Traitor: An Enemies to Lovers Mafia Romance (Sold to The Don Book 3)

by Callie Vincent

  Because the last thing I needed was for Ronnie Lucchese himself to have control of the only way in and out of this place that I had.

  “Ready?” I asked as I wrapped my arm around Char.

  She drew in a deep breath. “Ready as I’ll ever be.”

  Then, we started up the porch steps together, but before I rang the doorbell, Ronnie answered. “Well, don’t just stand there. Come in and get yourselves a drink.”

  I looked down at Char and I saw her plaster on her best smile. I kept my ears and eyes on high alert as I walked the two of us inside. Ronnie closed the door behind us, but I didn’t hear him flip a lock. But, when he tried to tug on my arm to get me away from Char, I relented.

  “Yes?” I asked.

  Ronnie snickered. “You didn’t really think I’d do business with you in front of your beautiful lawyer now, did you?”

  I shrugged. “If it’s a matter of a family truce, we’ll need official documents drawn up. Why wouldn’t she be here?”

  “Well, she doesn’t need to be part of this first ritualistic meeting.”

  Char leaned forward. “Ritualistic?”

  Ronnie nodded. “Yes. Whenever the heads of two warring families meet, there’s always a private glass of whiskey shared. During that moment, it gives both men the opportunity to express their wrongdoings without any form of punishment before lawyers are brought in and documents are drawn up.”

  Char looked up at me. “Seems harmless enough.”

  I looked into her eyes and saw a plan formulating behind them. So, I went along with it. “I’m going to head off with Ronnie, but I’m sure he’d tell you to feel free to make yourself comfortable. Correct?”

  Ronnie nodded. “Of course. My butler will escort you out back to our garden. It’s beautiful out there, especially this time of the year. There are drinks and fresh fruits plucked straight from the vines and trees, so feel free to indulge yourself.”

  I patted Char on the ass softly. “I’ll come get you myself when we’re ready.”

  She nodded. “Sounds like a plan. Don’t you two have too much fun now.”

  I winked at her. “We won’t, I promise.”

  I watched as she was led away before I turned to face Ronnie, but instead of him waiting for me I watched as he rounded a corner to make his way down the hallway. I buttoned my suit jacket and followed after him, watching the old, lumbering man trying to get a head-start on me.

  It didn’t take much to catch up, though.

  And I kept my eyes peeled as he ushered me into his fireplace room.

  “I poured them when I saw you two pulling up,” Ronnie said.

  I nodded. “How nice.”

  He held his hand out. “Have a seat. Take either glass you wish. And yes, before you take a sip, I’ll take a sip.”

  I snickered. “Smart man.”

  I eased myself into the high-back leather chair and reached for the glass closest to me. No use in playing coy. I lifted my glass and waited for him to take a sip, and when he did I watched closely for any signs of poisoning, or any reaction that might pop despite a tolerance to said poisoning. Most men like ourselves operated in much the same way: part of our training growing up was becoming somewhat immune to the most basic of poisons. Usually by injection, but sometimes by ingestion.

  And when I didn’t see any symptoms or signs, I took a sip myself.

  “See? All clear,” Ronnie said.

  I nodded. “And good. How long was this aged?”

  He leaned back. “Over fifty years. It’s easily one of my best brands. I only bring it out for things such as this.”

  I took another sip. “Fair enough.”

  He threw back the rest of his whiskey. “So, as I said over the phone, I’ve gotten older. Possibly a bit weaker. It’s not secret nowadays that I have to spend more money for others to do my dirty work because I simply can’t any longer.”

  I felt my tongue going numb. “What the--?”

  Ronnie leaned forward. “You know, just because I’m older in age, though, doesn’t mean I’m an idiot.”

  My vision started to tunnel. “What the fuck was in that drink?”

  His voice leaned into my ear. “And if you think for one second I’m making a truce with you and your disgusting family, you can think again. Your little plaything put a bullet in my half-brother when he had enough courtesy not to kill her after I told him to dispose of her.”

  It felt as if my bones had become jelly. “What did you just give me?”

  He grabbed the back of my head. “You know, not all poisons are common. And not all poisons are administered to us through our youth.”

  He dragged my face closer to his as my vision began to blur.

  “Ever heard of a calabar bean, Mateo?”

  Good holy fuck. “You son of a bitch.”

  I found it in me to reach up and wrap my hands around his neck, but the doors burst open before I could squeeze. Ronnie stood and backed away from my grip, causing me to fall to my knees. I felt men grabbing at my arms before another one stood in front of me, hovering over me as if I were his next meal.

  “And make sure it’s painful, you guys,” Ronnie said.

  Then, that slimy little fucker walked right out of the room. Leaving the doors wide open.

  “Char!” I roared.

  The man in front of me punched my jaw and my mouth immediately pooled with blood.

  “Char! Run!” I exclaimed.

  I felt a boot slam straight into my gut and I bent over, heaving for air as I choked on my own blood. I closed my eyes as an elbow came down against my spine, and for some reason the bottoms of my feet began to burn. The pain was excruciating. I took blows and punches and kicks from every angle as I felt my ribs fracturing. I spat one of my teeth onto the pristine tiled floors as my blood splattered with every hit.

  This island isn’t safe without you. You have to get up.

  My mind dragged me back into the recesses of my memories. Beautiful memories of splashing around in the ocean with my mother and riding around on the backs of horses with my father. Memories of running around in the schoolyard and playing on the playground with the waves lapping against the island only half a mile away. I remembered back to the times where I laughed until my stomach ached with my father and playing shadow tag with the boys in the neighborhood on the weekends.

  I remembered back to a time where this wasn’t my life. Where blood and death and vengeance didn’t constantly course through my veins.

  And I knew the Luccheses would bleed this island dry of all its happiness if I didn’t do something.

  “Pathetic, isn’t it?” one of the men asked.

  I felt a punch directly against my gut as my body sagged over.

  “Bleeding on the floor like a strung-up animal.”

  Another punch to my temple sent my head flying off to the side.

  “I can’t wait to bury your body and claim the boss’s bonus for myself. My fiancé’s been looking at getting a new car as a push gift.”

  “The fuck’s a push gift?”

  I spat yet another one of my teeth out onto the floor. “It’s a gift you get a woman for shoving your child out of her vagina. I mean, come on. Everyone knows this.”

  The man in front of me growled. “You son of a bitch.”

  When he went to throw his punch, though, I tucked and rolled. The men scrambled to get back to me as I rolled toward the fireplace and reached for the poker off the wrought iron rack. And when I got it in my hands, the first thing I did was jab backward.

  Before I heard the cry of a wounded man behind me.

  “That’s for my teeth,” I grunted.

  I stood to my feet and pulled the poker out before slamming it against the face of the other man charging me.

  “That’s for my ribs,” I said as I groaned in pain.

  Then, I staked that damn thing right through the stomach of the third man racing at me from down the hallway.

  “And that’s for Char, because if you�
�ve laid a finger on her, I’m going to slaughter your entire fucking family.”

  I kicked the man in the face as he plummeted to the ground before I stood crookedly on my legs. My ribs were on fire. I still couldn’t feel my tongue. And damn it, I needed a fucking antidote. But, as I squinted my eyes and peered down the hallway, I knew one thing was for certain.

  My love for this island would always make me the strongest man in the room.

  “Ronnie!” I roared.

  I stumbled out of the room and planted my hand against the wall.

  “Ronnie, you son of a bitch!”

  I saw him slip out of a door down the hallway. “Impressive, to say the least.”

  I watched him approach me as I leaned heavily against the wall, trying to prop up my aching body.

  “Impressive, but foolish,” he hissed.

  He went to punch me, but I caught his knuckles in my hand. I twisted his wrist and watched him wince in pain before I brought my free arm down against his wrist. I heard it snap before he howled in pain and dropped to his knees like the pansy he really was deep down inside. And after delivering a solid blow to his small, miniscule nutsack, I reached down and wrapped my arm around his neck.

  Smiling as I listened to him choke on his own spit.

  “You wanna know what I find to be the funniest part?” I asked.

  He clawed at my clothed arm and gagged for air.

  “No? Well, I’ll tell you: I think the funniest part of all this is that we both came for the same reason, but it looks like only one of us gets to fulfill it.”

  “What?” he wheezed.

  I pressed my lips against his ear. “You came to poison me, but I came to kill you, you filthy little bastard.”

  And as I snapped his head to the left, listening as his spinal cord popped, I dropped his lifeless body to the ground. I stood to my own feet. I peered down into the man’s lifeless eyes and smiled to myself as my own blood dripped down my neck.

  “No need for a truce when you’re dead,” I said with a chuckle.

  But, as I took a step forward to go find Char, I heard clapping emanating behind me.

  Before I turned around and saw Lorenzo emerge from the room stationed behind me.

  26

  Charlotte

  As I stood alone out on the back porch, the silence grew eerie. I looked around for someone—anyone—to be watching me. Or keeping tabs on me. Or generally reporting back to someone as to my whereabouts. But, I saw no one. I didn’t like the feeling of this situation one bit, but the chocolate and fruit tray sitting on the porch table kept calling my name. So, I walked over and poured myself a small glass of red wine before plucking a chocolate-covered espresso bean from its bowl.

  Before a familiar voice sounded behind me. “I see you’re doing well.”

  It took me a second to register the voice. I hadn’t heard it in so long that I almost thought I was dreaming. But, as I plopped the bean into my mouth and crunched down, I abandoned my wine in favor of turning around.

  And saw my mother physically standing behind me.

  “Wow,” I said.

  She clapped her hands together. “I suppose that’s one way to put it.”

  I shook my head. “I can’t even say I’m shocked anymore.”

  She cocked her head. “Really? Wow. I rather thought you would’ve been shocked.”

  “I found the documents in Lorenzo’s house while I was his captive. I know you’ve been working for him, and likely the entire Lucchese Family.”

  Her eyes ran down my form. “And it looks as if you’ve become a slut for the mafia.”

  I snorted. “A slut for the mafia? That’s rich, coming from someone like you. Your dirty little deeds have been much, much worse. At least I’m working with a man dedicated to the well-being of this island. You’re simply working for the man trying to destroy this place.”

  She grinned. “Is that really what your time on this side of the world has led you to believe?”

  I shrugged. “I was taught to believe evidence, and that’s exactly what the evidence shows.”

  She sauntered toward me. “Why don’t you say what you really want to say to me, hmm?”

  “And give you the satisfaction of hearing me upset with you? I think I’ll pass.”

  “You have to admit, you’re a bit upset. Right? I mean, didn’t you have a flight back home that you missed to stick around? Imagine getting all the way to your office only to realize it’s being occupied by someone else?”

  My stomach hit the floor. “You’ve hired someone in my place?”

  She held her arms out politely, but her words were anything but. “I can’t run an entire firm by myself. And poor ol’ Gloria grieving the loss of her kidnapped daughter needs a bit of help with things. For a discounted employment cost, of course.”

  I sighed. “And what poor sucker do you have on your line this time?”

  “Have you really not put it together yet? Because I could’ve sworn I raised you better than--.”

  I smiled. “Oh, you mean the fact that you had my kidnapping arranged for the night of the party which just so happened to be a party that was attended by Mateo to make it look like he was the one that kidnapped me so that I’d fight my way home and help you take down a wealthy client’s rival based on some petty vendetta I held toward him?”

  I watched my mother’s face pale as I closed the distance between us. I watched her back up until the brick outside of the Lucchese Estate interrupted her movements. And when I felt her ragged breathing against my lips, I locked my gaze with hers.

  “I’ve had a lot of time to think, Mom. I’ve had a lot of time to make sense of the paperwork I saw in Lorenzo’s house. You’re the one who taught me to take snapshots of things with my eyes. You were the one that groomed me and gave me all the tools I needed to survive over here. And I admit, your plan almost worked. I almost turned on Teo. But, there’s something you sorely underestimated that bit you in the ass.”

  She narrowed her eyes. “And what is that?”

  I grinned. “My hunger for the truth.”

  And when she didn’t answer, I stared her down as I straightened my back. “If you don’t stop working for the Luccheses immediately, everything comes to light. And when I say everything? I mean every scrap of every lie I found in those boxes. I will turn everything I know and have over to whoever wants to see it, whether they deserve to see it or not. And I’m not just talking about legal matters, either. I’m talking about every rival family you’ve ever worked with and every disgusting person on your roster. I’ll make them all hate you in one fell swoop, and you’ll have no choice but to run and hide. And when I drag your ass into court? I’ll testify of my own accord how I have proof that my mother set me up to be kidnapped and sold off to the highest bidder just to keep her highest-paying client on her payroll. Which will set you up to take the fall for--.”

  She finally pushed back. “I had absolutely nothing to do with that bullshit trafficking ring. I don’t ever stick my hands into that kind of shit with my clients.”

  I stood my ground. “Is that how a judge will see it, though? Especially once I prove that you used your client’s own trafficking ring to get rid of your daughter? What was it, Mom? Did I ask too many questions? Did I not show you enough evil deep inside to clue me on in what you were doing? Or, did you have plans to send me down with the ship if you were ever found out?”

  And again, when she didn’t answer, I snickered. “You’re a fucking piece of work. But, Teo’s will and love for this place will always overpower you and every shred of evil on it. And mark my words, Mom, your entire empire is going to be locked up for life. With you right alongside them.”

  Her eyes widened. “I never thought I’d see the day.”

  I walked back over to the table. “You’re not the only strong-willed one in this family. I just play for the side that always wins. You can interpret that however you wish.”

  I tossed another chocolate-covered espresso bean i
nto my mouth and crunched down.

  “What if I agree to your terms?” she asked.

  I turned to face her. “You mean, walking away from the Lucchese Family for good? No questions asked?”

  She nodded. “Yes. If I do it, will you keep your mouth shut?”

  I smirked. “Do you really have a choice in the matter?”

  She shook her head. “You’ve changed, you know.”

  “That happens when a daughter figures out that the head of a mafia family loves her more than her own damn mo--.”

  “No!” I shrieked.

  Out of nowhere, I heard the whooshing of something over my shoulder. I went charging for my mother, knowing damn good and well what was about to happen. And before my mother even finished her sentence, I watched her eyes widen. A hole, dead in the center of her forehead, leaked with blood as I collapsed against her, trying to move her out of the way of a bullet that had already done its job.

  And as we collapsed against the pavement, I saw her brain matter seeping out of the hole in the back of her head.

  “Mom! No!” I cried out.

  But, when I heard footsteps barreling toward me, I hopped up and shoved my hand between my legs. I slid them into my panties and pulled out the pistol before cocking it and taking aim. And as I felt the bullets on the underside of my tits pressing against my skin, I raised my head with all of the confidence in the world.

  Before tightening my finger against the trigger.

  27

  Mateo

  “I never thought I’d see the day,” Lorenzo said.

  His eyes fell to his lifeless brother in a pile on the floor before he clicked his tongue. And when his gaze met mine, I prepared myself for yet another fight.

  Even though the bottoms of my feet were still on fire.

  “Gain feeling in your tongue yet?” he asked.

  I wiggled it for him. “Ready to kiss and make up?”