Vicious Knight: A Dark Mafia Romance

by Amaya Black

  “Ooo, you’re blushing,” Rina smiled.

  Grabbing the card and roses, I headed into my office without another word. The last thing I needed to be doing was blushing in front of my team. Kicking the door closed behind me I sat the sweet-smelling roses down on my desk. Instead of going to start up my computer first, I pulled out the shiny black phone.

  Really?

  I hit send and then took a seat, before realizing I’d left my unfinished coffee out there with those jerks. Sitting the phone down onto the slate gray desk, I went back out and found them whispering.

  “Don’t yall have work to do?” I asked snatching my cup from the desk.

  “No we don’t’ have any customers yet,” AJ hollered after me.

  I threw up my middle finger for their waiting faces and went back to my office. My desk chair sat waiting as I plopped down in it.

  My phone dinged.

  You don’t like the roses?

  Taking a sip of coffee, I reached for the phone and replied.

  They’re beautiful…but my crew is starting to get suspicious.

  Let them be suspicious.

  Well, I’ll have to let them be that way…telling them that I’m pretty much being held against my will by the Bratva…that won’t go over well.

  He sent an annoyed emoji face.

  Technically, not the Bratva. Just me.

  Whatever you say Wolf Boy, I finished the text office.

  Pushing the phone into my desk drawer, I decided to get down to business. There were a few reports that needed my eyes on them. Mallory had me scheduled for three sessions today. Checking everybody else’s Google Calendar, I saw that they each had five appointments set up and a feeling of satisfaction rolled through me. My little business was legit and kicking ass.

  After a while, a knock came on my door and Miguel peeked his head in shyly.

  “What’s up?” I asked.

  “This came for you.”

  He came all the way in and pulled out a letter and some other things. Hoping up to see what it was, he handed off the letter and I began to read. Soon I was jumping for joy and crashing into Miguel’s waiting arms.

  “This is unbelievable,” I stated looking up at him.

  I began to blush when I noticed how closely into his arms I’d jumped. The white paper suddenly felt like a weight in my hands and I stepped back.

  “It is…you’re amazing, Simone.”

  Watching Miguel shyly, rub at the base of his neck I turned away from him and re-read the letter in my hand. Ink and Style had chosen to do a feature on the shop and me. Then a sensation hit me and I realized that due to my past, and how I loved remaining in the shadows, I had to give this to Miguel.

  “Thank you but I’m going to give you the highlight,” I stated.

  Miguel’s brown eyes betrayed surprised and he quirked an eyebrow. “Simone, this is a big deal.”

  Walking back around to my desk, I smiled before sitting.

  “It is, and it’s already done.”

  “But…”

  A shrug raised from my shoulders. “I’m not into the hype of having photos taken. I like remaining aloof. I’ll call them and have them feature you instead. This is great news for the shop and that’s the only thing I care about. Publicity for the shop is good for everyone.”

  He didn’t seem like he wanted to let the issue rest but he did. Miguel closed the door back into place and I was alone once again.

  Opening my desk drawer I pulled out my cellphone and saw a missed call from someone I hadn’t heard from in months. A smiled closed over my face and I hit redial.

  The voice on the other end answered.

  Chapter 17- Lucien

  Death came quickly when it finally did come. Even if you knew that it was coming like a dark thick cloud on the horizon, when it finally approached, you still weren’t prepared for its icy and desperate clutches.

  They had called me in while I’d been inspecting a shipment of cocaine and it had caught me completely off guard.

  “It’s almost time,” a soft voice had said on the other end of the line.

  “Comrade?” Liam had asked taking in my face after I ended the call.

  “I need to go,” I said. "My mother..."

  “Of course,” Val spoke.

  “Let us know if there is anything, we can do for you…”

  All I could feel was the weight of the keys in my pocket. It felt as though someone had started to squeeze all of the air out of my lungs. No one had prepared me for losing my father at such a young age and now that death had come for my mother, I still wasn’t prepared.

  I had phoned Gabriel, but he hadn’t answered. There hadn’t been much communication between us in the last few days but that didn’t matter now. He should be able to say goodbye to her one last time.

  Everything was a complete blur once I arrived. She took her last breaths with me at her side and it went quiet. It was like I’d suddenly went deaf in both my ears. I stayed for as long as I could with her; her pale white hand went cold and stiff in my hand.

  Tears.

  I hadn’t cried in years.

  I couldn’t even recall the last time I had cried…but the tears came and it was like a flood gate opened inside of me.

  The entire drive to Frost, my mood had turned to match the name of my club. I was in the mood for nothing. Entering into my club, I saw the hot little piece of ass that I’d been staying away from, Yasmine.

  Her skimpy black dress was as high as it could go. She was taking orders from guests on a notepad. The pen she used flew across the page as she took everything down. Flashing her male customers a toothy grin she darted to the bar where I was waiting.

  “Lucien, hi,” she smiled. “Wasn’t expecting you here.”

  “Why?” My tone was dark and pointed.

  She shrugged. “Just wasn’t…you’ve been pretty preoccupied lately.”

  “Jealous?”

  She laughed and then her hands decided to dance over the buttons of my shirt. I was starting to get hard at the thought.

  “Do you want me to be jealous?”

  I leaned in close and whispered into her ear. “Don’t play stupid games with me.”

  “I might want the prize.” Yasmine licked her lips and I remembered how her mouth had felt.

  “Bring vodka to the VIP when you’re done.”

  Stepping away, I regained control of my senses. Yasmine would be trouble if I let her be trouble. Fucking her senseless would have been just the thing I needed but for some reason, I couldn’t bring myself to pull the trigger.

  The velvet ropes of the VIP were parted for me and I took a seat under the blue lights that made everything shimmer. I leaned my head back and surveyed the club. People were out partying and dancing. Drinks were being spilled and laughter had. I should have gone home and waited for Simone.

  Who in the fuck have you become?

  That little voice came from out of nowhere. Yasmine appeared with my bottle of vodka and as she bent over to pour a glass, she flipped her blond curls over her shoulder and I caught sight of the pink thong she was wearing.

  “Anything else?”

  She toyed with her bottom lip and that side of me, the vicious animalistic side of me, wanted to tell her yes. That she could get down on her knees in front of everyone and pull my dick out and suck it until I came down her throat, gagging her half to death.

  “No.”

  “Okay, give a wave if you need more vodka.”

  I picked up the glass and watched her leave. She bumped into someone who was trying to get past the guards and into the VIP section. The guards were holding them back and that was when I realized who it was.

  Simone’s brother Albie had shown up. I became aware of the gun at the base of my spine.

  “Let him pass!” I shouted.

  The guards turned, caught by surprise at my words. They held up their hands and let the little weasel in. He approached and adjusted his clothing.

  “What a
re you doing here Albert?”

  A smirked inched itself onto my face as I reached behind me and pulled the gun I wore out. I sat it beside me and gave it a little tap. He knew I wouldn’t have a problem blowing his brains out. His pretty little sister wasn’t here to protect him now.

  “I have the money coming in…it’s being gathered,” he stated. “You can let my sister go. Get her out of this weird-ass situation you’ve put her in.”

  A laugh rolled out of me as I poured another sip of vodka. Usually, I avoided vodka, it made me mean as fuck. Poor Albert had no fucking idea what I was about to do to him. He’d picked the wrong night to come here.

  “I put her in?”

  The vodka slid down my throat; it was like a dragon full of scales and claws had climbed inside my body and started breathing fire on everything it dared to see.

  “Yes,” he said taking a stance. “I should take your gun and fucking kill you.”

  I laughed again.

  “Boy, you could try…but today would be the day that you meet your maker.”

  Albert didn’t wait for me to react, he dived in with his fist. I was unable to react and he made contact. My guards were there in an instant pulling us apart. I wiped at my face and noticed he had drawn blood. Looking at my fingers and then the gun, I instructed my guards to hold the gun and stand down.

  “I’m about to give you the ass whooping your father should have, boy,” I spat.

  Pulling up my fist, I got into a fighting stance. Albert’s eyes grew wide once he was going to just get his ass whooped and not shot. I waved him in; I wanted him to take another shot and make another mistake.

  He dove right on in and the small table that was in the middle exploded. Glass went everywhere as he tackled my ass to the floor.

  My body made a solid thudding sound, as Albert got on top of me. He was a spry little fucker and he started wailing on my face. I brought my hands up to block him.

  “You’re a sick motherfucker.”

  Albert’s words came out in rasps. He wasn’t a brawler. Albert didn’t’ fight for a living like I’d done for the Bratva for over five years. He was running out of steam.

  “Mad cause I’m fucking your sister…giving her the best fuck of her life?”

  He stopped then, caught off guard by what I’d just revealed. Laughter peeled out of me and I pushed him off me and got to my feet. I was re-energized and ready for him. I waved him in again as he got to his feet.

  He came at me but I managed to get behind him. My arms wrapped around him in a chokehold and applied pressure as we fell back against a wall.

  He fought pulling at my arms. Trying to buck me off of him but I wouldn’t relent. As the pressure continued to build from my arms around his neck, I whispered truths to him. “You think it’s a coincidence that I let you run up that tab, Albert. Truth is...I’ve known about you and your father for a long time. He was always my target but then that pretty little sister of yours….she...well I didn’t see her coming. The only reason I won’t kill you here and now is witnesses but also so you can take this message back to your father. I’m coming for him…..for too long he’s lived while mine has been dead and he owes me an even bigger debt than you ever did. Only then will you sister be free of me.”.

  Before he could lose consciousness, I pushed him away from me. He sputtered to life, trying to breathe. His eyes flew to mine and he realized everything I’d said to him.

  “Run along Albert…your father is waiting,” I declared.

  Glass sparkled everywhere as I rubbed at my busted lip. The fight between the two of us had triggered something inside of me. The numbness had faded away.

  “Someone clean this shit up!”

  I growled looking around. The stench of vodka was filling up my nose and soaking into the carpet.

  “And bring me another fucking bottle of vodka!”

  Chapter 18- Simone

  Something was off with Lucien. Not that I knew him that well but something was off. He had barely made eye contact with me.

  He hadn’t even so much as said anything naughty followed by the words, “Little Angel.”

  I frowned and took him in. He was chewing quietly and then he was off in space. A guard stood nearby, texting on his phone. The mood was incredibly somber and I had no idea why.

  “Is something the matter?”

  Lucien seemed to stir and finally turned his eyes on me. They looked morose but I was unsure why.

  “Is it your brother?”

  The fork and knife he’d had in his hands seemed to waver, and then I watched him set them to the side.

  I noted his steak was barely gone.

  “No,” he spoke. “It’s not Gabriel.”

  “Do you even want to talk about it?”

  He shrugged his huge shoulders. Part of me was trying to figure out what could be wrong.

  “Bratva business?”

  “Simone, don’t take this the wrong way but …”

  I held up my hands understandingly. “You don’t want to talk. I get it. Sorry.”

  Ms. Porter came in moments later and cleared the table. She touched Lucien’s shoulder in a supportive way and whispered something to him. He simply nodded and then she was just a blur of a black and white disappearing around the corner.

  Annoyance settled in because it seemed everyone was in on whatever was going wrong with this man, except me.

  You’re no one to him, I thought. Why would he confide in you?

  “I’m going to take Fedor some treats,” I glanced over my shoulder. “I’ll be back in a while.”

  It was starting to feel suffocating in the dining room. Pulling on the coat, I eased open the door and bounded down the steps. There was still plenty of sun out as I skipped into the garden and gave a whistle for him.

  He came bounding out of his hiding spot and threw his muddy paws up onto my shoulders. His pink tongue darted out and gave the side of my face a lick. He eased himself down and sat on his haunches.

  “Fedor you got mud everywhere!”

  I laughed as his tail began to wag. He was sniffing the air and I knew that he could smell the treats I had for him. Fedor was a lucky wolf because beef jerky was entirely too expensive for dehydrated meat.

  Pulling a few large pieces from my pocket, I tossed them to him. He snatched them out of the air and devoured them before I could blink. A branch cracked behind me and I turned my head to see Lucien behind me. His head was bowed in thought and his hands stuffed into the pockets of a leather coat he wore.

  “Thought I would join you,” he said.

  His tone was still somber and I still wanted to know but I didn’t push it. We stood side by side in the quiet watching Fedor root around in the dirt. His fur was so white, I had no idea how he stayed that way because he loved the mud.

  Finally, to break the silence, I turned to Lucien. “My shop is going to be in a magazine. I kind of forgot to mention it.”

  “Little Angel, that sounds amazing.”

  Lucien’s lips tilted into a smile that didn’t quite reach his eyes. Of course, smiling wasn’t his thing. He was a scowler.

  “This is going to be great news for me. Just wish my mother were here to see all this happening for me.”

  “Your mother was supportive of your dreams?”

  Lucien’s interest seemed apparent now. I gave a nod of my head.

  “She was…the day I got accepted into UNC for art…you would have thought that it was her getting in.”

  “What happened to her…if you don’t mind me asking.”

  He tugged his coat collar closer to him as a wind swept by. It’d been so long since I’d talked about my mother with anyone it felt as though I were telling someone a story about a stranger.

  “My mother had an aneurysm shortly after I found out about school,” I mumbled.

  Lucien came in close and pulled me to him. “Little Angel, I’m sorry for your loss.”

  Shaking my head, I pushed the tears away from my eyes. It’d bee
n years ago but I could still picture her buried in the black dress I’d picked for her. The pearl earrings that she’d owned placed with care in her ears.

  “Yeah, it was a long time ago,” I smiled up. “I see I have you talking now. Won’t you tell me what’s wrong?”

  He sighed and pulled me in closer. The heat from his body felt so good. The words he’d wanted to speak spilled from his mouth.

  “My mother died the other day,” he replied.

  I tried to step back, shocked. “Lucien, I’m so sorry.”

  His hands wrapped even more firmly around my waist. He seemed to want to say more. His eyes were a bit watery.

  “No need to be sorry, I’ve been expecting it for a long time.’

  “Doesn’t make it any easier.”

  Reaching up on my tiptoes, I brought him down for a kiss. I’d never really initiated an intimate kiss with him like this before. It was new and I couldn’t explain the need.

  “What I came to tell you,” Lucien looked away. “This should be easy.”

  “Then say it,” I shrugged.

  “I’m releasing you, Little Angel. You’re free from your brother’s debt.”

  His hands fell from around my waist then and he backed up. It was as if someone had poured scalding hot water on both of us. Lucien turned his back and started to go to head back to the house.

  “Lucien, wait what the fuck…I don’t understand!”

  I called out after him and he whirled around to face me.

  “Go the fuck back to your life, Simone. This has already gotten messier than it needed to be. This was all about screwing over your father and your brother.”

  I tried to comprehend but couldn’t. However, Lucien was still screaming for me to go. That I didn’t’ belong here and that I’d fucked up all of his plans.

  “You’re a fucking coward!” I sneered at him. “Hiding behind this façade that nothing can touch you. That you’re every bit the vicious animal they all think you are.”

  “I am!”

  “I saw you, Lucien. You had started to let me in…and you wanted to. Don’t shove me out now.”

  “Simone, get the fuck off my property! You were just a quick fuck. Fucking you was just something to pass the time….to get inside your brother’s head.”