Maria (The Family Book 4)

by Angelique Jones

  ***

  She had to tell him. Each morning as they lay in bed together, his body wrapped firmly around hers, she would promise herself that today would be the day, and each morning her lips wouldn’t speak the words. They wouldn’t speak the words that would take that look from his eyes. A look that she never thought that she would ever have from a man.

  Coming down the stairs, she looked to his office. They were all going out today. Tori wanted to do some shopping before heading home tonight, and Nero decided that they would all go together and spend her last day here together. Maria planned to make the most of the day because tonight, after Tori and the baby were gone, she would tell Nero everything. She would tell him everything, and she prayed that he would save Nico. Gripping the railing tight, she fought back the tightness in her chest at the thought of her baby brother, who was depending on her to save him from her mistakes. She just hoped that she wasn’t making another one. She hoped that her foolish heart was not making the same mistake that she had made with Jason.

  “Maria, are you all right?” Tori asked from behind her, causing her to jump. The concern in her voice brought tears that she fought to keep at bay.

  “I’m fine. I’m just sorry to see you and Adrianna leave,” she said, forcing a smile to her lips. Happiness filled Tori’s face at her words, and tears began to form in her eyes. Reaching forward, she took Maria’s hand.

  “You don’t know what it means to me for you to say those words. After everything that had happened, I never thought that we would be friends again,” she said with a hitch before throwing her arms around Maria. Releasing the banister, she hugged Tori back as she realized that she meant what she had said. She would miss Tori and the friendship that they had been able to get back. Sensing a presence, Maria opened her eyes and looked down to meet Nero’s. He nodded his head once, then motioned to Matteo, and the two of them moved silently away.

  Pulling back from Tori, Maria wiped her face and laughed as Tori did the same. “Come on. I can feel your brother’s satisfaction from here. He already always thinks he’s right. Let’s not give him any more ammunition.” The two of them went down and out to the waiting cars.

  Nero was speaking to Matteo off to the side, giving him instructions as he wouldn’t be joining them. Standing back so that Tori could get Adrianna strapped in, Maria didn’t hear Nero approach. Strong arms wrapped around her, and she whispered teasingly, “My husband might see us.”

  “I can guarantee if another man touches you, I will see it, and I’ll bury him,” he growled, tightening his hold.

  Wiggling a little, she turned in his arms and smiled at his scowl. “Are you jealous?” She laughed.

  “Yes,” he said it so seriously that it caused her breath to hitch. The look that he gave her told her what he hadn’t said in words. Releasing her before she could process it, he guided her into the car.

  Tori chattered, holding a one-woman conversation with the car for the whole ride, and Maria was grateful. Grateful because she couldn’t have formed a sentence if she tried. Her mind was too busy with the realization that she might lose more than she ever dared hoped for.

  ***

  Maria’s feet hurt. Tori had dragged them to every store imaginable until Nero finally put a stop to it. Everyone was hungry and the baby was bored, so Nero decided that they would have lunch in the park. For the last half hour, Maria and Tori lounged on the blanket, laughing as Nero and the guards played with Adrianna. No matter what that little girl wanted to do, they did it without complaint. Ever smile and laugh that she gave to them was a reward that each fought hard to get.

  With a lazy smile on her face, Maria looked around the park, mothers and children giving life to the beautiful place. As her eyes moved, a shadow by a tree caught and held her gaze. Her face paled and her breath caught as she recognized the face. In fear, she quickly scanned the tree line, realizing that their paradise was about to turn into hell. Forcing herself to remain calm, she moved closer to Tori.

  Leaning forward as if to put the food away, she hissed, “Act natural. Don’t show any fear. You have to take the baby and get to the cars. Don’t wait for us. Just take her and go.”

  The smile on Tori’s face froze at Maria’s words. Not questioning her, Tori got up, brushed off her dress, and walked toward Nero. Stopping a few feet away, she leaned down and held out her arms. Adrianna came running with a child’s laugh and wrapped herself around her mother. Rising up, Tori turned and walked toward the cars, calling out that she needed to change the baby’s diaper, shushing Adrianna when she tried to protest. Confused, Nero looked at Tori strangely for a moment because Adrianna was potty-trained; then he got the message. Sending one of his guys to help her, he sauntered toward Maria. Pulling her up, he gave her a soft kiss before wrapping his arms around her.

  Not wasting any time, Maria furiously whispered into his ear about the men surrounding them. Giving her a gentle squeeze, he stepped back and called out to his guys to help them pick everything up. As they all puttered around, they listened tensely for the sound of tires squealing. Once that happened, all hell broke loose as Catarina’s people realized that they had been spotted and part of their prey had just gotten away. Bullets flew as men dove for cover. They were outnumbered, and they had a weak link. A weak link that Nero was willing to surrender to protect.

  Chapter 15

  “Oh, God, what have I done,” Maria whispered despondently as she stared at the door that had been slammed shut behind her. Moving backward until her back hit the wall, she let her body slide down. Tears fell unchecked from her eyes as she pushed her fist into her mouth to hold back her sobs. Her last sight of Nero before they’d been separated had been of him staring his hate at her. He knew that she had betrayed him.

  Laughingly, Caterina had met them when they had been dragged in. She had laughed until she’d realized that Tori wasn’t with them. Her rage was almost flammable as she screamed at Maria that she had failed. Confused, Nero had stared at her until he realized that she wasn’t being restrained. In despair, she watched the truth enter his eyes as all the soft feelings that had been growing within them seeped away until only her death shined in their depths.

  At that look, Caterina’s good humor was partially restored as she told Nero that Maria had been working to bring his downfall since their marriage. How she had done it all so that she could have her Jason. Unable to deny it and risk Nico’s life, she had stood there as the bile poured from Caterina before being take away.

  Reaching into her pocket, she gripped the phone in there tightly. They hadn’t taken it from her. She wasn’t considered important enough to search. They were wrong. Leaning forward until her head touched her knees, she hid the phone in the curve of her body and pulled up a number that she had never used. With shaky fingers, she texted their location and three words: Caterina has Nero. She knew that once Matteo saw it, he would stop at nothing to save Nero. Maria had no illusions about getting out of this alive. Her fate had been sealed, but maybe, just maybe, Nico’s hadn’t.

  Regret swamped her that she forced down; it would do her no good. She would never be forgiven for this betrayal, not by Nero if he lived, and not by her family in life or in death. She wasn’t sure how long she sat there like that, but the sound of the door opening pulled her from the trance. Quickly tucking the phone into the waist of her skirt, she rose up with a groan, her muscles protesting. Hard hands grabbed her upper arm and dragged her from the room to another before leaving her there. The smell of antiseptic hung heavy in the air, clawing at her lungs with each breath she drew. Blinking at the bright lights that filled the room, she took a moment for her eyes to adjust. Nero stood before her, heaving and bloody but whole.

  As if waiting for her eyes to find him, he lunged at her, causing her to stumble back. The death she had expected never came. Looking at him, she saw that he was chained to a post. The guard who brought her here put her just out of his reach. Frustration filled his face, but he just stood there, not fighting the
chains as he stared at her. Rising slowly to her feet, she let the regret she felt shine in her eyes, which turned his cold in response.

  Ready to step forward and allow him to extract his pound of flesh, she stopped at the sound of the door opening. Turning, she watched as Nico was thrown into the room. With a little moan, Maria rushed to him and wrapped her arms around him. He was alive. In her heart, she truly didn’t think he was. Tears filled her eyes as she gripped her baby brother to her. Those tears blinded her to the others that came in behind him and ripped him from her arms and kicked her away.

  “Christ, you are weak,” Catarina taunted as she looked down at Maria in disgust.

  Wiping at the tears that filled her eyes, Maria forced herself not to react but kept her gaze locked with Nico’s. “I have done what you asked. Now hold up your side and let Nico go.”

  “I asked for my sister and brother. You only delivered my brother.”

  “I couldn’t bring Tori. The baby was with her.”

  “That, my dear, would have been perfect, since I plan on that squalling brat joining its parents in death. In fact, I probably would have released Nico as soon as I had the brat since it would have caused Dominic to come running.”

  “My brother and the baby were never part of the deal. You said that you only wanted Nero and Tori.”

  “How naive you are. Of course, I want your brother. Did you really think I would let him live after what he has done to me?” Seeing the look on Maria’s face at her words, Caterina giggled. “Oh, God, you did. That is beyond rich.”

  Despondently, Maria looked ahead. Of course, she wanted Dominic. Next, she would want Angie, then Lucca, then her father. The children would also join them in death. No loose ends. She never intended to let her or Nico live. There could be no witnesses. No living person to seek vengeance. Caterina was wrong. She hadn’t been naïve; she had been a coward, and her cowardice would lead to the complete genocide of not just Nero’s family but her own.

  Slowly, Maria got to her feet and approached the laughing monster. No one tried to stop her. Why would they? She was just a weak fool. No danger to anyone. Stopping before Caterina, she looked into those amused eyes and backhanded her. Shock at her bold move held everyone in the room frozen except Caterina. Her howl of rage echoed off the walls. Satisfaction filled Maria at the sight of her bleeding lip. The ring on her finger had cut deep. Unafraid, she stood there, waiting for Caterina to retaliate. A calm filled her as she waited for her own death. She deserved it and would not hide from it.

  As if reading that in her face, Caterina’s lips drew back in a snarl. “Oh, no, my dear, it will not be that easy,” she hissed. Looking around the room, she stepped away from Maria and picked up a discarded piece of wood with nails sticking out of the end. Hefting it in her hand, she brought it to Maria and held it out. “If don’t want me to beat your brother, then I suggest that you take this and use it to finish Nero.”

  Looking to Nico, Maria whispered, “No.”

  Shock filled Nico’s face at her word. “Maria, please.”

  “I’m sorry, Nico.” It was all that she could say knowing that no matter what she did, it wouldn’t save them.

  Enraged, Caterina had Nico dragged from the room. Dropping the two-by-four at Maria’s feet, she followed, leaving a guard at the open door.

  It didn’t take long for the screams to begin. The sound of fist meeting flesh traveled from the door beyond, causing Maria to drop to her knees. On and on it went until Caterina finally rejoined her with a bloody mass being dragged in behind her. Nico’s face was destroyed; only his clothing told her it was him. Bile rose that she fought back as she stared at what was left of her brother. Each breath he took was labored and hard fought, yet she didn’t move. She just stayed there and bore witness to her brother’s pain as Caterina ranted.

  Ordering everyone from the room, she sealed them in together and viciously grabbed the board from in front of Maria. Silently, Maria waited for the strike to come when Caterina moved behind her, but instead she heard a grunt of pain from Nero. Slowly, she turned her head to see him slumped onto the floor. Caterina had used the side without the nails and knocked him out. His even breathing told her that he was alive.

  Seeing the blankness in her eyes caused Caterina to snap. Throwing the board at her, Caterina walked to Nico and yanked his head from the floor. Pulling a gun free from behind her back, she held it to his head. “Pick up that fucking board and finish Nero now, or I will put a bullet in your brother’s head.”

  Maria opened her mouth to speak, but the words were stopped by the echo that filled the room. As if in slow motion, she watched as her brother’s brains decorated the floor. Blinking, she heard Caterina as if from far away telling her that she didn’t say speak. It sounded hollow in her ears. Everything moved slowly as Caterina released Nico’s hair so that his lifeless body could splay across the floor. Rising up, she waved the gun at Maria before turning to look at the door. The sound of an explosion echoed, knocking Caterina to her knees as the room shook at the force. Reaching out, Maria grasped the two-by-four and rose, dragging it behind her as she walked woodenly to Caterina, who was getting to her feet. Raising it up, she swung just as Caterina turned and buried the rusty nails into her skull. Rage filled Caterina’s face before her eyes went blank, and she slowly dropped to the floor.

  ***

  Fuck. Opening his eyes, Nero saw Maria. She sat in the middle of the room, her face expressionless like no one was home. She was covered in blood as her aimless stare looked out into nothingness while she rocked Nico’s mangled body in her arms. Caterina lay off to the side. Her face was turned toward him; the eye on the burned side of her face stared vacantly at him. Looking at her, he thought that he should feel something, but there was nothing left to feel. The sounds coming from outside the room drew his attention. There was a fight going on. Pushing himself up, he cursed at the chains that tethered him.

  Looking at his deceitful wife, he growled out her name like the curse that it was. “Maria.”

  When she just sat there, he spat and looked to Caterina. Reaching out with his leg, he stretched, trying to catch hold of her body. Long minutes passed before he was able to get her close enough that his hands could reach her and pull her the rest of the way. Blood stained his hands as her searched for the key, but it was worth it when he finally found what he sought. Quickly unshackling himself, he pulled the knife that Caterina had sheathed to her thigh free. With the knife gripped firmly in his hand, he walked forward. Each step brought him closer to Maria. Each step firmed his resolve.

  He was above her looking down when she raised her eyes to his and whispered, “Please.”

  Please. Please. Please what? Please kill her. The acceptance of her death in her eyes stayed his hand. The bitch wasn’t getting off that easily.

  Turning from her, Nero went to the door and opened it. The sound of gunshots was coming close. Moving out of the room, he made his way through the hall until he found two men in the hall. Their backs were to him as they fired at their adversary. There was no thought; Nero just struck, shoving the blade deep into the back of one guy before throwing himself at the other. The fucker turned at his partner’s grunt of pain and swung his gun. Reaching out, Nero gripped his arm and slammed it hard into the wall, causing him to drop the gun before the two of them hit the ground. The fucker didn’t stand a chance. Rage gave Nero strength as he beat the bastard to death, slamming his head into the concrete floor.

  The sound of his name being called had him looking up into Matteo’s relieved face. Climbing to his feet, Nero led his men as they went room from room of the warehouse, killing anyone who had been foolish enough not to flee.

  Walking from the warehouse, the scent of the night enveloped him, washing away the scent of death but not of betrayal. Nero went to the waiting car, dropped wearily into the seat, leaned back, and closed his eyes. “Call the Salvaticis and tell them to come and collect their dead, then burn this place to the ground,” Nero told M
atteo, motioning for him to close the door.

  “What about your wife?” Matteo asked.

  He opened his eyes, a hardness filling them. “I have no wife.”

  Chapter 16

  The funeral was a quiet affair of just family and close friends. Maria stood off to the side as she watched her brother’s casket lowered into the ground. She wasn’t welcome to stand with her family. Looking up, she saw that Angie stood on the other side of the casket away from the family. Maria knew that they blamed Angie for Nico’s death as much as they blamed her, though she was still, if not welcome, a part of the family. Maria watched as a single tear rolled down Angie’s face before she turned and walked away. No one tried to stop her. Nico’s death had changed everything. Though the family might one day move past Nico’s death, Maria knew that Angie wouldn’t, not until she deemed all those responsible had paid.

  Lucca had told Angie that if she left, she wouldn’t be coming back, and Maria knew that she was going to take that chance. The guilt and pain that Maria felt, Angie amplified. With one final look at her brother’s casket, Maria followed Angie.

  “I’m going with you,” Maria called out once they were far enough away not to be overheard.

  “No, you’re not. There is no coming back from what I’m about to do. No redemption. No life. My children have someone to care for them if I don’t make it back,” she said, not bothering to deny that she had every intention of finishing them.

  “What are you talking about? I don’t have a child or anyone left that will miss me. I’m all but dead to my family, and my husband told me that he wants nothing more to do with me. You are all that I have left.”