He had been waiting for this showdown to happen. Because the land she wanted, he owned, or he would when Lucinda passed away. The family wouldn’t own it, he personally would, why? Because Lucinda’s husband had been his right hand man, prior to his death more than a year ago. He had been killed protecting Ricco, which meant his wife and son were his to protect as well, the arrangement was made for protection. Nothing would happen to them, even if his kid was a dumbshit. Ricco was working on that as well, but Johnny was gonna need a serious lesson soon, the first one, just didn’t take.
Ricco turned on the street and pulled his black sports car into the parking space right in front of the door. He saw there were two men standing outside the door, dressed in suits and wearing sunglasses. Wow, did they even realize they looked like dumbasses. Mr. Acciai told him a long time ago he didn’t give a shit what he wore when working, he thought wearing suits all the time was pretentious, and that was one thing the family was not. His boss didn’t give a shit what others said, nor did he give a shit what Ricco did, as long as the family was protected. He rolled out of his car and smoothly walked around the front of it. As he approached the front door he saw both men hesitate, they knew who he was, hell, everyone in Vegas knew who he was. He just wondered what their orders were.
As he drew closer the men made a wise decision, they shuffled to either side of the door and he shook his head and chuckled as he opened it. “Good choice,” he said smoothly and quietly. He could have sworn he saw one of the men jump, but of course he could be just imagining that.
“I am sorry…” he heard Lucinda saying hesitantly.
“Ms. Bianci, I am trying to help you. I would not be here if I wasn’t. I understand your hesitation,” the woman who was sitting in front of Lucinda said. He saw Lucinda look up and she met his eyes. He shook his head slightly and he saw she understood what he was saying, which was to keep silent for a few minutes. Ricco really wanted to hear how Bella was going to help her.
“I really don’t need help though,” Lucinda said with a stronger voice. Ricco crossed his feet and leaned back on the counter behind him. He knew he was quiet when he moved, but really he figured the woman would be more aware of her surroundings. She had her back to the door, which showed she trusted the two idiots out front, the ones who had let him sneak up on their boss. If they worked for him, their ass would have been running errands not guarding.
“Please, excuse me for saying, but I really am trying to help, and it seems like maybe you didn’t have any support in the past, you know with your son, and well, at the time, you didn’t have anywhere else to turn,” Bella said softly, almost as if she gave a shit about Lucinda, which was pure shit, because the woman had ice running through her veins.
“Ms. Tomasi, I think you are under the impression—” Lucinda smiled at the younger woman.
“Oh I know how hard it is to talk about this with a stranger, but I really want you to think about this. I am serious, I want to help you,” Bella said.
Lucinda was shaking her head; Ricco knew the soft-hearted woman wasn’t going to tell Bella Tomasi no, she was way too nice. Her son was an asshole, that was true, and he had also run up a huge debt with the casino. Lucinda knew the situation and she also wanted to make sure her son was taught a lesson. The land was his but not because of a debt, because the land was given to him by his father upon his death. Ricco was just protecting the woman’s interest until such a time she no longer wanted to run the shop, then Ricco would make sure Lucinda was taken care of while he did with the land what he wanted.
Her son’s tab was paid off because she had sold all of his belongs, his car, his electronics, everything. The remainder was being paid off by working for Ricco, it was an arrangement they had come to. People just didn’t understand, the families weren’t stupid, killing people when they owed money meant they would never get paid. They didn’t do that shit anymore. Hell, they never had since he had been working for the family.
The family, had a lot of different enemies, really that wasn’t so different than the old days, they were just more careful about what they did. The Acciai family was well known for many things, they were bookmakers, loan sharks, they also provided more lucrative services like smuggling. Drugs were a no, not one of them did them or ran them, it was a smart choice in Ricco’s opinion, also there were other things the family would never get into: child porn, human trafficking, and a slew of other things. They had their standards, and ones no one crossed. This did not mean the Acciai family was weak, it meant they handed out statements when needed, they weren’t scum overlords, they prospered because they weren’t complete dickheads. Ricco and his crew offered protection in Vegas for many of the businesses who were constantly fighting the idiot gang members, as well as being a bookmaker and they had a special floor for their enterprise, it was run like a business, and that was the way it was, yes they did dip into the illegal side of things. When the head of the family, Marco Acciai, bought controlling interest in the mine the Ops Warriors had left in New Mexico, it had been the perfect timing. They needed more legitimate holdings, especially since Ricco was intelligent in his own right, and currently had several systems set to launder the family’s money, but with the mine, it would be a snap.
“What she is trying to tell you, Ms. Tomasi, is she really doesn’t need your help. Her issue with her son, was settled long ago. So even though Ms. Tomasi will not say it out loud because she is nice. I however am not, so please, leave Lucinda alone, the land is not for sale, she is not for sale as she owes no money.”
Bella stiffened and then turned slowly at his voice. Shit, shit, shit, she thought and stared at the handsome man who was leaning on the counter. She looked out the doors and saw both of her men standing there, which meant they hadn’t listened to what she had said and let him in anyway. Would these men never learn? She wasn’t someone to be trifled with. Apparently, earning the title of the Black Widow of Vegas wasn’t as threatening as she thought.
“Mr. Di’Midea,” Bella said stiffly as she stood and turned slowly. Fuck she was tall. His cock got hard just looking at her. Her hair long and dark, hung like a shiny sheet down her back. Her make-up flawless although in his opinion, she didn’t need it. He could tell with or without it she was still gorgeous. She wasn’t model thin, which was excellent since he liked a woman who had curves. She definitely had them, and in all the right places. Ricco saw her lick her lips, really? His eyes narrowed, she thought she could use his attraction against him? Business was business and sex was sex, they didn’t intermingle, ever, well not so far. He could see the awareness in her eyes, she was attracted to him.
“Ricco!” Lucinda said, coming to him with her arms open. She hugged him and then turned back to Bella and said with a smile, “As I was saying but you weren’t giving me too much of a chance. The deal with Ricco? It had nothing to do with my son, he is on his own like I told him. No, the deal with Ricco was made before my husband passed away. I knew about it and made sure it went through,” and then moving forward, “and just so you know, the man you sent around the other day was a complete asshole, which is why I asked to have Ricco present, not because I was afraid of Ricco.”
Ricco smiled and Lucinda continued to the back of the store, knowing at this point the conversation was over with Bella. He stared at the woman intently and said, “You will not get this land, stop fucking around trying to get it.”
Bella smiled and walked forward. “It was an honest mistake, I assure you, now that I know, I will back off. Although you can’t fault me for trying, you know as well as I do this land would be prime for our hotel. Are you sure you don’t want to work out a deal?”
Ricco shook his head and said, “Pass. Although I may be open to persuasion if you want to give that a shot!”
Bella shrugged and began walking toward the door. “I don’t think so; I have never needed to do that to get what I wanted.”
He wasn’t sure why he followed, he should have gone and talked to Lucinda, made sure he
r son was actually towing the line, it was time for his check-in, but for some reason he didn’t. She glanced over her shoulder and rolled her eyes when she saw he was following her.
“You never know, maybe you will like it.” Ricco grinned, shit what the fuck was it about this woman?
She stopped in the middle of the store and turned. “I highly doubt it; you aren’t really my type.”
Ricco smiled then and said, “Baby, I am every woman’s type.”
Her eyes got big and her mouth dropped open. “Seriously? No one can be that arrogant!”
“I am not arrogant, especially when I speak the truth, trust me, one night, and I will ruin you for any other man,” Ricco said softly and stared at her intently. She may be acting like she wasn’t affected but she was, he could see her breaths becoming more shallow.
The sexual tension got thicker. “Whatever, I will just have to make sure you don’t ruin me.”
“Baby, why put off the inevitable?” Ricco said smoothly and then reached up and put a stray hair that had escaped her tight hairstyle and tucked it behind her ear. A zing of electricity flared when he touched her and they both tensed and just stared. Neither of them knew how long it lasted, but it had its effect. It was Bella who broke the contact by moving back and then turning back to the door.
“I assure you, I can find the door on my own,” she drawled and then stopped right before opening it and turned. “I hope to see you soon…” She started opening the door, one of the guys stepped up, Ricco heard the first bullet hit the door and shattered the glass.
He reached for Bella who was staring at her men as they dropped in front, taking the bullets that were meant for her. Ricco reached for her, but Bella was already moving, reaching for her men and dragging them into the shop one at a time while bullets still pinged on the outside of the building.
Ricco growled but he helped her, the woman was either brave or stupid, he was leaning to the stupid. Lucinda yelled from the back, “I called the police!”
“Call Raphael,” Ricco yelled back as they pulled in the second man who was bleeding from his leg. The first one was in worse shape, he had taken a bullet in the stomach.
“Call an ambulance!” Bella yelled and began doing first aid. Well shit, he thought as he watched her move quickly to stop the bleeding. “I need something to tie his leg off with,” she muttered and Ricco pulled his belt off.
“Here,” he said, handing it to her. “I will hold it, tie then pull the end as tight as you can.”
She nodded and they worked together quietly. The bullets had stopped once there was no one outside anymore. His phone that was in his pocket vibrated and he grimaced and pulled it out. His hands were covered in blood.
“Yeah,” he barked into the phone.
He heard his second in command say, “I have men coming to check out the surrounding buildings. We also put the hotel on alert. Was it you they were aiming for?”
Ricco frowned and shook his head. “I am not sure, I don’t think so, Bella was leaving first, I don’t even know if they could see if I was in there.”
“They could,” Raphael said. “Your car is shot full of holes.”
He had parked in the front of the building, but they certainly didn’t need to fill it full of holes unless they were a completely shitty shot, in which case it meant they were not professional, which meant it was something else completely. Someone who owed them, most likely.
“Find them,” he snapped and Bella looked up and shook her head as she held her jacket over the stomach of the second man. He was bad, he would probably not make it. “Make sure when the cops come you call Reggie at the desk, I only want our guys investigating this shit.”
“Already called. Reggie and his partner are the ones who are responding,” Raphael said and Ricco nodded and hung up the phone.
“Hold this,” she said briskly and when he put a hand where hers was she pulled out her phone and dialed. He listened as she barked out orders to whomever answered the phone and when she was done she dialed another number. “Trova chi è responsabile e assicurarsi che essi sanno che sarà venuta per loro,” she snapped and he thought, well this should be interesting, she was ordering someone to find out who was responsible for this. Both of them looking into this. When she was done with the call, she dropped the phone and put her hand back on her man’s stomach and began to speak softly to both of the men.
“I will find who did this, mark my words, and when I do, they will be sorry they were ever born,” Bella said. Ricco had been leaning over and could barely hear her but he knew that’s what she said. Her voice was deadly, and he looked up at her and frowned a little.
Sure he had heard they called her the Black Widow of Vegas, they had all heard that, but most of the crap that was said in rumors was bullshit. However, hearing her voice, he wondered if the body count was really that high. Last he heard, Bella was responsible for five men’s deaths. But her name was referring to the man she had been engaged to. From what Ricco knew, the dipshit had crossed her and she had killed him the night before their wedding. Since then, she had no compunction about killing people. Anyone who crossed her, ended up in the morgue.
“My men,” he started and she looked at him with cold eyes, damn, before they had fire in them, and challenging Ricco had been entertaining, and hot, just like he had felt, but this. It was like looking in a mirror when he was getting ready for work. No emotion, no fear, nothing. You couldn’t do any of that when dealing with business.
“No,” she snapped and glared at him. “They shot my men, they will die by my hand, I promise you that.”
Chapter Two
Ricco let the water pound over the back of his head and shoulders, relaxing the muscles that had been tight all day long. Fuck, what a mess, the whole fucking thing. His men were currently gathering information, the police were gathering information, Bella’s men were gathering information, and not ONE FUCKING PERSON knew anything. Impossible, he had yelled at his men not more than ten minutes ago. He was frustrated, pissed, and shit, fucking horny as fuck for being with Bella for more than two hours today.
Everything she did made him hard—her voice, the way she walked, the way she smelled, everything. Ricco wanted her, and dammit, he would have her, but on his terms. That was the way that was going to be, and even when he looked into her eyes just before she and he had separated to go their separate ways, he had almost said fuck it, grabbed her, and threw her in his car. Of course, his car hadn’t been drivable, which put a kink into that plan, but the thought was there.
When he had arrived back to Italia with his hand still red with blood and looking disheveled, all of his workers who had seen him looked concerned. Not for their jobs, for him. He took care of everything, and they had all heard that someone had been shooting at him. In this town, they probably knew right after the first bullet hit Lucinda’s building. Shit, Lucinda, he needed to arrange for her idiot son to be picked up next.
The steam from the shower became thick and he sighed and turned off the water. His boss was calling in a few minutes; he really couldn’t take the chance he would miss the call. Shaking off the water from his head, he stepped out of the shower, grabbed a towel, and dried off quickly. Throwing the towel over the shower door, he wandered into his bedroom naked.
Shit, he thought and looked at the bruising on his ribs, he hadn’t even noticed it. His phone rang and Ricco hit the speakerphone and said, “Marco.”
“You are alright?” his boss asked.
Ricco replied, “Of course, you know me, I have nine lives like a cat, only used one so far,” and pulled open a drawer and began to pull his clothes out. Black and black, he thought.
“Do we know anything?” Marco asked and Ricco paused.
“We aren’t sure yet who they were after, I would assume it was Bella, but I’m not sure since they hit my car hard. They could have missed it completely if they were o’ trying to make a statement.”
His boss was silent, which made him pause as well.
That was not good, something was coming he was not going to like. “Tomasi called me.”
Ricco closed his eyes and shook his head. “Why?” he said warily.
“Seems to think we may have the same enemy,” Marco said smoothly.
“Who would that be?” Ricco said and Marco paused again.
“When we bought the mine and took over production, the men who were running it were pissed. They were skimming off the top of the books, we were assured the men were dealt with after we discovered it. They were locals, not part of the Ops, but still, it was under their watch, Lindo sent a message. Word has it several of them have been in Vegas off and on for the last three months.”
“What would that have to do with Tomasi?” Ricco asked, pulling on his pants and running a hand through his hair, which was drying already. Living in the dessert it didn’t take long.
“The last time they were in town, they approached one of his men, asked them for a favor, Tomasi didn’t know what the favor was because Bella refused to see them at all. They persisted, followed Bella around town, showed up and demanded to speak to her, then Bella sent her own message. This one right along the same lines as what we did. They once again didn’t handle it well and they are short two men right now,” Marco said.
Fuck, Ricco thought and then pulled on his shirt and walked to the window and looked out. “What do you want me to do?”
“Well,” Marco said smoothly and Ricco could hear the calculating tone in his boss’s voice. “After talking to Tomasi, we have come to a slight agreement, not firm yet, but maybe, I will let you know. Until I have this all worked out, I would like it if you would extend a peace offering to Bella, something from the family. Letting her know we want to work together for now.”
Ricco closed his eyes. It wasn’t uncommon these days for the families to work together sometimes, it usually led to an alliance, which in this case would join the two largest Italian families together in Vegas, something that hadn’t happened in fifty years, and then it had still not worked out. And Marco expected him to attempt this again with Bella Tomasi?
Capo Ricco Page 2