implicitly.”
“How can you?” she asked.
“Because he was the one who saved my life.”
“What if that was a ploy?”
I hadn’t expected her question, the concept a possibility. “Something for me to keep in mind. At this point, he knows exactly what will happen to him if he as much as lays a finger on you. However, you will stay inside this house. I will not lock you in your room unless you disobey me again. We will deal with your infraction when I return.” My cock was stiff, pressing hard against my pants. Everything about this woman rattled the fuck out of me. Sadly, she would be forced to learn what I was made of. “Do you promise me?”
She chewed on the inside of her mouth. “Sure. Yes, I promise.”
&nb
sp; I sensed there was something else she wanted to say, her mind reeling with the limited information I’d given her. I realized that for the first time in my life, I hated being a Calduchi.
But that could never matter.
She seemed even more vulnerable, so young and so helpless, but I knew she could put up a fight if necessary and I adored her for it. Cupping her face, I rubbed my thumb back and forth, longing for all the time in the world to get her to trust me without keeping her under lock and key.
But that could never happen.
I smiled at the irony, weary from the battle already. “I shouldn’t be that long. Mrs. Saltori will be here later today to make us dinner. We will get through our business first.” When she didn’t say anything, I headed for my office.
“Gio.”
“Yes?”
“Be careful. I do know what it’s like to live in a bubble, a glass house in which everything could shatter for any reason. I can handle what you’ve been required to do and your reasons for doing so, at least to a point. We all have our crosses to bear, but the man you allowed me to see even for a short period of time isn’t a killer. He has a good heart. Try and remember that.”
I let out a long breath. She had no real understanding of the man I was, but hearing her concern propelled more fear into my system than I’d experienced in my lifetime. For the first time in my life, I had something to live for.
I walked into my study, yanking out the bottom drawer. The small box had been the last gift my father had given me and one that I’d shoved away. The symbol was important and not only to our family. Perhaps my father had experienced a premonition about his death. I fingered the box, accepting the terms of the next portion of my life. Today I had to make myself known as the leader. The velvet box was embossed from the finest jeweler in town, the only one my father had ever used.
The ring was eighteen-carat gold and black onyx studded with diamonds and rubies, one very similar to a ring my father had worn since the day he turned twenty-one.
The day he accepted his place.
I chuckled, shaking my head. My father’s brutality had been the very reason for his push into the helm. In a way, it was also the very reason I was forced to don the ring myself.
After slipping it onto my finger, I clenched my fist, thinking only of my love for Veridi.
I would die to keep her safe.
* * *
Veridi’s words continued to stick in my mind, something gnawing at me. She was hiding a terrible secret, pretending that whatever had occurred before had never occurred. What? Was she more than just an accident in my life?
I placed a call to Marco. “Hey. I need a favor.”
“Sure, boss. What do you need?”
“Find out everything you can about Dr. Veridi Mason. I know that she’s from Chicago and I suspect she’d hiding something significant from her past.”
“Okay. I’ll see what I can do. What does this have to do with New York muscling in?”
“Hopefully nothing. Call me with what you find but first, contact all the remaining capos and made men. Have them meet me at the conference center.” The building we used doubled as a high class gambling facility, the business completely on the up and up. I’d abhorred going to it when my father was alive. Right now, it seemed like the only logical place, even though the Feds could be watching. My first stop was important. “One hour.”
“You got it, boss. What about Michael? We can’t keep the meeting from him.”
I debated the options. The best way to uncover a rat was to treat him as a confidant. “Give him a call. Tell him about the meeting, but nothing more.” I heard the serious glitch in his voice, the deep exhale.
“You’re sure about this, boss?”
“Positive.”
“O-kay. I’ll have it set up.”
There was a chance that I could tell by Michael’s face whether he’d betrayed me. The man was a damn good actor, but I was much better at playing the game of deception. I hoped I was wrong about Veridi but I had to flesh out every one of my enemies.
The drive was without incident, the parties already in place. My father had counted on protection from a division of the local police, providing them with certain amenities from time to time. They owed me. They owed my family.
I stormed inside without knocking, keeping my cool as I walked into the protected room. All three men stood, giving me a nod of respect. Captain Tony Talifero was close to retirement, his accounts padded over the years. The two officers were under his watch, both with families in the organization.
“You’re looking good, Giovanni. The reports said you were on death’s door,” Tony said.
“They said you were dead. That’s what the newspapers are reporting,” Officer Luciano chimed in.
I nodded, sweeping the room with my eyes. “That’s what I wanted them to think.”
“And now?” Captain Talifero asked, a grin popping on his face.
“Let’s just say my resurrection is imminent.”
The captain whistled. “You’re sure that’s a good idea?”
“It’s what needs to happen, Tony,” I countered.
“You know best,” he said, waiting to see if I’d offer anything else.
I didn’t.
“I am sorry about your father, Gio. He was a good man.” Captain Talifero’s voice held sincerity.
“He was a monster and you and I know that,” I retorted. “However, he was killed in cold blood and I want whoever is responsible. That’s where you come in.” I could see the nervous looks between them.
“We don’t want a turf war on the streets, Gio. That just can’t happen. You know that.”
I glanced at the captain. “I’m well aware of the difficulties within the Chicago Police Department. I have no intention of destroying the city. I simply want the man responsible for the restaurant shooting. He will be made an example of on my terms, but I will need your help. The Feds are becoming an issue. I need them held back as much as possible for two days. That’s all I need.”
Officer Garner snorted. “They don’t listen to us.”
“Yeah, well, there are a few things we can do, but only for a limited period of time. This is hot news right now. Everybody wants more information. Hell, it’s been difficult keeping the press out of our fucking hair,” Tony stated, a gleam in his eyes. “But Gio, be careful what you do. You weren’t responsible for your father’s death, but from what I’ve heard through the grapevine, the Feds think they have a way to force your organization to fold. They’ll use this against you in any manner they can.”
I was aware of the possibilities. Even the Feds could be conniving when they deemed it in the best interest of humanity. “Let me worry about my family. You take care of the rest.”
“Tall order, but we won’t fail you,” Tony offered, patting me on the back. He recoiled in just a few seconds, as if touching me would taint him even more than his corrupt behavior already had. He and his trusted officers were neck deep in our business, benefitting in significant ways.
“I don’t care what you do or how you do it, and I don’t need to know details. Keep the Feds away from my property and my businesses at all costs.” I issued the order with no room to compromise. What I had in mind needed to work succinctly.
“They want to see the body, Gio, that much I know. I assume there is a body.” Tony shrugged.
I didn’t bother answering and they certainly weren’t privy to details regarding my business.
“We can’t keep them out for much longer. They certainly don’t work for us. You know how the Feds handle this.”
“I’m certain you’ll think of something. Won’t you?” I issued a slight smile. “We won’t be in touch again until this is over.” There would be no references to this meeting and no second conversations. I locked eyes with all three of them before heading toward the door. Task one complete.
“What about a funeral, Gio? I’d like to pay my respects to Montego.”
I knew ju
st how close the two men had been. Sadly, there’d been no time to consider such an option. “You’ll be there, Tony. I’ll make certain.”
“Thank you, Gio. Take care of yourself.”
That was the second time I’d heard the comment in less than an hour. I had a bad feeling karma was catching up with me.
* * *
I was purposely ten minutes late, knowing the others would make certain they were on time. Michael’s Cadillac was in his allotted parking space, just as I suspected it would be. I’d normally walk in through the front door, enjoying the floor show as well as the recognition, but on this day, I wanted to keep the fact I was alive on the down low for as long as possible. The back entrance was ours exclusively, allowing a certain level of anonymity. The basement of the building also housed certain precious objects.
Guns.
Ammunition.
We had an arsenal and neither the Feds nor the police were the wiser. They’d raided the club several times, finding nothing but a legitimate business. My father had made certain he had safe zones in various parts of the city. Even Michael didn’t know them all.
I headed down the hall, taking my time. I waited just outside, peering in. There was the usual chatter, most of them with a drink in their hand. I stood in the shadows, able to see Michael holding court, sitting at the head of a massive mahogany table, the very seat my father had last sat in. I was surprised my anger was subdued, an empty feeling replacing it. I was the new don, the boss and they would heed my command.
When I walked in, conversation all but immediately ceased, every man turning in my direction, nodding in respect.
“Gio. You’re alive. The rumors were false.” Michael didn’t immediately rise from his seat, only doing so when I took two additional steps.
“A necessity,” I answered.
“My condolences with regard to your father. He was a great man and a true friend,” Michael said softly.
“My father certainly trusted you, Michael,” I purposely answered, holding out my arm. I loathed the traditions that my father had always used, the kissing of the ring. The shock as Michael’s eyes fell onto the surface, the realization that whatever attempt on my life had been foiled not once but twice, solidified my belief that he was the man responsible.