Morally Corrupt: A Dark Romance (Morally Questionable Book 1)
Page 36
In this lifetime, I've had many regrets. What's more to add to the bunch?
With one last glance, I stand up to leave.
Not too far in the distance, I see Vlad, hands in his pockets, waiting for me.
"Vlad." I incline my head, knowing that his presence here isn't going to bring me any good news.
I thought that with Jimenez dead, everything would end.
I was wrong.
Everything is just beginning.
"Capo Lastra." He smirks at me, and my lip twitches in annoyance.
"What is it?" I ask.
"You need to take your position back, my friend. War is coming." I scoff at his choice of words.
"Not interested ten years ago, not interested now," I reply and move past him.
"What about your sisters?" He asks, and I stop in my tracks, turning ever so slightly.
"What about them?" I have two sisters, Assisi and Venezia. Both young... far too young to know about the cruelty of the world.
"They'll be fair game for anyone looking for legitimacy. Still not your business?"
"They'll manage." I lie, knowing there is no way they will ever manage.
There was a reason I left that life behind a decade ago. I'd done some things that even now prevented me from sleeping at night.
"You know they won't. Venezia is what... fifteen?" Vlad casually asks, and I have to grit my teeth.
She'd been a small child when I'd left. I barely even remember her.
But he is right. They will be fair game if I don't step in.
As much as I'd like to pretend that the last few weeks haven't happened, that I'm still Marcel Lester, and that Tino is still alive and well... I can't.
"I'll move into the house soon." I relent.
"I knew you'd see reason." Vlad beams at me. "The Gallaghers have already made their first move. You know what you have to do."
"I know. I'll drop by Enzo's and make peace with him, now that we know who really killed Romina."
"I wasn't talking about that..." Vlad raises his eyes to look at me. "You'll need to consolidate an alliance. Marriage."
"Venezia is too young., and Assisi will soon take her vows." I immediately add.
"I wasn't talking about them."
"I can't marry. You of all people should know why." I emphasize.
My past has soiled me. I cannot even bear the touch of a woman without recoiling in disgust.
I could never marry.
"You must. It's the only way." Vlad insists.
"There's only one woman I'd ever consider marrying. And she's gone." I lift my head up and close my eyes for a second, conjuring up her face.
"Exactly. She's gone. Which means you must marry whoever Enzo proposes. You need to realize that times are changing." Vlad's being more forceful than I've ever seen him.
"I won't shirk my responsibility... if only for my sisters."
"It can be a marriage in name only. It's been done before." He adds, and I grunt.
A marriage in name only is the only marriage I'm capable of.
"If that's all..." I say and make to leave.
"No." Vlad pushes a file in front of me. I frown.
"What's this?" I ask, wondering what else Vlad has under his sleeve.
"Your first assignment as Capo." I take the file and open it.
It's an FBI report, documenting serial killings. I sift through the pages, and I feel a knot tightening in my stomach.
"How long have you known?" I ask, my voice trembling with alarm.
"Long enough." He shrugs and then points to the last page.
5th May - Philadelphia
"This is last month," I say as I look at the horrific details. The murder is that of a family with two children. The images are grotesque, showing adults with the sown limbs of the children and vice versa.
"This can't be Chimera," I say confidently.
"You're right. But if it's not Chimera, then who is it?" Vlad purses his lips. I avert my gaze and take a deep breath.
Our sins always catch up with us. And mine have been chasing me for an awfully long time.
GLOSSARY
Translations for the foreign phrases found in Morally Corrupt, in the order they appear in the book.
Malyshka – little one
Shashka – Traditional Russian sword.
Ay cabron, tenemos que terminar esto antes de que el jefe se de quenta de lo que paso. – Dude, we have to finish this before the boss realizes what happened.
Estupido – Idiot/Stupid
Si no fuera por tus ideas no estaramos en esta situasion. Quen te dijo que puedes disparar a qualquera? Si alguien escucho? – If it weren’t for your ideas we wouldn’t be in this situation. Who told you that you can shoot anyone? What if people heard?
Carnal... Somos en el medio de nowhere. Quien podria escuchar? – Buddy… We are in the middle of nowhere. Who could hear?
Ay callate. Sabes que pasa si nos devolvemos sin prueba que este gringo esta muerto. – Shut up! You know what will happen if we return without evidence that the man is dead.
Hijo de puta - Motherfucker
не могу говорит. думаю что муж знает. он увидел мне убить три человека – I can’t talk. I think my husband knows. He saw me kill three people.
да, Тео был подозрительный. ити один завтра. Пока – Yes, Theo was suspicious. Go alone tomorrow. Bye.
Skolko lyudei?- How many people?
Tolko ya,- Just me
Nyet - No
Ne bezopasno – Not safe
Yeshyeo net - Not yet.
Pochemu? – Why?
Est eta – Eat this
Est! - Eat
Shto eta? – What’s this
Za galavi i protiv infektsi – For the head and against infection
Sposiba – Thank you
Idti - Go
Mi senor – My lord.
Cabron, dejala. Es blanca. – Mate, leave her alone. She’s white.
Pues que quiere que haga? Mirala, se la pide – What do you want me to do? Look at her, she’s asking for it.
No te cansas de mirar – Do you not get sick of watching?
El jefe – The boss
Un medico – A doctor
Un medico, pendejo! Ya te lo he dicho. Que estás haciendo? – A doctor, stupid. I already told you. What are you doing?
Perdon, patron – Sorry, boss.
Tuvo una convulsión. Dejala descansar y la voy a examinar otra vez mañana. Le voy a dar un analgesico por ahora. – She convulsed. Let her rest and I will examine her again tomorrow. I will give her a sedative for now.
Doctor, esta seguro que no es nada grave? – Doctor, are you sure it’s nothing serious?
Si, claro. Quiero hacerla un prueba de sangre. – Yes, of course. I want to do a blood test.
Dale. Tengo algo que solver, pero mandame los resultados cuando los tienes. – Fine. I have to do something, but send me the results when they are ready.
Fratello - Brother
CAST OF CHARACTERS
Adrian Barnett – underground to-the-death fighter.
Andrew (Drew) Miller – Bianca Ashby's former bodyguard; ex-military.
Artemis (Little Goddess) – Assassin; Age: Unknown; Weapons of choice: Glock 17 and sniper rifles; Berserker's former partner
Arturo Jimenez – Drug Lord, Head of Jimenez Cartel; Age: 61
Assisi Lastra – Sister of Valentino Lastra, Age: 19; Currently in the Sacre Coeur Convent.
Berserker – Assassin; Age: Unknown; Weapons of choice: swords, knives and shashkas; Artemis' former partner.
Bianca Ashby – Socialite; Married to Theodore Hastings, Director of Ashby Foundation; Age: 26
Carlos Delgado – Illegitimate son of Arturo Jimenez, Age:30
Carlota Agosti – Daughter of Rocco Agosti; Married.
Carlton Wolfe – Former U.S. Senator, retired, Age: 70s
Catalina Agosti – Daught
er of Rocco Agosti; Age: 27;
Chimera – Assassin; Age: Unknown; Weapons of choice: Unknown; Berserker's first partner.
Diego Jimenez – Arturo Jimenez’s father (deceased)
Dima Kuznetsov – Former Pakhan of Russian Bratva (Deceased)
Ekaterina Kuznetsov – Younger sister of Vladimir Kuznetsov (Presumed dead)
Elena Kuznetsov – Younger sister of Vladimir Kuznetsov (Presumed dead)
Enzo Agosti – Heir to the Agosti Family, Married to Allegra Marchesi; Age: 30
Giovanni Lastra – Former Capo of the Lastra Family, Father of Valentino, Marcello, Assisi, and Venezia. (Deceased)
Jack Hastings – Father of Theodore Hastings (Deceased)
Lily Hastings – Mother of Theodore Hastings (Deceased)
Marcel Lester – Lawyer, best friend of Theodore Hastings; Age: 31
Martin Ashby – Billionaire businessman; Father of Bianca Ashby; Age: 59
Matthew Gallagher – Head of the Gallagher family (Boston); Age: 50
Michael Barnett – Father of Adrian Barnett (Deceased)
Misha Kuznetsov – Older brother of Vladimir Kuznetsov (deceased)
Paulina Barnett – Mother of Adrian Barnett (Deceased)
Pink – Prostitute, worked at the Palace strip club.
Quinn Gallagher – Son of Matthew Gallagher; Age 27.
Rico – Marcel’s cousin, Age: 18
Rocco Agosti – Current Capo of the Agosti family. Father to: Romina, Carlota, Catalina, and Enzo; Age: 62
Romina Agosti – Daughter of Rocco Agosti; Married to Valentino Lastra (Deceased)
Theodore Hastings - Chief Commissioner NYPD; Married to Bianca Ashby; Age: 34
Valentino Lastra – Current Capo of the Lastra family; Age: 40
Venezia Lastra – Sister of Valentino Lastra, Age: 15
Vivian Ashby – Mother of Bianca Ashby (Deceased)
Vladimir Kuznetsov – Current Pakhan of Russian Bratva; Age: 29
AFTERWORD
If you’ve made it this far, a huge thank you!
Curious to see what happened after Adrian recovered his memory?
Check out his POV HERE!
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WHAT’S NEXT?
Initially, this book was supposed to be a standalone. But, as I was writing, some characters just spoke to me, and I couldn’t stop until I told their story too.
To figure out Chimera's mystery, stay tuned for the next book, featuring Marcello Lastra and Catalina Agosti.
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(KEEP READING FOR A SNEAK PEEK)
BOOK II SNEAK PEEK
PROLOGUE
10 years ago
With shaky fingers, I clutch my stomach. There's a life growing inside of me. A life that's been forced on me... A sob wrecks my body as I remember his icy fingers on me. Immediately I heave and go straight to the bathroom, emptying the contents of my stomach. After putting myself slightly together, I move to the mirror and examine my figure.
There's already a bulge where a smooth stomach had once been. Soon, I will not be able to hide my condition at all.
I don't want to think about what my father will do when he finds out. No matter what, this child is not guilty of anything, and I intend to guard it with my life. Which is why I've been biding my time so that it's impossible to get an abortion.
It's been around five months now... five should guarantee my baby is unharmed, no?
I steel my spine and go downstairs before my resolve disappears. I go straight to my father's study, and I knock.
"Enter." He barks, and I make my way inside. My mother and Enzo are there too, and I hope maybe they will help me.
"Catalina, a surprise." My father looks me up and down in distaste. He already knows about the incident. I'd been missing for two whole days, and for a sheltered seventeen-year-old to do that... They already knew what to expect when they found me. Ever since that moment, my father had declared me damaged goods.
I don't know how I managed to hide the pregnancy until now, given the circumstances, but maybe it was a small mercy in the scheme of all things.
"Talk!" He demands, and my hands start fidgeting in front of me.
"I... I’m pregnant." I whisper, and my head droops, not wanting to meet his gaze. I only hear a banging noise before my body is forcefully backed against the wall. My father has his hand around my throat, his eyes blazing with fury.
"You're pregnant..." He gives a mirthless laugh. "And you noticed just now? Stupid girl."
"I want to keep it," I say, hoping my voice holds enough power. He gives me a shove, and I fall to my knees.
"She wants to keep it. Do you hear that?" He's laughing now, a maniacal laugh that has me wincing. "After all I've done for you, and this is how you repay me, girl? I could have found a husband to overlook your lack of virtue, but a bastard. No one's going to take you now."
"Please..." I whisper, not knowing exactly what I am asking for.
"Out! Get out! If you're of no use to me, you might as well disappear from my sight."
"But, papa..." I start, panicking. I'm seventeen and pregnant. How can I manage on the streets alone?
"Father, I think I have a better solution. One that won't sully our name either." Enzo interjects, his eyes turning towards me and pleading me to stay quiet.
"Speak!"
"We can send her off to Sacre Coeur. She can give birth there and live with the nuns. If anyone asks, we can say she had religious inclinations, and we could not stand against her righteous path. Then our name will not only suffer no injury, but we will also be praised for our Catholic spirit." Enzo explains, and my father considers this for a minute.
"Fine. But she's never to return. From now on, she's no longer my daughter." He declares, and I can only sigh in relief.
I will be safe.
My baby will be safe.
Enzo comes to me, helping me to my feet.
"Easy, Lina. I got you." He whispers close to my ear, and the tension in my shoulders is suddenly released. I let myself lean on him as he helps me out of the study and to my room.
"You should start packing some essentials."
"Thank you, Enzo. Thank you!" I fling myself into his arms. "You've not only saved me, but you've saved my babe too." His arms tighten around me.
"This is just the beginning of the road, Lina. You've made a decision that will affect your entire life, but I can't say I blame you." He shakes his head ruefully.
"At least I will be with my child... and safe," I add, a shiver going through my body at the thought of that man with the amber eyes.
"I will make sure of it, piccola. When I become Capo, I will make sure to return you to your rightful place. Just... wait for me." He kisses my brow and leaves.
A convent...
Anything is better than remaining in this den of vipers.
I have someone to protect now.