Illicit Proposition: A Dark Mafia Romance

by Piper Stone

  Images of the man flashed into my mind. His face. His body. I could almost hear the sound of his voice.

  Stop it. Breathe and think.

  I pushed the thoughts aside, realizing I had to follow my instincts, or I wouldn’t be able to get out of here. I would find him. Everything would be all right. He’d take me away from here and that would be it.

  Emilio reacted likely out of instinct, yanking the piece out of the woman’s hand as he cursed under his breath. He barely slid the crest back into place, smacking his hand on the glass before yanking a gun into his hand. “You need to leave. Now,” he barked.

  The couple backed away, heading for the doorway.

  I heard loud voices, the angry sounds floating into the room.

  There would be no better time to try to get the hell out of here. My gut told me there was no time to waste.

  Emilio took a few seconds, walking closer. Then a series of shouts drew his attention again. “That includes you, lovely princess. You need to leave.”

  I nodded, inching a few steps closer as he took long strides out the door.

  A smile crossed my face as I walked closer to the box, once again darting a glance toward the door. It was now or never.

  Within seconds, I fled the room, taking a deep breath. There was nothing like the sound of a weapon being fired to create panic. The three dozen or so people who had ventured into this section of the house were trying desperately to get out of the confined space.

  I simply became one of them, trying to keep my head low as the group moved toward the main hall, constantly searching for Santiago. My throat tightened, my nerves on edge as my heart hammered against my chest. I shifted my gaze back and forth the second I was out in the open. Dozens of guests were shifting toward the entrance even though Rafael was attempting to calm down the crowd.

  There was still no sign of Santiago. What the hell was I supposed to do? I thought about his soldiers and their location. The only thing I could do was attempt to get to one of them. I headed for the door, still searching for any sign of him. What could have happened? Now I was terrified, goosebumps popping along every inch of naked skin.

  When a hand wrapped around my arm, yanking me into another room, I almost screamed. A second hand was placed over my mouth, my body dragged backwards easily. “Sshh…”

  Santiago.

  Relief flooded me, yet stars continued to dance in front of my eyes.

  He eased his hand away from my mouth, pulling me around to face him. For a few seconds, there was no one else around us. I clung to his jacket, tilting my head. Just the scent of him was enough to send an eruption of electricity dancing throughout my body.

  “I thought something happened to you. I thought you were…” I couldn’t finish the sentence. Maybe I just didn’t want to.

  Lowering his head, he captured my mouth as he held me, sweeping his tongue inside. I was mesmerized by the few precious moments, my heart racing. He slid his hand around my neck, squeezing in a possessive hold. No one was going to take me away from him.

  The moment of passion could have lasted forever, the taste of him delicious, but that wasn’t possible. When he broke the kiss, he issued a husky growl.

  “You scared me, Devon. The bastard didn’t hurt you, did he?”

  I shook my head. “No.” I could tell he was ready to rip out the man’s throat. “What are we going to do?”

  “We’re going to leave like everyone else out the front door. Are you sure you’re okay?”

  His tone was comforting as his hot breath floated across my neck. I nodded as I placed my palm on his chest, wanting nothing more than to feel his beating heart.

  He cupped my jaw, his eyes sweeping down my face. “You’re certain.”

  “I’m fine. Do you know what happened?”

  Santiago hissed. “An argument of some kind.” He brushed his fingers across my skin, shifting his gaze to the other room. “We’re leaving now. Just stay calm.”

  I could tell he was hiding something from me. At this point, I didn’t care.

  He pulled me into the open space, walking toward the front door. Once safely outside, he studied the area before heading toward the valet stand. I was observant enough to know Rafael had even more soldiers than before. As if he was planning an attack.

  “I’m sorry, sir. I’m going to have to give you your keys,” the young man stated. “There’s too much for us to handle right now.”

  He appeared terrified, his eyes constantly darting from right to left.

  “That’s acceptable. Romero is my name. A black Ferrari.” Santiago refused to let go of my arm, his eyes constantly scanning the darkness. I’d never seen him this much on edge.

  The valet was just as rattled as the guests, fumbling for thirty seconds before finding the key fob. “You can take that pathway. I’m sorry, sir.”

  “No need to apologize.” Nodding, Santiago pulled out his wallet, placing money in the valet’s hand before heading toward the path noted.

  There were no issues as we followed several other guests, but I could tell that Santiago remained tense. When we were able to reach the car, he wasted no time throwing open the passenger door and ushering me inside. I couldn’t take my eyes off him as he headed around the front of the vehicle. His expression was stone cold, but I’d been able to see the fury in his eyes.

  Something had changed.

  He yanked a weapon from under the seat, also retrieving his cellphone. After getting into the car and closing the door, he slid his finger across the screen of his phone.

  “Diego. The party was compromised, shots fired. We’re leaving now. No, I don’t think having one of the men follow us will be necessary. The chaos at Rafael’s estate should buy us some time.” As he started the engine, he darted a quick look in my direction. “Yeah, I know. Soldiers were definitely doing a search through the crowd.”

  He continued to talk to one of his men. I eased my hand across the bodice of my dress, praying to God I’d done the right thing. While there were a line of cars attempting to leave the party, at least they were moving without being stopped by soldiers. Unable to take the suffocation of the mask, I ripped it over my head, realizing my hand was shaking. I felt helpless as well as frightened.

  I took several shallow breaths, wanting nothing more than to crawl under the covers, pretending as if I’d never met Santiago. But then I wouldn’t have felt the kind of raging passion or desire that continued to burn deep within me. Why had I bothered to tell him about my parents? Why had I dared to share anything so painful with him?

  “The men need to remain on high alert, including keeping an eye on the roads. I refuse to be ambushed. At this point, I’m not returning to the estate. I have something I need to do. However, after I do, there will be some business to take care of.”

  As he discussed his plans, I shifted my attention in his direction. He still wore his mask and damn if he didn’t remind me of Zorro in absolutely every way. He was debonair, even more dangerous behind the thin black piece of material. I bit back a whimper, which was ridiculous.

  I couldn’t want him.

  I couldn’t need him.

  But I did.

  Every fiber of my being hungered to be in his arms.

  “Call me if you see anything. Make sure and put the word on the street. I need to know what Perez is planning. Then we need to be ready.” He ended the call, rubbing his jaw as we neared the exit of the estate. He kept his gun in his lap, prepared to use it at a moment’s notice.

  “Is everything all right?” I asked, hating the terrified tone in my voice.

  “No, attending the party wasn’t in our best interest. There will be no way to obtain the crest at this point, but I have to concentrate on other aspects.”

  “Like killing him.”

  He shot me a quick look before staring into the rearview mirror. I was certain he was making certain we hadn’t been followed. Damn the entire situation.

  I remained covered in goosebumps, unable to fi
ght the chill coursing through my body.

  Hissing, he finally ripped off his mask, tossing it aside, his grip on the steering wheel remaining firm.

  “Where are we going?” I finally asked, trying my best to calm my nerves.

  “For now, we’ll go into the city. We’ll have a drink. I also need to meet with someone, but only for a short period of time.”

  “You’re going to leave me after this?”

  He reached for my hand and as much as I wanted to pull it away, I couldn’t.

  “I will not leave you. Relax. I’m talking five minutes or less. Then we’ll return to the estate.”

  “Then what?”

  He didn’t answer as he squeezed my hand.

  Relax. How could I relax after what had happened? I eased my head against the headrest. A part of me was excited about sharing a drink with him. That didn’t make any sense after what we’d been through.

  There was no other sound but the roar of the massive engine as he sped around curves. While the vibrations were somewhat comforting, the darkness seemed more oppressive than normal. I remained jittery, wanting nothing more than to figure out what to say to him.

  Five minutes passed, the tension between us growing.

  Ten minutes and the silence became too much to bear.

  “Did something happen at the party?” I asked.

  “Maybe.”

  “Please talk to me, Santiago. I’m not your enemy.”

  He snorted then gave me a long look. “No, you’re not, Devon. As a matter of fact, you’ve become very important to me.”

  “Why? Because I’m your possession?”

  “No, because you’re—”

  A flash of bright light shot into the car, instantly blinding me. I threw my arm over my eyes, trying to figure out what the hell was going on.

  “Fuck. Hold on,” Santiago growled as he pressed down on the accelerator.

  In the next few seconds, the sound of my rapid heartbeat pounding against my chest was only interrupted by the screeching of tires.

  And bullets.

  Chapter 13

  Santiago

  Beep. Beep. Beep. Beep.

  The constant buzzing in my head refused to stop. Damn it. What the hell? As I opened my eyes, I realized I couldn’t focus. And what the hell was that smell?

  I sucked in my breath and shifted. A blast of pain rolled through every muscle in my body, a horrific stench clinging to my nostrils.

  Gasoline.

  Confusion mixed with the haze as I blinked several times. Then I remembered.

  Shots fired.

  Losing control of the car.

  Devon!

  Hissing, I forced myself to move, struggling to make out anything in the darkness. When I noticed an orange glow, I fought to crawl even a few inches. “Devon,” I managed, my voice hoarse.

  There was no sound, no cries. Nothing. Just the hiss of a fire.

  Fuck. Fuck.

  Straining, I shifted again, the orange glow giving more definition to the crushed space. I was able to clearly see the passenger side.

  Devon wasn’t there.

  Was she thrown from the car? No. No. “No!” I roared, able to kick both feet. The flames were getting closer. I heard other sounds as I managed to slide several inches.

  Sirens.

  Grunting from the pain, I was able to crawl a few additional inches. Then with one last twist, I made it through the window. I took a deep breath and bounded around to the other side of the car, ignoring the pain erupting in every muscle. The Ferrari had flipped over. What the hell had I hit? A sign. A road sign. No, there was something else.

  A vehicle.

  Jesus Christ, the car had been rammed.

  I crouched down onto the pavement, still unable to think clearly. Where the hell was she? Panicked, I turned in a full circle as a series of images and sounds floated into my mind.

  Two other vehicles.

  Bright lights.

  Bullets coming from two directions.

  The crash.

  Her scream.

  And the voices of two other men as they dragged her from the car.

  The fire was close to scorching my skin, forcing me to take stumbling steps away. As the glow of headlights flashed in the distance, I threw my head back and screamed.

  I also made a promise.

  To myself.

  And to the woman I’d fallen in love with.

  I would save her.

  No matter the cost.

  As I opened the door, the sight of Luis gave me a comforting smile.

  “My word, Santiago. You’re grown into quite a young man. Your father would be proud,” Luis said as he pulled me into a bearhug. “But you look terrible.”

  “I’m fine. Just banged up. Two cracked ribs.” I pushed away, still holding onto his arms. “And you look exactly the same.”

  He laughed, shaking his head. “I’m afraid I’m aging, which I swore I’d never do, but I continue my workouts. I heard about the wreck. You were lucky.”

  The man was built like a tank. He was also a crack shot. He came prepared. I was able to see his holster under his jacket. “Come into the kitchen. Diego is already here.”

  As I walked into the expansive space, I could see an odd look shared between the two men.

  “You need to be in a goddamn hospital, Santiago,” Diego stated, as he’d done twice before.

  I glared at him before popping two aspirin, washing them down with a swig of bourbon. “That’s not going to happen. There’s too much to do.”

  “You know that Perez won’t stop until he’s taken everything from you,” Luis said quietly.

  “That’s a given,” I said. “But I placed a woman’s life into that bastard’s hands. I am going to get her back.”

  Diego shook his head as he walked closer. “You could have died in that wreck. You do know that?”

  “And for all I know Devon could be dead. We are going to find her one way or the other.” I paced the floor in the kitchen, unable to control my rage. “If anything happened to her, both Rafael and Emilio will beg me to die.”

  “You do care about this girl.” This time, it seemed as if Diego’s comment was more of an accusation.

  “Of course I do.” I could see a slight glint of satisfaction in his eyes from my vehemence. “Don’t, Diego. I’m not in the mood.”

  “What are the plans? I assume you no idea where she’s been taken.” Luis asked.

  “No, but I can venture a guess,” I answered.

  Diego snorted. “We’re not going to know jack shit until Perez makes contact. You know that.”

  “I’ll turn over every fucking rock in this city if I have to. We will find her, but we’ll start with his palace first.”

  Luis gave me a look. “I understand your army is growing, but Perez has more people loyal to him than you think.”

  I heard the beep indicating a visitor at the gate. Goddamn it, I was finished with talking with the authorities. “Fuck.”

  “That’s likely Samuel. I called him.” Diego lifted his head as if he knew I’d admonish his decision. However, the family’s attorney needed to be in on an upcoming conversation.

  Or should I say confrontation. I was finished playing games. I was through with taking a backseat, pretending as if I wasn’t the new Don of the De Leon Empire. It was time for things to change.

  Permanently.

  I took a deep breath, holding it for a few seconds before releasing. “Fine.” I walked toward the console in the kitchen, allowing the entrance. “Have the men ready. I am going to find out where she’s being held.”

  Diego inched closer. “Is there something you’re not telling me?”

  The taste of blood remained in my mouth and a rush of adrenaline shifted into my system, heightening the rage. “It’s always interesting to slide into the lair of your enemy. You can learn more by simple observation than anything else. And if you listen. I remember my father telling me that more than once. Of course at the
time, I couldn’t have cared less. My father was a very good listener.”

  “I’m not sure what you’re getting at.”

  I took another swig of bourbon, unable to think of much else but finding Devon. I was sick inside, hating myself for giving a shit about the crest. That’s not what my father would have wanted. I was the only person left to carry out his legacy.

  “I never understood my father, Diego. Not at all. As a matter of fact, I used to make fun of him. He wasn’t as powerful or dangerous as Don Perez. I was such a fool. My father ruled in the methods of some of the great leaders. He cared about his people. He protected them at all costs. He paid them extremely well. And yes, he issued the necessary punishment if necessary. All he required in return was absolute loyalty.”

  “Your father was a gentle giant, Santiago,” Luis said with utter respect in his tone. “The reason so many of his men remained loyal after his murder was that fact alone. However, do not think he wasn’t a man to be reckoned with. Your father was determined to keep the majority of his more merciless actions and decisions away from the family. Unfortunately, he made a single mistake. That cost him everything, including your mother.”

  A cold chill settled in my system. I turned toward him, studying his eyes. “You’re trying to tell me that my mother’s murder wasn’t a random attack.”

  He stared into my eyes, never blinking for a solid minute. “That’s exactly what I’m telling you. He’d let down his guard. For that, his guilt destroyed him.”

  I walked closer, fisting my hand. “Perez?”

  Luis nodded once, but that was all I needed to strengthen my resolve. I took a deep breath, closing my eyes as memories rushed into my system. Perez had taken my mother away from the family in an effort to control my father. When that hadn’t worked, the bastard had both him and my brother killed. Now the asshole was determined to take me apart in a final blow by killing Devon.

  My weakness.

  My kryptonite.

  My heart.

  “Why did he spare me?” I asked.

  “That I do not know,” Luis said in a strangled voice.

  “You’ve been through some shit tonight, buddy. You’re not making much sense. I’m going to make some phone calls. Let me see if I can find out what the hell is going on.”