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

  The conversation with Riley reminds me why Lorenzo trusts him so much. He was brought in as a simple bodyguard in a time of concern, and he did his fucking job. He put his life on the line and killed to protect me. He deserves the honor of becoming a Made Man, and I’m willing to bestow it upon him. His new duties will resemble Lorenzo’s old ones, with the added aspect of overseeing our hired guards. They’re not Outfit members, and they need to be kept at arm’s length.

  As I return to the penthouse, my mother is just leaving. “Dante,” she says in her usual uppity way, offering a fake kiss to my cheek. “I reported your father missing today, so you should expect someone to contact you.”

  My eyes narrow as they look over her, not an iota of remorse to be found. “Are you not bothered by his disappearance at all?”

  She waves a nonchalant hand. “I can only assume he’s run off with his goomah, but if it’s more than that, what am I supposed to say? I’ve begged you all to give up this dangerous lifestyle, and you refuse.”

  I shake my head and walk the fuck away, effectively dismissing her.

  I find Piper on the sofa, speaking quietly into her cell. I sigh as I take a seat beside her, silently listening to her half of a conversation with Cinthia, a very good friend of hers I’ve yet to meet. Though it sounds as if that might change, as the funeral time is their current topic.

  She slips her free hand over and searches for mine, offering me comfort with her simple touch. It works. My entire body sighs at the contact as I close my eyes and sink into the feel of our connection. It’s not much, but it’s all I need to remember that she’s here for me.

  She’ll always be here for me.

  After absorbing as much of her wonderfulness as I can, I slip into my office to make one final call for the day.

  Carlos answers on the first ring. “Boss?”

  “Who else?” I ask, weariness seeping into my voice.

  “What can I do for ya?” he asks, his tone light.

  “I’m thinking a new position is in order,” I say, considering my words. “Ivan will be the new Underboss, but I think we need a middle-man between him and the Capos. Are you following me?”

  “Sure, Boss,” he replies. “What you thinking?”

  “I want that man to be you,” I say pointedly. “I’d like to see you nominate a Capo to replace you, and you take over as the Boss of Capos. Maybe we’d call you the Capo Bastone, but of course, Ivan will outrank you.”

  “Shit!” he exclaims. “Are you sure?”

  “Absolutely. I need operations to remain running smoothly, and I trust you can facilitate that,” I reply, my voice sure. “This will all be new to Ivan, and I don’t want to overwhelm him.”

  “I’m honored,” he says, and he even sounds a little choked up.

  “Good.” I smirk. “First order of business: get your pansy ass emotions under control.”

  He barks a laugh. “Got it, Boss. Anything else?”

  “Make sure the right people are in the right place at the right time.”

  TWO

  TENSE GOODBYE

  The induction ceremony goes as I expect—meaning everyone keeps their fucking mouth shut and accepts my every decision. Carlos nominates a long-time soldier, Janine, his cousin and now the first female Capo in the Outfit. I don’t bat a fucking eye. If I’m going to expect him to keep the crews running smoothly, then I damn well better trust his choices.

  Becoming the Boss is supposed to change the way I do business. I’m now the most important asset to the Outfit—the figure that must be protected above all else. My orders will extend to three people: Carlos, Ivan, and Lorenzo, and they’ll ensure everyone below them is clear on their course of action. My hands are supposed to stay clean, yet with the war looming on the horizon, there’s no way I can sit back and allow them to do my bidding.

  I will be in the thick of it.

  I’ll personally dethrone the fucking Kents.

  But today, I bury my honorary aunt and uncle. Two people who have been beside me my entire life. Their roles have varied through the years, but they encouraged, taught, and protected me until the very end. They dedicated their lives to the Outfit, and today we allow them to rest in peace.

  Feminine hands snake around my waist and warmth presses against my back, causing me to release a grateful sigh. Though we still have her lingering disappointment to work through, Piper has chosen to set it all aside and be here for me during the biggest upheaval of my life.

  I tighten my tie and move my hand down to grasp hers, stepping to the side and spinning her around to face me. “You look beautifully somber,” I remark, taking in her vintage Chanel dress. “Thank you for working so tirelessly on the arrangements for today.”

  She steps closer, her eyes dark and questioning. “Why wouldn’t I?”

  “This all came about so soon after …” I pause, unsure what term to use. It wasn’t a fuck-up, as I did it intentionally, but after hearing her point of view, I can admit it might not have been the right course of action.

  “Our argument,” she supplies, a hint of humor sparking in her eyes.

  “Our argument,” I concede with a nod. “I haven’t properly had the chance to show you how much I love and need you. This situation has forced us to simply react, and you have by being my partner in every way.”

  She smooths her fingers over my tie, tinkering with perfection. “This is what partners do, Dante. I’m committed to us, and whether you think so or not, you have shown me your love.”

  “Trust me, I intend to do better in the future,” I say, cupping her cheek. “You deserve to be pampered beyond your wildest dreams.”

  “And I’ll accept that,” she says, lifting onto her toes. “Once things have settled down. I know you have a lot going on right now.” Her lips press firmly against mine for a blissful second before she retreats.

  Her words remind me of the looming war. “We need to be vigilant today. The threat hasn’t been exterminated, and we’ll be sitting ducks at the graveside service.”

  “I trust you’ve taken every precaution available to keep us safe,” she responds, her confidence in me not misplaced.

  I’ve ordered the entire Outfit to be prepared for anything at this service; plus I’ve taken the additional step of communicating with Special Agent Tate. Our relationship will never be like the one he had with Stefano, but in the spirit of securing his daughter’s safety, he was all too willing to station men in the vicinity under the guise of surveillance.

  “I have,” I acknowledge with a tilt of my head. “But that doesn’t mean I want you being complacent. If anything strikes you as odd, tell me immediately.”

  “Yes, sir,” she barks with a salute and a smile.

  I take her hand and motion toward the bedroom door. “I actually despise that title,” I whisper, leaning my lips close to her ear as we head to the elevator. “I much prefer Boss.”

  The small giggle that escapes is music to my ears on a day where not much else can bring happiness. My heart mourns for the loss of Joseph and Anna, yet it also accepts the inevitability of it all. In our line of work, death is always just one wrong move away.

  The ride to the cemetery is quiet, and the amount of people gathered once we arrive is a testament to the lives they’ve touched. Many cars line the paved drive, and mourners dressed in black gather near the two coffins placed just before the freshly dug graves. My muscles are tense as I scan the crowd. The unfamiliar faces make me wary, but the familiar ones remind me that we are the ones in fucking charge here.

  Ivan and Madeline approach as soon as he sees me, his expression guarded. “I don’t like this,” he states, his eyes shifting behind his square frames. “I’ve never met some of these people before.”

  I pull Piper closer to my side, his paranoia seeping into the air. “Relax, bro,” I say, my tone much lighter than I feel. “Look around you.” I lean closer as he scans the crowd again. “Every familiar face you see is fucking locked and loaded beneath their fancy funeral clothes. Breathe, Ivan. She’s safe for today.” He remains tense for another few seconds as he allows my words to settle into his mind. As he begins to relax, I murmur, “Stay vigilant, but also know that you’re protected.”

  Madeline might as well be a princess locked in a gilded fucking tower. Ivan is so sure they’re going to come for her that he’s forbade her from leaving his goddamn condo in the Grizzly Armor building. And while I can understand his reasoning, because I feel the same when it comes to Piper, it’s only added to my load. Dark Star is now being run by a temporary manager I was able to get through a hiring service. Of course, there’s nothing illegal about the business, but now isn’t the time to have a fucking outsider working for us.

  Everyone is suspect.

  The priest my mother chose to deliver the sermon steps forward and asks everyone to gather around. I lead Piper, with my brother and Madeline close behind, to the first row of chairs, assisting her into her seat before taking my own beside her at the end of the row. In the distance, my eyes catch on a lone figure leaned against a tree, and even without binoculars like he has, I know it’s Piper’s father.

  His presence unexpectedly soothes me—another set of eyes dedicated to keeping the woman at my side safe. As the priest speaks of God and the afterlife, my mind drifts to the two people who really matter. It was clear in Joseph’s letter he didn’t know what, if anything, awaited him beyond, but he knew he would be with his love. And this final act grants him that.

  My head bows in prayer, but my eyes remain open, my senses forever on high alert. Every twitch gets my attention as the priest’s voice drones on and on. It almost feels like the fucking quiet before the storm, yet as my eyes shift, I see nothing out of place. Agent Tate still stands stoic, positioned against an even nearer tree, the guests are lost in prayer, and my hired security guards all stand on the perimeter.

  Nothing seems amiss.

  I’m brought back from the intense scrutiny of our surroundings as the murmurs of “Amen” echo through the crowd. Relieved that the priest has finished, I stand abruptly and dismiss him with a curt, “Thank you.”

  “Dante,” my mother admonishes.

  I ignore her as I address the crowd. “I would like to thank everyone for coming out to honor the lives of Anna and Joseph Presutti. They were a rare breed and will be sorely missed. Now, if you’ll excuse us, those of us closest to them would like some private time before they’re lowered into the earth.”

  Mutterings ripple through the crowd, but no one dares to speak against my missive, and unfamiliar mourners begin to make their way back to their cars. Pleased with their compliance, I catch Ivan’s eye and tilt my head toward Agent Tate. His eyes shift and he nods once, so I take Piper’s hand and lead her toward the silent figure in the distance.

  “Is something wrong?” she asks as we speedily walk toward her father.

  “Not exactly,” I reply, my eyes trained on Agent Tate. “But my senses are telling me that something’s going on.”

  Piper pauses, her feet faltering beside me. “Is that my father?” she asks, looking from me to him.

  “It is,” I reply with a single nod. I motion our linked hands forward, and her feet reluctantly start moving.

  Agent Tate’s eyes are boring through me as we make the approach, but by the time we’re standing before him, all focus has moved to his daughter and a smile has overtaken his usually serious expression. “Piper,” he says, his voice gruff but reverent. “It’s good to see you, but I wish it were under better circumstances.”

  Considering their troubled past—a lot of it to do with me—I’m unsure what to expect, but I’ll never apologize for protecting her. “Daddy,” she chokes out, throwing herself into his arms. “What are you doing here?”

  “Surveillance.” Henry’s eyes shift to me, and so do Piper’s. “I already have one missing Simone. We don’t need anything happening to the rest.”

  “You asked him to be here, didn’t you?” Piper touches my cheek. “To make sure I was safe.”

  I smirk. “Like I said, I took precautions.”

  Piper smiles and leans into my side, and it feels so fucking good. She’s not at all upset about the lengths I’ll go, and who knows? Maybe she and her father can find a norm in their relationship moving forward. As long as he’s accepted us, there’s no reason to deny a connection similar to the one he shared with my father.

  “Everything’s quiet as far as I can tell,” Agent Tate says, his voice bringing my searching eyes back to him. “Nothing unusual to report in a ten-block radius.”

  “Something’s wrong, though,” I say, pensive. “I feel it.”

  “I have men station—” His radio crackles to life, disrupting his reassuring tone with static, followed by an urgent voice.

  “Special Agent Tate, you copy?”

  “Special Agent Tate here. Go ahead please.”

  “We have shots fired at Dark Star. Repeat, shots fired at Dark Star!”

  “Copy that. I’m en route”

  Agent Tate releases his radio and meets my eyes. “I know your instincts are screaming to run over there, but I need you to stay here. Get everyone away from here, and I’ll come by your penthouse as soon as I have the details. It could just be a distraction. All your men are accounted for, right?”

  “Almost everyone is present here, yes,” I reply, my tone hard. “Those are innocent people in that building.”

  “Get this cemetery cleared, and I’ll see you as soon as I can.”

  As much as I want to run to my car and follow him downtown, I know I can’t. I’m no longer the lower man on the totem pole; it’s my responsibility to make sure everyone is accounted for and put a plan into action. One that won’t end in bloodshed. We have no idea if this is a fluke with horrible timing or another part in the large plan to take down the Outfit—or more specifically, me.

  As Agent Tate moves swiftly away, I turn to scan over the crowd left at the graveside, but my eyes land on my mother and the priest, who’re side by side, making their way to the line of cars. I tug Piper’s hand and lead her toward them, already anticipating Mother’s negative reaction.

  “Dante, Piper,” she says as we approach. “Father Cordova and I were just leaving. The atmosphere is a little tense for a funeral.” Her eyes cut to where my men are gathered at the service site.

  “These are tense times,” I say tersely before sticking two fingers into my mouth and whistling loudly. When heads turn my way, I motion for six of the hired security men to join us. Turning back to my mother, I say, “Two of these men will drive you, and two more will follow in one of the SUVs. Please go home and stay there for the time being.”

  “Oh, Dante,” she says, waving as if I’m speaking nonsense. “This really isn’t necessary. It hasn’t been for a long time when it comes to me. I’m considered off limits. Your father made sure of that.”

  “Pop is no longer around,” I say, my jaw clenched tightly. “You will do as I’ve asked.” I turn to Father Cordova. “I’d like to offer you an armed escort as well.”

  The priest studies me for a silent moment before nodding. “If you think it is necessary, I will allow it.”

  “Only a precaution, but necessary in my book.”

  “Very well,” he replies.

  I turn to the gathered men and give them their orders, standing in my spot until all four vehicles have pulled away from the cemetery. With quickened steps and a tight hold on Piper, we return to the graveside to share the news with the rest of my men. My eyes scan everyone, and once I’m sure there are no could-be spies present, I flick my fingers for Carlos, Lorenzo, and Ivan to join me, and of fucking course, Madeline is glued to my brother’s side.

  “There have been shots fired at Dark Star,” I say, my voice sharp and clear. “We don’t have the details, but Agent Tate is on his way and has promised a full report. The likelihood of this being a random event is slim.” I meet each of their eyes one by one. “We need to get this cemetery cleared and expect anything as we try to get back downtown. It could be a distraction, a trap, or who knows what the fuck the plan is, but we need to be prepared.”

  “I knew it!” Ivan says, his head swiveling in every direction, fear in his eyes. “They’re coming for her.”

  “We don’t know that,” I snap, refusing to feed his worst-case-scenario speculation. “What I do know is that we need to get our asses home … safely. We’re sitting ducks in the open like this.”

  “I say we make a procession,” Carlos suggests. “Unless they brought an army, there’s no way they’d be stupid enough to attack a show of force like that.”

  I go quiet as I consider his plan. It’s a fucking smart one, I’ll admit. Yeah, it’ll attract attention if we move as a unit through the city, but it’ll also be an imposing visage. You’d have to be a fucking fool to consider attacking ten cars at once.

  “I like it,” I bark. “Anyone have a better idea?”

  Ivan’s gone quiet, his fear for Madeline paralyzing him, but Lorenzo nods in agreement. “Let’s do it.”

  “Give the order,” I snap, eyeing Lorenzo and Carlos. “Ivan and I will take Piper and Madeline to the vehicles. I’m anxious to get them out of the open.”

  My eyes fall to the two caskets, and I take a moment to silently bid farewell to two of the biggest influences over the span of my life. With my head bowed, I silently send them one final message: The Outfit mourns the loss of two great souls, but we are content to know you are together, wherever that may be. May you rest in peace.

  Taking Piper’s hand, I lead her past Sergio and Cary, and I snap my fingers for them to fall in line. They aren’t Outfit members, but they are my personal security, and I’m not stupid enough to climb into a vehicle that’s been parked for any amount of time without it being thoroughly checked over, especially with this feeling coursing through me.

  “Cary, do your magic,” I say, waving toward the two Hummers parked front to rear. “Make sure there are no explosives.”

  His eyes light up like a kid in a candy store, and my jaw ticks. I know he doesn’t mean to be so giddy when it comes to performing acts to save our lives, but getting to play with his gadgets is his favorite thing to do. I watch, every muscle within me tense as he runs a handheld scanner through and underneath each car. When he’s done with the first, he takes out another item and uses it like a camera.