The Mafia Contract Series

Roberto pushes the last girl into the room and only the sound of the door slamming can be heard as our attention is diverted toward them. Four women here to play a part for our illustrious guest, under strict instructions not to speak at any time. Four girls bought at auction who are expecting a sordid night of depravity as we rip them to shreds. Maybe that will happen, but I doubt it. Unwilling women has never been something we enjoy, but they don’t need to know that.

A look passes between us and one by one we move as a pack. Claiming one girl each, we roughly pull them beside us and wait for the show to start. In low tones we talk about shit just to pass the time, the women docile and shivering beside us. They have no drink to hold, no conversation to enjoy, just strict instructions to hold our arm and look pretty and somehow get through the night ahead.

Fear is something we live with daily, and I can almost taste theirs. It’s a delicious feast of the most disturbing kind, because I doubt a day goes past when we don’t feel it in every living part of us.

Fear of the future. If we get to enjoy one, that is. Carrying on the family business under the deadliest storm cloud where sunshine is not invited.

Finally, the door opens, and the last piece of our puzzle is complete as Alessandro strides into the room with the lady of the hour hot on his heels. Lauren Berkeley. Would be Hollywood director under the apprenticeship of our own brother. The Beast. Now a Hollywood producer with a couple of golden statues under his belt. A favor called in from his grandfather in return for pledging his allegiance and stepping up as his successor when he’s gone. Sicilian mafia, the deadliest kind, and Alessandro’s grandfather is the most poisonous reptile you would hate to meet who favors his grandson above his own son. Alessandro’s father broke away and heads up the Boston mafia and Alessandro can’t wait to end his miserable life. Our common hatred of our families bound us together tighter than any physical bonds and now we are all in place to realize the dream.

We bide our time in welcoming our brother, because now the acting begins. Intimidation and fear are the dishes of the day and the frightened looks in the women’s eyes tell me we do our job well.

I look with interest at Lauren Berkeley. The angel Baron demanded in payment for information he divulged in his usual practical fashion. To this day, I don’t know where he gets it from. He’s always been guarded and slightly aloof, as if he holds the secrets of Hades in his eyes and manipulates others to suit his own agenda. He lived at Rockwell with his own band of brothers, who were the antitheses of us in every way. Not him, though. He was the bridge that linked our two houses and if I had my way, he would have moved in with us.

My thoughts return to the scar we all wear hidden from view. Self-inflicted on the night it began.

Demonstrating our allegiance to Club Mafia. Six battle scars that will change our lives and it begins tonight.

Miss Berkley is the woman who has forced change, and she doesn’t even know it and as she trembles beside The Beast, I wonder what her decision will be. We need to intimidate her and scare her half to death, so she makes the right decision for all of us.

Alessandro appears to be doing a good enough job of that already because the fear in her eyes is a delicious sight to behold. Then that fear turns to disbelief as our guest of honor makes an appearance.

“Baron Fitzgerald.”

Roberto’s voice rings out as Baron strides into the room and all eyes turn to him with interest and some with fear. I watch Lauren’s expression which is a strange mixture of disbelief and relief and I head toward him, my hand outstretched, and whisper, “Baron, it’s been a long time.”

The gratitude in his eyes tells me everything I want to know, and it feels good to repay the debt.

His information that sparked this reunion has never tasted so bitter on my tongue.

My sister. Winter Sontauro. The girl who betrayed us all and married our biggest enemy. I thought it was unwilling until the day of my father’s funeral because the woman who walked into our childhood home was a very different one from the one who walked out. Emotionless, cold, and full of bitter defeat. Pledging her undying love for a man who makes Flynn look sane.

Massimo Delauren. A man who many fear and rightly so. Head of the largest mafia syndicate in the mid-west. A fucked-up machine of insanity who I thought was holding my sister captive until she looked me in the eye and told me she loved him. We were the only ones in the room unless you count the decaying corpse of my father and I watched in disbelief as she spat on his face and told me I had let her down. It was ‘too quick’, she said, and, in that moment, I felt as if I had let her down. I hated every minute of it and when she left with that bastard, it was the last I heard from her until Baron fed me the most devastating news and his payment is the return of the woman who is cowering beside the Beast looking as if she might die on the spot.

Alessandro has a bigger part to play in this than most, and he doesn’t even know it. The fact the women here are all blonde except for the stunning Ms. Berkley is because he cannot bear to look upon women who remind him of my sister. I never really knew how close they’d become and when she married another, it destroyed him. Ruthless, cold, and unforgiving, he has lived with the demons circling as he imagines her in another’s arms. He loves her. It’s obvious, which stokes the flames of rage that burn inside me because they went against instruction when I brought Winter to live with us in Rockwell. ‘Stay away from my sister’ was the only rule, and it appears he wanted her more than to obey an order. Betrayal has a habit of seeping through the cracks and breaking apart the strongest of foundations. Winter and Alessandro betrayed my trust, and I am still working out what to do about that.

I introduce Baron to the woman as if they are strangers and love watching the play of emotions that tell me my answer before we’ve even begun.

“You keep familiar company. It’s good to see you again, Miss. Berkley.”

His voice betrays the emotion I know he is feeling, and she just nods and says softly, “Mr.

Fitzgerald.”

Malik stands beside him and fixes her with an interested look that obviously scares the shit out of her as she swallows hard, trying to disguise the nerves she is obviously feeling now.

Alessandro watches the scene with a dark look of indifference and Baron says huskily, “How is the new job working out, Miss. Berkley?”

She just straightens up and says bravely, “Its early days, Mr. Fitzgerald and I’m looking forward to learning my craft from the master.”

Alessandro whispers something to her that causes her to tremble, and I almost regret it when Malik says loudly, “Follow me gentlemen; dinner is served.”

With our terrified companions beside us, we walk into the dining room where a feast has been prepared along with a show of the most disturbing kind.

A large round table sits at the center of the room, and we take our seats, the silence only broken by the crackle of the dancing flames in the fireplace.

Alessandro sits beside Lauren with Malik on the other side. The other women may as well be cardboard cut outs for all the attention they’re shown. There are no words directed their way and they are completely ignored.

The door opens and our silent servers deliver a feast fit for kings and queens. Their hands shake as they set down dishes of lobster, the richest beef, and oysters dressed in caviar. The wine is rich and decadent, and we discuss the fictitious business we used as a reason to get everyone here in one place.

It’s only when dessert is served that Alessandro brings the conversation around to the reason we are really here and says in a low voice, “My new assistant, Miss. Berkley has disappointed me already.”

“I’m sorry to hear that.”

Baron leans back in his chair and shakes his head as if he feels responsible somehow.Property © NôvelDrama.Org.

“She doesn’t follow instruction and as you all know, gentlemen, women who don’t follow instruction don’t last long in my employment.”

Malik grins. “Let me guess.”

I watch with amusement as he grabs her feathered comb, and her hair comes tumbling down.

“I’m guessing this is the problem.”

“Then you do have a problem, Miss. Berkley.” Flynn leans forward. “Alessandro does hate a woman with dark hair. It sends him feral.”

“What do you suggest we do to make him feel better?”

Ivan growls as Malik reaches behind her and bunches her hair in his fist and says in an amused voice, “We should cut it all off. Maybe shave it all off. That would solve the problem.” It reminds me of a similar scene at a party we threw for Winter back at Rockwell and I sense the amusement in the room, although expertly disguised in front of our guests.

“The last woman who disappointed our brother looked a little different when she left. We could do the same to Miss. Berkley.” Flynn says with a keen interest.

“Too messy.” Alessandro shakes his head and looks at her with disgust, as if the sight of her hair color is personally insulting him.

“Maybe if the hair was different, I could tolerate her, but I’m bored already.”

“You always are.”

Malik laughs softly as we stare at her, cowering in her seat.

“Then we should swap partners for the night, Alessandro. Take your pick of the other women.

They will no doubt pass your stringent tests.” I throw that in there and love the fear glistening in her eyes as she tries so hard to remain unaffected.

Flynn plays his part and announces, “I’d like to offer my companion up for exchange. It’s been a while since I’ve had the pleasure of a woman like her. Fresh meat, as they say.”

Alessandro says darkly, “I want her intact at the end of it. She is my fucking staff, after all, and remember who sent her here. Any other offers?”

Malik says, “I think she’s a virgin. I can smell her fear.”

Then I speak with an authority that ends the conversation stone dead. “We should offer her to our esteemed guest as a gift to enjoy and then dispose of how he sees fit.”

“Then that would leave me without an assistant.”

Alessandro’s low drawl sounds bored, and I interrupt, “Then employ another one who doesn’t offend your eyes. Take mine, I don’t want it.”

The woman beside me looks as if she’s about to burst out crying and Alessandro says with a hint of amusement, “We could share. It’s been a while.”

Now she looks terrified, and then Baron says roughly, “I could use an assistant.”

The low rumble of laughter rolls around the table as we look at the scene with interest.

“Take her, she’s yours.”

Alessandro sounds as if he’s giving him one of his used cast offs and I lean forward to see if everything comes together in the most fucked-up of ways.

We wait for Baron to speak and when he does, it disguises the storm inside him as he says evenly, “Gentlemen, a truly valuable gift and one I will, of course, accept.”

I look at Alessandro and see the knowing smirk on his face and the ‘you’re welcome’ in his eyes and grin.

“Alessandro, it looks as if you need to start looking for a new assistant.”

He nods. “No problem.”

Baron stands and says darkly, “Gentlemen, I must leave your gracious hospitality, as I have business to attend to. I believe our business is concluded and you will receive compensation in the usual way.”

Flicking a blank look at his new toy, he sneers, “Follow me.”

Without a moment’s hesitation, she pushes back her chair and runs after his retreating figure and as the door closes behind them, I breathe a sigh of relief. Now we can get on with the real reason we are here and so I say to our companions, “You are free to go. Roberto will pay you what you are owed and arrange your transport.”

They look shocked and Malik says darkly, “I’d run if I were you. You might not get a second chance.”

They leave as they arrived, in silence, and as the door closes behind them, I breathe a long sigh of relief. It begins.