Thorned (Martinez Mafia Dynasty Book 1)

by K. H. Kate

  I know nothing. Nick never even considered telling me about his devious plans. No matter what he did, I just always stood by his side. Did he know that I will take the blame for his own doing? Can he be that cruel to make me suffer like this?

  I didn’t even know that Xeon’s entrance was through the storage room and I have been to the place every day hoping that he was there. Could I have found him sooner if he told me? What if he was right below me and I never knew?

  "Barbie, answer me." Ace repeats with a grim face. My hands shake but I don't dare to take notice of the little fact.

  "There's only him and I. It has been like this for the last thirteen years." He gives me an encouraging nod by tightening his grip around my throat that I can almost hear the command behind his eyes. Speak now, or else! "He stays with me for four days a week and then the last three days he goes to work in Xeon."

  "You've fed me the same bullshit-"

  My heart almost stops at the thought of cutting him off but if I don't, I know I will never be given the chance again. So, gritting my teeth, I continue. "He always had a cell phone with him when he went to work. I have never seen him without it. The last I saw him, he should have been home after three days, but he didn't. So, I went to Xeon to look for him."

  This won't be enough...a voice mocks me. You can't save your brother much less yourself. The more you try to hide, the more you risk his life.

  "Senor, ¿Puedo entrar?" I'm momentarily back in reality by a loud knock. Even Ace seems startled enough to step back, leaving my burning throat to let out a gasp. As if he wasn't choking me a minute ago, he calls back to whoever is on the other side of the door.

  "Entra." Carla walks in with...food? Now that I am not shivering in fear I take notice of her serving chicken and Tomatillo Salsa on a plate and bringing it to me. My gaze meets his in question and he nods at the plate with a stoic face.

  "Eat and we will talk after that."

  I look back at the food with a sigh. The scent of food after so many days makes it difficult but it's not like I trust him with my life and maybe he understands too when a hollow laugh tickles though him.

  "I won't kill you...not yet anyway. Go ahead, eat."

  I don't even think to use the fork or remember any other manners. My hands are already on the plate, savoring the chicken like it's my last meal. I wouldn't be surprised considering the way he's looking at me in amusement.

  "Well, you were talking about a phone." He doesn't even give me time to finish eating. "What did you think I would get from that information?"

  I gulp the water, stalling a bit. When his eyes meet mine again I don't know what I see in them. Impatience? Or gut-wrenching anger? I don't wonder much longer and start to talk. "I found the phone in his bedroom. He never leaves it so I was curious to see what was inside. I-I found some pictures of girls and addresses."

  I can still remember my shock to see those faces filled with bruises. That's what made me finally question everything I knew about Nick. To know what the hell those photos meant. To still do a check of reality where my brother wasn't a liar…

  "Where's that phone?" His jaw clenches when I take a minute to answer.

  "In our house. I left it in there."

  Well, at least I was. But after the note stunt, I can’t even begin to imagine what more surprises I will have to endure to erase Nick’s mistakes. Unaware of my fragile mind, he starts to twirl a lock of my hair with a furrowed brow. "You don't share your brother's features."

  The way he says it makes me recoil in surprise. We share the same features. Same amber eyes, same red hair, same stubbornness to match our family name. So how can he tell that we don't look alike? There's no way, unless-

  "In fact, you look nothing like your brother." I’m not hearing right, it had to be. My breath comes in slow and I can feel those traitorous tears again. A slap wouldn’t even hurt that much.

  "Well, looks like your brother did make you walk right into a trap."

  My mind refuses to believe Ace. He's lying. He’s just trying to scare me off. Nick has to be locked somewhere in their property. That’s the only reason I am still holding onto my sanity. I refuse to think that Nick played another one of his sick games with me. But even then-

  I know the Nick in the cell is only a decoy...

  CHAPTER 8

  ACE

  "Tell me who the fuck are you!?"

  I have been dealing with this stubborn brat for the last week. Not that he has opened his mouth throughout the torture session. Not even once. I’ll give Nicki credit though, this man can almost pass as him. He has the figure, hell, he even has the initiated tattoo of La Eme on his chest.

  “Boss, let me try now.” Dario sneaks in while I try to bite back my anger. Tearing myself from the rat doesn’t give me peace, I have no choice but to let Dario take a shot or I’ll kill him on the spot.

  Fucking Nick.

  How can I be so stupid? I didn't even know how Nick Taylor looked like. It worked for us in the past since no one from the other families could recognize him. I could even use him to execute a family member if they deserved it. But he took advantage of it. If not for that day I stared deep into those amber eyes flashing in worry, I wouldn't see the vast difference between this fucking idiot and that Barbie.

  Her face is still imprinted on my mind when I told her the fucking truth. She didn't want to believe me, I could tell by the way she snarled and threw things at me. I think for a moment even I didn’t. How could I, when that meant Nicki was still out in the open?

  Fuck, I can already feel the clock ticking over me. The more time it takes me to hunt down Nicki, the more people will start to think of us as weaklings. Before I can tame the ugly thoughts down, Lou bursts in with a grin.

  "Boss, the Sinaloa cartel has come to an agreement. The meeting is happening next month. Elijah said it should be a private one or he's not coming." Lou stammers when I only nod stiffly at him. He has just momentarily interrupted my thoughts but curiosity gets the best of me when I can't help but ask.

  "Why agree now?" He has barely able to catch his breath when I continue. "Did something happened I don't know?"

  He looks away clearing his throat. "Uh...our shipment has reached the border safely. But umm...word has in the streets that his cartel lost some goods in an attempted robbery and he is worried about who that could be."

  "So he thinks it could be us?" I scoff, eying the collection of alcohol on the wall. I need something stronger to get through the night. Like vodka. But the need for information wins over drunken peace.

  "I think he's paranoid and wants to be sure that we are not taking his money. Or he wants to ask for our help. I don't know. Look at this." He genuinely seems confused so I don't push the subject. Instead, I gesture towards the pictures he just rammed into the desk. Most of them have girls bound to a rope and looking in the camera with a plea to be saved.

  "What is this then?"

  He sighs. "Felix went to Ms. Taylor's house this morning. She wasn’t lying, boss, he found the phone. These are some of the pictures we printed out."

  "Hmm." I hum watching every picture and wonder what the hell Nicki was doing with them. There’s had to be someone who hired him. But who could that be? Someone from the familia? The Cosa Nostra? Bratva? Or the Camorra?

  "Send our men to search for these girls. If they find anyone, bring them to me alive." Lou shifts between his stances so I look up to him with a raised eyebrow. "You're dismissed. No cometas errores."

  Just as he leaves, a whimper leaves from the rat’s lips. I look back in time to see the rat struggling to avoid Dario’s torture. My eyes narrow as I notice even fighting, he has a mocking smile in his face. Mierda, what will it take him to talk?

  "Boss, this little shit won't open his mouth. Do you want me to throw him into the swamp?" Dario asks, cracking his knuckles. I wasn’t kidding about the alligators. They have been bred in the property for the sole purpose of torturing traitors.

  And we have done everythi
ng we could.

  Dario has done his share of scaring the rat off just as I did. Some nights he came close to confess but he quickly shut his mouth as if it depended on his life. Even Felix had some fun with him but it's like he wants to die willingly. I want to. Mierda, I want to just finish him in one shot.

  But I don't.

  Instead, I call for Carla.

  I trace every scar we've created in the rat's face and smile in the bitter irony. Padre would be so proud to see me in action. Hell, I think he would celebrate the fact that I'm even worse than him when it comes to torture someone to death. It's always been a sick game between us brothers.

  Who can make our father more proud by walking into his steps…

  Spade gave up the game, even going close enough to cut ties with the familia. I don't know what it made him though. Smarter than us? Or an idiota? But all I know is, Ares or I can never give up the game. Just like La Eme, many of us may not share any blood, but in heart, we are all bound by the same demons.

  “You called for me?”

  Carla comes running in a few minutes. Her hands slightly shake at the sudden interruption but she knows the drill. I ask for Barbie and she runs back to drag her here. I know she will scream and beg to leave her alone like she’s been doing this whole week but this time Roman has the order to drag her here himself if she doesn't listen to Carla.

  Somewhere in my mind wants her refusal. I want her to make one mistake. One tiny mistake, Barbie and you are mine to play with.

  To my dismay, it's not Roman dragging her with hysteric cries. It's Carla walking with her until she's inside the cell. Roman is behind them as I ordered but there's seem to be no force behind her being here. I doubt she noticed the fake Nicki hanging by the ropes from the ceiling, or maybe she just wanted to avoid the fact altogether.

  "Go Carla. I will call you when needed." She nods with a small smile before walking away in a hurry. Only when she's gone and Roman has locked the door behind us that I look at her again. Her gaze is not on me but on her barefoot. She certainly loves the color white as another white lace gown is hiding her body.

  "Raine?" I deliberately drawl the name for her to snap her gaze back at me. But guess I disappointed her as she turns away seeing no emotion in my eyes. Though soon it becomes apparent that she can’t hide from that man for too long. Her back stiffens but she refuses to look away from the deranged face of her supposed brother.

  "Like it? Or should I add more scars?"

  She rasps out. "W-Who is he?"

  "Don't know. He wouldn't say." I shrug. Maybe deep down she was hoping it would be her brother. Maybe she's just disappointed. Guess I will never know.

  I taste the fear in the air though. From her, from the little rat. He screams when Dario brings both of his hands to make the knife go deeper into his skin. Somewhere between, she steps back horrified.

  "Let him go. He doesn't know a thing."

  "And how do you know that?" I take a closer look at her as she steps back shaking her head. "Do you know him? Do you know her, you rat?"

  "Nicki will kill you." Ignoring his slurred rambling, I watch her with narrowed eyes. But I don't see any recognition in her eyes. She doesn't know him.

  Fuck.

  "You think so?" I mock the rat as I inch closer to her. Only when my hands are on her waist that both of them jump.

  “You bastard! Nicki will fucking kill you if you lay a hand on his sister!" He thrashes against the rope binding his hands.

  The rat is right, but I am not about to admit it. "Oh? But he's not here. And he can't do a thing when I do this."

  My hands are on their own, only when she gasps that I realize I'm kissing her. Her lips are just as soft as I remember. Her small hands push my shoulder but I have already trapped her between the desk and me. Her refusal to open her mouth only makes me bite her lip until she lets out a wisp of air. A sound so foreign. Moan?

  I don't have time to think when I have her nails digging on my arm and her body entrapped with me. She lets out another moan when my teeth tug down her gown enough to find her slender shoulder and bite down. I think she protests. Sometimes she doesn't. She wants me willingly when her back arches up and her hands pull my hair in a frantic need. It's a truth, maybe it's a lie. With her, I can't tell what she wants.

  "Mierda! Stop, stop!" Only when we both hear the rat that she pushes me completely away from her body. Looking around, her breath almost stops at the realization of what I did and mine just shuts down into calculating scrutiny.

  "Y-You did that in front of-" Her tearful eyes go to Dario who is snickering. I have the sudden urge to throw a glare at him but I don't. It's a game anyway. The faster she learns, the better her chance of being alive.

  "Yeah, I did." She recoils, hearing my unashamed statement. "Why? Did you want a room for that? I can take you in one right now."

  "No!" She takes another step back from the desk.

  "Nicki will come back. He will fucking kill you then." The rat screams. Maybe Dario finds it amusing to drag the knife through his lips to shut him off. I can hear his whimpers with his loud cries. Nicki will come back. Of course, he will. And when he comes back I will have a nice surprise for him.

  “Might be too late for her then. Who's to say I won't hurt her before I die?” I counter, satisfied to see both watching me with hatred. "And frankly you are no need to me. Dario, step back."

  Years of living together makes it easier when he steps back to watch me draw the gun from my waistband and aim at the poor rat. He became a pawn in the war the moment he decided to fool the La Eme.

  But unlike every time I don’t just pull the trigger. Throwing the gun into the desk behind me, my hands clutch the traitor’s throat tightly. I hear his whimpers, his plea to be saved until a horrible crack echo through the room. And for the first time, I think I even surprised my men. Certainly, enough for Dario to let out a curse.

  “What the fuck?”

  Wiping the blood on the dead body, my gaze turns to Dario. Can he see the silent warning behind my gaze? God, I hope so. “Anyone who decides to go against me will have the same fate. Even if it’s family.”

  Dario’s eyes widen but not for long. “I’m loyal to you, boss. I’ve pled my life to La Eme. I would never betray you.”

  For his sake, I hope he doesn’t.

  “Y-You killed him.” Barbie stutters, looking at me with hatred. I wonder what she thinks of the situation right now. I don't have to think twice as her fists clench in anger and in a minute, my cheeks burn in pain. The loud sound eerily louder in the rather silent room.

  She just slapped me.

  And, all I can do is laugh.

  Dario comes forward though, raising the knife to hunt for her flesh but I stop him. Why should I be angry at her anyway? She gave me what I wanted. She gave me a mistake. Oh, Barbie...what would I do with you now?

  "One mistake, Barbie," I whisper in her ears, making her whole body rigid. "And now you're mine to do whatever with."

  Whoever send that note is wrong. And they will be shocked to the core to see the flower without the root, breathing but not living. She will never need anyone but me.

  This thorned flower will only be a flower. Even if I have to cut the thorn myself...

  CHAPTER 9

  RAINE

  One mistake, Barbie.

  And, you're mine.

  That's a fate terrible than death. You can play the pretend game with the devil but you don't become his.

  Ace is no different than the devil. He drags me to my hell with a soft murmur of false security. He wears a mask worse than mine. His smile makes me want to run screaming. Once I can get past the fact that my brother might as well have written my death sentence in his own hands. My brother...the same Nick I have wept for hours in that locked room. Maybe one might think of the tears as a sign of desperation. I have taken them as a sign that I'm still alive.

  Even if the lies almost suffocates me to the point of death.

  “Run, little Ba
rbie, run.” Ace’s voice booms around the hallways. “There’s nowhere to hide!”

  I can still hear Ace on my heels and I have never tried to run so fast in my life. Not even when I tried to abandon Nick in the middle of the night once. No! I refuse to think of him, not now, never again. My eyes take in the front door, more desperate now than ever to push through the thing. I think I even succeed only to stumble back with a brutal force.

  “Fuck!”

  It’s not Ace.

  A woman in Ivory gown glares back at me and the contrast between us is so different that it’s almost pathetic. Only that hope for freedom makes me tug her freshly manicured hands in urgency.

  “Can you help me? Please, I need to leave.” Her eyes narrow but she’s not looking at me, instead, they are over my head where I can clearly hear the sound of footsteps getting louder. Oh, God…

  “It’s not a hotel, Vita. You can’t just barge in without asking me, don’t you think so?” Despite the taunting words not for me, I can’t seem to stop shuddering. And when I try to dash through them he doesn’t let me do that either. Like a predator, he lunges for my wrists, twisting them behind me with a self-satisfied smirk. My gaze immediately turns to the stranger, pleading for her to do something but it’s like I’m not even there.

  “Your brother stood me up, Ace.” Her hold on her clutch tightens. “He insulted me in front of the whole family. He was supposed to be my date.”

  “Mierda!” This time I actually flinch hearing the venom in his voice. But it doesn’t stop the woman from throwing a vile smile at Ace.

  “Today was Pedro’s birthday. You, out of all the people should have been present but you weren’t. I had to prepare everything according to your like only to get disappointed when your brother decided that it’s funny to humiliate me like that. Where is he?”

  I’m not surprised to see Ace shrug carelessly. And when he subtly cracks his knuckles, I can’t even suppress my fear. “I was busy dealing with a traitor, didn’t Dante tell you?”