“Martino wasn’t who Braxton—Agent Marshall—wanted.” She looked into the eyes of the man she loved. With great regret, she said, “Braxton wanted Dante.”
“Do you know why?”
She nodded. The more difficult part of the story always left her choked up. In the beginning she hadn’t understood what her husband was capable of, but by the time agents from the Information Operations Center Analysis Group closed in, she fully understood what he’d done.
To protect Martino, she made a deal with the cops and swore her brother-in-law was the real criminal, the monster of all men. She’d reasoned that her lie was a small one, a fib for the greater good—her family. In her mind, if Martino was a monster, Dante had to be involved somehow. They were brothers, family. They had many of the same connections, attended the same parties, and rubbed shoulders with the five families like everyone else in the mob.
“I fingered Dante for Martino’s crimes. I thought if Braxton believed Dante was guilty, the light of suspicion would be cast in another direction. Best of all, the spotlight would be off my daughter’s father.”
Dante stared at the ceiling. He took a deep breath. This was why she always hated talking about the past. She’d hurt Dante in order to save her husband, herself, and her daughter. She’d also had a very private agenda. She’d feared if she didn’t remove him from her life once and for all, she would betray the only man she’d ever loved up until that point—Dante’s only brother.
“How well did you know your cousin?” she asked, tearing her gaze away from Dante.
“Well enough,” Billy replied.
“I’m assuming in all of your twenty-something years, you and Martino were real close, so close in fact that in the eight years we were together, I never met you.”
“I’ve had plastic surgery, sweet thing. I’m thirty-five and I knew my cousin probably better than you did. It didn’t take me nearly half a decade to figure out he was a murderous son-of-a-bitch.”
The insult only stung for a minute. “Then why—”
Dante held up his hand and cleared his throat. “Go on, Brooklyn. You can ask questions later.”
She started to speak, but her breath caught in her throat. Who was Billy Mamazza? Better still, why was he there? Why was he playing the part of undercover? Why had he undergone a surgeon’s scalpel? What kind of hell would fall upon them if he happened to be running from the very men who’d killed Martino?
With great reluctance, Brooklyn said, “Braxton was getting too close. He knew about the Philadelphia mob murders. He knew about a few in New York. He was closing in and Martino had become very agitated.”
“Psychotic is more appropriate,” Dante said. “He was a danger to himself and everyone around him.”
She wouldn’t argue that point. She had a very difficult time facing the truth back then. She’d been crazy in love with a man who’d likely used her, bringing new meaning to keeping friends close and enemies even closer. “When Martino realized DNA evidence would be introduced in the murder trial being dubbed by the NYPD and the IOCAG as the mob’s nearly flawless murder party, we came up with a plan.”
“To frame Dante?”
“Yes,” she replied, dropping her head.
“And you went along with it?”
“Yes.” The tears came and as they rolled down her cheek, Dante quietly rose from his seated position and paced the floor. “I helped with the logistics of it. I figured if Martino was a murderer then Dante probably was, too. That was my reasoning. I didn’t know he had been deep undercover from the very beginning. I had no idea he was a mob snitch.”
“I’m not a snitch,” Dante said, obviously offended.
“What would you call yourself exactly now?” Billy asked, frowning.
The way Billy ended his question with emphasis troubled her. She let it slide.
“I’m on the inside,” Dante said. “I’m bound by the very blood oaths every other man in my family honored. The only difference is, I’m determined to right their wrongs.”
Dante was the man she’d always hoped his brother would be and here she was explaining herself, telling these men how she cast a shadow of doubt upon Dante’s integrity.
How could she have let Martino manipulate her so? She’d given up everything for him—her career, her happiness, and now maybe she would be forced to give up the very man she loved. Martino’s good brother, the brother who would love, honor, and protect her, which was far more than Martino had managed to do in the end.
“So Braxton cut a deal,” Billy said, processing. “He allowed Martino to walk because of you, with the understanding that you’d bring him Dante when he called in a favor?”
“Yes.”
Billy took a deep breath. “Things worked out for old Braxton, huh?”
“What do you mean?”
Billy chuckled. “Well who would’ve thought the two of you would’ve ended up in bed together after Martino died? Nothing drives a man’s mission or his anger more than the woman he loves in bed with his enemy.”
“I’m not Braxton’s enemy,” Dante reminded him. “At least I haven’t been.”
“Don’t worry,” Billy said. “By the time this is all over, you will be. Whether you’re the hunted or the hunter, he’ll want a piece of you. And I’m guessing, he’ll finally be done with Brooklyn, too, once he understands how well she manipulated him and his investigation. Heads are gonna roll, kids, and considering this investigation cost the state millions of dollars, I’m afraid the first noses to tilt downhill may be yours.”
Chapter Six
Billy may have thought the chances of Dante ending up in Brooklyn’s bed had been slim to none, but Dante had always known better. He’d known from the moment she’d traded his life for Martino’s. He’d figured out her motives, probably even understood them a bit better than Brooklyn had at that particular time in her life.
Ariela played an important role. Brooklyn loved her daughter more than anyone in the world and like most mothers, Brooklyn couldn’t stand the thought of Ariela growing up without a father, going to visit him in federal prison. She’d explained how her heart had ached for her child once she realized Braxton possessed a blood thirst for Martino, but he had a greater obsession than his jealousy.
He wanted to bring down notorious criminals, and she’d understood his ambitions. In doing so, she’d masterminded a scheme. Then, she blamed Dante for Martino’s wrongdoings.
Brooklyn needed him out of the picture anyway, something she’d readily acknowledged when he’d questioned her. She’d admitted how he’d affected her, but he’d always known. Still, her admission gave him great pleasure when she’d confessed her feelings, but even then she hadn’t fully explained how much she cared about him. He’d still had his suspicions.
From the moment she’d set eyes on him, she’d loved him, but their relationship was like a spark that couldn’t ignite. She was married to his brother and by all accounts, truly loved him, too.
When Dante had received the intelligence about what she’d done, he’d understood her reasons for cutting a deal, for swinging the drawn sword at the other brother, the one who didn’t comfort and hold her, the one who hadn’t fathered her child, and the one who hadn’t been granted with the opportunity to meet her first. Brooklyn needed him out of her life.
As much as it pained him at the time, he’d given them the gift of distance. He put some space between himself and his brother which had been for the best anyway considering Martino’s chosen career path.
Brooklyn rubbed her forehead. Her expression broke his heart. She still felt guilty over the things she’d done, the course she’d taken in life that ultimately had the potential now to destroy them both. They couldn’t change the past and unfortunately with the evidence she’d planted, there was a lot still left to sort out and overcome.
“I made a deal with Braxton and promised to move in whenever he called upon me to finish the job.”
“How did you know Dante would let you clos
e to him?”
They exchanged a knowing look. She took a deep breath and quietly said, “I always knew I could get close to him when the time came. What I didn’t know is that I would be more drawn to him than ever before. From the moment Martino died, I relied upon him.”
Dante winked. “I kind of blew her deal to kingdom come when she discovered I wasn’t anything like my brother.”
“I’ll bet,” Billy said. “How’d that work out for ya?”
“You were sitting in the boardroom when Braxton summoned me. How do you think it all worked out?”
“If I had to guess, you were relieved.”
“No, I wasn’t relieved. What he does is far more dangerous than being married to the big guy in the mob. I’m in love with a man who is not only deeply embedded in the mob, but he’s also about to betray several mob bosses and their families. Now that Braxton has called in his favor, Dante has no other choice but to let those on the inside know who he is and what he stands for. Considering who Braxton calls Papa now, we’re in trouble any which way we turn.”
“Wait there a minute,” Billy said, tilting his head to the side and narrowing his gaze. “Surely that’s not what you plan to do. You can’t come out, Dante. If you do, Ariela, Brooklyn, and her mother will be open season. With what you know, the heads of families will put a heavy price on your life. You don’t want that. I can’t let you do that.”
“I want this over,” Dante said. “Once we talk to Braxton, we’ll leave the country and never come back.”
“And you think you’ll be happy living on the run for the rest of your lives?”
Brooklyn looked down. He knew how difficult this was for her and he hated that she was involved with his life like this but they’d discussed it. They’d all made their choices in life. Before she ever belonged to his brother, Brooklyn lived a dangerous life, chose a treacherous career path.
He held her hand and brought her knuckles to his lips. “We’re ready to start our lives. Once we put the past behind us, we’ll face our future together and regardless of what the future holds, in the years ahead, as long as we’re together, we’ll be happy.”
“You’re putting an innocent child in danger,” Billy said, his voice ricocheting with anger.
“Not really,” Brooklyn said, walking over to the microwave and retrieving a manila folder from behind the oven. “Ariela’s father did that when he pulled the trigger and killed the mob’s favorite son. Ian Santiago wasn’t just a hit man. He was the grandson of Marco Santiago, head of one of the most powerful mafia families in the world.”
“I know who he is.” Billy took the papers Brooklyn handed him and shifted through the documents. Dante waited patiently until he read over the proof.
When he finished scanning the evidence, his arms fell to his sides. “There’s a hit on Ariela?”
“The sins of the father still fall upon the children in our world. You know that, Billy. Ariela and Brooklyn are both marked,” Dante said. “The hit on Brooklyn came down three days ago. They’ve tried to get to Ariela twice. We were lucky. She was here both times and we didn’t even know attempts had been made until after the fact.”
“So you were unprepared and lived to gloat about it? Are you out of your minds?”
“No,” Dante replied. “We’re prepared. The only thing I didn’t know for certain was when Braxton would call Brooklyn in and whether or not she planned to tell me or planned to carry on as usual, handle this on her own, which wouldn’t have surprised me.
“I suspected they might put pressure on her by showing her photographs of past Santiago hits or by telling her stories to rattle her. I wanted you in place for insurance.” He looked at Brooklyn and added, “I’m not sure if I ever really doubted you, Brooklyn. I know what you feel for me is substantial. You just love your daughter more. I was afraid Braxton would pull out all the stops and you might change your mind.”
“We discussed this. We had a plan and my plan was to stick with yours,” she told him, the hurt still evident in her voice.
“Then why don’t you two tell me what you’re thinking? See, I’m not following you. You left Ariela with your mother. Isn’t that right?” Billy asked, addressing Brooklyn.
“They’re in witness protection,” Brooklyn said, swinging her gaze to Dante. “I asked Harry to take care of them. I couldn’t trust Braxton.”
“Everything happened so fast,” Dante explained, detecting Billy’s building angst. “I knew Ariela and Brooklyn’s mother were going away and had Harry checked out through various resources.” He shot her a wink. “I was one step ahead of you there. I knew you wouldn’t let Braxton hide Ariela and your mom. I knew Harry was the only one you’d trust.”
“I was supposed to be informed, remember?” Billy’s nostrils flared. “When the hell were you going to tell me the kid wasn’t at Brooklyn’s?”
“That kid is my daughter,” Brooklyn reminded him. “I made an informed choice to place her in the care of a man who has had my back longer than you’ve been in this world.”
“We’ve already cleared up the age myth,” Billy said, giving her a heated glance, one Dante didn’t miss. “All I’m saying is that I must be kept in the loop.”
One thing about it, Billy was certainly a Mancini more than a Mamazza. Verbal banter stirred a man’s lust and played havoc on his testosterone. His cousin couldn’t keep his eyes off Brooklyn.
“And that’s what we’re doing now,” Dante said casually, not missing the fact that Billy’s gaze held on Brooklyn’s chest. “Informing you.”
“So you couldn’t trust Braxton with your daughter’s life?” Billy stroked his chin. “You won’t be able to handle him at all when this case blows wide open. Dante will go to jail. Once he’s in custody, you’ll never be able to get him out of this.”
“On the contrary. I learned from the best.” Her eyes glimmered with new hope. “Braxton has spent hundreds of thousands of dollars just in this month alone. His bosses are antsy and I knew something wasn’t quite right when I met with the team last week. For starters, Harry is nearing retirement, but he’s a weapon in his own right. They gave him the position of handler for a reason.”
“To distract him?” Billy asked.
“You got it. And this morning my suspicions were confirmed. While the two of you were brunching, I made a call. Harry has been following Braxton’s every move with pinpoint monitoring and surveillance, a new device that isn’t even on the market yet. It’s a laser system that functions for three hundred and sixty five days once a person or object has been stuck with the tip of the pin. Using a combination of infrared and laser technology, Harry has been able to infiltrate everything but Braxton’s thoughts, following his investigation to the letter.
“In fact, Harry knew way before I suspected anything that Braxton planned to double cross me, you, and several others on our team. Tomorrow night they convene in an old warehouse about three miles from here. Being close in proximity to this place, it won’t take long for everyone to assume their positions outside of Dante’s home. Life as we know it will change in less than twenty-four hours.”
“I guess that will give us enough time,” Dante said, scratching his head. He wondered how Brooklyn would respond to Billy, and he’d second guessed their behavior—their flirtatious back and forth banter—long enough. Now he wanted to know if there was anything substantial there. Could any type of significant relationship build between them?
“I’d like to have a little more,” Billy said, rubbing his lips together.
“Beggars and all that,” Dante teased.
“You don’t see me begging.”
He glanced at Brooklyn. “Oh but I have a feeling I will.”
“The two of you can save the show for another day and channel,” Brooklyn said, cocking her head to one side. “I know what you like Dante Mancini and I’m more than prepared to give you what you need.”
* * * *
“I told you she liked me,” Billy said right as they entere
d the bedroom.
“I tolerated you,” she told him, realizing now why she’d been so attracted to him in the first place.
He was a Mancini. She’d yet to meet a Mancini who didn’t make her want to drop her pants and fall across the closest mattress.
Her nipples spiked as she thought of the forthcoming acts set to unfold. She squeezed her knees together and tried to ignore the dampness between her legs. Yes, she’d fallen in bed with every Mancini she’d met. She’d also grown to love every Mancini she’d taken to her bed.
With the sudden intrusive thought, she took a deep breath and focused on Dante. He took a seat on the sofa located parallel to the bed. He splayed his legs and leaned against the cushions.
“Billy, I need to talk to Dante,” she said quietly, the play in motion coming to an abrupt halt.
“Whatever you’re thinking, trust me, you’re overanalyzing the situation.”
“You don’t know me,” she whispered, ignoring Billy while staring at Dante. Her eyes felt heavy. She felt a flood of emotions overpowering her, pulling her mind one way, and dragging her body in another direction altogether.
“I may know you better than you think.”
“Is that true?” she asked Dante, wondering if he’d shared intimate details about their relationship.
Immediately, she remembered her open declaration. They’d fucked without a condom and she’d let the fact be known, made no bones about it whatsoever. How was that for sharing intimate details?
“Let us have a minute,” Dante said without looking away from her.
“Sure,” Billy grumbled, leaving the door open when he vacated the room.
Dante walked over and closed the door. When he turned around, Brooklyn sank to the bed, crossing one leg over the other. A surge of relief zipped up her spine and she relaxed against the mattress, tossing a few pillows behind her back for support.
Her pulse, which had quickened from the moment they began climbing the stairs, slowed to a normal rate. She crossed her ankles and her arms. “I’m in love with you, Dante. You know this. I love you more than I love myself. I love you more than I…”
A Debt Owed-A Promise Made Page 6