Tempted By The Mafia Boss

CHAPTER NINETEEN

Gabe

When morning comes the only thing I’m aware of is that I’m alive.

It’s my first thought that pierces through the madness that took me last night.

It was like blind rage took me and I was hell bent on killing.

I went into enemy territory, got the crap beat out of me but fuck did I ever dish back what I got. I started with the low level shits who did work for the Antonellas.

I questioned them and surprise, surprise got no answers.

Then I moved up the ranks and came face to face with Bobby Manello.

The Manellos and Antonellas have always been in cahoots from the dawn of time. Assassin families no one fucks with but I was ready to kill every motherfucker I came across. All that and no sign of that prick Tobias.

Bobby had his gun pointed at my head when Vincent and the boys burst in and saved my ass. By then I’d already had a good beating and was so battered blood poured from my eyes.

The rest of the shit done to me was from my brothers trying to calm me down.

Trying to stop me.

I remember them all, especially Vincent, and they went on me at full strength to take me out and stop me from running around Chicago trying to find Tobias.

The last blow that actually knocked me out came from Pa. He came too in true Godfather style and handed me my ass.

That was the last thing I remembered.

Now I’m here. I run my hands over what feels like the wooden floorboards of my living room, and something soft and feathery brushes over my arm.

That’s what makes me open my eyes against the bright sunlight and I see her.

Charlotte.

Charlotte is curled up against me and she shuffles when I move.

I move and the fucking bruises ache like a bitch. I’m pretty sure too that I must have a broken rib but I don’t care. Something has to be done today, it just has to, whatever it is.

I left her before she could tell me everything. What she told me was enough.

She sits up now and cups my face. In the bright sunlight her autumn eyes sparkle.

I failed her.

My beautiful girl. My beautiful innocent girl who saved herself for me.

When she left here ten years ago, I was the only man she’d ever been with.

Me…

She was a virgin until I touched her.

I knew she’d have it rough when Antonio took her. I knew he would treat her badly, and every time I thought of his words to me, and him fucking my girl, it sent me further into the darkness of grief.

I just didn’t know that there was worse than what I’d worried about. I didn’t know the motherfucker was going to allow other men to…

I can’t bring myself to even think it. It will send me back on the fucking street again.

I failed her in every way and I get it now, all of it. I get why she doesn’t want this life but I’m looking at her now and I can’t give up on her.

I take her face too and she rests her head against my hand.

“I’m sorry,” she breathes.

“What for?” My voice is hoarse with a rasp and my throat sore from all the shouting I did last night.

“Everything. You could have died last night. I shouldn’t have involved you.”

“You are mine… Mine to protect. You will come to me when there is trouble.” I run my hands through her hair.

“Gabe… that means so much to me.” She straightens up. “But this can’t involve you more than I already have.”ConTEent bel0ngs to Nôv(e)lD/rama(.)Org .

I sit up straighter too. “Baby…I’m going to find out whether you tell me or not.” I’m not sure how she expects me to just back the fuck down after what she told me. I’m not doing it. “You telling me is easier. I need you to tell me everything. How did he contact you, all of it, everything.”

“No…I’ve already involved you enough. It’s too much.”

I harden my gaze on her. “Charlotte, with all due respect Goddess, I’m in no mood for shit. I need to know what’s going on or I’ll go back on the streets to get it.”

My words have the desired effect.

She nods and starts telling me what I need to know. What stands out in my mind is the money with interest. I can bet anybody that sick fuck will have his own ideas of what can be deemed as interest. That part is worse than giving the one and a half mil itself. So much worse.

I’m well versed with Tobias Antonella’s games and unsavory tastes. The man is a psycho maniac that makes Hannibal Lecter look like a fairytale. He eats who he kills. That’s what he does.

It’s like a victory ritual for him, and his obsession with women is … there is no word that exists to describe it.

The rumors, which I believe are true, are that his father killed his mother, ate her and fed her to his son. Then the two up them became the infiltrate for the Antonella clan.

I wish like hell we were dealing with somebody else.

“Eight o’clock.” I say more to myself than to her. “He wants to meet at eight.”

She nods slowly. “Yeah. I don’t know what to do.”

“You won’t be doing this alone. I’m coming with you.”

She looks at me confused. “No.”

“It’s not a question, Goddess. I’m coming with you.”

She bolts upright standing and I’m just about able to get up. I have an idea, one she won’t like. One she will do though because the alternative is worse.

“Gabe, I won’t make the same mistake and be stupid. I’m being watched. He’ll know I’m here. He’ll know you were looking for him last night. You can’t come with me.”

“I’m coming with you and here’s why. I have my own offer for you.”

She stills. “What is it?”

“I’ll make the payment and you give me a month. One month with me to make you fall for me again and have the life we could have had. One month with me.”

“Gabriel you want to do the same thing everyone else has done to me. How could you?”

I shake my head. “I’m not doing that at all.”

“So if I say no you won’t help me?”

She really doesn’t get it at all, does she?

I cup her face. “That’s not how this goes doll. In both scenarios I help you. However, in the one where you give me a month. I live and he gets the chance to. No one worries about a blood war.”

Realization dawns on her pretty face. “What do you mean? I …”

“Charlotte, it’s a hard thing for me to allow a guy who abused my girl to live and think he can come back for more. So what I’m saying is if you don’t want me that’s fine, I will go and kill him and I’m pretty certain he’ll kill me too. What I won’t do is nothing. I will not sit here and do nothing. Not like last time.” I draw a breath. “You give me a month, a month of everything, and if at the end of the month you decide you want to go, you go. Live the vanilla and I’ll leave you to live it. I can’t change who I am, but I can do this. What is your answer? Will you give me thirty days?”

Her eyes hold mine in place and she takes a step toward me. “Yes.”

That yes gives me the strength I lack right now.

I lean forward and press my lips to her forehead.

I meant what I said, she’s mine.

Mine to protect and I’m going to make fucking sure that at the end of that thirty days she tells me ‘yes’ and stays with me.

I’m not letting her go this time and I won’t fucking allow anybody, psycho or otherwise, to take her from me.