The Mafia Contract Series

I’m impatient to get this over with and mainly because the man grinning at me like the fucking joker makes my skin prickle as if I’ve got a bad dose of the hives. Franco Rossi is a man I need to keep on side because his organization is the second largest outside of Massimo Delauren’s. I need an alliance of the strongest kind and marriage to his eldest daughter will secure his loyalty and support.

He’s made that perfectly clear, and I know it’s because he despises the same man as I do. Winter’s new husband and the one I will kill with my bare hands. But I’m not a fool. I know I need to be invincible before I take out the king because it’s doubtful I would survive the night. He has a far-reaching organization that would bring me down in a heartbeat, which is why our plan must work.

Secure strong alliances by marriage. An army of back up when I go to war because make no mistake, there will be one. I will do anything to free my sister whether she likes it or not, and I will sacrifice anyone who stands in my way.

“We will work well together.”

Franco’s pompous voice carries across the room, and I force a smile on my face. “I’m counting on it.”

He studies me through malevolent eyes, and I feign indifference. I’ve always been a master of the blank expression and I’m guessing he’s trying to read me, but I’m a page without words because nobody will ever have that luxury. I guard my emotions and give nothing away, and the fact I’m about to marry his daughter for his loyalty leaves a bitter taste on my tongue.

We hear footsteps approaching, and I’m mildly curious about Jasmine Rossi. His eldest daughter and, by all accounts, a reluctant beauty. Hidden behind these stone walls like a fairy-tale princess and molded into his idea of the perfect mafia wife. I couldn’t give an actual fuck though because the only thing I need her for is her hand in marriage. She can do what the fuck she likes after that as long as it’s behind closed doors because to everyone watching, we will be the perfect newlyweds. A front for a sinister plot to bring the whole machine crashing down, leaving Club Mafia rulers of all they survey.

A well-orchestrated attack on the world we despise, setting us all free to rule at our leisure.

I am the first to step up, but my brothers aren’t that far behind me. One by one, we will marry for power and amass a following to bring Massimo down. It will work. I will make it work and this is the second step toward that happening. The first was killing my father and I still relish the pleasure that gave me. Now I need Jasmine Rossi chained to my side to ensure one powerful family is firmly in my corner.

As the door opens, I look up and see Alana Rossi head into the room with a figure cowering behind her and Franco snaps, “Step forward, girl, and stand before us.”Contentt bel0ngs to N0ve/lDrâ/ma.O(r)g!

My first look at my ‘wife to be’ is an interesting one because drama appears to be her middle name.

She steps out from behind her mother with a straight back and an edge of defiance I know well.

Tall and slightly curvy with eyes that could rival Medusa’s as they flash in defiance and only the heaving of her chest reveals she’s shit scared and I can see why, when her father yells, “What the fuck have you done to your hair?”

She says nothing as he storms across and slaps her hard across the face, causing her to stumble back and almost fall off the ridiculously high heels she’s wearing. I look at her mother for any reaction at all, but she just stares at her daughter with anger and derision plastered across her frozen face.

Franco is a bastard at work and at home it seems, and I know only too well what having a parent like that is like and I look for Jasmine’s reaction with interest because it’s something both my sister and I have lived with most of our lives. Just thinking of everything we endured at the hands of our own parents takes me back to a place I never want to go again, and I briefly consider stepping in to help this poor unfortunate creature. However, she just recovers and stands motionless as she regards her father coolly and takes what he dishes out with no emotion involved.

Franco turns and says angrily, “Angelo, I must apologize for my daughter’s appearance. I can assure you she will lose the hair color and the attitude before the wedding, even if I must beat it out of her.”

I nod because I don’t trust myself to speak right now. Instead, I focus on the rather brave woman standing before us, and I can tell she’s constructed impressive defenses. The large angry bruise that’s forming on her face matches her hair color and I feel a surge of empathy toward her.

Franco sighs heavily and snaps at his wife. “Fetch Daphne.”

For the first time, I see a flicker of emotion cross Jasmine’s face and know that look. I have the same one myself when my father used Winter against me and made her pay for my crimes. I’m guessing that’s happening here and as Alana leaves, Franco steps toward his daughter and grabs her face in his strong hands and squeezes it hard, causing her eyes to water and blink rapidly as he increases the pressure.

“You will not embarrass me in front of my guest.”

She nods and a little of her bravery dies along with part of her soul as she sinks her gaze to the ground.

Franco grabs his glass of whiskey and knocks it back and then laughs as if he’s just cracked the funniest joke.

“What must you think of us, Angelo? You must be regretting your wise decision to take this piece of garbage off my hands.”

I say nothing and see Jasmine’s hands ball into a fist, which is the only indication she’s affected by his words.

“Luckily for you, I have options.”

Her head snaps up, and she looks at her father fearfully as he growls, “I have option number two heading our way and you may find it the better one of the two. The perfect daughter who will become the perfect wife and this one…” He waves his hand dismissively, “will soon learn that defying me is not the wisest of plans. I have received several offers to bring her in line and I’m tempted to allow it.

Maybe marriage to one of my friends would teach her. Perhaps then she would know her place and repay my generosity in giving her everything she fucking wanted in life.”

He sighs, shaking his head. “I blame her mother. She spoils those girls and so, Angelo, you now have a choice. Tarnished perfection, or well, pure perfection. I will leave it up to you.”

The door opens and Alana heads into the room, closely followed by a younger, more polished version of Jasmine. Daphne Rossi is pretty in pink and her blonde hair shines as it sits straight on her shoulders. Her startling blue eyes are straight off the checklist and the polite smile she wears demonstrates a willingness to comply. I watch with interest as Jasmine tenses and a desperate look enters her eyes before she blinks it away. I know that look. She is fearful that her rebellion has inflicted her fate on her sister, and I know it’s not out of fear for her own fate, it’s Daphne’s and as Franco reaches out and pulls his youngest daughter beside him, I don’t miss the way she flinches at the contact.

The matching bruise on her sister’s face tells me she’s not averse to making her own stand and my heart sinks. It’s up to me to set one of them free, at least from this madness, but I can’t promise them it will be any easier under my care. As soon as they step foot inside my house, they will be a stranger to me and only wheeled out when the occasion dictates it. But which one?

“Stand beside your sister.”

Franco pushes his youngest toward Jasmine and as they stand side by side, he says with a gleeful voice, “Choose one.”

Alana stands to the side and her eyes narrow as she looks between her daughters, and it strikes me there is no emotion in her at all. It’s as if these girls are just another possession to use to their advantage and I wish I could take them both, but I can’t fight their battles for them. I know that, so I say with disinterest, “I’ll take Jasmine as agreed.”

The slight flush to her face reveals she’s not happy about that and I know she will hate leaving her sister here, but Daphne Rossi stands a much better chance at life with her attitude than her sister who looks as if she wants to kill us all stone dead. Plus, Franco will be relieved that I took the feisty one off his hands, leaving him with a weaker fool to manipulate.

Pushing aside any sentiment, I say brusquely, “I’ll take her now.”

Alana pushes Jasmine forward and hisses, “Stand by your new husband.”

Without making eye contact, she steps forward and stands beside me like a meek pet and Franco nods with approval. “Surprising choice that fills me with relief. This one…” he points toward Daphne, “will be much easier to shift. You have done me a favor and I am indebted to you. Let me assure you of my loyalty now our families have merged, and I hope you will offer me the same.”

“Of course. That goes without saying.”

Franco steps forward and doesn’t even look at his daughter as he grins, “When is the happy day?”

“Today.”

He laughs out loud. “I’m impressed, Angelo. You don’t hang around.”

He looks at his wife and snaps, “Arrange it. Take this and do something with it. Make her look like a bride at least and find something to cover her fucking hair.”

He pulls her roughly away from my side and as she looks down, the flush in her face increases as she struggles to maintain indifference.

As they leave the room, I sigh inside. Fuck me, I hate this shit.