Braden: A Dark Mafia Romance (15 page)

“Braden?”  I asked in a hurried tone.

“Hello, my love.”  It was his voice.  “I need to see you.”

“Just tell me where.”  A sledgehammer couldn’t have removed the smile from my face.

Chapter 20:  Braden

Everything hurt as I pulled back up to the warehouse.  The only solace I had was that Angela was safe and everything I was doing was to secure her future.  I walked around the warehouse tapping my head in confusion.  I lit a cigar and stared at the bodies on the floor.  I knew that if Don Abrami’s treason was revealed to the family, it would tear everything Stefano and I had worked for apart.  We would be fighting a war against the Eight-Ballers and against the other Families.  I also knew that there was little chance Stefano and I would get a chance to explain ourselves.  Killing the head of our Family, regardless of the circumstances, would be unforgivable.  After I stared at the bodies for a few minutes, I suddenly had a brilliant idea.  In order to stay united, we needed a common enemy—and we needed a martyr.

“You died a traitor, but you will be our only hope.  You don’t deserve that honor, but we don’t deserve the carnage you created.”  I said as I walked around Don Abrami’s body.

My wounds were practically torn open by the time I got Don Abrami’s body to the trunk of the Indonesian man’s car.  I went back into the warehouse and grabbed canisters of everything I could find that was flammable.  I covered enough of the area where we fought to start a decent fire and then toppled boxes into it.  The warehouse was old and would go up in flames fairly fast.  I walked to the door and gave it one last nod before tossing my cigar into the middle of the debris.  An audible roar followed and the fire started to swallow the area up.  I walked back to the Indonesian’s car and threw a few canisters in the back seat.  With any luck we would all live through the mess Don Abrami created.  I sat in the car for a few minutes, letting my pain receded before cranking it up and driving away.

“Now…”  I said as I tapped the steering wheel.  “Where to put you…”  I looked back at the trunk and thought through my plan.

I turned on the radio and heard the news story breaking about Angela.  They were reporting that Stefano had saved her from the Eight-Ballers, so I knew I didn’t have long before the whole situation blew up.  I drove into Eight-Baller territory and parked the Indonesian’s car in a garage after finding an area which wasn’t crawling with Harlem’s trash.  I knew that if any of them saw me, I would be dead, but it was the only chance I had.  I started another fire and ran as fast as my wounded body would carry me to a main street and popped the window of an old sedan with my elbow.  It hurt like a mother fucker, but I knew the car would be easy to hotwire.  When I finally got out of Eight-Baller territory, I felt like there was a chance it could all work.

“One final piece…”  I muttered to myself as I drove back down the path Stefano and I took to the warehouse.

Night had started to fall and I could see a lot of activity at the warehouse, but I couldn’t make out who it was.  I switched the car I had stolen for Stefano’s and then headed back to the hospital.  I knew Stefano’s wounds were serious enough that he wouldn’t be talking with anyone, so I would have to tell our story.  I already had a bunch of missed calls, and knew it was time to make contact with the Family.  I asked for an audience with all Five, and a few minutes later, I got a location.  Apparently, they were already meeting because of what was going on in the news—that was no surprise.  They had to know Don Abrami was missing, which means everything would fall apart fast.  I rehearsed what I was going to say the entire way over and when I pulled up outside our club, I knew it was do or die time.

“Come on Braden…”  I sighed.  “This is for everything.”

I walked up to the door and was recognized by members of the other Families, but they still pushed me against the wall and searched me.  I pointed them to my firearm and let them take it from me.  There was no way that anyone, regardless of their status, was going into a room with the talking heads that made up the Five—well four of the Five—Families with a weapon.  They took me down a hallway to a bunker and pushed open the door.  It seemed like a heated discussion, which ceased when I walked into the room.  I pulled up a chair and took my seat, ready to deliver a lie that was going to determine the fate of our world.  If they didn’t believe me, I wouldn’t walk out of the room alive, and Stefano would never wake up.  War would engulf us and the body count would be legendary.

“Braden Caito.”  The head of the Prisco Family placed his hands on the table as all four men looked at me.  “I’m told you can shed some light on today’s events?”

“All I can tell you is what I know.”  I sighed and shook my head, trying to appear humble and confused.

“Do you know where Don Abrami is?  Have you seen him today?”  The head of the Santelli Family asked.

“I’m afraid not.”  I looked each of them in the eyes and shook my head.

“Okay, tell us what happened.”  The head of the Prisco Family spoke again.

“My father was killed in prison a couple of weeks ago.  You know that, I’m sure.  Instead of blaming the Eight-Ballers, I blamed District Attorney Madison for taking away his protection in prison.”  That part was true.

“Yes.”  The head of the Santelli Family nodded.  “Don Abrami told us you wanted his blood.  That is your right based on our code.”

“Well, as I began my quest for vengeance, I targeted his daughter.  Unfortunately, I developed feelings for her that confused me.  I was weak and didn’t do what needed to be done.  A few days ago, we were spotted by Eight-Ballers and they took a shot at me…”  I tried out my first lie.

“You were attacked?”  The head of the Santelli Family asked.  He looked around the room.  “Have any of you heard about this?”

“No.”  The other members said almost in unison.  They all shook their heads indicating it was new information, which was exactly what I needed it to be.

“The only person I told at the time was Don Abrami.  He thought it best that we keep it within the Family.”  I shrugged.  He could never be questioned on his motives, so it was a safe path to take.  “I guess the Eight-Ballers realized we were going to figure out the truth…”

“The truth?”  The head of the Prisco Family asked.

“District Attorney Madison didn’t take away the protective custody on my father.  The Eight-Ballers did it.  They had one of the guards forge his name.”  That part was true, but I left out the fact Don Abrami gave that order.

“They were trying to set him up?”  The head of Santelli Family looked around the room.  “They wanted us to kill him…”

“They did.”  I nodded.  “He publicly targeted the Mafia.  They knew we would seek revenge if we thought he was responsible for killing one of our own.  When they realized we were close to uncovering the truth because of my relationship with Angela Madison, they tried to cover their tracks.”

“That seems pretty bold for Eight-Ballers.”  A previously silent man spoke up as he tapped ashes from the end of his cigar.  I knew he was the head of the Vanni Family, but he was a new boss and I hadn’t dealt with him before.

“Maybe they were desperate.”  I shrugged and tried to keep my wits, but I could feel sweat in my collar.

“Maybe…” He said with a nod.

“The last time I saw Don Abrami, he said that he was going to meet with some of our investors and see if they could use their connections to figure out where the Eight-Ballers were holding Angela.  At that point, I brought Stefano Moretti up to speed because is the closest thing I have to a brother.  We picked up a couple of Eight-Ballers and roughed them up.  They gave us the location of a safe house where they believed Angela Madison was being held.”  The sweat started to really accumulate as I spun a pretty big lie, but I kept my voice calm.

“You two went after her by yourself, without any backup?”  The head of the Prisco Family drummed the table and I could tell he wasn’t happy.

“It was a mistake…”  I stood up and unbuttoned my shirt, revealing my wounds.  “A big one…”

“Oh my God…”  The head of the Santelli Family cringed as the others shook their head.

“But you saved her.”  The head of the Vanni Family tilted his head and stared at me.

“We did, but we paid for it.  Going after her alone was a mistake, and I’ll have to own that.  Stefano may not survive because of it.”  I shook my head and sat back down.

“Thank you for coming and talking with us.”  The head of the Santelli Family nodded.  “We need to discuss this, please wait outside.”

“Yes sir.”  I nodded and walked to the door.

My fate was in their hands.  I had every right to seek vengeance against the Eight-Ballers for killing my father, but my story put all of the blame on me for endangering the Five Families.  If everything worked out the way I hoped, Don Abrami’s body would be discovered in Eight-Baller territory and I would have to shoulder the blame for that as well.  They could very well decide to expel me from the Mafia, which meant death.  My actions would be seen as foolish and irrational.  Letting all of that fall on me was the only way I knew to keep Stefano and Angela safe.  The discussion amongst the Families didn’t last long.  I barely had time to contemplate what I would do if things went south before they were summoning me again.  I walked back into the room and faced angry glares, which made my stomach churn.  I sat down in the chair and looked at each one of them, continuing to appear as humble as I could.

“What you did was stupid.”  The head of the Prisco Family said.

“Fortunately for you, every man at this table has lost someone in the war with the Eight-Ballers, and most of us have been in love with someone who wasn’t a whore at least once in our lives.”  The head of the Santelli Family sighed.  “We got word earlier tonight that one of the warehouses we rent out to the Indonesians was torched.  They’re still digging through the wreckage, but a car that was found nearby is registered to an address in Eight-Baller territory.”

“Oh my God…”  I tried to act like it was new information.  I was rather surprised they had already found the car I left.

“Nobody can find Don Abrami, and right now, we fear the worst.  You look like you probably need medical attention, so we’ll get you to one of our doctors.  Thank you for being honest with us.”  The men nodded and I silently let out a sigh of relief.

“Thank you for understanding.”  I said sadly even though I was practically doing cartwheels inside my head.

***

Somehow, in all of the carnage and the wreckage we had created, a glimmer of hope broke through—Angela.  Her smile brightened my day as she stepped out of the back of her taxi and ran to me.  I had to spend a few days getting everything fixed before I could call her.  Stefano woke up and I was there to fill him in.  He was pleased to learn we weren’t going to be killed, and laughed at the story I created—I think he even called it brilliant.  Don Abrami’s body was found and the Eight-Ballers took the heat for his murder.  What mattered most was that the truce between the Five Families didn’t fall apart because of his actions.  He became a symbol of our revolution, and I was okay with that.  He owed that to us after violating our code and putting his own personal agendas over the good of the Family.  It would have been nice to see him branded a traitor, but the greater good had to come first.

“I thought you were dead!”  Her arms wrapped around me and she started kissing me furiously.

“No, everything is fine.  Is your father okay?”  I asked as she locked her hand with mine.

“He’s good.  He’s a little confused now that he owes his daughter’s life to a member of the Mafia, but he has a new place to put his hatred.”  She smiled and leaned into my shoulder.

“I’m proud of you.”  I said as we walked up the steps to my new apartment.  “I wasn’t sure what you were going to tell your father.”

“I told him what he needed to hear.”  She shrugged.  “So is this your place?  Am I finally going to see Braden Caito’s mysterious lair?”

“You’re actually going to be the first visitor.”  I winked at her.  “I’m moving in today.”  I slid the key into the lock.

“It could use a woman’s touch.”  She looked at the bare walls as we stepped inside.

“That is exactly what I was thinking.”  I turned her around and placed a kiss on her lips as I slipped the key into her hand.

“Seriously?  You’re giving me a key?” She opened her hand and looked at it.

“I’m hoping that means you’ll stop by—often.”  I wrapped my arms around her waist.

“So…”  She looked around the apartment.  “Do we get to christen it?”

“Absolutely...”  He pushed my hands under her shirt and started to kiss her again.

I quickly removed her shirt and started to work on her bra as she pushed my suit jacket off of my shoulders.  My wounds were fresh and they hurt when she moved her hands across my body, but I didn’t care.  All I wanted was to be inside her again.  She unbuttoned my shirt as her bra hit the floor and my fingers moved down her perfectly toned stomach towards the button her jeans.  Her bruises had already begun to fade.  She didn’t waste any time, moving down to my belt and unbuckling it.  I had already learned the pressure points on her neck and her shoulder, so I started to kiss them as we furiously undressed each other.  I didn’t have a bed in the apartment yet, so the floor would have to do.  The second we were naked, I took her in my arms and lowered her down onto the carpet with our lips locked together.  I placed my hands beside her shoulders and started to kiss her neck again.

“You can’t kick me out after you’re done with me this time.”  She said with a gasp.

“What makes you think I’m going to be done with you anytime soon?”  I slid my fingers down her thighs and lowered myself between them.

Her pussy was wet when the tip of my cock touched it.  She let out a long moan as I slid the entire length inside of her.  She was so tight that I had to stretch her a bit just to sink my cock down to my balls.  She fit me like a glove that was designed to wear my cock.  The muscles in her pelvis tightened around it as I started to slowly lift my hips and drive myself into her.  I had seen the pleasure erupt within her when I got rough, and I knew she wanted more than a slow methodical fuck.  I picked up momentum, sliding her across the carpet as I forcibly slammed my cock into her.  Her body grimaced at first, but then I saw ecstasy erupt across her face.  I pressed my lips to hers and slid my tongue inside, matching the thrust of my cock with the swirling of my tongue.  Her head rolled back and she moaned even louder than before.