The Man in Black_A Standalone Mafia Romance

by Soraya Naomi

  CHAPTER 41

  Brielle

  I WIPE MY COUNTER CLEAN with a huge grin on my face. It’s been five days since Michael and I had sex, and he’s kept his promise.

  “What’s been going on with you all week?” Marliya barges in and stops next to me as I close a jar filled with sugar before setting it on the shelf on the wall.

  “I actually have good news,” I say since there’s no one else in the kitchen. “I talked to Michael and you were right. He is attracted to me, and we’ve been together since Monday.”

  “Thank god you and Michael finally owned up to each other!” She giggles. “So you’re dating him? Wow, I’m a bit impressed you snagged him.”

  “I am too,” I confess around a smile. “But this week has been great. I’ve been staying at his apartment for four days now.”

  “Really? That place is ridiculously beautiful! What’s it like to sleep in the Blackhall?”

  “I feel like royalty. They have all the amenities, including an indoor and an outdoor pool. It’s kind of like a vacation. Michael takes me to dinner to the best restaurants every day after work.”

  “Ah, he’s good to you. I’m happy for you,” she praises, seemingly genuine.

  “Thank you for being a real friend. Now we need to find you a guy to date.”

  “No, thank you,” she retorts as she steps away when an order is being yelled out.

  At that moment, my phone pings. I look at the corner of my counter where it lies and see an incoming text.

  Michael: I’m still in the meeting with Adriano for at least an hour. Are you done?

  Brielle: Yes, I’m done. I’ll go on home because I need clean clothes.

  Michael: Then go to my place afterward. The receptionist will give you a key, okay?

  Brielle: Okay.

  Without hesitation, I agree. He’s earning my trust and doting on me like I’ve wanted for months, and I relish in it. While he mentioned concerns before we had sex, his commitment issues seem to be less noticeable now.

  So I’m floating on cloud nine when I leave work at five p.m. This week, I’ve only had to prep desserts, and the sous-chef has finished my shift so that I’ve had nights off. I’m sure Michael arranged for Adriano and Luca to be accommodating with my hours.

  However, when I hail a cab, a stab of nausea hits me. This is the second time today, and I suddenly realize that I’ve missed a period. And Michael and I haven’t always used protection. I’m panicked by the time I reach my apartment where I quickly pack another bag.

  I’m getting ready to leave when my phone rings and Ivo flashes across the screen, which is strange. This guy hasn’t been around for days. I was hoping he understood that he and I had fizzled out. I clutch my phone, yet my gut tells me to have faith in Michael. I decide to ignore the call for now – I’ll contact Ivo later when I’m with Michael.

  Continuing on, I head toward the front door but notice Michael’s gun on the armrest of the chaise. Snatching the weapon, I toss it into my purse to return it.

  Hurriedly, I exit the Ivory to dash toward the drugstore at the end of the long street. It’s loud and busy and when someone bumps into me, I glance back and note two men staring directly at me before looking away. They stop when I do, and my head whips around in suspicion as I try to focus, but the bustle of all the people and the noise of cars speeding by make it almost impossible.

  Then a deep sense of alarm crawls up my spine.

  CHAPTER 42

  Michael

  AFTER I LEAVE PALERMO, I eagerly drive to the Blackhall. Not once since I moved to Chicago have I been excited to return home until the last week when Brielle started spending all of her time with me. While I had intended for her to stay with me only a day or two, I find her presence welcome. She’s a burst of sunshine in my jaded world and makes me live in the moment. We go to Palermo together and she sleeps in my bed, where I’ve started to doze off earlier and earlier each night.

  Smiling, I hit the gas, knowing that Brielle’s waiting for me after leaving Palermo an hour ago to get clean clothes from her apartment. But I’m only fully content when she’s with me, particularly since Ivo’s still an issue. He’s been MIA the past few days, which worries me.

  I also want to reveal everything to her, yet I’m not sure how to handle Adriano. Or Brielle, for that matter. Once she knows, she can never leave the Syndicate alive – Adriano won’t allow it. Although I’m not even sure if he or Luca will accept her as my girl, so I decide to get the information through Fallon.

  As I brake at the intersection, I get my phone from my pocket and call Fallon, putting it on speaker.

  “Hey, Michael,” she answers.

  “Hey, what are you doing?”

  “Putting the twins to bed,” she replies. “Where have you been this week? And Brielle? Rumor has it that you and she have been leaving Palermo together.”

  “Really?”

  “Yes, Luca told me.”

  So I say, “I have feelings for her and we’re together now.”

  “What? Have you two been honest with each other about your feelings?”

  “Yes, I couldn’t stand seeing her with Ivo anymore. I told her he isn’t on the up and up, and she wasn’t surprised because she’s had her suspicions. But she also assumes that those of us associated with the ownership and management of Palermo are creative with finances and the running of it since we’re so wealthy.”

  “I’m not surprised about Ivo. She’s probably suspected for a while.”

  “Probably. But I haven’t been able to tell the entire truth about all of us and Palermo, and I don’t want to lie to her when she’s starting to trust me, especially after how long it took for me to accept these feelings. She believes I’m hesitant and overprotective because of my lingering grief. I don’t want her to keep thinking that she has to compete with Rachel.”

  “Oh, dear...” Fallon murmurs.

  “What?”

  “You love her!”

  “Again, what?”

  “Do you even realize how sweetly you talk about protecting Brielle? I’m sure you didn’t talk about Rachel that way. You two are soulmates,” she says, teasing, and I chuckle.

  “Anyway, I believe that she would survive in our world. She’s very adaptable and clever.”

  “I agree, so let’s discuss it with Luca and Adriano.”

  “I can’t yet. I have an assignment to find the spy first, and I hope that when I complete it, it will help sway Adriano in my direction. I’m pretty sure it’s Ivo, but he’s disappeared, and I foresee that whether we find him or not, he will be a problem.”

  “Was he using Brielle to make you jealous?”

  “Yes, definitely. He and I never liked each other. I kept my mouth shut because Adriano said he was reliable, but all bets are off now. She needs to break it off, but I forbade her to be alone with him. I need to expose that he’s the spy first so that we can cut him out as an associate and end him. I just don’t know how yet.”

  “So make sure Brielle ignores Ivo until you have a plan,” Fallon suggests.

  “That’s what I’ve been doing and why she’s staying at my apartment, although she hasn’t heard from him anyway.”

  She laughs. “That’s not the only reason; you like her company.”

  “I do,” I reply, no need to deny it anymore. “I’ll call you when I have a plan.”

  “Okay.” She hangs up.

  I immediately go through my recent calls and click on Brielle. It rings and rings. She knows never to ignore my calls, so I drum my fingers on the steering wheel as I wait. Patience isn’t one of my virtues.

  CHAPTER 43

  Brielle

  A SENSE OF DEEP ALARM crawls up my spine, specifically when the two men who are watching me close the distance to me. I remain in my spot on the curb where I’m among other people.

  “Hey, aren’t you the pastry chef at Palermo?” a short, overweight man in a tailored suit asks as he and his friend stop opposite me.

  I
nod, watching them warily.

  He adds, “You look scared; sorry if we freaked you out. We went to dinner there last week, and my friend didn’t recognize you, so I was telling him who you were.”

  I let out a sigh. “Oh, okay. You did freak me out by blatantly staring at me.”

  “Again, we apologize,” he offers, and they continue onward, paying me no more heed.

  Shaking my head, I cross the street and rush into the store to grab what I need on the second aisle before paying and retracing my steps.

  Within fifteen minutes, I enter the Blackhall and ride up to the penthouse, biting my nails impatiently. When the elevator stops and swooshes open, Fallon’s waiting for me and motions me inside.

  “I’ve been really nauseous again,” I blurt out, causing her eyes to widen.

  “What are you implying?”

  I dig into my purse and hold up a pregnancy test.

  Her jaw drops to the floor. “I thought you got your period?”

  “I thought I did too, but I read online that spotting is possible when you’re pregnant, and I believe that’s what happened to me, because it was just that one time and then there was no period after that. This is bad if I am. Michael’s just starting to let me in, but this will push him away.”

  “Oh my god.” She scratches her brow and gestures to the bathroom. “Well, go take the test. You might be worrying for no reason.”

  Which is true, so I tread down the hall to the bathroom and take the stick out of the box and follow the instructions. Then I put the cap on the test and place it on the sink, buttoning my jeans and washing my hands. After I drag myself back to Fallon, I set the stick on the kitchen island as she stands across from me.

  “Now we wait,” I mumble.

  She sends me a sympathetic look. “Maybe you just ate something bad and that’s why you’re feeling sick?” She fills the electric kettle with water and switches it on before turning back to me.

  Silence cloaks us as we wait. The seconds tick by while I wonder if I’ve made a baby with Michael. Regardless of the circumstances, I’ve always wanted children; however, he’s never spoken about kids.

  After a few unbearable minutes, two blue stripes appear, indicating a positive result. Fallon and I look at each other, and I feel a smile tugging at my lips as she grins. Stroking my flat belly, joy spreads through me until I’m slammed back to earth when my phone rings.

  Opening my purse, I dig it out just when it rings for the third time and answer, “Michael?”

  “Hey, are you home yet?”

  “My home or your home?” I ask.

  “Blackhall,” he replies, making me fall in love a little more.

  He sees his home as my home.

  “Yes, but I stopped by to visit with Fallon, so I’m upstairs in the penthouse. I already have my clean clothes with me.”

  “I’ll see you in a minute then. I’m just parking in the garage.” He cuts the call promptly.

  Seizing the pregnancy test, I throw it into my purse. “Michael’s coming up.”

  “You have to tell him, Brielle. But congratulations; it seemed like your first reaction was happiness.”

  I nod, realizing she’s right. “But I worry how Michael will feel about this.”

  She repeats, “You have to tell him. Let it sink in first, though, and think about how you want to relay this news.”

  “I will.” As I pinch the bridge of my nose, the buzzer rings.

  Fallon goes to the door and pushes the button on the wall so that elevator slides open and Michael steps inside, the sight of him making me weak in the knees. He’s wearing his black slacks topped with a tailored blue dress shirt, his sleeves rolled up to his elbows to expose his powerful arms, and I’m so glad he still hasn’t gone back to wearing all black. He advances toward me with a devilish grin that I welcome and cups my cheek to press a brief kiss on my lips.

  “Ready to go?” he asks, none the wiser that I’m a bit in shock because I somehow feel at ease when I’m with him.

  “Yes. I just came to say hi,” I tell him and lead the way out as Fallon holds the elevator for us.

  “We’ll talk later,” Fallon says after we get inside and I nod.

  As soon as the door closes, Michael speaks, “Where do you want to eat tonight?”

  “I’d rather stay in. Can we order something?”

  “Sure,” he replies, being very accommodating and entwining our hands before we get out of the elevator and walk down the hallway.

  Michael unlocks his door, and after we go inside, I set my bag down by the terrarium, which is the only colorful part of his stylish apartment. Searching for the two chameleons, I discover them right next to each other on the rocks.

  “They’re together,” I whisper.

  “Maybe they were waiting for you. You give them too much attention.”

  I smirk. “Are you jealous, Carrion?”

  “Clearly.” He prowls toward me, but I dive to the side and rush to the staircase in the center of the living room, gripping the railing.

  Then I run up the stairs, and when I reach the top, I look down to see him following me as he unbuttons his shirt.

  Slowly, I move backward. “I just want to change,” I state, trying to avoid him seducing me. I grab my lilac dress that feels like a second skin and strip my clothes before putting it on.

  Michael passes me and fondles my ass. “Going to change too.”

  “How about Thai for supper?” I ask as I pull up my hair into a messy bun, and he returns wearing his sweats and holding his phone in hand.

  “Okay. I’ll order. You want a soup?”

  That might minimize my nausea. “Yes, please,” I answer.

  And we go down the stairs where Michael sinks down on the leather L-shaped sofa that faces the TV that’s mounted on the wall.

  When I wander into his kitchen and pour a glass of water, I realize how comfortable we are with each other and how relaxed he’s been the last couple of days. This routine we’ve established is one I enjoy immensely. I’ve been longing to for him to reciprocate my feelings so that I don’t feel so lonely anymore.

  “Do you think it’s weird that we’ve spent so much time together this week?” I say out loud, making his head whip up.

  “Not weird. We enjoy each other’s company, and I’ve finally been able to unwind this week, which is nice.”

  “Me too.”

  “However, we were dancing around each other for three months, so we had a lot of catching up to do in a short amount of time.” He finishes typing and tosses his phone onto the table. “Ordered.”

  After Michael switches on the TV, I sit down next to him. It’s on the tip of my tongue to tell him that I’m pregnant, but I love our routine too much. More importantly, I can’t just blurt it out. I’ll take him out to dinner tomorrow and tell him. I need to process this myself first.

  “By the way, I’m never home in my sweats at seven p.m.,” he remarks.

  “Really? Then you’ve never truly relaxed.”

  “I also usually work until late and I eat out.”

  “But didn’t you and Rachel hang out at home at night?” I ask tenuously and look away.

  “You can ask me about Rachel. I don’t mind telling you or talking about her. She’s just a sad part of my past. And no, we didn’t. Although we did argue about the fact that I worked a lot.”

  “Oh...” I murmur, evaluating how I can bring up the topic of kids now that he’s opening up. “I get the feeling you were different with her?”

  “I was. I was young and selfish.”

  “Did you and she ever talk about kids? Were you planning on them?”

  “No, we never talked about it. I never thought about it actually.”

  No! He’s never even thought about having kids?

  As I prop my legs on the table and laze back, he yawns, so I motion for him to lie down, making him frown.

  “Put your head in my lap and take a nap.”

  “I never nap,” he retorts.


  I gesture downward again. “Rest for a bit. It’ll take at least half an hour for dinner to be delivered anyway,” I say, convincing him.

  Michael rests his head on my lap, and I stroke his hair while we watch TV.

  After a couple of minutes of silence, I notice his steady breathing and lean forward to see that Mr. I never nap is conked out, which makes me smile.

  Although I wonder how I’ll break the news to him tomorrow.

  THE NEXT MORNING, I have to hurry to be at Palermo at eight a.m. because Gianni’s presenting a new menu, so I quickly dress in an ecru long-sleeved shirt and jeans, and then I kiss a sleeping Michael goodbye before rushing out the door.

  Within twenty minutes, I enter the kitchen but stop cold when I see that only Gianni’s there.

  “Morning. Where’s everyone else?” I ask.

  “The sous-chef has a cold and couldn’t come in, but he didn’t call me until just now or I would’ve informed you sooner, so we’ll discuss our new menu next week. If you want to, you can prep your desserts for tonight and leave, and I’ll assemble them later. I’m going to go now and come back at two because I have a long shift tonight.”

  “That would be great. I’ll do that since I’m here anyway,” I reply, and he nods before going home.

  I’m at the coat rack hanging up my purse when I hear a thud at the fire exit. Then, all of a sudden, the door bursts open and an irate Ivo strides inside.

  Although I’m shocked by the angry look on his face, extreme terror renders me motionless when I realize he’s aiming a gun at me.

  CHAPTER 44

  Michael

  I WAKE UP WELL-RESTED. The continuous torment in my mind has lessened, and I automatically reach out for Brielle before I recall that she went to Palermo early this morning. Climbing out of bed, I step off the walnut platform to get my phone from the nightstand. Since it’s already eight-thirty, I take a quick shower, put on my navy suit, and stash my gun in the back of my waistband.