Stealing Iris: A Dark Mafia Romance (Blood Ties Book 1)

by Sahara Roberts

  “Where have you been?” She rushes through, cutting me off.

  “Bad weath—”

  “I was about to call Tino,” she says, barrels through. “You’ve got to…” The line cuts out. “Piece of shit.” The passion in her voice freezes me in place. “I want Tino to track him down and annihilate him,” she finishes in a shaky voice. “And I don’t give a f—” A second later the screen goes to video. Conrado’s hand goes up, and Iris flinches then the line starts to buffer.

  “No! You fucking…” Helpless, I sit in the chair, unable to go anywhere, and with no way to make the damn plane go faster. Desperation is clawing at me, and I want to smash my fist into the screen. The scene cuts to Iris hitting the desk, headfirst then cuts off. Rage explodes inside me, burning into every limb and every cell.

  The phone chimes. I’m still glaring at the screen when Kassy’s message dips down from the top of the screen. They’re going to get her tonight.

  *****

  IRIS

  Something brought me awake, sitting up to check the dark corners of my room. Nothing. The alarm clock shows one o’clock, so I finally dozed off for an hour or so. I slump back, letting myself plop down on the pillow. Would I manage any sleep tonight?

  Heavy pounding on the back door comes through over the rain pelting the roof. Eyes wide open, I bolt out of bed and grab Dad’s old baseball bat, squeezing the handle. It’ll be all right. If I go down, I go down swinging.

  Unlocking my bedroom door, I take cautious steps down the hallway to the back. Whoever managed to jump the fence during a storm came up the driveway and through the carport without riling up the neighbor’s dog. Right hand over left. My pulse echoes against my clammy palms as I tighten my grip on the bat.

  “Who’s there?” Thunder rolls, and I strain to catch any sound that might give me a clue. Could someone be trying to figure out if the house is empty? What if he, or they, push their way inside. Without a phone line, what can I do? Would the neighbors even hear me over the storm?

  “Iris, it’s Dante.”

  Dante’s here? Every muscle relaxes. My shoulders sag, not just because he identified himself, but he came. Hope and dismay fight to be heard.

  “Open the door.” Releasing a pent-up breath, I wobble through the last few steps to the doorway.

  Flipping the dead bolt, I stop, my fingers hovering over the knob. Tino said he hadn’t asked about me. So why is he at the door all of a sudden? Dante didn’t just drop me, he all but shoved me in the car when he sent me away. Pain slices across my chest as I picture his furious expression. Thunder cracks overhead, jolting me.

  “What do you want?” With my heart thundering, I bite my lip, waiting for an answer I may not like.

  “I need to talk to you. Open the door,” he insists.

  “About?”

  “Just open the door, Iris,” he demands.

  Doubt creeps into me. Should I take the chance? Because believing in him had left me heartbroken. “Iris, I swear, if you don’t open this door, I’m going to drag Conrado here to answer my questions.”

  Gasping, I drop the bat to clatter on the kitchen floor.

  “Iris, is he there?” The metal screen protests as he yanks on the knob. “Get your hands off her, you goddamn son of a bitch,” he yells over the rain.

  Startled, my body jerks. Lord, he thinks I’m here with Conny.

  “Stand clear.” His voice booms through the door.

  “No. Wait, I’m coming.” Hands shaking, I struggle with the lock for several seconds. Finally, I pull the door open to find Dante standing in the doorway, gun in hand. My brain amplifies the size of the weapon and I grow even clumsier. Without looking away from my face, he puts the gun into the back of his pants as my boneless fingers continue to fumble with the slide-lock on the screen door.

  His gaze runs over me, as if he’s trying to make sure everything’s okay. As soon as he’s in the house, his arms come around me. Crushing me to him, he pushes me back into the kitchen, his lips crashing down on mine.

  “Tell me you’re okay,” he whispers insistently, while his hands run down my arms then come to cup my cheeks.

  “Yes, I-I’m fine,” I stammer. As fine as I can be after standing there, scared and confused over being pulled out of an exhausted sleep in the middle of the night.

  Dante’s expression hardens. He stares past me, into the darkness. “Is Conrado here?”

  “No.”

  His gaze shoots back to me. “Where is he?” His anger comes in waves, dashing against me. But I don’t have the answer he wants. Olga gave up Dad’s apartment two months ago, so I have no clue where he goes any more.

  “I don’t know.” What does he want with Conny anyway? My blood runs cold, and a shiver takes over my body as adrenaline rushes through me.

  He cups my arm. “I’m sorry. I was jealous as hell.” He sucks in a breath. “And I wasn’t thinking straight.”

  My apprehension and doubt crumble at his words. His arms come around me, holding me tight, as if he’ll lose me if he lets go. “Last time, I thought you didn’t want to leave Conrado. That you chose him over me.”

  My eyes could have bulged out at his statement. “No, of course not.” The horror in my voice reflects off the back of my throat. “What made—”

  “I understand that now.” He rubs my back, trying to soothe me. “I realize you think you can’t leave.” He draws in a deep breath. “But at the time, it hurt, and I didn’t deal with it well.” The moment hangs between us, with the silence saying more than words ever could. He pulls back then brings his face to mine. “I’m sorry I was such an ass. Please forgive me, baby.”

  Relief washes through me, leaving me weak at the knees. “Yes.” A smile breaks through for the first time in days. “I’m sorry I hurt you. I didn’t mean to.” He cups my face and kisses me like he hasn’t seen me in forever.

  “What’s he holding over you?”

  My eyes go wide. How did he know?

  “What did you do?”

  This can’t be happening. If I had anything sitting in my stomach, I’d be retching at his feet now.

  “Nothing,” I manage to say, past the gigantic lump in my throat. Unable to face him, I duck, hiding my face, though he wouldn’t be able to see my shame in the darkness.

  Swinging around, he pulls the gun from the back of his waist and shoves me away. I look up in time to see a figure filling the doorway. Everything happens at once. I don’t even have time to scream before I hit the cabinet. I suck in a breath, but the air is so dense with moisture I nearly choke. Lightning flashes across Dante as he points his weapon at the intruder. His features could be chiseled from stone with all the angles in shadow.

  “What the hell?” The screen door opens as he lowers his gun.

  “I hung around.” Tino’s voice reaches me from around the door.

  “You were right, man,” Dante admits in an apologetic tone. “I was stupid.”

  “I know.” Stepping into the kitchen, he looks my way, though he can’t possibly see me in the dark. “You took care of mine when I couldn’t,” he says. Dante gives him a brief nod before they both turn to me.

  Dante reaches out a hand to me. Weak, I pull away from the solid wood supporting me and drag myself over. “Sorry, baby, but we need to go. Now.” The rain’s coming even harder, covering the sound of a car going by until the driver hits the gas farther up the block. “We need to get you out of here.” He twines his fingers through mine.

  “What do you mean?” I frown.

  “Conrado’s coming for you, and I have no idea who he’s got with him.”

  Icy threads stretch down my back, forcing out a gasp. They plan to finish what they started this afternoon.

  “That might be them,” Dante warns, tightening his hold on my hand. Meanwhile, Tino straightens, turning on his heel as he pushes the door open. “No. Wait.” Dante curls a hand into a fist. “It may not be them.” He shakes his head and faces Tino. “I’d rather you be here to keep
Iris safe.”

  “Okay, then.” Tino pulls a weapon from inside his coat and another from his back. Fear claws at me as the walls close in.

  Reality crashes down around me. What will Conny do if he finds me gone? What if he trashes the house?

  “I need to get my phone.” I try pulling away, but Dante tightens his arms around me and keeps moving.

  “We can replace it,” he assures me.

  “No, please.” I shift, trying to wiggle out of his grasp. Releasing an exasperated breath, he loosens his hold.

  Tino flips the light switch and frowns. “Power’s out. Must be the storm.”

  My face flames, even in the darkness. “No, I haven’t had electricity in a while.” They both stare at me. Taking the opportunity, I slip out of Dante’s arms and rush down the hall to my room. I snatch up the phone, holding it to my chest then hurry back to find them exchanging words quietly.

  “I’ll pull the car into the drive.” Dante puts an arm around me, crushing me to him for a kiss before he strides away.

  Tino and I stay by the door. “You okay?” he asks, without taking his gaze off the surroundings.

  “Yes.” Somehow I manage to get the single word past the lump in my throat. Seconds tick by. “You were outside?”

  “Down the street.”

  “Why?” My heart is thundering away in my chest.

  “You’re important to him.” He scans the entire backyard, stopping an extra second at the extension on the carport.

  “I don’t know about that.” I can’t assume anything.

  Tino does that inch-by-inch turn to face me. “The guy went out in a storm, putting himself in danger of being ambushed, to keep you safe. If you knew what kind of a selfish son of a bitch he’s become over the years, you’d understand just how important you are.”

  Tears prick the back of my eyes. No words can explain how humbling this moment is for someone in my situation.

  I’m glad I can spend tonight with him. Conny isn’t going to let me go without a fight, and I have no idea how Dante will react to my story. The best I can do is figure out a plan to run, and with any luck, Dante will help me get away. At least I’ll have a handful of memories to help me get through wherever life leads me after that.

  *****

  CONRADO

  “He’s there, dude,” Iz blurts out with urgency. “He’s there.” Like I don’t fuckin’ see his ride up ahead. “What’s Dante doing at Iris’s house?”

  “The bitch double-crossed me.” It pisses me off even more that I have to spell it out for him between clenched teeth.

  “You think so?” Iz’s eyes shoot open, like he can’t believe what I said.

  “How else is he gonna be there?” I spit back.

  “You think she gave it up?” he asks quietly, dragging his palms down his pants leg.

  “How the fuck would I know if they’re fucking?” If Dante’s at her house now, he isn’t gonna stop at a blow. And if she did give it up, I can kiss that dime goodbye. “Fuck!” I slam my fist against the steering wheel over and over. The bitch really did set me up. She’s been out to get me since the beginning. I grab the wheel, just to have something to squeeze. Iris didn’t just set me up, she stole my score. She figures I can’t touch her if she’s with Dante.

  “If they’ve been hooking up…what if she told him about this afternoon?” Iz bites at his thumbnail.

  Iz has a point. And it all fits with what I’m thinking. If she’s got Dante, he’s gonna be batshit pissed about this afternoon. He’s got no right because that pussy was mine to begin with, but he ain’t gonna see it that way.

  “You think she told him what we did?”

  “If she did, we’re blown.” I hit the gas, just in case. The worst part about this is losing my chance with Dante. I take the turn with screeching tires as I drift the POS I’m driving. Whatever. A couple of blocks and I’ll be outta here. That’s all that matters.

  “So what happens now?” Iz’s voice is shaky. He probably knows we’re in a bad spot but can’t figure it out how it ends. He’s also annoying the fuck outta me.

  “Shut up, man. Let me think.” I know the guy has muscle that takes care of shit for him. I can still see that dude staring down at me and Iz, and my throat knots up. If he comes after us, we are fucked. I could give them Iz, but I need him. And really, if they go after him, he’ll flip on me. Damn, I’m gonna lose the deal and more over that piece of—

  “Rad.” Iz’s voice is high and scared.

  I look up in time to swerve, passing some shithead that stopped at the corner. Any other time I woulda stopped and kicked the shit outta that guy. I can’t take the chance that Dante or his muscle shows up. I gotta focus on getting me and Iz outta this mess.

  “Toss the phones.”

  “What?” Iz’s voice goes higher.

  “They can track us through the phones.”

  “Oh.”

  I need to get the money, without it I can’t get far. I spin another corner when it hits me, and red-hot rage tears through my gut. I can’t go back for the safe. He’ll figure that’s what I’d do and catch me there. Fuck.

  I whip into a parking lot and roll down to a dark corner. Whatever I’m gonna do, I gotta move fast and I need that money. Iz has enough sense not to say a word; I can feel him watching me as I stare out the window. Leaning back, I realize I got one option left. Dante won’t hurt my mom if he catches her, he might even buy her excuse for why she’s taking the money. So now it’s up to her. She owes me after the crap I had to clean up for her.

  Dropping the car into gear, I head out to find her.

  CHAPTER EIGHTEEN

  IRIS

  We drove across town, through a high-end neighborhood, to a house that probably cost more money than I would earn in my lifetime. The half bath, where I stopped to wash up, is the size of my bedroom, with towels so plush my fingers nearly disappear in the fibers. This is how Dante lives, and his home is nowhere near the store.

  Reality’s creeping in again, so I wrap my arms around myself. I left my parents’ home in an old nightshirt and bare feet, my only possession a phone with no service. If it didn’t hold the only family pictures still in existence, I would have left it behind also. Pain slices through me. When will I go back there? Will it ever be my family’s home again? Taking a deep, calming breath, I turn the knob and step out.

  “Iris,” Dante calls from somewhere down the hall. Curling my hands, I follow his voice down the wide hallway to an office. He’s behind an enormous wooden desk with intricate carvings. To his left, he has a monitor bigger than the TV in my room. Lord, I can’t be comparing everything if I want to stop feeling like a doormat.

  His features are relaxed as he holds out a hand, calling me next to him. The sight makes me smile. I circle the desk to find he’s online with a woman.

  “This is Kassy.” Pushing a corner, he adjusts the monitor at an angle.

  “Hey, girl.” Kassy’s probably in her late twenties, with blonde hair and highlights ending halfway down her chest in a deep purple matching her cat-eye glasses.

  “Hello,” I reply, trying my best to smile while wondering who exactly she is.

  “I’m glad you’re safe.” Her almond eyes show sympathy.

  My gaze immediately goes to Dante. Considering her choice of words, my insides start squirming, and I duck my head.

  He pulls me over, bringing me to sit in his lap. “Kassy is my IT specialist. She keeps all my personal things secure.”

  “I’m sorry, Iris.” Glancing up, I brace myself for pity I half expect. “I thought Dante told you about me.” She glares at him before switching back to me, her expression losing the harsh lines.

  “I’m here, too.” Tino’s voice comes from the speaker.

  Kassy turns to her keyboard then Tino’s profile fills half the monitor, the car seat’s headrest peeking out in the background.

  Dante gives my hand a light squeeze, calling my attention back to him. “I need you to tell us about C
onrado.”

  For the second time tonight, I’m glad I’m on an empty stomach. I’ve been dreading the moment when I’ll have to tell him everything. And now, suddenly, three people will hear my confession. I press my eyes closed. Will this night never end?

  “I saw the video, Iris.” Dante’s voice is steady, not giving away what he may be feeling. What did he think when he saw me looking over my shoulder nervously, while taking stacks of money out of the safe? Did he wonder how he could be with a petty thief? Tears trickle down my face as shame takes over.

  “Please don’t be embarrassed,” Kassy cuts in. “Girl, you’re stronger than you imagine,” she says adamantly. “Trust me when I tell you, most people would crumble having to go through what you suffered.”

  Tino turns, his full attention on me.

  “Talk to me,” Dante coaxes. “Let me help you out of whatever trouble you’re in.”

  I want so hard to believe that can happen. This nightmare can end, and I can get my life back. Gulping in air, I gather my thoughts and explain what happened. “Conny and his mother set me up.” Is this the best way to start my explanation? How do I defend myself? How do I make them believe I never stole anything in my life?

  “My father disappeared last year. He left the store and never came home. I didn’t even realize it because we’d had a bad fight…” Shame piles on, making me jittery. “The things I said to him…”

  Dante’s arms come around me. “I’m sure he understands,” Dante murmurs, pulling some napkins from a drawer.

  I clutch one as if my life depends on it. “He-he said I probably wished he’d been the one to die and not my mother.” I bring the napkin to my face. “I did.” I hang my head, my voice barely a whisper. “And I told him so, to his face.” I’ve held that guilt for so long, it burned into my soul. Sharing the secret restarts the fire.

  “Maybe we can wait until tomorrow.” Kassy’s understanding tone both humbles me and gives me the will to keep going.