Dom's Ascension (Mariani Crime Family Book 1)

by Harley Stone

  Michael kicked the body over, and we both almost lost our lunch. I covered my nose with my jacket and got a brief look at the corpse before nausea forced me to turn away. The gunshot wound on the side of his head looked like it could have been self-inflicted. Of course, Chains would have had to drive his own bare ass to the dump before his brains leaked out of the hole, so Michael and I ruled out suicide.

  We searched the area for clues, finding the body of the tire-slashing kid Mario had found outside of the engagement dinner. Michael had put a tail on the kid, but we’d found the soldier dead in his car a few days ago. They must have made him when they popped the kid.

  “Come on,” Michael said, sounding defeated.

  We climbed back in his car and both lit up. Since Chains was the only participant in the hit we’d been able to identify, we were screwed. Knowing our old man would freak the hell out about the literal dead end, we headed for Carlo’s house. He listened to our story, poured himself two fingers of cognac, and chain-smoked Cubans for five minutes before calling Father. Our old man screamed so loudly Carlo had to hold the phone away from his ear.

  When Father’s rant finally ended, Carlo put the receiver back to his cheek and said, “Yes, Boss,” before hanging up. Then he turned toward us. “Whoever did this is covering their tracks. Chains blabbed, so they took him out. Just like the kid you found. This situation is making us look like goddamn amateurs, and we need to get it straightened out.”

  Yeah, we did, but Michael and I were fresh out of leads. We left Carlo’s office feeling frustrated and hopeless.

  “I’m spent,” Michael said, rubbing a hand down his face. “I can’t wait till we find the bastards who did this, but I need a minute. There’s a couple soldiers working on a job I want in on. I’m gonna peel off and join them for it. I gotta do something that gets results before I blow my own goddamn brains out.”

  Father wanted us back out there pounding the pavement, but I needed a break too. “Yeah, I got a couple of things to take care of as well,” I said. I had nothing to do, but needed to be away from him and the family for a while.

  Michael dropped me off at the casino, where I climbed into my Porsche and took off. I had no destination in mind, but put myself on autopilot and drove. I didn’t even realize where was going until I turned down Annetta’s street. It had been days since I’d last seen her, and although I knew I needed to stay away, I couldn’t stop thinking about her. Even as I parked in front of her house, I told myself I shouldn’t be there. A better man would have driven away, but I’ve never claimed to be a good guy.

  Her father’s beat-up Chevy truck wasn’t in the driveway. Knowing he was probably working, I sat in the car and fiddled with my radio. I’d made the oldies station one of my presets after that first drive with Annetta, so I turned it on. The DJ was taking requests, and someone called in the song “Could It Be I’m Falling in Love” by the Spinners. Nice beat, dumb ass mushy song full of all sorts of romantic bullshit.

  Love was a fantasy no mobster could afford, but I’d settle for getting laid. I killed the engine and got out, still unsure of what I planned to do. Ready to wing it if she answered, I knocked and waited.

  Annetta opened the door wearing a pair of tight blue jeans with rips down the legs and a white sweater hanging off one shoulder. It showed about an inch of her flat stomach and made it practically impossible to focus on her eyes and not gawk at her body. I’d always suspected she was perfect under her baggy chef uniform, but damn, the girl was hot. I wanted to see the rest of her.

  “Hey, Dom.” Her tone was cold, standoffish. “What are you doing here?”

  Not the reception I’d been hoping for, but her question was valid since I still had no idea. “I stopped by to see how you’re doing.”

  She crossed her arms. “Uh… fine, thanks.”

  Realizing I needed a better reason than the one I’d given her, I added, “How’s work? How are you liking the restaurant?”

  “Oh, that.” Her shoulders relaxed, and she let out a breath. “It’s going well. Everyone’s been great and helpful, and now that the dinner’s over, the environment is way more relaxed.”

  “Good to hear. Are you still getting enough hours?”

  She arched an eyebrow at me. “Why do you ask?”

  I shrugged.

  “You know I’m not really good at small talk, Dom.” She leaned against the door frame. “So why don’t you just tell me why you’re really here.”

  She wanted to know? All right, I’d tell her. I wasn’t some goddamn chicken who’d back down. Besides, I still wanted to see the rest of her smokin’ body. “I missed you.”

  Her eyes widened for a second, and then her brow furrowed. She looked down at my feet and asked, “Why would you miss me?”

  Why’d she have to make this so damn complicated? “I don’t know. I just… enjoy being around you, okay? I miss our drives.”

  “Then tell me the truth. If you work security, why don’t I ever see you at the restaurant.”

  I scratched at the two-day scruff on my chin and admitted, “I’m not employed at the restaurant. I do some security work, but only for my family.”

  “And your family is the one who rented out the restaurant?” she asked.

  I nodded.

  “For your engagement party?” she asked.

  I choked. “What? No. Definitely not.”

  “But what about the girl in the pink dress?” she asked. “She’s not your fiancée?”

  Wondering who the hell told Annetta about Valentina, I said, “Nope. Just a family friend.”

  “Really? Because she’s already picking out wedding colors.”

  I didn’t want to lie to Annetta, but I didn’t want to push her away with the truth, either. How could I make her understand without telling her about my fucked-up family? I sighed, hoping she’d be able to hear and see my honesty. “Not if I have anything to say about it.”

  Annetta studied me, keeping her arms crossed in front of her. I halfway expected her to slam the door in my face, but she didn’t. “I missed you too,” she finally whispered.

  She did? And she wasn’t gonna be all bitchy about Valentina? Thinking I’d hit the lottery, I decided to push my luck. “Been a rough couple of days and I just wanted to… to hang out. You feel like goin’ somewhere? Maybe grab a bite to eat?”

  She chewed on her lip and looked over her shoulder back in the house.

  “If you’re busy, we can do it another time.” I wanted to be with her right then, but would settle for a rain check over an outright rejection.

  “I was supposed to go out with a friend, but she ditched me for a date with your friend.”

  “Huh?”

  “Mario. He stole my friend Adona today.”

  Surprised because Mario tended to be a bit shy around the ladies, I grinned. “She must have asked him.”

  “Knowing her, it was more like a clobbering over the head. I don’t know if he’s ready for a girl like Adona. Poor guy. I tried to warn him.”

  The idea of Mario being accosted by some overly-zealous girl only widened my grin. “It’ll be good for him. And funny. I wish I could be a fly on the wall for that date.”

  The sound of Annetta’s laughter made me feel better than I had in days. “Yeah, not me. She’ll tell me all about it later. Unfortunately.”

  “So, what do you say? Let’s get out of here and go do something.”

  “I just… let me turn off the television and leave Papa a note.” She headed into the house, and then paused. “You wanna come in?”

  “Sure.”

  I followed Annetta into the small, single-level house. A brown recliner sat beside a blue floral sofa in the modest living room. Everything looked clean, but worn. Residual food smells lingered, and books and magazines were stacked on the coffee table, giving a comfortable feel to the place. I tried to imagine what it would be like to grow up here, but couldn’t. It was way too different from my parents’ house.

  Annetta turned o
ff the small television and invited me to have a seat. “Is what I’m wearing okay?” she asked, eyeing my suit.

  I definitely didn’t want her to change. “Perfect. You look great.”

  “Thanks.” The slightest hint of pink colored her cheeks as she headed for the adjoining dining room, returning with a pad of paper and a pen. “Can I get you anything to drink? Water? A coke?”

  “No thanks. I’m good.”

  She sat beside me on the sofa and used the coffee table to scribble out a note. I don’t know what kind of perfume she was wearing, but I wanted to roll around in it. To roll around in her. I leaned closer and breathed her in.

  She turned and eyed me. “You said you’re not engaged, but the girl in the pink dress… is she your girlfriend?”

  “Nope.” And it was encouraging that Annetta cared. Maybe I’d be getting lucky tonight after all. I held up my right hand. “I, Dominico, do solemnly swear I am unattached.” And I silently vowed to stay that way for as long as possible.

  She giggled. “Good to know. It’s not like I’m assuming this is a date or anything, but I’m not that girl… the one who dates guys with girlfriends.” Her cheeks turned bright red. “Again, not dating, but I mean… never mind.”

  You bet your sweet ass it’s a date.

  I rubbed her back. “Annetta, you wanna go out on a date with me?”

  Instead of replying, she signed her name to the note and set it on the coffee table. Her cheeks were still red, and I got the feeling she was trying to figure out how to respond. I didn’t want to give her a chance to reject the idea, so I leaned against her and gently took her chin in my hand. Her skin felt smooth and soft as I turned her face to look at me. Eyes wide and breath quickened, she watched me. I pressed my lips to hers. Soft, plump, inviting, they swept me into her. Deepening the kiss, before I knew it, my arms were around her. She sighed, and I almost lost my shit and attacked her. My hands drifted up her sweater, but she stopped me. I pulled back and watched her, hoping I hadn’t completely blown it by trying to feel her up.

  “You taking me out on a date or what?” she asked, bolting to her feet and grabbing a jacket from the coat tree by the front door. Her lips were even plumper and her eyes looked wild. I wanted to scoop her up and go find her bedroom, but knew she wouldn’t appreciate that. Not yet at least.

  Thankful for the suit jacket that would hide my erection, I adjusted myself as I stood and followed her out the door.

  CHAPTER ELEVEN

  Annetta

  I HAD TO be losing my mind. That’s the only explanation I could come up with for agreeing to go on a date with Dominico. I’d seen the girl in the pink dress, heard her plans for a future with him, and could tell he was hiding something from me. Maybe lots of somethings. The guy had to be loaded. Each suit he wore probably cost more than my entire wardrobe, and he seemed to wear a new one every day. And he was dangerous. When we were making out on my sofa, I felt something hard on his left hip. A gun? It sure felt like it. Rich, deadly, and possibly taken, yet his kiss had practically melted my panties right off. I had no idea that was actually a thing until Dominico came into my life, but my panties… I needed to hit the restroom and see if they’d combusted.

  Get it together, Annetta!

  What was wrong with me? I was not the stupid girl who fell for the hot bad boy. That would be my friend Adona for you. I, on the other hand, was the smart, sensible one with a plan for the future that I intended to follow. But one look at Dominico, and all sensible thoughts flew straight out the window. Which explained why I’d agreed to go on a date to an undisclosed location with a guy who was the very definition of armed and dangerous.

  “Where are we going again?” I asked.

  Dominico chuckled. “Nice try, but it’s still a surprise.”

  “What if I don’t like surprises?”

  He parked and gave me a cocky smile before his fiery gaze took over, drifting south to scorch my legs and then headed north to consume my breasts. With one look, he had ignited my entire body, and I didn’t know whether to slap him or stop, drop, and roll.

  “You scared?” he asked.

  Terrified, but there was no way I was going to admit to that. While I tried to come up with a response, Dominico circled the car, opened my door, and hefted me toward him. Our bodies collided and he wrapped his arms around me, drawing in for another deep kiss before releasing me.

  I was still struggling to calm down my breathing as he spun me around, covering my eyes with his hands as his hard chest pressed against my back.

  “Don’t worry, I got you,” he whispered against my cheek.

  Strangely enough, I trusted him. He ushered me out of the sun and traffic noise, into air conditioning and quiet classical music. We took several more steps before he helped me slide into a booth and uncovered my eyes.

  Dominico’s smiling face was the first thing I saw. “You good?” he asked.

  Better than good. Everything about the man was thrilling and mysterious, bringing all my senses to life. I nodded. “Where are we?”

  “Not yet. Give me two more minutes. Wait here.”

  He left me at the booth and headed straight for a man in a suit. The two bent their heads together and I checked out my surroundings. Stylish aluminum ceiling, hunter-green walls, numerous gilded mirrors, crystal chandeliers, and a gorgeous oak bar gave the place an old-fashioned feel. The restaurant was small, and the menus were black with no logo. They probably had a sign out front, but we’d parked in the back.

  “Can I get you something to drink, ma’am?” a man behind me asked.

  I swiveled my head to find the waiter watching me. Yes, a drink would help my nerves. I ordered a Mai Tai and then realized I had no idea what Dominico would want. Thankfully he appeared and ordered a beer before taking his place across from me.

  “What is this place?” I asked.

  He grinned, clearly having way too much fun with my ignorance. “Don’t you like surprises?” he asked.

  “But we’re here. It’s time for the big reveal.”

  He shook his head. “Hey, when I do something, I do it right.”

  Before I could figure out how to respond to that statement, a loud alarm sounded.

  “What’s that?” I asked, covering my ears.

  Dominico smiled. “You’ll see. Or hopefully, you won’t.”

  The alarm ended, and moments later, a family hurried past the bar entrance. “I told you it wasn’t in there,” the forty-something mom said. “If you guys would listen to me every once in a while, we would’ve won.”

  Neither the dad nor the two teenage boys replied. Instead, they kept their heads down and sped up their pace, looking embarrassed as they passed.

  “It’s a win or lose thing?” I asked.

  Dominico nodded and looked away, but not before I caught his smile.

  Fine. If he didn’t want to give up any clues about what we were doing, I would pump him for other information. “You never got the chance to tell me about your family,” I said, drawing his attention back to me.

  The server brought our drinks. Dominico held up a finger and took a sip. “That was intentional,” he admitted. “You don’t really want to hear about them.”

  “Yes, I do. Do you have any siblings besides Michael and your sister who’s about to get married?”

  “Nope. Just the three of us.”

  I could tell by the way his smile disappeared that he didn’t want to talk about them, but I wasn’t willing to let it go. I needed to know something about him. “Your parents still married?”

  “Yep.” He looked at me like I was crazy, which told me divorce wasn’t an issue in his world.

  “Nice. What are they like?”

  “You’re like a dog with a bone,” he said.

  “Is getting to know you really that bad?”

  He chuckled and played with his glass. “Well played. Mamma is nice. Smart. Forever trying to shove food down our throats. It’s a miracle we’re all not three hundred pounds
. You’d like her.”

  I giggled. “Is she a good cook?”

  “Oh, the best.”

  I arched an eyebrow.

  “Present company excluded,” he amended. “But if you ever tell her I said that, I will deny it.”

  Mimicking the gesture he’d shown me the first night he took me home, I held up my right hand and said, “Scouts honor.”

  “You’re tellin’ me you were a Boy Scout?” he asked.

  I leaned back in my chair and threw up my hands. “No more than you were.”

  He held my gaze for a moment before breaking into a smirk. “Touché.”

  Dominico’s mother was a housewife and his father was some sort of businessman. I made a mental note to ask Papa if he knew anyone in the Mariani family so I could find out more, but was unable to squeeze anything else out of Dominico before a man approached and introduced himself.

  “My name is John and I’ll be your guide for this evening. Are you ready to begin the challenge?”

  A challenge? I raised my eyebrows at Dominico and he nodded. We grabbed our drinks and followed John out of the restaurant and down the hall. He opened a door and waved for us to precede him into a large room decorated and furnished in an early 1900s motif, before handing us each a spy glass and a Sherlock Holmes style hat. Then he started in on the spiel.

  “This is the escape room, which means your goal will be to escape it. To do this, you’ll need to solve five riddles that will each give you one of the numbers on this lock.” He pointed at the keypad on the wall. “Enter all five numbers and the door will unlock and you will win.”

  A little thrill ran up my spine. I’d heard of places like this before, but had never been in one. I scanned the room as he continued speaking, wondering where all the clues were hiding.

  “In a moment, I’ll hand you your first clue,” John continued. “It will lead you to the first number and your clue to the next. You will have sixty minutes to solve the lock and escape the room before an alarm sounds, letting the entire establishment know you failed.”