Dark Obsession (Famiglia Book 4)

by Andrea Joy

  The silence around us stretches on far longer than it should until finally someone clears their throat and one by one, they each step forward to introduce themselves to Salvatore and welcome him. I linger at the back, willing Sofia to look at me, to tell me what the fuck is going on. To tell me that this is some sick joke. Anger pumps through my blood when she doesn’t say anything.

  Grunting a half-assed welcome to her date, I turn tail and head into the kitchen making a beeline for the fifty-year-old bottle of scotch Toni brought up from the basement earlier. I don’t think he meant for the bottle to be opened tonight, but I don’t give a fuck. I have the same bottle at home I’ll replace it later. Right now, I have a one-track mind. How fast can I get drunk enough to not have to remember this night in the morning.

  “What the fuck was that?” Toni asks, walking into the kitchen and coming to a stop beside me. He reaches out for the bottle as soon as I put it down and fills his own glass.

  “I got fucking played that’s what the fuck that was,” I say, tossing back the rest of the liquid in the crystal glass. With it now empty, I twirl it around, watching the way the late evening light reflects off the jagged edges.

  “Got another one of those glasses.” Alessandro tips his chin indicating the glass in my hand as he comes to a stop on the other side of me.

  Reaching up, I get another one from the cupboard above us and hand it to him. Toni hands him the bottle of scotch and the three of us turn to lean against the marble countertop. Each of us staring out across the kitchen and out the backyard, but neither of us saying a word for a while.

  “Is that?” Alessandro starts.

  “Yeah,” Toni answers.

  Like a synchronized dance, the three of us lift our glasses and take a drink.

  “Do you think she knows?” I ask, dreading the answer but needing to know if our business has been compromised from the minute Sofia came back from California. My stomach rolls at the idea of Sofia having played all of us. I can’t… no, I refuse to believe that she’s been working with the cartel this whole time. I refuse to believe that she’s the mole we’ve been trying to flush out within the Famiglia. Braxton will lose it. He’ll make sure Simon dies a painful death for manipulating his cousin against him and then… then he’ll…

  “No,” Alessandro says at the same time Toni says, “absolutely not.”

  “What the fuck do we do now? No way in hell Braxton’s going to let this happen.”

  “We need to find out what he has on her,” Alessandro suggests, like there’s no way Sofia would be with him if there wasn’t some sort of strings being pulled that neither of us know about.

  Antonio grunts in agreement. I recognized Simon as soon as he stepped foot through Toni’s front door behind Sofia. It wasn’t hard since we’ve all been studying the profile Braxton made on him before he was forced to flee the country. Not a lot of people have seen Simon’s face, but a chance video security footage outside one of his warehouses, caught the mystery man’s face.

  “Did he really think we wouldn’t recognize him?” Toni asks no one in particular.

  I see Alessandro shrug in my peripheral and throw back the rest of his drink. “We’re probably the only few who know who he really is. No one is supposed to have seen his face. The men he has working for him don’t even know what he looks like. He’s made sure of that.”

  “Plausible deniability,” I say. “Simon Mendoza doesn’t exist in any government database and without a face to put to the name, there’s no way for anyone to run facial recognition to find out his true identity. He can easily move from country to country without anyone knowing that he’s the one supplying drugs to their country’s youth and homeless. That he’s responsible for the mounting overdoses.”

  Toni and Alessandro curse but there’s another voice in amongst theirs too. I hadn’t even notice Jessika enter the kitchen or saddle up beside Alessandro. Doesn’t surprise me, though. The woman was an assassin for the Russian Bratva. Hell, her uncle is head of the Bratva, has been ever since Jessika killed her father. Viktor Romanov is also now part of the Family, ever since he shacked up with Stefan’s sister, Gemma. It’s a weird partnership, but I can’t deny that it works. If for no other reason than to try and keep each family’s enemies at bay. Someone would have to be an idiot to want to take on both the Famiglia and the Russian Bratva. Simon has no idea the hell he’s just brought down on his head.

  “What do we do now? Sofia is out there talking wedding venues with Kai,” Jessika says, stepping out from under her husband’s arm to stand facing the three of us.

  “Now, we get Braxton back here and we figure out a way to put an end to this once and for all.”

  Toni snorts into his drink and Jessika’s lips twitch into a smile while Alessandro drops his chin to his chest and shakes his head.

  “We’ve finally corrupted the lawyer,” he says on a groan then slaps a hand on my shoulder. “Mason, man, you were supposed to stay the nonviolent one.”

  “The fuck are you talking about?”

  “If looks could kill, Simon would be a pile of limbs sinking to the depths of the ocean,” Jessika says.

  “Well… that’s unnecessarily graphic,” I say, shifting my weight from one foot to another while I try to ignore the sound of Sofia’s laughter floating in from the living room.

  Chapter Twenty-One

  SOFIA

  Simon’s fingers dig into my hips as we stand side-to-side just inside the front door of Toni and Kai’s house. I can feel Mason’s assessing eyes on me, but I do my best to look anywhere but at him. I can’t. I know if I do, Mason will see all this for the lie it is and I can’t risk that. When we were in the car on the way here, Simon warned me that I had to do everything I can to make sure that not just Mason but everyone else buys that this relationship is real. Like I didn’t already know that. I’ve quickly realized that the man has a way of talking down to those around him, as if they’re children. Actually, that’s an insult to children everywhere. Simon has a way of talking down to the people around him like they’re nothing but the dirt under his shoes. His to use and manipulate the way he sees fit to benefit him. Asshole.

  Kai gestures for us to come in and we follow everyone else to the impressive formal dining room. The food’s already laid out down the middle of the table in dishware that probably cost more than my education.

  “Aunty Sofia!”

  I turn at the sound of Liliana’s voice and drop down on my haunches just in time for her to slam into me, wrapping her arms around my neck in a hug.

  “Hey, bug. I’ve missed you. Are you having fun staying at Uncle Alex and Aunt Jess’s place?”

  Lily pulls back and nods. Her blond curls bouncing with the up and down movement. “Coop and I watch movies all day long,” she grins, twin dimples appearing on her cheeks. We have no idea where she inherited those from since Braxton nor Klara have dimples.

  I twirl a small section of her hair around my finger and tuck it behind her ear. “Aunt Jessika curled your hair today.”

  She grins. “Like Brave.”

  I laugh, glancing down at the green dress she’s wearing. For the last several months, Lily has been obsessed with all things Disney and Pixar, and honestly, who can blame her? They’re pretty freaking awesome.

  “We tried getting her to sleep in a braid so that it would match the style more, but she complained that they were too tight,” Jessika says, standing behind me, smiling down at Lily.

  “Lil!” Coop calls from his seat down the other side of the long table.

  Without another word, Lily bounds over to the seat beside him and beams when he tries to secretly hand her one of the dinner rolls. I giggle, standing to my full height and running my palms down my thighs.

  “That girl has a carb addiction,” Jessika says, but there’s no malice to her tone.

  “Don’t we all.”

  We laugh. Jessika throws an arm around my shoulders and pulls me into a sisterly hug. “It’s good to see you, Sofia.�
��

  “You just saw me last week,” I say, rolling my eyes.

  She’s quiet for a while. Her emerald eyes ping ponging between mine and then over my shoulder to Simon who’s in a conversation with Kai. Jess leans in to whisper in my ear so no one else can hear. “You know you can tell me anything, right?”

  I only pull back enough so I can look into her eyes again. A knowing glint shines beneath the green. I swallow hard and nod.

  “I’m going to go see what’s holding up the other guys and then we can eat,” she says, and then with one last parting look hurries toward the kitchen.

  “What was that about?” Simon asks, his breath warm against my ear as he grips my hip in one hand from behind.

  I squeeze my eyes shut, grateful that he can’t see my facial expression and draw in a deep breath before pasting a smile on my face and turning in his arms. Laying a palm on his chest, I reach up and plant a kiss on the underside of his jaw, fully aware of Kai watching us and knowing he’ll be reporting to the others once we leave.

  “Nothing. She was just pissed that I missed the last Netflix and wine night.”

  Simon’s dark eyes narrow on my face, his grip tightening around my hips until I wince at the pain, but he doesn’t remove his hands. “Don’t fuck this up, Sofia,” he says, dropping his mouth to my ear and licking up the curve. I shiver, but it’s not one of pleasure, and fight the bile threatening to rise up.

  “I won’t.”

  “Where’s your cousin?”

  I fight the reaction to tense beneath his hold. Just because I agreed to do this, doesn’t mean I’m going to give away my cousin’s location or anything about the Famiglia.

  “He and Klara went on a second honeymoon,” I say instead, keeping it vague and thankfully he seems to buy it. It’s not a total lie. If it weren’t for the threat of prison time, they could totally count this trip as a second honeymoon.

  It’s another several minutes before Jessika comes back with Toni, Alessandro, and Mason in tow. The rest of us take our places around the table and then Alessandro says grace. Toni and Kai have pulled out all the stops for dinner. There are barbecued ribs, chicken, steak, and burgers for the kids. There’s potato salad, cold macaroni salad, Greek salad, and homemade dinner rolls.

  “This all looks so good, Kai,” I say, taking in the array of food as people begin passing dishes around.

  Kai grins, a blush working its way across his face. Beside him Toni clears his throat with a petulant pout on his lips. “Hey, what makes you think he did all the cooking?”

  Alessandro snorts. “I’ve seen you burn water, man.”

  Toni sighs. “One time. That was one time. Plus,” he gestures to all the meat, “I can grill.”

  “Just because you can, doesn’t mean you should,” Alessandro smarts.

  “He’s actually gotten a lot better,” Kai interjects, throwing an arm around his husband.

  “Thanks, babe.” Toni grins around a bite of steak.

  “Anytime.” Kai returns the grin. Their faces so close together, any closer and they’d be kissing which by the look passing between them is exactly what they’re both thinking right now too. Right on cue, Toni swallows and leans closer to take Kai’s lips in a kiss that should be illegal at the dinner table but is so fucking hot. A piece of dinner roll lands against the side of Toni’s head, making them pull apart. He eyes the offending object and then glances over at Jessika.

  “Keep it PG in front of the kids.”

  Toni growls, muttering something under his breath I can’t make out and squirms in his seat a bit before settling and going back to the food on his place. Kai chuckles, leaning in to whisper something in his husband’s ear. Whatever it is has Toni beaming. They don’t try to devour each other’s mouth again for the rest of dinner.

  “We need to talk,” Mason says, slipping into the bathroom behind me.

  “What are you doing? I need to pee!” And also, I can’t chance Simon having seen Mason sneak in here with me.

  He shrugs, leaning back against the door and crossing his arms over his chest. “So pee.” A look of indifference on his handsome face.

  “Mason,” I growl, mirroring his stance.

  “Tell me this thing is a joke. Tell me you’re not really fucking him.”

  I stomp toward him and poke a finger in his chest, ignoring how hard it is beneath his shirt. “How dare you.”

  “How dare me?” Mason drops his arms, his hands clenching into fists at his side. His eyes a dark hole. “You begged me, remember? You begged me to give a relationship with us a try. You. begged. Me. Tell me something, Sofia,” he pauses, searching my face. “Was I just a convenient fuck while you waited for him to propose? Or does he not do it for you? Does he not know how to make you scream his name while he pounds into you from behind? Is his cock not big enough to make you gag?”

  Sometime during his little speech, Mason stepped forward until we’re toe to toe. His fingers wrapped around my wrist and the finger I had poking him in the chest is now my palm pressed against his pec. My breaths come in fast bursts and it feels like my heart is trying to beat out of my chest.

  “That’s not fair.”

  Mason scoffs. The sound ugly in the small room. “No,” he says, taking a step back so he’s pressed up against the door again. “You know what’s not fair? Forcing me to feel something again. You know what’s not fair? Making me fall in lo—” He snaps his mouth shut before the declaration can leave his lips.

  I want to tell him to finish what he was going to say. My blood roars in my ears and I’m pretty sure if my heartbeat doesn’t slow down, I’ll be in danger of a heart attack, but I need to hear him finish those words. I crave it.

  “What? Making you what, Mason?”

  He shakes his head and runs a hand through his hair. Tendrils fall over his forehead and my fingers twitch with the need to move them back in place. Mason’s lips part, his mouth opens like he’s about to say something but then it shuts again, and I want to scream. We stare at each other, less than a couple inches separating us in the hall bathroom. It would take nothing for me to reach out and pull him to me. To feel his arms around me again, to have his mouth back on mine. When he opens his mouth again, my heart soars.

  “Congratulations on your engagement, Sofia,” he says instead. Then turns and leaves me standing in the middle of the bathroom, my heart at my feet in tiny, shattered pieces. And the worst thing of all, is that it isn’t even his fault. The only person I have to blame is myself.

  Chapter Twenty-Two

  MASON

  Everything about today is perfect.

  She’s a vision in white, her blonde hair falling in loose curls down her back, the blue in her eyes stand out even more against the black mascara coating her lashes, as she walks down the aisle with her cousin at her side, standing in for the father she lost too soon. The white fairy lights wrapping around various trees lending the perfect amount of light as the sun set behind the Pastor. Guests in attendance already dab at their eyes as she floats pass them.

  It isn’t a big affair; she never did like being the center of attention. Hates it actually. But I can tell that the feeling of being the center of attention holds no weight today as she clings to the inside of her cousin’s elbow and gets her first full look at her groom.

  Everything about today is perfect. The only thing that could make the day any better is if it had been me, she’s walking towards. If it’s me waiting for her at the end of the aisle. It could’ve been. It should’ve been, but I’m a coward, and now the one woman I love above all is about to pledge her life, till death do them part, to the love of her life. I slip out the back once she reaches the top of the aisle and turns to the man worthy of her.

  And it isn’t me.

  I’ve just made it out the front door and down the front path toward my car when the door opens behind me again.

  “That’s it? You’re just going to leave and let her marry him?”

  I turn on the petite blonde,
hoping that I’ve managed to shut down my emotions enough for her to not see through it. It’s a waste of effort though because she always fucking sees through it. Pain in my ass.

  “She’s made her decision, Klara. Leave it be,” I say, then turn to continue on toward the white car.

  She huffs behind me and I can practically picture her rolling her eyes at my back like I’m the one infuriating her.

  “If that’s what you think, Mase, then you’re even more delusional than I thought.”

  I pause with my hand outstretched toward the driver side door. I look over the car at the woman who’s become like a sister to me over the years. Klara hasn’t had the easiest life over the last several years. She made the mistake of falling in love with my boss which brought her into the cross hairs of his psycho cousin and painted a target on her back. Dante was a sick son of a bitch who thought he could hurt Braxton by kidnapping Klara and raping her. It may have worked on another man, but not Braxton. That shit fuelled him, turned him into the monster worthy of the whispers that used to follow him around the GTA. He found Klara and other women in a warehouse his cousin was using to hold the victims of his human trafficking ring. Truth be told, if Braxton and his men hadn’t rushed the building when they did, those women along with Klara would’ve been sold to god knows who the next day, never to be seen again. Braxton got Klara back and Dante got what he had coming. I hope the bastard is rotting in Hell. That was five years ago. In those five years, Klara and I became close. It was a bond forged out of devastation. A need to make sure that nothing bad ever happened to her again. I found myself stepping in as her protector whenever Braxton had to go away on business.

  But in this moment, I regret ever having formed that bond. She learnt to read me better than anybody, no matter how much I try to be the ruthless man I’m known for in the courtroom and outside of it she somehow manages to see through the facade. I start to tell her to back off, but she beats me to it.