His Prize: An Arranged Dark Mafia Romance (Cruel King Book 3)

by Callie Vincent

  His Prize

  Cruel King Book Three - A Dark Mafia Romance

  Callie Vincent

  Edited by

  S. De Arman

  Copyright © 2020 by Callie Vincent

  All rights reserved.

  No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means, including information storage and retrieval systems, without written permission from the author, except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.

  This book is intended for readers 18+

  Contents

  HIS PRIZE

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Chapter 10

  Chapter 11

  Chapter 12

  Chapter 13

  Chapter 14

  Chapter 15

  Chapter 16

  Chapter 17

  Chapter 18

  Chapter 19

  Chapter 20

  Chapter 21

  Chapter 22

  Chapter 23

  Chapter 24

  Chapter 25

  Chapter 26

  Chapter 27

  Epilogue

  Thank you for reading!

  About the Author

  HIS PRIZE

  One national trial. Two warring families. And three shots to get it right.

  Bonnie Moretti's life has officially been flipped on its head, giving her the one thing she never dreamt of: power.

  Now in possession of the last thing she ever wanted, Bonnie now has to learn how to lead the family in direct opposition to the man she loves.

  The man who saved her.

  The man that still won't trust her.

  Tensions rise while hope sinks, and as threats start pouring from every moving shadow, Bonnie and Israel will be forced to make a choice.

  A choice that changes everything in their lives.

  Including their chance at having a future . . . together.

  His Prize is the third and final book in the dark mafia romance trilogy, Cruel King, from author Callie Vincent. This book contains dark themes and is intended for readers 18+.

  1

  Bonnie

  “All rise for the Honorable Judge Newton.”

  As I stood with the entry of the judge, I thought back to a few weeks ago. Back to the time where I had my uncle at gunpoint, and I relished the moment. In some ways, I was shocked by the fact that he even made it to trial. Especially given how much I wanted to slaughter him myself. The hell that man had put me through and all the things he had done to my world for his own personal gain would’ve made anyone pull that trigger.

  But, seeing him in an orange jumpsuit and cuffed to the table was enough revenge for me.

  In some ways, it’s even sweeter.

  “You all right?” Israel murmured in my ear.

  I nodded slowly. “I’m fine but thank you.”

  “If you need anything—”

  “I know.” I looked up into his eyes as we all sat down. “I know, Israel. I promise.”

  My gaze turned back toward my uncle, and I couldn't stop watching him. I couldn't stop staring at him. In some ways, I still wasn’t sure I believed everything that had transpired. In some ways, I still felt like it was my own family on trial right now. And it sickened me to think that way. After hearing him admit to killing my parents, handing him over to the authorities, and suffering from nightmares for the past—oh, I don't know how long now—it should’ve been easy to write him off. It should’ve been easy to cut all of them out and move on.

  It wasn’t, though.

  Not when it meant that I had no family anymore.

  “Case number 45T93-04; The State of Illinois versus Pava Moretti. The charges are fifteen counts of premeditated murder, four counts of conspiracy to commit fraud, five counts of bribing police officials, two counts of money laundering…”

  As they rattled off all of the charges my uncle faced, I stole a glance over at Israel. Even though he was here with me, he kept his distance. We were back to sleeping in separate bedrooms. Back to running different schedules. Back to the way things were before all of this shit came to life. It was as if we had just been married and we were trying to get to know one another again.

  Except this time, I was heir to my uncle’s empire.

  And that gave me more power than I had ever imagined possible.

  Granted, it was Israel who partially walked me into this in the first place. So, I wasn’t sure why he kept his distance. Or, insisted on it, anyway. The way I felt toward him had to take a back burner after my uncle got arrested a month ago. And once people started looking to me for answers about the family business? I hadn’t had a free moment since to consider anything else except what the fuck I was going to do from this point on. I was in way over my head. And with Israel tiptoeing around me, it felt like I needed to be on my guard all the time.

  Which wasn’t easy when I still lived with the man.

  “... and how do you plead, Mr. Moretti? For the jury to hear.”

  My uncle’s voice boomed over our heads. “Not guilty, Your Honor.”

  I shook my head slowly and let out a hefty sigh. I felt some people turning to steal a glance at me, but I didn’t care. I had to project an air of confidence and immovability with the role I had been thrust into now. But it was hard. Especially when all I wanted to do was wring that man’s neck until his life left his eyes.

  And cry.

  That, too.

  My only saving grace was the fact that I was now privy to the family’s financials. And I knew for a fact that there was no way in hell my uncle would buy his way out of this. I had no idea the family owed so much money to people. I had no idea the business was in such ruin. All because of my uncle too. He never could let the idea of making money go, even if it cost him everything. I sat there, trying to run figures in my mind, count things up, and figure out a strategic plan to get this family back on track. Hell, possibly even better than we’ve been.

  But, Israel’s voice sounded in my ear again. “You sure you don’t need anything?”

  I slowly looked over at him. “Either get me something or don’t. But, stop with the questions. You’re freaking me out.”

  He stared at me for a while, and I stared right back. It was true. I meant every word. Israel had become a completely different person in my presence ever since I had stepped up to the plate for my family, and I didn’t like it. He kept treating me with kid gloves. As if, at any moment now, I’d pull out a gun and put a bullet between his eyes just because our families were rivals. Was that all he thought of me? After everything we had been through and everything we’d done together, did he really think I’d kill him just like that?

  I mean, the original plan was to kill him. Can you blame the man?

  I slowly turned my gaze back to the trial, but I didn’t hear another word of it. I just sat there with a straight back, my legs crossed, and a blank stare on my face. I didn’t care how long it took us, but I wanted to see that man thrown into jail. I wanted to celebrate his death as those he had turned his back on mauled him, shredding him in some jail cell somewhere. I didn’t want to be the cause of his death, though. That was the first streak I wanted to stop in this family.

  No more family members would kill anyone else.

  Unless they wanted to be burned, tossed out on their ass, and ex-communicated.

  So many thoughts tumbled around in my mi
nd as the first day of trial dragged on. I thought about all of the things I could change in my family. The pending business deals I already wanted to say “no” to. The rules I wanted to switch up. The morals I wanted the family to operate on. I knew I’d have several arguments with my aunt and my cousin over this. But, in the end, this throne was rightfully mine.

  Because you see, my father had been the eldest son. And I had been his only child. Which meant my father was supposed to step into the role my uncle previously had. That’s why I was supposed to die that night. That’s why I was supposed to be killed, along with my parents—so that the throne to this family’s empire could rightfully pass through to his family instead of mine.

  No one had a leg to stand on when it came to challenging my rightful place in this family.

  The thought still scared me, though.

  What if I’m no good at this?

  The only things I remembered about my parents were our ice cream trips on the weekends and the movies we had watched while cuddled on the couch. And the only things I remembered about the business were the kinds of things my uncle got himself into. Things I never wanted to experience while I was at the helm. So, I didn’t have a positive role model in this world to copy.

  Positive role model? Are you insane? You’re the head of a criminal family!

  Israel leaned over again. “Bonnie?”

  “Hmm?” I asked mindlessly.

  “Are you coming?”

  I blinked to try to get my bearings. And when I did, I saw the bailiff hauling away my hand-cuffed uncle. My aunt and cousin glared at me from across the room, and I stood. I kept my head held high and my back straight, trying to project that stupid facade. But, I was anxious to get out of that place.

  I wanted to get home.

  That penthouse isn’t your home. It’s his home.

  I didn’t feel Israel’s palm on the small of my back like I used to. I didn’t feel his hand in mine as we made our way out of the courthouse. He didn’t do anything to keep me close or guide me in any way, and I knew why. It was because of this stupid role. This stupid thing I had taken on in my life because the family didn’t have anyone else.

  And the further away Israel grew from me, the more I regretted the path my life had taken.

  “Israel?”

  “Yes, Bonnie?”

  I slid into the back of the Town Car. “You’re getting more and more distant.”

  He sat down next to me. “I don’t know what you mean.”

  I pointed to the cushion separating us. “This. All of this.”

  “I’m not following.”

  I sighed. “Up until a few weeks ago, I never moved beside you without your hand touching me in some way. We never rode in the back of this car together without your thigh pressed against mine. Are you really going to try to convince me that you’re not putting distance between us right now?”

  He sighed. “This is a hard time for you, and I just want—”

  I leaned over. “Well, whatever you think I want? Get it out of your head. Because until you ask me what I want and we decide to have a conversation about it, you don't know shit. Understood?”

  His jaw clenched. “Understood.”

  I sat upright. “Wonderful. Glad we’re on the same page.”

  I cast my eyes out the window, but I felt this growing tension between us. And not the good kind, either. But, I saw an opportunity and I took it.

  “Israel?”

  “Mhm?”

  “Do you want my uncle’s empire?”

  “It’s your empire now.”

  I looked over at him. “But do you want it?”

  He tossed me a glance. “Do you have a point to what you’re talking about?”

  “If you want my uncle’s empire, I’ll marry you so you can inherit it. I’m sure that’s been your goal all along.”

  He slowly looked over at me. “You think that’s my goal.”

  “Yes.”

  “The Moretti family business.”

  “Isn’t that why you married Brianna in the first place? To assume the role as head of the family eventually?”

  His eyes slid down my form. “If you really think that’s what I’ve been after this whole time, then you’re going to have to get better at figuring out what your enemy really wants.”

  “Is that what we are now? Enemies?”

  “We run enemy families, yes.”

  “But, does that make us enemies?”

  He turned away from me. “Doesn’t matter what I think.”

  “To me, it does.”

  He chuckled. “I need to take care of my own family first, Bonnie. My brother and my father will be the death of me if I don’t do something. So, while your offer is generous, I’m not taking you up on it.”

  I leaned against the seat. “Fair enough.”

  And as we rode home in silence, I wondered what the future would bring me.

  I also wondered if this meant I had to choose between the family business and the man I loved.

  2

  Israel

  “I thought we were going home,” Bonnie said.

  I nodded. “We are. I have to stop off to pick something up first.”

  “Fair enough.”

  The aloofness with which Bonnie had been addressing me lately had me on edge. With everything swirling around us, she was only a few steps away from becoming one of the most powerful influencers in the underground world. The shockwave of Pava’s arrest rattled the community. People were already whispering about who would step up to the plate: Brianna or Bonnie. It wasn’t a competition, though. Bonnie was the rightful heir to that seat with her father being the eldest sibling.

  Which also meant there would be a lot of people trying to gun her down in order to get her out of the way.

  I kept getting pulled between protecting her and protecting myself. Because as much as I hated to admit it, there was the smallest part of me that wondered if this was all still some grandly-concocted plan. The rational part of me understood it wasn’t. No one could possibly predict human behavior out that far nor with that kind of accuracy. But, there was the possibility that Bonnie was playing some sort of secretive endgame and silently twisting every situation to her advantage.

  And I wasn’t sure which side I sat on right now.

  As the vehicle pulled up to my warehouse, I threw open the car door. I needed to get some space between Bonnie and myself so I could think even if it was only for a few minutes. But, when I heard her car door open as well, I drew in a sobering breath.

  Guess she’s coming with me.

  “Mr. Rossi! How did things go in court today?”

  I held up my hand to my secretary. “Can’t talk. Just picking up some things.”

  “Of cou—Miss Moretti! Hello!”

  Bonnie’s voice sounded behind me. “Rose. You look lovely today.”

  “Aww, thanks. My husband got me this dress. You think it’s too much?”

  “It looks fantastic on you. Please tell me he’s taking you out on a date tonight because you look spectacular.”

  I thought my secretary’s name was Daisy.

  As the girls giggled at the front desk, I made my way quickly back into my office. I’d never been one for small talk, but it seemed as if small talk would play in my favor right now. I rummaged through my files, trying to find anything and everything I could on some pending business deals I still had to work out. I slid the stacks of folders into a bag I kept stashed in the bottom drawer of my desk, then slid it up to my shoulder.

  Before a familiar voice sounded at the doorway. “You never did answer her question.”

  I slowly raised my gaze and saw Alice Esposito standing there. “Alice,” I said.

  “Israel. How did court go today?”

  I shrugged. “It came, and it went.”

  “Will I get more details on our lunch date tomorrow?”

  Then, as if things couldn't get any worse, I heard Bonnie’s voice from the hallway.

  �
�What lunch date?”

  I sighed silently to myself as she appeared in the doorway. Alice stepped off to the side to give her some room, but I didn’t even know where to go from here. Every time I turned around, Alice was calling me. And when I blocked her, she appeared with a new number and a new way to contact me. But, I didn’t know she’d be so bold as to come down to my warehouse to try to find me.

  Especially on a day I wasn’t supposed to be working.

  “How did you know I’d be here, Alice?” I asked.

  Bonnie licked her lips. “I didn’t realize you two had a lunch date.”

  Alice giggled. “Oh, yes. We’re supposed to meet up tomorrow. Didn’t he tell you?”

  Bonnie shook her head. “No, he didn’t. Israel?”

  Oh, boy. “Yes?”

  “Are you supposed to have a lunch date tomorrow with Miss Esposito?”

  I nodded. “I’ve been putting it off, but yes. My father arranged for us to sit and speak for a bit.”

  “On what?”

  Alice giggled. “That’s none of your business, I’m afraid.”

  Bonnie giggled back. “You might want to remember who you're speaking with right now before you try your answer again.”

  The girls started off with one another and I tried my best not to laugh. Not because it was funny, but because Bonnie was more fit for this role than she realized. I hiked the bag up my shoulder as I made my way for the door, pushing myself between the two women.

  “Come on, Bonnie. We have to get—”

  Alice interrupted me. “May I ask you something, Miss Moretti?”