by M. T. Ossler
He laughs in my face, and the other men follow as they dismount their bikes. Without a word or warning, he throws a punch at my face. The men join in quickly, outnumbering me, they get me to the ground.
Their boots make contact with my face, ribs, stomach, back, arms, and legs. They hold back some not to break any bones, just hurting me enough to back down and not be able to move.
A couple of minutes later, they finally step away from me to head out, leaving me on the ground in a bloody mess. My eyes are swollen, and I’m having a hard time breathing. The pain radiating through my entire body is unbearable.
Bulldog bends down in front of me. “You will leave our state today for good. Never come back. If I see or hear from you again, I will kill you. If you come near her, I will kill her in front of you just to see your face when I do it. She’s Club property, don’t you ever fuckin’ forget that, boy. It’s time to forget about her and move on with your life.”
As he finishes, I see Slayer reach into the car and grab Brookie out of her car seat. He hands her off to Mom to secure in her car.
She screams and begs me to come to her, to take her away from Mom and the bad men, but I can’t move.
It breaks my heart to see the look on her face. The tears plummeting from her eyes and the pain and hope I see in them. I can’t do a damn thing to protect her from them now or they will kill us.
I fucked up, I fucked up big time, and I can’t do a damn thing to fix it this time. I’ve failed her and lost her forever.
They leave, taking her and my heart with them. After a few minutes, I pick my beaten ass up off the floor, fuel my car, and leave.
I change my mind and head to Georgia. When I arrive there, I have a plan.
My new plan is to join the Marines and get stronger and then go back for Brookie one day when I have back up and it’s safe. If it’s ever safe for me to go near her again.
I know those men, and they will be true to their word and have no qualms about hurting Brookie. Therefore, I have to stay away from her.
I fucked up and lost her being young and stupid.
Now, it’s time for me to better myself. It’s time to start a new chapter in my life and hope I’ll see her again one day.
Until then, I resolve myself to a loveless, dark existence. I deserve nothing more than a painful and ominous existence.
Chapter 1
Julietta
Iwake up startled, hearing someone bang on my front door. I jump out of bed, grab my robe, and throw it over my naked body as I run to my bedroom door. I tie the band around my waist, then open my door, and run into the living room. When I get into the center of the room, Ricco, my bodyguard, is darting from his room, on the other side of my condo, wide awake with his gun in his hand. He gestures for me to go back to my room and be quiet. I do as I’m told and stand by my closed door, listening. I glance over at the clock on my nightstand to check the time; 3:27. Who the hell would be here at this hour?
Then I hear Ricco yell for me to come out. When I walk out, he’s standing in the living room with Vito –Uncle Dominic’s head security guard – and Gigi – Bella, my best friend’s baby sister.
“There’s trouble at the Estate, and I was ordered to bring Gigi here to you for her safety,” Vito says, and I can tell she’s scared. She may not be my sister by blood, but we have always been like sisters.
Uncle Dominic is the head of the Italian Mafia here in New York and not really my blood uncle. We call all our elders, aunt and uncle, or nana and papa for the much older generation. Gigi and Bella are his only daughters. He and his wife, Aunt Amelia have three boys, Valentino (Val), Romeo, and then there’s Sabastian (Bash). Val is the oldest at 28-years-old, and Romeo is 25, then there is Bella and me, we’re 22, almost 23, and Bash, the youngest boy, is 21. Gigi’s the baby, she just turned 13-years-old about a month ago.
I have a blood sister who is five years older, Angela. She’s married to a well-known heart surgeon, and they live in Boston. They just had their first child, a boy. They named him Vincent.
My father was a Capo/Captain for Uncle Dominic. Unfortunately, he passed on less than six months ago from liver cancer. My mom lost her fight two years ago to breast cancer.
Uncle Dominic considers me a daughter even though I’m the only girl that hasn’t moved away. He’s been looking out for me since the day I was born into this family. Even with Bella and I being best friends since we were babies.
I walk over to Gigi and take her in my arms to calm her quivering little body.
“Where’s Bella?” I ask Vito wondering why he only brought Gigi and not Bella here.
“Still at the Estate, I’m sure she’s fine, Luigi is there if she needs anything. Take Gigi to your room and get some sleep. I’m going to crash on the couch. We’ll find out what’s going on in the morning,” Vito says, dismissing me.
I look over to Ricco for some insight, he has none, he just tips his chin up towards my room for me to go.
I trust him, he’s like a brother to me, my family. He protects me, and he’s loyal to me, on his life.
Vito, on the other hand, I have always gotten a bad vibe from, and Dad always said trust your gut.
I do as I’m told and take Gigi to my room and get her settled. Once she’s back to sleep, I lay in bed, staring at the ceiling, wondering what’s going on and why Bella isn’t here with her sister.
After a while of laying and still no Bella, I fall into a light sleep.
We’re abruptly woken up a few hours later by Ricco and Vito. They order us to get dressed fast so we can go to the hospital. Bella was admitted this morning, and neither of them seems to know why.
Gigi and I hurry up and get dressed so we can get some more information. When we finish, they usher us out to the parking garage, to a waiting SUV to take us to the hospital.
We arrive at the hospital, and I get some vague details from Antonio and his men on the way to her room, they are astonishing, to say the least.
His men aren’t men from the organization. They’re not even Italian.
The story I’m told doesn’t even make any sense to me, at all. Aunt Amelia and Uncle Dominic were murdered in their home last night, and Bella was brutally attacked. The most absurd thing of all is, Antonio told the hospital he’s her fiance.
Antonio for some reason has taken over as head Capo until Val returns. He was barely fourth in command, and now he’s the head. What the hell kind of universe are we living in?
When I open the door and take in Bella’s appearance laying in the hospital bed, horrible condition, I almost lose it. What the hell happened to her?
Nothing is adding up or making any sense what so ever to me. I feel like I’m in an episode of The Twilight Zone.
They leave us alone in her room, and I can finally think for a minute. While she’s still out of it, I take the opportunity to sneak a peek at her chart hanging on the end of the bed. What I read has my stomach turning and it’s my undoing.
I need help. I need manpower.
I keep calling the guys to break the news to them about their parents and sister. Also, Val needs to know about Antonio taking over. I don’t have any other way to contact them and neither does Ricco. When I ask Anton about it, he says he had it under control. He also says for me not to call Cesare - our other best friend, since high school - or I would regret it.
When Bella wakes up and tells me what she remembers from last night, I know there is only one person in this world that can help us. The one and only person Bella will allow near her after this. The only man besides our brothers she will let get close. She is going to need him now more than ever. If I could just get in touch with our brothers, I wouldn’t have to contact him after all these years and ask him for a favor.
The guys, - our brothers - Lorenzo, Val, Romeo, and Bash are supposed to all be in Italy on LA Familia Business. Lorenzo is not a blood brother, but for all intense and purposes, he is. We have all grown up together and our fathers were Capos together for Uncle
Dom.
There are only six men in this world I can trust now, and four are my brothers and out of the country. The other, Ricco, I can’t risk asking for his help, so that only leaves one. I haven’t spoken to him in years, but he is still our family, and I know when he hears me say Bella’s name, he'll move mountains for her.
The next morning before everyone is awake, I grab one of my burner phones and hide in the back corner of my closet to make my call. First, I have to get in touch with Aunt Cindy, his mother.
I’m a nervous wreck waiting for her to answer, and if I get caught who knows what Anton will do to me. Ricco would never tell on me, but Vito has been staying here and he follows Anton lead now.
“Hello,” I hear her cheery voice say. She sounds the same as I remember.
“Aunt Cindy,” I whisper into the phone not to be heard. Even though I know my walls are thick enough.
I swallow hard then speak again. “Aunt Cindy, it’s me, Julietta. I’m sorry to bother you, but it’s urgent I get in touch with Gio, and I don’t have any contact information for him.” I skip the pleasantries and go straight to the main event. I need to speak with him now, every minute counts. If Bella leaves the hospital and goes home with Antonio, it’s game over for her and maybe Gigi and me too.
“Honey, it’s good to hear from you, but why do you need to speak with Gio? Can I help you, sweetheart?”
“I need his help, it’s about Bella. I need him to contact me on this number immediately. Please, Aunt Cindy, I can’t say anymore.” I start to cry and have to take a couple of deep breaths to compose myself.
I have to hurry up before one of the guards come to wake us up.
“It’s bad. Please just have him call. I have to go.” I hang up just has my bedroom door opens and Vito enters my room. I play it off that I’m looking for an outfit for the day, and I think he buys it.
I know Aunt Cindy will do as I asked. When I was hanging up the phone I heard her say she’d call him.
Now, I just have to bide my time until he gets in touch. We are leaving for the hospital in about an hour, so I’ll hide the phone in my closet. I’ll come back later and check on it.
We make it back to my place in the afternoon. I excuse myself, saying I have a headache and need to lay down for a bit. Gigi stays with the guys to keep them occupied for me so I can check on my phone. We talked a little at the hospital, and I clued her in on what I was up to. So, she knows I need privacy to get the help we need for her sister.
I hightail it to my closet and retrieve my phone. I find a voicemail from Gio and call him back immediately.
I sit on my floor, try and control my emotions, while I place the call to him.
God, I hope he doesn’t lose his shit too bad and he can keep it together enough to save us when I tell him about Bella. Oh, fuck, who am I kidding, I couldn’t keep it together when I found out so how can I expect him to?
Chapter 2
Ace
Isee the look in my brother, Beast’s eyes, and it’s not good. Something is weighing heavily on his mind and heart. I’ve never seen him look so... lost. So, I ask him what’s going on as Tiny places a beer in front of me and walks away. I’ve known Beast for a decade now. I can figure out his moods spot on, and something’s up. The look in his eyes says this is personal and it’s eating him up inside.
“Not sure, waiting on some calls from back home. It’s just drivin’ me fuckin’ crazy waiting, man,” he says, looking at his beer, deep in thought.
He said back home, meaning New York, the Mafia, his old life before the military and the MC. If he’s acting like this it could only mean one thing, it has to do with Bella. The love of his life and the woman he had to leave behind. Well, in his mind, he thought he had to.
Then he turns to me and confirms my thoughts. He has a haunted look to him. This is definitely a side of him I’ve never seen.
“Jules called mom early this morning, freaking the shit out of her. Some fucked up shit is going on up there. According to mom, Jules was crying, panicked, and scared. She never cries or panics, she’s not the ‘get scared kind of girl.' Those girls grow up tough and can handle themselves. In that life you have to be strong,” he says, pausing to compose his emotions.
Jules is one of his “cousins” and Bella’s best friend. He has talked very fondly about her and the girls he grew up with through the years, especially Bella.
However, he hasn’t spoken to any of the girls since he left after his dad died. I know he only talks to Val – his best friend from his youth and Bella’s oldest brother – once a month to keep tabs on Bella, and to check in on the Family.
He’s told me before how those girls are tough as nails and any man that came near them should fear for his life.
“She didn’t call from her cell either. She used a burner phone, which could only mean it’s bad. She mentioned Bella’s name, but hung up without giving any details.” And there it is, just like that. I know from hearing him say her name, this is what is affecting his heart and mind so strongly.
He’s told me how he feels about her. I don’t understand it because I’ve never had that kind of love or even seen it in my life.
My parents divorced right before I was born, and my mother had a slew of men throughout my life.
I don’t know much about Jules, but for some reason at the sound of her name, my stomach just does flips. Not sure, what that shit is all about, that’s never happened to me before. He’s only mentioned her a few times over the years. Mostly, he just talked about Bella, especially when he’s drunk off his ass. I don’t even think he realizes it.
When we were in the military, I got the 411 on her and the Families. I haven’t heard him say her name in years, many years. He just refers to her as the girl he left behind with his heart.
Fuck, I don’t know what I can say to help him until he knows.
I stay with him at the bar drinking in silence until mid-afternoon. I can see my brother is getting’ restless and wants answers like yesterday.
It’s Friday afternoon at the Clubhouse, and all is quiet. Most of the brothers are at their day jobs. Around eight they should all start streaming in for the party.
Beast, Blaze, and I own a few Tattoo Shops and Bars. We hardly work these days, only when requested.
He’s so fidgety and jittery he hasn’t stopped staring at his phone. Now, I think he’s looking for flights to check things out in person. If that’s the case, I have his back. I’ll be by his side and help in any way I can. I know if the roles were reversed he’d have my back in a heartbeat.
In the middle of his search, his phone rings and I see her name pop up. He must have programmed it in, not to lose it.
Then a few things happen at once. One: my heart skips a beat. Two: Beast panics and practically jumps out of his skin. Three: the room becomes silent around me, and I’m sure for Beast too.
I listen to his end of the conversation after he places the phone to his ear.
He’s in a no bullshit mood, and he wants answers, fast.
I don’t hear her response, but I see his face go white and the panic from a minute ago increases.
What the hell is going on to make him react this way? Now, I want answers.
I can tell he’s processing her words as he sits for a minute in stunned silence. Then he turns the phone on speaker allowing me to hear her next words.
As soon as her voice comes through the phone, I lose my breath. She sounds like a broken, beautiful angel singing.
“Gio... Bella’s in the hospital,” she says and breaks down sobbing. I can hear her heart breaking through the phone and I feel it in mine. I wish I were there with her, holding her in my arms, taking her pain away and into me.
Where in the hell did that come from? I don’t give a shit about a woman’s feelings or comforting them unless it’s with my dick in one of their warm holes.
I have to get my head out of the fuckin’ clouds and help my brother.
She’s sobbing, uncontroll
ably, and I want to reach through the phone and comfort her.
My mind is scrambling to understand what her hidden message to him is. I know it’s bad. My blood is pumping, and I can see Beast is about to lose his shit. Did he beat her? Did he ra...
No, he couldn’t have. From what Beast has told me the girls are practically under lock and key with all their guards. So, how the hell did he get near her to hurt her? From what I remember him saying about this Antonio, is that he’s supposed to stay away from her? His friend Val, her oldest brother, was on top of it.
As I’m contemplating all this in my head, Beast tells her to calm down and start from the beginning.
Beast and I make eye contact and as she tells us the whole sordid story. I’m in disbelief from her words. Bella’s home is supposed to be locked down tighter than Fort fuckin’ Knocks. The only way for any of this to happen...
Shit, it had to be an inside job. Which means one of their own guards or more were in on this plot and turned against their Godfather, their King.
When she’s almost finished telling us what she knows, my gut tells me my suspicions are right, and my brother is going to lose his shit shortly. I have no clue how to handle this if it really is what I suspect, and he freaks the fuck out on me.
As she finishes, I fish my phone out of the inside pocket of my kutte and send a quick text to Blaze, telling him to get to the bar now, we have a 911. I need back up, promptly! He replies immediately, saying he’s in the garage and is on his way.
She comes to the tail end of her story and silence falls over us.
“Jules, you left out a big piece of the puzzle for me. How is Bella hurt and why does she need to leave?” Beast asks, and I’m somewhat shocked he even picked up on that.
When a person is emotionally involved in a situation, they tend not to think straight at all. I should know better with him, he was taught all this shit at a young age. That’s why he’s the best SAA for this Club.
She pleads with him to stay calm for her and I want to make that happen, but I’m not sure I can. When he hears the words I’m sure she’s about to say, it’s going to cut him deep. She still knows him even after all these years, though.
