Taken: A Dark Mafia Romance

by Piper Stone

  While I’d yet to be introduced to the O’Brien family, I’d seen various dignitaries including Senator Bellows. A who’s who list of the famous and important was here.

  All to see the lovely bride to be open her Box.

  Or so they hoped.

  I was surprised that outsiders had been allowed to attend, although a change had been made for the engagement between Christian and Stephanie. This was more of a statement than a festive event, a warning to all those who would fuck with us. Don’t or pay the price. I noticed a tight group of men surrounding the senator, the pompous man holding court. He still believed he and his cronies held a certain amount of power in the state. He was wrong.

  The senator would leave the party with a new sense of understanding. While there were no signs of reporters, I fully anticipated the upcoming nuptials would make the society pages if nothing else.

  Fucking fantastic.

  This was the first celebration since Christian and Stephanie had been placed together and the eagerness in the sect members’ eyes was disgusting. They were nothing more than chained cougars prepared to lunge. Once the celebration was concluded, the arrangement accepted, there would be no one who could challenge our power.

  I lifted my glass in a toast to my ingenious brother.

  Even though I was sick inside.

  I heard the jingle of some kind of bell. The festivities were set to begin, the senator reluctantly moving away from his posse.

  Hissing, I swirled the ice cubes then made my way closer to the front, coming in eye contact with the senator. He now stood stoically with his wife of forty years, the vivacious woman the daughter of a very prominent family from Connecticut. I gave him a nod, chuckling under my breath. His second family was much younger and less connected, or so I’d been told by someone who seemed to have as much anger toward the senator as I did. I would venture a guess that Christian had made certain the man had been on the guest’s list.

  I closed my eyes, wishing the family would get on with this when I heard a few of the women in the crowd exclaim then almost everyone begin to clap. I rubbed my eyes before opening them, my blood running cold the minute I did.

  Standing between her two loving parents was the beautiful yet defiant woman I’d met in the greenhouse. Winter. Oh, my God. My mouth was suddenly dry and while I heard her father as he toasted his daughter, all I could concentrate on was the stunning beauty as my cock twitched once again, the same savage thoughts racing through my mind. I should have known she was the one.

  Now she would be mine and nothing was going to stop it from happening.

  Winter. You belong to me.

  I will take you.

  Use you.

  Ravage you.

  I was shocked at the level of electricity rocketing throughout every inch of my body. I was more alive than I’d been in years, my thoughts and desires sadistic. A round of filthy thoughts became the only thing I could concentrate on, dragging the other side of me into the forefront. I was shocked at the connection I shared with her, as if the very gods above had thrown us together on purpose.

  There was more at play here, a level of darkness that I prayed to God my brother could handle. One thing was certain. The ugly secret I’d promised to keep could never be revealed. There were far too many people who could use it to further unravel the community.

  I held my breath as her father placed his hand on the ebony velvet bag, the only item in the center of the small table covered in black. Even from where I stood, I could tell her body was swaying. Her lips were drawn, her face pale even in the twinkling lights. She was pissed.

  As Christian approached, the new patriarch of the entire Sacred Sect, the only people clapping were the community members. Perhaps the other guests were too afraid or too incensed. My brother had certainly acquired a huge number of enemies during the last year. As quiet settled over the entire group, I could still hear my heart beating rapidly, my pulse increasing.

  “I am very proud of my daughter. I want to thank everyone for being here for this wonderful occasion. We all have so much to be thankful for. Let’s all raise a glass in toast to her twenty-fourth birthday. May God keep us safe and protected, wealthy and wise.”

  The last words I’d heard my entire life for every celebration. Every christening. Every marriage. Every birthday. My God, nothing had changed.

  “Hear, hear!”

  “Yes.”

  “Happy birthday.”

  The wishes were all said with hope and happiness, as if Winter’s misery was the only way to continue bringing them joy and power. I raised my glass in solidarity as Christian tipped his head in my direction, his eyes boring into mine. A part of me was furious with him in particular, but this was our way.

  An honor.

  I wanted to choke on the thought.

  Christian approached the table slowly, others lowering their head in reverence. While he wore a four-thousand-dollar suit instead of secular clothing, he’d assumed the part, accepting his role as king of the court with vigor. Very slowly he slid the Box from the bag and as I’d expected, he removed the ancient artifact from his breast pocket, a glorious jeweled knife. The piece was just another reminder of the old ways. Taking his time, he brought the Box closer for examination, turning it back and forth.

  I hissed under my breath. I could tell by the expressions on Mr. and Mrs. O’Brien that they had no idea what to expect, her father already inebriated in order to tolerate the event. I couldn’t say I blamed him.

  “The seal is intact.” Christian’s words reverberated throughout the tent.

  Thank God he didn’t attempt to bless the damn wooden thing, or I would have wrapped my hand around my brother’s throat. I could hear the subtle laughter under her breath and noticed the harsh expression on her father’s face. Why were my hackles raised even more?

  I glanced at the various guests, easily able to tell the sect members from outsiders by the confused looks on their faces. While one tenacious reporter had mentioned the ritual months before, he’d only learned a small portion of what the contents could mean.

  And the power the Box could wield.

  His fifteen minutes of fame had been replaced with other news, eliminating the focus on our community.

  For now.

  Unfortunately, the man’s tenacity had been rewarded with his murder at the hands of the Taglioni family. My brother would call the horrific action an olive branch. I’d called it a bargaining chip.

  As far as tonight, Christian was risking another glorified piece in one of the local newspapers or magazines. Perhaps that’s exactly what he wanted, although I knew he would control whatever was said.

  The entire situation was getting more interesting by the minute.

  After slitting the seal, Christian handed the plain wooden piece to Winter, her hands shaking as she accepted her damning present. I had a feeling her body’s reaction was out of rage and not fear. He stood back, folding his hands together as almost everyone else in close proximity inched even closer. The damn smile on his face was plastic, a man merely assuming the part.

  I could barely stomach the entire procession.

  Winter took a deep breath then shifted her gaze around the room, her eyes full of venom. I’d attended four of these blasphemous events and the other three times the girls seemed to accept their honor as if the tradition was a true gift.

  Not this time.

  “Go on. People are waiting,” her father hissed under his breath and I could have sworn her reply was in the nature of ‘fuck you.’ I chuckled at the thought. She was one hellion who I would enjoy taming.

  She was incensed, her anger level increasing with each passing second. When she finally opened the lid, there wasn’t a single sound coming from anyone. She stared at the purple tissue paper, her mouth twisting.

  “Go on, honey. Everyone is waiting,” her mother encouraged, trying to smile for all the cameras in the room.

  A smirk crossed Winter’s face as she peeled away the papers
, giving Christian a hateful look before lifting the first item into view. The beautiful necklace was a duplicate of the one she was already wearing, the gorgeous large ruby sparkling in the shimmering lights. Her hand floated to her neck, her breath skipping as she eased it gingerly onto the table.

  I should have recognized who she was by the necklace alone. Every family had a particular crest of sorts, the jewelry handcrafted by specialized artisans, every item catalogued and kept in a safe in the chambers of the Council.

  The oohs and aahs coming from the crowd were a mix of shock and awe, the expensive trinket undoubtedly worth a small fortune.

  “Continue,” her father instructed, his tone gruff.

  She eased a second velvet bag into her fingers, fumbling as she pulled apart the ribbon. I shook my head as she pulled out a wad of cash. Next were additional pieces of jewels and what appeared to be a deed to either a house or perhaps some land. Her parents were tight-lipped, her mother on the verge of fainting.

  When Winter pulled a sealed brown envelope from the bottom, she tossed it aside, laughing. “I’m finished with this. I refuse to follow this horrible tradition. This isn’t my life.”

  The hard slap given by her father shocked the hell out of all of us, the crowd gasping. I advanced without hesitation, yanking his arm away and wrestling him to the ground.

  Several exclamations and mild screams erupted, the sound of the hard thud of his body hitting the ground echoing in my ears.

  “If you touch her again, I will kill you.” My words reverberated throughout the room, the guests once again gasping in horror.

  “That’s enough,” Christian hissed.

  “Only if he apologizes,” I countered.

  Donovan appeared shaken, blinking several times. When he wrapped his hand around my throat, Christian and the hulking mass of a man who’d stood behind the family intervened even though I attempted to wave them off.

  “I suggest you let go of me, Mr. O’Brien.”

  “Don’t, Donny. Don’t. Please. This is a celebration,” her mother screeched.

  Grumbling under his breath, Donovan removed his hold, throwing his hands in the air. “You don’t understand.” His whisper was strangled.

  “I think we do, Donovan. Everything is going to be all right. Winter is just shell-shocked right now,” Christian stated, keeping his tone even.

  “I’m not shell-shocked, Mr. Capodanno. I’m angry. Furious. Fuck all of you,” Winter countered.

  Christian and the other man helped Donovan to his feet. To Mr. O’Brien’s credit, he smoothed down his tuxedo jacket then walked toward her, lifting his hand.

  Immediately, I inched closer even though Christian waved me away.

  “Let him be,” he said under his breath.

  “My promise remains,” I huffed, giving Winter a slight nod before stepping away. When she caught my gaze, her entire body stiffened, her eyes lighting up with fire.

  From the same lust as before.

  And from rage.

  Donovan seemed to collect himself then pressed his hand on her shoulder. “I want what’s best for you, baby. I always have. This is a part of our life. You have no idea what’s inside that envelope. None of us do. Please, just open it. This is a beautiful celebration of all your hard work and your life. That’s all that matters.”

  Whether or not Winter was simply resigned or had accepted her fate, she offered her father a smile. I could hear the collective sigh of everyone at the party. This was a crock of shit.

  She was stiff as she returned to the table, holding the envelope for a full ten seconds before peeling away the seal and reaching inside. The smile on her face changed, her eyes glassing over as she began to laugh.

  “What does it say, darling?” her mother asked cautiously.

  “It says that I am to be married.” Winter laughed softly.

  The news had exactly the kind of reaction that I was certain Christian was hoping for. The various sect members were already thrilled, the outsiders confused as fuck.

  Several of them were also worried.

  A hand had been played that they hadn’t expected.

  Now there was only the need to finish the deal made with the devil.

  “To whom?” Donovan asked.

  “To Matteo Constantine Capodanno.”

  I could see the level of horror on Senator Bellows’ face, the red puffiness that slipped up from his sagging jowls to his ruddy cheeks. The shock and awe factor had been exactly what Christian was looking for.

  While the majority of eyes were leveled in my direction, only the girl standing in front of a plain wooden box had no idea that her fate had been sealed for the rest of her life.

  Only when the congratulations began, my hand being shaken by members of the community did she finally realize the man she would spend the rest of her life with.

  There were no words to describe the look on her face or the horror in her expression. There was also no way I could tell her that everything was going to be all right, because in my mind, I knew that we were both about to face an absolute nightmare.

  But I would promise to love and cherish her with all my heart.

  I would also promise to teach her the art of obedience as required.

  In those few seconds as our eyes locked, the insane notion of what we were required to face settling in, her face went entirely blank. We’d forged a connection in a few beautiful minutes, electricity that would light up an entire city, but it was destroyed because of secrets and lies.

  And rituals.

  She shook her head, her eyes narrowing. “This isn’t going to happen, Father. You can’t force me into following your rules any longer.”

  The once hushed crowd was already antsy, several community members moving closer.

  “You will do as I wish,” her father said loud enough I was able to hear his words clearly.

  “No,” she said as she backed away from the table. “Over my dead body.”

  My attention was drawn away, several other angry voices creating a wave of anger. As Christian walked forward, no doubt attempting to defuse the situation, I pushed my way through the crowd.

  Winter had disappeared.

  Chapter Five

  Matteo

  The noose was beginning to tighten.

  “Find her and do so quickly.”

  My brother’s last words had been stated with the kind of vehemence he hadn’t used in years. Amidst the near chaos of the party, I’d slipped away, realizing quickly she’d stolen a vehicle. Finding her had been easy enough.

  Resisting her was something else entirely.

  While I wasn’t my brother, I was certainly keenly aware of what was at stake, now more so than ever after watching the great senator chatting it up with several of the more prominent guests.

  Including two of the men responsible for approving the last developments.

  They would take the news to heart and within a day, the Taglioni contract will be shelved. I only hoped blood wouldn’t rain in the streets of New York, including in the Hamptons.

  Winter sat stoically in the passenger seat, wiggling as if uncomfortable as hell. All the while, my hunger and need to take her remained. If I’d known who she was in the greenhouse, would I have walked away? Would I have told her the truth?

  The answer was no.

  I had no idea about her story. None. I knew little about her family, other than her father had been a minimal player in the world the sect was living in. However, his influential friends could make or break us, depending on the tactics they used. Still, if there were any levels of sect members, he’d never been considered for a more powerful position. But was the choice regarding Winter only because of her father’s political and law enforcement ties? I had my doubts.

  What I could easily tell was Winter hadn’t been clued in regarding what she could expect tonight, although her deer-in-the-headlights look had faded. There was nothing but vile hatred mixing with the rage from before left in her eyes.

 
On top of everything, I’d fucked her like some animal only minutes before. It was obvious that I’d bought into the indoctrinations, the belief that once the Box gifted such an incredible prize that she truly belonged to me. I twisted my hand around the steering wheel, my cock still aching from coming so hard deep inside her.

  As if the intense spanking hadn’t been enough to entice my dark desires, the moment I’d touched her pussy, I’d lost all sense of conscientious behavior. I shifted my gaze, studying her intently. She was such a strong woman, feisty in every regard, refusing to accept what was happening to her, even though I could see her mind processing the events that had already occurred.

  “I should have known you were a part of this the moment you stepped into that greenhouse. What were you doing, casing me?” she hissed, tossing me a nasty look.

  She was all fire and brimstone, a woman to be reckoned with. “Whether or not you believe me, Winter, I didn’t know who you were earlier.”

  “Uh-huh. Tell me another line of crap. This entire situation was set up months, years ago and no one told me. Why you?”

  “The luck of fate,” I said in passing. The less she knew the better. “You act as if you were never told about the Box. Is that the truth?”

  Sighing, she toyed with her dress. “I knew of the cult-like tradition, but my parents never indicated that it was a requirement, at least not for me.” She laughed softly, pressing her hand against her mouth. “Just another lie swirling in a sea of them told so I wouldn’t run away from my plastic life permanently.”

  I remained quiet, my balls tightening from the scent of her perfume. The taste of her from before lingered in my mouth, creating a ravenous thirst. I envisioned her naked body stretched out and waiting. I wanted her hands bound, her lovely mouth open and ready to suck my cock.

  Christ. I’d already acted like some Neanderthal. I wasn’t that kind of man. At least I hadn’t been months before. I was riled that her parents hadn’t prepared her. That would certainly have prevented the round of embarrassment in front of far too many outsiders. I knew Christian was likely doing damage control. I could only pray his gamble in allowing them to attend wouldn’t backfire.