DeLuca (Mafia Romance)

Mia

After our shower, Carlo wrapped me in a towel and carried me upstairs to his room. I had never been inside his room before. Carlo had always come to me. Now that I was here, it seemed odd that we never spent any time in his space. His room was set up much like mine but instead of a bed with a gauzy canopy and light accents this room was dark. The giant four-post bed was made of cherry wood and even the bedding was a dark navy. We lay naked under the covers, my body curled into his, our legs intertwined and my head on his chest.

“Tell me,” he demanded, but his tone was soft.

“It’s easier if I just show you,” I said, uncurling myself from around him and reaching for my purse on the nightstand. I pulled out the phone I had used tonight, well last night technically since it was morning now. Pulling up the camera roll, I clicked on the video and turned the screen to Carlo. I could hear my voice coming through the speaker as I taunted Boris, his screams filled the room and I was momentarily brought back to the memory of sitting astride him and watching the life leave his eyes. Carlo snapped me out of my daydreaming.Nôvel(D)ra/ma.Org exclusive © material.

“What the fuck were you thinking?” his tone immediately put me on the defensive.

“I was thinking that this fucker was the one responsible for murdering MY BEST FUCKING FRIEND!” I screamed the last part at him, climbing off the bed and turning to face him. I felt better on my feet despite the fact that I was bare-assed naked.

“No shit Mia! He’s fucking dangerous!”

“Was,” I said steadily. My heartrate started to pick up and I could feel the fury spreading from my chest and flushing my face. “He was dangerous, now he’s dead.”

“Jesus Christ, Mia. You have no idea, none. God, you could have been killed!”

“I was careful. I planned it out and executed, just like you would have done.”

“Bullshit, you went off half-cocked without backup into one of the most dangerous situations you could have possibly put yourself in. I wouldn’t have done that.”

“No you’re right. You wouldn’t have done anything, just like you haven’t fucking done anything in the last two months since Gina died!” I was out of my mind pissed, I didn’t even mean what I was saying. I knew Carlo had been looking for a way to get back at the Kashnikov’s but he also had a fucking empire to run. Carlo looked at me as if he’d been punched in the gut, hurt and guilt rolling off of him like waves. I hated that I had put that expression on his face, but I was still too angry to stop the word vomit spewing from my lips.

“Don’t be pissed at me for doing what you couldn’t,” I seethed. That seemed to snap him out of it.

“What I couldn’t? You have got to be fucking kidding me! I’ve been doing this a hell of a lot longer than you have. I knew where they were before your little tech friend ran the first fucking search!”

I was stunned, he what? He knew and he did nothing? He didn’t even tell me.

“Yes. I knew. And yes, I kept it from you for this exact reason, Mia, because I know you. I knew that if you had the information you would go off and pull some stupid vigilante bullshit like you JUST FUCKING DID!”

“I am not stupid,” I spoke the words slowly as to not be misunderstood, my voice quiet but laced with unbridled anger. My father had called me stupid, it was practically a pet name growing up. No one had called me that in a very long time. I knew it was an insignificant word to get riled up about but it was like he knew every one of my buttons and he was pushing them all at the same time.

“Shit!” Carlo started to pace the length of the bed on his side, pinching the bridge of his nose with his thumb and forefinger, something he only did when he was exasperated. “I didn’t say you were stupid Mia, I said what you did was stupid, because it was.”

Well, that made me feel all warm and fuzzy inside, not. When I didn’t do anything but glare at him he continued.

“Look, I am not going to argue with you about this. Going after Boris by yourself was reckless and foolish. You should have come to me.”

I scoffed, “So you could what? Keep me in the dark some more? I. Wanted. My. Revenge!” I jabbed my finger into my chest, punctuating my point.

“That’s the problem! You weren’t thinking, you were feeling. All you could see was your need for revenge instead of the big picture!”

“What big picture?”

“Oh, I don’t know, how about not starting a full blown FUCKING WAR!” he roared.

“What the hell are you talking about?” I asked, completely confused.

Carlo’s nostrils flared as he took several deep breaths in an effort to calm himself. If I didn’t know the man as well as I did I would be pissing myself. He looked massive standing there completely naked towering over half the bed as he leaned forward staring at me unblinking.

“What I’m talking about is a war between us and the fucking Russians. You just killed Vitaly Kashnikov’s son, the brother of the most twisted and uncaring sociopath I have ever had the displeasure of meeting. What do you think they’re going to do when they find his body? When they find the word Omertá carved into his fucking chest? Ivan is no longer contained by his father, he’s been let loose and he has the money and resources to go fucking nuclear. They will know exactly who is responsible and they will come after us.”

“They already came after us, we can be ready for them this time.” Even as I spoke the words I knew how pathetically naïve they sounded.

“You can’t prepare for a madman! This is why I was waiting, biding my time. Gina wasn’t an attack, it was a warning. It was Ivan telling me that he could reach me, that he had my number and he knew exactly how to hurt me. Mia, Gina wasn’t an accident of mistaken identity, they knew who they had, and they wanted us to feel how close they could get.”

“How do you know that?” I asked, the sting of fresh tears pricking my eyes.

Carlo let out a long sigh, “They sent me a video the day after we found her.”

“Why didn’t you tell me?” I was hurt that he had kept yet another thing from me. I had thought we were a team. I had thought we were partners, now I could see how wrong I was. He didn’t want me by his side, he wanted to keep me tucked away as his dirty little secret so he could keep up his front as the heartless crime boss.

“What good would it have done for you to know?” he asked, his tone much more gentle than before. He was being careful with me. He had never done that before, that was one of the things l loved most about him. He didn’t act like I was this fragile doll. Sure he tried to protect me but he never made me feel like I was helpless.

“I deserved the truth, Carlo.”

“Look-”

“Cut the shit. I don’t need your empty fucking apologies. We’re done dancing around this. You have a decision to make, either I’m in or I’m fucking out. No more of this limbo shit. Either you tell me what your plan was before and we come up with a new plan together or I’m gone.”Carlo blinked at me, not saying a word. His fists clenched and released over and over again. I could see that his jaw was tight and that vein in his forehead was on full display. I suddenly realized that Carlo had probably not been challenged like this since he took control after his father’s death. I had just given him an ultimatum, me or his lonely throne of one.

“Fine,” he hissed.

Inside I was celebrating, but on the outside I remained unmoving, staring him down just as hard as he stared me down. I wasn’t going to give in. I had to show him I was serious about this. “Good,” I said climbing back into bed. It took Carlo a minute to regain his composure and join me. When he did his body was stiff and I could feel his anger and resistance emanating from him.

“So,” I started, knowing full well he wasn’t going to open up without some prodding. “What was your plan before I went and fucked it all up?” A little self-deprecating humor always helped to lighten the mood, right? Carlo cut his eyes to me without moving, propped against the headboard with his head tilted back and his legs straight out in front of him. I nudged him in the side with my elbow, nothing.

His eyes stared back at the ceiling, his breaths slow and deep. He was fucking brooding. I realized as I stared at him awestruck, his precious male ego had been wounded by my challenge.

Men are such fucking babies.

I moved quickly and without warning, straddling his lap and linking my hands behind his neck. His arms automatically went to my waist as if he had no choice but to hold me when I was this close. I hid my smile in his neck and whispered in his ear. “Come on, baby. Tell me what you had planned.”

“What good will it do now?” he grumbled.

You have got to be kidding me with this shit.

“Now who’s not seeing the big picture?” I teased and he sighed.

“Fine.”

“You said that already.”

“Are you going to shut up for five fucking seconds so I can tell you what you want to know or are you going to keep interrupting me?” he huffed.

I narrowed my eyes at him, “Go ahead, I’m listening.”