by Cala Riley
Mafia King
By: Cala Riley
Copyright @ 2018 by Cala Riley
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means without the prior written consent of the publisher, except brief quotes used for reviews and certain other non commercial uses, as per copyright laws. This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, businesses, places, events and incidents are either the products of the author's imagination or used in a fictitious manner. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or actual events is purely coincidental.
Mafia King Cover Photo by: TakeCover Designs
Prologue
Bastiano
La Cosa Nostra is your family. You protect it as fiercely as you protect your sister and your brother. The family comes first always. Your blood comes second.
The mantra that has been pounded into my head since birth. The life I wanted away from, but could never seem to escape. Now, it is impossible. I take a drink of bourbon while I wait. I look around the parlor at my father’s home, where I have conducted business as usually for the last 8 years. As interim head of the family, my job was to run the family as if he were here. Thankfully, I have always had him to rely on. With coded messages and cryptic conversations, he would offer me advice and confidence.
Today that will change.
“Bash, they are here.” Lorenzo says from the door.
“Send them in.”
I watch as each man comes in greets me then take their seats.
“I have called you all here today to deliver news from Attica. It seems my father has passed on.”
I listen as the gasps ring out around the room.
Niccolo, my father’s underboss, speaks up. “Prior to his death, he named his eldest son, Bastiano Catalini as his successor as head to the Catalini family. As per Catalini law, this meeting is for the Capos to determine if they will support the former heads decision or challenge Bastiano for the right.”
I meet each man’s eye as they take a moment to consider. While my nerves are off the charts inside, the calm demeanor I present provides confidence for most. I see the acceptance in their eyes.
“Let’s start with a vote. All in favor of Bastiano Catalini as the new head raise your hand.”
Eighteen of the twenty-four men raise their hands. Niccolo notes them then turns to each of the last six.
“Who would like to start.”
“I am just concerned with what type of leader you will be. Tommaso lead this organization with an iron fist. He fought alongside us in the trenches as he made his way up the ranks. You have been essentially given this position.” Bernardo of the Las Vegas crew speaks up first.
I take a few deep breaths to quench the anger that filled me at his words. I am used to them. Everyone thinks I am only here because of my father. They aren’t wrong. I never wanted this. I cannot show weakness though. The only way out of this life is prison or a body bag, neither of which I am particularly fond of.
After collecting my thoughts, I speak calmly, yet firm.
“Thank you, Bernardo. I appreciate you stepping forward. With that being said, I was not handed this position. You assume that because I was the son of Tommaso that my life was easy and I did not have to fight. I am here to correct your assumptions. As Tommaso’s son, I was held at a higher expectation than even you capos. My father demanded I learn from the base up. I had to earn my stripes like everyone else to become a made man. Then, I stepped up and took control while my father was sent away on charges brought on by a member of this family defecting and snitching on him. Do you know what happened to that snitch?”
I pause as I let the coldness in my eyes meet each man’s.
“I hunted him down like the prey he was. I found where he was and put a bullet in both FBI agents’ heads then I took him to an empty warehouse where I then pulled each one of his finger nails and toe nails off. I cut off each finger toe individually and over time. After three days of slicing and dicing him, he finally bled out and died. He did not have an easy death. This is what anyone who is disloyal to our family has to look forward to. I will not be questioned or thought of as weak. Yes, my father appointed me to this position, but only because he felt I would be best at this job. La Cosa Nostra comes first, even before your blood. That was the mantra he would repeat to me every night as a child before I went to bed. That was the mantra he lived by and that I also live by. Join behind me brothers and I will lead us into this new venture with confidence.”
I watch all but one of the remaining votes nod with confidence.
“Anyone else want to speak up or challenge?”
Five of the six shake their heads no, but the sixth doesn’t move. He stares at me and I stare back. I can see something flicker behind his eyes. Jealously?
“Fillipo? Would you like to challenge?” I call out.
The rest of the men turn to look at him. I see a tick in the corner of his eye.
“Of course not. I just have one last question.”
“Proceed.” Is my only response.
“You say you have run this family. I won’t disagree that the orders have come from you, but do you deny that you have not had counsel from your father during this time?”
I see the light in his eye. He thinks he has backed me into a corner. Fillipo has always resented my father and in turn me. He was supposed to take control after my father’s predecessor. Unfortunately, he had an untimely death that resulted in my father challenging him. Needless to say, my father won and he did not. The only reason he still has his head is because he pleaded for mercy and my father decided to grant it in order to keep the peace.
“Every good leader has a council of those he refers to for advice. Yes, I would confer with him on decisions to be made, but I only took his words as advice, not orders. I also received advice from Niccolo and Lorenzo. An extraordinary leader knows that his perception is not always the truth of the situation. In order to fully understand and digest a situation, you must combine several perspectives to get a clearer picture. So yes, I asked for my father’s advice when he was still living, but I made the decisions and I ruled this family.”
I let smirk play on my lips as the men around us begin to applaud me. I didn’t do it for that and I meant every word. Yes, my father told me what to do and I often did it, but it was because it was the right move. Had I disagreed, I would have done different.
I look to Niccolo and he gives me a small nod.
“Any other objections?”
With that, I became the most powerful man in the United States, possibly even the world.
Sofia
“Bella. It is so wonderful to have you here. How was your bus ride?”
The thick Italian accent rushes over me and calms me like balm to a wound. No one has called me Bella in a really long time. For my family, it is a term of endearment for a young girl. The last time I heard it was at their funeral.
“It was good. Thank you for helping me out, Uncle Tony. I really appreciate this chance you are giving me.”
“Of course. You are my blood. I will always take care of you.”
He gives me a hug and I squeeze him back. It’s been a long time since I have been around family. After my parents died in a car crash a couple years ago, I have been distant from the family and my friends. I guess that’s why I was idiotic enough to get into the relationship with that prick.
I shake my thoughts off and give one more squeeze before I pull back.
“Let’s get you home. You can tell me all about your trip on the way.”
I give him a small smile and nod as he wraps his arm around me and leads me to the car. Truth is, there i
sn’t much to tell him. After my boyfriend, excuse me ex-boyfriend, beat me senseless and threatened to kill me, I called Uncle Tony and begged him to help me get out. His response? Go to the bus station. He told me to only take the clothes on my back. That there would be an envelope waiting with the ticket agent along with a ticket to my next destination. Over the past four days, I have traveled to countless cities and changed busses six times and took a cab five. Finally, I ended up here, in New York City. More specifically Manhattan.
After a couple moments of silence Uncle Tony speaks up.
“So, your trip was well? Everything went ok?”
“Yep. I did everything you said. I checked over my shoulder at every turn and chose cities at random, sometimes even telling the cabbie to stop in the middle of some unknown town then calling another on the closest stores phone.”
“Good girl. That will cover your tracks. You are safe here, always, but I wanted to be sure.”
“I appreciate all the trouble you have gone through for me. Really. It means a lot.”
He just smiles at me as he focuses on the traffic.
“Listen, Bella. There are some things we need to go over.”
Apprehension fills my body. Of course, this wasn’t a free ride. I didn’t expect it, but what I didn’t know was what he would require from me. I didn’t have anything to my name.
“I am going to get a job. I will pay you back all the money you have given me. I am going to work on getting my own place as soon as possible as well.”
He lets out a loud, boisterous laugh.
“Oh, my Bella. I don’t care about the money, child. That’s not what I meant. I do suggest you find a job, but for now, you can work at the restaurant. If you choose to stay, you will always have a job there. I meant that there are some neighborhood rules that you should know. Especially since you will be living with me.”
“Oh. Ok. Sure. What are they?”
I feel a weight life at his words. A few neighborhood rules? I could handle that.
“Brooklyn is a safe place. The community takes care of one another. You will be safe with us. For the first couple of months, you will need to stay in Brooklyn. It’s the only way I can assure your safety. Until we know more about this Ryan.”
I nod my head mutely. I feel walls closing in on me slowly. Of course, I would need to be more careful. I knew that. It wasn’t the impending imprisonment. No, the sound of his name caused this feeling in me. Flashbacks of all the beatings he gave.
“I’m sorry, Bella. It’s only temporary. Just until I know more about the threat.” I give him a small smile as he glances at me. He takes that as the cue to continue. “You do need to be careful in the neighborhood though. There are men who run the neighborhood. They provide protection, but they also are dangerous men. I want you to be careful around them and stay out of their way. You will know who they are when you see them. Everyone knows who they are.”
“Like a gang? Is there a gang in your neighborhood?”
My heart races with dread at the thought of some deadly gang living next door.
“Of course not. Listen I am going to tell you because you will be me for a while, but I need you to promise to keep this information to yourself. It’s very important.”
“Yeah. I promise.” I flippantly respond.
“No, Bella.” The vehemence in his words. I turn and find him glancing my way with anger in his eyes. “This is important. I’m talking life and death. If I tell you this, you cannot breathe a word of this to anyone.”
I gulp down a lump in my throat. I just left a life and death situation. Seems I exchanged it for another.
“I promise, Uncle Tony. You are scaring me though.”
“Good. You need to be scared. It is healthy to be scared. It will keep you alive.”
I nod at his words.
“The Catalini family runs Brooklyn and most of New York.”
“Ok? Who is that?”
He sighs and takes a deep breath. “My sweet, innocent, Bella. The Catalini family is the Italian Mafia.”
I gasp. Mafia?
“I thought they had been eradicated from New York? The mafia still exists?”
“They do. They just are a little more low-key. No need to seek public vindication. There are been a shift in the family recently so things will be tense for the next couple weeks, but things will settle. I just want to make sure you are safe. Careful.”
“Of course, Uncle. I will.”
“Good girl. Only one more thing for tonight. If the police come, you do not speak to them. I don’t care what they ask you, you do not respond. If they haul you in for questioning, you tell them you know nothing and want a lawyer. The police cannot protect you. The Catalini family can. Always trust and defend the family and they will always protect you. You got that Bella?”
“Yes, Uncle.”
I couldn’t worry about the Mafia. I would stay out of their way. I have my own issues to worry about. Lord knows, the police are the very last people I would ever seek help from.
Chapter One
Sofia
Six months later
“Sofia! Finally! I thought you were never going to get here.”
“Sorry, Izzy.”
I rush past the hostess and my new friend into the staff room and throw my purse down as I grab my apron. I have been working at Bello Italiano for six months and so far, everything has been good. I also have been able to successfully avoid the supposed mafia and there has been no word from my past. It seems things are finally going my way.
“Sofie, where were you? I was worried.”
“Not now, Mia.” I tell the other server who also just so happens to be a new friend. “I am late enough.”
“It’s not busy yet. What happened? You are never late.”
I turn to her and let out my frustration. “There were these guys that looked like trouble, so I ended up double back and walking four blocks out of my way before heading back.”
“Wait. What guys?”
“The kind of guys that wear thousand-dollar suits in the middle of Brooklyn.”
She laughs. “You won’t be able to avoid them forever.”
“No, but I can try to.”
She doesn’t understand why I go out of my way to avoid the mafia boys. Truth is, my Uncle scared the hell out of me when he warned me from them. Now, I keep my eyes straight and get from point A to B. I don’t need any extra attention or drama.
“Well, they do come here every so often. You will run into them eventually.”
“Yeah. Yeah. Now let’s get to work before Uncle Tony fires us both.”
“Oh, come on! He wouldn’t fire his Bella.” Mia laughs out.
“You say that now. Now go.”
I shoo her away as I check in with Izzy.
“You ok?”
She asks.
“Yep.”
“I expect an explanation later. I just seated you at table 12 and 14.”
“Thanks, Iz.”
That’s the beauty of my two friends. Izzy is no nonsense. She will tell me what she thinks and throttle me if she thinks I need it. She understands that there is a time and place for everything. She doesn’t try and get me to open up about my past. She takes me for who I am now. Mia is the gentle soul. She sees the good in everyone. She asks questions about my past, but knows when to lay off. She is the chatty of the two and more likely to cuddle than throttle me.
They are like the ying and yang in my life. The balance I never had and always needed.
I head off and take care of my tables. Hours after I am finally able to take a break. The lunch rush hit us fast and hard. We have a small lull until the dinner rush will start.
“Eddie. Can I get 3 side orders of alfredo noodles for myself and the girls when you get a second?” I yell to our cook.
“Sure thing, Doll.” He gives me a wink that I laugh off.
Eddie is a big flirt. He flirts with every one of us girls, but he is never serious. Truth is, he has a rom
antic heart and is waiting for the one. Or so he told me one drunken night after shift.
I refill my water cup and grab two breadsticks as he calls me order up. I smile when I see he added some chicken into the noodles.
“You need protein.”
“Thanks, Eddie.” I blow him a kiss as I find an empty table in the back to eat quickly. Minutes later, Mia and Izzy plop down in front of their own food.
“Finally, a break. Gina is covering me, but I we need to be quick.”
I snort. Gina is my uncles long term girlfriend. She has a bitchy attitude, but she has been nice enough. Especially considering my Uncle moved me in without asking her. She made sure to tell me she didn’t want me there the first full day, but after that, I made myself scarce and she hasn’t said another word since.
“So why were you late?” Izzy asks as I take a bite of my pasta.
I am chewing to answer, but Mia beats me to it.
“She was avoiding the boys again.”
Izzy shakes her head. “You are being ridiculous. As long as you don’t offend them or purposely get in their way, they won’t even look at you.”
“Well if I avoid them, I give them no reason to look at me.”
“You are so odd.”
“That I am. Now eat. We don’t have long. Mia tell me about your date.”
She gives a loving sigh as she tells us all about her wonderful date. This is a weekly occurrence for her. She finds some poor sap to take her out and after a couple of dates he mysteriously decides he doesn’t want to date anymore. She is heartbroken, yet moves on within a couple of days. It will take a special guy to keep hold of her.
“Bella.”
I startle at my Uncles voice behind me. I turn to find him standing in the opening for the kitchen.
“Yeah?”
“I need you to work a special party tonight. Mia and Izzy will help. The rest of the restaurant is closed for the evening.”
“Oh.” I get a sense of dread and frown. He never closes the restaurant. “Ok. Sounds good.”
He nods once, then leaves.
