Monster Inside Me: Volume IV (A Dark Mafia Romance Book 4) Read online

  MONSTER INSIDE ME

  VOLUME IV

  Faye BYRD

  Edited by Christine V.

  All cover images from @Lukatme1 - Deposit Photos

  Special thanks to all the following women who took some part in making this story become what it is:

  Ceara Therrien, Cheryl Edmonds, Fran Walsh, Ankita Kaul, Mana Liz, and last but certainly not least, Cecilia Rene

  Copyright 2020 © Faye Byrd

  All rights reserved. No part of this publication can be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means without permission in writing from the author.

  All trademark references mentioned in this book, including movies, movie characters or television shows, are the property of the respective copyright holders and trademark owners. No copyright infringement is intended.

  This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents either are products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events, locales or persons is entirely coincidental.

  Table of Contents

  ONE - ANOTHER ME

  TWO - TENSE GOODBYE

  THREE - OTHER PLANS

  FOUR - ALL SET

  FIVE - MEET THE DOYLES

  SIX - MEETING ADJOURNED

  SEVEN - JUNKYARD MASACRE

  EIGHT - PICK UP THE PIECES

  NINE - TO HEIR IS HUMAN

  TEN - THE END

  ONE

  ANOTHER ME

  “What time did Joseph call you?” I ask Angelo as we stand out of the limelight in another abandoned building.

  “It was just before two,” he replies, flinching as a Skilsaw suddenly cranks to life in the background. “When I picked up the Camaro earlier in the evening, he hinted at needing my help, and I told him anytime.”

  I purse my lips to keep my anger at a fucking dead man contained. Joseph was already making his plans when I last saw him, and he gave me no clue whatsoever. It’s not Angelo’s fault, I remind myself as I tamp down the irrational urge to lash out at him.

  “And it never crossed your mind to call me?” I snap, not doing a very good job of keeping it contained.

  “I didn’t know what he wanted until I got there, and he assured me you were his next call and told me to hold her until I heard from you.” He shrugs. “I had no idea he was going to …” He trails off, swallowing back emotion.

  I bob my head, choosing to remain silent, because it makes sense. If I couldn’t pick up on the small tells of Joseph’s last acts, how could I expect anyone else to? It’s a somber moment where we both let a little of our fucking grief show, until a monster-enticing scream breaks through the silence and snatches us back to the present.

  Looking to the light, I saunter back into the action, a smirk lifting my lips. Mimi’s eyes latch on to me. “Please, Dante. I’ve told him everything I know. Make him stop. Make it stop!” She’s shouting by the time she’s done as she struggles to move away from the roaring blade that’s only been used as a scare tactic so far.

  I almost don’t recognize the man wielding it. He’s crazed, with wide, maniacal eyes hidden behind dark square frames and blood-stained clothes as he works to torture this traitor into submission. I toss my head back and chuckle darkly when he nicks her leg with the spinning blade, causing blood to pour from the jagged hole.

  “What are they planning?” Ivan screams, swiping the saw toward her face. “Tell me their next move!”

  With Pop gone, the Outfit will need a new order of leadership, and there’s no one to choose as Underboss besides my brother—as much as we both hate it. It’s a huge feat, attempting to give the position to a man who hasn’t even made his bones, but we’re rectifying that now. The ranks will fall into line, or they’ll find themselves in a precarious fucking position.

  Looking at Ivan now, though, I’m beginning to wonder why I ever thought he isn’t cut out for this life. All it took was the mention of his precious Madeline’s life being at risk and he jumped in head first, ready to do whatever he needs to secure her future. I’m proud as fuck, but I also wonder if he realizes the gravity of his acceptance. This is a life-long commitment, something he’ll be tied to long after this threat is dissolved.

  The saw gets flung to the concrete and makes a loud grinding sound as the blade slices into it. But Ivan doesn’t give a fuck. He braces his hands on either side of Mimi and leans in, his face more menacing than I’ve ever seen. “What. Is. Their. God. Damn. Plan?”

  She jerks her head back as far as she can to avoid the rabid spittle that’s spewing from his mouth. “I told you—”

  “You haven’t told me anything!” he roars, standing up and stalking toward a small folding table. “You’ve only admitted things we already knew.” His voice is calm now, calculating, as he looks over the tools.

  Selecting a Dremel, he adds the large round sanding tip and moves back toward us, flicking the switch. The small machine buzzes to life, and he wastes no time in pressing it against her forehead. She’s leery at first, probably not feeling much yet, but as he grinds in the same spot over and over, her fear and pain escalate. She starts thrashing, causing the tip to slip to various parts of her face. It isn’t strong enough to remove much skin, but the burn left behind can be pretty fucking painful.

  I step forward and grip the top of her head, holding her in place. Ivan gives me an impressive evil grin and gets back to his selected torture technique. Mimi shrieks in terror and tries to move, but my hold is ironclad as my brother gives her the full spa treatment.

  So far, the techniques he’s used have only been mildly painful and meant to induce terror, but it’s time we move this along. I have many things to take care of in the next few days.

  I dig my fingers into her hair and yank her head backward so she’s looking up at me and lean down so my lips are near her ear. “We’ve been kind to you, Mimi. Much kinder than we should’ve been. Game time is over.” I release her and give Ivan a nod.

  He returns to the table and comes back with a large hunting knife, admiring the blade like only a blood-thirsty killer would. “Ivan,” I snap, catching his attention. “Let’s see if we can make a rat squeak, yeah?”

  He snaps into action then, pushing the tip of the blade into the open cut on her leg. She screams, but it falls on deaf ears. The blade gouges and slices before he runs a long, thin cut up her calf, then pushes the point against the side of her knee, pausing to look at her. “Would you like to speak now, or shall I continue?”

  She huffs, as if she isn’t tied to a chair and in a very fucked up position. Before I can move forward to emphasize his point, Ivan does it all on his own. He grips the handle firmly and pushes it into her knee until the bone stops the blade, and then he twists it in a complete circle.

  Her fear and pain flow from her in a string of strangled, mumbling sobs. Her eyes are wide and terror-filled, but her lips still aren’t moving.

  The monster perks up and rattles his bars, begging to be let free, but I keep him restrained. This is Ivan’s show, and he knows what needs to be done. Standing abruptly, he steps back to the table and returns with a butane torch, clicking the whirring flame to life.

  He focuses on the fire as he speaks. “Small but powerful,” he says, cutting his eyes to a panting Mimi. “Can you imagine the pain I can inflict with this?” He takes a step closer, motioning in the general direction of her head. “I could singe your eyebrows off and melt the skin to your eyelids.”

  “No!” she screams. “P-please no. I’ll tell you everything I know. Please!”

  He pauses the flame just inches from her face. “What is their
plan?”

  “I don’t know,” she cries, breaking down into a blubbering mess. “I’ve only been feeding them stuff. I don’t know what they’ve been doing with it.”

  Ivan’s free hand reacts so fast I barely see it move as he rears back and delivers a backhand across her cheek. Blood erupts from her lip as her head flies to the side. “You don’t know? You don’t know?!” he rages, pacing the floor in short, angry bursts. “My brother was almost killed because of that information, and you’re too stupid to even know how that puts your life in danger? Did you think you were invincible? You had to know I’d figure you out at some point.”

  “But Stefano,” she cries, shaking her head. “He loves me. He knows I’d never do anything to hurt him.”

  Ivan lets out a booming, sarcastic laugh and leans down to her eye level. “Stefano is dead, and it’s all your fault.”

  Mimi gasps, every bit of hope seeping from her eyes. “No,” she whispers, her chin dropping to her chest as sobs wrack her frame. “I never ...” She shakes her head, unable to continue her thought. “He wasn’t supposed to die.” She lifts her eyes and they narrow on me. “You! You were supposed to die.” She starts struggling then, fighting her restraints harder than she has so far, but as every other time, it’s fucking useless.

  She’s goddamn pathetic.

  And Ivan needs no prodding to get her under control. Two more backhands bring her temper tantrum to heel, and she falls limp, tired of the struggle. “Kill me,” she mumbles. “I want to be with Stefano.”

  “As you shall,” I bark, stepping closer and lifting her chin. “What is the last piece of information you shared with William?”

  She snatches her chin away and eyes Ivan. “I have a second phone, a pre-paid one. It’s in my apartment. Find it and you’ll have everything you need to know.” Tears gather and leak down her cheeks. “Kill me, Ivan. Please.”

  She makes a completely pathetic image as she sits tied and begging. Her face is covered in splotchy red patches from the sanding, tears join blood as they drip to her chest, and her dead eyes have already accepted her fate. She’s going to die, and Ivan will be the one to kill her. She could’ve benefitted from this world had she been loyal, but now she’ll die a painful death instead.

  “Not just yet,” Ivan sneers, yanking the blade from her knee, causing blood to spew from the wound. “Why did you want my brother dead?” he asks, driving the blade into her thigh in a swift, unexpected move. Mimi’s shriek pierces the air, but he only pulls it out and thrusts it into a different spot. “Was Stefano aware of what you were doing?”

  She’s too hysterical to do much other than scream, but Ivan doesn’t give a fuck. This time, when he removes the knife and plunges it back in, he twists and digs it around. The absolute enjoyment I see in his eyes is impressive.

  It’s also a little unnerving.

  I mean, I fucking love it, but this is a side of Ivan that’s foreign. It has never existed before. It’s almost like he’s transformed into this complete other person. Another me. I’m not sure the world can handle the both of us.

  Tired of the incessant screaming, he leaves the knife where it is and wraps his fingers around her throat, silencing her immediately. “I asked you a question,” he says, enunciating each word with precision. “When I release you, you will answer me.” He yanks his hand away and crosses his arms, his wiry form imposing in its rigidity.

  Mimi sucks in several large gasps, and she keeps her hysterics at bay. “Stefano didn’t know anything,” she finally pants. “He was a good man, and you’ve killed him for nothing!”

  I’m slightly impressed that she has the balls to scream at Ivan, but she is a stupid motherfucker. “You killed him,” Ivan replies. “Your stupid loyalty to a family who threw you away killed him. His stupid loyalty to you killed him.” He reaches for the knife. “Now, tell me why my brother was the target.”

  Her head lolls to the side as the fight leaves her. “Don’t you see? I wasn’t thrown away. This was the plan all along. I’ve always had a part to play, since before I was born. I had no choice.”

  Unexpectedly, a rush of sympathy flows through me. It only lasts a second and is quickly washed away with scorn, but I can see her dilemma. Were the situation reversed, I can’t say I wouldn’t have done the same.

  Ivan must feel it too, because his stance softens, and his voice is gentler when he asks the question he most wants to know. “What about my Maddy? Tell me what they know about her, and I’ll make it swift.”

  “Everything,” Mimi replies without looking up.

  Ivan pales, not moving a muscle, but I can’t allow it. I pull a Glock from my waistband and shove it into his limp hand. “Finish this.” My words are a quiet command, and he listens.

  The first bullet enters her foot, enough to snap her to attention, then her knee and one to her stomach. By now, she’s numb to the pain as blood pours from her wounds. Her breaths have sped, and her body is crumpled in shock, unaware of the goings on around her.

  She is in the throes of death when Ivan nudges her head with the hot barrel, lifting her dazed focus to him. He shoves the gun into her open mouth, eliciting the look. The one of fear, panic, and acceptance all in quick succession. As soon as the last one settles into her expression, Ivan pulls the trigger and steps back, disconnecting himself from the moment and returning to a version of my brother in which I’m more familiar. One who values life and is regretful over the loss, no matter how deserving the death.

  I motion Angelo into action as I move to comfort Ivan. At first, he shrugs me off, but I’m persistent, starting with a strong grip to his shoulder and slowly pulling him into an embrace. He accepts my comfort just as he comes to accept his actions.

  Slowly, he pulls away and collects himself. “I’m fine,” he says, and I’m not sure if it’s for my benefit or his. “It had to be done.”

  I nod once. “And you had to do it.” I pause, unsure if now is the time, in the shadow of a dead woman, but there are things that need to be said. “I know this life was never your calling, and I’m sorry you’re being forced into it, but you understand why it has to be you, don’t you?”

  He adjusts his glasses, straightening up even more. “Not only do I understand, I’d never allow you to choose someone else. The Outfit belongs to the Simones, and it will remain that way as long as you or I have a say.”

  I smirk, the man before me impressing me in ways I never imagined. “And here I thought I’d have to beg.”

  “Not when everything I care about is threatened,” he replies, shaking his head.

  “And after the threat has passed, will you regret the commitment?” I ask. “You know this is a lifetime decision; it can’t be undone.”

  “When is the ceremony?” he asks, ignoring my question but still answering it in his own way. He may regret it one day, but he’s not changing his mind.

  “With this taken care of, I want it soon,” I reply, pursing my lips in thought. “Our organization needs to be at peak performance in time for the meeting with the other families. Let me work on the specifics, but expect it soon.”

  Ivan nods. “I’d like it to be before the funeral, if possible.”

  My brows furrow. “Any particular reason?”

  “I’d just feel safer knowing we had our ducks in a row before such a public event,” he replies. “Knowing they’re out there makes me want to keep Maddy behind a lock and key at all times.”

  I grip his arm, squeezing tightly. “I’ll take care of it, Van. We’ll protect her.”

  Leaving Angelo to clean up the mess, Ivan and I head our separate ways, back to our homes where the women in our lives await. Piper has been busy working on Joseph and Anna’s funeral arrangements with my mother, strangely e-fucking-nough, and I get straight to work on making Outfit decisions that will affect us all.

  With Ivan set to take over the role of Underboss, I still need to fill the position of Consigliere. It has to be someone I trust implicitly to not only speak up when
they feel the need, but also to carry out my orders even when they’re not in full agreement.

  There’s only one man who can fill that position.

  Lorenzo.

  So with the Outfit business in mind, I make the trip down to the twelfth floor to formally offer him the role. “Dante.” He answers the door, surprised by my presence. “Come in. Riley is resting in his room.”

  “Oh?” I say, as I’ve completely forgotten about him. “I actually came to speak with you, but I’ll be sure to stop in before I leave.”

  “Good. Can I get you anything?” he asks, motioning me to the sofa.

  I shake my head and pin him with a serious stare. “I came to talk business. Outfit business.”

  “Sounds serious,” he remarks, taking a seat close by.

  “I think it is,” I say, leaning forward and propping my elbows on my knees. “I’d like to offer you the position of Consigliere. I know you’ve settled in to a smaller role after many years as part of the family, but I can’t imagine anyone else for the job. I need you by my side.”

  “If I can be so bold, I was hoping you’d come to me,” Lorenzo replies. “The truth is, with Joseph gone, we need someone like me. Someone diplomatic and who has your respect. I think I can be both.”

  I smile, pleased that he agrees. “Consider it done, then.” I stand, ready to move on to contacting Carlos.

  “Dante,” he calls, halting me. “If I may be so bold again, I’d like to nominate Riley for a different position.” My brows rise, but he keeps speaking. “More like a replacement for me with some advanced responsibilities.”

  “He’s not even an associate,” I reply, fucking dumbfounded.

  He lifts a finger, halting my thoughts. “But he has killed to protect you. He can be inducted right alongside Ivan.”

  “And you’re willing to be his sponsor? You trust him that much?” I lift a brow, encouraging him to think deeply on this matter before responding.

  “Consider it done,” he replies.

  “Well then, direct me to his room.”