“Fuck. It’s true. She fucking played us.”
The other men gathered around, Harley, Covan, Jack, and a few others.
“There’s no way,” Covan said and stood there with his arms crossed in front of his chest.
“What do you mean no way? She was here, we were ripped off big time in New York, and there’s a connection with her and that job,” Major replied with attitude.
“I don’t believe it. Something isn’t right,” Covan said.
“She was so sweet, and no way was she acting,” Harley stated.
“Enough of this fucking bullshit. I want answers. I want everyone on this. Pack the shit up and let’s head back to New York. No one is taking over this side of the fucking business. No one. I want her found and everyone connected to her, starting with this fucking guy in the hospital. He’ll have the answers,” Major stated.
Mateus walked upstairs to the bedroom and started to pack his shit. He felt sick, insulted, pissed off, and used. Which was crazy. From the moment he met Bella a side of him came out that he didn’t know existed. There was an instant protectiveness, and then came the possessiveness that grew from making love. He slammed the bed and tossed more clothes into the suitcase.
Making love to her was like making love to a woman for the first time, yet more powerful and like nothing he ever felt before. It was hard to explain and to process. He was going to actually try to convince her to get together in New York.
“This explains why she was so secretive about her life, her career,” Major added, joining him.
“I want everything on her and where to find her. Where she lives, works, everything.”
“I know and the guys will have it all quickly.”
There was a knock at the door as soon as Mateus put his suitcase onto the rug. He looked at the door and saw Turbo.
“She works for a company in the city. It’s owned by Colosar Miantelli.”
Mateus felt his blood begin to boil. He glanced at Major.
“Call Fedarro. Get men on this now,” Major said, and Mateus made the call.
* * * *
Adalina gave Bella a hug good-bye. There were no more excuses to make to stay by Bella’s side. Adalina confirmed that Colosar was still out of town until Friday night.
“I’ll call you tomorrow.”
“Okay. Thank you for everything. For trying,” she whispered and looked so sad.
“It isn’t over,” Adalina whispered and then got out of the limo and headed toward her apartment building. She pulled out her cell phone.
“Anything yet?” she asked Tudoro as she climbed the stairs.
“It seems like Colosar has been trying to set up Miguel Lupo to take the fall for his crimes. Colosar is ripping off the Fiorre family.”
“You have proof of this?” she asked.
“I do. What’s it worth to you? I mean really, Adalina? I’m not going to allow you to get involved with the Costanza family. With Vinny and Sunny.”
“I won’t get involved with them, but I will save my friend from getting raped and possibly killed. She’s in love with Mateus and Major.”
“With who?”
“The men she met while here.”
“Tell me their last names aren’t Fiorre.”
“What?”
“The Fiorre family are the ones that are getting ripped off by Colosar and he’s making it look like Miguel is doing it all. I heard about a position opening up. Mateus and Major’s position in importing and exporting merchandise. A multimillion dollar operation.”
“No. Oh God no, they’ll think that Bella was sent there to seduce them. To use them or trick them or something. But how would Colosar have known they were there?”
“I don’t think he did. I think she met them on her own, and it’s a coincidence. Unfortunately, it’s one that’s going to get her killed by an organized family I wouldn’t fucking mess with even if I thought I could get away with it. They’re trained killers, Adalina. Intelligent, resourceful businessmen. When they find out Colosar is involved and Bella is with him—”
“The truth has to be revealed first. I’m going to the hospital to see Vinny, Sunny, and Don. Bella didn’t ask for any of this.”
* * * *
The strike across her mouth sent Bella right to the floor. Her hands were flat on the concrete flooring of the warehouse.
She hadn’t expected to see Trojan and Colosar there.
“Why did you hit me?” she asked, tears flowing and her jaw throbbing.
He stepped over her, gripped her by her dress, and shook her.
“You fucked the whole thing up and so did your cousin.”
“What are you talking about? I did everything you asked. Paulie is in critical condition.”
He struck her again. She fell back and covered her face with her hands.
“You tried to double cross me, you bitch.”
“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” she cried.
“Mateus and Major Fiorre. You were fucking them in the D.R. Your cousin must have talked to Lupo’s men or someone they know and now I got Fedarro and Collin Fiorre looking for me ready to kill me. I’ve worked too fucking hard to get this spot in the family. Too hard!” he screamed at her and then grabbed her hair and yanked her up. Her dress ripped by the shoulder and he shoved her to Trojan. Trojan griped her arms.
“Get her to the fucking docks. If it’s safe we leave by ship; if not, then we need to head out of the city and wait it out a few days before we take off. I have fucking plans to make. We have to leave. I have to make sure the money is transferred and we can’t be found. It’s all ruined. Fucking all of it!”
“Where are you taking me? What is going on? I don’t know anything,” she yelled, and Trojan grabbed her by her hair and started pulling her across the concrete and toward the darkness. They were going to kill her and she hadn’t a clue as to what was going on. How did he know about Mateus and Major? What did he mean about the men he mentioned? She was so confused and so scared. God, I don’t want to die. Adalina, please help me.
Chapter 11
“He isn’t part of this. Someone was setting you up,” Sunny stated to Mateus, Major, Harley, and Turbo as they tried to force their way into the hospital room.
“We know your cousin was involved with stealing our shit. Men have died for less,” Mateus stated.
“Mateus, we knew nothing about it, and we believe our cousin didn’t either. We’ve been hoping he wakes up soon so we can ask him what the hell happened, who beat him up, and what exactly is going on,” Don said to him, showing him complete respect.
“We’ll tell you what’s going on, your cousin Bella is working with Colosar Miantelli to screw us over and to try and make a deal to take over our positions in the family. That isn’t going to happen. We have men looking for them right now. When we find them, they’re dead, end of story, and your cousin, any of you who are involved with him will die, too,” Major stated.
* * * *
Adalina swallowed hard the moment she entered the hospital room. Vinny, Sunny, Don, Alfredo, Toro, and Dominic Coglonie were standing there with a few other men, guarding the door and the room Paulie was lying in.
Mateus, Major, and a few other men she recognized from the party in the D.R. were there, too, and looked about ready to kill.
“Adalina?” Dominic said her name and moved from where the men were to greet her.
“What are you doing here?” he asked.
“You all need to listen to me.”
“You’re involved, too?” Mateus asked with attitude.
She looked at Vinny and Sunny, who gave her body the once over and stood silent.
“Bella didn’t double-cross you. She didn’t even know who you were when she met you in the D.R. It was a coincidence.”
“Coincidence, huh? How the fuck do you expect us to believe that bullshit when she’s working for Colosar and he’s her boss, and he is somehow involved with stealing from us?” Major demanded to know.
“What the hell is going on? What does Bella have to do with any of this?” Don demanded to know.
“First of all, Bella doesn’t know about any of you, your families, your connections, or power. Paulie screwed Colosar over with a job and was stealing from him. He got roughed up by Trojan and owed Colosar over fifty thousand. Colosar then threatened to kill him, but then he found out about Bella.”
“What do you mean?” Vinny asked.
“Colosar somehow knows about your ties to the Fiorre family.”
They all looked at one another.
“What ties?” Don asked, staring at her straight faced. She looked him over.
“We don’t have time for bullshit. You all need to know that Colosar is the one responsible for setting Miguel Lupo up to make it look like he was stealing from Fedarro and his brother and the family. By doing so he probably thought it would make him a better candidate for the position you two are debating giving up.” She could tell they were pissed and probably wondering how she knew so much. Well, they could wonder all they wanted to, she wasn’t divulging her sources.
“Anyway, Paulie probably figured out what was going on and tried to get Bella out of having to pay his debt to Colosar.”
“What? He was threatening her?” Don asked, raising his voice.
“He threatened to destroy all your family’s businesses, hurt your aunts and uncles, plus kill Paulie Jr.”
“Fuck, and we didn’t know any of this. We thought Paulie screwed someone over or owed money to some loan shark or something,” Vinny stated.
“He probably went back to Colosar and threatened to tell Fedarro about the theft, but then Trojan and the guys beat him to near death, which also got Bella to cooperate.”
“So she wasn’t involved with Colosar? She’s not working for him?” Major asked.
She looked at Mateus and Major. “She isn’t. He’s trying to force her to be his woman, to be his lover so that he would have an in to persuade her cousins in whatever his plans were in the new position.”
“Us? He was going to try and fucking force us to be his minions?” Sunny asked, looking so angry even Adalina felt intimidated. These were all tough guys. All men involved in serious heavy shit. She understood their lives, their professions, and state of mind. No one came in to take over a territory or double-cross the ones in charge. That was exactly what Colosar was trying to do.
“Where is Bella now? She took off from the D.R. before we could ask her some fucking questions,” Mateus asked, still sounding angry and pissed off.
“Out of nowhere, Colosar sent Clover to get her and bring her back to New York. He’s due back tomorrow,” she told them.
Mateus’s phone rang. He looked at it and then answered.
“What?”
Adalina locked gazes with Vinny and Sunny as Dominic approached.
“You’re risking a lot here, you know that, right?”
“I won’t let Colosar kill Bella. She’s an innocent. She knew nothing and was just trying to protect her family.”
“That was Fedarro. Colosar emptied out his savings and is taking off somewhere. He’s got men trying to locate them and they think they’re in the boat basin by the pier,” Mateus stated.
“What’s the plan, Mateus? She’s our cousin. She got caught in the middle of this shitty situation and we need to find her and save her from Colosar before he does worse,” Don stated.
“Right now, we aren’t trusting anyone.” He went to walk out of there with Major, and Adalina stopped him.
She pulled him to the side.
“She didn’t know any of this. She doesn’t know about her family and her cousins’ connections to your family. She was able to get lost in the D.R. with the two of you and make memories she believed would get her through what Colosar would force on her. He was going to rape her, possess her in every way, and she was so scared because he threatened to kill Paulie and her whole family. She fell in love with the two of you, and that isn’t bullshit.”
Mateus and Major nodded and they looked even angrier, if that were possible. Maybe they loved her, too?
As she turned back, Vinny grabbed her arm and led her to the hallway. Sunny was right there, too, both towering over her, both with hands on her hips and her shoulder, caging her in.
“How the fuck do you know about us and what we’re connected to?” Vinny asked.
“I just know. You’ll need to accept that.”
Vinny, with his dark brown eyes and thick brown hair, stared at her lips and then over her breasts in the dress she wore. “That isn’t an acceptable response.”
“Well, it has to be. This has nothing to do with your hidden professions and everything to do with saving my friend Bella. Colosar won’t think anything of taking out his failed plan on Bella and using her to get revenge for his operation failing. Focus on finding her. That’s what I intend to do.” She went to move, and Sunny gripped her chin and tilted it up toward him.
“When this shit is done, the three of us are talking.”
She shook her head and pushed away from them.
“That isn’t going to happen.”
* * * *
“I want them found. He isn’t going to get away with hurting Bella,” Mateus said to his men. Major was on the phone talking to Fedarro and filling him in.
“So let me get this straight, the woman you two meet and got hooked up with in three days turns out to be smack in the middle of this shit?”
“Yes. She doesn’t even know about her cousins and their positions in the business. I think if she did she would have gone to them right away,” Major said to Fedarro. Major felt sick to his stomach. He was so royally pissed off at this point. That scumbag Colosar thought he could weasel his way into the organization and then fuck them.
“She must be damn special. We’ll find them. The men are getting close. They’re going through the cargo containers and the ships now. Are you going there?”
“Yes,” Major stated.
“I’ll be ready to send in the clean-up crew,” Fedarro said before disconnecting the call.
Two hours later and no sign of them anywhere. Mateus was acting crazy. Bella’s cousins were just as concerned and it appeared that Colosar had disappeared with Bella. There were no signs of anyone connected to Colosar at the shipyard, on the boats, or the containers. Major was calling in favors to track Colosar’s money when Adalina called Major.
He stood there with Mateus along with Bella’s cousins Vinny, Sunny, and Don.
“Adalina?” He said her name and noticed how Vinny and Sunny immediately focused on him and the call.
“I found them.”
“How? Where are they?”
“This is the deal. There are four guys plus Trojan and Clover securing the location. I have friends who will clear the way.”
“No. We’ll take care of it.”
“It has to go this way. These men want to show their respect for you, Major, and the Fiorre family.”
“What men and how do I know this isn’t some scheme to then make us owe them a debt.”
“You’ll have to trust me on this. When the time comes I may need a favor. Now we don’t have time to discuss it. My friends say Bella is in bad shape. Here is the address. At exactly two-forty-five a.m. my friends will eliminate the security. Then you and her cousins can move in. Leave this conversation between you and me, Major. I promise when I cash in it will be something easy for you to do but impossible for me to.”
“Agreed. We’ll be there.”
Major disconnected the call and told them what was happening.
“What friends?” Sunny asked him.
“Don’t know but we don’t have much of a choice. Let’s get there and be ready to take Bella from Colosar,” Major told them.
“This Adalina is gorgeous and resourceful, a sexy combination I think I’m going to investigate personally,” Harley said, and the others started mumbling a few things. Major noticed how angry Vinny and Sunny looked. Perhap
s they had feelings for the woman. He didn’t know, but his whole theory of never getting serious about one flew out the fucking window with Bella. When she was back in their arms and in their bed, she was going to have to learn a lot of rules, especially as they continued with their involvement in the family business.
* * * *
Bella was in pain, but her anger and disgust at the things he was threatening her with and yelling at her made the pain numb. Her cheeks throbbed, her eye was swollen closed, and she had bruises on her arms from him and Trojan grabbing at her, pushing her around, and then shoving her to the floor numerous times. The cuts and scrapes on her knees burned and she was shivering because her dress was torn all over and hung from her body, exposing most of her breasts and legs. He was going to have to kill her because she wasn’t going to let him rape her.
He yelled at her after he got a phone call revealing that Mateus and Major were part of the Fiorre organized crime family and they were searching for them and were planning on killing him and her because they believed she was helping Colosar. She assumed Colosar made it look like she was helping him steal from Major and Mateus and their family. She was so upset and her heart broke. When they got here they wouldn’t give her the opportunity to explain what happened. Instead they would kill her, and apparently, that was something they were capable of.
She shivered and more tears fell. She listened to them talking on the way here, all about the organized crime family. So that was how Mateus and Major made their money? They were connected to the Fiorre family and what sounded like a pretty scary group of individuals. She overheard a few of the guys who were providing security at this building that they didn’t want to be part of this. She didn’t want to hope that Mateus and Major would want to help her. Not when Colosar made it look like she was helping him steal from them.
She was so angry that Colosar was ruining her entire life and she could die and it was all for nothing.
She watched him pacing by the window. The place was a small building, two floors and kept up nice. She noticed a few Asian pictures along the walls and assumed the place belonged to someone else. She was thirsty and as she went to open her mouth the throbbing pain hit her jaw and lips. She was all bruised up. Her lip split, cheeks swollen and bruised, and her eye very sore.
Made Men 1: Bad Timing (Siren Publishing Ménage Everlasting) Page 12
