Revenge | A Steamy Mafia Bad Boy Romance

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Revenge | A Steamy Mafia Bad Boy Romance Page 8

by Rose Cody


  The way I looked up to my dad as a kid, I want someone to look up to me like that, too. Out of everything I got, and I got a lot, that’s the one thing my status can’t bring me. I’m finally seeing that there could potentially be more to life than this.

  I clear my throat before whistling out a soft note as I place the blow torch down on the wooden workshop bench I’m leaning on and bring the glowing, red nail up to my face.

  “Woooah, man. This is a hot one.” I say, walking, holding the nail away from my face with a pair of pliers.

  “Burning hot, Johnny, hey!” My co-worker, Dino, says, stepping back slightly as I walk towards him.

  I watch him lean down, getting right into the face of the guy we got tied up in the garage, his breath blowing the poor saps hair out of his eyes.

  “But I don’t know if that’s a good thing or a bad thing.” He says, smirking as the man chained to the chair struggles. “What do you think? The hotter the better, or would you rather we go in cold?”

  I laugh as I watch him try to scream through the rag we duct taped into his mouth.

  Now, I’m not one to take pleasure in another person’s pain, right, but this guy… let’s just say, my boss is not very happy when nearly a million dollars in cocaine sales are nowhere to be found and if my boss ain’t happy, then I can’t be very happy either.

  “One last chance!” I give him as I stand in front of him, the nail still red hot.

  He tries to pull away as he furiously nods his head up and down. I look at Dino motioning for him to tear away the tape.

  “Where?” I ask shortly, leaning in to hear his answer.

  “If you give me two days, just two days…” His panicked voice starts.

  “No.” I smirk, sinking the hot nail into his skin, the heat only making it easier to sear through his meat.

  I listen to him shriek as I walk away, his cries soon muffled out as Dino stuffs the rag back into his mouth and tapes him up.

  I pick up another nail before leaning back against the workbench before lighting my torch again.

  “Hey, Dino!” I shout, looking over towards him as I heat up another nail. “What’s open late tonight? I’m starving.”

  Chapter 2

  Amber

  I grew up much like any other kid around here; a mom, a dad, a golden doodle to keep me company…

  My city as it is now is actually a collection of a bunch of different former townships that eventually formed into one. They became the “neighbourhoods” as we like to call them around here. What used to be field on the highway is now strip malls, grocery stores and gas stations. Our former town halls are all but forgotten and turned into little movie theaters and play houses that… are still forgotten.

  I never felt unsafe growing up; maybe it was the small town or maybe it was just the times, but as a little girl, my friends and I could walk around my town and never actually have to think about what kind of people might be occupying the houses around us.

  I can’t say for certain when it changed. I know that we didn’t just wake up one day to gangs running our little city, it didn’t happen overnight. A gas station would be robbed here and there, someone would get beat up outside of the movies...

  I remember when my city had its first murder. I mean, people had died before. Every once in a while a bar fight would go too far or someone would get hit with a car, but an actual murder…

  Poor Ms. Bukowski was just sitting in her house and minding her own business while watching her gameshows when two masked men broke in her front door and stabbed her to death. They stole all her jewelry, fuck, they even stole her spoon collection!

  Things really weren’t the same after that. The people were demoralized and the police just didn’t have enough funding to take care of the snowballing crime. Nothing could be done.

  I was a teenager when my dad had the front windows to his bakery busted in. What could thugs possibly want to steal from a bakery? Cake? For the first time though, they came back the next day, almost like they were bragging about it. It was bold and it was scary.

  They told my dad that he could avoid all future frustrations for a small fee. And by small, I mean 10% of his sales.

  My dad came here from Poland with nothing but a single suitcase and a pregnant wife and built that business, just like everything else in our life, with his own two hands. A 10% cut in sales for a small town immigrant baker would be devastating, but not as devastating as everyone knew those thugs could be so my dad had no other choice but to take the deal.

  And my dad was not the only one. All around town we started noticing more and more businesses comping cups of coffee and steak dinners to the scummiest of people. It became obvious that our little city was no longer ours, it was now gang territory. And there was nothing we could do about it.

  We paid them that 10% for years. Windows still got broken, people still got murdered, the “protection” wasn’t really protection after all, but who knows what would have happened if we refused? We just had to keep on paying.

  At least, that was the plan, to just keep paying, until about a month ago they stormed into my dad’s kitchen and demanded more.

  30%.

  They demanded 30% or they wipe him off the map. Sometimes I think my dad’s just stupid, but I can’t say I would do any differently. He refused. He didn’t work his fingers to the bone for 25 years to throw it all away. He didn’t work for 25 years just to not be able to feed his family because some thugs think they own him, because they think they own this whole town.

  He refused. And that night, they burned his bakery to the ground.

  My dad is a tough guy. Growing up in rural poverty usually has that effect on a person. I had never seen him cry, not even at my grandmother’s funeral, so to see him cry in the street as he watched the flames take his whole life was the final straw.

  I know I’m just one girl and one girl isn’t going to be able to make any impact on these sons of bitches, but I know someone who can and I know they’ll play dirty…

  The Mafia.

  Chapter 3

  Amber’s heart pounds in her chest as she walks down the street, her short heels clicking on the damp concreate sidewalk, the noise distracting her as she makes her way down a street she’s never seen before.

  “At least there’s people here, so that makes me feel a little bit better.” She says to herself as she passes two men in trench coats. “And they don’t have tattoos on their faces, either, so that’s a plus.”

  Maybe no tattoos, but something was definitely unusual about the people here. It’s late in the evening and so it’s not like she expected children to be out with their moms and dads or anything, but she couldn’t help but notice that nothing seemed casual.

  Every restaurant window she glances in contains nothing but men with slicked back hair and suits being waited on by less than fully clothed waitresses. And what kind of children’s toy store is open this late in the night?

  “Well, this is definitely the neighbourhood.” She whispers to herself as she quickly glances back. “These businesses are probably all fronts.”

  She glances down at the tiny, teared off corner of paper in her hand, reading the address before scrunching it back up and slipping it back into the front pocket of her jeans.

  “14th and Luther…. This is the place…” She says, tilting her head up to look up at the street signs. “But I’m not seeing anything…”

  Amber spins around, glancing from side to side before her eyes catch a glimpse of light from the very end of a long, dark alley way.

  She peers down the lane, biting her bottom lip as she notices the door under the light swing open and a large figure step outside.

  “Bingo.” She says, her heart pounding as she takes a shaky breath before forcing her feet to step forward into the darkness.

  “Hello?” She says, as she walks closer, letting the big guy know she’s there so she doesn’t spook him. “Are you the guy I talk to if I want to meet with Leo Ambrosini?”<
br />
  She almost runs away as the large man turns around and tosses his smoke on the ground before twisting the toe of his shoe into it to put it out, but her feet won’t take her.

  “Why, are you looking for a job?” He asks, looking her up and down as he folds his arms over his chest.

  “No, I have a job.” Amber says, glancing back behind her into the darkness.

  “So what do you want? Are you here to see him or not?” He says.

  “Well, yes, I am.” She stutters.

  “Were you ordered? Who do you work for?” He asks her.

  “No!” Amber says, her eyes wide. “No, no one ordered me! I’m here because I want to talk to Leo Ambrosini about some business. He was recommended to me and…”

  “No, I don’t think so.” He says, cutting her off. “Look I’m sure you’re a very nice lady and I’m sure your problems are definitely worthy of professional help, but see, my job here is to weed out the shit. If I let every girl with a problem inside the good men who work here would be opening pickle jars and killing spiders for you and we’re just not that kind of organization, you understand?”

  “Well, excuse me, but this is a big job!” She says, offended as she watches the door open once again as two suited men step outside laughing with cigarettes in their mouths.

  “Would you look at this lady!” One of them says as he brings the lighter up to his mouth to take the first drag of his smoke.

  “What’s a good looking lady like you doing around here?” The second one asks, elbowing his friend lightly. “Come for a little fun?”

  “Get a load of this, guys.” The big, burly door guard says, turning his back to her to face the men as he point back at her with his thumb. “She says she has a job for Leo Ambrosini.”

  “Ha!” The taller one laughs as he breathes out a cloud of smoke. “So you have a job for the Mr. Leo Ambrosini, do you?”

  “Yes, I do.” Amber says, tapping her foot on the concrete in frustration. “I just want to see him so I can talk to him.”

  “About what?” The shorter one asks.

  “Well, you know what?” She starts. “Maybe I’ll just take my money elsewhere if you guys don’t think you can handle it.”

  “Hold on, hold on…” The taller one says as he flicks his cigarette to the ground as he smiles and glances at his friend. “Yeah, yeah, sure let’s get you inside. I know of a way that will surely get you to the boss… What do you say, Mel?”

  “Yeah.” The short one says, pointing his thumb back towards the door as he motions the nods his head in the same direction. “Come with us and we’ll make sure you have a meeting with the Ambrosini himself.”

  Chapter 4

  An uneasiness settles in the pit of Amber’s stomach as she follows the two men into the dark room, her stomach turning as the stale smell of alcohol hits her nose.

  “Come with me.” The taller one says, leading her through a row of tables and chairs with deep maroon upholstery.

  He leads her over to a more private area, opening a set of semi-transparent grey curtains with gold trim to reveal a stage along with many deep brown leather couches.

  Amber follows the men over to one of the couches, trying to avert her face as she walks by a man getting a hand job from a woman in a silken purple bikini as she leans over the back of one of the sofas.

  “Sit down right here, sweetheart.” The shorter one says to her, patting his hand against the seat cushion.

  “And you’ll get Mr. Ambrosini for me to talk to?” She asks nervously as she slowly sinks herself down onto the couch.

  “Oh, yeah, for sure.” The taller man says, as he begins to unbutton his shirt. “I’ll get right on it…”

  “Look, this was a mistake, I’m just going to leave.” She says, trying to stand up.

  They push her back down onto the couch as the shorter one sits down beside her and places the palm of his sweaty hand on her thigh.

  “Get OFF of me!” She says, pushing him away as the taller one swoops in, dragging his hand across her shoulder.

  “Don’t worry, sweetheart, we’ll get you your meeting.” He says. “But why should we help you out unless you help us out, too, hey?”

  “Fuck you!” Amber says, pulling herself away from them as they grab her arms.

  “Wow, she’s a feisty one, isn’t she?” The short one laughs as he pushes against her chest.

  “Cut it out.” She hears a deep voice say from behind them. “Come on, you guys.”

  “You wanna join us, Johnny?” The short one says, glancing up.

  “Mel, there’s other girls here who are actually paid to do that. You can’t just drag in any bitch you see on the street and have your way with her.” The guy says, walking around to the front of the couch.

  “And Joe, come on, Joe…” He starts looking at the taller of the two. “Have some fuckin’ respect for your wife, will ya?”

  “I remember when you used to be fun, Johnny.” He says, tossing up his hands and leaning back into the couch defeated.

  “Oh, please.” He says. “Like I didn’t just get my dick sucked…”

  Amber gets up off the couch, smoothing her shirt with her hands as she glares daggers at the two men.

  “Thank you.” She says, annoyed before looking up at her saviour.

  “No problem.” He says, a small coy smile gracing his lips as his skin pulls tight over his chiselled jawline. “Always on the lookout to help a nice lady such as yourself, right?”

  “I actually would like some help…” Amber says, her eyes glossing over as her gaze follows his braid shoulders, his suit tight around his pumped arms and his jacket loose around his slender waist.

  “And what can I help you with?” He asks, tilting his head to the side.

  “She wants a meeting with Mr. Ambrosini, can you believe it?” Joe laughs.

  Johnny raises his eyebrow as he looks at her suspiciously, his calm smile turning into a light chuckle as Amber’s face flushes.

  “What business could you possibly have with Mr. Ambrosini?” He asks her.

  Amber stands up tall as she takes in a deep breath. She’s come too far to give up her ground now.

  “I have a job for him.” She starts, pursing her lips as her legs tremble under her. “And I can pay.”

  “I see.” Johnny says, nodding his head up and down. “Well, if you really can pay, Mr. Ambrosini’s not one to turn down a dollar.”

  He turns her around, gently pressing the palm of his hand against her lower back.

  “If you want to see Mr. Ambrosini…” He says gently pushing her to follow him. “Then let’s go.”

  Chapter 5

  Her heart pounds wildly in her chest as she follows him away from the couches and to the bar where he lifts up the shelf gate to let her behind.

  “Takes a lot of guts for a little lady like yourself to come to a place like this.” Johnny says to her as he walks her behind the bar and down a long hall off to the side.

  “Well, sometimes you have no choice.” She whispers back to him as she crosses her arms to hold herself as suited men file down the hall.

  They stop at the very end in front of a closed metal door that’s painted the same deep brown as the walls. She watches, her stomach flipping in full panic mode as Johnny smooths out his jacket and takes a deep breath while wiggling his shoulders as he raises up his fist.

  Amber holds her breath and bites her bottom lip as she listens to Johnny knock twice on the door.

  “Step back, sweetheart.” He whispers to her, gently pushing her backwards as the door begins to slowly open.

  “What?” A large, bearded man says, his voice deep and gruff as he pokes his head out of the doorway.

  “There’s a girl to see Ambrosini.” Johnny starts, motioning towards Amber. “She has a problem she wants to take up with him.”

  “A problem?” The man asks, opening the door a little wider so he can step outside. “No, miss, there’s no problem here…”

  “I have a j
ob for him.” Amber interrupts. “I don’t have a problem with him, I actually need him to help me.”

  “No.” The bodyguard says as he turns around to go back inside.

  “Mike, come on, man.” Johnny says, reaching out to grab his wrist. “She’s just a girl who just wants to talk to him.”

 

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