Vendetta del Cuore

by Leigh Kenzie

  “I don’t hide,” Brendan growls, getting ready for whatever is about to come through the door. It’s getting closer, and I can hear multiple men’s voices.

  “Brother. Please. Please get out of there. If it’s Eamon, he knows every vulnerability. You’re not hiding. You’re staying alive to take him down,” I cry out and watch Brendan hesitate. He ducks away from the desk, and I can’t see what happens. I quiet myself, not wanting to give anything away. After a while, I hear the door to his office open but nothing else. The silence is more deafening than ever. I don’t know if he’s left or if Eamon’s there. The roar filling that room makes me jump as I hear furniture being toppled. It screeches to a halt as a man’s face fills the screen.

  Chapter Forty-Three

  “Well, if it isn’t my brother,” Eamon sneers. “Where did my real brother go, hmm?”

  “I’m not exactly imaginary, asshole. As for Brendan, I have no idea. It sounds like people want to get away from you. You may want to think about that,” I state tightly. I hope to fuck Brendan managed to get away safely.

  “What’s the saying? You can run but you can’t hide? If you see my brother, give him that message for me. Until then, I’m taking over. It should have all been mine!” Eamon shouts, and I can see the insanity in his eyes.

  “Why do you think it should have been yours?” I question quietly as I see Luca gesture for me to keep him talking.

  “Because I can make hard decisions! He would rather play long-lost brother, and he would have allowed any bastard to take his place in our—my—organization. That ends now. Alice was right, my father should have made sure to keep it in his pants. Not that you’d understand, it’s not like you can get pregnant, although I’m sure you take it up the ass enough to try. May as well be a fucking pussy.”

  It takes everything in me to not react to Eamon’s accompanying leer. I want nothing more than to yell at him and accuse him of treachery. Most of all, I want to know why he went after Master.

  “So how did you know I existed? And the others?” I ask, trying to bring him back from the edge.

  “My fucking father. He wrote everyone down. He was proud of every one of you bastards. It was easy enough after I killed him to switch out the will for an older version. I would have given the organization to myself instead of Brendan, but I couldn’t risk using one he didn’t draft from before. It was easy enough to reach out to Alice. My father kept one of her sick love letters to him. He found her pathetic, but it let me use her twisted obsession in my favor. Did you kill her yet? I’m sure the breadcrumbs sent you right to her. Especially after Cliff went missing. Tell me…did you kill your brother? The one who gave you to his boss to keep you safe?” Eamon’s disturbed laughter rings out through the speakers as he tosses his head back before he looks at me again. His eyes pierce into mine with undisguised glee.

  “What are you talking about? My brother gave me to Il Padrone to save his skin. It had nothing to do with keeping me safe,” I reply, trying to sound bored and missing the mark completely.

  “Have you ever wondered where Cliff’s best friend went? Your brother was exceptionally easy to lead. Best of all, he’d never tell the truth because if the great powerful Il Padrone found out he was used, there would be no mercy. But Allesandro…he makes his boys kill for him, doesn’t he? Your brother, though. I can see why he wouldn’t ever be given a higher chance. Imagine my shock when he killed your mother but not you. That was, after all, supposed to be his one and only job. I could have cared less for your bitch of a mother. No. You needed to die. But big brother wanted options and putting you in play as an innocent in the wolves’ den?” Eamon lets out a whistle as he can’t contain his smug demeanor. “Well, that was too good to pass up. Allesandro would either kill you, make you a victim when Brendan should have stepped in to crush him, or make you one of his boys, and therefore a weakness.”

  “I don’t believe you,” I growl, but my hands are shaking. He can’t be telling the truth. With a sly grin, he waves forward someone off to the side to come closer.

  “Hi, little Lio. Just so you know I have dibs on you when we take over this town. You’ll have to thank Allesandro for breaking you in for me.” I stare in shock at Peter. I never would have suspected him of this treachery. It’s not like I think about my brother’s friends. I haven’t thought of Peter in…I can’t even remember how long. It seems he’s thought of me, and I cringe at that.

  “Why?” I barely manage to get out.

  “Why did I turn on Cliff? Or why do I want you? Because I have to say, they’re one and the same. Cliff had a ‘stay away from’ policy on you, and well, I can’t resist that. All I had to do was help get you in place where you are and plant some ideas in his head if an opportunity ever came along. Then I made sure it did. He really wasn’t the one to screw up what happened on his block.”

  “Why? Why wouldn’t he tell the truth? And what the fuck, Peter! He was your best friend. Eamon’s going to kill you anyway, he doesn’t like ‘fags’.”

  “I made sure he knew the worst possible option if he told the truth. About how Allesandro never forgives, and he wouldn’t be the only one killed. Allesandro would probably kill you too. He had to keep up the charade, pretend he didn’t really care. If it were just the two of you…well I would think that because Cliff valued you as a brother, he would have expected the same from you. Thank fuck you’ve been trained, that collar is going to make it much easier when you’re on your knees in front of me. Don’t expect to fucking keep it. You’re going to be mine.”

  Peter’s eyes are lust-filled as he takes in every bit of me. All of a sudden, the collar around my neck makes me feel sick, like it’s choking me, and I want it off. I want to go back in time. I never should have doubted Cliff. Every hateful word Cliff threw at me was only to protect me, and I know my skin must be turning green because I can hear Eamon’s demented laughter again.

  “Oh, and don’t worry. Eamon doesn’t hate fags. He only hates you. So don’t you worry, little Lio. I’ll protect you,” Peter says as a parting shot before the screen goes blank.

  Chapter Forty-Four

  I can’t stop the shaking that takes over my body, and my hand goes to the collar, trying to rip it off. I hear Luca shouting, but I can’t make it out. My head is forced between my legs, and he yanks my hands viciously from my collar. I’m not sure how long it lasts before I calm down enough for Luca to let me sit back up.

  His hand smooths over my hair before coming down to press lightly against the scratch marks I’ve left on my throat. I gulp uneasily as I feel the slight sting. His fingers run up my neck until he reaches my jaw. With tightened fingers, he forces me to look directly at him.

  “We don’t know if this Peter was telling the truth. Even if he was, whatever happened happened. It can’t be changed now and it’s in the past.”

  “Don’t placate me! What if he was right and Radcliff was trying to protect me? He even said that in the...at the…” My voice shakes as it trails off.

  “We all make decisions. He could have spoken up. He could have come to Il Padrone beforehand. There was a multitude of decisions he could have made. Even after giving you to Allesandro, Cliff could have talked to Allesandro instead of spewing hatred and telling our boss to toss you to the Irish. Fuck, he could have laid it all out when he was in that room. He didn’t. It’s over. No matter what, you need to remember, he killed your mother. He doesn’t get a pass, does he?” Luca presses me, and my head swims with the overload of information.

  “You need to be strong. You belong to your Master. Don’t let him down now. Do you need a reminder?”

  I feel tears roll down my face, the salty taste invading my mouth as I answer, “Yes.” I close my eyes, feeling the pain wash over me. I hate that I need this, but I can’t say no.

  “As you’re Master’s advisor , you are mine as well. I am your Sir in his absence. Now, get on your knees. I want your head on my feet now,” Luca growls and he lets go of my jaw, stepping away qui
ckly.

  I scramble to the floor. It’s not the least bit graceful, but I don’t care as I place my forehead on his dress shoes. The smell and feel of leather permeate my senses, and I find myself able to control my breathing again. I let go, knowing Luca is there.

  “Sit up. Now!” Luca barks out and like a puppet with invisible strings, I obey. I keep my head straight, not looking at him until he forces me. His face shows nothing, like we’re not in the midst of an emergency, and it calms me.

  “Take me out. I want to feel you choke,” he commands.

  I immediately lean forward, running my hands up his legs until I get to his zipper. I slowly undo it and move my mouth forward, sucking his cock through the boxers he’s wearing as I push his pants down. I lick his balls through the fabric, earning a growl from him and an impatient yank of my hair. Only then do I raise my hands and push his underwear down. His cock bobs in front of me, already hard and leaking. I lean in and lick a drop of precum from his dick, moaning as his unique flavor slides across my tongue.

  “Choke on it. Now,” he growls, viciously grabbing my hair and pulling me to him.

  I have no choice but to open my mouth and take all I can. He’s not gentle or slow. No, Luca pistons his hips so fast I can’t breathe. It’s more than choking on his thick length and how it gags me. He’s stealing every bit of me, and I can’t get enough of it. Goosebumps break out on my arms as I’m pushed to my limits with every hard thrust. I moan as much as I can with limited oxygen, and that’s all it takes before he starts cumming with a roar. I shudder as he draws back from me. I feel wrecked. My lips are swollen, the remaining cum I couldn’t swallow dripping down my chin, and my face is ravaged with tears. Yet my mind is finally quiet. All the thoughts and emotional pain are dulled as I focus on trying to breathe again.

  “What the fuck!” Marcus yells. Neither one of us heard him come in.

  “Did you make him do this?” Marcus demands as he grabs Luca and shoves him into the wall, his thick arm pressing close to Luca’s neck.

  “Unhand. Me,” Luca manages to get out, and as soon as the pressure eases, he snaps, “I am in charge! Until Allesandro is back to work, I am in control. You know that.”

  “And what good are you doing getting your cock wet while I was waiting for news?” Marcus yells at Luca, pressing forward again.

  I watch Luca manage to get his arms up and shove Marcus back. It looks like Marcus is going to shove Luca again when he stops suddenly. Even I cringe at Luca’s face. Livid is an understatement, and the way his lips are curled back over his teeth makes me think of a rabid dog. I was going to get up and lend assistance, but now I’m thankful for my spot on the floor.

  “We have a problem. Eamon tried—possibly succeeded—with a hostile takeover of the O’Connel Family. We think Brendan got out. But right now, we have Eamon gunning for us and a psychopathic sidekick hell-bent on getting his hands on Lio.”

  “What the fuck!” Marcus exclaims. “Do you think he went after Allesandro?”

  “I don’t know. I don’t think so because as much as they were bragging, I would have thought they’d mention it.”

  “That still doesn’t explain…” Marcus gestures between Luca and me. I can tell he’s still angry, even if he’s concerned about what’s happening with the O’Connel Family.

  I watch Luca lean forward and whisper in Marcus’ ear. I can tell he’s explaining about my brother and the rest of the situation as Marcus’ face drains of color before flushing with anger again.

  With a long-drawn breath, Marcus steps back fully and bows to Luca. Then he turns towards me and offers his hand. I struggle to stand with his help but I can’t help the shame that swamps me.

  “Hey. Don’t be embarrassed,” Marcus says softly. “Sometimes, we need to let off pressure. Take a moment to get cleaned off before we go meet with Antonio and the doctor. Antonio is a…little volatile.”

  I can’t help but snort at that. I slip out to use the bathroom, leaving Luca and Marcus alone. I’m only mildly worried they’ll kill each other now. Since that’s the same as always, I don’t hurry too much. I take time to fully wash my face and the red-rimmed eyes can easily be passed off as anything other than a good face fuck. Still, I can’t hide my full worry when I quietly enter the office again. I had hoped to catch them talking but both go silent upon my return. Marcus holds out his hand, and I hurry over. He slings his arm around me and kisses the top of my head. I lean into him, soaking up the true brotherly love he offers.

  “Let’s go,” Luca says as he carefully scrutinizes my face, obviously reassured as he leads us out. I hope to fuck the doctor has finished. I need my true master back.

  Chapter Forty-Five

  “Have you heard anything?” I ask hesitantly. I know we’ll be there soon enough, but I want a moment to prepare.

  “I know he’s out of surgery, but that’s it. I came to find you immediately. We…uh…probably shouldn’t tell Antonio how I found you, though,” Marcus says softly, pulling me in again for a side hug before stepping away as we turn the corridor. Sure enough, Antonio is waiting impatiently next to the doctor, and as much as I want to run to the doctor, I force myself to wait.

  “How is he?” Luca demands, uncaring about the doctor’s exhausted appearance. I look for Ignacio, but I don’t see him anywhere. The hallway feels like it’s closing in as Dr. Conti hesitates, looking at me fearfully. My entire body goes stiff, and I go to take a step forward, but Marcus grabs me, pulling me into a tight embrace.

  “There were two shots. One hit his chest but not far in. The other hit his arm. He must have been turning when it happened, and the second one put him on the ground. His ankle is either badly sprained or possibly has a hairline fracture. The velocity of the bullets and him trying to move on that marble…he must have slipped.” Dr. Conti pauses before taking a large breath. “The head injury...I don’t know how serious it is. The bleeding was easily resolved, but it’s not like I can tell if there’s swelling or damage without an MRI.”

  Silence meets that grim proclamation, before Luca speaks up, “What took you so long if the bleeding was controlled easily and the gunshots weren’t in dangerous spots?”

  “Do you care about your boss getting lead poisoning?” Dr. Conti snarls. “Unless you’re a doctor, I suggest you stop questioning everything I do!”

  I can see the lack of sleep and stress has worn him out, but I shake off Marcus’ arm. I walk right to the doctor and see his skin turn a sickly green. I don’t stop until he’s pressed against the wall, and I’m only a hair's breadth away from him.

  “Answer the question. And make sure to speak in English, not medical lingo. This is our boss, our Il Padrone. Don’t think there won’t be repercussions for anything that goes wrong.”

  “Look. I’m serious, lead poisoning is a risk. The bullet that hit his arm kept going until it hit bone. Then it fragmented. I grabbed as much as I could, but it won’t be everything. The one in his chest caused a lot of bleeding so I was trying to do three things at once. Normally, there would be a whole team of doctors. While Ignacio is very talented, it's not like he has complete trauma medical training,” Dr. Conti growls as he slaps the wall. I can tell the good doctor has been pushed too far, and I ease up, satisfied I have answers. I let Marcus drag me back to his side without a fight.

  “Is he awake?” Luca asks after clearing his throat, trying to cut the tension, “and will he recover?”

  “No, he’s not awake. He’s still out. For fuck’s sake, he just had major surgery! You don’t just pop up from that.”

  “I suggest you watch your attitude,” Luca responds coldly. I enjoy seeing the doctor swallow audibly. He’s still got specks of Master’s blood on him, and I desperately want to make him go scrub it off, to stop reminding me of the terrible image of Master bleeding out in front of me. I’m caught in a trance as I trace the different splatters that I almost missed the next part.

  “I can’t answer you on whether he’ll be okay. Us doctors don
’t say that to talk out of our asses because of liability. Could he recover? Certainly. He’ll have two bullet holes, a broken arm from the impact of the bullet, and the ankle being either sprained or broken. However, he has a head injury. Those are tricky. You hinder it by not letting me take him to the hospital to get a fucking MRI! Wouldn’t he want that done? If he does wake up with a permanent disability, do I tell him that you stopped me from getting him treatment? Or fuck, will he just kill me and my family without realizing I couldn’t do anything?”

  I watch silently as the doctor slides down the wall. His head drops into his hands and the exhaustion overwhelms him. His entire body shakes, and I’m not immune to his situation. It pricks part of me I thought had died. I glance at the other boys and to see their reaction. Antonio looks bored and rolls his eyes. Marcus sneers at the doctor’s weakness, and I can’t help but try to put a distance between us. Luca is the one who scares me the most. His face is completely impassive, his emotions are locked down. It’s nothing like the Luca I’m used to, the one who can passionately defend his boss, or the tender one who shows me kindness. No, this Luca I don’t know at all, and I’m not ready for yet another unknown variable.

  With an uncomfortable sigh, I step away from Marcus completely and go to sit next to Dr. Conti. I hear Antonio’s scoff and Marcus grumbling, but I ignore them. I’m probably the last person the doctor wants comfort from, and I don’t feel guilty for terrifying him, but this reminds me too much of how I was in the beginning, it brings up too much of a reminder of who I used to be.

  “Hey. Look at me. Come on,” I whisper to the doctor and after I grab one of his hands and hold it, he finally looks at me. His face is ravaged with tears, and I can see he’s still trembling. His face goes beyond fear, beyond terror, there’s no way to describe the intensity of his feeling. I can see he wants away from me, but he’s also willing to take any scrap of comfort he can get.