by V. Domino
When we get to the river the boat is gone along with my sister and the woman I was falling for.
“Fuck, we need to find them. Dad? Alexei? What are we doing? We need to do something?”
Alexei looks uncomfortable, like he’s having trouble making a decision. I want to shake him. I look at Dad who is watching Alexei. “Dad?” I plead.
Fuck. I run down to the jetty and jump into the nearest boat and start the engine. Alexei and Maxim jump on board. Alexei shouts to Dad, “We’ll chase them on the river. Find security and follow us. We need to find out who has Tilly and our sister.” He pushes me out of the way and takes the wheel.
He looks over his shoulder at me. “Silas. Pull it together. Reacting immediately won’t help get them back, we need to be clever. We need to think like them.”
“I just know that I need Tilly back, Alexei. I can’t describe how I feel about her in such a short time, but I know that I need to find her before she’s hurt. Annika can fight, Tilly can’t.”
He puts his hand on my shoulder. “It’s okay, brother. We will bring them home.”
I have to believe him. I have to believe in my family. He drives the boat down the River Thames trying to locate the small boat that they had. We can’t see it. It’s like it just disappeared. The only place it could be is in one of the homes that are along the river. So it’s one of our neighbours.
“We are going to tear this place apart looking for them, Silas. I can guarantee you that,” Alexei says as he turns the boat around and heads back to home.
When we get there, we run back into the house and into Dad’s office. He’s sitting there with a grave look on his face.
“They took your mum too.” I’ve never seen my dad defeated. He looks so lost without her. She has been his life for so long. Whatever I am feeling he must be feeling ten times over. Whoever Dareios is, he’s messed with the wrong family. The Wells-Petrova’s don’t forgive people who mess with their family.
“Whoever he is, he’s now declared war on our family. We will be victorious. We will find them and bring them home.” Alexei takes control of everyone in the room. He is asserting his authority and he is taking over, knowing that Dad and I can’t cope. We want to just run out and start shooting people so that we can find our women and bring them home.
It’s Christmas Eve and the girls have been gone for five days. Five fucking long days. We are no closer to finding them now as we were the day they were taken. There has been a lot of bloodshed already as we have tried to locate and bring down the members of Dareios’s gang.
I’m beside myself. My mom, sister and Tilly are god knows where and we can’t find them. I just hope to god they haven’t killed them. I couldn’t live with that on my conscience.
We have exhausted all avenues and it just feels like every lead is a dead end. Dad is out on the streets talking to his old contacts. No one knows anything, it’s like Dareios is working alone, but we know that’s not true. The man in the boat was not Dareios so he is definitely working with someone.
Alexei gets a call and he stands. “Right. Now? Fuck, are they okay?”
I look at his face and know that they’ve been found. Fuck I just hope they’re alive.
Alexei looks at me. “I see. Fuck. Dad, that’s not good. We’re on our way, I’ll bring the doc.” He hangs up and looks at me.
“Dad found the girls, but there’s only two of them. There’s only mum and Annika. Tilly wasn’t there. We need to get down there straight away and see if we can find out what happened to Tilly.”
“Oh god, I hope she’s okay. Fuck.” We grab our jackets and head out. Maxim drives as Alexei talks on his phone. I sit looking out the window thinking about Tilly. I did this to her. If she’s alive, then I will walk away from her. She needs to lead a normal life. She’s not cut out for this life. I’m not cut out for this life and it runs in my blood. That’s the best thing I can do for her. Rescue her. Save her and then walk away from her.
Maxim pulls up at one of our building along the Thames. We all rush out and into the building, Dad is there with Mum and Annika. Annika runs to Alexei and hugs him. They were always closest then she comes over to me. “I’m so sorry, Silas. I’m sorry.”
“What happened? Where’s Tilly?” I know I should check if they are both okay, but my mind is only filled with thoughts of Tilly.
“We don’t know. They just came in and took her minutes before Dad found us. They knew he was coming and they got her out of there.”
“Did they hurt you?” I look over her, she is black and blue.
She nods. “Yes they beat us all, they wanted to know what we knew about the businesses. One guy, I think he was the leader, he said that he was getting revenge. What is he looking for revenge for Silas?”
“He’s a son of one of the guys dad killed when him and grandpa merged together. He was dad’s boss. He was a horrible man and Dad didn’t know he had a son. He wants revenge. A life for a life.”
“She’s smart, Silas. She talks a lot and she’s not scared.” Mum comes over and hugs me. “I like her and when we find her I want you to seriously think about making her a part of this family. She stood up for both Annika and I and she took more beatings than we did. She’s a brave and stupid girl. But she loves you. I know you’ve just met, but I knew within a day that I loved your dad. She is fighting her way back to you Silas.”
“I don’t think she should be in the middle of our drama. I don’t want her hurt anymore.” It hurts to think of them beating her.
Mum laughs. “I don’t think you have a choice, son. When you open your heart to love and find that one person who is your soulmate then you just have to ride it out.”
Alexei comes over to me. “Silas, we are going to find her and we are going to bring her home for Christmas.”
Fuck, I hope so.
Waking up on Christmas day is always an exciting day. The thoughts of opening presents and some nice food and family time, but this year is different. This year we have no gifts to open, we have no nice food to have. Today is the day I find Tilly even if it kills me. Today I need to bring her home.
We are all dressed in black as we move through the empty streets. Most people are still in bed, or are up opening their santa presents with their kids. There is hardly anyone out at this time. It makes moving through town easy.
Mum told us that she had been listening out for noises to try and pinpoint where they were, she also overheard them talking about Dareios. We are heading back to where Dad found mum, just in case they are stupid enough to go back there and hide her there. It might be the only location they have in town.
When we get there, there are men with guns walking the perimeter. Looks like they were stupid. Or just naive, not sure which, but we are happy because we know that we can in and get Tilly home.
Dad goes over one of the security guards and hits him on the head with the butt of his gun, he knows that a gunshot is going to be too much of a warning. Then Maxim takes out the second guy. Mum told us that we need to go in through a window downstairs that’s where they will be keeping her.
I see the window and walk over, it’s black inside, I can’t see anything. We are just going to have to trust mum. I trust her with my life. I smash the window and climb in. When I land I hear Tilly screaming. “Shh, Tilly it’s me, Silas.”
“Oh my god Silas you came for me.” I feel someone throw themselves at me and I can’t believe she’s in my arms again.
“Of course I came for you baby. We need to get you out of here. Mum and Annika are outside, they will take you home. I’ll finish this and then come home.”
“They made it out alive. Oh my god I couldn’t believe it when I came back and they were gone. I thought they would shoot them and that you’d blame me.”
I kiss her. “I don’t blame you, baby. You need to go with them and I’ll be home soon.”
I help her out the window as my brothers and Dad climb in. We know it will only be a matter of minutes before they arrive
. They will have clearly heard the noise and will know that we are rescuing Tilly.
The door bursts open and a man with a gun walks him, I shoot him. Then we leave and try to find Dareios, he’s the one we want. He’s the one that we need to put down. He started this war and we want to finish it.
After taking out every man in the building we have to admit that Dareios is not here. Fuck.
“Silas, we can’t do any more. We need to go home to the girls and make sure Tilly is okay. We’ll start again tomorrow and we will comb this town until we find him and make him pay for what he’s done to our girls. I can promise you that, son.”
He’s right. There’s nothing we can do today. We need to go and have Christmas day with our family. Because there will be blood on the streets when we find Dareios.
I can’t believe I was kidnapped again. Like seriously, do people just do this kind of thing all the time. When I saw Annika and Tatiana were gone when they brought me back, I just assumed they were dead and that I was not going to see them again and I’d never get out to Silas.
Dareios, the man who took us, told me that he had special things in mind for me. He told me that he intends to marry me so that he can start a war with Silas’s family. I told him to fuck off and that i wouldn’t marry him ever. He just laughed and said that I didn’t have a choice.
Then when Silas came through the window I couldn't believe it. I was getting out of there and I didn’t have to marry that horrible man. I swear to god this is like some goddam action movie that I love to watch and it’s playing out in front of my eyes.
I run to Tatiana and Annika as soon as I am out of the room and they take me home. We all cry in the car because we are so happy to be out and alive. When we get back to their house, Tatiana gets the doctor to give me a once over to check that i’m okay,
While he’s looking me over he stops and looks at me. “Did anyone rape you?
“What the fuck? No. No one touched me like that.” I look over to Tatiana and Annika. “Did they do that to you?”
They both shake their heads.
Thank god. “I only got a beating or two, nothing I couldn’t handle.” I smile. Wincing as he patches up my cuts and puts ointment on my bruises.
I stand and walk around. I’m like a locked up tiger. I want to know what’s happening. “Tatiana, how do you cope with this knowing that there’s a chance Wyatt won’t come home? How can you sit so calmly? I’m freaking the fuck out.”
She smiles at me and takes my hand to stop me and to comfort me. “I know Wyatt and he will do everything he can to come home to me. He loves me and he will come home. You have to just believe that.”
“I don’t know Silas like you do. Will he do whatever he can to come home?” I look at the two of them.
They both smile and Tatiana says, “Yes. I can see he loves you already. He’s a good man. He will protect what is his and you, girl are his.”
I smile. I’m Silas’s. He will come home to me. I just know it.
It’s another three hours before they are all home safe. I throw myself at Silas. I kiss him and hug him and tell him that I don’t want to ever let go of him.
He says the same and then we all agree to shower, change and have christmas dinner. Nonny has been keeping the dinner warm for us all to have it together.
When we’ve showered, Silas pulls me into his arms. “I feel complete now. I couldn’t breathe when they took you, Tilly. I never want that to happen to you again.”
“It won’t, Silas. No one is that unfortunate.”
“I think I’m falling in love with you, Tilly.”
I blush. “I’m falling in love with you too, Silas.” We kiss and it deepens.
You can hear our moans in the hallway because suddenly there’s a knock on the door, “Come on you lovebirds, dinner’s ready.” It’s Annika.
We smile and Silas takes my hand as we walk down to dinner together.
Dinner was so good and it was good to spend time with Silas and his family. Their dynamics are strange with his younger brother claiming head of the family after their father, but Silas wanted that.
Silas is quiet and after dinner when we are all having drinks, he takes me to one side. “Tilly, baby. I’m so sorry for everything that has happened to you. I never want that to happen again. I need to send you home and I can’t see you again. I need you to be safe and the only way you are going to be safe is if you aren’t associated with the Wells-Petrova name.”
“Are you fucking joking me, Silas? You told me you were falling in love with me, was that a lie?”
He pulls me into his body and I fight to move back, but he’s stronger than me. “No, Tilly it’s true, but that’s why I have to let you go until this fight is over. It’s too dangerous and I couldn’t bare anything happening to you again. You won’t be left alone, someone will always be watching you and protecting you. When this is all over I’ll be there.”
He kisses the top of my head and I will the tears not to flow, but they don’t listen to me. I can’t believe he’s dumping me. I’ve loved nearly everything of the last few days and being with Silas made me feel like someone important. Like someone loved me and wanted me. Now he’s rejecting me.
“A car will take you home and someone has already changed your security system. I’m sorry, Tilly.”
I don’t know what to say. The man I was falling in love with just asked me to leave. I don’t want to leave him and his family, I feel safe there. I feel safe in his arms. I don’t want to sob in front of him. I turn to leave the room, but he’s already left.
I know what he’s doing. I know why he’s doing it. But it fucking hurts.
As I leave the house to get into the cab which is taking me home, I hear Silas’s whisper, “This is not the end, Tilly. This is just goodbye for now. When things are safe, I’m coming for you.”
I’m dedicating this book to my husband Jose Arturo, my children Erica, Andres, Ricardo, and my grandchildren Anthony, Gabriel, Christian, Elizabeth, and my Family. I’m thankful for your love, patience, and support.
Cristiano D’Angelo
My world is darkness, mayhem, and death.
I’m Cappola’s assassin.
Forged in blood.
I’m lethal.
I’m darkness.
My heart is cold.
I honor the oath I made.
The mafiosos mantra, the Omerta.
I live by the code of silence and secrecy.
But now, I’m the Capo to the Cappola Crime Famiglia.
Yeah, Christmas is not my thing.
Until Noelle.
She blows my mind.
She inspires wonder this Christmas.
She melts my heart.
She owns my soul.
Noelle Winters
Yeah, my life looks perfect.
I have the money.
I have the looks.
Some say I’m spoiled.
Not.
Nobody knows my pain.
Darkness surrounds me.
Fear consumes me.
My soul is slowly dying.
My wall is up.
I’m ready to kill or die.
I didn’t count on the Capo.
The Capo rocks my world.
My wall falls.
My heart races
My soul rages.
“One more kick,” Samuele yells, holding the bag.
“Oomph,” I groan as I kick the bag.
I raise my leg, bending my knee, extending my leg with my foot pointed, striking the bag with the top of my foot and shin, kicking the punching bag right out of Samuels’s hands.
“Faster Noelle, thirty seconds more of switching roundhouse,” Samuele yells, holding the bag.
I nod; I strike the bag, rotating my legs in the workout. Then I clench my jaw, releasing my anger out at the black punching bag, hitting it with my gloved hands.
“Enough,” Samuele yells, releasing the bag.
“Right, thanks for training with m
e,” I say, extending my hands.
Samuele walks over and helps take off the gloves, nodding.
“Yeah, no problem. You’re fucking awesome for a girl,” Samuele says, smirking pulls off the gloves from my hand.
“Hmph, . . . . I can kick your ass,” I say, grabbing the towel from the bench.
“You know that I always let you win, cousin,” Samuele huffs, throwing the gloves on the bench.
“Uh, I don’t think so,” I say, taking a drink from my water bottle.
“Well, you’re good, and don’t ever doubt your abilities to take out any motherfucker,” Samuele says, placing his hands on his waist.
I look at him, furrowing my forehead. I know that I’m always in danger, thanks to dear Dad and his fucking business associates.
“I hate this, and I want to take off to any place that my Dad can’t find me,” I say, walking towards the door.
“Yeah, but you can’t. Your Dad will never let you go. He’ll look for you,” Samuele says, walking next to me.
“I don’t want to talk about it,” I say, pursing my lips; I pull the door open, walking out of the gym located in the building that my Dad owns.
“Are you going to go to law school? You know that Uncle Tomas wants you to join the firm,” Samuele says, walking next to me.
“No, I’m only going to work as a legal assistant. My major is graphic design, and my minor is paralegal, and I did that to appease Dad because I don’t want to be an attorney. I told Dad, but he’s not happy about it. I really want to be a graphic designer, but you know that Dad will never agree for me to work away from him,” I say, pressing my lips.
“Yeah, you’ve always loved to do graphics,” Samuele says, crossing his arms rocking on his heels.
“I’m damn lucky that I get to go to college and out with my friends even if I have damn bodyguards. That’s why I love it when you go with us because the guards stay back, and I don’t feel so damn suffocated. We’re going out tonight, want to come,” I ask, raising my right eyebrow.
