“More than my own life,” I said in a monotone voice.
“I believe that’s true.”
“I am going to go to Falcone.” I trembled beneath my skin.
“Bella, listen to what I'm saying to you!” Tony’s voice shook beneath his pleading words.
“Why?” Chase asked.
It was a good time to search deep within myself for that very answer. “I’m tired of seeing my family die and no one does anything about it.” I stood and walked toward the bar and poured myself a glass of water. “If I’d been born with a dick I’d be running this family right now, but I wasn’t. Regardless, I’m taking over this family. Anyone that was involved or responsible for hurting my husband will die.” I sipped at my glass and then set it down.
“I think it's kinda scary what you’re doing.” Emily shook her head as a single tear slipped down her cheek. “I just don't want you to get yourself killed or worse.”
Tony’s head swung to Emily. “What the fuck is worse than getting killed?”
I sort of wondered that also.
Her hand swiped at the tear as she drew in a deep breath. “I just think that what you’re doing is stupid. Just walk away, Bella. There's nothing that you can do.” She’d been fooled regarding a woman’s abilities in this world but I had not.
“I'm with Bella.” A deep voice spoke. It was Chase. All heads turned into his direction from behind where we sat.
“And what the hell do you know about it, Moretti?” Tony snapped at Chase.
Chase gave a deep grunt and moving in closer, watching only me as he spoke. “I know that she's crazy. I know that she wants revenge for what's happened to my brother. I do too.” He approached, taking the last few steps and rounding the table. “You’re crazy and stupid, but,” he paused sitting next to me, “I think you have your moments. With all that aside, I think that these sons of bitches won't know what hit ‘em,”
“And your loyalty, does that run blood deep?”
“One-hundred percent,” he answered without hesitation.
“You’d be willing to pull the trigger no matter what?” I eyed him.
He watched me curiously nodding only once.
We all adjourned to the dining room table where Alessandra insisted we sit so that she could feed us. She needed to keep busy these days more than ever before. She poured each of us pasta with red sauce. Mine sat untouched.
“Please don't do this.” Emily's hand slid across the table to mine. “If you go there and they want to kill you they will, Bella. No woman has ever done what you’re doing, and it's crazy.”
“I'll go with you. I'll have your back,” Chase said.
My head spun from one person to the next. On my left my family had been begging me to stay, and on the right my family was giving me the thumbs up. But regardless of their ideas of what I should or shouldn’t do, I'd go and stake my claim. This wasn't the old school ways any longer. Jax had been in the hospital for a month and someone needed to run the show until he was better.
“Listen, I appreciate what you’re all trying to do here, but this is my birthright. I’m just as much a part of this family as anyone, and I intend to stake claim to that.”
Emily squeezed my hand. “And if they decide to kill you?”
“Emily, we both know I won't even see it coming. But I'll at least die for what I believe in. Can you understand that?”
Another tear slipped slowly away from the inner corner of her eye as she nodded. Her hand fell landing in her lap.
“Okay,” Tony coughed. “We’ll all go with you. We’ll arrange a sit down with Falcone.”
I nodded.
“It's not gonna be that easy. She can't just go in there for a meeting. We’re gonna have to lie, and that's gonna piss them right the fuck off.” Chase rubbed his hands together while he watched out the window.
“What about the Feds?”
“Pssh… There're many ways around the pigs.”
Each person at the table gave their opinion as to what would or wouldn’t happen, but I didn’t care. I only knew that I wanted a chance to be heard by Falcone. If he endorsed me and I could get him to see what I’d planned there wouldn’t be a single man to deny me. Everyone feared Falcone. Everyone. He was the cruelest boss there was. He was said to have no soul at all. He’d kill anyone for anything, and I was going to be in his presence.
***
Tony held the door for me as we entered. My suit-clad body hesitantly crossing the threshold knowing there was no going back. I'd likely end up dead or my family would die, but this had to be done. I pulled my sunglasses off of my face clasping and slipping them inside of my bag.
Chase held his hand to the small of my back as he knocked. One. Two. Three times slow and then two times quickly. I could hear someone shuffle against the door. I assumed they were looking out of the peephole, but they'd only see Tony and Chase. I was in the corner unseen.
The door opened briskly revealing a short, skinny man that wore jeans and a t-shirt. There wasn’t anything too scary about him. I took in a deep breath as Chase pulled me into his side leaning into my ear. “Don't fuck this up.” He whispered, only allowing me to hear what he’d said.
“What the fuck!” the man at the door barked. “No women allowed.” He shook his head.
“This one is.”
Now was my time. I needed to put up or shut up and let's be honest, I've never been the shut up kind. My trembling hands clung to my sides. There were real life gangsters in the room I was about to enter. These guys knew where to hide the bodies without getting caught. But I needed to be strong now more than ever. My chest puffed and my posture became erect when the doorman’s dark lustful eyes swam over my body with sickened thoughts.
“And what's so special about you?” He spoke directly to me giving me a chance to respond.
“I'm Isabella Sagatori-Moretti, and I have a meeting with Falcone.” My insides vibrated with fear.
He laughed at my mention of the meeting. He was expressionless when our facial response didn’t falter in the slightest. The man didn't react verbally as he began patting us down one at a time. I recognized his predator disposition inside his wicked dark eyes.
As we walked through the hallway loud men laughed and carried on just how I'd expected them to. I'd never been allowed this up close and personal to these sorts of dealings, and definitely not with someone as dark and twisted as Drake Falcone. My father would roll out of his grave if he knew what I was doing. Hell, Jax would certainly kill me himself if he’d known.
The men carried on with what each had been doing when we’d entered the room. One man held a cigar, another drank from a tumbler, and another laughed at something on a large T.V. screen that hung to the right of the wall. The man in the middle of all the action was Drake Falcone, the infamous crime boss of the entire southern territory. If Falcone agreed to back me there wouldn’t be anyone to prevent me from taking over. The problem was getting him to agree to it. I knew the likelihood was slim. He was a scary man, a brutal man without a conscious and blood that stained every inch of his soul. Or so I’d been told, but I knew nothing of this man personally so I was hopeful that he’d agree to this.
“Boss.” The doorman cleared his throat.
“Yeah?” Mr. Falcone said not losing concentration on whatever it was he held in his hands. The other men obscured my vision not allowing me to see what it was.
“Boss, you have a meeting?” he asked with nervousness reverberating. Mr. Falcone’s eyes lifted from under his brow.
A cold shiver ran over my flesh as I saw what everyone else had said about him. Emily knew I’d be in danger coming here. She had dealt with his sort working as my father’s assistant. Being as nosy as they came and knowing what there was to know about these men, she had every right to worry, but I couldn’t allow the thoughts of what could happen stop me. I’d need to push them to the side and do what I came to do.
“Mr. Falcone,” Tony greeted as he stepped forward. Falcone l
ifted his head meeting my gawking stare.
“What the fuck is a woman doing in my office?”
“Sir…” Chase spit when the rise of Falcone’s hand to hush him quickly interrupted him. The two men that I was standing with were ruthless and even they feared this man. I hadn’t planned to admit it, but I was getting the idea that this was bad, really, really bad.
“I’m going to ask you a question and I want an answer. The correct answer.” His voice was smooth with an extra sharp edge. “What the fuck is this woman doing in my office?”
Chase stepped forward to speak, but I knew I needed to show my strength. These men worked for my husband and since I was taking claim to his position while he was hurt, I needed to show just how serious I was. It was now or never and therefore, had to be now. I would push fear way down so that I could stomach the thought of having my head blown off by these ruthless men.
I extended my arm pressing my hand against Chase’s chest, stopping him from moving further. His eyes met mine questioning my Intentions. Those dark eyes reminded me of Jax’s, but if I stared closely I could see that he knew this had to be done. “Boss.” He bowed his head.
“Boss.” Tony stepped back mimicking Chase. They were letting me lead this, hopefully, that spoke volumes in my favor.
“Did they just call her Boss? Did my fucking ears just hear that shit?” The man that had previously laughed at the T.V. asked with a condescending tone. I looked toward Falcone seeing his hands resting under his chin while his eyes still watched me. I had his attention or now.
“My name is Isabella Sagatori Moretti, and I have a meeting with you.” I fought the scared breath that threatened and instead gripped my skirt that clung to my thighs. All of the men sat still in their chairs, ice clinked against glass, and clouds of expensive cigar smoke rolled in waves across the table. The deep stench clogged my nose, but I ignored all of that and focused on the man that I’d come here to see.
“Did you just barge into my office without an invitation to tell me what the fuck I already know?” He sat back in his chair pressing his fingertips together.
I drew in a deep breath and stood tall; I thought of Papa and how he would’ve reacted to someone that belittled him or made him feel inferior. You couldn’t make Papa feel inferior, however. Papa didn’t run across this situation often, but from time to time during my childhood, someone who was upset with him attempted at trying to out-alpha him. Papa would excuse himself and come back an hour or so later as if nothing had ever happened. Of course, this always took place outside of our home and if we were out to dinner I was more likely to see some of what he went through as the boss. But Papa never broke a sweat. He was smooth, his tone never cracked, and his face never weathered with signs of worry. My face was pinched into several expressions, and I’d need to flatten and show I was just as ruthless as Papa had been. I needed to be Anthony Sagatori’s daughter in all ways of blood. I shifted my expression from the worry into that of a snide grin and my words into a sharp bite.
“You know who I am? Then you also know that I’m not here for your amusement.”
“Oh really?” Falcone’s eyes darkened. “Then maybe you’re here to amuse my cock?” Tony and Chase stepped forward in synchrony, but I had to control this situation. I had to show Falcone that I was in charge.
“I’d like to speak with you privately.” The men at the table snickered as they made disgusting comments about me to one another. Falcone ignored the comments watching me for a long beat.
“Enough!” He waved his hand at the idiots. “What’s this about?” I kept my focus on Falcone. If I looked at Tony or Chase it might show the reliance I had for them, and I couldn’t let that show now. I must be strong on my own.
“I’d prefer to speak in private.”
His brows rose as he challenged, “The only time I’m alone with a woman is when I’m getting my dick sucked. You gonna suck me off?”
I could feel my heart pound like drums in my throat. Adrenaline swam to my fingertips as I began to speak. “Why would I do that when Humpty and Dumpty look so eager and willing?” I nodded my head towards the two that had been making chauvinistic comments the entire time I stood on display. The other men in the room laughed at the two I’d been talking about but the two frumpy men weren’t amused at all.
“Five minutes’, funny girl.”
“Alone,” I demanded.
His lip curled.
“Get out.” He waved at them.
I turned facing both Tony and Chase nodding my head toward the door. I needed to be the one to do this. Tony was the last to leave the room and nodded his head to me as he closed the door behind him. Falcone stood when we were officially alone.
“What is this all about, Mrs. Moretti?”
“May I?” I gestured toward the table.
“Yea, sit. Please,” he spoke sarcastically as he gestured toward a chair. Falcone was all power. The way he stood, the way his dress shirt smoothed against his huge chest, his large hands that he was apparently infamous for killing with. I drew in a slow deep breath taking the chair across from his hoping this wouldn’t be my execution. These men weren’t to be trusted. When Falcone sat in his chair I began.
“One month ago my husband was brutally beaten and shot twice.” A bottle of Cognac sat to my right and God I wished I could have had a glass of that right then.
“And what the fuck does this have to do with me?”
“Nothing. The Russians are moving in. Orlov even took and locked me up for a day. They were also responsible for shooting my husband.”
“Yeah, no surprise. But what the fuck does a woman like you know about that shit?”
“Like me?”
“You walk into my office like you own the joint. You’re the Sagatori princess. I know who and what you are, lady.”
“Then you know I’m ready for war, and I won’t rest until every last one of them is dead. I plan to hunt them down until the Moretti name is the most revered.”
“Oh all big and bad huh? How do you plan to do any of that shit?” He moved forward reaching for the cognac. He nodded at the bottle asking if I wanted a glass, and I shook my head no. “Are you telling me that you plan to do this yourself?”
“No, of course not. I’m saying I want to take my husband’s place while he’s recuperating. I want to take my place as head of the Sagatori family.”
Falcone choked on the cognac he’d just taken a drink of. “What the fuck? Lady, you’re crazy.” His hands pressed flat on the table.
“I’m so much crazier than you could possibly imagine.”
“Hormones and all that shit.”
“What?”
“Women have too many fucking hormones.” I nearly lost my lunch thinking he knew I was pregnant.
“Yeah, well,” I said gulping down the anxious tone in my voice.
“Why are you here?” His tone was that of an impatient man.
“Mr. Falcone, I need the men in my family to know that you endorse me as the boss.
He took another long drink of the cognac and slammed his glass on the table. “You want me to endorse a woman as head of the Sagatori family?” His stare was harsh.
I nodded. “Yes, I need them to see it’s in their best interest to agree.”
“You’re fucking crazier than I thought. Why the hell would it be in their best interest?” He sat back in his chair with narrowed eyes that pinned me. “You taking your husband’s position as the boss is not only not gonna happen but it’s an insult to his name. You’ll dishonor everything that he’s worked to accomplish since he’s been the boss. Is that what you want? You want to make your husband a pussy? ‘Cause if you wanna ensure a death ticket, you’re doing a bang up fucking job. Get out of my office.” He stood shoving his hands into his pockets swiftly.
If Falcone didn’t endorse me then this would be over. The men in the famiglia would fight me all the way, and then they’d take over leaving Jax with nothing. I stood while my legs vibrated from the co
ld metal chair. “Sit down, Mr. Falcone.” My voice was firm and demanding. I wasn’t leaving until he heard me out completely.
“Princess, who the fuck do you think you’re talking to?” His large body rounded the table. “Your first mistake-” his hand gripped the back of my neck as he stood only a foot away from me, “-was coming into my office-“ his face curled into a rage as he continued to erupt, “-your second was barking orders at me.” He sucked in a deep breath as he finally released my neck. “Get the fuck out of my office.”
I wouldn’t apologize to him for demanding his obedience but now I was without his help. Help I knew he wouldn’t give me anyway. I rounded the chair watching him. His eyes narrowed and his top lip curled upward. I shook my head.
“Women scare you men. The power that we have over you is actually amusing. You run and cowardice when you suspect a woman could do what you do. That’s what you are; you’re a coward. Every fucking one of you.” He watched me but didn’t speak further. I swung open the door hearing it slam against the wall inside the room. Without another word or look, I left the same way I’d entered with rage in every step I took. These men were scared of women in every way.
Tony held the door as we stepped out into the bright Tuesday afternoon. “I’m guessing that shit didn’t go as planned?”
I didn’t respond.
Once we were inside the limo I took a deep breath. I’d been holding onto my fear since the plane had landed and it was time to let it go.
“Not go as planned?” Sal asked. I was surprised because Sal was the quiet one, he barely spoke and when he did it was because he had something to say.
“Not even close.” I watched out the window.
“Honestly, this whole plan was a waste of time,” Sal said. He’d not said one thing about this at all until now.
I turned facing him and questioned, “Why?” I wrinkled my brow curious to hear what he had to say.
He shook his head. “You don’t need anyone’s permission, Bella; you have to take what you want.”
“You’re saying I need to go in and just take it, just like that?” I snapped my fingers.
“Yeah, just like that. That’s what the others will do.” He laughed, “Men tell women they aren’t good enough because they’re intimidated by them, simple as that. Make them beg for their lives. Do what we would do, only do it better.”
Bella (A Sagatori Family Saga a Mafia Romance Book 4) Page 4
