Condemned to Love: 

by Davis, Siobhan

She realizes she’s given me vital intel a second too late.

  I can’t contain my grin, knowing Ben is working to save me.

  Emitting a frustrated scream, she hits my solar plexus again, with more force this time, and I bite back a whimper as stabbing pain spreads across my stomach.

  “I don’t know why you look so smug. You’re the one chained to a wall like a filthy dog while I’m the one wearing Ben’s ring.” She thrusts out her hand, waving a monstrous diamond ring in my face.

  “Ben would never pick such a hideous ring,” I say, risking another punch. “And he would never agree to marry you.”

  Grabbing her purse, she removes a folded-up piece of paper, thrusting it in front of my face. It’s a cutout from The New York Times, announcing her engagement to Ben.

  What the actual fuck is going on?

  All the blood drains from my face, and she laughs. “I told you, you would never marry him,” she gloats. “Ben has always been mine. We were always fated to be. He loves me, and he was only with you out of obligation to Rowan.” She tucks the newspaper clipping back in her purse. “The whole of New York society will be out in force for our engagement party this weekend and then our wedding two weeks later. But don’t worry, I will take really good care of him. Rowan too.”

  I thrash about in the manacles, barely feeling any pain as I scream and shout at her. “You leave my son alone! He’s my baby. Mine!” I don’t know what the hell is going on, but I know Ben wouldn’t marry her freely, and there is no way he would want her anywhere near our son, so I can only guess this is all part of some plan.

  “Not anymore.” She smiles. “Daddy is already drawing up the adoption paperwork. They will both forget all about you, as if you never even existed.”

  “Neither of them will ever be yours,” I roar. “Tell yourself whatever bullshit you want, but they are mine!” I thrash about as angry tears prick my eyes. She is lucky Z chained me to this wall because in this moment I want to kill her. I want to grab her surgically altered face and slam it into the wall until she’s a bloody pulp with no pulse.

  Her entire body shakes with rage as she screams in my face. “Do you know how long I have been trying to have a child!? I had seven miscarriages! Seven. Do you know what that does to a woman?” She paces the cell, running her hands through her hair repeatedly, messing up the careful styling. “I was heartbroken every month when I failed to conceive. Every time when I lost my baby, another part of me died, and then you, you slut, you get pregnant without even trying.” She slaps me again, much harder this time, and stars swim behind my vision. “I hate you! You tried to steal my life, but I stole it back because you are too stupid to play the game.” She taps her temple, reining in her anger. “I haven’t always just been more beautiful than you. I’m smarter too.”

  Add delusional and insane, I snipe in my head. Though I don’t articulate it because my sister is unhinged and it’s not smart to antagonize her anymore. I don’t trust she wouldn’t kill me and say I provoked her into doing it.

  “How does it feel to know no one trusts you enough to tell you the truth? That you are so insignificant you don’t matter to anyone. Even Mom and Serena kept the truth from you when you called them.”

  I frown before I can stop myself. How does she even know about that?

  “They are still lying to you,” she sneers. “They chose protecting Daddy’s big secret over you.”

  “I know he’s involved in the mafia. Mom and Serena confirmed it.” Although they didn’t explain how involved he is, and I’m newly mad at them all over again.

  She laughs. “That’s not the secret. Maybe I shouldn’t say it, but who cares? You will be out of the country in a few weeks.” Her hands ball into fists at her sides as she realizes she just revealed another part of the puzzle.

  For someone supposedly smart, she sure fucks up a lot.

  “Daddy is Giuseppe DeLuca. Don of The Outfit.”

  I can only stare at her. This has got to be another one of her delusions. Or is it? I remember everything Ben told me about the mysterious Sicilian boss. The pieces start slotting into place in my head, and it all makes sense. Holy shit. My father isn’t just connected to the mafia—he is the mafia.

  “Didn’t you ever wonder why he hates you so much?” She continues goading me.

  I brace myself because I know she’s preparing to sucker punch me before she leaves.

  “You’re not his flesh and blood! You’re not the only slut in the family. Mom had an affair and she got pregnant with you.”

  “You’re lying,” I spit, through gritted teeth. “If that was the truth, Father would have killed Mom when she was pregnant.”

  “That’s what he should’ve done, but he didn’t because the sap loves her for reasons I have never quite understood. She has paid for it though, in other ways. He covered it up and took responsibility for you, but he loathes you with the intensity of a thousand suns.”

  My heart pounds in my chest, and I’m not sure I can take any more. The weight of everything she has said presses down on me like a ton of bricks, and I slump against the wall, unable to disguise the effect of her revelations.

  She gloats, practically purring like a cat. “Don’t take it too personally. You’re the daughter of a lowly soldier after all. You are just the sum of your DNA, and you were never going to amount to anything.” She grabs her purse, palming a hand over her hair to fix it back into place. “Consider yourself lucky you are allowed to live out the rest of your pitiful existence.” She straightens her skirt, smoothing out a few wrinkles. “And count your blessings that I’m not in charge, because if it were up to me, I’d riddle you with bullets.”

  She stalks toward the door, spinning on her heel one final time to leave a parting shot. “Aren’t you going to wish me congratulations for my pending nuptials?”

  “The next time I see you, you are going to die,” I promise. “Even if I have to sacrifice myself to do it.”

  “I’ll tell Ben you wished us well,” she says. “Try not to think of him sliding that big cock of his inside me every night. Bennett Mazzone definitely knows how to please a woman. I’m sure it won’t be long before I’m pregnant with his baby, and this time, I know fate will ensure I carry full-term.”

  My heart cracks and splinters down the middle at the thought of Ben fucking Saskia, and I have nothing left to retaliate with. She exits the room, laughing hysterically, and her wicked cackles penetrate my eardrums long after she is gone.

  I cry silent tears as I lean against the wall, my arms aching, and my hand throbbing. Saskia is a crazy bitch, and I can’t let her get to me. I don’t know what, if anything, is fact and what is a lie.

  There is one truth I know, and I cling to it like a life jacket—Ben loves me, and he is going to come for me. Whatever he is being forced to do, he is doing to save me, and I won’t hold it against him.

  I refuse to give up hope.

  Not while there is still air in my lungs and blood flowing through my veins.

  52

  BEN

  Standing in the shadows of the library, I watch Mr. Spielberg explain a math problem to Rowan. His little dark head is bent over the desk, his brow furrowed in concentration, as he listens. Purple shadows linger in the curves under his eyes, highlighting his trouble sleeping.

  It’s been four days since Sierra was taken, and he’s not the only one finding it difficult to sleep or the only one missing her. I have been working from my home office since Sierra was kidnapped because I need to stay close to my son and it gives me an excuse to avoid physical contact with that bitch Saskia.

  I don’t trust DeLuca to keep his word, and I refuse to let Rowan out of my sight. I replaced all the men at the house because I can’t be sure Ian didn’t have a partner or partners. Leo has taken them to the city to interrogate them while Alessandro and Frank are guarding my son around the clock. They even take shifts in my bedroom at night. Not that it’s necessary. I barely grab more than a couple of hours sleep. Sierra�
�s delicate floral scent still clings to the sheets, and I crawl into bed with a constant tight pain in my chest. Rowan sleeps curled up beside me in our bed, and I need his little body comforting me as much as he needs my comfort.

  He misses his mommy, and he cries every night for her. Every anguished sob tears a new strip off my heart, and I want to murder DeLuca and Saskia in cold blood for inflicting this torture on my son. I hate lying to Rowan, but I can’t tell him the truth. He thinks Sierra is on vacation with Pen and Esme, but he struggles to understand why she doesn’t even call him. I said there was no cell service at the spa, but I’m not convinced he bought that lie. For five years old, he’s sharp as a tack.

  Natalia is here, playing with him after his daily lessons have ended, because I have work to do. If I’m to rescue Sierra, to bring her home safely, as soon as possible, I need to work every angle, and that takes time. Natalia also wants to be close to Angelo because his days on this Earth are drawing to a close.

  He’s been in a coma since the kidnapping, and a machine is breathing for him now. His lungs gave up when the sleeping gas infiltrated his system. It’s a miracle his heart didn’t give out, but he’s a stubborn fucker, and he’ll fight to the bitter end. I don’t even have time to think about the fact he’s on his death bed or how I feel about it because I’m too worried about Firefly.

  “Boss.” Ciro approaches from behind, making an effort to lower his tone. I’m glad he wasn’t seriously injured and he’s back on the job because I need every man available for duty. “Call for you in your office.”

  Nodding at Alessandro, I slip out of the library. My dress shoes tap against the hardwood floor as I stride to my office with Ciro on my tail.

  “Mazzone,” I say, when I pick up my burner cell.

  “Everything is in motion,” he replies.

  “What percentage are loyal to you?” I inquire because we need the numbers.

  “Approximately thirty percent.”

  We can make that work. “Good. I’ll be in touch before Saturday.”

  The line goes dead as he hangs up.

  “Knock, knock,” Leo says, poking his head through the door.

  “Come in.” I wasn’t expecting to see him until tomorrow, at the earliest, even if I know him to be a fast worker. “What’s the verdict?” I ask, pouring a scotch for him and a bourbon for me.

  “They’re all clean. Ian was working alone. He lured everyone but the guards at the gate to the house with a fake report of men at the rear of the property. Once they were inside, he conveniently disappeared just as the gas was leaked into the system. He gave DeLuca’s men the access code to the gate, and they dispensed with the guards on duty before taking Ian and Sierra with them.”

  We have already replaced the entire security system, changed all the codes, doubled the guards, and the new men protecting my property were all inserted with tracking devices. From now on, I’m making that a requirement for all my soldiers. If they don’t like it, they can get the fuck out of my organization.

  The one thing I hate is knowing DeLuca is aware of my house now. I have gone to huge extremes over the years to keep the location a secret, and I want to throttle Ian for compromising my safe haven. There is nothing I can do about it now though, and come Saturday night, the secret should be protected again.

  “You look like shit,” Leo says as I hand him his scotch.

  “Saskia paid Sierra a visit,” I explain. “She thrust the engagement in her face and destroyed Sierra’s ring.” I lost my shit when I got that intel and trashed my office, before I composed myself and called the jeweler to design another ring.

  “Sierra is shrewd. She will know you are planning something. She will trust you to come for her,” Leo reassures me.

  I slump in my chair, swirling the bourbon in my glass before lifting it to my lips. “I hate imagining Sierra chained up in some disgusting dungeon thinking I’ve fucked her sister.”

  Sympathy splashes over his face. “You haven’t touched the bitch. That’s what is most important, and you will get a chance to explain it to Sierra when we get her out.”

  “Am I wrong to do this? We know where she is. I could storm in there and rescue her right now.” I lean forward, resting my head in my hands. “I want to storm in there and take her to safety. I don’t know if I can last another two days.” I want to bundle her into my arms and hold her close forever so no one can harm her again.

  “I can’t begin to imagine what you are going through,” he says. “But you are doing the right thing. This way we are eliminating the threat permanently. If you ride to the rescue now, you will have shown our hand, and it will mean bloody war. A war where Sierra and Rowan will be the prime targets. You know DeLuca would not let this rest. If you double-cross him, he will go for Sierra first.”

  I lift my head, staring at my friend through tired bloodshot eyes. “I know, but it doesn’t make this any easier to bear.”

  I had tried reasoning with DeLuca, proposing I marry Sierra as planned and I would do his bidding. That way, he would still get what he wants—a DeLuca-Mazzone alliance. At that point, he told me Sierra is not his flesh and blood. If there was time, I’d look into that claim, as I don’t trust he’s telling me the truth. But it’s minor in the grand scheme of things, and I have got to remain focused.

  It seems neither Georgia or Serena are aware of Sierra’s kidnapping, and I’ve been told to keep it that way. Right now, I need to look like I’m playing the game so he doesn’t guess what I’m up to behind the scenes.

  I’ve had to take extra precautions this week, to ensure our plotting remains hidden.

  Now it’s set in motion, I’m itching to get it over and done with.

  My normal cell vibrates with an incoming call, and I growl as I see Saskia’s name flashing on the screen. “She is driving me insane,” I mutter, rubbing a tense spot between my brows. She calls multiple times a day, spouting shit I have zero interest in. Her whiny voice grates on my nerves, and my jaw aches from holding back the things I want to say. Faking it is exhausting, but the end is in sight.

  Leo doesn’t need me to elaborate to know who I’m talking about. “I can’t wait to see the look on her face when she finds out you’ve been acting the devoted fiancé and you really hate her guts.”

  “Thank fuck, I got DeLuca to agree to no sex before marriage.” He didn’t want to agree, for a variety of reasons, but I told him that comforting Rowan and preparing him for his new reality was my priority, and he bought it. The truth is, DeLuca needs me, and we both know it. He might be holding Sierra over me, but if he pushes me too far, he could lose my allegiance and his big plan goes up in flames. I’m sure Saskia blew a gasket when he told her it was hands off before the wedding, but I couldn’t give a flying fuck what that conniving cunt thinks. She is going to get what is coming to her—they both are—and it can’t come soon enough.

  Plucking my cell up, I slip my mask on as I press the accept button before I miss her call. Reminding myself of the end game, I use my usual seductive tone when speaking to my despicable fiancée. “Darling. How are the plans coming along for our engagement party?”

  * * *

  “The official photographer has been unavoidably delayed,” Alessandro whispers in my ear as I prepare to get into the limo on Saturday night. He smirks, and I can tell he enjoyed that little task.

  “And the press photographers?” I inquire, buttoning the center button on my designer tux.

  “Will be pulled to the scene of a bank heist before you get there,” he explains in hushed tones. “One or two might linger, but if they do, we’ll get their cameras after you head into the hotel and destroy them. Phillip and his team are on standby, and they’ll remove anything that might pop up online.”

  The last thing I want is this farce of an engagement party being reported or any photos of Saskia on my arm in existence anywhere. I also don’t want press attention when things kick off because I’d like to survive this night without ending up in police custody.
The police commissioner—a VIP member of several of my clubs and a close acquaintance—has assured me he will have his men diverted to the bank robbery, but I can’t rule out some do-gooder cop with his eye on a promotion stumbling onto events and trying to do the right thing.

  “And Brando?” I ask, glancing surreptitiously at the driver. We vet all staff, but I’m extra vigilant at the moment, and I don’t want to say anything obvious.

  “Has the diamond.”

  Closing my eyes, I sigh in relief, offering up thanks to a God I long stopped believing in. All week, I have prayed and prayed, offered everything under the sun if this goes off as planned. “Good.”

  “Benny!” Natalia rushes out of the house, racing down the steps, and flings herself into my arms. “Be careful.”

  She isn’t privy to the facts, but she knows it’s going down now. Technically, she should be at my engagement party with her husband. The rest of the New York dons will be there with their wives, but I need her to stay with Rowan, and I want my sister out of the line of fire.

  They are barricading themselves in my safe room, along with Frank, and they know not to open the door to anyone. It’s an enclosed, secure, impenetrable, fire-retardant space, the size of a luxury suite, with all the amenities they could need. No one can reach them in there, which is why I’ve had Angelo and Ruthie rehoused for the night too. I won’t take any risks. Although I’ve been super careful to hide my tracks and I’ve played my part with Giuseppe and Saskia, I wouldn’t put it past DeLuca to have a backup plan should I attempt anything tonight.

  Natalia has lined up a movie, and she has popcorn and candy. Rowan is excited, and I love seeing a smile on his face again. They have been lacking these past six days. He dragged me into the room before I left to show me the tent with sleeping bags.

  “Don’t worry. I’ll be fine,” I assure her. “Thank you for taking care of Rowan.”

  “Bring her home safely, Benny,” she says with tears in her eyes.