Salvatore: A Mafia Romance

by T. O. Smith

  Her eyes widened, and a slow smile stretched her lips. She gripped my face in her hands and pressed her lips to mine. “I never thought I would hear those words from your lips, Salvatore.” She softly admitted. She threw her arms around my neck, and I instantly wrapped my arms back around her, holding her curvy frame against me. “I love you, too, Salvatore – so fucking much. I think I’ve loved you from the moment you forged my name on the marriage certificate.” She admitted on a soft laugh.

  I leaned down and pressed my lips to hers in a gentle kiss. “Pack your bag, amore.” I softly instructed. We needed to get out of here as soon as possible.

  She nodded, and with one last kiss, I let her go so we could both pack our bags.

  T H I R T E E N

  S A S H A

  The front door banged open downstairs, gun shots ringing out as I was zipping up my small duffel bag. I heard Salvatore’s roar of pain as Pops came through the bedroom door, a sick, twisted smirk on his lips. My heart pounded in my chest, nausea swirling in my stomach, quickly rising up my throat.

  “I warned you.” He snarled quietly.

  I rushed backwards from him, but he quickly grabbed me and slammed his fist against my temple.

  The last thing I heard was Salvatore shouting my name.

  ✣ ✣ ✣

  I groaned, my head pounding so hard it instantly made me physically sick. I turned my head to the side in time to throw up on the floor instead of on myself. “Amore.” I heard Salvatore’s deep voice call from across the room.

  I jerked my head up to look at him, instantly groaning in pain afterwards. He was tied to a chair just like I was, blood covering the front of his t-shirt, a hole somewhere near his shoulder where a bullet had pierced his body. Tears immediately welled up in my eyes. “Salvatore -”

  “Shh, preziosa.” He cooed. “I am okay, amore.” He assured me. “The bullet did not hit anything vital. I managed to alert the famiglia before I was knocked out. They are looking for us.”

  The door opened, and Pops strolled in. I swallowed thickly, knowing this was it for me. He finally had his hands on me, and he was going to not only kill me, but he was going to kill Salvatore and his family as well.

  Tears instantly made my vision blurry. My child wouldn’t even have a chance to grow, to live.

  “What did I tell you, Sasha?” Pops asked me as he strode towards me.

  I steeled myself, forcing my tears back. If I were going to die in this room, I wouldn’t give him the pleasure of knowing that I was afraid, that I was so fucking sad and upset about my ending.

  “Which time?” I demanded through gritted teeth.

  The back of his hand came across my face, sending my chair sprawling to the floor. I gritted my teeth against the pain, but I realized when my chair toppled over that the ropes that had been holding my ankles to the chair had slipped off.

  My fucking feet were free!

  Keeping my ankles against the chair as he righted me back up so he wouldn’t know that they were loose, I glared up at him. “Don’t play fucking games with me, Sasha.” Pops snarled down at me. “You know how much I hate your petty games, little girl.”

  “You must be talking about that time you told me you’d kill me, right? Or was it when you said you were going to torture my husband and his family?” I snapped.

  His lips twisted into a smirk. “We’ll see, hm?”

  With that, he strode out of the room. I knew he was walking out to give me time to ponder, to make me over think. I knew his game better than he thought I did - had played his game for him with other people.

  I may not like it, but I was still his daughter no matter how much I didn’t want to be. But at that moment, I was thankful for it. I might be able to get Salvatore and I out of this mess.

  “You are playing with fire, mia moglie.” Salvatore warned me softly from across the room. I looked up at him to see worry for me lighting up his eyes. “Please be careful, amore.”

  “My feet are loose.” I told him softly.

  Salvatore nodded, moving his arms from behind his chair. My eyes widened in shock. “I am loose, amore. While you were knocked out, I worked on getting myself loose.” His wrists were raw and slightly bleeding, making my chest ache. He must be in a tremendous amount of pain. “Do not make any moves until I do, mia moglie. I do not know how many people are here in this building, and we need to make it out of here alive, capire?”

  I nodded. He gave me a small smile. “Ti amo, tesoro."

  A small smile stretched my own lips. “And I love you.” I told him softly.

  Suddenly, shouts filled the air, gunshots ringing out above us. Salvatore jumped up from his chair and rushed over to me, pulling a knife from his jeans. He flicked open the pocket-knife and sliced the rope binding my wrists. “Behind me.” He commanded, his hand holding mine captive as he strode towards the door.

  Vincent met us by the door as Salvatore swung it open. Salvatore let go of my hand to grab two guns from Vincent. He spoke to Vincent in rapid Italian, and then we were on the move again, Salvatore and Vincent both shielding my body.

  Suddenly, someone grabbed my hair and yanked me backwards, sending me sprawling to the ground as a screech of pain left my lips. Salvatore fired a shot at whoever grabbed me, and blood splattered across my face and chest as Pops’s body fell next to mine. I gagged and rolled away, desperately trying not to throw up everywhere.

  Salvatore helped me up from the floor, and he handed me over to Vincent. “Get her out of here. The main threat is eliminated. I’m finishing this. I’ll call when it’s over.”

  Vincent nodded once in understanding. “Wait, Salvatore -” I begged, reaching out to grab him. I didn’t want him to stay. I wanted him to come home with me.

  He shook his head at me, his eyes softening. “Amore, go with Vincent.” He commanded gently. “I will be okay, tesoro.” He assured me.

  Vincent grabbed my wrist and tugged me away, rushing us both towards the exit. “Vincent, we can’t leave him.” I choked out as tears threatened to fall from my eyes.

  "Sorella, Salvatore will be okay.” He assured me. “He was trained from a young age to be a cold-blooded killer. He will come home to you safe and alive.”

  When we got outside, he rushed me over to his car and ushered me inside before he rushed around to the driver’s side. He instantly peeled out of the lot, leaving rubber behind on the asphalt in his wake.

  ✣ ✣ ✣

  Giorgia sat beside me on the couch, her arm wrapped around my shoulder, doing her best to try to soothe my nerves as we waited on Salvatore to come back home. Vincent was sitting in the armchair near the fireplace. Ashley was sitting silently on the other couch, one of Vincent’s guards sitting beside her, making sure she couldn’t do anything stupid.

  “Why is he taking so long?” I finally asked, breaking the tense silence in the living room.

  “Do not worry, figlia.” Giorgia soothed as she ran her hand over my hair. “Mio figlio is very capable of finishing this and coming home.”

  Right as she said that, the front door opened, Salvatore stepping inside, Johnson following behind him. I went to move to get up, but Giorgia held me back, shaking her head at me. “He needs time to clean up.” She told me gently.

  Salvatore’s clothes were splattered with blood. He locked eyes with me, and a breath of relief left my lungs at the sight of his dark eyes. He had a way of calming me that no one else did. “Call Dr. Bruno. I expect him to be here once I finish cleaning up. I need him to check on Sasha and then get this bullet out of my shoulder.” Salvatore commanded.

  “I’ve already been checked.” I assured him. “We’re okay.”

  He gave me a small smile. “Come with me, tesoro.” He commanded gently as he strode up the stairs.

  I got up from the couch to follow him up the stairs. Once we were in the bathroom, Salvatore stripped out of his clothes and stepped into the shower. “Join me, amore."

  Without hesitation, I stripped out of my clothes
and stepped into the shower with him. Salvatore instantly wrapped his arms around me and yanked me against him, his lips covering mine. I moaned softly as I curved into him, clutching at his muscular arms. “This is going to be hard and fast, preziosa.” He warned me softly. “Are you okay with that?”

  “Yes.” I breathed. I needed him as much as he needed me.

  With his good arm, Salvatore easily lifted me up, pressing my back against the wall. With his injured arm, he lined himself up to my slit and slid inside of me. I moaned his name and laced my fingers in his hair, bringing his lips to mine as he fucked me hard and fast just as he promised he would.

  His lips had to smother my loud cries more than once to keep everyone downstairs from hearing me. When he came, I came hard with him, his lips smothering my scream of his name.

  ✣ ✣ ✣

  I watched nervously as Dr. Bruno worked on Salvatore’s shoulder. Salvatore barely flinched, but that was probably mostly due to the bottle of Vodka he was drinking from and the numbing agents the doctor had injected around his wound.

  I cringed as Dr. Bruno dug around in his bullet hole, pulling out a fragment of the bullet. “You’re looking a bit pale, sorella.” Vincent commented as he handed me a cup of tea. “You do not have to watch this.” He reminded me.

  I shook my head. “I’m staying.” I stated firmly.

  “You are so coraggiosa.” Salvatore told me, a proud gleam in his eyes. “You have been so strong, amore.”

  I blushed under his praise. Giorgia reached over and squeezed my hand gently. “We’re very happy to have you as a Bianchi, Sasha.” She told me honestly. “I knew from the moment I met you that you were a perfect match for mio figlio."

  Tears filled my eyes as I looked over at her. She gave me a tender smile.

  The phone ringing jerked all of us from the tender moment. Vincent walked over to the phone and answered it. “Bianchi residence.” He spoke into the phone.

  He pulled the phone from his ear, his eyebrows pulling together. “They hung up.” He said with a shrug as he put the phone down.

  The doorbell rang, and instantly Johnson stood protectively in front of me as Vincent looked at Salvatore. Salvatore nodded once at him. Vincent pulled his gun from his leather jacket before he strode towards the door.

  He opened it, revealing my mother. Her face was bruised, and her hands were covered in blood. I gasped as I jumped up from my seat. “Sasha . . .” She breathed right before her eyes rolled to the back of her head and she collapsed against Vincent.

  I rushed over to them despite Salvatore shouting at me to stop. Johnson grabbed my arms, yanking me to a halt.

  “Hallway is clear.” Vincent called out as he lifted my mother into his arms. “What do I do with her?”

  “Put her in the guest bedroom.” I commanded.

  “Sasha!” Salvatore barked at me, jerking my eyes to him. I narrowed my eyes at him in defiance. “I will not have your madre traditrice in my home.” He snarled.

  I narrowed my eyes at him. “She’s my mother, Salvatore. She was the only one who gave a little bit of a damn about me.”

  He stood up, moving towards me. “I will not allow it, amore.” He snapped down at me.

  I tilted my chin up defiantly. “Too fucking bad, Salvatore.” I snarled, turning to storm away from him.

  He gripped my arm and yanked me back towards him, sending me crashing against his chest. “Do not test me, Sasha.” He warned lowly.

  “Let me go.” I seethed.

  He ran his eyes over my face for a moment before he flickered his eyes over my head as I pushed against his chest, trying to get him to release me. “Put her in the guest bedroom. Johnson, you are to watch her mother’s every move. Dr. Bruno will be up to treat her once he has finished my shoulder.” He looked back down at me. “You will not be in that room with her without me, do I make myself clear?” I opened my mouth to protest, but he narrowed his eyes down at my face in warning. “I mean it, Sasha. You want her here? Fine, but it is on my terms.”

  Realizing that this was as far as I was going to get with him, I backed down, nodding my head at him. He pressed his lips to my forehead. “Ti amo, amore." He said softly as he reached up and rubbed the back of his fingers against my cheek.

  I leaned up and pressed my lips to his. “And I love you.” I breathed against his lips. “Thank you.”

  He sighed, a small smile touching his lips as he slightly shook his head. “One day, maybe those beautiful blue eyes of yours will not do me in, tesoro.” He said softly as he moved back from me and sat back down on the couch to allow Dr. Bruno to finish his shoulder.

  F O U R T E E N

  I watched my mother slowly stir awake, a pain-filled whimper slipping past her lips as she rolled over onto her back. Salvatore stepped up behind me, his hands gently gripping my hips as he pulled me flush against the front of his body. She slowly opened her eyes, and they roamed around the room slowly before they landed on me.

  “Sasha.” She breathed as she pushed herself into a sitting position, her face twisted into a grimace as she did so.

  “Why did you come here?” I demanded.

  “I wanted to talk to you - apologize before I do what I should have done years ago.” She told me quietly as she gingerly moved off the bed. Salvatore’s hands tightened on my hips, ready to shove me out of the way if he needed to.

  “And what’s that?” I demanded.

  “I tried to save you, Sasha.” She told me quietly. “I really did, but your father -” she shook her head, cutting herself off, “I couldn’t get out, and I couldn’t get you away.”

  “You obviously didn’t try hard enough.” I snapped at her, rage coursing through my veins.

  “Calm, amore.” Salvatore said softly, his hand rubbing my belly soothingly.

  “You were just a baby, Sasha.” My mother spoke. “So pretty, so innocent - not yet tainted by the horror of the life your father led.” She swallowed thickly. “I was a victim, too. I know that doesn’t excuse what I did, but my life was in his hands.”

  I stared at her, not speaking, waiting on her to finish telling her story. “I was kidnapped by him as a little girl, Sasha.” I sucked in a sharp breath of air. I had never known that. “I never fell in love with your father like we led you to believe, Sasha. Your father was nineteen when he kidnapped me from my mother in the grocery store. He kept me for years, bending me to his will, slowly breaking me.”

  Tears slipped down her cheeks. I was frozen. I had never known any of this.

  “I was fourteen when I got pregnant with your brother.” She said quietly. “I tried to escape so many times when I got pregnant. I didn’t want any child to know the horrible kind of man your father was, but he caught me every time, and every beating was worse than the last until he finally broke the fight in me and I gave in to whatever he wanted.”

  She swiped at her cheeks. “But then I got pregnant with you four years later.” She whispered. “When the doctor said I would be having a little girl, all I knew was that I couldn’t let you know the kind of pain I knew. I had to get you out.”

  She looked up at me through her tears. “I tried, Sasha.” She choked out. “I tried so many times - while I was pregnant, while you were a baby, I never gave up.” She sobbed. “Until you were six years old.”

  I flinched back from her, remembering that night. I never knew what I did. I thought I was a good girl like Pops had wanted me to be.

  “That night -” I whispered, but I couldn’t finish my sentence.

  My mom nodded. “I’m so sorry.” She sobbed. “He threatened to let another man h-hurt you again if I continued to try to leave, so I stopped. I didn’t know what to do.” She cried. “Did I continue trying and possibly be faced with you being raped? You were so innocent, Sasha - such an innocent, beautiful child, and your father ripped that from you. He may not have been the one to assault you, but he ripped it from you nonetheless.”

  She sucked in a sharp breath. “So, I stopped. I becam
e the obedient wife, doing whatever he wanted.”

  “Mom.” I whispered, moving towards her. Salvatore let me slip from his grasp as I embraced my mom. She wrapped her own arms around me.

  “I never wanted to be a monster in your eyes, but if it would save you in some kind of way, then I would do what I had to do. So, I became that monster. I made you think I was no better than him.”

  “That’s why you came to my court date?” I asked quietly.

  She nodded. “It was so heart breaking to watch you get dragged off in hand cuffs, but I prayed to every God there was - hoping that one of them would hear me - to get you out of this mess.” She leaned back and grasped my face in her shaking, bruised hands. “You may not have gotten out completely because you ended up married to the Italian mafia don’s son, but you got the protection and love I so desperately wanted you to have.”

  Tears slid down my cheeks as she hugged me again. “I never wanted you to know what that man was capable of.” She whispered.

  “Did he do this to you?” I asked, leaning back to look at her beaten frame.

  She gave me a weak smile. “I finally took my stand against him.” She told me. She gave me a small smile, her eyes flickering to the man over my shoulder for a moment before she looked back at me. “He told me he finally had you and Salvatore where he wanted you and that your days were numbered. I knew Salvatore would never let anything happen to you. So, I laughed in his face and told him everything I had been holding back for so, so many years.”

  “And Robert?” I asked her quietly as I took a seat on the side of the bed, pulling my mom back down next to me.

  She shrugged. “Robert was too far gone to be saved.” She told me sadly. “I loved your brother so much, but he looked up to your father - adored everything he did as a little boy despite my pleas for him to be careful. He dove head-first into the mess that was your father. And it ruined him.”