Dark Blood: A Mafia Hitman Romance

by Isabella Starling

  Matteo looks at me for a long time before answering. “No.”

  I can tell he’s lying and it pisses me off. I’m about to object when Cristiano yawns out loud and asks us how long we have left in the journey. I smile and answer him. He’s been such a good boy this whole trip, mesmerized by his first airplane trip. He looked out of the window for most of the trip and even visited the pilot in the cockpit. Finally, he dozed off after exploring the plane with the flight attendant.

  He comes to sit in my lap and I smile victoriously at Matteo. He gives me a sad smile in return, and it makes my insides hurt. I don’t understand his reservations, but I know I’ll do my damnedest to make sure the two most important men in my life get along.

  We land a few hours later. Cristian’s eyes are wide as he disembarks the plane. I have papers already waiting for him, and he lands on the ground as a U.S. citizen. It doesn’t matter how we arranged to get the papers for him. All that matters is that he’s here now and he’s legally a citizen.

  Carole is waiting for us in the airport, and I smile as soon as I see her. I’d grown to trust my father’s former right hand assistant over the past few weeks. As far as I’m concerned, she’s family now. But she looks worried, and as I get closer and embrace her, my smile slowly dissipates.

  “Something the matter?” I ask her once we break apart.

  “Miss Bianca….” She’s her usual nervous self, but there’s something else present in her demeanor today. She has something to tell me, and I’m not going to like it. “Can we go sit down somewhere?”

  “What’s this about?” Matteo’s arm wraps around my shoulders protectively, and I give Carole a long, searching look. “You may ride in the car with us and explain what is happening.”

  “Thank you,” Carole says simply, her face lighting up when she sees Cristiano hiding behind me shyly. “And who might this be?”

  I nudge him forward and introduce her to him as Auntie Carole. I’d like them to be close – it doesn’t matter to me that she’s part of the staff. In the past few weeks, she’s proven to be like family to me.

  With the help of our two guards, we get all of our luggage and the tiny backpack Cristiano brought with him, and load it into the car sent to take us home. Cristiano sits in the front seat with the driver this time, so he can see our surroundings, and because I can’t deny his excitement. Plus, Matteo and I need some alone time with Carole to find out what’s bothering her.

  As soon as the car starts moving, Carole begins to speak.

  “You were gone a few days,” she starts. “And I did my best to keep things in order. But news of your father’s death came out, Miss Bianca. I knew it would, and I knew what would happen…. But I was too afraid to warn you.” She clutches my hand and gives me a desperate look. We’ve had quite a few heart-to-hearts over the past few weeks, Carole and I.

  “What happened, Carole?” I ask. I’m worried. Surely nothing that big could’ve happened while we were gone. Daddy’s funeral hasn’t even taken place yet. I’m sure people respect that.

  “I….” She swallows a lump in her throat, and Matteo and I exchange worried glances. Finally, she starts speaking, and it’s as if a dam has broken. “I tried my best to stop them, Miss Bianca. I tried so hard, but they raided your father’s house, the one he lived in with Lorenzo…. They live there now.”

  “Who, Carole?” Matteo asks coldly. His touch against mine is hard and unrelenting. I can tell he’s pissed off – he always gets this way when someone disobeys him.

  “Romeo and Leonardo. Do you remember them, Bianca?” Carole asks me desperately.

  I furrow my brows. Yes, I remember the names – how could I not? They are my cousins, my father’s sister’s children. But they only have minor roles in the family business. My father never liked them. They were too young and too impulsive, he said. They’re my age, though I haven’t see them in years since I was at school, and even when I was still at home, we only saw each other at family functions.

  “What did they do?” I ask harshly.

  Carole sighs before speaking again. “They found out your father had passed away. News of that spread like wildfire…. They arrived in the mansion and claimed the family business couldn’t have a female successor. They took everything, and the staff was too afraid to fight them on it.”

  “So let me get this straight,” Matteo spits out through gritted teeth. “Two men basically broke into the Da Costa mansion and are now living there without Bianca’s permission. Fuck that.” He looks like an angry beast, and I squeeze his hand gently to encourage him to calm down.

  “They say it’s for the best if they take over,” Carole stutters. “They say you never wanted any part of the famiglia, anyway.”

  It’s true. I’ve expressed my opinion about the mob several times, even to my cousins. I’m sure they were aware of my decision of not wanting to be involved. But that doesn’t give them the right to barge into my father’s house only days after he passed away.

  “Your father,” Carole nods at Matteo. “He tried to stop them, but they wouldn’t listen. They are still there now, and the guards have pledged their allegiance to them as the new Da Costa heirs.”

  Well, fuck.

  “That’s going to be a problem,” Matteo says candidly.

  “But let’s deal with it once we get to the house,” I say, trying to placate him. He gives me an empty look, one I’ve come to recognize when he’s already made up his mind about something. I sigh softly and sink into my seat, wondering what will happen upon our arrival home.

  “And you’ve shacked up with this cazzo? Disgusting.”

  “Shut the fuck up before I break your teeth.”

  “Don’t threaten my brother, you son of a bitch.”

  “Get off him! Call help!”

  The last few hours have been a whirlwind. My cousins and Matteo are at each other’s throats and I don’t see it stopping any time soon. As soon as we arrived at my house, they greeted us with looks of steely determination. They’d even made some of my own guards pledge allegiance to them, and even I’m pissed as hell. But mostly I’m…thankful, and relieved.

  I never wanted the burden of the famiglia to fall on my shoulders. All I’ve wanted all along was to be a normal girl, not a pawn in one of my father’s – or now, cousins’ – games. I want to live a normal life with Matteo and stop fucking worrying about my obligation to the mafia.

  But I’m too afraid to speak up and talk about it. I’m worried because Matteo is so intent on me being the sole heir, and I don’t want to disappoint him by telling him it’s the last thing I want. Instead of saying it out loud, I stare helplessly at my lover fighting my cousins. I don’t know what to do, and Carole and I exchange uncomfortable glances as the men have a go at it.

  Romeo and Leo have changed since the last time I saw them. They used to be surly teenagers, but now they’re all grown up. They’re identical twins with bulky bodies, handsome as hell and determined to dethrone me. They treat me in a patronizing way that gets on my nerves, since we’re practically the same age. I don’t know how many times I’ve been told I don’t deserve to be heir today, and how stupid my father was to not come directly to them.

  I’m sure my father had his reasons for keeping the two boys out of this world. In fact, I remember him telling me on more than one occasion that my cousins were reckless and irresponsible, and given the way they’re acting today, I can’t help but agree.

  I can’t take it anymore, and when no one is looking, I slip out of the room. My father’s funeral is tomorrow. The last thing I need is to watch the man I love fighting with my remaining family.

  Carole rushes out after me and hugs me tightly. “I’m sorry, Miss Bianca,” she says sweetly. “I’ll do my best to keep things peaceful.”

  “Good luck with that,” I sigh with a small smile. “I need to get away for a bit, Carole. Tell Matteo I’m safe – I’ll take a guard with me. Just make sure I have some space to breathe. We’ll sort everything once I
get back, okay?”

  She nods, always understanding. I kiss her on the cheek before heading for the car, my guard in tow. “Where to, Miss Bianca?” he asks me, taking his place behind the wheel.

  “Take me to the cemetery, please,” I say. I haven’t visited my brother’s grave yet, and I’d like to put some flowers on my mother’s grave.

  The drive passes quickly, and we stop by my favorite flower shop en route. I pick out a bouquet of white roses for my mother, her favorite. My guard drives to the small family cemetery, and follows me at a polite distance as I head for my mother’s grave. I am thankful for that.

  I think about all the things that have changed in the past month or so. Matteo, finding love in the most unexpected place. Suffering at the hands of my kidnapper, Antonio. And now Cristiano, who is asleep, safe and sound in his brand new room in my house. I haven’t told my cousins about him just yet. That’s a story for another day, because I won’t let them take him away from me – and I’m fairly certain they’ll want to do just that.

  I approach my mother’s grave, and my guard steps into the shadow of a tall oak tree, his eyes always on me. I appreciate his discretion, and I set down the flowers on her gravestone with tears in my eyes. It’s always difficult coming here, even after all this time.

  “I see someone else knows what her favorite flowers were.”

  I turn around sharply, half expecting my kidnapper to be standing behind me. But instead, it is only an older gentleman, one I’ve come to know over the past few weeks. “Hello, Sir Abbate,” I say with a small smile.

  He approaches me, and I give my guard a sign letting him know it’s all right and that I’m safe. Abbate crosses his hands behind his back and I notice there is another single white rose on my mother’s grave. In fact, I can remember there always being one here. I always assumed it was from my father, but thinking back, he always gave my mother red roses, not white ones.

  “Is that from you?” I ask softly, pointing at the rose. Abbate simply nods, and my heart softens a little for this man whom I know almost nothing about.

  “Have you been bringing them all along?” I ask again, and he nods. “Thank you.” My hand finds his and he squeezes it gently.

  “You look like her,” he says. I look up and see tears in the older man’s eyes. He looks tired now, and worn out. I wonder what happened between my mother, him and my father. It mustn’t have been pretty. Someday, I make a promise to myself, I’ll find out the story.

  “Thank you,” I reply. On an afterthought, I add something else. “I love your son.”

  “I know,” he says with a heavy voice. “He loves you, too. It was apparent to me ever since the first moment he laid eyes on you. And it’s going to bring a lot of trouble for all of us.”

  “I think we’ll be okay.” I give him a brave smile. We’re still holding hands, and it feels…nice, albeit a little weird. He is my lover’s father, after all.

  “We went to get the boy,” I add on impulse. “His name is Cristiano.”

  Abbate looks at me, eyes wide. “Da Costa’s son?”

  I nod, and he smiles slowly. “I should like to meet him someday,” he admits, giving me a hopeful look. I’m shocked time and time again by the soft spots harbored by this tough, rough and relentlessly evil ma. . “Would that be possible?”

  “Yes,” I nod, already deciding I won’t keep Abbate out of Cristiano’s life. After all, the man played such a big part in finding my little brother, he doesn’t deserve to be kept out of the child’s life. “We’ll arrange it. You have my word– I promise.”

  A silence falls upon us as we gaze at the gravestone, but it’s not uncomfortable. My heart is beating steadily now, and I’m happy I came here to get some peace of mind. It has been helpful.

  “I heard about your cousins,” Abbate finally speaks up again. “Those two are going to give you trouble, I’m afraid.”

  “I don’t understand why.” I don’t try to hide my anger. I’m pissed as hell that two teenage boys are trying to run my house instead of me. “They have no right to do that. I know how to take care of things myself, and I don’t need anyone telling me how to do things.”

  “It’s not only about that,” Abbate explains to me patiently. “It’s the fact that you’re with my son now. Matteo belongs to the mafia family that has been your famiglia’s enemy for decades. Your cousins won’t easily accept that.”

  I contemplate his words, realizing they are true. The fact that my father forgave Matteo and me is a small miracle in itself, as he was definitely one to hold grudges. “I’m not giving him up,” I say softly. Honestly, I can’t picture my life without Matteo anymore. He is as much a part of me as I am a part of him.

  “I know,” Abbate sighs. “And that’s what’s going to make things difficult for you, cara.”

  I look at my mother’s grave again, but this time, I don’t find the inner peace within myself. All I find is worry about the punishment awaiting me for betraying my family.

  18

  Matteo

  As soon as I notice Bianca’s gone, I panic. But Carole assures me she only wanted some peace and quiet. I do my best to keep my mouth shut, even though all I want to do is strangle the woman who let her leave with only one guard. She’ll hear about this when she comes back, that’s for sure. I may have to spank her as punishment…. The mere thought makes me hard, but the moment is short-lived as soon as I remember what situation we’re in the middle of.

  Leo and Romeo are two of the biggest jackasses I’ve ever come across. They’re convinced they can waltz in here and steal Bianca’s empire, her inheritance.

  The problem is, they’re smart, young and charismatic jackasses. And we are at a disadvantage because we disappeared at a crucial time for Bianca’s family. Now they think they can simply take over her famiglia as if she’s merely a pawn. And worse, they seem pissed about the fact that she’s with me now.

  Her father may have forgiven us, but it seems the cousins are less lenient.

  When Bianca walks back through the door, I rush to her side and block out the screaming cousins for a second. I’m so fucking relieved she’s all right. I just need to feel her body against mine. She looks beautiful even after such a long flight and jetlag. But as soon as I have her in my arms, her body slumps, and she starts to cry ever so softly. It breaks my fucking heart. It looks as if the events of the past few days are finally catching up with her, and it hurts like hell to see her hurt this way.

  “You need to leave,” I bark at her cousins.

  “We’re not finished here,” Romeo hisses.

  “Yeah, we still need to talk to Bianca. Think of a punishment.” Leo grins, looking like a vicious little beast. I want to smack that smile off his face, the petty young bastard. I promise myself to beat the shit out of him the first chance I get.

  “Get the fuck out!” I roar at them. “My girl’s tired, and you’re trespassing.”

  “What are you gonna’ do?” Romeo mocks me. “Call the goddamned police?”

  I let go of Bianca for a second and she wobbles on her feet. In two swift steps, I reach her insolent cousin and punch him in the face, sending him flying halfway across the room into the wall. Leo glares at me in shock and with something that looks surprisingly like admiration.

  “Get. The. Fuck. Out of her house.” I stare them down and Romeo starts throwing insults at me in Italian. I don’t give a fuck, though. All I want is for the two of them to get lost once and for all. Or at least until tomorrow, when I’ll be able to deal with them better.

  “Fine, we’re leaving,” Leo grunts in my direction, helping his brother get up from the floor where he’s wiping blood from his mouth. “But we’ll be back, and you, cazzo, will pay for what you did to this family.”

  “Looking forward to smashing my fist into your face next,” I threaten, and walk back over to Bianca. A guard escorts them out of the house and I hold onto my girl, scooping her up in my arms. She’s so helpless, she just wraps her arms around my nec
k and cuddles closer to me.

  “Are you all right, princess?” I ask her, and she simply nods. I don’t ask another question, knowing she’ll tell me what happened in her own time. Instead, I carry her into her bedroom and lay her down on the bed. She yawns as I undress her slowly and help her put on a nightie..

  “I’ll be right back,” I tell her as I tuck her into her bed, pulling the covers up around her neck.

  “Where are you going?” Her voice is heavy with sleep already.

  “I’m just going to check on Cristiano.”

  She smiles triumphantly, so damned pleased that I care about the kid. I return the smile and kiss her forehead. “Sleep, princess. A guard is right outside, and I’ll be back in a little while.”

  She nods and closes her eyes. It seems as if she’s asleep in mere seconds, as her breathing evens out and she snores softly. I grin to myself as I leave the room. She’s so fucking cute.

  I head down the hall towards the room we’ve given her brother. For now, it’s just a guest room, but Bianca already made arrangements with a designer to come and help give Cristiano everything he could possibly want. The kid worries me, though. I don’t know why, but there’s something about him I don’t trust completely. I’m worried about him – he seems like he’s hiding something. But for fuck’s sake, he’s just a child. He’s barely ten. I needn’t worry.

  I crack open the door leading into his bedroom and peek inside. The kid’s head is poking out from the duvet, and he looks ridiculously small in the enormous bed. I step closer, letting a small sliver of light from the hallway seep inside the room.

  I reach for the kid, stroking his flop of messy hair. He needs to get that mop of hair fucking cut. He looks like goddamned Tarzan.

  As if he can read my mind, Cristiano’s eyes fly open.