Vicious Enzo: A College Bully Romance (Verona Academy Book 2)

by Melinda Terranova

  VICIOUS ENZO

  Copyright © 2020 by Melinda Terranova

  All rights reserved

  Cover Designer: Rebecca Garcia @ darkwishdesigns.net

  Formatter: Rebecca Garcia @ darkwishdesigns.net

  Editor: Danni’s Edits.

  No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system without the written permission of the author, except for the use of brief quotations in a book review. This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, brands, media, and incidents are either the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. The author acknowledges the trademarked status and trademark owners of various products referenced in this work of fiction, which have been used without permission. The publication/use of these trademarks is not authorized, associated with, or sponsored by the trademark owners. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.

  THREE YEARS AGO

  I stand at the entrance to the church, all our family and close friends seated in the pews, dressed in their finest. The hushed tone of the guest's whispers throughout the large church, their voices lingering in the vaulted ceiling. The scent of polished wood and fresh flowers assaults my senses as I take in a deep breath to control my emotions.

  I roll my shoulders trying to ease the tension, the press of my Beretta M9 keeping my mind at ease. No one else would dare carry a firearm into a holy place. Not even my Father. But I am not so holy, and no amount of holy water could cleanse my dark soul. When I sin, I do it without conscience, satisfied that one day I will pay. I eye the confessional, its dark wooden walls caging in the secrets of every made man and mobster in Providence.

  My gaze slides to the altar where a pristine white sheet drapes precariously over the coffin, as though no one gave enough of a shit to fix it. My hands curl into fists, my heart beating solidly in my chest as I watch the priest move to his altar. The organ music fills the large space of the church and I watch my father’s searching eyes, he twists in his seat and makes eye contact with me. He gives a slight nod before turning to drape his arm around my mother’s trembling shoulders.

  I lean against the door frame and wait patiently for all the eulogies, hymns, and prayers to finish. My jaw twitches as I count the minutes for the timing to be exactly right. I keep my gaze firmly fixed to the back of the church, only sweeping the room every so often to ensure no one has moved from their seats. Tension builds in my muscles as the priest says his last prayer and everyone repeats Amen.

  “I’m sorry, Father, but I’m about to rain sin all over your fucking church,” I grate through clenched teeth.

  I step into the cool church, pulling out my gun, violence coils in my heart. Revenge runs through my veins like acid. This is what I was bred for, to fight for my family name. I spot Luca, and Dante, as they emerge from their positions at either side of the stage where the priest stands. Their rage evident on their faces as they stride to the middle of the church, their eyes focused on the targets.

  I watch Dante stride to the second row casually bends down and whispers Tony his last rites before pulling his gun out and shooting him point-blank in the head. The loud boom bounces off the church walls and Tony falls to the floor in a heap, blood seeping from his gunshot wound and staining the carpet. A dark grin pulls at the corner of my mouth as the screaming begins.

  Another two loud gunshots fire into the church as the guests scramble to escape. Three shots fired means only my target is left. Adrenaline spills through me as my burning gaze zeroes in on Tony’s filthy son, Andrea, the one I want to tear limb from limb and beat his mother to death with. The one that murdered my little sister and thought he’d get away with it.

  Stupid little fucker.

  He turns in his seat as I stride down the red carpet toward him. The look of terror coats his features and a howl of rage rips from his mouth as he launches himself off the pew. Before he can come towards me, I shoot him in the leg and watch him go down onto his knees, clutching his thigh in agony.

  “Fuck you, Enzo, is that all you got?” He spits as he lands on his side.

  I stand over him, watching him writhe in pain as a torrent of curses splutters from his mouth. Weighing up my options, I point my gun at his injured leg and pop him in the kneecap, the blood spraying the church pews in spectacular color.

  A snarl of agony erupts from his lungs as his blood starts to stain the red carpet. “Kill me you weak bastard.”

  I cock my head to the side, studying him. “Do you think you deserve a quick death?” I rub my bottom lip with my thumb, working out what to shoot next.

  I watch him try to crawl under the pews where his dearest dad is resting peacefully. “Your fucking sister didn’t suffer,” he chokes on his saliva.

  Just the mention of Anna has me wild with fury. I empty my mag into his legs and arms, making sure I hit him every single time, and watch his body jerk as each bullet sliced through his flesh. I know I should kill him but having him alive will be so much more fun. Knowing I will be in his head and his nightmares is a satisfaction I deserve to have. I will afflict him with the same suffering he has brought on my family.

  CHAPTER ONE

  Enzo

  Blood on my hands.

  Scratches up my arms.

  Nothing new in the world of the Russo’s. Only this time, this one wasn’t a target, merely the wrong place at the wrong time. Poor fucker. My anger boils within me, erupting like a volcano as I slam my already split knuckles into his face. Hurt and self-loathing coats my skin like a glove. A glove I am desperate to rip off.

  I can’t stop the vision of her looking at me through her icy blue eyes as I poured my heart out to her. The only person in this entire fucking universe I have been comfortable enough to allow close to me. Instant regret flowing through me like poison, sucking the last of my vulnerability as her face registered my emotion.

  Then she walked away from me.

  I glance down at the blood pouring from the guy’s messed up face and feel nothing. I drop him to the concrete; his body hits it with a thud before he sputters blood from his mouth. Good. He’s not dead.

  “What the hell, Enzo?” Luca’s voice breaks the ringing in my ears.

  I turn toward my cousin, one of the only two people who I know have my back, no matter what. “The dick has had it coming for months.” I shrug.

  “What’s up with you today?” Luca squats down and checks for the guy’s pulse.

  “I don’t want to talk about it.” I storm inside, slamming the door to the back of the restaurant behind me.

  This place feels like home. My Nono is always here with open arms, no matter how fucked up his grandkids are. Growing up, I never understood the complexity of our family and I certainly never thought I’d be a part of the fucked-upness. I make a beeline for the freezer, there’s always bags of ice for situations like this. The ice burns my swollen knuckles as I make my way to the pizza counter.

  “Enzo, my boy.” Nono studies me, a pained look flashes across his tanned and wrinkled face.

  “Ciao, Nono,” I stride toward him and wrap my good arm around his shoulders, kissing him on top of his balding head.

  “You will be the death of your father.” He eyes the ice pack balancing on my knuckles.

  “He will be the death of me if I’m not careful.” I wink in response. The truth is my statement sours my mouth.

  “What’s troubling you? Sit and I’ll bring you a bowl of your favorite pasta.”
Nono points to the chair before disappearing back into the kitchen.

  I sit heavily into the chair and look around at the restaurant, nothing has changed since I was a kid. Before I can wallow in my self-pity, Luca hauls in the poor kid I pummelled out the back and dumps him in the seat by the wall, farthest away from me.

  “The fuck is wrong with you?” Luca shoots me an icy glare before darting into the kitchen after Nono.

  What the fuck IS wrong with me? I stare at the kid, at his now swollen face, and not a trickle of regret or guilt washes over me. I lift the ice pack off my hand and study the shape of my knuckles, the pain all too familiar.

  “Eat.” Nono places the bowl of pesto pasta down in front of me. Behind his eyes I see understanding and sorrow, knowing all too well what this family life is like.

  It was different back in the old days, or so I am told, not as brutal and most definitely not as many corrupt fuckers around Providence. Petty criminals respected the order of hierarchy back in Nono’s days, not like now when every little fucker wants to be a gangster and sell drugs or deal in weaponry or whatever other shit they can think of.

  I hear Nono sigh as he places a wet tea towel over the kid's swollen eyes. I focus on the pasta in front of me, willing myself to eat, the pasta sliding down my throat like thick glue. I stand, the chair clattering to the ground, place my ice pack on the table in front of the kid and storm out of the restaurant.

  My blood pulses in my veins as I make my way to my car. I can feel every fiber in me itching to lose control. I slam my door shut and rev my engine as I skid out of the car park like a lunatic. My AMG Roadster grips the road as I weave in and out of traffic down the busy main road, hugging every turn as I try to outrun my rage.

  I turn into the church parking lot, unsure as to why I have returned. I park and switch the car off, the only light coming from the streetlamp across the road. I lean my head against the steering wheel and breathe slowly, memories of my childhood come barrelling into me. Reminding me of a time of laughter and happiness. I get out of the car and suck in the cold air through my nose, calming myself, the rage edging itself to my limits.

  “Fuck,” I growl into the night and kick at the gravel.

  I turn and stare at the church. The last time I was here was when I let the fucker who killed my younger sister live. One of the weakest moments of my life. One that haunts me still to this day. His day will come. I swear on my life. I will hunt him down when he is least expecting it and end him. Every day I get to wake up and my sister doesn’t. I vowed then to be as ruthless as the devil himself. To kill without mercy. To enjoy the torture I unleash on anyone who wrongs a Russo.

  ***

  My alarm shrills and I drop the dumbbell and pad across the room to switch it off. I’ve been awake since before sunrise, working out in my home gym, trying to keep my mind off her. I stand on my balcony, leaning against the railing and take in the view of the city as it slowly wakes up. A city that one day will be mine.

  I check my cell phone and see I have a text from Giovanni, my father’s right-hand man, saying they need me at the shop this afternoon. My father has not spoken a word to me since I returned from Italy a week ago, with the very thing he wanted to keep me far away from. He has communicated with me through Giovanni. Not even gracing me with his presence when I visit my childhood home.

  No doubt today’s meeting has something to do with the collection of money owed to us. At the end of every month, businesses that want to keep trading in Providence are required to pay us a percentage of their earnings. This way they get the protection from us and we make a nice little profit to throw back into our ventures.

  I head back inside to the bathroom. I turn on the monsoon shower head and wait for the steam to fill the bathroom before I step in and let the heat of the water cascade down my body. The warmth unknots my muscles but does nothing to thaw out the memory of her warm body against mine again, calling my name as I drove into her. I place my palm against the tiles for support and grip my hard dick in my other hand, massaging my tip as thoughts of her smooth bare skin take over my mind. What have I become? I’ve been reduced to jerking off over a woman I will never have as mine again. Not if she has any sense to stay away from the true monster that I am.

  I drive my sorry ass into campus, needing to sit in on interviews for replacing the dipshit that was Robert Carbone. It is now my responsibility to ensure background checks are carried out on all employees, seeing as it was my fault I shot Carbone. My father has disregarded the fact he used Carbone to orchestrate the kidnapping.

  The office is quiet as I stride past the two candidates and into the boardroom. Everyone at this campus knows to steer clear of me if they want their heads to remain attached to their neck, so none of the staff here even look sideways when I am near.

  “Enzo, you here?” Dante calls from the front.

  “Back here.”

  Dante strolls in with two takeaway coffees, handing me one as he makes himself comfortable at the head of the boardroom table. “So, who’s on the agenda today, me lord,” he chuckles to himself.

  “Only the two out there. Have you got the background checks?” I sit heavily into the chair next to Dante, sipping on the hot coffee.

  “Luca will be here with them any minute.” Dante eyes me.

  “What?” I avoid his scrutiny.

  “Have you spoken to Amber?”

  I haven’t as much as stepped foot on campus since returning. I wanted to give Summer space to settle back into life, without fucked up me being in her face, seeing as that is what she chose. “No.”

  “So, you don’t know?” Dante leans back in his chair.

  “Spit it out, I’m in no mood for fucking puzzles.” I glare at him.

  “Settle down, lover boy. Just thought you’d like to know that Summer went back home.”

  My pulse throbs in my temples at the thought of her not being here where I can keep an eye on her. My jaw twitches and I fight the urge to turn the fucking table upside down in rage, just as Professor Kawolski enters the room.

  “Enzo, Dante,” he addresses us before hesitating as to where he is going to sit.

  “Kawolski.” I nod and watch as he sits on the opposite side of the table, one chair away from Dante.

  “Are we ready for the first interviewee?” Kawolski swallows uncomfortably, obviously aware why Carbone is requiring replacement.

  Dante snatches the paper from out of Kawolski’s hands. “Brett, you’re up,” he bellows so his voice echoes out the room and into the waiting area. He gives the paperback to Kawolski and grins a shit-eating grin at him, daring him to say something.

  I shake my head and stifle a laugh.

  We get through the two interviews without Dante being too much of a dick and I let Kawolski know he’s dismissed, and I will get back to him after I see the background checks.

  “Where the fuck is Luca?” I huff as I stand to make my way to class.

  “Probably ten inches deep in pussy. That boy would walk around with pussy attached to his dick 24/7 if it were possible.” Dante drinks the rest of his coffee.

  “Find him and tell him to meet me at the shop this afternoon. Make sure you’re there too. We have business to discuss.” I grab my cell phone out of my pocket and send Luca a text, irritated that I have to add interviewing prospective employees to my never-ending job list.

  CHAPTER TWO

  Enzo

  The elevator pings, the doors open, and I stand there like a gutless fucker. The longer I stall going to her dorm room, the longer I prevent the inevitable. I slam my hand against the elevator door as it is about to cage me back in and force myself to take the unwanted steps to her door.

  The fuck am I doing here? She was clear she didn’t want me anymore. She walked away from me, but I need to see with my own two eyes. Before I can knock, the door swings open and my stomach drops.

  “I could hear you breathing, you freak.” Amber looks up at me, sorrow mixed with anger set deep in her scow
l.

  “Fuck off, Amber,” I huff and storm into her room.

  My breath catches in my throat at the sight of her bed, still made with the same sheets, the very bed I bled all over while fucking her into oblivion. I turn in a circle, careful to control my anger and stare down at my cousin.

  “Did you expect her to be waiting here for you?” Amber lifts an eyebrow, accusing me of so many things from one little gesture.

  “Just making sure she left.” My icy gaze scans the room looking for any clues as to when she may return.

  “She’s gone, Enzo,” Amber whispers, and I swear I hear pity in her voice.

  Gone. Out of my fucked-up life thanks to my fucked-up family. I turn on my heels and exit the room before I smash every last thing that belongs to her.

  I drive to the real estate business, one of many our family uses to launder money, and park out the back. I sit in my car scrolling on my phone until Luca and Dante arrive together. I climb out of my car and wait for them by the back door.

  “Here, the background checks.” Luca shoves them into my chest.

  “Where the fuck were you this morning?” I eye him suspiciously.

  “Those things didn’t come without a cost.” He winks.

  “You fucking bastard, getting your dick dipped in the enemy. I like it.” I slap him in the back of the head with the papers.

  “Boys got to do, what boys got to do,” he says in his best Vito Corleone impression.

  I laugh a deep belly laugh, something which is a rarity these days, just as Dante jumps on my back and I carry him into the staff room. Our raucous laughter is cut short once we come face to face with my father and his two brothers. Dante’s father, Lorenzo, and Luca’s father, Vito. The Russo brothers, notoriously known for taking no prisoners. Once you cross one, you can bet your ass that your head is on the chopping block.

  They’ve ruled our city for decades, not even the police dare to cross them, always turning a blind eye when business gets dealt with. Three brothers and two sisters carry the family legacy, passing it on to us. The three Russo cousins and the two girls, Amber and Concetta. Our fathers have raised us to be brutal killing machines, trained in the art of combat and weaponry. When they want a job done properly, they leave it to us three. Until very recently, when I decided to follow my dick and not my brain and get involved with Her.