Of Mobsters and Men: WILD (Book #2)

by L. A TehPeaceMaker

  Just the smell of his leathery and earthy scent was driving me crazy. I don’t think I’d ever be able to forget his mere smell.

  I tensed up as he began stroking my cheek with the back of his hand. I didn’t dare to turn and look into his eyes. “All I really want is to get rid of your husband. That’s it, nothing more.” He admitted, his voice low and genuine sounding. I felt something in my heart tear when he said those words.

  A life without Stefano…what would I do? What would Romano and I do?

  “If I do fall short of that plan, there are things worse than death, I should know.” He said, a bit of strain in his voice. I whipped my head to face him and there on his face was a deep frown.

  “I never meant to hurt you, Raelyn. But, if the end justifies the means…” he then trailed. I turned to look downward to my lap. I heard something similar like that from Stefano way back after he captured me and tore me away from Vincent.

  I made you cry, so you'd never cry again.

  You were wrong. They were both wrong. Why did they think an abundance of heartbreak would cure all future heartache?

  “What do you plan on doing with me? Let’s say you do kill my husband in the end, then what?” I asked, my eyebrows furrowed as I listened in to his answer.

  He laughed. “Once he’s out of the way, maybe we can get married.” I didn’t know if he was joking or being serious.

  “I’ve been playing him like a fiddle this whole time. He’s not that smart. Think about it. It’s all his fault you’re in this situation. If he’d let you run away with me, you would’ve had a happier life. Don’t you hate him?” He asked me.

  I knew what he was trying to do and I wasn’t falling for it. Vincent was trying to get into my head and make me despise my husband as much as he did.

  He chuckled some more. “Made men...they’re dogs, all of them. They want you to see their power like it’s some type of pissing match and they do it through status, money, and manipulation.” He continued.

  I continued to be silent.

  “Then again in the beginning, I wasn’t completely innocent either. I wanted to devour you but everything about you consumed me.” He whispered in my ear. A shiver crawled up my spine and my breath was caught in my throat.

  I closed my eyes and flashes of the rape appeared. I couldn’t stop the tears from falling and what came out of my mouth next.

  “Why would you do that to me, Vincent? Why?”

  “I wish I hadn’t.”

  “Truth is, I don’t even know who I am anymore. My name doesn’t even sound right. Please, say my name, Raelyn. If everyone forgets me, at least I know there’s one person who didn't. I don’t want you to ever forget me. Even if the means was in the cruelest way possible, You'll never forget me.” He said, almost in a begging tone.

  I ignored him, not wanting to say his name. Actually, I wanted to forget him completely.

  I could now spot the difference that once wasn’t so clear. Both of the men in my heart were driven differently. One was driven by conquest and satisfaction, the other by duty and responsibility.

  Stefano’s POV

  “There’s nothing else for you to fight for, Baressi.

  We’ve got your sister.” I said, narrowing my eyes at the man in bondage in front of me. He was heaving in pain, all of his nails cut to the bone, bruises all over his neck and his hair looking like a mad scientist’s from being pulled. His nose also dripped blood and his bottom lip raw from biting down in pain.

  “Yes, I know. That’s bad for you. If you care about her, tell me what I want to know. You know where my wife is and I’m going to get it out of you.”

  “Your sister is very attractive and I’m not the only one that thinks so. I'm sure you know many men in this world would like to have fun with her.” I spoke slowly, making sure he soaked up all my words. His eyes widened and for a second I thought I saw one twitch.

  “Don’t think for a second I give a damn what happens to her, either. I’ve already had a chat with Morelli. He knows you’ve been taken captive. He’s also turned a new leaf. You’ll be keeping your allegiance for nothing.” I added.

  “My allegiance is with my cousin, so you and Morelli can kiss my ass!” Baressi hissed.

  The men in the room laughed. I raised an eyebrow at him and flicked my cigarette on the frown, stepping on it. “You care more about that bastard than your own sister?”

  He leaned his head, veins popping out from his neck in strain. “My cousin has nobody! No one to share his pain! I know what he’s gone through-”

  “You think he’s coming to rescue you?” I scoffed.

  It was his turn to chuckle. “Don’t worry about me.” He said relaxing back into his chair.

  I narrowed my eyes. “I don’t allow the harm of women, but in this case, I will if I have to.”

  “Algosto please!” The blood curdling scream from the room over penetrated through the walls. I raised my eyebrows and Baressi just turned his head elsewhere.

  “This is what being Vandals lapdog has turned you into?” I chuckled. He didn’t even bat an eye. I took note of how he was ready to die for Vincent. I didn’t know whether to be jealous over his loyalty to his cousin or be disgusted by it.

  “If you’re trying to prove you’re a heartless machine, ignoring your sister’s cry for help is the best way to do it.” Ricardo said.

  His sister screamed again. I’d put George in the room with her just to scare her a little bit. He wasn’t doing any real harm to her. “We made men care about the women in our lives. You can’t lie to me.” I said to Baressi.

  Baressi then turned to look at me with an arrogant smirk. “You think I don’t know about your track record? You don’t touch women. So, spare me.” He spat.

  “Bring her in. Shoot her in front of him.” I said waving my hand for one of the men in the room to bring Baressi’s sister in. He didn’t even budge.

  The sound of uncontrollable sobbing entered the room. George was pulling her by her arm as she struggled. Ricardo also helped bring the young woman in and sit her down on an available chair, quickly tying her up.

  Baressi didn’t make eye contact with her once.

  “Please, I want to go home! Algosto please make them stop!” She cries.

  Her hair was in every which way and her mascara was running down her face. Angelo tossed Ricardo his gun and Ricardo released the safety.

  Her eyes widened bigger than before and her chest rose up and down frantically in panic. “No! No please, no!” She cries again, squirming.

  George held her head still as Ricardo presses the opening of the gun to her forehead. “God, I’m so sorry for being such a whore!” She yelled. She kept glancing at Algosto, hoping he’d somehow free himself from the ropes and save her. Or, better yet, tell us what we wanted to know.

  She really believed she was about to die.

  The bastard gave her one glance and continued to look elsewhere.

  “He’s not gonna tell us shit.” Angelo mumbled.

  My eyes lingered on Algosto Baressi for a minute, just analyzing him. I couldn’t quite figure him out. What was he trying to prove? Why was he so loyal to his Vandal? Maybe I couldn’t grasp this because my own cousin betrayed me.

  I gave Ricardo a nod and he clicked his gun, blowing it against the woman’s forehead, a deadly scream erupting from her throat. Her eyes were tightly shot and her mouth open.

  Baressi closed his eyes but never looked her way. Deciding I was fed up with him, I nodded at Thomas and he pulled his own gun out.

  You never truly know what kind of man you were until the very end.

  Ricardo had shot the woman with a blank, so she was very much alive. However, her brother wouldn’t be for long.

  Thomas aimed his gun point-blank at Baressi’s head and shot him twice.

  “In the end, were you loyal or just a fool?” I asked, aloud.

  His blood was splattered on the wall behind, his head thrown back.

  I don't have time
to waste.

  Angry that I didn’t get anything out of the capture of Vandal’s right-hand man, I stormed outside. “Damn it all, I might need another smoke.” I said leaning against the brick wall of the abandoned warehouse.

  My phone vibrated in my pocket and I took it out. I looked at the number calling me and saw that it was coming from an unknown number. I furrowed my eyebrows in suspicion. How was anyone I didn’t know, able to reach this line?

  I answered the call anyways. I waited for the other person to speak. “Hello?!”

  The voice was from a female. I was about to hang up but she said something else.

  “Hello, sir, are you on the phone?!”

  “Who is this and how do you have my number?” I clenched my jaw, not in the mood for pranks.

  “Oh, thank God! Your wife is in trouble. She wrote down here that her name is—”

  “Rae.” I whispered, my hand instantly gripping my phone before it slipped out my hand.

  “Yes, she’s in trouble! I saw her! She was with this man called Vandal and she-”

  “Calm-calm down. What is your name and where are you right now?”

  ***

  7-eleven

  “At first I didn’t know why she was staring at me so intensely. Now I know it was a cry for help. I saw her with a man when I first came into the store.

  He had dark hair, dark eyes, didn’t look that friendly.” Christina rambled. She was calmer now than she was on the phone.

  “Thank you for calling and staying on the phone until I got here.” I said to her and she returned my thanks with a nervous smile. I saw the way she looked at my men and I, probably wondering why a group of strange men were searching for one woman.

  My men and I had drove an hour before reaching this 7-eleven store off the exit of the interstate highway. I knew for a fact by now, Vandal has left New York with my wife.

  The dark-skinned girl handed me the note that she told me about over the phone.

  I’m being held captive. Please call my husband and say, Rae was here with Vandal. Someone help, please.

  This was indeed Raelyn’s handwriting.

  My fingers shook as I held her handwritten note. “Do you have any idea on where they went?” I asked, desperately. “No. All I have is that note she put on the sink.”

  “We’re close.” Enrico spoke up.

  Chapter 26

  Stefano’s POV

  Late afternoon

  “What are we to do about Morelli? He’s not telling us shit. ‘Keeps telling us he can’t communicate with Vandal directly. Are we just going to let him go?” Angelo asked, pacing around a parking square. His hands were behind his back and his head was lowered as he thought.

  The Indian woman left after giving me the information I needed. Even after being told Raelyn was here, I still didn’t know where to go next. I’m at a dead end yet again. I was afraid I was under Vandal’s mercy again. It seemed my next steps would be dictated by his next decision.

  “He probably can’t communicate with Vandal directly. There’s always a middle man. Vandal knows we bombarded The Prince’s Haven and captured his cousin. He’s purposely avoiding all communication with Morelli.” I replied to Angelo.

  Enrico cleared his throat. “By also cornering Morelli, we’ve also gotten him to spill the sauce on Vincent’s plan for our people back home. He’s withdrawn soldiers that were going to cause havoc on our turf.”

  “Sly bastard.” Angelo cursed.

  That was true. If I hadn’t confronted Morelli, by now, the community that was under our protection would be up in flames as we speak.

  “We’ve got Morelli on a short leash. He’s the least of my concern right now.” I said again. I was so close to Raelyn and I could feel it. The frustrating part was that there was something missing. There was definitely a piece I couldn’t grasp. What was it?

  I looked down at the note Rae wrote and my fingers shook as I gripped it. I’m bringing you back home with me, love. I wasn’t sure if I was shaking in anger or determination.

  “It seems we’ve also forgotten the fact Vandal is no longer within the borders of New York, meaning he’s out of Morelli’s hold. We have to get him by our own means.” I heard Enrico say.

  Without knowing the kind of vehicle Vandal is driving or destination, tracking him appeared close to impossible.

  “Incoming call from headquarters.” Enrico said, earning all of our gazes. I furrowed my eyebrows. Headquarters was instructed to only contact us for serious emergencies only while we were missions. Did Morelli lie about pulling out his troops from our turf?

  Enrico’s eyes widened and he pulled the phone away slowly from his ear. We locked eyes and I knew then and there the news was either beneficial to this mission or a setback in it all. “Vandal sent us a sweet email. He wants to get into contact with you as soon as possible.” Enrico told me.

  “Shit, now we're getting somewhere.” Angelo whispered and smirked afterwards.

  I walked over to Enrico and he gave me his phone to talk to headquarters. “Tommaso, Palermi. Speak to me.”

  “The email was sent anonymously but we are for certain it’s from the man you're looking for. It reads exactly: I’ve decided it’s about time to speed things up a notch. Come to this address at the bottom of this email. Be here preferably sometime before midnight. I know you’re tailing me and you’re not that far behind. I should probably warn you. I want you to come alone. None of your goons or soldiers can tag along. No weapons either. If you don’t follow my warning, well, you can probably guess what happens next. Rae’s dying to see you…don’t disappoint her.”

  The smugness in his words annoyed me further.

  So, I was right. I am at the mercy of his decisions. He’s had me by the balls the whole time. I know what game he’s playing. He wants me alone so he can kill me. The only way that plan would ever succeed is if there was a compromise being made.

  “Tommaso send him this for me: Above all, I know that what will bring you the most satisfaction is destroying me and taking my life. The only way you will even come close to that dream is by making a deal with me. My life in exchange for her freedom. Your threat doesn’t scare me. I know you won’t kill Raelyn.”

  I saw the look on my men’s faces. They weren’t against my wish, but probably surprised by how I compromised my life like it was nothing. This was a big gamble I was participating in but my wife was worth it.

  “I’ll read the address out for you now.” Tommaso said over the phone.

  Raelyn’s POV

  Baby boy, please stay strong for me. Just please wait a little longer, Romano.

  I was thinking of my son again. I was thinking of this torture being separated and hundreds of miles from him. Judging from how heartbroken I was, I couldn’t fathom what my son would go through each time he thought of me. The last thing I remembered was the fright and panic painted on my son’s face as the strange men grabbed me and pulled me out the restaurant.

  Tears threatened to spill the more I thought about that day.

  I promise I’ll make it out of here alive. I’ll hold you in my arms again and kiss you until you beg for release. Just hang in there a little longer.

  I tapped my finger against the sturdy table I sat at, lost in my thoughts. After meeting up with the strange man-now known as Eric- at the gas station, Vincent decided to stop at shelter to rest before continuing our journey. I assumed this small house in the middle of nowhere belonged to the bulky man with the goatee. After all, he did open the door with his key.

  Vincent had always been very resourceful. How he’s been able to work in the shadows and get from point A to B with an abundance of help was astounding. I couldn’t underestimate someone like him, even if I thought I knew him well enough.

  I looked at the old-fashioned, ticking wall clock. It was 5pm.

  Vincent had left the house twenty minutes ago to get some “petty things” and left me in the custody of a man I hadn’t even known for five hours. Me being ne
rvous and anxious was an understatement.

  Hearing footsteps emerge from the corner of the kitchen, I turned my head sharply to see Eric, walking into the kitchen with a look of boredom.

  I returned my gaze back to the table. “I’m making pasta, you want some?” He asked me. His voice was deep and his tone laced with annoyance. I didn’t respond. Not only did I not care to make conversation, but I wasn’t going to eat anything from here.

  Eric smirked and walked to the dining table where I sat at. I glanced straight into his eyes, daring him to enter my personal space. Anxious was an understatement, but I didn’t want to look it.

  He leaned his face forward so we were eye-to-eye. My eyes momentarily shifted to the fridge across from me. I took note of the crowbar leaning against. I wondered why there was a weapon lying there so casually.

  “You've been giving me nothing but attitude since we got here. I’m just trying to be nice to ya.” He said. I pressed my thighs together, clenched my jaw and balled my fists trying to stop myself from shaking. Truth was I was afraid. I wasn’t afraid of him personally, but the possibility of him overpowering and assaulting me.

  “You rather starve? You haven’t eaten anything today.” He asked, still pressing my buttons. He reached his hand towards me and I smacked it away on instinct.

  A fire ignited in Eric’s eyes and before I could react, I felt a strong hand wrap around my throat, making me sit up straight and widen my eyes. I brought my hands to my neck to claw at his hands as he smirked at me. He held tighter on my neck, dragging me from my chair to the wall, making me smack against it.

  My first instinct was to scream but my voice was restricted with the pressure he was putting on my airway. I reached my hands forward to punch and scratch at him but he only squeezed tighter and my blows didn’t affect him. Terror flowed through my veins and I thought I was about to die

  He was choking the life out of me.

  “You women don’t know any respect. No worries, I’ll handle you just like how I handle my girlfriend.” He seethed. I screamed my husband’s name out of panic and the humor in the man’s eyes was definite.