by Eden Butler
“It’s the principle…”
“Please,” I told Liam, “it’s not like your vows or even God’s law matter to any of you. He,” I said, nodding to my father, “sold his daughter to an abusive damn thug, and you both deal in women you steal off the streets and divorce is some sort of blight on your family’s honor? Get the hell over yourself, Liam.”
“I have my reasons,” he said, finally glancing down at the papers in the folder. He hesitated, but still took the pen from Johnny’s man. “This is important. Not something I can rush into…”
“Liam,” Rory started, his gaze on the briefcase when he rested a hand on the back of Liam’s chair. “Your uncle wouldn’t want…”
“Fuck’s sake, man, mind your own business.” He stood when my father grunted, and his attention stayed on the briefcase.
“See reason, son…” he tried, leaning on the table, his palm right next to the case. “Your uncle was very clear about…things—”
“Holy shit,” Liam said to him, standing. “You gonna rat me out to my uncle?”
“You’re joking. I would never…” But Rory’s hand slipped closer to the briefcase and Liam seemed to notice. He pushed the chair back, making it slam against the wall then move to tower over my father.
“You old fuck, you’re the one whose been telling my uncle every damn move I make.” He pushed Rory with the flat of his hand, making my father stumble, just barely catching himself on the edge of table. “Years, I’m betting. Every time I made a move you didn’t like, you called that old man up, didn’t you?”
Next to me, Johnny moved his head, glancing at the attorney who packed up the folder and hurried out of the room. Liam’s men were inching closer to their boss, looking worried, half impressed by my ex’s antics while Johnny’s guards moved forward.
“Time’s up,” Johnny whispered, nudging me with his hand to stand. We did, the slow movement seeming to catch my father’s attention.
“You feckin’ wanker, it’s not me you should fret over.” He pointed to us as we were halfway to the door. “It’s my wee damn daughter and Carelli who are plotting bollocks. The whole of the time here was for some purpose, you eejit. Don’t ya see that?”
Liam turned, spotting us near the door, and he didn’t hesitate, reaching behind his belt to grab a gun.
“Run!” Johnny told us, and we shot for the door just as Liam squeezed off two rounds.
His men moved behind us, returning fire as Johnny grabbed me, dragging me into the lobby. I spotted Dario first, my heart threatening to burst as we ran. He reached for me, throwing off his shades just as Smoke and Dino emerged from the other side of the door.
Three loud shots echoed across the lobby and the small crowd of secretaries and Liam’s men collided, some falling, some moving right for us.
“It’s done,” Smoke yelled, waving us toward the front entrance. “Hustle. Now!”
Dario had an arm around me, his grip controlling and my lungs burned from the hard, labored breaths I took the closer we ran for the door.
“Carelli!” Liam shouted and two more shots bounced around the lobby, one landing in Johnny’s leg before he returned fire.
“The van, go!” Dario screamed hustling me out of the door as Smoke and Dino tugged on Johnny, dragging him from the lobby.
We were through the door when the last scream echoed.
I knew that voice.
I’d hated it for as long as I could remember.
But Johnny Carelli’s bullet had answered Liam’s, and even in the chaos, I glanced behind me at the bellow of my father’s voice. In the crossfire he’d gotten his. Horrified, I sucked in a gulp of air as Dario pulled me to the waiting van, Dante and Kat motioning us in. The bullet had hit Rory between the eyes and the old man had fallen back.
There was no time to register what I’d seen.
Smoke and Dino pulled Johnny into the van just after Dario grabbed me around the middle and stuffed me next to his brother, slamming the door behind him.
Smoke’s loud command of, “Book it, Lanzo…hustle!” made my ears ring, matching the loud screech of tires and the ricochet of two more bullets that shattered the back van windows.
Dario covered my head and after two minutes the shooting stopped and the only noise rattling in that cab was the engine revving.
“This is bad,” I told him, clutching his collar, needing to feel him and the grip he made onto my shoulders.
“This,” he said, kissing my forehead, “is how war starts.”
Epilogue
Dario
Two months later
If my ma had gotten her way, there would have been a priest and a proper wedding mass. But my bet was my folks had given up on getting what they wanted where Dimitri was concerned. So, we stood outside in the park, surrounded by our family, friends, and townsfolks and my brother married his woman right in the middle of that Victorian gazebo.
Can’t say I hated the memory I had of this place, or the sweet sliding smile Ava gave me as she sat by my parents watching me stand next to my brother as he and Maggie spoke their vows.
It was our favorite spot in town now.
“Yeah, I know, sugar. Of course! I’m so proud of you.” Ava’s voice went a few octaves up anytime she had Makayla on the line. She knew I’d noticed, pretended I was full of shit but still let it slide when I teased her about it.
“Yeah, I know,” I mocked, making my voice all high and girl. I was rewarded with an elbow to the gut.
“S-T-O-P,” she mouthed when I caught her elbow and pulled her against my chest. “Yes, he’s right here being a pain…what?” She looked over her shoulder, motioning to her cell. “Makayla wants to know if you’re treating me right.”
“Of course I am,” I said into the phone, laughing when I caught the demanding “That’s what I thought,” from the kid.
“Okay, sweetie. Yes, I’ll call on Tuesday. Love you!”
“How’s the Junior Scientist?”
“Irritated that I can’t see her for Thanksgiving.” Ava stuffed her cell into her handbag and leaned back against me.
“It won’t be forever,” I promised, giving her a kiss to the temple.
The beef with Liam had done exactly what Dimitri feared: started a war nobody but McKinney wanted. Connelly was dead and Liam had been paid off, but McKinney took the damn shoot out as a personal insult, one Johnny promised he wouldn’t be apologizing for. Not until McKinney made amends about helping Reynolds kidnap Mateo.
“Hey, what’s with Carellis and babies?” Ava asked, interrupting my dark thoughts as she slid to my side as the music from Pop’s big jukebox keyed up a Van Morrison classic.
“We love babies. You gotta be more specific, darlin’.” I slipped an arm around her shoulder, leaning down to kiss her forehead.
“I’m only asking because I overheard Maggie telling Smoke she was late. By like eight weeks.” I jerked a look to her, and a stupid, quick grin popped so quick over my mouth my cheeks ached. “And,” she continued, moving her chin toward the dancefloor. “Johnny’s wife had those twins less than a year ago and she announced to your mother she’s pregnant again already.” She lifted a flute of champagne when a waitress offered it to her and took a sip. “I was sure the yell your mom released would wake the dead.”
“It might still,” I laughed squeezing her shoulder. “But you can’t blame any of them.”
“Oh, I don’t. Babies are a blessing.”
I shot my eyebrows up, inching a look at Ava, but she held up her hands.
“Calm down there, mister. Not happening anytime soon. I’m on the shot.”
“I thought you might be gauging my reaction.”
“Nah.” She stood in front of me, arm moving around my neck. “But that doesn’t mean we can’t practice. A lot.”
“Oh, I’m down for that, darlin’.” I glanced around the restaurant, examining who was where and how easy an escape we might be able to make. “It’s all clear, you know.”
She gr
inned against my kiss, squeezing her arm around me.
“No one would know if we—”
“Ma would know,” Dante said, ducking when I pulled away from Ava long enough to angle a swing at him. “She’s looking for you. Pictures.”
“Madonna, again?” I asked getting a shrug from my kid brother. “Come on, sweetheart, let’s get this over.”
“Technically, I’m not a Carelli.” Ava tried slipping out of my arm, but I grabbed her waist, pulling back to my side.
“Not yet,” I promised, loving how pink her cheeks got anytime I mentioned us taking our turn on that gazebo and not for the activities that had made the place our favorite.
“Anyway…” Dante’s tone was irritated, and he twisted up a frown when Ava kissed me back. “I swear to God, all the couples in this damn town.”
“Maybe you should find someone to keep you distracted.” I nodded toward the dancefloor, to Mr. Ricks’ twin daughters who’d just landed back in town for the Thanksgiving break. They’d been the last Smoke had allowed in after he’d made the lockdown semi-permanent. Even Johnny and his family and guards were stuck in Cuoricino until we had a handle on this war.
“Can’t,” Dante admitted, ducking his head when we passed the twins.
“What’d you do, little brother? Bed both of them?”
He jerked a look at me, eyes wide, and I stopped walking, tugging Ava back. “You serious?” I asked him.
He motioned toward the front of the restaurant where Dimitri and Maggie stood with Mateo, Toni playing photographer, handling Pop’s old Canon with the fancy flash.
“Jesus, Dante…both of them?”
“I was a kid, and it was like…two months apart.”
“Man, what is it with you Carelli men and keeping it in the family?” Ava squealed when I pinched her ass, hurrying away from me when Ma called her name.
“She’s a handful,” Dante commented, watching Ava hug Ma.
“Just how I like her.” I patted his back, giving Dante’s shoulders a squeeze, leading him toward our family, but he stopped, turning away from them to face me.
“It’s been a while, you know, since we both got back.” He lost all expression in his face and when he averted his eyes this time, it didn’t seem because he was avoiding girls he’d bedded. Dante swallowed, straightening his shoulders before he looked right at me. “I was a fuck up. That’s nothing you didn’t know, but D…I don’t think I can ever tell you…” He cleared his throat, rubbing the back of his neck like the words were lodged somewhere deep down his throat. “What I mean is…”
“Dante,” I said, grabbing him behind his neck. “You’re my brother, and I love you. I’d take the wrap for you a hundred times over.”
I meant it. That shithole was no place for a kid like Dante. Not who he’d been back then, not even the man he was now. He was sorry, and I knew that. It was in every wince on his face anytime someone mentioned me being gone. It haunted his expression whenever anybody got too curious about why he went away to Italy for so long.
“D…” He tried, his voice cracking again.
“Leave it,” I told him, patting his face. “I mean it. It’s forgotten.”
“Not…completely,” he admitted, looking across the dancefloor. I glanced behind me, spotting who had taken Dante’s attention.
“Ah, yeah, man…you fucked that up, huh?”
Kat danced with one of Johnny’s men, bumping her hips against him as the guy’s face turned red and he stood unmoving while she laughed and twerked.
“Yeah. I did.”
“Dario! Dante!” Ma called and I tugged on my brother’s shoulder, dragging him from Kat’s fail at shaking Johnny’s man. “Good…here you go, stand next to Dimitri.” She positioned us shoulder to shoulder, giving Toni instructions as she snapped the pictures until finally, Ava was back at my side, and we all stood for one final picture.
“You know,” she said, her gaze following Kat when Ma pushed her next to Dante a few feet from where we stood, “I heard Kat telling Toni how good she thought Dante looked tonight.”
I stopped her gossiping by bending her back, kissing her hard just as my sister’s three count ended and she shot the picture.
“You…ruined the shot,” Ava said, blinking up at me as I held her in my arms.
“And you should remember the shitshow you got into from overhearing conversations.”
“Dario!” Ma called, laughing, “we need that last picture.”
“Give the man a minute, Ma. He’s sprung as hell,” Dimitri said, but I didn’t care what he thought.
“Well, I suppose you’ll have to keep me in check.” Ava tugged on my neck, bringing me in for another kiss.
“I can only manage that when we’re around each other.”
She nodded, totally unaware of the shit that ran through my head.
“So, I guess the only solution for you is to m—”
“Don’t…”
“Move in with me.”
“I…” Ava’s grin came slow, like a sunrise and lit up her face just the same. “Well, if that’s the only solution.”
“It is, darlin’.”
My girl held my face, taking the kiss I gave her like she couldn’t get enough of my mouth, and I had to admit, I hoped she never did.
“I knew you were a good guy, Dario Carelli,” she whispered reminding me of that night all those years ago when she took a kiss that hadn’t been hers.
“If I am, it’s because you made me want to be.”
All my kisses belonged to Ava now. They always would.
THE END
Want to read another new release from Eden Butler? Pick up FEARLESS REBEL, set in Vi Keeland and Penelope Ward’s COCKY BASTARD universe, exclusively available on Kindle Unlimited.
Cold. Cruel. Fearless.
Ed Mescal had been all those things.
None of them fit.
Rebel.
That one did.
To the people who loved him, he’d been a brother. A grandson. A friend.
To Piper Warren, he thought, he’d been much more.
But lies that get buried are old and ugly once they're unearthed, something Ed's enemies are about to discover.
Now he's back, freed from the past and ready to reclaim the life and love stolen from him.
If he can prove that even a rebel deserves a second chance.
Acknowledgments
As always, thank you, Chelle Bliss for your support, love, and occasional fussing and for the lightning-fast cover creation and formatting. I am always so grateful for your friendship.
Thanks to Renita McKinney, Curtis Evans, Heather Weston-Confer and Luna Joya for the amazing alpha and beta reads and to the amazing Katherine Tate for the wonderful edit.
Massive thanks to Kate Farlow for the beautiful graphics, Dani Sanchez with Wildfire Marketing Solutions and the folks at Give Me Books and Bare Naked Words for the promo help and for making DARIO my best selling pre-order.
Massive gratitude and appreciation to the lovely authors who helped me launch this book: Chelle Bliss, Skye Warren, Janet Walden-West, Brenda Rothert, Kristin Jacques, Jiffy Kate, Elizabeth Marx, JE McDonald, Melissa Sercia, Penelope Douglas, Kat Turner, Lisa Renee Jones, Season Vining, CA Rene, Courtney MaGuire and EE Hornburg.
To my wonderful, amazing readers, street and ARC teams, my family and friends and especially to my Corporate Hell sisters—Barbara Blakes, Marie Anderson-Simmons, Kalpana Singh, Sarah Cooper and Sherry Jackson who I miss with my whole heart. I’m crossing my fingers we can get back to our foodies lunches soon.
And to Chris, Chelsey, Trinity, Faith, Grace, and the moon baby, thank you for continuing to love and support me even when my office door is closed and I’m tying my fingers off at five a.m. This is all for you. Every last letter.
Also By Eden Butler
FROM CITY OWL PRESS / PARANORMAL & FANTASY ROMANCE
Infinite Us
CRIMSON COVE SERIES
Forgotten Magic
&
nbsp; Love and Magic (Forthcoming, 2021)
Haunted Magic (Forthcoming, 2022)
INDEPENDENT TITLES / CONTEMPORARY ROMANCE
THE SERENITY SERIES
Chasing Serenity
Behind the Pitch
Finding Serenity
Claiming Serenity
Catching Serenity
THE THIN LOVE SERIES
Thin Love
My Beloved
Thick Love
Thick & Thin
My Always
SAINTS & SINNERS SERIES
The Last Love of Luka Hale
Roughing the Kicker
Offsides
GOD OF ROCK SERIES
Kneel
Beg
THE CARELLI FAMILY SAGA
Smoke
Dario
Dante (Forthcoming, 2021)
Toni (Forthcoming, 2022)
STANDALONES
Fearless Rebel
I’ve Seen You Naked and Didn’t Laugh
Platform Four
Fall
COLLABORATIONS
Nailed Down
Tied Down
Kneel Down
Stripped
Santa, Baby, A Carelli Family Christmas Novella
About the Author
Eden Butler is a writer of contemporary, fantasy and romantic suspense novels and the nine-times great-granddaughter of an honest-to-God English pirate. This could explain her affinity for rule breaking and rum.
When she’s not writing or wondering about her possibly Jack Sparrowesque ancestor, Eden reads, cooks and spends too much time in her garden perfecting her green thumb while waiting for the next New Orleans Saints Super Bowl win.
