Wrath (Part II): A Mafia Romance (Esposito Series Book 2) Read online

  “Stefan?” I blurted, surprised to see him, “I thought you left.”

  “I was leaving.” he answered, looking slightly perturbed, “Rafael and I were supposed to leave together, and he hasn’t come it yet. He’s not even answering my calls.”

  “Maybe he’s just sleeping in.” I offered, hating the way my stomach curled suddenly.

  “Enzo, call his building reception. Have them check whether he’s in or out.” Stefan ordered.

  The man pulled his phone out of his pocket and pressed a few keys, walking out the room to take the call.

  “I’ll go and check with the guards and the guest bedrooms too. Maybe he did come in and crashed in one of them.” Vincent announced, slipping out of the kitchen, the same moment Enzo came back in.

  “That was Rick from the building.” he said, holding up his phone, “He says that Rafael left the building at 9 AM. The valet drove his car to the gate and Rafael and his date for the night got in and left.”

  “Then where the hell did they go?”

  It was as if the minor undercurrent of worry broke through into palpable tension as Stefan cursed loudly and walked out the room, dashing up the stairs. I followed him closely, my mind racing to worst case scenarios.

  “Do you think something happened to him?” I asked, dreading the answer.

  “I don’t know, Zara.” he answered uncertainly, “But we need to track him down- his phone or his car.”

  “How are you gonna do that?”

  “I have an encrypted GPS software that I use to keep track of all the phones and vehicles in the Family.” he explained, throwing open the door to his office, “And the only one with access to it is me. It runs from my system.”

  He rounded the desk and sat down in his chair, firing up his computer.

  “Here,” he muttered, tossing me his phone, “keep calling him. Maybe he’ll pick up.”

  I did as he asked, my hopes resting on maybe. But Rafael didn’t pick up.

  “Stefan, if something happened to him-”

  “Don’t go there, Zara.” he stopped me, “Rafael’s a smart guy, and he can take care of himself.”

  Before I could blurt out any more of my anxious concerns, the door was slammed open and Enzo stood there, panting heavily.

  “It’s Valentin.” he heaved, “Video call. Conference room.”

  Panic seized me in that moment, but I moved my legs, dashing out the room after Stefan and Enzo. I could feel it. He did have something to do with where Rafael was. It was him.

  As we rushed into the giant room, the huge flat screen on the opposite side was lit up with Valentin’s image. An eerily content and smug image.

  “What the fuck did you do to him?” I spat, wanting nothing more than to punch the smugness out of him.

  “I don’t know what you’re talking about, sweetheart.” he shrugged, fixing his cufflinks, all the while smiling.

  “Cut the bullshit, Valentin.” I snapped, my fists curling tightly, “I know it’s you.”

  He hummed loudly, leaning back in his chair, “I like the sound of my name on your lips. Such a turn on.”

  “If you did anything, anything to him, I swear to God I’ll-”

  “You’ll what? Turn your dogs loose on me?” he chuckled humorously, gesturing to Stefan, Enzo and Vincent beside me.

  I turned to Stefan, speechless and helpless. He hadn’t said a word up until now. He just stood there, hands curled in fists. I could almost feel the waves of fury rolling off him.

  “That was quite the party last night.” Valentin mused, “I had no idea you’d look so ravishing in green.”

  “How did you-”

  “Oh sweetheart,” he shook his head in mock pity, “I have eyes and ears everywhere. Got a whole bunch of photos for myself right here.”

  “He’s stalling.” Stefan muttered suddenly, realization dawning on his face.

  “What?” I turned to him, still apprehensive.

  “He’s stalling.” he repeated, “He’s waiting for something.”

  When I turned to the TV again, Valentin was smiling even wider.

  “Well, I know I won’t be getting an Oscar for that performance.” he laughed at his own joke, “Alright, so I lied before. Because I do have a present for you.”

  The way he said present, I knew it going to be far from a bouquet of roses.

  “And it should be delivered right about,” he checked his watch, “now.”

  It was five long seconds later that the landline in the room rang, breaking through the veil of agitated silence. Vincent took the call, putting it on speaker.

  “Who’s this?” Stefan barked, his voice heavier, angrier.

  “Boss, I’m calling from the front gate. You need to get out here. Now!”

  Terror rushed through my veins, freezing me to the spot. I couldn’t move myself, even when Stefan, Enzo and Vincent rushed out of the room. My hands were shaking when I looked at the screen again.

  “Why are you doing this?” I asked helplessly, breaking my resolve to be strong in front of him.

  “Don’t you get it, Zara? It all about you.” he leaned forward, his face becoming serious, “Right here, right now, I’m gonna give you a chance to come to me, on your own, by your own will.”

  Before I could decisively refute his offer, he went on.

  “I’m not going to stop until I have you, sweetheart. So, keep in mind that I did give you a chance. Because whoever dies from this point forward, it’ll be on you. Every guard, every soldier you send my way, their blood will be on your hands. I don’t give a shit about any of your family, be is Stefan, his supposed brothers or even that old bitch you like to call Mama Bella.”

  “Bite that tongue of yours.” I gritted fiercely.

  “As I said before sweetheart, I don’t give a shit. It’s up to you how many people you save.”

  It was then that I felt the same rage I had when he’d called the last time.

  “What you should really worry about, Valetin, is how you’re gonna save your ass. Because either way, we’re gonna come for you.”

  And I cut the call.

  It was only after I heard the shouts coming from outside did I move, wiping my face off the tears and rushing through the front door. I raced down the drive, coming to a halt only when I saw the scene playing out before me.

  My heart plummeted when I saw a battered and bruised body lying still of the ground.

  It was Rafael Esposito.

  Eleven:

  Pulse

  Zara

  I watched in horrified silence as Enzo bent down and pressed a hesitant finger to his neck.

  “He has a pulse!” he shouted, looking up at Stefan, “Call an ambulance!”

  “On its way!” a guard stepped forward.

  “What the hell happened here?” Vincent panted, staring hard at Rafael’s unmoving body.

  “Black SUV rolled up here about a couple of minutes ago. Tinted windows.” the same guy answered, “Opened the door and threw him out like a fucking rag. No license plates but I did see one of the people inside wearing that green and black mask.”

  “There’s no use trying to find them.” Stefan answered, his voice grave, “We already know who’s behind this. Where’s that fucking ambulance?”

  As if on cue, sirens were heard wailing in the distance as the vehicle approached the gate and halted. Out stepped a couple of paramedics, and at once set to work on Rafael. As they strapped him in the ambulance, one of them turned to the crowd.

  “One of you can accompany him to the hospital with us.”

  There was no doubt who would go with them. Stefan turned to me, his eyes filled with both rage and worry.

  “Go.” I urged, “We’ll be okay.”

  “Enzo, get them on full lockdown.” he instructed, “Double security.”

  Before I could manage a goodbye, I was being led inside the gates by Enzo, watching Stefan disappear down the road. As we were walking away, another SUV rolled up, and out stepped four
men, rifles strapped to their backs. They dragged behind them three other men, who looked like they’d been beaten up.

  “They were taking the dirt road to the city.” one of the soldiers informed us, “Caught them right there.”

  “Get them to the basement.” Vincent ordered, “We’ll chat with them in a few.”

  As we headed up the front steps of the house, Enzo motioned to another soldier, who stepped forward with an iPad in his hand.

  “I want a whole team in that hospital. Seal off the east wing, get guards on each entrance and exit and call Dr. Khan and update her on the situation.”

  “Yes, sir.”

  I was in a daze as I watched Enzo and Vincent rattle off instructions to the two soldiers in front of us. More members were walking over, worried and tensed.

  “I want every single member of the Family accounted for. Double security, have each other’s backs.”

  “Get a background check on all the staff and guests from last night’s party. If anyone had even the slightest connection to Valentin, we want to know.”

  The next couple of hours were a blur.

  I barely paid attention to the instructions Enzo was ranting off- about security, about the panic room, about being alert. My entire focus was on the strangled sob from Mama Bella when Vincent wrapped her in a hug. The otherwise strong woman broke down, and I couldn’t bear to see her like that.

  I backed away from the crowd, hurriedly walking up the stairs to my room and slamming it shut behind me. My head and my heart hurt.

  “It’s all about you.”

  “…whoever dies, it’ll be on you.”

  “… their blood is on your hands.”

  Valentin’s words played over and over in my mind. His taunts, his eerie smiles. Every moment of pain and anguish he’d put me through. Everything.

  I curled my body against the wall, rocking back and forth, wishing for the pain to stop. Every time I closed my eyes, I would see Rafael- his smile, his laugh. But then it would get replaced with the horrifying image of him lying still in the middle of the road, bloodied and barely breathing.

  It was for hours that I sat there on the cold floor. My tears had dried up, my sobs had died down and I sat still, watching the sun set against the horizon. I didn’t bother to turn on the lights in my room, nor did I have the courage to get up, go down and face Mama Bella. That woman loved her sons, despite the fact they weren’t her blood.

  How could I go down and face that woman when her son was dying because of me?

  The door to the bedroom was suddenly pushed open, and in walked Stefan, looking tired and disheveled. One look at him and my body reacted with this need, and I instantly got up from the position on the floor and ran to hug him.

  He wrapped his arms around me force, molding my body with his. The way he held me, so close and so tight, it was like he was scared to let me go. He sighed deeply in my neck, pressing his lips to the side of my head, then to my forehead, my cheeks and finally, finally on my lips.

  The kiss was long and rough. It was like he was reassuring himself that I was right there, with him.

  “I’m so sorry, Stefan.” I apologized, over and over, on the verge of tears again.

  “Don’t,” he whispered against my lips, “it’s not your fault Zara.”

  “How is he? How is Rafael?”

  He exhaled a sharp breath, shaking his head in frustration.

  “He’s out of surgery,” he stated, “but he hasn’t gained consciousness.”

  “What exactly happened to him?”

  “He was tied, beaten up and whipped.”

  My hand flew to my mouth in shock.

  “One of his wrists is broken which means he was hung up, a broken femur and a few broken ribs. But his back, God his back, Zara. I have seen my fair share of violence but even I stepped back in horror when I saw those long whip gashes on his back.”

  “Oh my God.” I gasped loudly, “How are you here though? Who’s there with him now?”

  “I called Enzo and Vincent and left the hospital after they arrived. I was worried about you guys and Mama too. But shouldn’t you know this? I thought you’d be with them downstairs.”

  I shook my head, “I couldn’t bear to see Mama Bella like that. Especially when this is all happening because of me.”

  “Hey, I told you before,” Stefan held my face in his hands, “none of this is your fault.”

  “Except it is, Stefan.” I confessed, “Valentin said-”

  “I’m sorry but I refuse to hear a justification that starts with ‘Valentin said’.” he gritted, “And since when do you go around hearing his reasons?”

  “After you guys dashed out from the conference room, I talked to him.” I stated, looking down.

  “What did that fucker say to you?”

  “He said,” I paused, gathering the courage to speak, “he said that this is all about me. And he gave me chance to go to him on my own, and he won’t hurt anyone from this family.”

  “And are you considering this oh-so-generous offer?”

  “Of course not.” I looked at him, shaking my head, “Do you really think I would willingly go to the guy who raped me and ruined my life?”

  “Then what is this about Zara?” Stefan whispered, his eyes searching mine, “What did he say to you?”

  “He said that every person that dies in this war, their blood will be on my hands.” I whispered, looking him right in the eyes, “and I don’t know if I’d be able to live with that.”

  “Listen to me,” he held my face firmly in his hands, “this is what we do. People die every day in this world. I know that, this family knows that, and all my soldiers know that. And they’re ready for it. You must be too. I can’t stand here and tell you that we’ll all get out of this alive. And what happened to Rafael today is an example of that.”

  “Then what do you expect me to do? Just stand here and wait for your people to die?” I moved away from him, on the verge of hysteria, “Why would they do that for me in the first place? They don’t even know me. I don’t mean anything to them!”

  “But you mean everything to me.”

  I froze.

  “And trust me, that in itself is enough for them to die for you.”

  His eyes were hooded when he crossed the distance between us in a couple of steps. My eyes met the force in his as his hand weaved through my hair and grabbed me by my nape, pulling me an inch away from his lips.

  “You are a queen. Mine and theirs.” he whispered, his teeth gritted and his hold tight, “I don’t plan on breaking my vow anytime soon, and neither am I going to let you back down from ripping Valentin apart. So, I am going to kiss you hard now, and pull you out of this miserable well of self-pity so you can become the queen I know you are.”

  And he did. He kissed me. And it was every bit powerful as I’d hoped for.

  “It’s okay to be scared. I know you are.” he whispered between kisses, “But we’re gonna get through this. I have a lot of plans for us.”

  “Plans?”

  “Yes, but they can only be implemented after you shoot off Valentin’s dick.”

  “That sounds nice.” I smiled against his lips, reaching forward to trace my fingers against his jaw.

  “My plans or shooting Valentin’s dick off?”

  “Both.” I whispered, making him chuckle loudly. That joke and laughter was much needed. It broke the veil of anxiety and tension that I was drowning in not so long ago.

  “That’s my girl.”

  My girl.

  I couldn’t hide my grin when he pulled me against his chest, wrapping his arms around me in a much need embrace.

  “I was not hoping for my day to end up this way.” he sighed, stroking his fingers over my hair.

  “What were you hoping for?”

  “I was hoping to stay in bed with you.” he pulled back, holding my face and looking into my eyes, “After I woke up this morning, all I could think about was last night, how amazing it was.”
<
br />   The air between us shifted.

  “Your moans and screams of pleasure. Your body writhing underneath mine, your nails scratching against my back.”

  “Stefan….” I whispered, my mind filling up of moments from last night. His heavy breathing in my ears, the way he pushed his face in my neck as he thrust in and out of me, and his soft grunts.

  I didn’t wait for him to protest when I wrapped my hand around his head and pulled him down for a kiss. There was desire, and passion and every other emotion I could think of.

  When we pulled back, he was grinning from ear to ear, as he traced my lower lip with his thumb.

  “It’s nice to know you crave me as much as I crave you.” he mumbled, kissing me in between words.

  “That’s an exaggeration.” I lied, rolling my eyes dramatically. Truth was, I did crave him. The way my body reacted to his touch, it was a whole different sensation. I had never felt before the way I was feeling now.

  “Alright,” he looked at me challengingly, “then you won’t mind me doing this.”

  And slowly, very slowly, he started unbuttoning his shirt.

  My sudden silence caused his smug smile to widen, when he stepped back and started taking off his clothes. And not the normal way. He deliberately slowed his movements, watching my reaction.

  I shamelessly leaned back against the wall and watched the guy strip right down to his boxers. His perfectly sculpted body formed the most dirty and downright inappropriate images in my mind.

  “Why are you doing this Stefan?” I finally asked, releasing a sharp breath to calm down my burning body.

  His smug grin turned into one of satisfaction as he turned away from me and started heading towards the bathroom.

  “I was going to take a shower.” he explained, oh-so-innocently, “I’m kinda dirty, you know.”

  “You-” my rant was cut off.

  “And you are going to join me.”

  Twelve:

  Hospital

  Zara

  The shower was eventful, to say the least. But as we got clothed, there was a sudden silence between us.

  “Do you think we’re bad people?” I finally asked, “I mean, with Rafael fighting for his life-”