The Mafia Contract Series

t’s good to be here. Back to our headquarters in no-man’s-land. In the middle of the most barren landscape, that requires a flight to get here.

Now it’s time for the second part of our plan and I hope he made it.

As I wait for my friends, I flick a look across at Roberto, who has finally stood up and become the man I needed him to be.

It was a tense meeting the day after my life changed forever. He confessed to keeping our situation from me out of fear of Massimo. He had promised my men their lives if they allied themselves with him. They were told my lifespan was limited and they would be spared when it happened. It was hard to hear and for a moment there, I wasn’t even sure that Roberto would make it out of the room alive.

He made a good case, and I have decided to trust him for now because there is nobody else I can trust. Not yet, anyway.

Roberto’s days are numbered because of ill health, and I know he doesn’t have long. A terminal illness that he has no hope of beating and so, against my better judgment, I spared him in return for everything he knows. It’s been most enlightening and as he brought my troops back to me, I formed a clearer picture of the organization I inherited.

Now I have a loyal band of soldiers who would die for me. I treat them well, unlike my father, and give them no reason to wish me dead. They are aware of my plan for control and understand their best interests lie with me and so I have warded off mutiny, for now at least.

Malik’s surveillance is my secret to enjoy, and it keeps me informed of anything out of place. I don’t feel bad about spying on my men. They must earn their loyalty now-the hard way.

Then there’s Jasmine. The center of my world, currently visiting with her sister Daphne under the protection of my extended family. She is helping design a fortress of luxury that I ordered, and Daphne will manage her dream home that is nothing like the one that stood before it. Eddie and his father will run the business side of the operation and report directly to me. A family saved and are now unwavering in their loyalty to me. So, for now, everything is going according to plan and now it’s time to enter phase two of our operation.

“Angelo.”

Malik heads inside the room.

“It’s good to see you.”

“You too, brother.”

We hug it out and Malik reaches for the whiskey and a glass and says with a wink, “I’ll take this;

it will be good to reacquaint myself with an old friend.”

He pours it to the top and knocks it back and I shake my head. “Is it that bad?”

“Much worse, my friend.”

I hate seeing the weariness in his eyes and the pain that has only intensified since the last time we met. Before I can question him about that, both Alessandro and Ivan head inside, the latter looking a lot more casual than the last time we met.

“It’s good of you to dress for the occasion.” I roll my eyes as I take in Ivan’s tight t-shirt and combats and Alessandro grins. “He’s always been a savage.”

“Takes one to know one.” Ivan growls and grabbing a beer each, they flop down on the couch and it’s almost as if we’re back at Rockwell Academy where we shared a house for many years. As if he’s thinking the same thoughts as me, Ivan growls, “I hope you’ve lined up entertainment tonight. I could use a willing woman to fuck tonight.”

“As opposed to an unwilling one; what are you, an animal now?”

Alessandro cocks his brow as Ivan smirks. “They are never unwilling, my friend. Grateful yes, but never unwilling.”

Alessandro punches his arm and just for a moment, I can breathe easier. This is what resets my motivation. A time when we can all meet without fear of the repercussions of that.

“So, we wait for Flynn. Has anyone seen him?”

Malik nods. “His plane was behind mine. Knowing the bastard, he is probably already in this room watching us.”

A low chuckle heads out of the shadows and our mad friend materializes from behind a large piece of furniture. “Your security leaves a lot to be desired, Angelo.”

His husky tones dance on a sinister edge toward me and I huff, “I might have known. You always did like hiding in shadows like a stalker. You really should seek therapy for that.”

“Oh, I don’t know. I miss waking up and not seeing him at the foot of my bed.”

Ivan laughs out loud, and Flynn blows him a kiss. “You just like to fantasize I’m in your bed.

Fucking savage, you’ll fuck anything that moves.”

We can’t help but laugh as the friendly banter returns with a vengeance and as Flynn grabs a beer, all eyes turn to me, and I grin.

“So, you’re now looking at a married man and the head of an ever-growing family business with everything set in place. Things are going according to plan, and now I hand the baton to you, Flynn.”

I look at him with concern because there has already been a problem with that, and he shrugs. “It could have gone better, but I have my target in mind and it’s good, brothers.”

“In what way?” Malik questions him with a sharp edge to his voice and Flynn’s eyes gleam as he fills us in.

“It turns out I have a mother.”

“You do?” I’m surprised because Flynn was always told he was sold at birth to his hated uncle.

Not that they’re blood relatives, it’s just what he calls him, and Flynn hates every despicable bone in his body.

“Yes, I acquired the information and intend on paying her a visit.”

“Are you going to share that information?” I lean forward, sensing a sting in the tale.

He laughs like the mad bastard he is. “I heard a very interesting story about our friend Massimo Delauren.”

He now has our attention and says in a low, husky voice, “It appears he has an Achilles heel, and guess who’s going to fire the arrow?”

The whole room stills, and Flynn’s eyes flash with dark intent. “He has a brother. Dimitri De Lauren, who now goes by the name of Dimitri Sullivan.”

This is news and we look at one another with a sense of fortune heading in our direction for once.

“They hate one another.” He grins. “Dimitri moved away and set up a business in Seattle. He’s a legitimate businessman who has made billions of dollars in technology, but that’s not what interests us.”

“What does?” I’m impatient to hear and Flynn grins his twisted smile of madness. “He has serious shit behind him and half of Colombia in his pocket. He also has ties with the Romanos in Florida, and everyone knows they hate men like Massimo with a deadly passion.”

Thinking on the Romanos, it’s common knowledge that Dante’s son was sold by his mother to the highest bidder who happened to be his brother Lucian, who was undercover at the time. They tore down that organization and have a burning hatred for anyone who abuses children and I’m guessing it wouldn’t take much to bring them on side.

“So, what’s your plan?”

“Dimitri has two daughters who he absolutely idolizes. Nobody is good enough, and he is a hard man to crack.”

“Good luck with that, my friend.”

Alessandro whistles loudly and Flynn just smirks. “Well, getting back to my mother, did I mention that she is now his third wife?”

Alessandro whistles slowly. “Man, that is news.”

Flynn nods. “That’s not even the best part. You see, Dimitri has powerful friends. Don Pedro Carlos is the girl’s godfather which is ironic, really.”

“What, the Colombian drugs baron? Shit, Flynn, that’s serious heat.”

I can’t believe what I’m hearing, and he laughs softly. “Back in the past, Massimo clashed with Pedro, and they fell out big time. It was a bloody war, and it was Dimitri who helped the cartel get the upper hand. He provided them with state-of-the-art technology, which is why he fell out with his brother. Not that they needed an excuse. They hated one another from birth, it seems. Anyway, Pedro swore eternal loyalty to Dimitri, which is why he was chosen as his daughter’s godfather. Word is, the eldest daughter is his favorite and is set on marrying for love. Nobody measures up, it seems, and even if they pass her stringent tests, there’s her father to impress and then the ultimate test of her godfather. The younger daughter is different. She values power and position over love and has a much easier time because, of the two, she is considered the perfect catch.”

“Why?” Ivan looks confused and Flynn holds up his phone and grins.

“I have taken the liberty of acquiring their photograph.”

He hands it around and one by one, low laughter makes it around the room.

“I rest my case.” He pockets the phone and I feel a lot better than I did five minutes ago. “So, you work your magic, and we add another powerful ally to our ever-growing defenses. I wish you luck.”

“More like wish the poor unfortunate girl luck. Fuck me, does she know what she’s in for?” Ivan shakes his head as he tosses a beer back and we all laugh as we settle back and look forward to a very interesting battle ahead.

We spend a pleasant evening reverting back to the kids we were at Rockwell. It feels so good to be among genuine friends and the only time my mood sours is when Alessandro catches me off-guard.

“Word is you saw your sister.” I don’t miss the longing in his voice, or the desperate curiosity in his eyes. I know how difficult it is for me without her and for some reason Alessandro feels the same.

I still wonder how close they got, but it never seems the right thing to mention it under the circumstances. A lot has happened since then and is of no consequence now.

“I saw a woman who looked like my sister, if that’s what you mean.”

He looks at me sharply. “What do you mean?”

“That bastard has her operating like a fucking robot. She dare not move in case it upsets him and he’s even got her afraid to be alone.”

“We must kill the bastard.” His strangled response weighs heavily on my heart. “Fuck this shit;

we can’t keep her there.”

“Don’t you think I know that? If I thought we would get away with it, I would storm in there right now and kill the bastard. We wouldn’t make it to the front door. No, we stick with the plan and corner the bastard, and then I will take great delight in inflicting him with a long and painful death.”

“There must be a way.”

“If there is, I’ve yet to find it.”

“Arrange a meeting; we’ll ambush them.”

“And then what? Watch our families slaughtered by his men, before feeding us alive to the alligators. That man has it all covered and if he doesn’t kill us, one of his associates will. Massimo Delauren is head of the mafia for a very good reason. He has a power none of us can comprehend, let alone go up against.”

“My grandfather would help us.”

“And you would take that risk. Yes, he is the greatest respected Mafia Don in the world right now, but this isn’t his fight. He’s a businessman and won’t go to war for a girl he’s never heard of. This is the only way, and I can assure you I will die trying to rescue my sister and by the time we have gathered our resources, Massimo Delauren won’t know what hit him.”NôvelDrama.Org (C) content.

As we sit back, we both are lost battling our own demons. This is a war we may not win, and the stakes are high. We must make calculated moves, not rash decision and as I watch Flynn tormenting Ivan with his madness, I hope to God he is successful because Winter’s life depends on it.