by Bella J
I jerked around to find Nicollo standing behind me, his hands tucked casually in his pants pockets.
“What are you doing here?”
“I was looking for you. You were gone so long and missing one hell of a party.”
“Well you found me.”
Nicollo remained stoic, but his eyes spoke volumes of malice and spite.
He lifted his chin toward the door behind me. “Is that where you keep her?”
Warning bells chimed in the back of my head, my skin crawling as my defenses went on high alert.
I gave an intimidating step forward, never taking my eyes off his. “Let’s get one thing straight, cousin. I don’t like you, never have. Why my little brother has the need to always be around you is beyond me. But if I so much as suspect that you’re dragging your ugly ass into my business, I will cut you in fucking half.”
That twisted, ugly-ass smile of his didn’t falter as I spewed out my threat. In fact, the little shit gave a step toward me, not backing down in the slightest.
“You don’t have what it takes to be a Boss, Castello. Everyone knows it. The only person keeping your ass from being tossed down to Capo is your mother.”
My muscles twitched, my veins bulged, and my fist tightened. With a tick in my jaw I grinded my teeth thinking about how fucking gratifying it would be to slam my fist into his ugly motherfucking face.
A throat cleared and both Nicollo and I looked in the direction. Uncle Gino was standing a few feet away staring at us.
“Nicollo, your father is looking for you.”
Reluctantly my cousin backed down and straightened the lapels of his suit jacket, glared my way with a promise that we weren’t done, then made his way down the hall.
Muscles relaxed, the tick in my jaw eased, yet my fist remained balled and the anger still simmered. “I don’t trust him.”
Uncle Gino smiled. “I don’t think anyone trusts Nicollo. The key is to just always keep your eyes open whenever he’s around, make sure that what’s yours is protected at all times.”
I narrowed my eyes staring at him with confusion. “Like what?”
Uncle Gino shrugged. “Like whatever you deem as yours.”
“Which in this case is?”
He feigned a look of ignorance. “I have no idea. But I’m sure you do.”
Shifting from one leg to the other, feeling agitated and annoyed, bordering on losing my shit after the whirlwind of fuck-ups this night has conjured so far, I rubbed the back of my neck rather than punching my fist into the damn wall.
“Tell me, Uncle Gino, you jumped in to save the day three times tonight. Why?”
He cocked a brow. “Three times? I only know of two.”
The knowing look he gave me proved that he knew exactly when the third time was…back in the goddamn bathroom when I was a split second away from kissing Tatum’s lips raw—which would have been a bloody catastrophe. As if it wasn’t enough that I had my fingers inside her, then jerking off while she watched, I wanted to completely devour that delicious looking mouth of hers. I was such a greedy bastard.
“Listen, Castello,”—he stepped closer—“I know this is all hard on you, but—”
“What gives you the idea that this is hard for me?”
He snorted. “Stop the bullshit, Castello. You’re not made for the curse of the new role you got shoved into overnight.”
Bitterness coated my tongue. “So you agree with Nicollo that I don’t have what it takes to be the Boss?”
“I do, yes. But not for the same reasons.”
Newly lit anger flared fiercely inside my chest. I’ve always been fond of Uncle Gino, even though he can be annoying as shit sometimes, but right now he was pissing me off.
“Mind enlightening me as to what your reasons are?”
He stepped closer, not caring that I was close to combusting with anger, putting him in the line of fire.
“You are a lot of things, Castello. But you are not the ruthless monster your mother is trying to turn you into.”
I recoiled. “My mother?”
“Yes, your mother. She has poisoned you with her hate, infected you with her need for revenge. All this anger, this rage, and need for retaliation you’re feeling isn’t yours. It’s hers.”
I held up my hand. “Stop. You don’t know what you’re talking about.”
He stepped forward, stupidly not backing down placing him right in the middle of the ring of fire. “Your mother has always been a master manipulator—”
“I will not let you insult my mother in front of me.”
“Are you telling me that you’ve never suspected your mother of influencing the people around her into doing her bidding?”
I gave a step back, afraid that the rage currently simmering inside my veins would erupt. “She’s my mother.”
“Yet she’s hardened you, putting you in this impossible situation.”
“There is nothing impossible about this situation. I’m in charge of avenging our family.”
“No!” He blurted out, and I was momentarily stunned by how enraged he sounded. “That’s what she wants you to think, that you’re doing right by our family, when in fact you’re only doing right by her.”
No longer backing down, I stepped forward. “There is nothing wrong with doing right by my mother. She is my flesh and blood.”
“She might be your flesh and blood, but she’s deceiving you with her lies, and you are too wrapped up in your need to please her, to prove to everyone that you can fill your father’s shoes. And you know what?”
Biting the inside of my mouth, I glowered at him, not saying a word.
He gave a step back. “You can’t fill your father’s shoes, because you are not him. You are not your brother. You are you, and all this”—he held his arms out wide—“is not you. This is not the life you want for yourself, which is why this role will kill you before you’ve had the chance to prove to everyone that you’re a ruthless leader, a coldblooded killer.”
My blood ran cold. Every word that came out of his mouth struck me like a punch to the gut. “What do you mean she’s lying to me?”
Uncle Gino straightened. “I’ve already said too much. But what I will say is that you need to figure out for yourself what is right for you, and stop focusing on what is right for everyone else. Right now you’re letting your mother control you, and you need to control your own life. Look what happened to your brother because he allowed her to control him.”
Bewildered and confused, I launched forward and grabbed him by his collar. “I will not let you stand there and insinuate that my mother had something to do with Carlo’s death.”
“That’s not what I’m doing at all. Carlo’s death was because of his own stupidity and lack of a fucking spine. If he had the balls to live his life by his own rules, he would still be breathing today.”
He jerked out of my hold and turned to walk down the hall.
Holy shit, what the fuck was he saying? “Uncle Gino, come back here. We’re not done.”
“We are…for now. If you have questions I suggest you ask your mother.”
Without looking back he strutted down the hall leaving me utterly confused and enraged. A thousand and one questions rolled through my head like credits of a goddamn horror movie. What did he mean by all that? By insinuating that it was my mother’s control over Carlo’s life that killed him? It was the fucking Linscotts that pulled the trigger, not my mother. It was because of the woman back in that room that my brother now lay ten feet below the ground, his corpse rotting, turning to dust like he never even existed.
Suddenly my mind was spinning out of control, my thoughts flowing in a thousand different directions. Uncle Gino was a lot of things, but I’ve never known him to be a liar. It’s because of his raw honesty that he annoyed most of the family.
I glanced at the door behind me, then back down the hall which leads to the dining room. I couldn’t allow an old man’s opinion to cloud my judgment—and that’s al
l it was, an old man’s opinion. There was no proof, no substantial evidence that what he said had any merit.
But then why did I now feel the sharp jab of doubt against my chest, thinking about Carlo, Tatum, my mother, and the entire situation that surrounded us all?
I couldn’t allow it. Protecting our family, providing for them, and being the leader they all needed was my number one concern…no matter how much doubt currently choked the life out of me. No matter what happened, I had no choice but to see this through. I’ve come this far, and I don’t plan on failing now…not even when the woman whose life I’m supposed to take was busy cracking through the stone surrounding my fucking soul.
***
The next morning I stood by my bedroom window staring out. Tatum was right. It was because of Carlo and childhood memories that I hated the fucking view. In fact, I didn’t just hate the view, I hated the garden and the house too. I hated everything that reminded me of how my life once was.
With a sigh I glanced at my wristwatch. It was almost eight in the morning. It would be a few more hours before my package arrived on the Linscotts doorstep which would lead them straight to me. I wasn’t concerned that they would go to the cops. My instructions that would be delivered with the severed hand missing a finger were clear. No cops, or the next package delivered would be that of their daughter’s head.
Let’s just hope the Linscotts weren’t fucking stupid by not following my instructions to the T. The thought of cutting off Tatum’s head amused me for a while…but now, not so fucking much. For some weird and wonderful reason I was growing attached to that pretty face of hers…and smart mouth. Unfortunately I’ll have to work on that, get rid of that sense of attachment I was feeling since in the end, she would die.
Making my way to Tatum’s quarters, I tried my best to ignore how my heart started to beat faster and faster—the anticipation that started to brew inside my stomach the closer I got to her. Images of her naked, wet body squirming against mine while rocking to the rhythm of how my fingers thrust inside her, spread through my mind like the fucking black plague. It slowly, surely consumed me, infecting me, making me feel like having her completely was the only fucking cure to release me from the disease of raw lust pulsing through my groin. What was this woman doing to me?
The trolley carrying the breakfast I had ordered was already standing in front of the door. It’s been days since she ate. She couldn’t go without food for much longer. I had to get her to eat something. But while I’m doing that, I’m going to use the time to break down that iron will of hers, and in turn bring out the woman craving domination.
God knows I’m going to enjoy every moment of it.
17
TATUM
The lights went on, blinding me. Somewhere between thoughts of Vico finishing what he started by beating me to a pulp, and Castello setting my body on fire with his touch, I fell asleep. It wasn’t a peaceful sleep. I didn’t experience those two seconds when you wake up thinking that the hell you’ve been through was only a bad dream, and that you’re back in your own room living your normal life. The instant I woke I knew exactly where I was…and I knew he was standing next to me.
“Good morning, Tatum.”
I moaned, my head pounding, my body aching, and my stomach complaining as if my throat had been cut off. The hunger pains returned…with a vengeance.
I pushed myself up and wiped the hair out of my face.
“You look like hell.”
I glowered his way. Like always he looked dapper in a gray suit, his ink black hair groomed to perfection. Along with his familiar scent of cedar wood, amber, and peppermint, I also caught the smell of the citrus shampoo—the same shampoo I used yesterday.
“So after our very eventful evening last night I’m sure you are famished.” He glanced to the door and my gaze followed, settling on the same trolley he brought in yesterday.
And then the smell hit me, ricocheting right to the center of my gut. Every instinct I had told me to launch at that trolley and stuff my mouth with anything and everything I could find. My blood was already pumping vigorously, adrenaline surging through my body, readying me to fight and kill if I have to.
“God you’re about to turn into a savage, aren’t you?”
I looked up at him, unable to open my mouth since I might end up tearing through every ounce of food on that trolley.
Castello grabbed a chair, sat down and opened one of the silver domes.
“Come, eat.”
I wasn’t about to let him invite me twice. I jumped to my feet, the towel dropping from my body to pool around my feet.
“Not so fast.” He held out his hand, and I crouched down to pick up the towel.
“Stop.”
I didn’t move.
“Leave the towel.”
“But I—”
“Shut up. Leave the towel, and get on your knees.”
“Excuse me?” I glared at him.
“Let me assure you, Miss Linscott, now is not the time to be stubborn. Now, leave the towel and get on your knees.” He cocked his head to the side. “That’s if you want to eat.”
I swallowed hard. “Why do you want me on my knees?”
“Just do it.”
“Why?”
He smirked, then reached for something on the trolley. I watched as he popped one of the reddest, ripest, most delicious looking strawberries I have ever seen into his mouth. Licking my lips I imagined how the sweetness would burst in his mouth as he bit through it. The tiny little pips crunching between his teeth.
“Please,” I heard myself say. It wasn’t my intention to beg, but my body was ravenous, starved, and it took precedence over my need to fight, and to be stubborn.
“There is more than enough for me to share with you, just get on your fucking knees.”
Forcing back tears, fighting against my will not to succumb, I slowly eased onto my knees.
“Good. Now crawl to me.”
My eyes shot up to his, defiance burning the inside of my chest. But I saw the determination in his eyes, I saw the resolve on his features. I was too weak to fight him today. Too hungry, too thirsty, too tired. Not today. I couldn’t fight him today…so I crawled. I crawled like a pathetic fucking dog to its owner in hopes of getting a treat. With every inch I moved closer toward him, I hated him, I hated myself, my body for needing fucking food so much that I was willing to let myself be humiliated this way.
“Hmm, you have no idea how fucking good you look on your knees, little mouse.” His voice was a dark hum of dominance and sexual allure—and God help me, but it woke the toxic anticipation inside my core. The way he stared at me with his feral gaze, watching my every move had me wanting to clench my thighs together.
I stopped in front of him, still on all fours, and he leaned forward.
“If only you could see yourself now, see how good submission suits you.” He reached out touching my nipple before cupping the weight of my breast in his palm. I suppressed a whimper, trying to stop my body from reacting, but the need was already there pooling between my legs, the betrayal of flesh against spirit.
He let go of my breast and I silently mourned the loss of his touch. He leaned back in his chair. “I’m not so sure I should feed you now since obviously being hungry makes you more…cooperative.”
“Please—”
“Hush. Lucky for you I’m a man of my word. Now sit.” He gestured beside his leg, and I flinched as if I had been struck in the face. The humiliation, the degradation of being treated like a pet had me biting my tongue. It was such a thin line I was treading on, and I was just too damn hungry to risk not getting something to fill my belly with.
I sat down…next to his leg…like a fucking pet…his pet.
To add to my humiliation he dragged his hand over my head, weaving his fingers through my hair as if he was rewarding my obedience.
“You see, little mouse, it’s not that difficult to obey. I told you the other day, if you obey you will be reward
ed. It’s that simple.”
I didn’t dare look up at him. Instead I kept my gaze on the floor like a tame animal, hiding the threatening tears.
“Look at me.” He placed his hand beneath my chin and forced my face up. He loosened his tie, pulling it from around his neck, and I shuddered to think what he was going to do with it—yet a part of me yearned to know.
“Once you allow yourself to embrace this part of you that you’re so desperate to hide, you’ll be addicted to the freedom.”
“Who are you to talk about freedom?” I whispered softly, regretting the words the second they left my mouth.
Taking my hair in his one hand he lifted the strands, placing the tie around the back of my neck. “Oh, I have freedom, little mouse.”
This time I etched my gaze on his. “No you don’t. Your misplaced loyalty toward your family, doing their bidding has you bound to them. In reality, you are more trapped than I am between these four walls.”
Abruptly the tie tightened around my neck, pinching my skin where the silk met. Folding the tie one more time, securing it around my neck, he tugged hard and forced me forward just as he leaned down. Our faces were mere inches apart, our breath crashing together in a whirlwind of air between us.
“Your last warning before I revoke your reward of food, Miss Linscott. So I suggest you play nice from here on out if you’d like a full belly.”
My mouth closed, biting back the words that were burning to get out, to humiliate and anger him more. A part of me liked him angry, liked testing him to see how far he could be pushed. But that part needed to take a back seat, at least until I achieved my goal…which was to get food inside this weak body of mine.
While winding the end of the tie around his fist he leaned over the table and picked up a strawberry, holding it temptingly between his fingers.
“If you bite, you won’t get anything more. Understood?”
I nodded, already able to taste that ripe strawberry on my tongue.
Slowly he brought it closer to my mouth, and I licked my lips, my throat dry with the anticipation of tasting something—anything.
