The Mafia Manipulation: A Ryker Group Book

by S. M. Dapelo

  “Of course. You’re here for paperwork,” I sneered.

  He glanced up sharply, “Don’t start. That’s not what this is about. It was thought I could explain everything better to you. Dom’s downstairs talking to your Dad and Elena, but you had no idea what was going on.”

  “Dom’s downstairs?” I headed to the door, “I need to see him and the person in charge.” I opened the door and ran down the hall, ignoring the fact this was a completely foreign home I’d never been in before. The landing of the stairs opened to a living room. It had a craftsman feel to it. The floor was stone, with rugs thrown about. The furniture was leather and oak, with a huge sectional taking up two walls in the living room. I walked down the stairs, staring at the back of the person sitting in a club chair, talking to Dad and Marc, who were sitting on the sectional. Elena was looking shell-shocked, sitting in a winged back chair.

  “Dom?” I asked as I walked down the stairs. He turned and stood. He was five ten, with the same deep brown hair that showed in early pictures of dad. His blue eyes crinkled as he smiled at me. He was still fit, but on the thinner side, obviously not working with weights the way he used to.

  “Alley. Thank God Luc kept you safe,” he walked toward me.

  “Tanner,” came the voice behind me.

  “Right, Tanner. Sorry.” He smiled at the man behind me. “We’re all safe now,” Dom said. “We’ll have to get used to the names. I’m Nick now, but you’ll see, things will be great.”

  I frowned, “We’re not all safe.” I shook my head, “My Mom’s dead and I can’t even go to the funeral.” My chin quivered “You put us through hell. Why did you go to the FBI? Why didn’t you go to Dad? Look at your parents and how they’ve aged in the six months since you faked your death and betrayed us.”

  “Alley,” Dad interrupted.

  “No,” Elena’s voice carried. “She’s saying what we’re all thinking. Let her talk.”

  “You betrayed the family,” I repeated myself. “Something we were taught not to do from the time we were small children. If there was a problem, we were taught to tell Daddy about it.”

  “You were in danger, not from a different family, but from our family,” Dom crinkled his forehead in confusion. I’d never raised my voice to him before.

  “Dad could have dealt with it,” I yelled. “Hell, Marc could have helped Dad. But you had no faith in them. Family always protects family.” I threw my hands wide, “Then you basically sold me to someone you didn’t even know.”

  “Tanner’s a great guy,” Dom argued. “He’s protected Marc, he can protect you.”

  “I protect myself,” Marc gritted out.

  “Same here,” I shot at him. “You think I’m some weak little girl. I stopped Basden, not either of them.”

  “With twenty pounds of candy,” I heard muttered behind me. I ignored him.

  “You made me take Krav Maga, you made sure I understood firearms. Why do you think I’m only good for painting pretty pictures?” I screamed. “And now, I can’t even go to Mom’s funeral.” I shook my head and turned to Tanner, “There has to be a way. You said you’re a spy. Surely you can think of something.” I knew I was begging, but I didn’t care.

  I could see he was torn and about to say something, instead I heard my brother behind me. “You can’t. You’ll just have to get over it. If you don’t cooperate, you’ll endanger all of us.”

  I kept my back to him as I watched Tanner close his eyes. I spun to Dom and slapped him across the face. He blinked at me with stunned eyes, “Don’t talk to me again. You wanted to be dead? So be it.” I walked back up the stairs past Tanner and into the room I woke in.

  A few moments later, I heard the door shut. “You’re under house arrest for the next seventy-two hours,” Tanner explained. “I also need you to sign some forms.”

  I walked to a window and watched a squirrel raid a birdfeeder. “Give them here,” I said. “I’ll sign them.”

  “What if I asked you to take your medicine again?” I felt him come up behind me.

  I shook my head, “Not doing it.”

  “I can get you a shrink. Marc’s going to be doing that in the town, it’ll be his new occupation, but he looks at you as a baby sister, so it’s kind of a conflict of interest.”

  “No,” I sat in the chair and watched the squirrel feed birdseed into his cheeks. “What do I need to sign Tanner?”

  He came around in front of me with a folder, opened it and pointed at a line, “Sign here, use Alessandra Amato.”

  “Of course,” I took a pen and signed. “It’s not like my name was ever Alessandra Romano.” I saw him flinch. Good.

  “For the record, I’ve never thought you were weak,” he pointed to another line. “Same name.” I signed again.

  “I guess I should say thank you?” I would not cry in front of this man who had destroyed me.

  “No need button.” He pointed to another, “This time you need to sign Allison Adair. A-D-A-I-R.”

  I did as asked. “So that’s the new name? Dad’s family isn’t the Amatos anymore. It’s the Adairs?”

  “Here,” he pointed to another line. “Same name as last.” I signed. He took the file and looked at me, “No, it’s our new last name. Your Dad, Elene, that’s her new name, and Nick are the Deerings. It’s one of your dad’s alias.”

  “Ours?” I glanced up at him. Then shook my head, “We’re not married. We obviously never were.”

  “We’ll see,” he said as he walked to the door. “I need to get these faxed. I’ll be bringing a laptop in and some paints. Obviously, you can’t reach out to anyone from your past.”

  “Did you ever give a damn about me?” I choked out. “How did you see this playing out? I spit out a few kids in a couple of years, then you suddenly disappear?”

  “It would never be like that, Alley.” He kept his back to me, “I know you don’t believe it right now, but it was never going to happen like that.” He walked out the door and I started sobbing as my heart crumbled.

  Epilogue

  His stomach fell as he heard the sobbing on the other side, and he slid down the wall until he was sitting. If he caused her the pain, he would not hide from it.

  “You okay?” Ethan sat down next to him.

  “Why did you guys move so fast, Ethan?” Tanner ground out. “I didn’t even have time to warn her, and she won’t see a shrink.”

  “Which is why she’s on house arrest,” Ethan answered. “She’ll try to go to her mother’s funeral. Most would.” He looked at the file Tanner held, “Did she sign everything?”

  “Didn’t even read it,” sighed Tanner.

  “That proves she still trusts you,” Ethan nodded. “That’s good if you’re her handler. Allison Deering will adjust.”

  “I’m her husband and her name’s Alessandra Lafferty,” corrected Tanner. Ethan raised a brow. Tanner pulled out a form, “This is the wedding license between Allison Deering and Tanner Adair, just in case we need to go deep.” Ethan was looking at it as Tanner put a second form in front of it, “And this is the license from Las Vegas. Notice the name I used on it.”

  “Tanner Laff…” Ethan frowned, then turned to Tanner, “You used your real name when you married her?”

  “Yep,” he sighed, closing his eyes against the sound of sobbing on the other side of the wall. “She’s mine. I’m not giving her back.”

  “Oh my God,” the other man looked at Tanner with interest. “You’re in love with her.”

  Tanner glared at him, “We don’t use that word in my family. You know that.”

  “Yeah, yeah,” Ethan waved his hand. “I was worried you were still fixated on Katie.”

  “She’s not mine. Never has been, never will be.” Tanner replied. “But Alley,” he paused, thinking before he spoke. “When I said I was all in, you knew what that meant.”

  “I did,” Ethan nodded, “I just wasn’t sure you did.” He looked at Tanner, “You realize you tricked her into marrying you?” />
  “Look who’s talking,” Tanner made a face. “You tricked my sister just to win a hundred bucks off of me.”

  “I didn’t do it for the hundred. The money was just a fortunate side effect,” Ethan smiled at him. Then he sobered, “But I’m also prepared for the fallout if she finds out. I’m hoping her love for me will outweigh what I did.”

  “I’m just going to keep telling Alley we’re married,” Tanner shrugged. “She can’t tell me I lied to her if I do that.” He glanced at his friend, “You realize it’s not ‘if’ Sam finds out, it’s ‘when’. And she’s gonna kick both our asses.”

  “I’m aware and we both deserve it,” Ethan’s mouth went grim. “I’m hoping we’ve got a couple of kids by then, so she’ll get over it quick.”

  “And if she doesn’t?”

  Ethan shrugged, “I put a tracker in both the engagement ring and her seizure watch.”

  Tanner gave a small grin, “I put a tracker in Alley’s locket. I figured she’d throw the engagement ring in my face.”

  “I’m surprised she didn’t,” Ethan agreed.

  “She’s in mourning,” replied Tanner. “She’s not thinking.”

  They sat for a bit, listening as the sobbing finally drifted off. “She fell asleep,” Tanner announced. “Thank fuck. I couldn’t take much more.”

  “Does she know how much you cuss?”

  “She will.”

  Ethan nodded, “You know she has the gene, right?”

  Tanner shook his head, “I couldn’t check Cosmo, but I checked Jenn. She didn’t carry even one gene. It’s recessive, so Alley would need two.”

  “Jenn and Cosmo aren’t her biological parents,” Ethan glanced at him. “You didn’t get the full family history.”

  Tanner shook his head, “No. How the hell could that happen?”

  “Do you think a woman as strong as Elena would stay with a man who cheated on her and help raise his child?” Ethan shook his head. “Cos and Elena were older, so they purchased an embryo. Jenn was a surrogate who refused to give the baby up. It happened a lot twenty years ago. They didn’t push the issue, because Cos realized the baby would be safer if everyone thought she was illegitimate.”

  Tanner shook his head, “We can’t tell her. It might destroy her.”

  “She’s a lot more resilient than she looks,” Ethan said.

  “Does Dom know?”

  “Nick.” Ethan raised a brow at Tanner, who only rolled his eyes. “No. The only three who ever knew were Jenn, Cos, and Elena.”

  “We’re keeping it that way,” Tanner announced. “She’s had too much thrown at her for the year.”

  “I agree,” Ethan nodded.

  Tanner stood again, then cracked the door open. Alley was sound asleep on the bed. “She’s going to have to be watched closely for the first few weeks,” he said as he closed the door.

  “More like months. It’s why you two are staying here at the compound instead of your own place,” Ethan was standing again. “I’ll put a rush on the church and cemetery. We’ll get her mother’s remains snuck in here, so that will help.” He thought, “I’ll bring the kids in for the weekend. Ronnie’s been through the death of a parent. She might help. I still need the artwork from Ronnie’s place found and Sam will be here to be a friend to her.”

  “We’ll need an art studio,” Tanner replied as they walked down the hall.

  “You’re committed to this?” Ethan asked as they walked down the hall.

  “I am,” Tanner nodded.

  “Then welcome to Shadow Valley, my friend. I can’t wait to bring the Genesis Team in.” Ethan started down to the living room.

  Tanner stood still at the top of the stairs; his mouth open. Finally, he blinked, “What?”

  About The Author

  S. M. Dapelo

  I want to thank you for taking the time to read what my imagination brought forth. I know it isn’t for everyone, but I hoped you enjoyed it. If you liked the book, please take the time to post a review. I’m an independent author and reviews are helpful. Special thanks to Mike Dapelo and my adult kids (yes, I have minors as well) who encourage me every chance they get. I can’t wait to see what all of them (the littles as well as the biggies) accomplish in life. I know it’s going to be spectacular. If you’re interested in updates or future works, please follow me on Twitter or Facebook. I also have a blog, but I will warn you that my updates are sporadic. For more information: SMDapelo@Wilderwords.net

  Books By This Author

  Kiss Catch: A Genesis Security Mystery

  She tried to get out, but they keep pulling her back in.

  After eight years of reforming herself into a safe, proper, little bookworm Katherine’s bother Mason pulls a stunt that drags her back into her old wild-child ways. Drinking, check. Street racing, check. Lying, check.

  It's all in the name of justice, since Mason and his hot business partner Jake run a security company that takes on the hard tasks that the government agencies can't.

  Hide and Seek: A Genesis Security Mystery

  How do you win the game when you don't know all the players?

  Plunging off a high Colorado mountain road after being shot is NOT the best way to start a new marriage, but Jake and Katie didn’t exactly get to make that choice. An impossible shooting has put Katie in the hospital with a ruined shoulder and no memory. Jake and her brother Mason go into lock-down mode to keep her safe.

  To the world, Jake and Katie died. But someone is still hunting them, determined to finish the job. Haunted by the past, they’re trying to figure out who could possibly want them dead. It’ll take the entire team plus some help from outside agencies to discover all the secrets that endangered them.

  Little Boy Blue: A Genesis Security Mystery

  Family is chaotic. While still dealing with having killed the man who shot her husband and his ensuing rehabilitation, Kate is yanked back to Denver to help investigate, of all things, a DANCE CONTEST. And then things get confusing.

  Personal issues cause a falling out with several alphabet agencies, forcing Kate and Jake to take over Genesis Security to save the company. And just as they think they are starting to get a grip a Russian mob boss shows up leaving them with a two-year-old, blue-eyed boy and a massive sized au pair.

  Project Chimera: A Ryker Group Book

  The Ryker Group is brutal, fearless, and takes no prisoners. And that's before one of their own gets hurt. After that, there's hell to pay.

  Samantha considered herself the best of the best. If there was a fight, she was in the middle of it. Now she's not sure. She’s been kidnapped, tortured, and now rescued by her overly protective husband and her brother who’s one step away from killing someone. She doesn’t recognize anyone or even remembers who is who.

  The Heir of the Dragon: Clans of Cain Book 1

  How do you fight darkness, when it's what you crave?.

  There have been whispers about us for years. The Hawkins Twins. The girls that were born to fight the paranormal community. It was said nothing could stop us. That we weren't mortal. My sister and I knew better.

  Now the rumors are different. We've gone to hell. Literally. And only one twin came back whole. An ancient vampire is looking for me, with a demon not far behind him. Oh, and have I mentioned our parents?