The Mafia Contract Series

The restaurant is empty, which doesn’t surprise me because Massimo Delauren doesn’t like people. He never has, which is why it’s rare to find him outside his mansion. I’m guessing he bought up the entire place tonight, just so we can conduct our business in private.

Jasmine gasps as we walk inside and whispers, “Is it even open?”

I fix my usual blank, impenetrable expression on my face and hiss, “Whatever you witness tonight is normal, remember that. Keep a blank mask on your face and don’t react.”

The owner shows us to a table by the window and as I look down, I see the entire city spread out beneath us. Small, insignificant, and my place of business and the anger churns inside me when I remember how Massimo is trying to take it from me.

We wait in silence and as the clock ticks past the agreed time, I know this is just one of many mind games he will play tonight.

I am trying so hard to keep from staring at my wife because she shines like a polished diamond in the sunlight. That diamond is now holding a devastating secret and she must be helped through what that means – for her. She has taken another life; one that gave her life in the first place, and if anyone knows what that’s like, it’s me.

We will deal with that tonight when business is done, always supposing we have another night, that is. I know Massimo is positioning his troops in a bid to kill his enemy and no one hates the man as much as I do.

A commotion by the door grabs my attention and like a starving man, I stare with a desperate hunger at the woman who has just walked in. Strong, beautiful, and yet empty, as she walks beside her husband looking like a living doll. Her beautiful long dark hair is swept up into an intricate pile on top of her head, studded with diamonds that catch the light, making it appear as if the stars twinkle all around her. A heavy diamond choker graces her long white neck and the floor length black silk gown floats around her as if it has a life of its own. She walks straight backed and proud and the way her husband has his hand on the small of her back, tells of an ownership I am hating the very thought of.

As they draw near, I stare at her, desperate for any sign of life, warmth even, in those beautiful eyes that will tell me she’s still mentally alive at least.

There is nothing. No spark, no recognition even, and no feeling. Just an empty-headed doll going through the motions, and it tears my heart into a million torn pieces with the roughest of edges that cut deeply and make me bleed despair.

“Angelo and his lovely wife, Jasmine. Such a beautiful couple. Wouldn’t you agree, my darling?”

She smiles on command and nods. “Yes darling, so lovely.”

I can see Jasmine studying Winter closely and she smiles warmly but just gets an aloof look in return.

I can’t help myself and say, “Winter, you’re looking good, sister.”

I choose my words for effect because I want to remind her she’s family. I can’t believe this is the same person who used to lie her head on my shoulder and empty her heart and mind. Tell me of her greatest wishes and make plans both of us always knew would never happen.

She just says in a calm, controlled voice, “Thank you, Angelo. Congratulations on your marriage.”

She turns and looks at Jasmine and I desperately search for any emotion in her eyes, but she looks through her and says politely, “Welcome to the family, Jasmine.”

I can tell Jasmine is surprised, and a little freaked out by my robotic family member and as we take our seats, I fight back the urge to shoot her husband dead and shake some life back into her.

However, I wouldn’t even get to rise from my seat, so I play the long game and hope I’m not too late when I do set Winter free. Knowing Massimo our place by the window was pre-arranged and there is a gun trained on both of us from a hidden place that offers the sniper full view of the room and so I must play the game for as long it takes to win.Content rights by NôvelDr//ama.Org.

Massimo raises his glass. “To the happy couple and a merger of sorts.”

We sip our champagne and Massimo laughs softly, “The Sontauros and The Rossis. I must say, Angelo, you have chosen well. Your wife is a credit to you.”

“Thank you.” I nod respectfully, and he shakes his head and sighs theatrically. “I still can’t believe your father is gone, Angelo. It makes things much more difficult between us.”

“In what way?” I’m on high alert as he leans forward and fixes me with a patronizing smile.

“Let’s just say we had an understanding. Oscar agreed that when I married his daughter, half of his empire reverted to me. A merger of his business with mine where I would assure your family of my loyalty and protect you from your enemies, for a cut, of course. However, it has been brought to my attention that you are unhappy about that, which is why I agreed to this meeting. To set in place our future personal relationship and guarantee our mutually satisfactory business one.”

I choose my words carefully. “I was unaware of any agreement and when I discovered my profits were leaking from my bank account, I took steps to plug it.”

“An unfortunate move, if I may be so bold to say.”

He leans back and drapes his arm behind my sister, and I watch as he strokes her neck. There is no reaction from her at all as she just stares in front of her with a fixed smile on her face. To anyone else observing, they would think she was happy, but I know my sister and she is locked in a living hell.

“So, now we both understand the rules that have been set in place, we can agree on a cut of thirty percent going forward.” His smooth tone is outlined in menace, and I growl, “It was twenty this morning. Why the increase?”

“Why not?” Massimo shrugs, as if he can do what the fuck he likes, and we both know he can. So, I lean back in my chair and say in a voice devoid of any emotion, “I agree to twenty percent as agreed with my father. I am not a man who backs out on a deal and hope that I am sitting in the company of another one.”

For the first time, Massimo’s eyes gleam with malice, telling me he’s unhappy about my defiance, and then he looks at Jasmine and my blood runs cold as he raises his glass. “To our future collaboration. I will enjoy getting acquainted with my new sister-in-law.”

To her credit, Jasmine just raises her own glass and smiles, acting as if this isn’t some kind of twisted freak show where words mean different things entirely.

“Don Delauren, I am honored to be a member of your family and am looking forward to getting to know my sister-in-law better. Perhaps we can arrange a lunch date soon? We could go shopping or take a walk to get to acquainted with one another. I will schedule a mutually convenient time if that is agreeable with you, Winter.”

She looks directly at my sister, effectively cutting Massimo out of the conversation, and I’m interested in how they will deal with this surprise attack. For a moment, he freezes, and it’s so quick nobody would notice it if they weren’t watching him keenly, and then he cuts in and says agreeably, “What a delightful invitation. If only that could happen.”

“I don’t understand.” Jasmine looks confused and Massimo shakes his head sadly. “It’s difficult because Winter is a woman who likes to keep away from company. Even this evening has been hard for her to deal with. I am doing my best, but the doctors tell me it is a condition that needs careful handling.” He strokes her face and plays the part of the concerned husband. “I will do anything to build her into a stronger woman, but my wife is weak and of a nervous disposition.” He turns to her and says gently, “Speak, darling, and tell them. They could help, perhaps.”

He says as an aside. “She needs to be encouraged; this is a hard situation for her.”

All eyes turn to Winter, who merely says in an even voice, “My husband is right. I can’t bear to be away from him for a second. He is my world, and I feel lost when he is not around. Thank you for your kind invitation, but I must decline.”

I hate this fucking bullshit and cut in with a sharp, “You’ve changed, sister. What happened to you?”

Massimo sighs heavily. “I suppose you must blame me for that. I love her just a little too much and she has grown dependent on me. I try to encourage her to mix but she gets anxiety at the mention of it.

No, your sister’s place is by my side now and I won’t let her down, or demand things of her she is reluctant to give. You must understand that I always have your sister’s best interests at heart.”

He snaps his fingers effectively killing the conversation stone dead and as the waiters rush to serve us the finest food, I sense my sister drifting further away from me every hour that passes. She may be here physically but mentally she is in a dark place and the sharpest pain is driving into me on repeat as I struggle to figure a way out of this situation.

One hour passes of polite conversation with words that stick in my throat before one of Massimo’s soldiers appears by his side. A whispered conversation is all I can make out and the sharp look Massimo directs at me tells me what I’ve been waiting for.

The soldier leaves and Massimo regards Jasmine with a calculating look and then says with fake sympathy, “You have my condolences, my dear.”

Winter looks at Jasmine with a blank expression and Jasmine looks confused. “I’m not sure I…” Massimo shakes his head sadly. “It has come to my attention that a terrible tragedy has taken place at your former home.”

Jasmine’s eyes are wide as Massimo prepares to deliver what we both already know.

“It appears that a rival family, the Torinos, arrived to claim your sister as Sebastian Torino’s bride as arranged and found her gone. It seems they were so enraged at the disrespect shown, they murdered your parents in cold blood. A most unfortunate incident that is currently being dealt with, under the radar, of course, and I hate to be the one to break the sad devastating news.”

I can tell that Jasmine doesn’t know how to play this and just looks at me with fear and disbelief swirling in her beautiful eyes. To anyone watching, it’s through shock, but it’s because she wasn’t expecting this outcome to a serious problem and those eyes are mirroring relief instead. So, taking this as my cue to get the fuck out of here, I say in a firm voice, “Please accept my apologies, Massimo. We should leave; there is much to arrange.”

“Arrange?” Massimo looks at me with amusement and I deliver my winning card. “Yes, when I took Jasmine as my wife, it was agreed that when Franco died, the business would revert to his eldest daughter and as her husband, it now falls upon me to merge our two families. Unlike your agreement with my father, I now get one hundred percent of the Rossi organization, which considerably inflates my own position in our organized world. So, as you can see, I have much to arrange and I’m guessing my wife will be anxious to return home and check on her sister and discover what happened. Not to mention start the grieving process regarding her parents.”

Massimo’s eyes gleam with danger because he was not expecting this. For a man who likes to make his move and win, his latest one has been blocked and he will not be happy about that.

He recovers well and nods. “Then you must leave. Our business is concluded, anyway. Thirty percent is my final figure, and I will collect payment through my usual channels.”

As I stare him straight in the eye, I say darkly, “Twenty-five percent and I will agree for the sake of my sister’s investment as a member of my family.”

“You drive a hard bargain, Angelo.” Massimo pretends to be impressed. “You have your agreement, safe in the knowledge I will do everything in my power to keep your sister safe.”

There it is. The battle line drawn as he uses my love for my sister against me. He is bringing her into the conversation as a promise that if I don’t play along, it will be Winter who suffers. If I detect anything in her eyes, it’s resignation and as I sweep from the room with Jasmine running to keep up, I vow the deadliest revenge on the man who is now number one on my hit list.