Love Unleashed
Brooklyn Bad Boys, BOOK 2
Matilda Martel
Copyright © 2020 by Matilda Martel
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form, including electronic or mechanical, without written permission from the publisher, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles or reviews.
This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, businesses, places, events, and incidents are either the products of the author’s imagination or used in a fictitious manner. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or actual events is purely coincidental.
This book is licensed for your personal enjoyment only.
Cover Design by Matilda Martel and DesignRan
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Created with Vellum
Insensatez -Astrud Gilberto
Return to Me- Dean Martin
Mujer Latina- Thalia
I Feel Love- Donna Summer
Un Bel Di Vedremo- Giacomo Puccini
Nessum Dorma- Giacomo Puccini
In the Wee Small Hours of the Morning- Frank Sinatra
Contents
1. Leo
2. Leo
3. Alia
4. Alia
5. Leo
6. Alia
7. Leo
8. Leo
9. Alia
10. Leo
11. Leo
12. Alia
13. Leo
14. Alia
15. Leo
16. Alia
17. Leo
18. Alia
19. Alia
20. Leo
21. Alia
22. Leo
23. Epilogue- 4 months later
24. Epilogue- 10 years later
About the Author
Also by Matilda Martel
One
Leo
I wasn’t expecting to take over so soon. My old man was a giant. The King of Manhattan. Beloved by his allies and untouchable to his enemies. We thought we’d never lose him. So, we never saw it coming.
No one suspected he was sick. Always fearful of showing weakness, he kept it to himself until it was too late. In the end, all he wanted to do was return to Sicily and live the rest of his days in the tiny town where his mother was born.
That was a year ago. I’ve been head of the Moretti family ever since. That’s a huge deal. I’m responsible for everyone in my world. Not just the people who bear my name. And I’m in charge of making sure everything we built doesn’t end with me.
This isn’t what I wanted. This is what I was born to do, and I know nothing else.
There’s no sense sugar coating my life. I’m immersed in violence and immorality. I walk through the underbelly of society. I work with the worst kind of people who would like nothing more than to cut me down and steal my empire.
But I won’t let that happen. I’ll stay on top. I’ll protect what’s mine and I won’t sacrifice the most important things in life.
Today, I cement my alliance to two Brooklyn families. This is monumental. I was born in Brooklyn and we still control the neighborhoods just across the bridge. But most of it is run by Russian Bratva and the Mexican cartel. This move is unprecedented and will have lasting consequences.
I tread this ground lightly.
I’ve considered every possible scenario and taken every precaution. Everyone has something to lose and plenty to gain. Our motives are more than business. For the first time, I’ve allowed my personal life to seep into my work. It’s more than seeped, it’s flooded. This deal will not only bring allies, it’ll bring me her.
And I can’t live without her.
She would be the crown jewel of any man’s collection, but I don’t want to put her behind glass. I want her by my side, in my bed, riding my cock every fucking night. Because that’s exactly where she belongs.
“Look at her, Lorenzo. She’s magnificent.” I watch the object of my purest and filthiest desires march across the dance floor leading a young man by the tie.
She’s an incurable flirt. Alia de Alba knows she’s a beautiful woman. Her confidence and vanity are unmistakable. Beauty like hers demands attention and she’s had mine since the moment I first laid eyes on those dark eyes and full cherry lips.
This is my woman. No doubt about it.
Perched high in the VIP lounge, I watch her like a hawk surveying its prey. She knows how much I love to watch her and she loves to put on a show. Her hips sway with the beat of the music and my eyes fall out of my head watching that sweet round ass showcased in tight jeans. Each cheek is an apple taunting me for a taste.
As she approaches the center, she pirouettes on her stilettos and rolls her body in an obscene gesture that she will never do again outside of our bedroom. I give a long hard look at my bodyguard, Vito, and he reads my mind. That kid she’s with needs to go.
No one dances that close to my woman.
“She’s beautiful, Leo. But Yuri tells me Alex won’t budge. He suspects he’s got other plans for her.” Lorenzo takes a sip of champagne and then pushes it away.
“Why are we here? We should prepare for both to play hardball. Now is not the time to indulge in your obsession.” He sits on the couch across from me and shakes his head with distaste.
This isn’t our scene. We outgrew this years ago. But one of the three men who follow her tipped me off. This is the perfect opportunity to ogle my beautiful girl before I make my final offer. Watching her puts things in perspective.
“Alex has plans? What plans? Alia is mine. If he had plans why did he offer her to Yuri? Unless they want a war, they’ll give me what I want.” My patience is running thin. I make my demands and let my brother digest my words. Everyone wants something. Something precious. We can leave this meeting very happy men, or we can leave as enemies.
“And what if he says no? Alex wants this alliance, but there’s something holding him back. And I don’t think it has anything to do with his sister’s well being.” Lorenzo snaps his fingers to bring my attention back to him. I can’t make myself stop watching her. She’s already replaced the kid with some other handsy bastard. Looks like Vito’s got his work cut out for him.
“Leo, you’re my brother. You know I love you and I mean no disrespect, but why chase after a girl who doesn’t want you. Alex tells me she’s in love with Yuri Ivanov.” He means no disrespect but wields a dagger into my heart.
“Yuri doesn’t want her and I don’t think she knows what she wants. She just can’t handle his dismissal. It’s a stubborn fixation. No more.” As soon as I utter the words, I know he’ll throw them back my way.
He raises an eyebrow and I lift my hand to shut him up.
“And no, that’s not me. I know she and I are meant to be together. I know it like I know you’re my brother. Like I know my name is Leonardo Moretti. I am my father’s son and I will get what I want, little brother. And there’s nothing I want more than her.”
I scratch my beard and take a final sip of champagne. “Fucking Alex is just trying to up the ante. Since when does that bastard have a problem bossing his sister around? If he wants to marry Yuri’s sister, he’ll need to turn Alia over to me. End of story.”
He takes a quick glance at his watch. “Get a last look. We need to leave.”
I peer over the ledge and watch her pouty expression grow more intense as she leads a long line of lovesick men to the bar. I’m sure they’ll fight tooth and nail to be the one to buy the underage girl a drink. Fat chance. I’ve tipped off every bartender in lower Manhattan not to serve her anything unless I’m with her.
This needs to happen. I can’t bear another night without her in my house.
No one can love her like me. I know she’ll be a pain in the ass. Things might not go smoothly at first. I expect tantrums and disobedience, but she and I are soul mates.
Soul mates will eventually gravitate towards one another. All I need is time to make her love me. And I will.
She won’t know what hit her.
Lorenzo holds the car door open while I climb in. When the driver pulls away, I feel like I’m leaving a piece of my soul behind. I know Vito will keep an eye on her, but it’s not the same. I need to be there. I need to be the one to keep her safe. Every mile we tread widens the emptiness inside me. This can’t go on. Each day my need grows and pushes me towards the edge of insanity.
I need my Alia.
I’ve never been a patient man. I don’t consider it a flaw. It is what it is, and I am who I am. I’m used to getting what I want and rarely need to make demands. People fall in line because my name is Leo Moretti. Because I’m Antonio Moretti’s son and the blood in my veins is enough to make people fear the consequences of disappointing me.
She’s the exception. Alia has no fear. Every time I see her, she grows bolder. She knows she has me wrapped around her finger and loves flaunting it. The more I follow her, the more audacious she becomes. I’d walk away, but this feels bigger than anything I’ve ever felt. I’ve placed my family in a vulnerable position because I know she’s the one.
As we sit in silence on our way to Brighton Beach, Lorenzo finally asks the question that’s been on the tip of his tongue since he arranged this meeting. “How far are we going?”
“All the way. This is my future wife. The mother of my children. We leave nothing to chance. We don’t leave the meeting without Alex’s agreement. Do you understand?”
He nods. “Understood.”
Two
Leo
Igor Ivanov, Yuri’s sovietnik and right hand man runs a jittery hand through his short hair and grumbles through shots of vodka. He grimaces, shifts his glance to Yuri, then faces me. “Alex isn’t coming. He told Yuri earlier today that he plans to wed Alia to Felix Ayala. I know you know who he is. He just took over the cartel operating out of Upper Manhattan and New Jersey. He’s spent the last year secretly whittling away Alex’s territory in Brooklyn. Alia doesn’t know. He doesn’t want to do it, but Ayala has threatened to take everything if he doesn’t. He wants Alia yesterday.”
My heart plummets as he shoots me a look of remorse and calmly sits. Igor needs something from me. Something he’s suddenly had to resign himself from never getting. His heartbreak is written all over his face. “And your sister?” I glance at Yuri, who appears too furious to do anything but pace.
“They eloped. She’s pregnant with his baby and he didn’t want to take the chance that I’d renege on our arrangement. I’ve severed my business relationship with him and he accepts it. My sister is cut off. I can’t be too mad at her. She’s eighteen and pregnant. She did what she had to do, but our mother has disowned her. At least, for now.” He takes a deep breath and lights a cigar. “He seems to fear Ayala more than you.”
“Then my offer is off the table. No alliance. No access to my routes. If I don’t get Alia, we all go our separate ways. Tomorrow, I’ll make the same offer to your competitors.” I reiterate my demand and glance at Lorenzo sitting nearby. I know he’s shitting his pants but his face betrays nothing. He’s the perfect consigliere.
It’s a bold move but no fucking way am I letting that psychopath Felix Ayala steal Alia from me. She’s mine. All fucking mine. If I cower to them and proceed with our agreement, then I look weak. I won’t allow that. The sharks are circling. Ruthless men are animals and animals can smell weakness.
Yuri and Igor say nothing as they consider my words. No one has the power to change Alex’s mind. He got what he wanted. He has Maya Ivanov and she’s having his baby. Yuri wants to use my shipping routes and he wants me to fork over information on Igor’s long-lost wife. It’s unfortunate. I’d like to help Igor. He’s a good man. But if I don’t get what I want, no one does.
Yuri turns to Igor and gives him a quick nod. Then he returns his attention to me. “Chances are Alia doesn’t want to marry Felix. I’m not even sure if they’ve ever met. Perhaps you can convince her to elope with you before Alex hands her to Ayala. You’d have to move fast. This could go down soon.” He knocks down his vodka and tries to gauge my reaction.
I shake my head. “She won’t believe me. I’ve asked her to marry me multiples times. She’ll think I’m lying, run to her brother for the truth and that’ll seal it. He’ll ship her off before she can run.”
Igor jumps to the edge of his seat. “No, she should ask him. She needs to hear it from him or he’ll lie to get her back. She just can’t lose her temper and act defiant. That will give her time to run for help.”
I swig the rest of my vodka and stare Igor down. “Not lose her temper? Have you ever met Alia de Alba?”
“This is ridiculous. Alia won’t agree. If she runs to her brother and he hauls her away on the spot, I could lose her forever.” I know they want to keep this alliance, but they’re not helping. We’re associates, not friends. Our relationship is transactional. I give, I get. They give, they gets.
In Manhattan, I can squeeze everyone dry until they comply to my wishes, but this is Brooklyn. Yuri’s bratva rules Little Odessa. On these streets, my power is merely ceremonial.
Yuri calmly cuts in. “We never told Alex you want his sister. He offered that information when he withdrew his offer to me. Your name never came up. I already told him I didn’t want her, so he won’t expect anyone to rescue her. There won’t be a rush to haul her away. She’s completely dependent on him for money. He controls all her assets. He knows she can’t run and he won’t expect anyone to go against him to help her.”
Igor looks to me. “Are you certain you want to go through with this?”
My eye twitches as fury consumes my senses. “Stop asking me that. You know my feelings. But what the fuck are you two offering me? In this scenario, it feels like I’m doing all the work.”
“You’ll need us when the cartel wants her back. Your capos might rule lower Manhattan, but you’re weak in Brooklyn. You know it. We know it. No one in Brooklyn fucks with my men. Not Alex. Not even Ayala.” Yuri hands me another drink as he patronizes me.
I gnash my teeth and growl with frustration. “You’ll hear from me tomorrow. When I have Alia we’ll discuss your needs. Not one second before.”
He gives Igor a side glance and they nod in unison. “Fine. We’ll reconvene in twenty-four hours. Get it done as soon as possible and make sure Igor’s wife gets on a plane to New York. And whatever you do, don’t tell her about Igor’s life in the mob. That’s for him to reveal.” His gaze meets mine as he signals his butler to open the door.
Furious and panicked, I walk with Lorenzo to the car and text Vito. I want to know where she is.
We get this done tomorrow.
Three
Alia
“Ma’am, do you have another form of payment?” The barista hands me my favorite card, the one with double airline miles, and holds my coffee hostage. Without missing a beat, I apologize and hand her another. It must be a glitch. She runs it through and gives me a sympathetic glance. Declined. Ducking my head to hide my hot cheeks, I hand her my last card and pray it goes through.
“I’m sorry. It’s declined. Do you have cash on you?” She whispers as her eyes pan to the line of irate customers waiting behind me.
Who carries cash?
I shake my head and nervously shove my wallet back in my purse. “No, I’m sorry. This has never happened before.”
Someone desperate for caffeine shouts for me to move. A lady with a crying toddler calls me a tramp. If I wasn’t so mortified, I’d knock her on her ass. Flustered and furious, tears well as I slink away. “Thank you. Sorry for the inconvenience.”
The awkward grin plastered on her lips suddenly disappears. She’s spooked. Behind me, the hostile line goes quiet. Everyon
e’s piped down and rediscovered their manners.
“Just take it. It’s on the house.” She smiles and hands me my latte, but her eyes stay glued to the guest behind me.
“Thank you very much. That’s kind of you.” A silky masculine voice floats over my head and startlrd me still. Then two giant hands land on my shoulders and gently ease me out of the way.
It’s Leo Moretti. Not again.
I squirm away from his grasp and straighten my sweater. “You have some nerve, Leonardo Moretti. You’re behind this aren’t you? All my credit cards are dead. What did you do? Why are you following me now? Didn’t you promise you’d stop?”
He smirks. “I never promised shit. You asked but never waited for my reply. Which would have been no. I want my answer, doll.”
Floored by this intrusion, I dart out of the crowded coffee house and stomp away. Clutching my latte and spewing profanities under my breath, I give him his answer. “Oh, really? Well you have my answer, too. The answer’s no. No way. No chance. I’ll never marry you. We had two dates, Leo. Let it go.”
The sound of his laughter makes my blood boil. He thinks he’s so slick. I’ve seen him with tons of women over the years. Why am I the only one being hounded and bullied? Any one of those babes would jump at the chance to be Mrs. Moretti. “I’ll never let it go, doll. You and I both know I’m the only man who can ever make you happy.”
I skid to a halt, stunned by his conceited mouth. “Happy? Is your name Yuri Ivanov? He’s the only one I want, and if you don’t stop meddling you’re going to ruin everything!” I walk faster, but his long legs catch up quickly.
Love Unleashed Page 1