Stolen Kisses

by Gray, Khardine

  One that screamed for help.

  It was amazing all the times I remembered seeing the horrific sight of my sister dead on that bed, and the roses and anything that reminded me of that day, but I never shunned the memory of Maria.

  Back then I blamed everything for Christina’s death. The wind, the time, the roses, anything.

  I never blamed Maria though. I knew she thought I did because Christina changed a lot when she moved into that apartment with Maria. I was just a firm believer in people being responsible for the choices they made.

  Maria may have introduced her to the life of high-powered men and gangsters I wouldn’t want to clash with, but Christina chose to follow that path.

  I was in my office going over the sales report. It was the most boring task ever even though I was looking at some serious money. Money I’d brought in from just last night.

  Gio came in holding the money bags for one of the cash registers. It was full. He’d changed it at the start of the shift just a few hours ago and it was already full. I had things set up so when the registers reached their limit we’d get a message in here to change over the float.

  He held up the bag and laughed.

  “I should just take all this for payment,” he joked.

  “Yeah? Would love to see you try something like that with me watching you.” I laughed.

  “I’m too tired, and you’re either going to have to accept me as your new business partner or hire me.” Gio sat down in front of me and set the bags on the table.

  “Which is cheaper?”

  “You know what bro, I’m not too certain. I do all this shit for you and I swear to God I couldn’t put an actual price on it. Especially when I’m doing all the work and you’re off chasing skirts.”

  I laughed and feigned innocence. He was right though to some extent. I had a weakness for beautiful women. What man didn’t? Add the fact that I had that hot, Italian blood flowing through my veins and I was a hopeless case in front of a woman I wished to declare mine.

  “Sorry man. Can’t help myself.”

  “You fucking bastard,” Gio laughed and threw a box of tissues at me. “Always thinking with your dick. Now it’s worse, because you have more money than me.”

  I laughed again. I was laughing, completely different to how I was days ago at the gravesite. Gio might be complaining about working too hard, but he’d been here a lot more than usual over the past week. It started from the buildup to the memorial service, then he just stuck with me. Making sure I was dealing and coping.

  These light-hearted conversations of ours were that.

  “I had another idea.” I stated resting my hands on the table.

  “What? What now?”

  “Motorcycles. They are us. I don’t know why we never did this, but I think we should delve in a little more than we do. Like take it more serious.”

  Gio chuckled. “How much serious are we talking? Like you and Alex jumping your bikes across the rooves of the warehouses?”

  I rolled my eyes at him. He was pissed, because he couldn’t do it. Me and Alex were daredevils, Gio was a speed demon and Claudius was like the godfather, which he kind of was. Alex and I were more likely to plan something and execute it. Claudius on the other hand did all the crazy, Duke of Hazards shit you’d see on the show and in the movies. Jumping his bike through buildings, from buildings to the road, and fucking riding out of planes.

  I still didn’t know how he didn’t die that time.

  We’d always modified bikes and sold them. That was what we used to tell people we did. We had a garage downtown that had grown substantially larger over the years.

  “I’m talking about an arena, a sports ground. There’s a large number of bikers in the Chicago area. We could host competitions and stuff like that. I was thinking it could be something we all do as business partners.”

  Gio looked intrigued and the smile on his face widened.

  “I love that idea. That sounds amazing. We could be the home of the next daredevils.”

  I nodded. “See what would you do without me?”

  He chuckled. “I don’t know man.”

  Claudius gave him an apartment complex which basically ran itself. The two of us each had our own business areas, but our main job would always be working for Claudius; managing finances, and other things.

  Things we didn’t speak of not even to each other. It didn’t require much work, but it needed to be done. Raphael had set up things in a way whereby it ran itself and we didn’t need to run around like criminals from the past.

  What started out as plain and simple money laundering became this empire and as long as certain people were kept happy they looked the other way. Turned a blind eye to what was really going on behind the scenes.

  It was the same now.

  If certain people needed certain things done, certain impossible things, they still came to us. Gio looked after the private clients who needed various arrangements and me …

  Sometimes I thought Claudius played favorites with me, maybe because he’d known me the longest. He’d given us each the same title of capo, but he’d given us a rank. I was number one, Gio two, and Alex three.

  I managed the money with him, the hitmen, and the secret squad. I had more dealings, however with the secret squad, because they kept watch for anything unusual and threats. We got rid of the threats as soon as they came about in whatever way that meant.

  That was the business at large. We met a couple times a week to discuss business at large.

  This club and restaurant was me though. I’d called it Fortegra, because I thought the name carried that class and vibe. I wasn’t wrong, because right now I was rolling in the dough.

  I had never expected to do this well for myself. Me, a mobster doing well for myself in an actual legit way.

  I couldn’t complain.

  Gio straightened up and I remembered he had looked like he wanted to ask me how I was earlier. So, I thought I’d be the one to tell him how I felt and maybe share the latest news of the comeback of Maria, the lost goddess.

  “I’m okay.” I told him.

  He searched my eyes and looked a little cautious. “Yeah?”

  “Yeah. I’m okay. I have to be. Ma’s still a mess. Made me feel like shit. She gets like that every year.” The birthday memorial was nine days ago. Ma grieved the same way every year and got stuck in the same cycle of depression.

  She’d remarried a few years back and the new found happiness seemed to help, but only slightly. Edward, her husband, always took care of her and we both geared up for the yearly service.

  Because of the way Christina died, we’d decided that we would commemorate her birthday instead of her death anniversary. Last Sunday I allowed Edward to take care of Ma because I felt I couldn’t. Guilt had worn me down, plaguing my mind for the fact that ten years had passed and I’d been unable to do anything.

  “You know, I wouldn’t know this, but I’m going on the basis of what I’ve seen. Vengeance may bring some justice, but you’ll always feel hollow. Because no matter what it won’t bring her back. The only thing you can do is turn your focus to something positive.”

  I nodded. I knew that he was right. Completely right.

  “Positive … like hoping this new guy Claudius found will lead us somewhere.”

  “Yes, exactly that. I was wondering about using him too, but we’ll see right? Our fallen weren’t taken by any ordinary run of the mill people. This guy seems like he’d dig in the dirt to find the bones, or at least what’s left.”

  “I hope so. I just need something more to work with Gio. More than what I already know.” What I already knew probably counted for nothing.

  I’d seen Christina with Donny, and to me that said there was some links to the Antonellas. In those days I could only guess that, but in light of recent activities I knew the relationship between the Manellos and Antonellas was a lot stronger than what I’d previously assumed.

  Last year when shit went down a
nd Claudius was able to catch Marissa’s killer we all saw that the relationship between the Antonellas and Manellos had to be strong to pull off a heist like stealing nukes. They were all in it together. Thick as the thieves they were and it wasn’t just them either. There were some other crime families that were involved too; the Salvatores and the Fontanes. All of them bad. Claudius hadn’t really said all that much about the part of the plan that was revealed, but I knew it had to be down to easing off on things that didn’t concern us.

  In this business you had to know when to look the other way and when to separate out what was important to you. That was the key.

  Claudius had wanted Goliath and that was all.

  The same principle applied to me, but the main difference was I knew to truly dig deep I’d have to piss on tradition and stick my nose where it didn’t belong. I’d have to jump into the deep end by myself and swim with those fish who were above Claudius.

  I would do it though. I would do it for her—for Christina.

  I had tried to in the past, but until last year the Antonellas hadn’t been seen in well over a decade, maybe longer. The Manellos were just as scarce, couldn’t find them anywhere. Claudius had been looking for Joe Manello, capo to their family, because of his ties to the plans that killed Marissa. I rode off the back of that. Nothing came of it. He never said, but I knew if Claudius ever found Joe, he would kill him.

  “I can see your mind working bro,” Gio sat forward and tilted his head to the side.

  “What do you mean?” I quirked a brow. “Is that a new power of yours?”

  “Not so much. Last year meant a lot for you too. I never talked about it, because I thought maybe you’d come to me. But I knew what seeing the Antonellas and the Manellos would do to you. They resurfaced and to you they were the only people with some kind of answers.” Gio nodded.

  I smirked. It was difficult to hide my feelings when I had a friend like him. “It’s difficult to know what to do Gio. Mostly I just want to kill everyone I feel is responsible. I probably would too if I were a less experienced guy in this game.”

  People like them didn’t come at you with bullets and shoot you dead on the spot. They made sure you knew that if you truly pissed them off, and your punishment would be watching someone you love die, or it could be them torturing you. Cutting off body parts and feeding it to you. Shit like that. Then they’d make an example of you.

  The first thing was weaknesses. They get you there first. For me my main weakness was Ma.

  What happened to Claudius told me they didn’t care who you were. They would come for you if they wanted to.

  I couldn’t get on my high horse and put Ma in danger like that.

  “Don’t do anything stupid Dante. I’m just gonna say it. Probably should have said it last year. Don’t do anything stupid. When we take action, we don’t for no reason at all. If this guy does find something promise me, you’ll talk with me and the guys. Not just take matters into your own hands.”

  “Thanks Gio. I’ll remember that.” I would remember that for sure, but I also knew there would come a time when I’d have to stand alone.

  Ma wasn’t my only weakness, though.

  She wasn’t the only person who mattered to me, and my gut told me the person I was looking for was the type who’d definitely be above all of us.

  I looked at him and smiled, thinking it was time to change up the topic.

  “On a lighter note,” I began. “Guess who I saw last night?”

  “Was it a woman?”

  “Yes, it was.”

  “Dante, with the host of women you have each week, how the fuck am I supposed to guess which one you saw?”

  “You are just as bad as me.” I pointed out. It was the truth we were as bad as each other. Get paid and get laid.

  I wouldn’t even say that I’d changed as the years rolled on by. It was a distraction for me. A guilty pleasure I allowed myself.

  “Fucking hell Dante. Just tell me. I don’t want to be here all damn night.” He shook his head at me.

  “Maria.” I told him straightening up and smiling.

  “Maria, from Sweden? Maria from the other week when you got wasted and tried to take her clothes off in the bar? Maria the tattoo babe, or Maria the new girl at the deli near the office that just loves making you whatever you ask for, for free.”

  I frowned. I wasn’t aware that I knew that many Marias. “Maria Ferrara.” I clarified and that was when his eyes widened.

  “Luc’s Maria?” he gasped.

  Like fuck, was she Luc’s Maria. While I understood why he would refer to her as such, it still pissed me off.

  “Luc’s Maria? I don’t think so.” I eyed him dangerously and he laughed.

  “Come on man, you know everyone called her that.”

  “Well don’t let Amelia here you say that because Maria’s back in town.” Amelia was Luc’s wife and I bet I’d be the only one watching my mouth if it came to it, because I was the only one way back when who wished for the day when Maria would no longer be called Luc’s.

  “Obviously. Damn Dante, don’t tell me you still have the hots for her?”

  I simply laughed. Laughed at myself since it was stupid, because I did. “I saw her last night, here. She got the shock of her life when I told her I owned the place. She looked like she was in trouble though.”

  “And you didn’t ask what the trouble was?”

  I shook my head. “That’s not how you deal with women like her. She thinks she’s God’s gift.”

  The scar on her neck looked nasty and like someone gave it to her. I really hoped not.

  Gio pulled in a deep breath and sighed. “So, that’s it? A woman you’ve had the hots for, forever rolls back in town and you not gonna do something bout it?”

  I templed my fingers and smiled.

  This would be a big distraction. Maria was the one woman I never had and wanted.

  The woman who was never mine. There was a difference between wanting someone and they fend you off because they didn’t want you. I didn’t deal with that, never happened to me because I used my looks to get what I wanted.

  When that woman was playing hard to get …

  That was a whole other story. It was a game; a chase.

  It was the eyes that gave her away. Even when she was all loved up with Luc, she still gave me that look with that spark. It was there last night and she wasn’t Luc’s anymore.

  “No, I’m going to do something. Got to find her first.” I nodded.

  “Well, it’s not like you don’t know where to look.” Gio grinned.

  Her aunt’s place, I would start there tomorrow.

  Chapter 6

  Dante

  I waited until noon before I decided to head back down a path I’d been too many times. Not for the brothel like most men could say who’d come to this area.

  Things went on in that brothel that sickened me. I didn’t know what the fuck kind of sick mind Vira had, but she was seriously screwed in the brain.

  She was the kind of woman to take in under-aged girls who were desperate for money. There was in incident a long time ago where a fourteen year old overdosed on heroine in that house. She didn’t die, but it opened the door to what was going on in Vira’s business.

  The house was one of the few business places around here that wasn’t owned by Raphael. Vira had paid up her mortgage to him and had it all in her control. He still had some power though over her, because he threatened to put her out of business.

  Claudius, I knew would have burned the place down rather than deal with the consequences after.

  The place was about fifteen minutes’ walk from Fortegra.

  I hated this part of town. All the apartment buildings looked like dives.

  Thank fuck I didn’t have to get too close, because as soon as I turned the corner to go down the road Vira lived, platinum blond hair caught my attention.

  That hair could stop traffic, because it looked like a mass of light.
/>   Then you saw Maria’s face and got sucked into her beauty. Her body next would draw you in.

  Maria had the kind of body built for sin. Massive round breasts that could get a man in trouble, slim hips that tapered into elegant long legs and skin that shimmered in the sun. Dressed in a simple pair of denim shorts and a tank top she looked like a goddess.

  Way back when, even before she was Luc’s girl, I knew she would be the kind of girl who’d be reserved for the best guys. Back when I thought I shouldn’t be looking at my little sisters bestest of friends. The four year age difference bothered me, particularly when we were kids in school. I met her when she was eight. It wasn’t until Maria turned twelve however that I took notice. Me with my fucking sixteen year old hot head.

  Age consumed me when I saw her talking to a guy that was old enough to be our dad. Later she was with Luc who was seven years older. At the time I wondered if I’d missed the boat with my nonsense about age. Then I realized I was fixated on the wrong thing with this girl. She was after the perpetual alpha male— the strongest, richest, baddest.

  I didn’t know what her flavor was these days.

  She’d been standing by a tree watching something.

  As I got closer I realized she was watching someone. A little dark haired boy who reminded me of Luc’s kid, Raphael who’d just turned five. This kid looked like he was about that age too.

  He had a football he kicked with his little legs.

  I was shocked when he kicked the ball to Maria and she ran to kick it. The kid laughed in the cute way most kids did, ran up to her, and hugged her legs.

  As far as I knew Maria hated kids. I heard her talking once to Christina, telling her she never planned on having any, because she couldn’t risk getting stretchmarks on her perfect body. It was her who gave Christina her first pack of condoms and told her better to have it and not need it, than be without.

  No way would I think this kid was hers, but she held the boy like he was.

  She released him and kicked the ball again. He ran to get it, coming closer to where I stood, and kicked the ball again so hard it bounced and spun all the way over to me.