Hidden Witness 3: Tony's Story: A Second Chance Mafia Romance (Tony & Nadine) (Hidden Witness Series Book 3)

by Posey Parks

  Tony grabbed me by my waist, tossing me into the truck, climbing in behind me.

  Cruz peeled off down the driveway. Nado and Terelo followed in a black Hummer. Terelo stood, aiming his rifle through the roof, taking out the men, tearing down the road. Finally, I could give Tony my undivided attention.

  “Cruz, have a doctor meet us on the tarmac. And not just any doctor. I need the best. We will pay him top dollar to accompany us back to the states.”

  “I’m on it.”

  There was no time to break down. I was determined to stay strong for Tony. Inside I was a ball of nerves. I’ll do everything within my power to save my man. Tony propped himself up against the door. Lifting his shirt, I peeled back the towel, blood squirted out of the wound.

  His eyes closed then opened wide. He was slipping in and out of consciousness. “Baby, were you hit?!” Concern and worry poured over his face.

  “No, Tony, I’m fine. Baby, we will get you patched up. You’ll be fine. You hear me?”

  Sweat trickled down his brow. His head fell back against the door.

  “Yeah.”

  CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE

  NADINE

  Cruz, Nado, and Terelo carried Tony to the bedroom on the back of the jet. I paced the floor near the front of the jet, twisting my hands. I was deep in my thoughts, worrying. I can’t lose Tony.

  Nado and Terelo walked toward me. “Thank you, both for helping us bring down that bastard, Rolo,” I smirked.

  “You are welcome, Nadine. You are an honorary Magarelli.” Their accents were thick. They both pulled me into a hug. “I’m sure we will hear from Sergio, soon. Goodbye, Nadine,” they chimed.

  “Goodbye.”

  The pilot closed the door. I ran toward the back of the plane hoping to assist the doctor.

  “What can I do?” I asked the doctor as I darted into the bathroom to wash my hands.

  “I can manage,” Dr. Passero stated retrieving a needle from his medical bag.

  I stepped next to him reaching into his bag, grabbing a pair of gloves, slipping them on. “I can help. I’ve seen a lot of goriness. I am also studying to become a doctor.”

  He looked me up and down, speechless.

  “Um, all right. Let’s start him on fluids.”

  “Ok, I can start the line in his arm. May I have the needle?”

  His dark eyebrows furrowed. “Are you sure?”

  “Yes. I accompany the doctor we work with in New Jersey. Tony wanted me to gain experience early so I reach the top of my class.”

  The edges of his lips turned up. “Superb. Let’s get to work.”

  An hour later, I held Tony’s hand watching him sleep. His face held a sense of peace. Tony often looked angry.

  Dr. Passero allowed me to stitch up Tony’s stomach. I did an amazing job. Maybe I should become a plastic surgeon, I smiled inside.

  Dr. Passero said Tony will heal fine as long as he takes it easy over the next two weeks.

  I’m making decisions I never had to make before. I didn’t know how much money to pay the doctor. I was thinking twenty thousand. I called Gio the moment we landed.

  Hello?

  Hello, Gio. This is Nadine.

  What’s wrong and where is Tone? Gio breathed hard into the receiver.

  I guess my calling meant something was wrong.

  I felt the tears pushing against the back of my eyes.

  He’s with me. My voice shook. He was injured. His stomach was sliced open. I hired a doctor to help me stitch him up. I need to know how much to pay the doctor.

  Twenty.

  I knew he meant twenty thousand. I thought so. I wanted to be sure.

  You don’t have access to the money. I’ll pay him.

  I do have access to the money.

  There was silence on the other end. He probably couldn’t believe Tony would trust me with his financials. Little did Gio know, I am trusted with every aspect of Tony’s life. There is nothing I don’t know.

  Gio, I will pay him. Thank you.

  Ok…Also pay for a first-class plane ticket and wire the money into the doctor’s bank account. What is his name?

  Dr. Passero.

  He’s Magarelli’s doctor in Italy. How did you find him?

  Cruz talked to Terelo.

  Good. Ok. I will meet you at Tony’s house.

  Gio disconnected the call.

  Gio paced the floor outside Tony’s bedroom. I sent Cruz to grab food. I didn’t have an appetite, but I knew Tony would be upset if I didn’t eat. All I could do was lay next to Tony while he slept. I listened to him breathe. I needed to make sure his breathing was normal. Dr. Passero said it could be hours before Tony awoke.

  “Nadine.”

  I sat straight up, glancing toward the door. “Yes, Cruz?”

  “I brought up your favorite drink. And I ran by Tony’s favorite restaurant and picked up fresh chicken noodle soup.” He placed the orange soda bottle in my hand.

  I smiled. “Thank you, Cruz. I’ll let you know when he wakes up.”

  I felt a hand on my thigh. I glanced back at Tony.

  “Baby, you’re awake!” I threw my arms around his neck.

  “Nadine, pain,” he groaned.

  I pecked his lips. “I’m sorry. Gio is here.”

  “Here?”

  “Yes.” I turned to the doorway. “Gio, come in.”

  “Hey, Tone. How you feeling?” Gio smiled, sitting in the chair bedside.

  “I’ve been better,” Tony chuckled.

  “Nadine, am I naked?” Tony lifted the sheet.

  “Tony, stop.” I pressed the sheet down around him.

  “You aren’t naked. You have on PJ pants.”

  His face tensed. “What the fuck is that?”

  “Ok, big boy. You might need to get some rest.”

  “Tony, I wanted to make sure you were all right.” Gio’s face softened. The brooding man was concerned about his best friend.

  Tony turned to him and smiled. “Thanks, Gio for being here. I’ll be fine. Nadine will see to it.”

  “Gio, is it anyway you can check on Tony tomorrow and bring Laina with you?”

  Gio smiled. “Sure.”

  Gio gripped Tony’s shoulder. “I love you, brother. See you tomorrow.”

  Tony smiled as his eyes closed.

  I walked Gio to the front door.

  “Tony has been assigned a temporary detail until he’s healed. Sergio insisted on it. Mick and Sergio will stop by tomorrow.”

  My eyebrows rose.

  He pulled me into a hug. “Don’t worry. I will be back tomorrow with Laina. We’ll be here all day.”

  We stepped back.

  I sighed. “Thank you, for everything.”

  “It’s no problem.”

  Gio closed the door behind him.

  Pushing the long blue curtains open, I peered at the men walking the perimeter. Our special place had been quiet until now.

  ∞

  Bright and early, Sergio sat on the comfy sofa, eyes roaming the spacious decorative room.

  “You did this?” he motioned his hand, smiling.

  I sat in the sky-blue chair across from Sergio. “Yes. Tony asked me to redecorate. He wanted something that spoke less family more bachelor with a splash of a woman’s touch,” I smirked, thumping my thumb on the arm of the relaxing chair.

  He strategically gave me the once over. His arms poured along the top of the sofa. “I miss my brother. I haven’t been here in a long time.” He sat back straight waving his hand in the air. “Let’s get down to business. I need to know everything that happened the moment you walked into Rolo’s house.”

  “I’ll start from the beginning.”

  There was no time to allow Sergio to intimidate me. Tony slept soundly while I sat downstairs with Sergio. I gave Sergio the run down.

  His eyes darted to the black duffel bag sitting at my feet. My leopard Prada stiletto tapped the bag. I leaned forward. “Are you ready to look inside?” I smiled.
>
  He placed his hand up. “Tony took the head shot and cut his head off?”

  My lips curled in a devilish way. “Tony took the head shot, and I…cut the head off?”

  In turn, a devilish smile took his lips. “Wow, Tony sure knows how to pick them.” He waved his finger in my direction.

  “Tony has never been in love. You are the first woman to ever get close to him. Why do you think that is?”

  I stared him right in his green eyes. “I was what he wanted. No matter how many times he told himself he didn’t deserve me. He couldn’t let me go. Also, I’m a great listener and I do what I’m told.” I smirked.

  Sergio’s lip curled. “He told you to cut off the head?”

  I hesitated. “He told me we needed to collect the head, and I volunteered to remove it from its body. Tony understands I need to be ready to become a doctor. Doctors see gruesome things. Tony just wants me to be the best doctor I can be.”

  “I’ll say. Pass the bag.”

  I retrieved the bag, placing it on the coffee table. “It’s been in the deep freezer all night.”

  Sergio unzipped the bag, gawking inside. “Yup, that’s the filthy motherfucker.” He ran a hand over his slicked hair.

  “Good work, Nadine.” He zipped up the duffel bag.

  “One more question. Why did you choose Tony? You should focus on school and later worry about marrying some doctor schmuck.”

  The expensive fabric of my black slacks was soothing as I crossed my legs. “Tony is a very smart man. He could be a doctor or scientist. He could be attending college with me. Instead his fate was handed to him. He inherited the enforcer career. He’s learned the proper points at which to carve up a body. He’s also an expert in explosives. Despite his career path, I love him anyway. I’ll take his intelligent sexy self every time.”

  Sergio laughed, standing to his feet. His hand stretched out toward me. “Job well done. He’s lucky to have you. Welcome to the family, Nadine.”

  I placed my hand in his, shaking firmly. “Thank you, Sergio. I assure you, Tony will be back to himself in no time.”

  ~

  Tony remained in the house for two weeks. By week three, he worked out profusely in his home gym. I watched Tony perform pull-ups.

  “Tony, you don’t think you’re going to overdo it?”

  “No. I have to get back in shape.”

  “Tony, you act as if you have a gut. I can see the eight-pack crystal clear from where I am standing.” I winked.

  The sweat dripped down the definition in his chest and stomach. Tony hopped down from the bar, grabbing a towel, drying his face. “Get in the shower and wait for me.”

  “I want to make sure you are healed. Don’t over exert yourself.”

  He stepped closer, pulling me into his sweaty arms. “In the shower now, baby. I need you. It's been almost three weeks and no pussy. I need to get that pussy conformed to my cock again.” His lips feel upon mine. “Every day you sucked my dick and never complained. You made sure I was taken care of.”

  I smiled. “Baby, you took care of me too.”

  His delicious lips curled. “Your pussy on my face every morning this week tasting all that goodness.” He licked his lips. “I’ll never get enough. You came so fucking hard. Fuck, just the thought of how your body shuddered at the stroke of my tongue makes my cock rock hard.”

  Visibly I swallowed. Fuck, I wanted him to make love to me for the rest of the day.

  Staring into his beautiful blue eyes, I had no intention on arguing. I glanced at his hard cock and smiled. “Ok, baby.”

  Tony smacked my ass and sent me on my way.

  ∞

  Tony is a sweetheart. After being together for two years, Tony still drops me off at my parents whenever I choose to visit for the weekend. Sunday, Tony arrived to pick me up, he chatted with my dad before we drove back to New Jersey. My mom and dad call Tony my boyfriend even though he technically still doesn’t call me his girlfriend.

  Tony focused on the snowy road ahead. I turned my attention to the white fluffy snow falling from the sky.

  The week of finals I slept in my dorm.

  Christmas break, I packed none of my belongings. I had everything I needed at Tony’s house, except my birth control pills I left in the dresser at school. The snow storm hit hard. I told Tony I left something important at school and I needed to drive back and pick it up but he told me to wait a couple of days. I laugh on the inside because if I told him what it was I forgot, he probably would have driven through the snow to grab the pills himself.

  Finals were brutal this semester. Tony and I had spent little time together. I guess we made up for lost times because Tony and I have had sex three times a day at least for two weeks. This weekend we took a break because I went home to visit my family.

  I won’t bother taking the pregnancy test. I’ll make a doctor’s appointment. I’m not telling Tony I’m pregnant. Once my stomach grows he’ll know we are having a baby. Becoming a doctor is still my priority. That won’t change. Tony will be upset with me. This wasn’t a smart move. He’ll get over it. We will be a close-knit family. Dorm life is ending in my junior year. Soon I’ll move in with Tony.

  Once I’m three months pregnant, I won’t visit my family anymore. I can’t bear to see the disappointment in their faces. I stole a glance at Tony, then returned my gaze to the snow falling beautifully to the ground. One more year of undergrad, then I start medical school. I’ll get through it as long as I have Tony by my side.

  CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX

  TONY

  Happy. Me happy? I can’t believe it. I have everything I could ever want. Nadine. After the job we performed in Italy, I refused to allow Nadine to accompany me on another job. As much as I love working with her, I need to remember she’s a college student, not a hit woman.

  After we killed Rolo, the message was well received. Don’t fuck with the Magarelli’s.

  Two years into our relationship and Nadine barely lives on campus. If she informs me she has a big test, then I tell her to stay at school. On Saturday afternoons, we sit in the morgue eating lunch. Weird how neither one of us is bothered by the dead people lying around us. She’s my special girl. There will never be another woman for me, only Nadine.

  I often have to remind Nadine to visit her family. I drop her off on Fridays and pick her up on Sundays. I sit with her father discussing sports highlights before heading back to Jersey. He thanked me for pushing Nadine to keep her nose in the books. He said he thought her grades would slip because of our relationship. I told him not on my watch.

  ∞

  Uncle Sergio is out of town. He’s on business in Las Vegas. Lucky bastard enjoying the nice weather while we are stuck with the rain. The weather reports announced snow is coming tomorrow. Rain and snow mixed my least favorite combination. After I pick up Nadine, we’ll grab dinner on the way to my house. We will watch a movie by the fire tonight. Best way to enjoy winter. I chuckled aloud.

  My cell buzzed on the passenger seat.

  My eyes darted between the road and the phone screen.

  Fran’s name appeared.

  Hello Fran. What’s up?

  Anthony, I need you to come over now!

  She breathed heavy.

  My heart raced.

  What’s wrong? Did something happen to the boys?

  No Anthony, I will see you when you get here.

  She disconnected the call.

  ~

  I entered the pool house.

  Fran ran over embracing me.

  “Francine, what’s wrong?”

  My eyes widened as I pulled her back, staring into her face.

  “You better sit down.”

  Fran paced back and forth as she revealed the night's events.

  Hearing the devastating news about my Uncle Mickey’s death made my blood boil. Leech Fenoglio and Filippo Bertozzi. Those sons of bitches needed to pay with their lives. Unfortunately, those two motherfuckers are off limits; not to be to
uched. This was an agreement made between our grandfathers long ago. Killing Uncle Mickey crosses the line too. If my Uncle Sergio found out, he would order a hit on all the men in their family. As much as I want revenge for my Uncle’s death, I need to take a step back and protect Dillon. It’s obvious our families’ agreement means nothing to them. There is supposed to be a sit down if you have a problem with a made man.

  “Unfortunately, because Dillon saw them, they are staying low. They wouldn’t be stupid enough to come to the bosses’ house.” I clenched my fists, in an effort to calm down. The shit wasn’t working.

  “What do you need from me Fran?” My jaw twitched.

  She turned to me. “I need you and Dillon to fake your deaths. You said you wanted out. Here is the perfect opportunity to get out. You’re only twenty-one. This gives you the opportunity to start your life over. No more being a hit man for the Magarelli family.”

  Now, I regret ever mentioning those words to Fran. At the time, I didn’t foresee love.

  Fran’s worried eyes glared at Dillon.

  My job was to protect the Magarelli family at all cost. Even if that meant costing me happiness. I leaned forward cupping my hands together pondering on what she said.

  My blue eyes flashed up at hers. “I will do it. I know just the way. When is Sergio coming back?”

  “He’ll be back Sunday.”

  “With the snowfall hitting Saturday, this should be doable. Be sure to tell Sergio, Mickey dropped off Dillon. That way it will appear Dillon knew nothing. Francine a week from today, if Mickey’s body hasn’t turned up, go into the city, use a pay phone, leave an anonymous tip. Tell them you saw a body floating at Draper Lake.”

  “Ok.” She wrung her hands together.

  “I will pay for all expenses out of my own personal account. I had my trust fund money before I met Sergio. And don’t worry I have more than enough to cover the cost. Anthony, drop Dillon off at my sister Ava’s house. You can pick him up tomorrow.”