“Gee, thanks for the compliment,” I say, playfully punching him in the arm. Devious is observant but doesn’t let on. The minute you think he’s not paying attention, he is, and he doesn’t let you know what he knows, so it will make him a step ahead of you. I need to watch what I say in front of him or else I’ll be digging my own grave.
“Your life would have been a lot easier if you didn’t betray me.”
My mind drifted to the night we went to the beach and kissed me and told me he wanted me. So, I have to ask what has been on my mind for a while. “What did you mean by you wanted me?”
He rubs the back of his neck as sweat blankets his forehead. “You know what I meant, Roselyn. Don’t play dumb,” he pauses. “I want you as a man wants a wife. I want to be excited to come home and see you. I want you to have my children and carry on my legacy. Does that answer your question?”
“Is it the reason why you haven’t killed me?”
He nods. “You have a trait which makes you sexy.”
I cock my eyebrow. “Which is?”
“Bravery. No one is brave enough to try to kill me to protect themselves. It made you stupid for trying to kill me, but it also makes me think you’re brave. Since our kids will be brought up in the mafia, then they need to be brave and fearless. You’re not scared of me. Despite what I put you through.”
“It’s a lie. I was afraid of you the night of our wedding.”
“Yet, you still went through your plan. Brave.”
I never thought of myself as brave. I thought of me wanting to be free.
I need to change the subject, so I ask, “What happened to your parents? Why don’t you talk about them?” I sit cross legged on the grass, admiring the garden with different colorful flowers. The air is wet, but smells sweet.
“I hate small talk.”
“If we want to make this marriage work, we might as well get to know each other.”
He tilts his head to the side and the wind blows his perfect hair. I keep my hand in my lap to keep from fixing it.
“We don’t have to small talk for you to be my pet, Roselyn. This marriage is not real. You’re a business traction.” His words sting and I thought I was getting on his good side but I’m not. He’s more stubborn than a mule.
I glare at him. “Is it wrong for us to talk?”
“Don’t you hate me for how I treated you?” His eyebrows shoot up.
“I’m stuck with you for the rest of my life so I’m trying to make my living situation better. I want you to be able to trust me, so I can have my freedom and live a peaceful life.” I bite my index fingernail.
“We’ll talk about them another time.”
“My Papa verbally abused me, and he slapped me across the face on our wedding day.”
He’s the only person I told. And if I had any real friends, he’ll probably be the only person I’d tell. Once I get out of this hellhole, I’ll make a few friends. Especially like the ones from Sex and The City. When I was in high school, I didn’t have a social bone in my body because I didn’t know how to. So, I would sit awkwardly at lunch.
“He did what?” Devious grits his teeth and his face turn the color of a tomato.
I swallow thickly before responding. “He slapped me and told me to not give you trouble.”
“He would never hit me when mother was alive, but ever since she passed away last year. He’s been taking his anger out on me.” I feel like a little kid telling on a bully.
“I have to deal with Lex for putting his hands on you. ”
“What are you going to do?”
“Don’t worry about it, Roselyn.”
Silence falls between us and I hope I didn’t sentence Papa to death.
“Please, don’t kill him,” I blurt out, but Devious only frowns. “Don’t hurt him, please.”
He gets up from the chair, crouches down, his jeans riding up his thigh. He grips my chin and his fingers strokes my chin.
“Don’t ever tell me what to do when it comes to protecting you. I’ll kill anyone who tries to harm you. I’ll burn down this city if it means keeping you safe.”
Roselyn
I WAIT FOR DEVIOUS BY the door like a good obedient pet. I dust off my flowery blouse and dark jeans. Marla has good taste in clothing. When the door opens, Devious walks in wearing an all-black suit. The thread in his clothing is fine and expensive and his perfectly dark hair is a mess. He has a five o’clock shadow.
He stares at me as if I’ll grow three heads.
“Can you take me to Nonno’s house? I haven’t seen him since we got married.” My tone is light as a feather.
Guilt eats at me and my throat goes dry. I feel so selfish for not being able to check on him, while I’ve been trapped here. Has he been getting his medication? Are the nurses doing their job? Who is his new nurse? Has someone been making sure he is taking him to his doctor’s appointment?
Devious strokes my cheeks and I flush. He nods then we head out of the door and get into the car.
“No, driver today?” I joke.
He hits the start button on the car. “I gave King the day off to go to his son’s baseball game.”
My hands jittery with excitement and nervousness as we pull into traffic. Devious is finally letting his guard down with me, but it’s too soon. Way too soon and I wouldn’t be surprised if he’s letting me believe what I want to believe because it’s what he did when I tried to kill him. He didn’t let on he knew I was going to kill him. He is a few steps ahead of me, so I need to be careful around him. The air is tight and stuffy in the car. Devious taps his thumb on the steering wheel while he hums a song.
We stop in front of the building at the old penthouse. Maybe he needs to stop by and get something then he’ll take me to my Nonno’s house.
He walks over to the passenger side and opens my door and we head inside the building. When we walk into the penthouse, my eyes damn near pop out of my socket, rolling onto the floor. Nonno is perched on a new brown recliner and his dull eyes land on us.
“It’s Draco’s son,” Nonno says, then he glances at me. “It’s Rose Bug.” A smile dances on his face. Nonno is always excited about seeing new people. He loves people.
“Sit. Sit.” He points to his new couch. Devious sits on the couch and I hug Nonno as tears rush down my face.
“What’s wrong with you?” Nonno asks as he uses his index finger to remove the tears from my eyes.
“I miss you,” I murmur.
“I miss you too. You need to visit more often. And your parents too.”
“He says this every time I visit him,” Devious murmurs, resting his leg on his tight.
Perching on the couch next to him, I shoot him a peculiar look. “You visit him?” I ask in disbelief.
He nods. “Three times a week.”
Shock swallows me whole. “Why? It doesn’t matter. You will not use him as a pawn to control me.”
“I wasn’t planning on, but if you try to tell me what to do again, I’ll lock your little ass back in the cell,” he snaps.
I sink into the couch, folding my arms across my chest.
A male nurse who I’ve never met comes up to Grandpa. “It’s time to get your diaper changed.”
“Who are you? What is your name? I don’t know you,” I tell the nurse and he frowns. I’m particular about who I want to take care of Nonno. He’s my best friend and I don’t want anyone thinking they can abuse him.
“Donald. Mr. Cayden hired me.” He frowns again, eyeing me suspiciously.
Nonno gets up from the couch, placing his hand on his hip. “Don’t you two go anywhere, I want to tell you stories about your Nonna.”
Donald beckons Nonno to the bedroom and I hear the door shut with a thud.
“He has a lot of medical bills I have to pay off. He can’t afford this penthouse. You’re putting him in more debt.” Irritation grows inside me like weed.
“Roselyn, shut the fuck up.” He rolls his eyes. “I’m handling it. I paid hi
s debt off and his medical bills. I’m paying all his household bills. A thank you would be nice.”
“Thank you,” I exhale. “Why are you being so nice to me?”
Irritation paints his face. “You’re my wife, Roselyn. I have to take care of you.” He pulls me on his lap, and I feel his erection digging in my lower back. It is awakening every nerve in my body.
“You’re a wolf in sheep’s clothing.”
“No, I’m not. I’m the devil and I know I’m evil.” He leans down, whispers in my ear. “You are about to dance with the devil.”
He kisses me again, then kisses down to my neck and I push his chest, but Devious holds my hips tighter.
“What I’ve I told you about fighting me?”
Immediately, I stop, and he continues to kiss my neck, and electricity jolts through my body.
“That’s what I love to see.” Nonno’s voice booms and I jump out of Devious lap so quick you would think my ass is on fire, then I sit next to him. Embarrassment dampens my cheeks.
“Two love birds. It’s rare to see in the mafia. Which is why I love to tell my love stories to other couples.” He sits back in his recliner, with a leather photo album in his hand.
I listen to Nonno tell us the story on how he met Nonna. He goes on to tell us how he met her and how he fell in love with her.
“Now, Corsetta. You need to forgive my son for all the stuff he does. I know you don’t like hearing it, but he has a good soul. It’s my fault he is the way he is.”
“Nonno, I’m Rose Bug. She’s not here.” He eyes me again.
“When did you get here?” he asks, setting the photo album down on the table. “It doesn’t matter. You want to stay for dinner?”
“I don’t know. Maybe, you should ask my controlling ass husband.”
Devious leans down, whispers in my ear. “You’re going to get a spanking when we get home for your behavior, Mrs. Vitali.”
Shaking my head, I remove his hand around my hips, then I stand up. “I’m going to set the table, Nonno.”
I waltz into the kitchen and grab a few crystal plates from the cabinet, then Devious snatches them from my hand and I follow him to the dining room.
“I really appreciate you taking me to see my Nonno and taking care of him. I really do, but please, this is my safe haven, he’s my safe haven. And I don’t want to feel like I owe you. I don’t want to feel like if I don’t do what you say, you’re going to hang his health and safety over my head. It will hurt me too much. You already hurt me already and if you do anything to harm him, it will break me, Devious. You’re always talking about breaking me. Locking me into the cell and assaulting me will not break me. But this will.”
“Why would it break you?”
“Because in this world. Nonno makes me feel safe. When I would run away from home this would be my place to stay. Nonno and Nonna treated me like a daughter. When I wanted to get away from the abuse, I call my Nonna to pick me up and she would. This is my home.”
He set each plate on the table and for a while he doesn’t say anything, but I can tell he’s thinking. I gave him the weapon that could destroy me so what will he do with it? It might have been a stupid move on my part.
His lovely eyes bores into mine. He makes my heart skip a beat. “My goal was never to destroy you when I married you.” He stomps up to me and his chest rises and falls as he breathes rapidly. “I won’t break you unless you make me.”
Devious
WITH A BAT IN HAND, I open the sliding glass door of the back porch. The house is a nice suburban home in Bedford. I check out the stainless-steel kitchen and pick up a stack of mail and read it. The person who lives here is Celeb. From what my IT guy found on Liam’s computer, this is the guy who handles their business transitions.
When I open the pine door to the study, Celeb is hunched over his desk, typing away on his computer. His clothes are all white and his face is decorated with pimples. He looks up from the screen, and fear clouds his brown eyes. “Who are you?” He quivers before he pulls open a drawer. I yank out his chair and slam the baseball bat across his hand. He screams in agony and tears wells in his eyes.
“Where is Cashel?”
Celeb tries to wiggle his bloody broken fingers. “Why did you do hit me?” he whimpers.
“Answer the question.” I rest the bat on my shoulder.
“I don’t know.”
“Last chance.” I raise my bat to strike him again, and he holds up his other hand to stop me.
“I’m telling you the truth,” he screams. “I’m an associate. I handle a lot of legal documents for him. And he doesn’t send it to me himself. He gets someone else to do it. No one ever meets the Don of the family unless they’re a high rank.”
It seems Cashel decided to hire new people when our businesses separated. If anyone decided they wanted to work with me, he killed them on the spot.
“Give me the paperwork to his businesses. I want names and shit.”
“He’ll kill me.”
“And if you don’t do it then I’m going to kill you.”
Exhaling, he opens the drawer and gives me a manilla folder, I search through the paperwork and its addresses for his businesses. I’m going to burn down everything he owns, especially after he killed of my six Captains and their familigia.
“Is he planning an attack on my famiglia?”
“You’re Devious.” He eyes me up and down, then frowns. “I heard he’s planning an attack on your consigliere.”
“When and where?”
He glances down at his watch. “Around this time. At his home.”
I take out my gun, shoot him in the head, his body falls to the floor and I use my index and middle fingers to close his eyes. As I head out of the house, I dial Enzo’s number and he doesn’t answer. I jump into the passenger seat, tossing the paperwork and the bat in the back seat and Aiden sits in the driver’s seat.
“Take me to Enzo’s house!” Aiden throws the car in gear, driving onto the wet concrete.
“What’s wrong?” He grips the steering wheel hard.
“Cashel is planning an attack on Enzo and I need to get in contact with him.”
“You shouldn’t start a war over Shelby,” he snaps.
“It’s about him betraying me, not her.” I snap.
“Do you still love her?”
I glance out of the window, watching at the building pass by in a blur and my heart beats in anticipation.
“I don’t know.”
I hated Shelby for a while. For all the pain she has caused me. For loving someone else. For not choosing me. I think about the sweet girl I fell in love with when I was in high school and college. The way she used to stay up and cook new recipes for me because she wanted me to open up a restaurant. She told me I was suffocating her with the mafia.
The car fills with silence as we finally pull up to Enzo’s house. His Bentley is parked in the driveway and I hurry up and jump out of the car. I ring the doorbell numerous times, but no one answers, so I kick down the orange door.
“Enzo! Enzo! Are you okay?” I scream at the top of my lungs. Panic seizes in my chest as my pulse accelerates.
Aiden rushes into the house and we search the bottom floor, then we move upstairs.
I open their bedroom door and find his bloody body limp over on the bed and his wife, Penelope, body face down, buried in the carpet. Blood is spilling from her mouth. Penelope is in the exact same position Shelby was before I shot her, when she decided to take a bullet for Cashel. I was trying to aim the gun at him. My eyes move toward white feathers decorating the blankets next to the bed. Cashel was trying to repaint the event from the night I killed Shelby.
“Oh shit.” Aiden says, patting me on the back. My eyes water, but I don’t shed not fucking one tear. The asshole knew where to strike.
“Doesn’t Cashel have a little sister?” he asks, out of the blue.
“Yeah, Maya.” I keep my eyes trained on the bloody scene.
�
��Do you know where she is?”
“What are you thinking about?” I glance at him and he takes out his box of cigarettes, tapping it like a drum. I can’t take another look at this sideshow before me. Enzo is like a father to me and treated me hell a lot better than Draco ever did. We stand in the hallway. How in the hell am I going to break the news to his three boys and daughter?
“Kidnap her and sell her to the highest bidder.”
Aiden kidnaps women, grooms them to be sex slaves, and sells them to our clients.
“How old is she?”
“She’s around the same age as Roselyn. She works at an expensive club as a stripper. Locate Maya and bring her here. Train her and get her ready for my top client,” I state.
Aiden pats me on the back. “We’ll get Cashel back for this shit,” he says, leaving.
Exhaling, I grab my phone from my back pocket, then I send Charlotte a message.
Me: Come to Enzo’s house and clean the room. Get them dressed for the funeral in the next couple of days.”
I sit on their beige couch and a memory barges in my mind of me as a teenager running up and down the stairs. Him letting me spend the night here while my momma went off with her friends to party. Sometimes, Aiden and I wouldn’t come home, and they wouldn’t notice. He taught me how to survive, how to be a man, treating me like I’m his child.
Charlotte barges in, wearing an all-black suit and a clip board in her hand. She gives me a heartfelt hug as she rubs my back.
“I’m so sorry for your loss, sweetness.”
She kisses both of my cheeks and steps back. Charlotte has been cleaning up bodies as far as I can remember. Her hair is white and she’s wrinkly like prunes.
“Where are they?”
“In the bedroom.”
I leave the house and sit in the passenger seat.
Aiden is in the driver’s seat playing on the phone, with a cigarette in his mouth. I punch my hand on the dashboard, screaming at the top of my lungs. He doesn’t flinch, but continues to stare at his phone.
Devious: A Dark Mafia Arranged Romance (A Villain Collection Book 1) Page 9
