The Savage One: A Mafia Romance (The Hale Mafia Book 3)

by BL Mute

  I flash him a smile of my own before he wraps his arms around my waist and hoists me up, carrying me to my room.

  I settle into my chair and wait. Mike should be calling soon, and I’m ready. Once I know my package was delivered, I’ll send him his payment, but if he fucks up, I’ll have my men hunt him down. He’s been given a lot of chances, and normally I would drop the wannabe pig, but I don’t like doing business with cops or anyone who represents them. It was hard to find someone I could even trust to carry things out how I would want behind bars.

  “Boss?” Miguel chirps, dragging me from my thoughts as he sits on the couch next to me.

  “What is it?”

  “Shouldn’t he have called by now?”

  I roll my eyes. I want to backhand him, but he’s still so young and learning. Normally I don’t have patience for stupid questions, but he wasn’t brought up in this shit like all of the people before him. He was innocent before I found him.

  I shake my head. “There is no set time for these things like there is out here. In jail, you have to work in slimmer timeframes and make sure you recruit the right people to deliver things.”

  He nods and opens his mouth, but the ringing of my cell cuts him off.

  I raise a brow with a grin, then answer and bring it to my ear. “Hello?”

  “Seb, it’s done.” Mike heaves over the line. “It took longer than expected, and I had to step in, but it’s done and pinned on another inmate.”

  “I want proof.”

  He goes silent as soft taps sound through the receiver. “Check your texts.”

  A second later my phone pings. I mute him, then click my home screen. A small “1” floats in the corner of my messages icon. When I click it, I’m brought face-to-face with a very bloody, very dead Desiderio Garcia.

  I unmute and bring the phone back to my ear. “Well done, Mike. I’ll have one of my men deliver your payment as we speak. It was a pleasure doing business.”

  Before I can hang up, he talks again. “This will be the last time, Sebastian. I can’t risk my job anymore.”

  I chuckle. “You’ll do whatever I need. I think you’ve forgotten I know where dear old mom lives.”

  The line goes silent before it disconnects. I laugh again and throw it onto the end table next to me. When I look up, Miguel is deep in his own phone texting with his brows pulled together and a frown on his lips. “What’s the matter, kid?”

  His eyes pull up to mine. “We have a problem.”

  My light mood suddenly disappears. “Well? What’s the problem?” I snap.

  “The casino—you know, the one Emil owns. Some shit went down there about thirty minutes ago.”

  “Excuse me?” I lean forward and clasp my hands together.

  “I’m trying to get more details. The guy we put to watch there said someone went in and fucked some people up pretty bad.”

  “The guy? Get a fucking name!” I yell.

  He nods, then stands and walks out the door, bringing his phone to his ear.

  I pick up my phone again and dial Angel’s number. I’m not surprised when it goes to voicemail. He is so fucking paranoid it isn’t even funny. I leave a quick message with just my name, then hang up and wait some more. I hate fucking waiting, but it’s the only thing I can do anymore. With more of my men dead than alive, I rely on other people, third-party sources, to do my job. Instill fear, murder who deserves it, push my product over the border. Soon enough I’ll have enough new recruits I won’t have to wait. There will be more of us than the enemy. Working with lowlifes like the Hales only helps that too. Soon, really fucking soon, I’ll have everyone on my side in some way.

  My phone rings again, and I waste no time answering it.

  “What do you want, Sebastian?” Angel asks without a hello.

  “Your guys over the border, do they happen to watch the south side of Northridge Heights?”

  “Maybe, why?”

  “The Hideout, that casino, something happened and I’m trying to get details.”

  “Why don’t you ask those Hales,” he scoffs.

  “Excuse me?”

  “Misma cara,” he says, all too amused. Same face.

  “The twins? Which one?” I ask, starting to lose my patience.

  “The quiet one.” He hangs up.

  It takes everything in me not to crush the phone in my hand. “Fucking idiots,” I whisper to myself.

  I push through the revolving door with one arm draped around Cat and the other still firmly holding the axe. At first, it was me holding her, trying to comfort her in some way as we navigated through the gunfire and screams, but now it’s her holding me.

  Pain pulsates from my side, all the way to my arm, making things feel tingly and numb all at once, but I don’t stop until we are in front of the car. I push her away toward the passenger side as I round the driver’s side. Luckily, she takes instruction well and slips in as I do the same.

  I hurry and start the car, then peel out of the parking lot, not even bothering to look in the rearview mirror. When we finally make it to the open road and away from the casino, I steal a glance at Cat. Blood stains my white shirt she has on, and I can’t tell if it’s from her or me.

  “Are you hurt?” I ask, keeping my eyes focused on the road.

  I see her shake her head out the corner of my eye. “I think it’s from you.”

  I look down to my side and see a steady flow of blood pumping out of the wound on my ribs. I didn’t think it was bad, but this makes it seem much worse. I turn my eyes back to the road and drive in silence as everything starts to become blurry and distorted. The white lines on the road curve, the trees along the side hunch over, and my head tries to loll to the side, but I don’t let it.

  I shake my head and scrub my hand down my face, hoping like hell it will snap me out of it, but it doesn’t.

  “Are you okay?” Cat asks from beside me.

  I slow my labored breaths. “I should be asking if you’re okay.”

  When she doesn’t answer, I glance her way again. Her hands are trembling as her knee bobs up and down, and her eyes bounce all over the place. “Hey.” I reach out and touch her knee, and she practically jumps out of her skin.

  I ease the car to the shoulder, then put it in park before trying again. This time, I make my movements slower. When my hand is only a few inches from her, she jumps and presses herself against the door. With her eyes on me, she feels the door, looking for the handle.

  “I’m not going to hurt you,” I try.

  Her head shakes when her fingers finally find the handle and pull. “That’s what they all said. This could be a ploy. Maybe part of a fucked-up fetish you like.” She hops from the car and starts running down the deserted road.

  I let out a breath, then step out of the car. I hate fucking chasing people unless it ends in a blow job or some rough sex, but this time I’m making an exception. I start sprinting behind her, gripping my side as I do.

  Her legs are short compared to mine, so her strides are smaller which means it takes me no time to catch up. When I’m a few steps behind her, I slow my pace, then use my other hand to reach out. I catch her by the shoulder and turn her around.

  “I’m not going to hurt you. Do you really think I would have done everything I did back there just to get my rocks off and come?”

  Her chest heaves quickly, and her mouth hangs open to suck in more air as she brings her fists in front of her. Her eyes shoot to the nothingness around us. “You’re hurt. I can take you,” she spits back.

  Her reply makes me laugh. I know I shouldn’t considering this is a serious situation and she’s clearly scared, but I can’t help it.

  I tip my head and cross my arms, letting the blood oozing from my ribs run down the side of my leg and speckle on the ground. “Go ahead, then. Hit me.”

  She looks at me confused, then strikes slowly toward my face. I catch her balled fist in my hand, then drop it roughly. “Even if I’m hurt, you still couldn’t take m
e. I admire your feistiness, but it’s not needed here. I’m not going to fucking hurt you.” Her other hand falls in defeat.

  I want to wrap her in my arms and let her know she’s safe now, but I don’t think it would go over too smoothly. Instead, I pull the gun I have tucked in the back of my waistband out and hand it to her. “Here. If you’re so worried, take it. Shoot me if I make a move.”

  She grabs the gun and points it at me in a silent threat, but it doesn’t even make me flinch. “Fine. I’ll go with you.”

  I give her a firm nod, then turn around and start walking back to the car. She lingers behind me, but I don’t stop. If she wants to fall back and watch me, so be it.

  When I slide back into the car, I watch through the windshield as she takes her last few steps. When she slips back inside, she shoves the gun under the seat. Her breathing is calmer, and her hands aren’t as shaky. “I’m sticking with you for my own protection, nothing else.”

  “Fine by me.” I pull back onto the road and floor it.

  Trying to prove myself to her because of her stunt did nothing but make me feel worse. I’m doing my best to hide it, but it’s getting hard.

  As we pull into the driveway of the cabin, black spots start to float into my vision. “Let’s go. You’ll be safe here.”

  She gives me a skeptical look but doesn’t object as I get out of the car. I sway on my feet as I walk up before she comes and tucks herself under my arm again. “Whose place is this?”

  I guess I should expect her to question everything, but I have almost no energy to even answer. “Don’t worry. My brother and his girl are here. Just answer any questions they have because I don’t think I’ll last much longer.”

  I push open the door as the black spots get bigger and bigger.

  I run my fingers over the bruises on Lucas’s body as he stares at me. His skin is still soft under my fingertips despite all of the trauma. He’s warm against me, and it gives me a sense of security, but it still doesn’t give me the push I need to give him my heart.

  “You’re mine,” he whispers.

  I bring my eyes to his and smile with a shake of my head. “This isn’t a good time to fall in love with me.”

  His smile matches mine. I think he can feel my wavering resolve. “You’ll cave one day.” He dismisses what I say and kisses my nose.

  I get a laugh out before his phone rings, breaking our moment. He throws his head back and groans before leaping from the bed and going to the bathroom.

  I can hear he’s upset, but I can’t make out his exact words. When he walks back through the door, he goes straight for his pile of clothes and jumps into his slacks. “I’ll handle it, okay?”

  He throws his shirt to me and motions for me to put it on as he listens to whoever is on the other line. I pull it over my shoulders and watch him intently as I button each button. I want to question what’s going on, make sure everything is okay, but I don’t get the chance. The front door flies open, smacking the wall behind it, as I push the last button through its hole.

  “I have to go, Sebastian.” He hangs up and rushes out my room as I follow.

  Julius limps through the door with a blonde glued to his side.

  “What the fuck?” I mumble. “Julius?” I snap my fingers, trying to make him look my way. When his face turns toward me, I continue. “What happened?”

  I try and reach for the woman, but she swats my hand away. I look to Lucas, and he’s just as confused as me. “Julius! Speak the fuck up!” he bellows.

  “I told you I would handle it alone, and I did.” He almost laughs before collapsing.

  “Shit!” the blonde, who I’m assuming is Cat, hisses. She falls to her knees beside him and starts tapping his cheeks.

  Lucas and I both rush to his other side and squat down. “Call Peter,” he says as he grabs Julius’s face.

  My heart starts to beat faster, and my hands shake. Things I didn’t notice before become very clear all of a sudden. Julius’s knuckles are bruised and bloody, which very well could be from his fight with Lucas, but the blood seeping from his side definitely isn’t.

  I ignore Lucas and push Julius, rolling him to his side. “Was he shot?”

  Cat moves her hand over her mouth as tears run down her cheeks.

  “Was. He. Shot!” I yell, enunciating my words.

  “I don’t know,” she cries “Everything happened so fast.”

  “Charlie.” Lucas pushes me away. “Go call Dr. Kelly.”

  I stand and walk to the counter where my purse is. I fish out my phone and dial his number. I try and listen to Lucas and Cat as the phone rings, but my mind only wants to focus on one thing. The ringing in my ear sounds louder than normal, and I’m not sure if that’s from the adrenaline pumping though me or the absolute fear.

  My eyes zero in on Julius’s still body on the floor, and then it happens. The flashbacks start. Suddenly, it isn’t Julius anymore, it’s Teddy. Almost like flipping between two channels too fast, the image in front of me changes back and forth between Teddy and Julius. Two men I care about. Two men I love. Both on the verge of death.

  “Charlotte?” The voice sounds muffled and faraway. Like someone screaming through a megaphone from a long distance. “Charlotte!”

  Everything comes rushing back, and I hear Cat’s soft cries, Lucas’s hushed curses, and Dr. Kelly screaming in my ear.

  “Charlotte! What’s going on?”

  “We—um—we need you. Hurry. Julius is hurt.” I hang up before he can ask any more questions. He’s one of the only people to know our location. That’s all he needs.

  I drop my phone and rush back to Julius on the floor. When I sink back to my knees, I see his lips are blue. I look around for a second, then stand again. I pull the blanket off the back of the couch and clutch it to my chest, then go to the front door and close it.

  “Lucas, put more wood on the fire.”

  He stares at Julius the same way I did. Almost like he’s in shock. A single tear rolls down his cheek as he leans back on his knees.

  “Lucas!” I grab his face and turn him to me. “Wood. Fire. Now.” He nods with a deep breath before taking one last look at Julius and standing.

  I lay the blanket over his bare chest and tuck it under his sides as much as I can. “Cat.” I look at her. “What happened?” I ask again.

  She shakes her head hard. “I don’t know. He busted inside the room they’ve been keeping me in, untied me, gave me his shirt, then we ran.”

  “Ran? Was someone chasing you?”

  Her eyes stay glued to Julius as his chest rises and falls slowly. Her lip quivers as tears continue falling. “Some guy. He’s there every day checking on me.”

  “What did he look like?”

  “I don’t know,” she cries.

  Lucas falls back to his knees beside me and reaches across to grab her cheeks. He jerks her head toward him roughly. “What did he look like?”

  Her cries get louder as her body shakes. “I didn’t mean for this to happen.”

  “What did he look like?” Lucas roars.

  Her cries are finally silenced along with everything else. The only sounds are the crackling of the fire and my heartbeat thumping in my ears.

  “He’s kind of short, really skinny, always wearing a suit. I don’t know his name.”

  Lucas lets go of her and turns back to Julius. “Emil’s guy,” he whispers.

  “What?” I ask.

  “With Desi in jail, he needed another right hand. The night we went to the casino, we saw him leaving with a guy who sounds a lot like what she’s describing.” He points to Cat.

  “You didn’t think that was important to let me know?”

  “Don’t start this shit right now, Charlie. I didn’t want to stress you out.”

  I roll my eyes and turn my focus back to Julius. “Well, now Emil will be on a fucking warpath.”

  He shakes his head. “Desi is gone—that’s what Sebastian was calling to tell me. He also started on abou
t something Julius did. Now I know why he seemed so mad. But because of this shit, now we have to act quicker. I’ll call Emil back once I know he’s okay.” He glances back to Julius. “Fuck, brother. No going back now.”

  A knock sounds out from the other side of the door. When I stand, I point to Cat. “Go sit on the couch.”

  Her eyebrows pull together as she crosses her arms in front of her. “I’m not leaving him.”

  I step around Julius, then lean down and grip her cheeks between my fingers. I pull her up until I’m nose to nose with her. “You’ll do what the fuck I say. He’s only in this position because of you. I get you’re probably scared shitless right now, but honestly, we are only worried about him. We won’t hurt you. So please, sit on the fucking couch.” I push her away.

  She grabs her cheeks with the same sour expression on her face and walks to the couch as I open the door.

  Dr. Kelly hurries through the door with his leather bag in hand. He doesn’t ask questions or stop to talk; he goes straight to Julius as soon as his eyes see the blood.

  He kneels beside him and pulls the blanket down to inspect his body. He rummages through his bag and pulls out gauze, a bottle of iodine, a suture kit, and a rolled-up rag. He passes the rag to Lucas. “I’m about to hurt him. He may not wake up, but in case he does, shove that in his mouth.”

  Lucas takes it and nods as he grabs the bottle. “Ready?”

  “I’m ready.”

  “Don’t let him hit me, Lucas. I’m old and can’t take the same blows I used to.”

  “Don’t worry, Doc. I got him.”

  Peter takes a breath as Lucas drapes himself over the top half of Julius’s shoulders. Quickly he Peter the iodine over the gash in his side, then dons a pair of gloves. He tears open the suture kit and gives Lucas one last look. The needle slides into one side of Julius’s open skin and then the other before his eyes open and he takes a deep breath.

  “Fuck!” he yells.

  “It’s okay. Here—” Lucas tries to shove the cloth in his mouth. “—bite this.”